Patents by Inventor Brent A. Smith
Brent A. 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).
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Publication number: 20070244734Abstract: A method of operating an employment system is provided. The method includes generating a score for each of a plurality of possible results compared to information associated with a user, enabling the user to access a result of the plurality of possible results if the score generated for the result meets a threshold condition, enabling the user to adjust the threshold condition and preventing the user from adjusting the threshold condition beyond a minimum threshold condition. The score can be a bi-directional matching score. The minimum threshold condition can include a minimum score. The minimum score can be determined based on the percentage of the plurality of possible results that would be accessible to the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 21, 2007Publication date: October 18, 2007Applicant: MKT10Inventors: Robert McGovern, Brian Farmer, Leslie Ferry, Erik Anderson, Pam Koczara, Brent Smith
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Publication number: 20070162507Abstract: A method of operating an employment system is provided. The method includes generating a score for each of a plurality of possible results compared to information associated with a user, enabling the user to access a result of the plurality of possible results if the score generated for the result meets a threshold condition, enabling the user to adjust the threshold condition and preventing the user from adjusting the threshold condition beyond a minimum threshold condition. The score can be a bi-directional matching score. The minimum threshold condition can include a minimum score. The minimum score can be determined based on the percentage of the plurality of possible results that would be accessible to the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 21, 2007Publication date: July 12, 2007Applicant: MKT10Inventors: Robert McGovern, Brian Farmer, Leslie Ferry, Erik Anderson, Pam Koczara, Brent Smith
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Patent number: 7201778Abstract: A process for producing an ionic crosslinked fibrous material, such as a cellulosic fabric, paper, or other substrate, wherein the ionic crosslinked fiber exhibits an increased wrinkle resistance angle. A process for producing a cationized chitosan, wherein the cationized chitosan exhibits cationization at the C6 and ring hydroxyl sites and the reactivity of the ring NH2 sites is preserved. A process for applying a polycation to an anionic fibrous material to form an ionic crosslinked fibrous material. A process for producing a cationized fibrous material, wherein the process is performed as a pad-batch process, an exhaust fixation process, a pad-steam process, or a pad-dry-cure process.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2005Date of Patent: April 10, 2007Assignee: North Carolina State UniversityInventors: Carl Brent Smith, Mustafa Bilgen, Peter J. Hauser
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Patent number: 7166135Abstract: A process for producing an ionic crosslinked fibrous material, such as a cellulosic fabric, paper, or other substrate, wherein the ionic crosslinked fiber exhibits an increased wrinkle resistance angle. A process for producing a cationized chitosan, wherein the cationized chitosan exhibits cationization at the C6 and ring hydroxyl sites and the reactivity of the ring NH2 sites is preserved. A process for applying a polycation to an anionic fibrous material to form an ionic crosslinked fibrous material. A process for producing a cationized fibrous material, wherein the process is performed as a pad-batch process, an exhaust fixation process, a pad-steam process, or a pad-dry-cure process.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2004Date of Patent: January 23, 2007Assignee: North Carolina State UniversityInventors: Carl Brent Smith, Mohamed Mahmoud Hashem, Peter J. Hauser
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Publication number: 20060229902Abstract: A method of operating an employment system is provided. The method includes generating a score for each of a plurality of possible results compared to information associated with a user, enabling the user to access a result of the plurality of possible results if the score generated for the result meets a threshold condition, enabling the user to adjust the threshold condition and preventing the user from adjusting the threshold condition beyond a minimum threshold condition. The score can be a bi-directional matching score. The minimum threshold condition can include a minimum score. The minimum score can be determined based on the percentage of the plurality of possible results that would be accessible to the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2006Publication date: October 12, 2006Inventors: Robert McGovern, Brian Farmer, Leslie Ferry, Erik Anderson, Pam Koczara, Brent Smith
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Publication number: 20060229896Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a match-based employment system and method of operation are provided. The match-based employment system collects a plurality of employer seeker and employee seeker profiles, bi-directionally matches the employer seeker and said employee seeker profiles and displays at least a portion of the results to an employer seeker or an employee seeker. The match-based employment system can also order the bi-directional matching results based on a bi-directional match score and display the bi-directional matching results according to the ordering. The match-based employment system can also perform the matching such that approximately 70% of a matching score depends upon the quality of the match between employee seeker desires and employment seeker attributes and approximately 30% of the matching score depends upon the quality of the match between employment seeker desires and employee seeker attributes.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 11, 2005Publication date: October 12, 2006Inventors: Howard Rosen, Robert McGovern, Leslie Ferry, Erik Anderson, Pam Koczara, Brent Smith, Brian Farmer, Andrew Evans
