Patents by Inventor Carl Sassenrath

Carl Sassenrath 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: 20250133085
    Abstract: A method includes receiving, by a first device that is included in a first network and a second network, a request from a second device to join the first network. The method also includes making, by the first device, determinations of whether to transmit the second device a first credential corresponding to the first network and whether to transmit the second device a second credential corresponding to the second network. The method also includes using the determinations as a basis to select, as content for a message, the first credential, the second credential, or an indication that the second device is not allowed on the first network and not allowed on the second network. The method also includes transmitting the message that includes the content to the second device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2023
    Publication date: April 24, 2025
    Inventors: David Stern, Greg Garner, Robert Caston Curtis, Carl Sassenrath
  • Publication number: 20250125648
    Abstract: An example apparatus includes a smart water valve device. The smart water valve device includes a controller. The smart water valve device also includes a water valve configured to regulate water flow from a pressurized water source and configured to be operated by the controller. The smart water valve device also includes a battery configured to power the controller. The apparatus also includes an energy-generating device configured to charge the battery based on the water flow from the pressurized water source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2023
    Publication date: April 17, 2025
    Inventors: Carl Sassenrath, David Stern, Greg Garner
  • Publication number: 20250126367
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are system, method and/or computer program product embodiments, and/or combinations and sub-combinations thereof, for generating a long exposure composite image (LECI) frame, wherein the LECI frame provides a summary of activity in a monitored environment over a duration of time. An embodiment captures, using an image-capturing device, a sequence of image frames over the duration of time using an optical sensor of the image-capturing device. The embodiment then generates the LECI frame, using an embedded low-power processor coupled to the optical sensor and dedicated to generating LECI frames, by combining the sequence of image frames. The embodiment then transmits the LECI frame to a network device using a transceiver coupled to the low-power processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2023
    Publication date: April 17, 2025
    Inventors: CARL SASSENRATH, David Stern, Gregory Garner, Patrick Brouillette
  • Publication number: 20250119812
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are system, apparatus, article of manufacture, method and/or computer program product embodiments, and/or combinations and sub-combinations thereof, for relaying data in a mesh network. In an embodiment, characteristics for each of a plurality of nodes that comprise a mesh network are obtained. Based on the characteristics, a relay path for providing data from a source node from the plurality of nodes to a destination node from the plurality of nodes is determined. The relay path comprises the source node, the destination node and at least one relay node from the plurality of nodes. An indication of the relay path is provided to at least one of the source node, the destination node, or the at least one relay node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2023
    Publication date: April 10, 2025
    Applicant: ROKU, INC.
    Inventors: CARL SASSENRATH, ROBERT C. CURTIS, MANAS C. SAKSENA, GREGORY M. GARNER, SCOTT E. DE HAAS, DAVID L. STERN
  • Publication number: 20250111764
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are system, apparatus, article of manufacture, method and/or computer program product embodiments, and/or combinations and sub-combinations thereof, for reducing irrelevant alerts and/or network bandwidth usage from Internet of Things (IoT) cameras through the intelligent filtering out of video data. An example embodiment operates by receiving video data from an IoT camera. The embodiment further generates an ignore mask based on the video data, wherein the ignore mask specifies one or more regions in a video stream from the IoT camera that cannot trigger an alert. The embodiment then transmits the ignore mask to the IoT camera. The embodiment then receives the video stream from the IoT camera in response to transmitting the ignore mask to the IoT camera. The embodiment then determines that the video stream is associated with the alert. The embodiment may then transmit the alert to a user device in response to the determining.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2023
    Publication date: April 3, 2025
    Applicant: Roku, Inc.
    Inventors: Sunil RAMESH, Michael CUTTER, Patrick BROUILLETTE, Gregory GARNER, Robert CURTIS, David STERN, Carl SASSENRATH
  • Publication number: 20250069360
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are system, apparatus, article of manufacture, method and/or computer program product embodiments, and/or combinations and sub-combinations thereof, for loading one or more machine learning models into a camera system to detect features of a video stream. An example embodiment operates by downloading a machine learning model from an application exchange service. The machine learning model may be pre-trained prior to loading and/or be trained to identify particular features. The camera system may install and/or retrain loaded machine learning models using captured images and/or user inputs. The camera system may also detect an unknown feature and obtain a classification label from an external system. Upon detecting a feature and/or an unknown feature, the camera system may transmit a camera detection notification to a user device and/or allow the user device to view the video stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2023
    Publication date: February 27, 2025
    Inventors: Gregory GARNER, SOREN RIISE, PATRICK BROUILLETTE, SUNIL RAMESH, DAVID STERN, CARL SASSENRATH, MICHAEL CUTTER
  • Publication number: 20250061799
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are system, apparatus, article of manufacture, method and/or computer program product aspects, and/or combinations and sub-combinations thereof, for locating a remote control. An example aspect operates by transmitting an encoded radio frequency to wake-up a proximate television remote and initiate a “find my remote” process. A passive circuit integrated within the television remote receives the transmitted encoded radio frequency signal. Once awake, the television remote may provide an indicator of location to a proximate user. Another example aspect operates by transmitting high frequency radar to a radar transponder circuit within the television remote so that it becomes visible to the radar. Once the transponder is activated, the radar may locate the television remote relative to the television and display the location of the television remote on-screen, on a mobile device screen, or other locator indicator constructs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2023
    Publication date: February 20, 2025
    Inventors: NEIL JOHNSON, FRANK MAKER, CARL SASSENRATH
  • Publication number: 20250021404
    Abstract: A streaming media device includes a printed circuit board hosting components configured to access internet data. An audio/visual connector is linked to the printed circuit board, wherein the audio/visual connector is adapted for connection to an audio/visual device, wherein the audio/visual connector is adapted to operate with a first audio/visual interface having sufficient power to fully operate the printed circuit board and a second audio/visual interface having insufficient power to fully operate the printed circuit board. A power connector is linked to the printed circuit board, wherein the power connector selectively receives power based on the audio/visual connector utilizing one of the first audio/visual interface and the second audio/visual interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2024
    Publication date: January 16, 2025
    Applicant: ROKU, INC.
