Patents by Inventor Howard Locker

Howard Locker 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: 11935324
    Abstract: Apparatuses, methods, systems, and program products are disclosed for capturing an image and determining whether a switch is in a filtering position or a non-filtering position. When the switch is in the filtering position, the camera apparatus detects a switch position and determines whether the switch is in the filtering position or the non-filtering position. The camera captures the image, including audio/visual signals, while the switch is detected to be in the filtering position and modifies the image to inhibit biometric data collection from the image in response to the switch being in the filtering position when the image is captured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Lenovo (United States) Inc.
    Inventors: John W. Nicholson, Daryl C. Cromer, Howard Locker, Mengnan Wang
  • Publication number: 20240087588
    Abstract: Apparatus, methods, and computer program products that include Adaptive Gain Control with learned gains and calculated gains based on the frequency domain are disclosed. One apparatus includes a processor and a memory that stores code executable by the processor to receive an audio signal from an audio input device and implement an Adaptive Gain Control to adjust a gain of the audio signal. The gain can include a learned gain and/or a calculated gain based on the frequency domain. Methods and computer program products that include and/or perform the operations and/or functions of the apparatus are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2022
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: John W. Nicholson, Daryl C. Cromer, Howard Locker
  • Publication number: 20240078983
    Abstract: Methods, computing devices, and computer-readable medium storing machine-readable instructions are disclosed for rendering video images for reducing energy consumption. An exemplary method performed in a computing system includes rendering video images at a first refresh rate, sending the rendered video images to a display device, determining if a reduced refresh rate event is occurring, and rendering video images at a second refresh rate responsive to determining the reduced refresh rate event is occurring. The second refresh rate is slower than the first refresh rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2022
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: John W. Nicholson, Daryl C. Cromer, Howard Locker
  • Publication number: 20240073312
    Abstract: Methods, communication devices, and computer-readable medium are disclosed for preventing unintentional outgoing communications initiated from a communication device. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a request via a first input device to initiate a communication to a contact, determining whether the request is unlikely, receiving a confirmation that the request is intentional responsive to determining the request is unlikely, and sending the communication to the contact responsive to receiving the confirmation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2022
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: John W. Nicholson, Daryl C. Cromer, Howard Locker, Mengnan Wang
  • Publication number: 20240036808
    Abstract: A system and method include a control unit in communication with a plurality of communication devices at a common location. Each of the plurality of communication devices includes a microphone. The control unit is configured to receive one or more audio signals from the microphone of each of the plurality of communication devices. The control unit is further configured to selectively unmute the microphone of one of the plurality of communication devices and mute the microphone of at least one other of the plurality of communication devices based on the one or more audio signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2022
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventors: John W. Nicholson, Darryl C. Cromer, Howard Locker
  • Patent number: 11886722
    Abstract: Apparatuses, methods, systems, and program products are disclosed for technology management on a hardware component of a device at the time of assembly. An apparatus has a processor and memory storage that stores code executable by the processor. The processor obtains a feature of the hardware component to be removed from the hardware component and operates a virtual fuse that removes a data region associated with the hardware component and permanently removes access to the feature on the hardware component. In response to operating the virtual fuse to remove access to the feature, the processor may indicate the status of the feature on the hardware component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: John Weldon Nicholson, Daryl C. Cromer, Howard Locker, Mengnan Wang
  • Publication number: 20230410324
    Abstract: In one aspect, a first device includes a processor, a camera, and storage. The storage includes instructions executable by the processor to auto-crop base images from the camera to render respective first auto-cropped images having a first field of view that is smaller than a second field of view of the respective base images themselves. The instructions are also executable to receive input from a motion sensor on the first device and, based on the input from the motion sensor, adjust the auto-cropping of the base images from the camera to render second auto-cropped images having a third field of view that is smaller than the second field of view and that is different from the first field of view. In various examples, the first and second auto-cropped images can be provided to a second device as part of a video conference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2022
