Patents by Inventor Christopher Stein

Christopher Stein 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).

  • Patent number: 10350084
    Abstract: A system for performing interbody fusion surgery including an expandable intervertebral spacer and specialized instruments for choosing the correct size of implant, implanting the device within the intervertebral space, and for delivery of bone graft or bone substitute to the interior of the implant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: NuVasive, Inc.
    Inventors: Erika Lin, Jeremy Malik, Ryan Donahoe, Christopher Stein, David Hannah
  • Publication number: 20190183656
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an expandable spinal implant comprising a plurality of moveable endplates pivotably connect to a housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2016
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventor: Christopher Stein
  • Patent number: 10219915
    Abstract: An expandable spinal fusion implant comprising first and second endplates coupled to an expansion member that sits within a housing. The expansion member is translated by a drive mechanism, whereby translation of the expansion member by the drive mechanism in a distal and proximal directions causes the distance between the endplates to increase and decrease, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: NuVasive, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher Stein
  • Patent number: 9913730
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to medical devices and methods for use in spinal surgery. In particular, the disclosed devices relate to a spinal fixation system and an intervertebral spinal implant assembly sized and dimensioned for the lumbar spine implantable via an anterior or anterolateral approach. The devices include an implant, bone screws, and an improved locking mechanism to prevent the back out of screws.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: NuVasive, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Stein, Chad Grant, Nathan Lovell, Ryan Donahoe
  • Publication number: 20180064551
    Abstract: An expandable spinal fusion implant including a housing, upper and lower endplates, a wedge positioned within the housing and between the upper and lower endplates and a drive mechanism to urge the wedge distally between the upper and lower endplates to increase the separation between the endplates and expand the overall height of the distal end of the implant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Applicant: NuVasive, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Stein, Seth Gustine
  • Patent number: 9801734
    Abstract: An expandable spinal fusion implant including a housing, upper and lower endplates, a wedge positioned within the housing and between the upper and lower endplates and a drive mechanism to urge the wedge distally between the upper and lower endplates to increase the separation between the endplates and expand the overall height of the distal end of the implant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: NuVasive, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Stein, Seth Gustine
  • Patent number: 9788971
    Abstract: An expandable spinal fusion implant comprising first and second endplates coupled to an expansion member that sits within a housing. The expansion member is translated by a drive mechanism, whereby translation of the expansion member by the drive mechanism in a distal and proximal directions causes the distance between the endplates to increase and decrease, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: NuVasive, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher Stein
  • Patent number: 9504584
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to medical devices and methods for use in spinal surgery. In particular, the disclosed devices relate to a spinal fixation system and an intervertebral spinal implant assembly sized and dimensioned for the lumbar spine implantable via an anterior or anterolateral approach. The devices include an implant, bone screws, and an improved locking mechanism to prevent the back out of screws.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: NuVasive, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Stein, Chad Grant, Nathan Lovell, Ryan Donahoe
  • Patent number: 9445918
    Abstract: A system for performing interbody fusion surgery including an expandable intervertebral spacer and specialized instruments for choosing the correct size of implant, implanting the device within the intervertebral space, and for delivery of bone graft or bone substitute to the interior of the implant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: NuVasive, Inc.
    Inventors: Erika Lin, Jeremy Malik, Ryan Donahoe, Christopher Stein, David Hannah
  • Patent number: 9424612
    Abstract: To determine and quantify the reputations of users within a social network. In an embodiment, a social networking system determines at least one category associated with a first account of a social networking system. The social networking system determines a first reputation score for the first account in the at least one category. The category may represent subject matter in which a user of the first account has an interest. The first reputation score may be based on content posted by the first account. The first reputation score may be adjusted based on an activity and the scores of others.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Travis Bright, Yigal Dan Rubinstein, Christopher Stein
  • Patent number: 8940030
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to medical devices and methods for use in spinal surgery. In particular, the disclosed devices relate to a spinal fixation system and an intervertebral spinal implant assembly sized and dimensioned for the lumbar spine implantable via an anterior or anterolateral approach. The devices include an implant, bone screws, and an improved locking mechanism to prevent the back out of screws.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: NuVasive, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Stein, Chad Grant, Nathan Lovell, Ryan Donahoe
  • Patent number: 8874663
    Abstract: A mechanism for efficiently determining similarity between documents. A set of reference data items is generated by processing a reference document. A similarity index representing similarity between a candidate document and the reference documents is obtained by counting segments of the candidate document matching the reference data items. The candidate document is a message transmitted in a communication system where the message is compared against one or more reference documents representing unwanted messages to filter and block unwanted messages from being transmittal or propagated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher A. Stein
  • Patent number: 8819816
