Patents by Inventor Helen Pollock

Helen Pollock 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: 11969655
    Abstract: The present concepts relate to placing gameplay locations in the real world, where gameplay elements can be generated at the gameplay locations. One example categorizes types of physical elements described in geolocation data, and determines scores for the physical elements based on the categorizations. Gameplay locations can then be utilized according to the scores, and the scores can be continuously refined through user or moderator interaction with gameplay elements that may be generated at the gameplay locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Holly Helene Pollock, Stacy Jiayan Chen, Guillaume Philippe Marie Le Chenadec, Michael Meincke Persson, Jason Matthew Cahill, Torfi Frans Olafsson, Jesse D. Merriam
  • Patent number: 11876477
    Abstract: A control system for an electrical motor comprises a rotor, a stator having a plurality of phase windings, and an inverter for applying voltage to the plurality of phase windings by connecting individual phase windings to a first or second voltage level. The control system is configured to measure a first rate of change of current in a first phase winding, of said plurality of phase windings, connected to the first voltage level, to measure a second rate of change of current in a second, different phase winding connected to the first voltage level, and to calculate a difference between the first and second rate of change of current. The control system is further configured to use the calculated difference to obtain data related to a position of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Technelec Ltd
    Inventors: Charles Pollock, Helen Pollock
  • Publication number: 20220233961
    Abstract: The present concepts relate to placing gameplay locations in the real world, where gameplay elements can be generated at the gameplay locations. One example categorizes types of physical elements described in geolocation data, and determines scores for the physical elements based on the categorizations. Gameplay locations can then be utilized according to the scores, and the scores can be continuously refined through user or moderator interaction with gameplay elements that may be generated at the gameplay locations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Holly Helene Pollock, Stacy Jiayan Chen, Guillaume Philippe Marie Le Chenadec, Michael Meincke Persson, Jason Matthew Cahill, Torfi Frans Olafsson, Jesse D. Merriam
  • Patent number: 11325043
    Abstract: The present concepts relate to placing gameplay locations in the real world, where gameplay elements can be generated at the gameplay locations. One example categorizes types of physical elements described in geolocation data, and determines scores for the physical elements based on the categorizations. Gameplay locations can then be utilized according to the scores, and the scores can be continuously refined through user or moderator interaction with gameplay elements that may be generated at the gameplay locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Holly Helene Pollock, Stacy Jiayan Chen, Guillaume Philippe Marie Le Chenadec, Michael Meincke Persson, Jason Matthew Cahill, Torfi Frans Olafsson, Jesse D. Merriam
  • Publication number: 20210354040
    Abstract: The present concepts relate to placing gameplay locations in the real world, where gameplay elements can be generated at the gameplay locations. One example categorizes types of physical elements described in geolocation data, and determines scores for the physical elements based on the categorizations. Gameplay locations can then be utilized according to the scores, and the scores can be continuously refined through user or moderator interaction with gameplay elements that may be generated at the gameplay locations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Holly Helene Pollock, Stacy Jiayan Chen, Guillaume Philippe Marie Le Chenadec, Michael Meincke Persson, Jason Matthew Cahill, Torfi Frans Olafsson, Jesse D. Merriam
  • Publication number: 20210351728
    Abstract: A control system for an electrical motor comprises a rotor, a stator having a plurality of phase windings, and an inverter for applying voltage to the plurality of phase windings by connecting individual phase windings to a first or second voltage level. The control system is configured to measure a first rate of change of current in a first phase winding, of said plurality of phase windings, connected to the first voltage level, to measure a second rate of change of current in a second, different phase winding connected to the first voltage level, and to calculate a difference between the first and second rate of change of current. The control system is further configured to use the calculated difference to obtain data related to a position of the rotor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Inventors: Charles Pollock, Helen Pollock
  • Patent number: 10909403
    Abstract: A computing device is provided, including a display and a processor. The processor may, for each frame of a plurality of frames included in a video, determine a brightness characterization for a region of interest of the frame. The processor may determine one or more additional brightness characterizations for the region of interest of one or more additional frames of the plurality of frames. The processor may determine that a high brightness condition is present in the region of interest. The processor may generate a filter for the frame based on the brightness characterization and the one or more additional brightness characterizations. The processor may apply the filter to the region of interest of the frame to generate a filtered frame. The high brightness condition is not present in the region of interest of the filtered frame. The processor may output the filtered frame for display at the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Richard Wozniak, Mehmet Kucukgoz, Holly Helene Pollock, Ian Glen Neal, Rafael Vincent Prieto Vertido
  • Patent number: 10778932
