Patents by Inventor Brandon J. Smith

Brandon J. 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: 20210396261
    Abstract: A fastener including a body that extends between a first end and a second end and a head that is engaged with the body at the first end. Further, the body includes a first section with a first outer diameter and a first set of threads oriented in a first direction. The body further includes a second section with a second outer diameter and a second set of threads oriented in a second direction, opposite the first direction. Also, the first section is positioned closer to the head than the second section, and the first set of threads is self-tapping.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: Brian D. Vik, Brandon J. Smith
  • Patent number: 10389803
    Abstract: A computing device receives, from one or more user accounts in a group of user accounts, display information associated with presentation of data associated with a media item and generated in association with a first user account on user devices associated with the one or more user accounts in the group. The computing device generates a report comprising statistics associated with display of the data, wherein the statistics are determined from the display information and comprise an amount of time for which the data was presented on the user devices associated with the one or more user accounts in the group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jon Robert Ducrou, Brandon J. Smith, Kenneth O. Sanders, II
  • Publication number: 20180365388
    Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for context aware content distribution. Content such as e-books, presentations, audio, video, applications, and so forth may be distributed to user devices after establishing a trust relationship. An invitation to provide content may be sent to a user device based on the context of the user device, such as proximity to pre-determined devices, location, and so forth. Upon acceptance of the invitation to opt-in to receiving content, a trust relationship may be established which provides for the transfer of content to the user device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Inventors: David M. Lerner, Jon Robert Ducrou, Marcus A. Barry, Kenneth O. Sanders, II, Erik J. Miller, Christopher M. Brennan, Brandon J. Smith
  • Patent number: 10064012
    Abstract: An ultra-wideband (UWB) tracking device, system, and method are provided. The system can include a plurality of anchor transmitters, at least one location device, and a processing system. The anchor transmitters can be arranged in predetermined positions, include a unique identifier, and each transmit an ultra-wide band (UWB) signal including the unique identifier. The location device can receive the UWB signals, and transmit the unique identifiers. The processing system can include a digital map that stores the unique identifiers and the predetermined positions. The processing system can receive the unique identifiers from the location device, and identify a position of the location device based on a comparison of the unique identifiers received and the stored unique identifiers on the digital map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Jonathan D. Boston, Brandon J. Smith
  • Patent number: 9870713
    Abstract: Detection and prevention of unauthorized exchange of information between users of user devices is disclosed. Monitoring data associated with respective information received by the user devices from respective users may be received. Position information indicating proximity or relative positions of the devices may also be received. The monitoring data and/or the position information may be analyzed to determining whether unauthorized information exchange between users may be occurring. One or more metrics indicating a likelihood that unauthorized information exchange is occurring may be generated based on the analysis of the monitoring data and/or the position information. A generated metric may be compared to an associated threshold and preventive measures for deterring unauthorized information exchange may be identified based on a result of the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jon Robert Ducrou, Brandon J. Smith, Kenneth O. Sanders, III, Marcus A. Barry, Christopher M. Brennan, David M. Lerner, Erik J. Miller
  • Patent number: 9575960
    Abstract: One or more words at a specified location in an electronic document can be identified. The identified one or more words can be analyzed to determine one or more semantic meanings associated with the words. An audio clip (i.e., audio file, audio element) associated with or corresponding to (the semantic meaning(s) of) the one or more words can be searched for in an audio database. The search for the audio clip associated with the one or more words can utilize an index that specifies the associations between words and audio clips. In some embodiments, the audio clip can be played when an estimated location of where the user is reading is at or near the specified location of the one or more words. In some embodiments, the audio clip can be played when it is calculated that the user is reading the one or more words at the specified location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David M. Lerner, Brandon J. Smith, Jon Robert Ducrou, Erik J. Miller, Marcus A. Barry, Kenneth O. Sanders, II
