Patents by Inventor James L. Ford

James L. Ford 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: 11108579
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for managing a conference call with multiple voice-enabled and voice-capturing devices, such as smart speakers. Reproduced, duplicate voice commands can cause unexpected results in a conference call. The voice commands can be determined to be received from the same conference call. A voice command for a particular voice-enabled device can be selected based on an energy level of an audio signal, event data, time data, and/or user identification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Alan Leblang, Milo Oostergo, James L. Ford, Kevin Crews
  • Patent number: 10861453
    Abstract: A processing device receives from a speech-detection device intent data and metadata associated with an intent to schedule a resource located in proximity to a location of the speech-detection device. The metadata includes one or more device identifiers associated with one or more devices discovered by the speech-detection device. The processing device determines an availability of resources associated with the one or more device IDs and schedule one of the resources based on the availability. The scheduled resource is located in in proximity to the location of the speech-detection device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kunal Chadha, James L. Ford
  • Publication number: 20200153646
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for managing a conference call with multiple voice-enabled and voice-capturing devices, such as smart speakers. Reproduced, duplicate voice commands can cause unexpected results in a conference call. The voice commands can be determined to be received from the same conference call. A voice command for a particular voice-enabled device can be selected based on an energy level of an audio signal, event data, time data, and/or user identification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventors: Jonathan Alan Leblang, Milo Oostergo, James L. Ford, Kevin Crews
  • Patent number: 10536286
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for managing a conference call with multiple voice-enabled and voice-capturing devices, such as smart speakers. Reproduced, duplicate voice commands can cause unexpected results in a conference call. The voice commands can be determined to be received from the same conference call. A voice command for a particular voice-enabled device can be selected based on an energy level of an audio signal, event data, time data, and/or user identification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Alan Leblang, Milo Oostergo, James L. Ford, Kevin Crews
  • Patent number: 10536287
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for managing a conference call with multiple voice-enabled and voice-capturing devices, such as smart speakers. Reproduced, duplicate voice commands can cause unexpected results in a conference call. The voice commands can be determined to be received from the same conference call. A voice command for a particular voice-enabled device can be selected based on an energy level of an audio signal, event data, time data, and/or user identification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Alan Leblang, Milo Oostergo, James L. Ford, Kevin Crews
  • Patent number: 10536288
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for managing a conference call with multiple voice-enabled and voice-capturing devices, such as smart speakers. Reproduced, duplicate voice commands can cause unexpected results in a conference call. The voice commands can be determined to be received from the same conference call. A voice command for a particular voice-enabled device can be selected based on an energy level of an audio signal, event data, time data, and/or user identification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Alan Leblang, Milo Oostergo, James L. Ford, Kevin Crews
  • Patent number: 10374816
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for managing a conference call with multiple voice-enabled and voice-capturing devices, such as smart speakers. Reproduced, duplicate voice commands can cause unexpected results in a conference call. The voice commands can be determined to be received from the same conference call. A voice command for a particular voice-enabled device can be selected based on an energy level of an audio signal, event data, time data, and/or user identification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Alan Leblang, Milo Oostergo, James L. Ford, Kevin Crews
  • Patent number: 10296953
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for facilitating an assisted shopping experience. A speech input can be captured and transcribed. The transcribed speech input can be transmitted to a customer service agent in a data session that is contemporaneous with a voice session. The customer service agent can then facilitate an assisted shopping experience via the voice session and data session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Fabien G. Hertschuh, Benoit St-Pierre, James L. Ford, Sean P. Cier, Samuel P. Hall, VI, Peter C. Wong
  • Publication number: 20160350825
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for facilitating an assisted shopping experience. A speech input can be captured and transcribed. The transcribed speech input can be transmitted to a customer service agent in a data session that is contemporaneous with a voice session. The customer service agent can then facilitate an assisted shopping experience via the voice session and data session.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2016
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventors: Fabien G. Hertschuh, Benoit St-Pierre, James L. Ford, Sean P. Cier, Samuel P. Hall, VI, Peter C. Wong
  • Patent number: 9454779
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for facilitating an assisted shopping experience. A speech input can be captured and transcribed. The transcribed speech input can be transmitted to a customer service agent in a data session that is contemporaneous with a voice session. The customer service agent can then facilitate an assisted shopping experience via the voice session and data session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Fabien G. Hertschuh, Benoit St-Pierre, James L Ford, Sean P. Cier, Samuel P. Hall, VI, Peter C. Wong
  • Publication number: 20150294386
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for facilitating an assisted shopping experience. A speech input can be captured and transcribed. The transcribed speech input can be transmitted to a customer service agent in a data session that is contemporaneous with a voice session. The customer service agent can then facilitate an assisted shopping experience via the voice session and data session.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Inventors: Fabien G. Hertschuh, Benoit St-Pierre, James L. Ford, Sean P. Cier, Samuel P. Hall, VI, Peter C. Wong
  • Patent number: 8977554
