Patents by Inventor David A. Sparks

David A. Sparks 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: 12211325
    Abstract: A system for managing and controlling a network of distributed service units, comprising service units, each includes sensors, each configured to detect operational parameters, and a secondary control unit configured to generate unstructured inputs containing digital signals related to the detected operational parameters, and a remote primary control unit communicatively connected to the secondary control units of the service units, wherein the remote primary control unit is configured to communicate with the secondary control units to receive the generated unstructured inputs, process the unstructured inputs by aggregating the unstructured inputs. The aggregation involves structuring the unstructured inputs to generate a structured data package. The remote primary control unit is further configured to transmit the structured data package to the secondary control units for a selective implementation of one or more operational adjustments based on the structured data package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2024
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Quick Quack Car Wash Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Clinton Chappell, Rodney Daniel Sparks, Dean Cameron Cable, Josh David Schumacher, Lukas Duncan Simonis, Joseph Allen Steele, III
  • Patent number: 12207166
    Abstract: There is disclosed a method of operating an autonomous vehicle (AV), including: detecting an alert condition within the AV via data from an electronic sensor suite of the AV; based at least in part on detecting the alert condition, automatically initiating a call with another party; and communicatively coupling a passenger of the AV to the conference call, whereby the passenger can communicate with the other party via the conference call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: GM Cruise Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Qingxuan Li, Theresa Foy, Christopher Warren, Livia Johanna, Bharatkumar Patel, Leah Meyerholtz, David J. Shuckerow, MinJie Tong, Vinayaka Dattatraya, Kendal Sparks, McKenna Morey
  • Publication number: 20220287271
    Abstract: A post-surgery garment for a four-legged animal has a one-piece body member having a bottom section, an open top section opposing the bottom section, a rear section, a front section opposing the rear section and a pair of opposing side sections. Each of the opposing side sections run from the bottom section to the open top section and from the front section to the rear section. A pair of front leg openings is formed through the bottom section and located adjacent the front section. The pair of front leg openings is positioned so that one of the pair of front leg openings is formed proximate each of the opposing side sections. A pair of rear leg openings is formed through the bottom section and located adjacent to the rear section. The pair of rear leg openings is positioned so that one of the pair of rear leg openings is formed proximate each of the opposing side sections. An adjustable rear sleeve extends down from each of the pair of rear leg openings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Inventors: DAVID SPARKS, COLIN BRODIE
  • Publication number: 20220287814
    Abstract: A post-surgery garment for a four-legged animal has a one-piece body member having a bottom section, an open top section opposing the bottom section, a rear section, a front section opposing the rear section and a pair of opposing side sections. Each of the opposing side sections run from the bottom section to the open top section and from the front section to the rear section. A pair of front leg openings is formed through the bottom section and located adjacent the front section. The pair of front leg openings is positioned so that one of the pair of front leg openings is formed proximate each of the opposing side sections. A pair of rear leg openings is formed through the bottom section and located adjacent to the rear section. The pair of rear leg openings is positioned so that one of the pair of rear leg openings is formed proximate each of the opposing side sections. An adjustable rear sleeve extends down from each of the pair of rear leg openings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2022
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Inventors: DAVID SPARKS, COLIN BRODIE
  • Publication number: 20220080079
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate scaffolds containing fluoridated apatites sintered at a temperature of at least 950° C. to increase integration of the scaffold in a patient, as well as methods of making and using the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Sujeevini Jeyapalina, Brian T. Bennett, Jayant P. Agarwal, Taylor David Sparks, James Peter Beck, Jill E. Shea, Mark R. Durham, Pratima Labroo, Clark Nielson, Prasenjit Podder
  • Patent number: 10417992
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and devices for varying functionality of a wearable computing device. An example device includes a first sensor and a second sensor. An example method includes, while a device is operating in a first state, receiving an indication of a touch input at the first sensor. The second sensor is configured in an idle mode based on the device operating in the first state. The method further includes, in response to receiving the indication of the touch input, triggering the second sensor to operate in an active mode and receiving data from the second sensor. The method further includes determining, based on the data, whether the device is being worn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Hayes Solos Raffle, David Sparks, Bo Wu
