Patents by Inventor Bruce Bower

Bruce Bower 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: 20230206262
    Abstract: A network-based communication system that includes a dynamic attribution platform using Artificial Intelligence (AI), for identifying a state of a user, at a given moment, while the user is engaged in a product transaction or search journey. Based on analysis provided by the Artificial Intelligence, the system provides a series of gesture driven prompts to the user to capture the specific information from the user to allow for the product transaction to occur or journey to continue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2023
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventors: BRUCE BOWER, BLAINE NYE, COLE PATTERSON
  • Publication number: 20220101356
    Abstract: A network-based communication system that includes a dynamic attribution platform using Artificial Intelligence (AI), for identifying a state of a user, at a given moment, while the user is engaged in a product transaction or search journey. Based on analysis provided by the Artificial Intelligence, the system provides a series of gesture driven prompts to the user to capture the specific information from the user to allow for the product transaction to occur or journey to continue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Bruce Bower, Blaine Nye, Cole Patterson
  • Publication number: 20210103943
    Abstract: The invention relates to a data processing method and system for advancing in consumer insights analysis, useful in association with at least one store. In one embodiment, this is accomplished by receiving item related data, modeling data, visual representation data of a product/service and their quality or feature information along with benefits. Segmenting each representation data into a plurality of statistical segments based on one or more attributes, the attributes include a set of primary attributes and a set of secondary attributes which are based on product category-specific information and associated image information. Receiving one or more inputs from target profiles to test positive and negative favourability of the segmented attributes by leveraging a geosocial networking application which allows anonymously to swipe to like or dislike or select from a scalar or independent set of response options the segmented data as inputs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Publication date: April 8, 2021
    Inventors: Bruce Bower, Cole Patterson, Blaine Nye
  • Publication number: 20190259045
    Abstract: A business-consumer communication method in a dynamic attribution platform using Artificial Intelligence (AI), for identifying the consumer at a given moment in the product or search journey and providing a series of gesture driven prompts to the consumer to capture the specific information from the consumer to allow for the product transaction to occur or journey to continue. To make the communication process more relevant and enjoyable to the users.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Inventors: Bruce Bower, Blaine Nye, Cole Patterson
  • Patent number: 8768834
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for managing a digital wallet on behalf of a user. A user causes one or more value-ascertainable items (such as gift cards) to be reflected in the user's digital wallet. Once a value-ascertainable item is reflected in the digital wallet, the user may access the digital wallet and use the value-ascertainable item to make a purchase from a merchant that is capable of redeeming the value-ascertainable item. Alternatively, an exchange service that maintains the digital wallet allows the user to exchange the value-ascertainable item for another value-ascertainable item, whether of the same type item or a different type of item. The exchanged-for item may be used to make a purchase from a merchant that is capable of redeeming the exchanged-for item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: e2interactive, Inc.
    Inventors: Arturo M. Zacarias, Ashmit Bhattacharya, Bruce Bower, Steve Grove
  • Patent number: 8751294
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for allowing a merchant to process third party closed-loop instruments (such as gift cards) as if the closed-loop instruments were open-loop instruments. A customer provides card data of a third party gift card to a merchant, e.g., online or in a merchant store, for the purchase of one or more items provided by the merchant. The merchant sends the gift card data to an intermediary that deducts at least a portion of the balance of the gift card. The intermediary sends an offer for the gift card to the customer. If the customer accepts the offer, then the merchant applies the offer towards the total purchase price of the one or more items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: e2interactive, Inc.
    Inventors: Ashmit Bhattacharya, Bruce Bower, Gary Briggs, Marc Gendron, Steve Grove, Tina Henson, Parker Thomas
  • Publication number: 20130304620
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for providing value to a user in exchange for the user's value-ascertainable item. In one technique, the user, while in a merchant's store, uses a mobile device to scan a QR code that triggers a browser application to send a request to an exchange service over a network. The request includes data that is associated with the merchant. The user provides card data of a particular gift card to the exchange service. The exchange service checks the balance of the card and sends an offer for the card to the user. If the user accepts, then the exchange service sends account information and/or a bar code to the user's mobile device. The account information or bar code can be used immediately by the user to purchase one or more items at the store.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: Plastic Jungle, Inc.
