Patents by Inventor Bryan Smith

Bryan 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: 20140207497
    Abstract: Systems, apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture for outputting and utilization of risk zone information are provided. In some embodiments, risk zone information may be utilized to define, manage, output, and/or utilize risk zone-based navigational routing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: The Travelers Indemnity Company
    Inventors: Dean M. Collins, Bryan Smith
  • Patent number: 8755038
    Abstract: A method includes applying pulsed light to a first end of an optical fiber from an optical fault locator during a first distance test. The method includes determining an estimated distance to a fault based on the pulsed light. The method includes sending information indicative of the estimated distance to a remote device. The method also includes applying first visible light from the optical fault locator to the first end of the optical fiber to facilitate identification of the fault at a first site that is remote from the first end of the optical fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Bryan Smith
  • Patent number: 8682699
    Abstract: Systems, apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture that provide for outputting and utilization of risk zone information are provided. In some embodiments, risk zone information may be utilized to select, price, and/or manage an insurance policy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: The Travelers Indemnity Company
    Inventors: Dean M. Collins, Bryan Smith
  • Patent number: 8601055
    Abstract: A method for dynamically managing a social network group performed by a group management system having at least one physical processing apparatus includes receiving, with the group management system, data from a number of source providers over a computer network; identifying a basis for creating a new social network group from the data with the group management system; creating the new social network group with the group management system; and automatically inviting a number of members to join the new social network group with the group management system, each of the members being associated with the basis identified in the data for creating the new social network group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Bryan Smith, Mark Douglas Weitzel
  • Publication number: 20130305185
    Abstract: Avatar cloning in a virtual world may include receiving an input indicating that a user desires to access a cloning feature and allowing a cloned avatar to be cloned from the user's avatar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: William Bruce Nicol, II, Brian Ronald Bokor, Peter Frederick Haggar, Daniel Edward House, Andrew Bryan Smith
  • Patent number: 8584024
    Abstract: Avatar cloning in a virtual world may include receiving an input indicating that a user desires to access a cloning feature and allowing a cloned avatar to be cloned from the user's avatar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: William Bruce Nicol, II, Brian Ronald Bokor, Peter Frederick Haggar, Daniel Edward House, Andrew Bryan Smith
  • Patent number: 8555346
    Abstract: Generation of user and avatar specific content in a virtual world may include generating a local attribute object. The local attribute object may comprise attributes identifying at least one of the user's real world location and the user's avatar's virtual world location. Access to the local attribute object by virtual world operators may be controlled by the user and/or user's avatar. Specific content, based on the local attribute object, is presented to the user's avatar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Ronald Bokor, Peter Frederick Haggar, Daniel Edward House, William Bruce Nicol, II, Andrew Bryan Smith
  • Publication number: 20130254684
    Abstract: A system for perspective based tagging and visualization of avatars in a virtual world may include determining if another avatar has moved within a predetermined proximity range of a user's avatar in a virtual world. The system may also include allowing the user to tag the other avatar with information in response to the other avatar being within the predetermined proximity range of the user's avatar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andrew Bryan Smith, Brian Ronald Bokor, Daniel Edward House, William Bruce Nicol, II
  • Patent number: 8495505
    Abstract: A method for perspective based tagging and visualization of avatars in a virtual world may include determining if another avatar has moved within a predetermined proximity range of a user's avatar in a virtual world. The method may also include allowing the user to tag the other avatar with information in response to the other avatar being within the predetermined proximity range of the user's avatar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Bryan Smith, Brian Ronald Bokor, Daniel Edward House, William Bruce Nicol, II
  • Patent number: 8453062
    Abstract: A method for managing and operating one or more virtual world viewers in a virtual world may include generating a virtual world viewer feature on a computer system in response to a predetermined action by the user. The method may also include generating an option in the virtual world viewer feature for the user to either enter or select a different virtual world location from a current virtual world location of a user's avatar for locating a virtual world viewer for viewing the different virtual world location. The virtual world viewer may be generated on the computer system for the user to view the different virtual world location without the user's avatar leaving the current virtual world location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Frederick Haggar, Brian Ronald Bokor, Andrew Bryan Smith, Daniel Edward House, William Bruce Nicol, II
  • Publication number: 20130092344