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventors: John W. Nicholson, Daryl C. Cromer, Howard Locker
  • Patent number: 11822667
    Abstract: Methods that can embed opt-in permission for an artificial intelligence (AI) service are provided. One method includes implementing, by a processor, an access level of a plurality of access levels for user sensor data. The method further includes, based on the implemented access level, generating, from a set of raw sensor data received from a set of sensors, a set of sensor data for a user of an apparatus and gaining insight about the user of the apparatus via an AI service utilizing the set of sensor data. Here, implementing the access level provides to the user of the apparatus an embedded opt-in permission for the AI service. Systems and apparatus that can include, perform, and/or implement the methods are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: John W. Nicholson, Daryl C. Cromer, Howard Locker, Mengnan Wang
  • Publication number: 20230316455
    Abstract: A computer implemented method, system and computer program product are provided that receive video feeds from corresponding cameras distributed at different positions and orientations throughout a physical environment, and obtain location data associated with the cameras. The location data is indicative of at least one of the position or orientation for the corresponding camera. The method, system and computer program product identify, from the multiple cameras, a camera combination that includes first and second cameras that have overlapping fields of view (FOV) based on the location data and form a panoramic video of at least a portion of the environment by combining the content from the first and second cameras identified based on the location data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Mengnan Wang, John W. Nicholson, Daryl C. Cromer, Howard Locker
  • Publication number: 20230308602
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a method, the method including: receiving, at a remote video feed fusion system, an indication of a meeting facilitated through a meeting application allowing access to participants in a location other than a location of a host of the meeting and supporting video transmissions between connected participants; identifying, using the remote video feed fusion system, a plurality of devices each having at least one image capture device and within the location of the host; capturing, using the remote video feed fusion system, a plurality of video feeds of the location of the host using the plurality of devices; creating, using the remote video feed fusion system, a fused video feed of the location of the host from the plurality of video feeds; and transmitting, using the remote video feed fusion system, the fused video feed to at least one participant accessing the meeting from a location other than the location of the host.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Inventors: Mengnan Wang, John W Nicholson, Daryl C Cromer, Howard Locker
  • Publication number: 20230306098
    Abstract: An electronic device is provided that includes a processor, and a data storage device having executable instructions accessible by the processor. Responsive to execution of the instructions, the processor obtains context data, and provides a login prompt. The processor may also vary input device input configured to enter values into the login prompt based on the context data, rearrange keys of a touchscreen keyboard on a display, the displayed input configured to enter the values into the login prompt based on the context data, or vary the location of a touchscreen keyboard based on the context data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2022
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Inventors: Mengnan Wang, John W. Nicholson, Daryl C. Cromer, Howard Locker
  • Publication number: 20230306610
    Abstract: An image alteration system includes a memory and one or more processors. The processors receive input image data that depicts a background environment, and segment the input image data to locate objects depicted in the background environment. The processors identify a set of one or more of the objects to modify, and generate output image data that depicts a modified version of the background environment for display on a display device. The processors change an appearance of the one or more objects in the set as depicted in the output image data, relative to the appearance of the one or more objects as depicted in the input image data, without changing an appearance of one of more other objects located in the background environment. The input image data and the output image data represent video streams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2022
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Inventors: John W. Nicholson, Daryl C. Cromer, Howard Locker
  • Publication number: 20230308603
    Abstract: In one aspect, a first device may include at least one processor and storage accessible to the at least one processor. The storage may include instructions executable by the at least one processor to facilitate a video conference with a second device and to apply a virtual background for a video stream provided to the second device as part of the video conference. The video stream may also show at least one user. The virtual background may change perspective as a field of view showing the user changes and/or as an actual background behind the user changes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2022
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Inventors: John W. Nicholson, Daryl C. Cromer, Howard Locker
  • Publication number: 20230300454
