Patents by Inventor Alex Smith

Alex Smith has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20200200907
    Abstract: A semi-automatic three-dimensional light detection and ranging (LIDAR) point cloud data annotation system and method for autonomous driving of a vehicle involve filtering 3D LIDAR point cloud and normalizing the filtered 3D LIDAR point cloud data relative to the vehicle to obtain normalized 3D LIDAR point cloud data, quantizing the normalized 3D LIDAR point cloud data by dividing it into a set of 3D voxels, projecting the set of 3D voxels to a 2D birdview, identifying a possible object by applying clustering to the 2D birdview projection, obtaining an annotated 2D birdview projection including annotations by a human annotator via the annotation system regarding whether the bounding box corresponds to a confirmed object and a type of the confirmed object, and converting the annotated 2D birdview projection to back into annotated 3D LIDAR point cloud data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Inventors: Dalong Li, Alex Smith, Stephen Horton
  • Publication number: 20200098161
    Abstract: A system and method for performing non-graphical algorithm calculations on a GPU (graphics processing unit), by adapting the non-graphical algorithm to be executed according to the texture mapping calculation functions of the GPU, for example within the Web Browser environment. The non-graphical algorithm preferably relates to comparison of a plurality of data points. Each data point may relate to any unit of information, including but not limited to a document (for a document comparison algorithm), information about movements of a unit (for a collision detection algorithm), determination of interactions between two more nodes on a graph, such as for example and without limitation, determining such interactions in a social media channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Publication date: March 26, 2020
    Inventors: Alex SMITH, Andras BENKE, Jonathan R. DODSON, Michael KRAMER, Fabien VIVES, Adam BEAUGH
  • Publication number: 20190394231
    Abstract: A system and method for detecting interactive network of automated accounts, the interactive network of automated accounts comprising a plurality of automated accounts posting to a social media channel, the system comprising: an ingestion engine operated by a computational device for connecting to the social media channel and receiving a plurality of social media postings from a plurality of posting entities; a bot model operated by a computational device for determining whether at least one posting entity is a suspected bot; and a computer network for communication between said computational devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventors: Alex SMITH, Andras BENKE, Jonathan R. DODSON, Jeffrey FENCHEL, Loretta JIMENEZ, Michael KRAMER, Fabien VIVES, Adam BEAUGH, Felix Medina WONG, Melinda CHU, Christopher MILLER
  • Publication number: 20190385062
    Abstract: A system and method for data curation, which enables multimedia content, such as social media postings, to be analyzed automatically and accurately.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Inventors: Julian ALCALA, Andras BENKE, Jonathan R DODSON, Jeffrey FENCHEL, Loretta JIMENEZ, Michael Kramer, Alex SMITH, Fabien VIVES
  • Publication number: 20190205811
    Abstract: A tool that provides new insight into the turnover between employees who are actively engaged in well-being programs and those who are not. Embodiments of the invention allow attraction and retention of talent to be a key performance measure for an organization's well-being programs. Embodiments of the invention also allow an organization to use its well-being program as a way of demonstrating to employees that the organization cares about their well-being, which is often important for employee satisfaction, productivity, attraction and retention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Inventors: Keith Carpenter, Alex Smith, Gavin Oxman, Julianne Tillmann
  • Patent number: 10207677
    Abstract: An apparatus operable to provide a communication link between a passive entry and passive (PEPS) start system of a target vehicle and a user device operable to control the PEPS system, the apparatus comprising: i) a first wireless transceiver adapted to be installed in a first vehicle and configured to communicate with the user device and with a second wireless transceiver associated with a second vehicle; and ii) a master controller module configured in a blind rebroadcast mode: a) to receive via the first wireless transceiver a control message sent from a transmitting source and to transmit the control message via the first wireless transceiver to the second wireless transceiver associated with the second vehicle; and b) to receive via the first wireless transceiver a response message originated by the PEPS system of the target vehicle and to transmit the response message via the first wireless transceiver to the transmitting source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Marcelo Lazarini, Alex Smith
  • Publication number: 20190031141