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for facilitating an assisted shopping experience. A speech input can be captured and transcribed. The transcribed speech input can be transmitted to a customer service agent in a data session that is contemporaneous with a voice session. The customer service agent can then facilitate an assisted shopping experience via the voice session and data session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Fabien G. Hertschuh, Benoit St-Pierre, James L. Ford, Sean P. Cier, Samuel P. Hall, Peter C. Wong
  • Patent number: 8849791
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for facilitating an assisted shopping experience. A speech input can be captured and transcribed. The transcribed speech input can be transmitted to a customer service agent in a data session that is contemporaneous with a voice session. The customer service agent can then facilitate an assisted shopping experience via the voice session and data session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Fabien G. Hertschuh, Benoit St-Pierre, James L. Ford, Sean P. Cier, Samuel P. Hall, VI, Peter C. Wong
  • Patent number: 8630851
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for facilitating an assisted shopping experience. A speech input can be captured and transcribed. The transcribed speech input can be transmitted to a customer service agent in a data session that is contemporaneous with a voice session. The customer service agent can then facilitate an assisted shopping experience via the voice session and data session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Fabien G. Hertschuh, Benoit St-Pierre, James L. Ford, Sean P. Cier, Samuel P. Hall, VI, Peter C. Wong
  • Patent number: 8544128
    Abstract: A hand-held tool for individuals who have diminished use of their hands or reduced gripping strength due to infirmity or medical condition that provides a number of shaped spaces for seating and manipulation of various items that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to manipulate. Among the multiple shaped spaces is a space for a writing instrument and a space for an eating utensil enabling a user to write and eat without for example, directly gripping a pencil or a fork.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Inventors: Ronald W. Jones, James L. Ford
  • Patent number: 8250598
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for transmitting emergency messages is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a set top box in communication with an interactive television network where the set top box has a controller to receive a notification signal from a network server of the interactive television network where the notification signal is associated with an emergency alert message received by the network server from an emergency alert system, determine a language for presenting the emergency alert message, select a first multicast of the emergency alert message from a group of multicasts based on the determined language where each of the group of multicasts of the emergency alert message being in a different language, transmit a request to the network server to join the first multicast of the emergency alert message, and receive the first multicast of the emergency alert message. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Leonardo Velazquez, James L. Ford, III
  • Publication number: 20110088058
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for transmitting emergency messages is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a set top box in communication with an interactive television network where the set top box has a controller to receive a notification signal from a network server of the interactive television network where the notification signal is associated with an emergency alert message received by the network server from an emergency alert system, determine a language for presenting the emergency alert message, select a first multicast of the emergency alert message from a group of multicasts based on the determined language where each of the group of multicasts of the emergency alert message being in a different language, transmit a request to the network server to join the first multicast of the emergency alert message, and receive the first multicast of the emergency alert message. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2009
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Leonardo Velazquez, James L. Ford, III
  • Publication number: 20100162300
    Abstract: A video stream or interface that may include an indication of a broadcasted alert message and/or detailed information associated with a broadcasted alert message may be generated and/or rendered. The video stream or interface may be generated and/or rendered by a content provider and then provided to a consumer via, for example, a content device such that the video stream or interface may be accessed via a broadcast channel or an on-demand channel established by the content provider. Alternatively, the video stream or interface may be generated and/or rendered by the content device such that the video stream or interface may be accessed via an option such as a channel, menu option, or the like provided by the content device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I,L.P.
    Inventors: Leonardo Velazquez, James L. Ford, III
  • Patent number: 6963867
    Abstract: A search engine system displays the results of a multiple-category search according to levels of relevance of the categories to a user's search query. A query server receives a search query from a user and identifies, within each of multiple item categories, a set of items that satisfy the query. The sets of items are used to generate, for each of the multiple categories, a score that reflects a level significance or relevance of the category to the search. The scores may be based, for example, on the number of hits within each category relative to the total number of items in that category, the popularity levels of items that satisfy the query, a personal profile of the user, or a combination thereof. The categories are then presented to the user, together with the most relevant items within each category, in the order of highest to lowest category relevance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: A9.com, Inc.
    Inventors: James L. Ford, Christopher L. Scofield, Dwayne E. Bowman, Ruben E. Ortega
  • Publication number: 20030195877
    Abstract: A search engine system displays the results of a multiple-category search according to levels of relevance of the categories to a user's search query. A query server receives a search query from a user and identifies, within each of multiple item categories, a set of items that satisfy the query. The sets of items are used to generate, for each of the multiple categories, a score that reflects a level significance or relevance of the category to the search. The scores may be based, for example, on the number of hits within each category relative to the total number of items in that category, the popularity levels of items that satisfy the query, a personal profile of the user, or a combination thereof. The categories are then presented to the user, together with the most relevant items within each category, in the order of highest to lowest category relevance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2003
    Publication date: October 16, 2003
    Inventors: James L. Ford, Christopher L. Scofield, Dwayne E. Bowman, Ruben E. Ortega