    Inventors: Ashmit Bhattacharya, Bruce Bower, Shirley Foster, Steve Grove, Margaret Mackenzie, Daniel Rogers
  • Publication number: 20120221405
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for allowing a merchant to process third party closed-loop instruments (such as gift cards) as if the closed-loop instruments were open-loop instruments. A customer provides card data of a third party gift card to a merchant, e.g., online or in a merchant store, for the purchase of one or more items provided by the merchant. The merchant sends the gift card data to an intermediary that deducts at least a portion of the balance of the gift card. The intermediary sends an offer for the gift card to the customer. If the customer accepts the offer, then the merchant applies the offer towards the total purchase price of the one or more items.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Inventors: Ashmit Bhattacharya, Bruce Bower, Gary Briggs, Marc Gendron, Steve Grove, Tina Henson, Parker Thomas
  • Publication number: 20120221425
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for allowing a merchant to process third party closed-loop instruments (such as gift cards) as if the closed-loop instruments were open-loop instruments. A customer provides card data of a third party gift card to a merchant, e.g., online or in a merchant store, for the purchase of one or more items provided by the merchant. The merchant sends the gift card data to an intermediary that deducts at least a portion of the balance of the gift card. The intermediary sends an offer for the gift card to the customer. If the customer accepts the offer, then the merchant applies the offer towards the total purchase price of the one or more items.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Inventors: Ashmit Bhattacharya, Bruce Bower, Gary Briggs, Marc Gendron, Steve Grove, Tina Henson, Parker Thomas
  • Publication number: 20120143705
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for allowing a merchant to process third party closed-loop instruments (such as gift cards) as if the closed-loop instruments were open-loop instruments. A customer provides card data of a third party gift card to a merchant, e.g., online or in a merchant store, for the purchase of one or more items provided by the merchant. The merchant sends the gift card data to an intermediary that deducts at least a portion of the balance of the gift card. The intermediary sends an offer for the gift card to the customer. If the customer accepts the offer, then the merchant applies the offer towards the total purchase price of the one or more items.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Inventors: Ashmit Bhattacharya, Bruce Bower, Gary Briggs, Marc Gendron, Steve Grove, Tina Henson, Parker Thomas
  • Publication number: 20120059736
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for allowing a merchant to process third party closed-loop instruments (such as gift cards) as if the closed-loop instruments were open-loop instruments. A customer provides card data of a third party gift card to a merchant, e.g., online or in a merchant store, for the purchase of one or more items provided by the merchant. The merchant sends the gift card data to an intermediary that deducts at least a portion of the balance of the gift card. The intermediary sends an offer for the gift card to the customer. If the customer accepts the offer, then the merchant applies the offer towards the total purchase price of the one or more items.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Inventors: Ashmit Bhattacharya, Bruce Bower, Gary Briggs, Marc Gendron, Steve Grove, Tina Henson, Parker Thomas
  • Publication number: 20110137740
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for allowing a merchant to process third party closed-loop instruments (such as gift cards) as if the closed-loop instruments were open-loop instruments. A customer provides card data of a third party gift card to a merchant, e.g., online or in a merchant store, for the purchase of one or more items provided by the merchant. The merchant sends the gift card data to an intermediary that deducts at least a portion of the balance of the gift card. The intermediary sends an offer for the gift card to the customer. If the customer accepts the offer, then the merchant applies the offer towards the total purchase price of the one or more items.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Inventors: Ashmit Bhattacharya, Bruce Bower, Gary Briggs, Marc Gendron, Steve Grove, Tina Henson, Parker Thomas
  • Patent number: 7451966
    Abstract: An isolator mount with shock and vibration applications is presented. Specifically, the invention is comprised of an energy dissipating material disposed between deflectable elements. The invention is capable of damping small disturbance excitations and mitigating large shocks. The invention transfers mechanical energy to the dissipating materials via device structure and matrix. Materials dissipate shock and vibration either as heat or magnet energy. The invention includes a semi-passive mode for harsh environments and an active mode for benign environments. A snap-together modular embodiment with quasi-static adjustability enables two or more isolators to address a wide variety of conditions and to respond to changing conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Inventors: Gareth J. Knowles, Bruce Bower
  • Publication number: 20080230970
    Abstract: An isolator mount for the active dissipation of shocks and vibrations is presented. The invention includes at least one energy dissipating layer and deflectable elements so as to provide soft damping for small disturbance excitations, yet remaining sufficiently stiff to mitigate large shocks. The mount transfers mechanical energy to the dissipating layers via the device structure. Dissipating layers convert shock and vibration energies to either heat or magnetic energy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Gareth J. Knowles, Bruce Bower