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Publication number: 20050284082Abstract: A deck system includes an interconnected subframe operable to engage a ground surface and provide an elevated substantially horizontal support surface. A subfloor is coupled to the subframe and defines a working surface. A masonry floor surface including a plurality of brick pavers, for example, is disposed on the working surface. The masonry floor surface provides the advantages of durability and low maintenance while the subframe and subfloor allow construction at an elevated location, such as a second story of a home.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2004Publication date: December 29, 2005Inventor: Brent Smith
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Publication number: 20050227029Abstract: A commercially viable paper wrapped foam cup comprising a taper portion that prevents the shrinkage-induced curling from interfering with the un-nesting of nested paper wrapped foam cups. The paper wrapped cup further comprises a fillet for strengthening the cup foot to retard shrinkage-induced curling of the foot. The paper wrapper has abutting to overlapping opposing ends to completely hide the foam cup to enhance the visual appearance of the cup. The overlapping portions of the paper wrapper are not bonded to each other to prevent wrinkling of the paper wrapper as the cup shrinks. A machine and corresponding method provide for automatically supplying foam cups and paper wrappers, wrapping the paper wrapped cup, and stacking the wrapped cups.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 7, 2005Publication date: October 13, 2005Applicant: DART CONTAINER CORPORATIONInventors: Robert Dart, Roger Payne, Steven Hills, Steven Makela, Brent Smith
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Publication number: 20050102202Abstract: Various methods are disclosed for monitoring user browsing activities, and for using such information to provide item recommendations to users. In one embodiment, a monitoring component of a merchant's Web site maintains a record of products viewed by each user during a current browsing session—preferably based on visits to product detail pages. A recommendations component uses the resulting history of viewed products to identify additional products to recommend, preferably using a pre-existing table that maps products to related products. In one embodiment, this table is generated by periodically analyzing user browsing histories to identify correlations between purchases, viewing events, and/or other actions performed with respect to particular products. The recommended items may be displayed together with an option to individually deselect the recently viewed items on which the recommendations are based.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2004Publication date: May 12, 2005Inventors: Gregory Linden, Brent Smith, Nida Zada
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Publication number: 20050071251Abstract: Various methods are disclosed for monitoring user browsing activities that indicate user interests in particular products, or other items, represented in an electronic catalog, and for using such information to identify items that are related to one another. In one embodiment, relationships between items within an electronic catalog are determined by identifying items that are frequently viewed by users within the same browsing session (e.g., items A and B are related because a significant portion of those who viewed A also viewed B). The resulting item relatedness data may be stored in a table that maps items to sets of related items. The table may be used to provide personalized item recommendations to users, and/or to supplement item detail pages of the electronic catalog with lists of related items. In one embodiment, the table is used to provide session-specific item recommendations to users.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2004Publication date: March 31, 2005Inventors: Gregory Linden, Brent Smith, Nida Zada
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Publication number: 20040158935Abstract: A process for producing an ionic crosslinked fibrous material, such as a cellulosic fabric, paper, or other substrate, wherein the ionic crosslinked fiber exhibits an increased wrinkle resistance angle. A process for producing a cationized chitosan, wherein the cationized chitosan exhibits cationization at the C6 and ring hydroxyl sites and the reactivity of the ring NH2 sites is preserved. A process for applying a polycation to an anionic fibrous material to form an ionic crosslinked fibrous material. A process for producing a cationized fibrous material, wherein the process is performed as a pad-batch process, an exhaust fixation process, a pad-steam process, or a pad-dry-cure process.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2004Publication date: August 19, 2004Applicant: North Carolina State UniversityInventors: Carl Brent Smith, Mohamed Mahmoud Hashem, Peter J. Hauser
