Patents by Inventor Jeffrey C. Ward

Jeffrey C. Ward 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: 11911058
    Abstract: Surgical forceps can include a drive pin an outer tube, a first jaw, a second jaw, and an inner tube. The outer tube can define a longitudinal axis. The first jaw can be pivotably connected to the outer tube. The first jaw can include a pair of flanges located at a proximal portion of the first jaw, where each flange can include a track receiving the drive pin. The inner tube can be located within the outer tube and can extend along the longitudinal axis. The inner tube can include a pair of arms extending from a distal portion of the inner tube. The drive pin can be securable to the pair of arms. The inner tube can be translatable within the outer tube to drive the drive pin along the tracks to move the second jaw between open and closed positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Gyrus ACMI, Inc.
    Inventors: Hanam Pham, John Mensch, Zane R. Ward, Theodore C. Blus, Jeffrey D. Holton, Thomas J. Holman
  • Patent number: 10673795
    Abstract: Systems and arrangements are provided for filtering language. As presently preferred, these are configured to filter inappropriate language, symbols, words, etc on web sites or used in chat rooms. Embodiments create one or more arrays of inappropriate character strings representing, for example, obscene words and character combinations. Embodiments identify the inappropriate character strings, for example in chat text, and edit them to an appropriate form, for example with cartoon characters, and/or delete the inappropriate character strings. Preferably, at least one embodiment applies the content filter via executing a program of instructions, stored on a tangible storage medium, to achieve this functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger Brent Milne, Jeffrey C. Ward, Michael G. Ingoldby, Jonathan B. Ballagh, Thomas E. Fischaber, Krista M. Marks
  • Patent number: 10089965
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for moving and manipulating graphical objects on a device that may include one or more pointing device, such as a mouse, a touchpad, or a touch screen, some of which may be multi-touch enabled. In some embodiments, a method may include, concurrent with and in response to user input from a pointing device: moving a first graphical object, determining a plurality of alternative target orientations for that first graphical object, selecting one of the target orientations, and gradually changing certain display characteristics of the first object based on characteristics of the selected target orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Simbulus, lnc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Ward, Roger B. Milne, Thomas E. Fischaber, Sean A. Kelly, Krista M. Marks
  • Patent number: 9652551
    Abstract: Techniques are described for estimating the effort involved in creating content on a content site. Embodiments of the invention may collect data by monitoring actions taken by a user creating content on the site, and may then calculate an effort value for the created content based on the collected data. The calculated effort value may then be used, for example, to determine a position in a moderation queue for inserting the user-created content, or to determine whether to feature a particular user on the site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Ingoldby, R. Brent Milne, Jeffrey C. Ward, Krista M. Marks, Thomas E. Fischaber
  • Patent number: 9141255
    Abstract: Techniques for creating a mosaic using user-created content on a content sharing site. Embodiments of the invention may provide an interface on the content sharing site to allow users to create content. Embodiments may then determine a suitability value between the user-created content and portions of a mosaic, and insert the user-created content into a particular portion of the mosaic based on the determined suitability value for the particular portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey D. Stroomer, Jonathan B. Ballagh, Roger B. Milne, Jeffrey C. Ward, Krista M. Marks, Thomas E. Fischaber
  • Patent number: 8773468
    Abstract: A technique for manipulating the layering order of graphical objects in a digital canvas or document is disclosed. A graphics object that is included in a layer in the digital canvas or document is selected. The digital canvas or document is searched in order to define a subset of graphics objects that includes the selected graphics object and any other graphics objects that overlap with the selected graphics object. A layering-order control enables a user to move the layer associated with the selected graphics object to a depth in the digital canvas or document that includes a layer associated with one of the other graphics objects in the subset of graphics objects. The concurrent re-positioning of multiple layers associated with two or more selected graphics objects is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Ballagh, Roger B. Milne, Sean A. Kelly, William M. Troxel, Jeffrey C. Ward
  • Patent number: 8675014
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for efficiently detecting graphics objects near a selected point in an application is disclosed. The method implements a two-stage selection technique. In a first stage, a set of one or more graphics objects that are considered equally good candidates for selection is determined, and in a second stage one of the graphics objects from the set is ultimately selected based on certain other selection criteria. In the first stage, the application determines if a selected pixel overlaps with any graphics objects. If the selected pixel does not overlap with any graphics objects, then the application determines whether one of a set of cursor footprints overlap with any graphics objects. If multiple graphics objects overlap the selected pixel, or the minimum sized cursor footprint, then, in a second stage, one of the multiple graphics objects is selected based on certain other selection criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger B. Milne, Jeffrey C. Ward