  • Patent number: 7398964
    Abstract: An isolator mount capable of dissipating shocks and vibrations is presented. The present invention includes a mount which is load bearing and capable of withstanding repeated deflections and strains, at least two damping layers composed of an energy damping viscoelastic polymer, and at least two constraining layers composed of an energy damping alloy. Each layer of energy damping viscoelastic polymer is separately disposed and bonded to the exterior of the mount. One constraining layer is bonded to and substantially covers each damping layer. Damping and constraining layers minimize the stiffness change to the mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Inventors: Gareth J. Knowles, Bruce Bower
  • Patent number: 7303184
    Abstract: A passive isolator mount capable of dissipating shocks and vibrations as either heat or magnetic energy is presented. The passive isolator includes a pair of L-shaped or C-shaped brackets capable of withstanding repeated deflections and strains, energy dissipating layers disposed along each bracket, and a bond layer. The energy dissipating layers are composed of a rare earth element or alloy, a ferromagnetic shape alloy, a magnetic shape memory alloy, a magnetostrictive alloy, a magneto-mechanical alloy, a super-elastic alloy, or a combination thereof. The bond layer is disposed between and adheres one energy dissipating layer along a first bracket to an energy dissipating layer along a second bracket so that the resultant passive isolator is C-shaped. Energy dissipating and bond layers completely bisect the passive isolator either widthwise through the thickness of the L-shaped brackets or lengthwise through the thickness of the C-shaped brackets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Inventors: Bruce Bower, Gareth Knowles
  • Publication number: 20060250212
    Abstract: A current control device is described wherein a pressure conduction composite is compressed and decompressed to alter its conductivity and thereby current conduction through the device. The pressure conduction composite is composed of a nonconductive matrix, a conductive filler, and an additive. The invention consists of electrodes, a nonconducting isolator, and pressure plates contacting the composite. Electrically activated actuators apply a force onto pressures plates. Each actuator is a piezoelectric, piezoceramic, electrostrictive, magnetostrictive, or piezo-controlled pneumatic element, capable of extending and/or contracting thereby altering pressure and consequently resistivity within the composite.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2005
    Publication date: November 9, 2006
    Inventors: Bruce Bower, Gareth Knowles
  • Patent number: 7131640
    Abstract: An isolator mount for the active dissipation of shocks and vibrations is presented. The invention includes at least one energy dissipating element disposed between deflectable elements so as to provide soft damping for small disturbance excitations, yet remaining sufficiently stiff to mitigate large shocks. The mount transfers mechanical energy to the dissipating element via the device structure. Dissipating element mitigates the energy in shocks and vibrations as either heat or magnetic energy. A snap-together modular embodiment enables the coupling of two or more isolators for use within a wide variety of shock and vibration applications. Quasi-static tuning of one or more mounts comprising a snap-together module facilitates an active response to changing conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Inventors: Gareth J. Knowles, Bruce Bower
  • Patent number: 7069642
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a current control device is presented. The method impregnates a pressure conduction composite within a current control device with a fluid additive via suffusion. The suffusion process is performed by placing the pressure conduction composite within a bath of a liquid additive. The method generally includes the steps of mixing a compressible non-conductive matrix and conductive filler, forming a pressure conduction composite composed of the non-conductive matrix having the conductive filler electrically isolated therein, suffusing the composite within a bath so as to impregnate the composite with an additive, and attaching a pair of conductive plates to the composite. Alternate methods include attaching non-conductive plates to the composite, forming pores within the pressure conduction composite, and inserting a temperature responsive material into a porous composite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: QorTek, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Bower, Gareth Knowles
  • Publication number: 20060075629
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a current control device is presented. The method impregnates a pressure conduction composite within a current control device with a fluid additive via suffusion. The suffusion process is performed by placing the pressure conduction composite within a bath of a liquid additive. The method generally includes the steps of mixing a compressible non-conductive matrix and conductive filler, forming a pressure conduction composite composed of the non-conductive matrix having the conductive filler electrically isolated therein, suffusing the composite within a bath so as to impregnate the composite with an additive, and attaching a pair of conductive plates to the composite. Alternate methods include attaching non-conductive plates to the composite, forming pores within the pressure conduction composite, and inserting a temperature responsive material into a porous composite.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2005
    Publication date: April 13, 2006
    Inventors: Bruce Bower, Gareth Knowles