    Abstract: A computing device is configured to selectively adjust a brightness of a video based on a user-specific response to light. A user-specific light response parameter is determined. For each frame of a plurality of frames included in the video, (1) a brightness characterization for the frame is determined, (2) one or more additional brightness characterizations for one or more additional frames of the plurality of frames is determined, (3) a filter for the frame is generated based on the brightness characterization, the one or more additional brightness characterizations, and the user-specific light response parameter, (4) the filter is applied to the frame to generate a filtered frame, and (5) the filtered frame is output by the computing device. The filter is configured such that if a high brightness condition is present in the frame, then the high brightness condition is mitigated or removed from the filtered frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Richard Wozniak, Mehmet Kucukgoz, Holly Helene Pollock, Ian Glen Neal, Rafael Vincent Prieto Vertido
  • Publication number: 20200224584
    Abstract: A supercharger includes a magnetic flux switching motor and a wheel. The motor includes a rotor; a stator stores the rotor therein and includes stator projecting portions projecting inward in a radial direction from an internal circumferential portion toward the rotor; a field source provided in a field slot formed between the stator projecting portions to generate a magnetic field of a constant direction; an armature coil provided in an armature slot; and a controller applying a single-phase current to the armature coil and changing a direction of the applied single-phase current to change a direction of a magnetic field generated from the armature coil and rotate the rotor. The wheel is attached to the rotor, and rotates together with rotation of the rotor to compress the air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Applicants: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES ENGINE & TURBOCHARGER, LTD., Technelec Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukio YAMASHITA, Byeongil AN, Naomichi SHIBATA, Charles POLLOCK, Helen POLLOCK
  • Publication number: 20200184247
    Abstract: A computing device is provided, including a display and a processor. The processor may, for each frame of a plurality of frames included in a video, determine a brightness characterization for a region of interest of the frame. The processor may determine one or more additional brightness characterizations for the region of interest of one or more additional frames of the plurality of frames. The processor may determine that a high brightness condition is present in the region of interest. The processor may generate a filter for the frame based on the brightness characterization and the one or more additional brightness characterizations. The processor may apply the filter to the region of interest of the frame to generate a filtered frame. The high brightness condition is not present in the region of interest of the filtered frame. The processor may output the filtered frame for display at the display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Richard WOZNIAK, Mehmet KUCUKGOZ, Holly Helene POLLOCK, Ian Glen NEAL, Rafael Vincent Prieto VERTIDO
  • Publication number: 20200186744
    Abstract: A computing device is configured to selectively adjust a brightness of a video based on a user-specific response to light. A user-specific light response parameter is determined. For each frame of a plurality of frames included in the video, (1) a brightness characterization for the frame is determined, (2) one or more additional brightness characterizations for one or more additional frames of the plurality of frames is determined, (3) a filter for the frame is generated based on the brightness characterization, the one or more additional brightness characterizations, and the user-specific light response parameter, (4) the filter is applied to the frame to generate a filtered frame, and (5) the filtered frame is output by the computing device. The filter is configured such that if a high brightness condition is present in the frame, then the high brightness condition is mitigated or removed from the filtered frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Richard WOZNIAK, Mehmet KUCUKGOZ, Holly Helene POLLOCK, Ian Glen NEAL, Rafael Vincent Prieto VERTIDO
  • Publication number: 20200186764
    Abstract: A computing device is configured to selectively adjust a color-specific brightness of a video based on a user response to light. For each frame of a plurality of frames included in a video, (1) for a color channel of the frame, a color-specific brightness characterization is determined, (2) for the color channel, in one or more additional frames, one or more additional color-specific brightness characterizations are determined, (3) a filter for the frame is generated based on the color-specific brightness characterization and the one or more additional color-specific brightness characterizations, (4) the filter is applied to the frame to generate a filtered frame, and (5) the filtered frame is output. The filter is configured such that if a color-specific high brightness condition for the color channel is present in the frame, then the color-specific high brightness condition for the color channel is mitigated or removed from the filtered frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Richard WOZNIAK, Mehmet KUCUKGOZ, Holly Helene POLLOCK, Ian Glen NEAL, Rafael Vincent Prieto VERTIDO
  • Patent number: 10168231
    Abstract: There is described a system for measuring an environmental parameter such as temperature experienced by a resistive component such as a thermistor (107) in a galvanically isolated circuit, or for measuring the voltage developed by a component. The system comprises a measurement circuit (1) comprising a voltage pulse generator (114). The measurement circuit is inductively coupled to the galvanically isolated circuit by a flyback transformer (101) such that a stable voltage (V104) across a first capacitor (114) in the measurement circuit after many voltage pulses is proportional to a stable voltage (V106) across a second capacitor (106) connected across the component in the galvanically isolated circuit. The stable voltages across the first and second capacitors are adjustable by adjusting a duty cycle of the voltage pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: TECHNELEC LTD
    Inventors: Charles Pollock, Helen Pollock
  • Patent number: 9917481