  • Patent number: 10356505
    Abstract: Attenuation of a wireless signal, particularly a short range wireless pairing signal, is accommodated immediately and automatically by a device in response to detection of presence of an object. When a user provides input to the device, such as by touching the device with a finger, presence of the finger may interfere with a signal emitted from the device. To accommodate for such interference, the device may immediately increase its transmission power upon detection of the finger, without waiting for link quality measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Laura Rabb, David Sparks
  • Publication number: 20190149906
    Abstract: Attenuation of a wireless signal, particularly a short range wireless pairing signal, is accommodated immediately and automatically by a device in response to detection of presence of an object. When a user provides input to the device, such as by touching the device with a finger, presence of the finger may interfere with a signal emitted from the device. To accommodate for such interference, the device may immediately increase its transmission power upon detection of the finger, without waiting for link quality measurements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventors: Laura Rabb, David Sparks
  • Patent number: 10271520
    Abstract: A medical pet collar has a collar for positioning around a neck of an animal. The collar prevents the animal from biting and licking a body of the animal. A pocket is formed on the collar. The pocket has at least one side that is removably coupled to the collar. The at least one side that is removably coupled to the collar allows for different therapeutic delivery patches to be stored within the pocket. The pocket is configured to provide air transfer capabilities to allow the animal to smell the contents of a therapeutic delivery patch stored within the pocket and to prevent the animal from reaching the therapeutic delivery patch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: 21ST CENTURY ANIMAL HEALTHCARE, INC.
    Inventors: David Sparks, Colin Brodie
  • Patent number: 10200774
    Abstract: A sensor cord construction to prevent capacitance variation is described herein. A sensor may be connected to a controller via a cord that includes a first cable and a second cable. The first cable includes first shield wires that are twisted around the first cable in a first direction, and the second cable includes second shield wires that are twisted around the second cable in a second direction that is opposite the first direction. When the cord is twisted, one of the first or second cables may provide a positive capacitance variation, while the other of the first or second cables may provide a negative capacitance variation in an amount that is directly proportional to the positive capacitance variation. Thus, the controller detects a minimum capacitance variation, when the cord is twisted, due to the capacitance variation of the first cable and the second cable canceling each other out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Yao Ding, Jianyi Liu, Yuxin Yang, David Sparks, Nidhi Rathi, Chi Kin Benjamin Leung
  • Patent number: 10133358
    Abstract: An example system is described that includes a head-mountable device (HMD) with a bone conduction transducer that transmits an audio signal and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor connected to the bone conduction transducer. The IMU sensor detects movement of the HMD due to vibrations of the bone conduction transducer transmitting the audio signal and the IMU sensor provides outputs. The system also includes one or more processors that receive the outputs of the IMU sensor and compare the outputs of the IMU sensor with at least one reference signal. The at least one reference signal is based on the audio signal that is transmitted. The one or more processors output an HMD fitting parameter based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Zhe Chen, David Sparks
  • Publication number: 20180254019
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and devices for varying functionality of a wearable computing device. An example device includes a first sensor and a second sensor. An example method includes, while a device is operating in a first state, receiving an indication of a touch input at the first sensor. The second sensor is configured in an idle mode based on the device operating in the first state. The method further includes, in response to receiving the indication of the touch input, triggering the second sensor to operate in an active mode and receiving data from the second sensor. The method further includes determining, based on the data, whether the device is being worn.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Inventors: Hayes Solos Raffle, David Sparks, Bo Wu
  • Publication number: 20180184619
    Abstract: A medical pet collar has a collar for positioning around a neck of an animal. The collar prevents the animal from biting and licking a body of the animal. A pocket is formed on the collar. The pocket has at least one side that is removably coupled to the collar. The at least one side that is removably coupled to the collar allows for different therapeutic delivery patches to be stored within the pocket. The pocket is configured to provide air transfer capabilities to allow the animal to smell the contents of a therapeutic delivery patch stored within the pocket and to prevent the animal from reaching the therapeutic delivery patch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2017
