Patents by Inventor Joe Britt

Joe Britt 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: 10343649
    Abstract: Embodiments are described for securing a vehicle or location. One embodiment of a method comprises: periodically transmitting a ping packet from a vehicle or location in a locked or inactive state; resetting a timer or recording a time at which the ping packet was transmitted; receiving a response packet to the ping packet; determining a time between transmitting the ping packet and receiving the response packet based on a current value in the timer when the response packet is received or based on a difference between the time at which the ping packet was transmitted and the time at which the response packet was received; determining whether the time is above a specified threshold; unlocking and/or activating the vehicle or location if the time is below the specified threshold; and maintaining the locked or inactive state if the time is above the specified threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventors: Joe Britt, Scott Bartlett, Doug Kough
  • Patent number: 10291595
    Abstract: A platform, apparatus and method for Internet of Things Implementations. For example, one embodiment of a system comprises: an Internet of Things (IoT) hub comprising a network interface to couple the IoT hub to an IoT service over a wide area network (WAN), and programming logic to program an identification device with one or more encryption keys usable to establish encrypted communication with an IoT device; and at least one IoT device interfacing with the identification device following programming of the identification device by the IoT hub; wherein once the identification device is programmed and interfaced with the IoT device, the IoT device uses the one or more keys to establish a secure communication channel with the IoT hub and/or the IoT service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventors: Joe Britt, Shin Matsumura, Houman Forood, Scott Zimmerman, Phillip Myles, Sean Zawicki, Daisuke Kutami, Shannon Holland
  • Patent number: 10275962
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are for providing security to a computing device using an Internet of Things (IoT) device. For example, one embodiment of a system comprises: an Internet of Things (IoT) security device to be communicatively coupled to a computing device; an IoT service to establish a communication channel with the IoT device, the IoT service; and the IoT service to generate and transmit a notification to a client device of a user when the IoT service can no longer communicate with the IoT device over the communication channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventor: Joe Britt
  • Publication number: 20190118767
    Abstract: Embodiments are described for securing a vehicle or location. One embodiment of a method comprises: periodically transmitting a ping packet from a vehicle or location in a locked or inactive state; resetting a timer or recording a time at which the ping packet was transmitted; receiving a response packet to the ping packet; determining a time between transmitting the ping packet and receiving the response packet based on a current value in the timer when the response packet is received or based on a difference between the time at which the ping packet was transmitted and the time at which the response packet was received; determining whether the time is above a specified threshold; unlocking and/or activating the vehicle or location if the time is below the specified threshold; and maintaining the locked or inactive state if the time is above the specified threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventor: JOE BRITT
  • Patent number: 10178579
    Abstract: An IoT system and method for selecting a secondary communication channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventors: Joe Britt, Scott Zimmerman, Stephen Sewerynek, Chris Aiuto, Lucas Finkelstein
  • Patent number: 10178530
    Abstract: A system and method are described for performing asset and user tracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventors: Houman Forood, Joe Britt, Omar Zakaria, Justin Lee, Gilbert Gallardo
  • Patent number: 10171462
    Abstract: A system and method are described for provisioning an IoT device using an association ID code. For example, one embodiment of a method comprises: generating an association between a new Internet of Things (IoT) device identification (ID) code and an association ID code; storing the association in an IoT device database of an IoT service; retrieving the association ID code from the new IoT device; transmitting the association ID code to the IoT service, the IoT service performing a lookup in the IoT device database using the association ID code to determine the device ID code; and provisioning the IoT device to communicate with the IoT service using the device ID code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventors: Joe Britt, Scott Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 10169626
    Abstract: A system and method are described for Internet of Things (IoT) shelf tags.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventors: Joe Britt, Shin Matsumura, Houman Forood
  • Publication number: 20180338280
    Abstract: An embedded Internet of Things (IoT) hub for integration with an appliance and associated systems and methods. For example, one embodiment of an apparatus comprises: an embedded Internet of Things (IoT) hub comprising a wide area network (WAN) interface to couple the embedded IoT hub to an IoT service over a network, and a local wireless communication interface to communicatively couple the IoT hub to one or more IoT devices; an IoT hub slot interface coupled to the embedded IoT hub and comprising a first plurality of pins or pads to interface with corresponding pins or pads within an IoT hub slot of an appliance when the embedded IoT hub is inserted into the IoT hub slot; and a modular antenna interface coupled to the embedded IoT hub and comprising a second plurality of pins or pads to interface with corresponding pins or pads on a modular antenna to be coupled to the embedded IoT hub.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Inventors: Omar Zakaria, Joe Britt, Houman Forood