    Inventors: Lloyd KLARKE, Greg Garner, Carl Sassenrath, Anthony Wood, Scott Edward De Haas
  • Publication number: 20250016056
    Abstract: A method and system to facilitate adding a new IoT device to an IoT ecosystem that includes an existing IoT device, where a mobile device is configured to control the IoT ecosystem. In an example, the new device detects a wireless broadcast from the existing device that provides identification information of the mobile device. In response, the new device then uses the provided identification information of the mobile device as a basis to scan for and discover wireless presence of the mobile device. And responsive to the discovering wireless presence of the mobile device based on the mobile-phone identification information provided by the existing device, the new device then transmits to the mobile device, via the existing device as a wireless proxy, new-device information about the new device—which enables the mobile device to prompt for and obtain user approval to add the new device to the IoT ecosystem.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2023
    Publication date: January 9, 2025
    Inventors: Carl Sassenrath, Greg Garner
  • Publication number: 20240428792
    Abstract: A method and system for controlling response to a voice-command utterance. An example method includes a computing system that is associated with the first device carrying out operations upon the first device receiving the voice-command utterance. The operations include (a) making a determination of whether any of one or more second devices received the voice-command utterance before the first device received the voice-command utterance and (b) controlling whether the computing system will trigger an action in response to the first device receiving the voice-command utterance, with the controlling being based on the determination of whether any of the one or more second devices received the voice-command utterance before the first device received the voice-command utterance. In an example implementation, the action could be controlling operation of a control target such as one or more lights.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2024
    Publication date: December 26, 2024
    Inventors: Soren Riise, Frank Maker, Carl Sassenrath, Abhay Bhorkar
  • Patent number: 12149780
    Abstract: A streaming media device includes a printed circuit board hosting components configured to access internet data. An audio/visual connector is linked to the printed circuit board, wherein the audio/visual connector is adapted for connection to an audio/visual device, wherein the audio/visual connector is adapted to operate with a first audio/visual interface having sufficient power to fully operate the printed circuit board and a second audio/visual interface having insufficient power to fully operate the printed circuit board. A power connector is linked to the printed circuit board, wherein the power connector selectively receives power based on the audio/visual connector utilizing one of the first audio/visual interface and the second audio/visual interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: ROKU, INC.
    Inventors: Lloyd Klarke, Greg Garner, Carl Sassenrath, Anthony Wood, Scott Edward De Haas
  • Patent number: 12118997
    Abstract: A method and system for controlling response to a voice-command utterance. An example method includes a computing system that is associated with the first device carrying out operations upon the first device receiving the voice-command utterance. The operations include (a) making a determination of whether any of one or more second devices received the voice-command utterance before the first device received the voice-command utterance and (b) controlling whether the computing system will trigger an action in response to the first device receiving the voice-command utterance, with the controlling being based on the determination of whether any of the one or more second devices received the voice-command utterance before the first device received the voice-command utterance. In an example implementation, the action could be controlling operation of a control target such as one or more lights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: Roku, Inc.
    Inventors: Soren Riise, Frank Maker, Carl Sassenrath, Abhay Bhorkar
  • Publication number: 20240098810
    Abstract: Described herein are various embodiments for customized device pairing based on device features. An embodiment operates by receiving, from a first device, a pairing message indicating one or more buttons of the first device available for pairing the first device with a second device, wherein the first device does not include an alphanumeric keypad. A sequence of actions to be performed on the first device is generated. The sequence of actions is provided for display. An indicia indicating a set of one or more actions that were performed on the first device is received. It is determined that the set of one or more actions of the indicia corresponds to the sequence of actions provided for display, and the first device is paired with a second device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Applicant: Roku, Inc.