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventors: DAVID SPARKS, COLIN BRODIE
  • Patent number: 9972277
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and devices for varying functionality of a wearable computing device. An example device includes a first sensor and a second sensor. An example method includes, while a device is operating in a first state, receiving an indication of a touch input at the first sensor. The second sensor is configured in an idle mode based on the device operating in the first state. The method further includes, in response to receiving the indication of the touch input, triggering the second sensor to operate in an active mode and receiving data from the second sensor. The method further includes determining, based on the data, whether the device is being worn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Hayes Solos Raffle, David Sparks, Bo Wu
  • Patent number: 9746915
    Abstract: Examples of methods and systems for providing calibration for eye gesture recognition are described. In some examples, calibration can be executed via a head-mountable device. A method for calibration of a system may account for changes in orientation of the head-mountable device, update recognition of the eye gestures, or increase efficiency of the system, for example. The head-mountable device may be configured to receive signals indicative of eye gestures from an eye gesture-detection system and in response to receiving a second command confirming that the signal is indicative of an eye gesture command, to make adjustments to the eye gesture recognition system and/or the reference signals. The head-mountable device may calibrate an eye gesture recognition system via implicit or explicit calibration, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Hayes Solos Raffle, Thad Eugene Starner, Mat Balez, Michael Patrick Johnson, Yong Zhao, Bo Wu, David Sparks, Nirmal J. Patel
  • Publication number: 20170229095
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and devices for varying functionality of a wearable computing device. An example device includes a first sensor and a second sensor. An example method includes, while a device is operating in a first state, receiving an indication of a touch input at the first sensor. The second sensor is configured in an idle mode based on the device operating in the first state. The method further includes, in response to receiving the indication of the touch input, triggering the second sensor to operate in an active mode and receiving data from the second sensor. The method further includes determining, based on the data, whether the device is being worn.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Inventors: Hayes Solos Raffle, David Sparks, Bo Wu
  • Publication number: 20170163866
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a computing device including an image-capture device and a control system. The control system may be configured to receive sensor data from one or more sensors, and analyze the sensor data to detect at least one image-capture signal. The control system may also be configured to cause the image-capture device to capture an image in response to detection of the at least one image-capture signal. The control system may also be configured to enable one or more speech commands relating to the image-capture device in response to capturing the image. The control system may also be configured to receive one or more verbal inputs corresponding to the one or more enabled speech commands. The control system may also be configured to perform an image-capture function corresponding to the one or more verbal inputs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Patrick Johnson, Bo Wu, David Sparks, Hayes Solos Raffle
  • Patent number: 9664902
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and devices for varying functionality of a wearable computing device. An example device includes a first sensor and a second sensor. An example method includes, while a device is operating in a first state, receiving an indication of a touch input at the first sensor. The second sensor is configured in an idle mode based on the device operating in the first state. The method further includes, in response to receiving the indication of the touch input, triggering the second sensor to operate in an active mode and receiving data from the second sensor. The method further includes determining, based on the data, whether the device is being worn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Hayes Solos Raffle, David Sparks, Bo Wu
  • Publication number: 20170090557
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to example implementations for side-mounted optical sensors for eye gestures on a head mountable display. An example wearable computing device may include a wearable frame structure that includes a front portion and at least one side arm. In some instances, ends of the side arms may couple and extend away from the front portion at a coupling point. Additionally, the example device may include optical elements coupled to the front portion and may further include one or more sensors arranged on an inner surface of a side arm proximal to the coupling point. The sensors may be oriented to receive sensor data from at least one eye region when the wearable computing device is worn.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Hayes Solos Raffle, Bo Wu, David Sparks, Seungyon Lee, Peter Michael Cazalet
  • Patent number: D966627
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: ACORN PET PRODUCTS, LLC
    Inventors: David Sparks, Colin Brodie