    Abstract: In one aspect, a device may include at least one processor and storage accessible to the at least one processor. The storage may include instructions executable by the at least one processor to provide at least a first image to a model as input, where the model may have been trained using groups of training images that show respective different parts of faces of one or more people but not full faces of the one or more people. The instructions may also be executable to receive, as output from the model, an indication regarding a facial body part. Based on the indication, the instructions may be executable to present a notification during a video conference, where the notification may indicate at least one action to take for a full face to be shown in a video stream as part of the video conference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: John W. Nicholson, Daryl C. Cromer, Howard Locker
  • Publication number: 20230281335
    Abstract: An electronic device is provided that includes an input device configured to receive sound, a processor, and a memory storing program instructions accessible by the processor. Responsive to execution of the program instructions, the processor is configured to identify a third party application that accesses the electronic device, and vary sound characteristics obtained by the input device based on the third party application identified to prevent a biometric algorithm from obtaining user information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventors: Mengnan Wang, Daryl C. Cromer, Howard Locker, John W. Nicholson
  • Patent number: 11741951
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a method, including: detecting, at an input device of an information handling device, voice input; determining, using a processor, whether the voice input corresponds to a voice command; identifying, responsive to determining that the voice input corresponds to a voice command, that the voice command is associated with an enabled voice command; determining, using a processor, whether a characteristic of the voice command corresponds to a predetermined input characteristic; and performing, responsive to identifying that the voice command is associated with the enabled voice command and responsive to determining that the characteristic corresponds to the predetermined input characteristic, an action corresponding to the enabled voice command. Other aspects are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: John Weldon Nicholson, Daryl Cromer, Howard Locker
  • Publication number: 20230260481
    Abstract: An electronic device is provided that includes a display stack having display pixels and at least one camera sensor located proximate to the display stack. The electronic device also includes a processor, and a memory storing program instructions accessible by the processor. Responsive to execution of the program instructions, the processor is configured to determine an identification of a user of the electronic device. The processor is also configured to determine selected display pixels of the display pixels based on a location of the display stack of the electronic device to the user, and actuate the selected display pixels to obstruct a field of view of the at least one camera sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventors: Mengnan Wang, John W. Nicholson, Howard Locker, Daryl C. Cromer
  • Patent number: 11606513
    Abstract: There is disclosed an information handling system, including a camera, which may include an input lens, and an image signal processor, which may include circuitry that converts an analog image received at the input lens to a digital image data structure; a device interface may include circuitry that provides the image data structure to an information handling device, and a modifier circuit that modifies human features of the digital image data structure before the digital image data structure is provided to the device interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: John W. Nicholson, Daryl C. Cromer, Howard Locker, Mengnan Wang
  • Publication number: 20230055285
    Abstract: Apparatuses, methods, systems, and program products are disclosed to securely erase user data using storage regions on a shared computing device. Memory stores code executable by the processor. The code is executable to configure a nonvolatile storage device of a shared device that may be used by multiple users but is exclusively used by one user at a time. The nonvolatile storage device has shared files storing system data and a data region storing user data associated with a user. The code executes to assign read-only privileges to the system region and read-write privileges to the data region before sharing the device with the user. Requests to write data to the nonvolatile storage device while the device is shared are serviced on the data region. When the user returns the shared device to the originator the code executes to erase the data region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Inventors: John W. Nicholson, Daryl C. Cromer, Howard Locker, Mengnan Wang
  • Patent number: 11586707
    Abstract: Apparatuses, methods, systems, and program products are disclosed for modifying the enabled features of a hardware component at the time of use. An apparatus includes a processor and memory that stores code executable by the processor. The code is executable by the processor to obtain a feature of the hardware component that is not enabled and generates an encrypted code associated with the feature of the hardware component to be enabled. The apparatus processes a payment for the cost of enabling the hardware component and enables the feature of the hardware component in response to the association of the payment processed with the encrypted code for the feature of the hardware component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: John Weldon Nicholson, Daryl C. Cromer, Howard Locker, Mengnan Wang