  • Publication number: 20180316658
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for securely providing a User ID and/or password to an IoT device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: SCOTT BARTLETT, SCOTT ZIMMERMAN, JOE BRITT
  • Publication number: 20180317266
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for implementing a 2-way beacon. For example, one embodiment of an apparatus comprises: a beacon to transmit a first advertisement packet associated with 1-way functions available from the beacon and to further transmit a second advertisement packet associated with 2-way functions available from the beacon; the first advertisement packet to cause an app and/or hub to be initialized on a mobile device; and the second advertisement packet to cause the beacon to establish a first secure communication channel to a cloud service through the app and/or hub.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: JOE BRITT, BENJAMIN K. GIBBS, DAN ALTIN
  • Patent number: 10116573
    Abstract: A system and method are described for managing attributes in an IoT system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventors: Joe Britt, Scott Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 10111070
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for an IoT interface slot for an IoT hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventors: Omar Zakaria, Joe Britt, Houman Forood
  • Patent number: 10087063
    Abstract: A Internet of Things (IoT) system and method for a beverage distribution system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Zimmerman, Daniel Altin, Joe Britt
  • Patent number: 10091242
    Abstract: A system and method are described for establishing a secondary communication channel between an IoT device and a client device. For example, one embodiment of a method comprises: establishing a primary secure communication channel between the IoT device and an IoT service using a primary set of keys; performing a secondary key exchange using the primary secure communication channel, the client device and the IoT device each being provided with a secondary set of keys following the secondary key exchange; detecting that the primary secure communication channel is inoperative; and responsively establishing a secondary secure wireless connection between the client device and the IoT device using the secondary set of keys, the client device being provided with access to data and functions made available by the IoT device over the secondary secure wireless connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventors: Joe Britt, Scott Zimmerman, Shannon Holland
  • Publication number: 20180246484
    Abstract: A system and method are described for virtualizing Internet of Things (IoT) devices and hubs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Inventors: Scott ZIMMERMAN, Joe BRITT
  • Publication number: 20180208448
    Abstract: A Internet of Things (IoT) system and method for a beverage distribution system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventors: SCOTT ZIMMERMAN, DANIEL ALTIN, JOE BRITT
  • Patent number: 10015766
    Abstract: Associating each of a plurality of an Internet of Things (IoT) devices with a different attendee at an event, the IoT devices configured to form local wireless connections with one or more IoT hubs or client devices; as a first attendee moves around the event, periodically establishing a local wireless connection between a first IoT device associated with the first attendee and the IoT hubs or client devices within range of the first IoT device; transmitting one or more data packets from the IoT hubs or client devices to an IoT service over the Internet, the data packets including data identifying the first attendee, the first IoT device, and the IoT hubs or client devices to which the first IoT device establishes the local wireless connections, the IoT service storing the data in a database and using the data to determine portions of the event visited by the first attendee.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventor: Joe Britt
  • Patent number: 10008086
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for an IoT security system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventors: Joe Britt, Shin Matsumura, Houman Forood, Omar Zakaria
  • Patent number: 10004183
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for a moisture sensor. For example, one embodiment of an IoT device comprises: An Internet of Things (IoT) device comprising: a moisture sensor to detect a moisture level; an IoT communication interface and/or radio to wirelessly connect the IoT device to a network; a set of pins, pads, and/or probes to electrically couple the moisture sensor to conductive elements of one or more moisture sensor attachments; and an enclosure surrounding the moisture sensor and IoT communication interface and/or radio, the enclosure having one or more connection elements formed thereon to fixedly couple one or more moisture sensor attachments to the enclosure, thereby electrically coupling the set of pins, pads, and/or probes of the moisture sensor to the conductive elements of the moisture sensor attachments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventors: Joe Britt, Omar Zakaria, Alec Storrie-Lombardi