    Abstract: A system differentiates good content from bad content in a user-provided content system. Messages are analyzed for features that characterize messages. A feature may occur in one or more messages. A feature that has more than a threshold number of occurrences in messages in a time interval is identified for further analysis. Enhanced authentication is requested from senders of the messages with occurrences of the identified feature. Based on the rate at which senders of the messages pass authentication, the content associated with the message is determined to be good content or bad content. Subsequent messages are blocked or successfully delivered based on whether features occurring in the messages are indicative of good content or bad content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher A. Stein, Lev Timourovich Popov, Evan Stratford
  • Publication number: 20140040152
    Abstract: Techniques to determine fake accounts of a social networking system. In one embodiment, a magnitude of a cluster of accounts is calculated. The social networking system determines the accounts are fake when the magnitude of the cluster is less than a threshold value. The accounts are not determined to be fake, or determined to be not fake, when the magnitude of the cluster is equal to or greater than the threshold value. The accounts may be associated with at least one resource. A mapping of the accounts may be created based on features associated with the accounts. A radius of the cluster is compared with the threshold value. The accounts are determined to be fake when the radius is less than the threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Inventors: Jing Fang, Christopher Stein, Wanhong Xu
  • Publication number: 20120124664
    Abstract: A system differentiates good content from bad content in a user-provided content system. Messages are analyzed for features that characterize messages. A feature may occur in one or more messages. A feature that has more than a threshold number of occurrences in messages in a time interval is identified for further analysis. Enhanced authentication is requested from senders of the messages with occurrences of the identified feature. Based on the rate at which senders of the messages pass authentication, the content associated with the message is determined to be good content or bad content. Subsequent messages are blocked or successfully delivered based on whether features occurring in the messages are indicative of good content or bad content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Inventors: Christopher A. Stein, Lev Timourovich Popov, Evan Stratford
  • Publication number: 20110055332
    Abstract: A mechanism for efficiently determining similarity between documents. A set of reference data items is generated by processing a reference document. A similarity index representing similarity between a candidate document and the reference documents is obtained by counting segments of the candidate document matching the reference data items. The candidate document is a message transmitted in a communication system where the message is compared against one or more reference documents representing unwanted messages to filter and block unwanted messages from being transmittal or propagated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventor: Christopher A. Stein
  • Publication number: 20080243646
    Abstract: A method for reconciling bin denials in inventory management environments comprises receiving a bin denial for a part number, the bin denial including data identifying a denied bin and a quantity associated with the bin denial. The method also includes determining a number of bins associated with the part number. The method further includes determining whether a quantity associated with the bin denial exceeds a predetermined threshold. An inventory count request for one or more bins associated with the part number is generated if the quantity associated with the bin denial exceeds the predetermined threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventors: Andrew Christopher Stein, Tammi Lyn Duncan
  • Publication number: 20080027835
    Abstract: A method for maintaining inventory records between audit periods includes establishing a virtual bin associated with an actual inventory record and collecting data indicative of actual quantities of one or more products associated with an inventory. The data indicative of the actual quantities of each of the one or more products is compared with the inventory record associated with the corresponding product. An inventory adjustment factor is determined for each of the one or more products based on the comparison. The inventory adjustment factor for each of the one or more products is stored in the virtual bin. The method also includes adjusting the inventory record associated with each of the one or more products based on the stored inventory adjustment factor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Inventors: Scott Andrew LeMasters, Andrew Christopher Stein, Douglas Clifford Meyer
  • Patent number: 7058763
    Abstract: A special-purpose file system is provided which includes a combination of services and features which improve the performance of applications employing caches, such as caching web proxies. This file system also provides a file system cache which can be used as a general high-performance file system cache for file systems which need a cache. The services and features include collocating files together on a disk; keeping file meta-data in memory; compressing file names to hash values for reference; using a flat naming scheme for files; providing background daemons that pack files into clusters and clean disk and main memory space; and implementing a user-level library. The file system reduces access to related disk files, eliminates disk operations that are needed to maintain directory and meta-data information, and avoids multiple buffering of file data, and saves and efficiently manages disk and main memory space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Eran Gabber, Elizabeth Shriver, Christopher Stein, Lan Huang
  • Patent number: 6629198
    Abstract: A data storage system includes a computer coupled to a non-volatile storage, such as a disk drive. The computer includes a block cache for storing cached copies of data blocks, and a hash table that stores hash values corresponding to the data blocks. Prior to writing back a modified cache block to the non-volatile storage, a log recorder of the computer stores an updated hash value corresponding to the modified cache block within a write-ahead hash log, which is also contained in non-volatile storage. The log recorder creates a log record including an updated hash value and an address corresponding to a modified cache block. The log recorder additionally maintains a first pointer value indicative of log records that have been stored to the write-ahead hash log, and a second pointer value indicative of the most recent log record stored in the write-ahead hash log for which a corresponding modified cache block has been stored to the non-volatile storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: John H. Howard, Christopher A. Stein