  • Patent number: 9501582
    Abstract: Text content embedded with multimedia content is provided from a content provider to a client device. The multimedia content may be provided to the client device separate from the text content. In particular, multimedia content metadata indicating a storage location of the multimedia content may be provided to the client device after the text content. The client device may request the multimedia content from the content provider based on the multimedia content metadata. The content provider may send the requested multimedia content to the client device after receiving an authenticated version of the multimedia content metadata.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mohar H. Bhise, Timothy M. Garcia, Martin Goerner, Brandon J. Smith, Ryan J. Snodgrass
  • Patent number: 9160605
    Abstract: A computing device generates a group of user devices. The computing device receives data associated with a media item from a first user device in the group. Responsive to determining that the first user device has data sharing privileges, the computing device transmits the data to one or more other user devices in the group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jon Robert Ducrou, Brandon J. Smith, Kenneth O. Sanders, II
  • Patent number: 9021069
    Abstract: This disclosure describes, in part, techniques for managing access to a fleet account of mobile electronic devices. For instance, an administrator of a business and educational institution may place an order with an offering service to purchase a large number of eBook reader devices. The offering service identifies that the business and educational institution is ordering a fleet of devices. Furthermore, each of the devices ordered are associated or registered to a managed or fleet account controlled by the administrator of the business and educational institution. The techniques described herein prevent an individual user of a fleet device from de-registering the device from the managed account, and also allow an account administrator to alter preferred settings of the managed account. Further, techniques are described for allowing a user of a device to opt-in or associate their device with the account.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jon Robert Ducrou, Brandon J. Smith, Christopher M. Brennan, Kenneth O. Sanders, II, Erik J. Miller, David M. Lerner, Andrew Budker, Marcus A. Barry
  • Publication number: 20140006567
    Abstract: This disclosure describes, in part, techniques for managing access to a fleet account of mobile electronic devices. For instance, an administrator of a business and educational institution may place an order with an offering service to purchase a large number of eBook reader devices. The offering service identifies that the business and educational institution is ordering a fleet of devices. Furthermore, each of the devices ordered are associated or registered to a managed or fleet account controlled by the administrator of the business and educational institution. The techniques described herein prevent an individual user of a fleet device from de-registering the device from the managed account, and also allow an account administrator to alter preferred settings of the managed account. Further, techniques are described for allowing a user of a device to opt-in or associate their device with the account.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Inventors: Jon Robert Ducrou, Brandon J. Smith, Christopher M. Brennan, Kenneth O. Sanders, II, Erik J. Miller, David M. Lerner, Andrew Budker, Marcus A. Barry
  • Publication number: 20110276863
    Abstract: Text content embedded with multimedia content is provided from a content provider to a client device. The multimedia content may be provided to the client device separate from the text content. In particular, multimedia content metadata indicating a storage location of the multimedia content may be provided to the client device after the text content. The client device may request the multimedia content from the content provider based on the multimedia content metadata. The content provider may send the requested multimedia content to the client device after receiving an authenticated version of the multimedia content metadata.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Inventors: Mohar H. Bhise, Timothy M. Garcia, Martin Goerner, Brandon J. Smith, Ryan J. Snodgrass
  • Publication number: 20080293450
    Abstract: An item-providing system supplies items to a user device for consumption at the user device via communication infrastructure. In one illustrative implementation, the communication infrastructure may rely, in part, on wireless communication. The device may correspond to a book reader device or other type of device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Inventors: Thomas A. Ryan, Gregg Elliott Zehr, Kenneth P. Kiraly, John Lattyak, Michael V. Rykov, Girish Bansilal Bajaj, James C. Slezak, Aviram Zagorie, Richard Moore, Kevin R. Cheung, Thomas M. J. Fruchterman, Robert L. Goodwin, Beryl Tomay, Ajay M. Desai, Tim Tan, Brandon J. Smith, Bradley Jeffery Behm, Brent Eric Wood, Xiaotian Guo, Neil C. Roseman, Jon Saxton