    Inventor: Carl SASSENRATH
  • Patent number: 11889566
    Abstract: Described herein are various embodiments for customized device pairing based on device features. An embodiment operates by receiving, at a first device, a pairing message from a second device requesting a pairing between the second device and the first device. User-accessible features of the second device that are accessible for the pairing, are determined, and a sequence of actions for the pairing are generated based on the user-accessible features of the second device. The sequence of actions are provided for display on a display device communicatively coupled to the first device and independent of the second device. Indicia indicating which actions were performed with respect to the second device are received. The indicia is compared to the displayed sequence of actions. The first device is paired with the second device based on a determination that the indicia corresponds to the displayed sequences of actions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Roku, Inc.
    Inventor: Carl Sassenrath
  • Patent number: 11792080
    Abstract: A method and system to facilitate adding a new IoT device to an IoT ecosystem that includes an existing IoT device, where a mobile device is configured to control the IoT ecosystem. In an example, the new device detects a wireless broadcast from the existing device that provides identification information of the mobile device. In response, the new device then uses the provided identification information of the mobile device as a basis to scan for and discover wireless presence of the mobile device. And responsive to the discovering wireless presence of the mobile device based on the mobile-phone identification information provided by the existing device, the new device then transmits to the mobile device, via the existing device as a wireless proxy, new-device information about the new device—which enables the mobile device to prompt for and obtain user approval to add the new device to the IoT ecosystem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Roku, Inc.
    Inventors: Carl Sassenrath, Greg Garner
  • Publication number: 20230119574
    Abstract: A streaming media device includes a printed circuit board hosting components configured to access internet data. An audio/visual connector is linked to the printed circuit board, wherein the audio/visual connector is adapted for connection to an audio/visual device, wherein the audio/visual connector is adapted to operate with a first audio/visual interface having sufficient power to fully operate the printed circuit board and a second audio/visual interface having insufficient power to fully operate the printed circuit board. A power connector is linked to the printed circuit board, wherein the power connector selectively receives power based on the audio/visual connector utilizing one of the first audio/visual interface and the second audio/visual interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2022
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Applicant: ROKU, INC.
    Inventors: Lloyd Klarke, Greg Garner, Carl Sassenrath, Anthony Wood, Scott Edward De Haas
  • Publication number: 20230098322
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are system, apparatus, article of manufacture, method, and computer program product embodiments for remotely controlling a media device. An embodiment includes an apparatus including a radio frequency (RF) communications chip, a memory, and at least one processor coupled to the RF communications chip and the memory. The at least one processor is configured to receive an electronic signal indicative of a user command and generate, based on the electronic signal, an action frame packet configured to instruct a media device to perform a function associated with the user command. Subsequently, the at least one processor is configured to transmit, using the RF communications chip, the action frame packet to the media device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Applicant: Roku, Inc.
    Inventors: GREG GARNER, Tito THOMAS, Carl SASSENRATH, Scott DE HAAS
  • Patent number: 11523173
    Abstract: A streaming media device includes a printed circuit board hosting components configured to access internet data. An audio/visual connector is linked to the printed circuit board, wherein the audio/visual connector is adapted for connection to an audio/visual device, wherein the audio/visual connector is adapted to operate with a first audio/visual interface having sufficient power to fully operate the printed circuit board and a second audio/visual interface having insufficient power to fully operate the printed circuit board. A power connector is linked to the printed circuit board, wherein the power connector selectively receives power based on the audio/visual connector utilizing one of the first audio/visual interface and the second audio/visual interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: ROKU, INC.
    Inventors: Lloyd Klarke, Greg Garner, Carl Sassenrath, Anthony Wood, Scott Edward De Haas
  • Patent number: 11477851
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are system, apparatus, article of manufacture, method, and computer program product embodiments for remotely controlling a media device. An embodiment includes an apparatus including a radio frequency (RF) communications chip, a memory, and at least one processor coupled to the RF communications chip and the memory. The at least one processor is configured to receive an electronic signal indicative of a user command and generate, based on the electronic signal, an action frame packet configured to instruct a media device to perform a function associated with the user command. Subsequently, the at least one processor is configured to transmit, using the RF communications chip, the action frame packet to the media device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: ROKU, INC.
    Inventors: Greg Garner, Tito Thomas, Carl Sassenrath, Scott De Haas
  • Publication number: 20220151024
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are system, apparatus, article of manufacture, method, and computer program product embodiments for remotely controlling a media device. An embodiment includes an apparatus including a radio frequency (RF) communications chip, a memory, and at least one processor coupled to the RF communications chip and the memory. The at least one processor is configured to receive an electronic signal indicative of a user command and generate, based on the electronic signal, an action frame packet configured to instruct a media device to perform a function associated with the user command. Subsequently, the at least one processor is configured to transmit, using the RF communications chip, the action frame packet to the media device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Applicant: Roku, Inc.
    Inventors: Greg GARNER, Tito THOMAS, Carl SASSENRATH, Scott DE HAAS