    Abstract: An apparatus operable to provide a communication link between a passive entry and passive (PEPS) start system of a target vehicle and a user device operable to control the PEPS system, the apparatus comprising: i) a first wireless transceiver adapted to be installed in a first vehicle and configured to communicate with the user device and with a second wireless transceiver associated with a second vehicle; and ii) a master controller module configured in a blind rebroadcast mode: a) to receive via the first wireless transceiver a control message sent from a transmitting source and to transmit the control message via the first wireless transceiver to the second wireless transceiver associated with the second vehicle; and b) to receive via the first wireless transceiver a response message originated by the PEPS system of the target vehicle and to transmit the response message via the first wireless transceiver to the transmitting source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Marcelo LAZARINI, Alex Smith
  • Publication number: 20180339676
    Abstract: A passive entry and start system of a vehicle includes a transceiver configured to pair with a mobile device. The transceiver individually connects to and transmits predetermined signals from N different antennas of the vehicle that are located in N different positions. A location module determines a location of the mobile device relative to the vehicle based on M RSSI values of the predetermined signals received by the mobile device from M of the N different antennas of the vehicle. The location module is configured to determine a zone of the mobile device based on the location of the mobile device relative to the vehicle. The system further includes an unlock control module that actuates door lock actuators and unlocks the when the mobile device is in a first predetermined zone and a start control module that starts the vehicle when the mobile device is in a second predetermined zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2017
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Inventors: Marcelo LAZARINI, Alex SMITH
  • Patent number: 9940402
    Abstract: A social networking system facilitates a user's creation of a group of other users from among the user's connections in the user's social network. The created groups may be used, for example, to publish information to certain user-defined groups or to define privacy settings or other access rights to the user's content according to such user-defined groups. When a user adds connections to a group, the social networking system determines suggested connections that have not been added to the group, based on a similarity of the suggested connections with one or more of the connections who have been added to the group. These suggested connections are then presented to the user to facilitate the creation of the group. Both positive and negative feedback may be used to generate a useful set of suggestions, which may be updated as the user further defines the group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas M. Lento, Scott Alex Smith, David Edward Braginsky
  • Patent number: 9808762
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present disclosure describes an industrial system, which includes a control system with a predictive emissions monitoring system that facilitates determining a chemical level output from a selective catalytic reduction unit that reduces the chemical level in gaseous emissions produced by a combustion source using a selective catalytic reduction model. The control system tunes the selective catalytic reduction model by determining tuning parameters based at least in part on vendor information and tuning data determined via a tuning sequence. The tuning sequence includes operating the combustion source at a plurality of load levels, injecting a reactant into received gaseous emissions at each of the plurality of load levels in accordance with an injection rate provided in the vendor information; and determining an input chemical level to and an output chemical level from the selective catalytic reduction unit at each of the plurality of load levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Walter Edgar Hayes, IV, Keith Alex Smith, Eugene Boe, Dennis Tzyy-nian Yieh
  • Publication number: 20160357771
    Abstract: A social networking system facilitates a user's creation of a group of other users from among the user's connections in the user's social network. The created groups may be used, for example, to publish information to certain user-defined groups or to define privacy settings or other access rights to the user's content according to such user-defined groups. When a user adds connections to a group, the social networking system determines suggested connections that have not been added to the group, based on a similarity of the suggested connections with one or more of the connections who have been added to the group. These suggested connections are then presented to the user to facilitate the creation of the group. Both positive and negative feedback may be used to generate a useful set of suggestions, which may be updated as the user further defines the group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventors: Thomas M. Lento, Scott Alex Smith, David Edward Braginsky
  • Patent number: 9509939
    Abstract: A system utilizes a screen having a compound curvature to simulate an environment viewable from multiple vantage points. The compound curvature of the screen is such that the screen is curved in at least two directions about at least two axes. The display can be positioned behind a wall opening to provide a window effect. The display terminates its active image area outside of a region from which the display can be viewed to create a seemingly infinite simulated environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC
    Inventors: David Henion, Matthew Gall, Brian B. McQuillian, Alex Smith, Justin M. Schwartz
  • Publication number: 20160310896