    Abstract: A transition module for an energy recovery ventilator unit. The module comprises a frame having two opposing major surfaces with two separate through-hole openings therein. The module also comprises a self-sealing surface on one of the major surfaces and surrounding the two through-hole openings. One of the through-hole openings is configured to separately overlap with return air openings or supply air openings located in a first target side of one an energy recovery ventilator unit or an air handling unit and in a second target side of the other one of the energy recovery ventilator unit or the air handling unit. The other of the through-hole openings is configured to separately overlap with the other of the return air openings or the supply air openings located in the first and second sides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Inventors: Justin McKie, Eric Perez, Geoffrey Curtis, Bryan Smith
  • Publication number: 20130092346
    Abstract: An energy recovery ventilator unit comprising a cabinet and a plurality of enthalpy wheels mounted in the cabinet. Major surfaces of each of the enthalpy wheels are substantially separated from each other and substantially perpendicular to a direction of primary forced-air intake into the cabinet. The major surface of one of the enthalpy wheels substantially overlaps, in the direction of primary forced-air intake, with the major surface of at least one of the other enthalpy wheels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Inventors: Justin McKie, Eric Perez, Bryan Smith, Steve Schneider
  • Publication number: 20130095744
    Abstract: An energy recovery ventilator unit. The unit comprises a sensor mounting panel removably coupled to an outer surface of a cabinet, wherein the sensor mounting panel is configured to hold a plurality of sensors configured to measure the atmospheric environment inside of one or more of an intake zone, a supply zone, or a return zone housed inside of the cabinet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Justin McKie, Eric Perez, Bryan Smith
  • Publication number: 20130092345
    Abstract: An energy recovery ventilator unit. The unit comprises a cabinet housing a primary intake zone, a supply zone, a return zone, an exhaust zone and an enthalpy-exchange zone. The primary intake zone and the exhaust zone are both on one side of the enthalpy exchange zone. The supply zone and the return zone are both on an opposite side of the enthalpy exchange zone. The unit also comprises first and second blowers. The first blower is located in the primary intake zone and configured to push outside air into the primary intake zone and straight through the enthalpy exchange zone into the supply zone. The second blower is located in the return zone and configured to push return air into the return zone and straight through the enthalpy exchange zone into the exhaust zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Justin McKie, Eric Perez, Bryan Smith, Steve Schneider
  • Publication number: 20130078161
    Abstract: A device and system is disclosed for sterilizing objects, commonly dental, medical, or veterinary instruments, by enhancing rapid hot air diffusion into an instrument container by means of a sliding cover overlaying an opening in the bottom of the instrument container when in the closed position and sliding horizontally to reveal the opening in the open position, allowing rapidly flowing hot air into the container for medical article sterilization. The sliding cover is moved to the open position just prior to the sterilization process by a mechanical means incorporated into the sterilizer with the sliding cover remaining in the open position through the completion of the sterilization process. Once the sterilization cycle is complete, the mechanical means is reversed, closing, sealing, and locking the sliding cover in place over the opening before the instrument container is removed from the sterilizer, ensuring continued medical instrumentation sterility inside the container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Inventors: William Bryan Smith, Nelson S. Slavik
  • Publication number: 20130060602
    Abstract: Example systems and methods to determine the impact or effectiveness of a test subject on a panelist are disclosed herein. An example method involves obtaining first implicit response data from a panelist at a first time period before an interaction during which the panelist is exposed to a test subject, obtaining second implicit response data from the panelist at a second time period after the interaction, and determining an impact of the test subject on the panelist based on the first and second implicit response data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Inventors: Heather Rupp, W. Bryan Smith
  • Publication number: 20120324121
    Abstract: Sharing content between users of different social networks includes: in a source social network implemented by at least one processor, receiving shared content uploaded by a source user with an indication of a number of recipients of the shared content; establishing a trusted communication link between the source social network and at least one external social network; and allowing the number of recipients to retrieve the shared content from the source social network via the trusted communication link.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Derek Wayne Carr, Thomas Schaeck, Andrew Bryan Smith, Michael C. Wanderski, Mark Douglas Weitzel
  • Patent number: 8327027
    Abstract: A specially programmed computer encodes repeating sequences of equidistant-spaced bit series that are identified in an input file. The position of each sequence is encoded relative to one or more instances of the previous sequence, including both the spacing between bits and the bit position of identified portions of each. For a certain class of input files, this encoding of repeating sequences significantly compresses the input file into the output file. A specially programmed computer decodes files that have been encoded in this manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Inventor: Bryan Smith
  • Patent number: 8309161
    Abstract: The invention provides a medical implant device or component thereof comprising a metal substrate, an intermediate coating, and an outer coating of aluminum oxide, as well as a method of making such a medical implant device or component thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: DePuy Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald Overholser, Bryan Smith
  • Patent number: D702968
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Inventor: Bryan Smith