    Abstract: There is described a synchronous reluctance machine having a plurality of poles and comprising a stator with a plurality of spaced slots and a rotor. The rotor has one direct axis and one quadrature axis for each pole and comprises a plurality of flux barriers, each extending to a circumference thereof at least one barrier point. Successive angular separations between barrier points around the circumference of the rotor increase or decrease when moving around half a pole pitch from an initial axis to an adjacent finishing axis, the initial axis being one of a direct axis or a quadrature axis and the finishing axis being the other of a direct axis and a quadrature axis. The increase or decrease in size may be governed by a systematic progressive series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: TECHNELEC LTD
    Inventors: Charles Pollock, Helen Pollock
  • Patent number: 9888533
    Abstract: A power adaptor (20) is provided, comprising an input (22) for connection to an AC power supply, and a resonant circuit (34) coupled to the input (22) that provides an output suitable for driving a load (50). The capacitance and inductance of the resonant circuit (34) are selected to provide a pre-determined change in effective voltage, and a corresponding pre-determined change in effective current, between the input (22) and the output (24) of the power adaptor (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Inventors: David Thomas Summerland, Charles Pollock, Helen Pollock
  • Publication number: 20170201136
    Abstract: There is described a synchronous reluctance machine having a plurality of poles and comprising a stator with a plurality of spaced slots and a rotor. The rotor has one direct axis and one quadrature axis for each pole and comprises a plurality of flux barriers, each extending to a circumference thereof at least one barrier point. Successive angular separations between barrier points around the circumference of the rotor increase or decrease when moving around half a pole pitch from an initial axis to an adjacent finishing axis, the initial axis being one of a direct axis or a quadrature axis and the finishing axis being the other of a direct axis and a quadrature axis. The increase or decrease in size may be governed by a systematic progressive series.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Inventors: Charles POLLOCK, Helen POLLOCK
  • Patent number: 9676086
    Abstract: A torque tool includes an electrical machine drive system, an electronic controller and a gear system. The drive system includes a rotor and a stator. The rotor includes a pattern of regions of relatively high magnetic permeability interspersed with regions of relatively low magnetic permeability extending generally parallel to the motor shaft such that there is a plurality of magnetic poles distributed circumferentially around the motor shaft. The stator includes electrical windings dispersed in slots disposed around an inner surface of the stator, the slots extending generally parallel to the motor shaft such that, when current flows in the windings, a stator magnetic field generated by the current has the same number of magnetic poles as the rotor. The electronic controller is configured to control the current flow in the stator windings to cause the stator poles to rotate in synchronism with rotation of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Norbar Torque Tools Ltd.
    Inventors: Charles Pollock, Helen Pollock
  • Patent number: 9590541
    Abstract: A control system for an electronically commutated motor (401) can rotate smoothly to very low speeds without using a high resolution encoder and can respond to variations in load without excessive speed fluctuations. The control system can be applied to motors operating with low resolution encoders and motors operating with sensorless rotor position feedback. The electronic control system can vary the magnitude and frequency of the stator excitation applied to one or more stator phase windings, the electronic control system comprising a frequency setting section (402) and a magnitude setting section (403) characterized by the fact that the frequency setting section (402) is constrained to operate over a limited range of frequencies, the maximum frequency being a function which is closely related to the frequency associated with rotation of the rotor at the desired speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: TECHNELEC LTD.
    Inventors: Charles Pollock, Helen Pollock
  • Patent number: 9577479
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a design for flux switching machines with one or more armature windings which can deliver controlled torque, in either selected direction on start up, without the use of a mechanical position sensor. Flux switching machines without sensors can operate equally well in either direction. The invention discloses design features for such machines which improves the torque profile of the motor with angle. In three phase machines this delivers higher torque and lower ripple torque. In single phase flux switching machines the invention allows the rotor to be placed in a position where maximum torque can be delivered in either direction by selection of either positive or negative armature current. Rotor slotting is introduced to create a path of low permeability across a rotor tooth with minimal impact on the normal torque producing flux paths. Asymmetry of stator slots is used to further create a stable rotor position when energized by predominantly field means or armature means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: TECHNELEC LTD.
    Inventors: Charles Pollock, Helen Pollock
  • Publication number: 20160258820
    Abstract: There is described a system for measuring an environmental parameter such as temperature experienced by a resistive component such as a thermistor (107) in a galvanically isolated circuit, or for measuring the voltage developed by a component. The system comprises a measurement circuit (1) comprising a voltage pulse generator (114). The measurement circuit is inductively coupled to the galvanically isolated circuit by a flyback transformer (101) such that a stable voltage (V104) across a first capacitor (114) in the measurement circuit after many voltage pulses is proportional to a stable voltage (V106) across a second capacitor (106) connected across the component in the galvanically isolated circuit. The stable voltages across the first and second capacitors are adjustable by adjusting a duty cycle of the voltage pulses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Applicant: TECHNELEC LTD
    Inventors: Charles POLLOCK, Helen POLLOCK