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present disclosure describes an industrial system, which includes a control system. The control system includes a predictive emissions monitoring system that facilitates determining a chemical level output from a selective catalytic reduction unit that reduces the chemical level in gaseous emissions produced by a combustion source in the industrial system using a selective catalytic reduction model. The control system tunes the selective catalytic reduction model to the selective catalytic reduction unit by determining tuning parameters of the selective catalytic reduction model based at least in part on vendor information and tuning data determined via a tuning sequence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Inventors: Walter Edgar Hayes, IV, Keith Alex Smith, Eugene Boe, Dennis Tzyy-nian Yieh
  • Patent number: 9450993
    Abstract: A social networking system facilitates a user's creation of a group of other users from among the user's connections in the user's social network. The created groups may be used, for example, to publish information to certain user-defined groups or to define privacy settings or other access rights to the user's content according to such user-defined groups. When a user adds connections to a group, the social networking system determines suggested connections that have not been added to the group, based on a similarity of the suggested connections with one or more of the connections who have been added to the group. These suggested connections are then presented to the user to facilitate the creation of the group. Both positive and negative feedback may be used to generate a useful set of suggestions, which may be updated as the user further defines the group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas M. Lento, Scott Alex Smith, David Edward Braginsky
  • Publication number: 20150358574
    Abstract: A system utilizes a screen having a compound curvature to simulate an environment viewable from multiple vantage points. The compound curvature of the screen is such that the screen is curved in at least two directions about at least two axes. The display can be positioned behind a wall opening to provide a window effect. The display terminates its active image area outside of a region from which the display can be viewed to create a seemingly infinite simulated environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventors: David Henion, Matthew Gall, Brian B. McQuillian, Alex Smith, Justin M. Schwartz
  • Patent number: 9048520
    Abstract: A quick-release clamp that is placed over a pair of waveguide flanges and then locked into place. The device eliminates the need for laborious removal and reinstallation of numerous small nuts and bolts from the waveguide flanges, which are a time consuming component of every maintenance job done on the waveguides. The device consists of a formed clamp that conforms the to the shape and size of a particular waveguide flange pair. The clamp is hinged in one corner and has a securing mechanism in the opposite corner. The inside of the clamp has gaskets than ensure a tight secure fit for the clamp. In this way, a variety of waveguide flanges can be opened and sealed quickly and easily.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Inventors: Timothy M. Burnham, Alex Smith
  • Publication number: 20150039695
    Abstract: A social networking system facilitates a user's creation of a group of other users from among the user's connections in the user's social network. The created groups may be used, for example, to publish information to certain user-defined groups or to define privacy settings or other access rights to the user's content according to such user-defined groups. When a user adds connections to a group, the social networking system determines suggested connections that have not been added to the group, based on a similarity of the suggested connections with one or more of the connections who have been added to the group. These suggested connections are then presented to the user to facilitate the creation of the group. Both positive and negative feedback may be used to generate a useful set of suggestions, which may be updated as the user further defines the group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas M. Lento, Scott Alex Smith, David Edward Braginsky
  • Patent number: 8880600
    Abstract: A social networking system facilitates a user's creation of a group of other users from among the user's connections in the user's social network. The created groups may be used, for example, to publish information to certain user-defined groups or to define privacy settings or other access rights to the user's content according to such user-defined groups. When a user adds connections to a group, the social networking system determines suggested connections that have not been added to the group, based on a similarity of the suggested connections with one or more of the connections who have been added to the group. These suggested connections are then presented to the user to facilitate the creation of the group. Both positive and negative feedback may be used to generate a useful set of suggestions, which may be updated as the user further defines the group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas M. Lento, Scott Alex Smith, David Edward Braginsky
  • Patent number: D766820
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: STRYDE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Geier, Michael Mannhard, Tejas Shastry, Alex Smith
  • Patent number: D778235
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: STYRDE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Geier, Michael Mannhard, Tejas Shastry, Alex Smith