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Patent number: 6676710Abstract: A process for treating a textile substrate, the process including the steps of providing a textile substrate; providing a treatment bath; entraining a transport material in the treatment bath wherein the transport material further comprises a treatment material dissolved or suspended therein and wherein the transport material is substantially immiscible with the treatment bath; and contacting the textile substrate with the transport material in the treatment bath to thereby treat the textile substrate with the treatment material in the transport material.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2000Date of Patent: January 13, 2004Assignee: North Carolina State UniversityInventors: Carl Brent Smith, Walter A. Hendrix, Donald L. Butcher
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Patent number: 6615620Abstract: A process for introducing a textile treatment material into a textile treatment system, particularly a supercritical fluid carbon dioxide (SCF—CO2) treatment system. The process includes the steps of providing a preparation vessel in fluid communication with a textile treatment system; loading a textile treatment material into the preparation vessel; dissolving or suspending the textile treatment material in near-critical liquid carbon dioxide or supercritical fluid carbon dioxide in the preparation vessel; and introducing the dissolved or suspended textile treatment material into the textile treatment system. The textile treatment material can be selected from a group including a brightening agent, a whitening agent and a dye. A system suitable for use in carrying out the process is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2001Date of Patent: September 9, 2003Assignee: North Carolina State UniversityInventors: Walter A. Hendrix, Gerardo A. Montero, C. Brent Smith, Donald L. Butcher
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Publication number: 20020108183Abstract: A process for treating a textile substrate, the process including the steps of providing a textile substrate; providing a treatment bath; entraining a transport material in the treatment bath wherein the transport material further comprises a treatment material dissolved or suspended therein and wherein the transport material is substantially immiscible with the treatment bath; and contacting the textile substrate with the transport material in the treatment bath to thereby treat the textile substrate with the treatment material in the transport material.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2000Publication date: August 15, 2002Inventors: Carl Brent Smith, Walter A. Hendrix, Donald L. Butcher
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Publication number: 20010037530Abstract: A process for introducing a textile treatment material into a textile treatment system, particularly a supercritical fluid carbon dioxide (SCF—CO2) treatment system. The process includes the steps of providing a preparation vessel in fluid communication with a textile treatment system; loading a textile treatment material into the preparation vessel; dissolving or suspending the textile treatment material in near-critical liquid carbon dioxide or supercritical fluid carbon dioxide in the preparation vessel; and introducing the dissolved or suspended textile treatment material into the textile treatment system. The textile treatment material can be selected from a group including a brightening agent, a whitening agent and a dye. A system suitable for use in carrying out the process is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2001Publication date: November 8, 2001Inventors: Walter A. Hendrix, Gerardo A. Montero, C. Brent Smith, Donald L. Butcher
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Patent number: 6261326Abstract: A process for introducing a textile treatment material into a textile treatment system, particularly a supercritical fluid carbon dioxide (SCF-CO2) treatment system. The process includes the steps of providing a preparation vessel in fluid communication with a textile treatment system; loading a textile treatment material into the preparation vessel; dissolving or suspending the textile treatment material in near-critical liquid carbon dioxide or supercritical fluid carbon dioxide in the preparation vessel; and introducing the dissolved or suspended textile treatment material into the textile treatment system. The textile treatment material can be selected from a group including a brightening agent, a whitening agent and a dye. A system suitable for use in carrying out the process is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2000Date of Patent: July 17, 2001Assignee: North Carolina State UniversityInventors: Walter A. Hendrix, Gerardo A. Montero, C. Brent Smith, Donald L. Butcher
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Patent number: 6048369Abstract: Processes for dyeing a hydrophobic textile fiber with a colorant material using a SCF--CO.sub.2 dyebath are described. One process employs cooling, without venting or removing CO.sub.2 from the system, to a target CO.sub.2 temperature at or below the glass transition temperature of the hydrophobic fiber, followed by the venting of the dyeing system to atmospheric pressure. The other process employs venting, without cooling, to a target CO.sub.2 density where dye is no longer soluble in the SCF--CO.sub.2, followed by cooling to a target temperature and then venting to atmospheric pressure. Optionally, the temperature of the dyeing process is established by heating the process according to a selected temperature profile.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 1998Date of Patent: April 11, 2000Assignee: North Carolina State UniversityInventors: Carl Brent Smith, Gerardo A. Montero, Walter A. Hendrix