  • Patent number: 8487932
    Abstract: Techniques for associating a graphics object with one of a plurality of target regions of a graphical object template are disclosed. The graphics object is associated with one of the target regions based on the distance between the center of mass of the graphics object and the center of mass of the target region and the overlap amount of the graphics object with the target region. A pre-generated graphics object (stamp object) may also be automatically incorporated into one of the target regions based on the alignment of the minimum bounding box of the stamp object and the minimum bounding box of the target region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Ward, Jonathan Ballagh, Tyson Stecklein, Roger B. Milne
  • Patent number: 8427483
    Abstract: Techniques for associating a graphics object with one of a plurality of target regions of a graphical object template are disclosed. The graphics object is associated with one of the target regions based on the distance between the center of mass of the graphics object and the center of mass of the target region and the overlap amount of the graphics object with the target region. A pre-generated graphics object (stamp object) may also be automatically incorporated into one of the target regions based on the alignment of the minimum bounding box of the stamp object and the minimum bounding box of the target region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises. Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Ward, Jonathan Ballagh, Tyson Stecklein, Roger B. Milne
  • Publication number: 20120159348
    Abstract: Techniques for creating a mosaic using user-created content on a content sharing site. Embodiments of the invention may provide an interface on the content sharing site to allow users to create content. Embodiments may then determine a suitability value between the user-created content and portions of a mosaic, and insert the user-created content into a particular portion of the mosaic based on the determined suitability value for the particular portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Inventors: Jeffrey D. Stroomer, Jonathan B. Ballagh, Roger B. Milne, Jeffrey C. Ward, Krista M. Marks, Thomas E. Fischaber
  • Publication number: 20120054638
    Abstract: Techniques are described for estimating the effort involved in creating content on a content site. Embodiments of the invention may collect data by monitoring actions taken by a user creating content on the site, and may then calculate an effort value for the created content based on the collected data. The calculated effort value may then be used, for example, to determine a position in a moderation queue for inserting the user-created content, or to determine whether to feature a particular user on the site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Ingoldby, R. Brent Milne, Jeffrey C. Ward, Krista M. Marks, Thomas E. Fischaber
  • Publication number: 20110035456
    Abstract: Systems and arrangements are provided for filtering language. As presently preferred, these are configured to filter inappropriate language, symbols, words, etc on web sites or used in chat rooms. Embodiments create one or more arrays of inappropriate character strings representing, for example, obscene words and character combinations. Embodiments identify the inappropriate character strings, for example in chat text, and edit them to an appropriate form, for example with cartoon characters, and/or delete the inappropriate character strings. Preferably, at least one embodiment applies the content filter via executing a program of instructions, stored on a tangible storage medium, to achieve this functionality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Applicant: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger Brent Milne, Jeffrey C. Ward, Michael G. Ingoldby, Jonathan B. Ballagh, Thomas E. Fischaber, Krista M. Marks
  • Patent number: 7590965
    Abstract: Methods of generating a PLD design implementation according to a design architecture tailored to specified requirements. A hardware description language (HDL) description for the PLD design includes at least one parameter value for the PLD design that will affect the preferred implementation of the design. This parameter value is passed to a high-level language (HLL) function, which is used to determine a tailored design architecture in accordance with the specified needs of the target application. The HLL function returns data specifying the tailored design architecture. This data is used in generating an implementation of the PLD design that follows the constraints imposed by the tailored design architecture. The result can be, for example, a logic gate representation of the PLD design, a netlist of the design, or a bitstream implementing the design in a target PLD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael George Ingoldby, James E. Ogden, Jeffrey C. Ward, Stacey Secatch, Restu I. Ismail, Thomas E. Fischaber
  • Patent number: 7574688
    Abstract: A method of integrating a High-level Language (HLL) function with a Hardware Description Language (HDL) representation of a circuit design can include identifying an attribute of the HDL representation of the circuit design that is resolved at compile time and determining a value for the attribute using an HLL function when compiling the HDL representation of the circuit design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: XILINX, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Ward, James Ogden, Mark R. McLaughlin, Jerome Bertrand, Michael G. Ingoldby