Patents by Inventor Dan Hunt

Dan Hunt 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: 8223964
    Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for authenticating microparticle marks or marks including other three-dimensional objects. The authentication utilizes two or more sets of information captured or acquired for the mark in response to illumination of the mark by electromagnetic energy such as in the visible frequency range. These sets of information are then used to verify that the mark includes three-dimensional objects such as microparticles. The two or more sets of information about the mark preferably vary from each other in time, space/directionality, color, frequency or any combinations thereof, and can be captured or acquired as part of one, two, or more images of the microparticle mark.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: SMI Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Stierman, Dan Hunt, Chris Zdon
  • Patent number: 8033450
    Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for identifying and authenticating articles using expression codes obtained from marks incorporating microparticles on or in articles, article packaging, or article labeling where the expression codes are based on signature strings generated relative to attributes of valid individual microparticles. The system, apparatus, and method can also enable the serialization of articles over and above the code-formulation that is achievable with multi-layered color-coded microparticles or single expression microparticles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: SMI Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Stierman, Dan Hunt, Chris Zdon, Peter Meyers
  • Patent number: 7885428
    Abstract: An automatic reader system, apparatus, and method for the identification and authentication of articles enabling automatic collection and processing of code data associated with microparticle marks, automatic determination of the code from the code data associated with microparticle marks, and automatic retrieval of reference information associated with the code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: SMI Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Stierman, Dan Hunt, Chris Zdon, Paul Meyers
  • Publication number: 20110019905
    Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for authenticating microparticle marks or marks including other three-dimensional objects. The authentication utilizes two or more sets of information captured or acquired for the mark in response to illumination of the mark by electromagnetic energy such as in the visible frequency range. These sets of information are then used to verify that the mark includes three-dimensional objects such as microparticles. The two or more sets of information about the mark preferably vary from each other in time, space/directionality, color, frequency or any combinations thereof, and can be captured or acquired as part of one, two, or more images of the microparticle mark.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Inventors: Thomas Stierman, Dan Hunt, Chris Zdon
  • Publication number: 20100327050
    Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for identifying and authenticating articles using expression codes obtained from marks incorporating microparticles on or in articles, article packaging, or article labeling where the expression codes are based on signature strings generated relative to attributes of valid individual microparticles. The system, apparatus, and method can also enable the serialization of articles over and above the code-formulation that is achievable with multi-layered color-coded microparticles or single expression microparticles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: SMI HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventors: Thomas Stierman, Dan Hunt, Chris Zdon, Peter Meyers
  • Patent number: 7831042
    Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for authenticating microparticle marks or marks including other three-dimensional objects. The authentication utilizes two or more sets of information captured or acquired for the mark in response to illumination of the mark by electromagnetic energy such as in the visible frequency range. These sets of information are then used to verify that the mark includes three-dimensional objects such as microparticles. The two or more sets of information about the mark preferably vary from each other in time, space/directionality, color, frequency or any combinations thereof, and can be captured or acquired as part of one, two, or more images of the microparticle mark.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: SMI Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Stierman, Dan Hunt, Chris Zdon
  • Publication number: 20100128925
    Abstract: An automatic reader system, apparatus, and method for the identification and authentication of articles enabling automatic collection and processing of code data associated with microparticle marks, automatic determination of the code from the code data associated with microparticle marks, and automatic retrieval of reference information associated with the code.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Inventors: Thomas Stierman, Dan Hunt, Chris Zdon, Paul Meyers
  • Patent number: 7720254
    Abstract: An automatic reader system, apparatus, and method for the identification and authentication of articles enabling automatic collection and processing of code data associated with microparticle marks, automatic determination of the code from the code data associated with microparticle marks, and automatic retrieval of reference information associated with the code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: SMI Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Stierman, Dan Hunt, Chris Zdon, Paul Meyers, Steven D. Zimmermann, Christopher S. Gourley
  • Publication number: 20090136079
    Abstract: An automatic reader system, apparatus, and method for the identification and authentication of articles enabling automatic collection and processing of code data associated with microparticle marks, automatic determination of the code from the code data associated with microparticle marks, and automatic retrieval of reference information associated with the code.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Applicant: SMI HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventors: Thomas Stierman, Dan Hunt, Chris Zdon, Paul Meyers, Steven D. Zimmermann, Christopher S. Gourley
  • Publication number: 20080034426
    Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for authenticating microparticle marks or marks including other three-dimensional objects. The authentication utilizes two or more sets of information captured or acquired for the mark in response to illumination of the mark by electromagnetic energy such as in the visible frequency range. These sets of information are then used to verify that the mark includes three-dimensional objects such as microparticles. The two or more sets of information about the mark preferably vary from each other in time, space/directionality, color, frequency or any combinations thereof, and can be captured or acquired as part of one, two, or more images of the microparticle mark.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Applicant: SMI HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventors: Thomas Stierman, Dan Hunt, Chris Zdon
  • Publication number: 20070280294
    Abstract: A CBR/VBR hybrid implementation encoding video streams for conserving bandwidth usage in a channel comprises, in an exemplary arrangement, CBR encoding for frames whose complexity exceeds a threshold, and uses VBR encoding for frames whose complexity is below the threshold. In some embodiments, the threshold can be dynamically adjusted to permit varying amounts of bandwidth reclamation. The complexity can be determined based on a motion estimation analysis or on other indicia such as the level of detail in a frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Applicant: Modulus Video, Inc.
    Inventors: Dan Hunt, Neil Brydon, Sean McCarthy
  • Publication number: 20060037222
    Abstract: The tagging of articles is performed by applying microparticle taggants to the articles by means of a coating that adheres the particles to the surface of the articles. The microparticle taggants have a specific identifiable code or other quality. The coating material and microparticles are applied to the exterior surface of the articles and dried or cured thereon. The microparticles may have a magnetically attractive quality for purpose of collection of the particles for analysis. The microparticles are washed from the surface of the articles and collected in a vessel. The microparticles in the vessel are assembled or collected by means of a magnet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2002
    Publication date: February 23, 2006
    Inventors: Dan Hunt, Christopher Zdon, Charles Hanson