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).

  • Publication number: 20170171778
    Abstract: A system and method are described for performing flow control in an IoT system. For example, one embodiment of a system comprises: a plurality of IoT devices; an IoT hub to establish local wireless connections with the plurality of IoT devices to communicatively couple the plurality of IoT devices to an IoT service; the IoT hub to store flow control parameters for each of the plurality of IoT devices, the flow control parameters determined based on data communication requirements of each of the IoT devices and indicating one or more data communication thresholds for each of the IoT devices; the IoT hub to monitor data communication with each of the IoT devices to determine whether one of the IoT devices has reached a data communication threshold specified by the flow control parameters, wherein in response to a first IoT device reaching its data communication threshold, the IoT hub temporarily preventing communication between the first IoT device and the IoT service.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Inventors: Joe Britt, Scott Zimmerman
  • Publication number: 20170171241
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for obscuring wireless communication patterns. For example, one embodiment of a system comprises: an Internet of Things (IoT) device comprising a wireless communication interface to establish communication with an IoT service; the IoT device including an application to execute commands received from the IoT service and to responsively generate a response; and messaging obfuscation logic to modify timing for transmitting the response to the IoT service.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Inventors: JOE BRITT, SCOTT ZIMMERMAN, OMAR ZAKARIA
  • Publication number: 20170127304
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for capturing, manipulating and analyzing wireless network communication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Publication date: May 4, 2017
    Inventors: JOE BRITT, OMAR ZAKARIA
  • Publication number: 20170126262
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for filtering wireless signals. For example, one embodiment of the invention comprises: one or more radios to receive a plurality of wireless signals within a defined spectrum; an energy detection and filtering module to filter received wireless signals based on a detected energy level of the received wireless signals and in accordance with a set of energy-based filtering parameters, the energy detection and filtering module to output energy-filtered wireless signals; and a signal characteristic analysis and filtering module to analyze and filter the energy-filtered wireless signals based on characteristics of the received wireless signals in accordance with a set of signal analysis filtering parameters to output energy-and-characteristic filtered wireless signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Publication date: May 4, 2017
    Inventors: OMAR ZAKARIA, JOE BRITT
  • Patent number: 9641400
    Abstract: A platform, apparatus and method for Internet of Things Implementations. For example, one embodiment of an apparatus comprises: a memory for storing program code and a microcontroller for executing the program code; a communication interface for coupling the microcontroller to a network; a plurality of input elements communicatively coupled to the microcontroller to detect user input; a slot for receiving a selection card, the selection card comprising a plurality of user-selectable items displayed thereon, wherein each of the input elements are associated with at least one of the user-selectable items displayed on the card when the selection card is inserted in the slot; and wherein upon selection of a particular input element corresponding to a particular item, the microcontroller transmits an identification code for the item to a service over the network, the service identifying the item using the identification code and performing one or more operations responsive to selection of the item by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: AFERO, INC.
    Inventors: Joe Britt, Shin Matsumura, Houman Forood, Scott Zimmerman, Philip Myles, Sean Zawicki, Daisuke Kutami, Joel Black
  • Publication number: 20170019873
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for securely tracking event attendees using IoT devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Inventor: JOE BRITT
  • Publication number: 20170006411
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for an IoT interface slot for an IoT hub.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2015
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: Omar Zakaria, Joe Britt, Houman Forood
  • Publication number: 20170006643
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for secure wireless communication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2015
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: Omar Zakaria, Joe Britt, Houman Forood
  • Publication number: 20170005820
    Abstract: A system and method are described for virtualizing Internet of Things (IoT) devices and hubs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2015
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: SCOTT ZIMMERMAN, JOE BRITT
  • Publication number: 20170006595
    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: July 3, 2015
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: Omar Zakaria, Joe Britt, Houman Forood
  • Publication number: 20170005390
    Abstract: An modular antenna for integration with an Internet of Things (IoT) hub and associated systems and methods. For example, one embodiment of an apparatus comprises: a modular antenna to be used with an embedded Internet of Things (IoT) hub having a plurality of wireless communication interfaces, the modular antenna comprising an interface component and an antenna component; the interface component comprising a first plurality of pins or pads to electrically couple the module antenna to the embedded IoT hub; and the antenna component comprising a plurality of antennas to be electrically coupled to the first plurality of pins or pads, thereby electrically coupling each of the plurality of antennas to one of the plurality of wireless communication interfaces of the embedded IoT hub.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2015
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: Omar Zakaria, Joe Britt, Houman Forood
  • Publication number: 20170006003
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for secure communication between IoT devices and an IoT service.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2015
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: Omar Zakaria, Joe Britt, Houman Forood
  • Publication number: 20170004692
    Abstract: A system and method are described for a single-piece IoT security device. For example, one embodiment of an Internet of Things (IoT) security apparatus comprises: a first module to detect motion of an object to which the IoT device is fixedly coupled; a wireless radio controller communicatively coupled to the first module, the first module to wake the wireless radio controller responsive to detecting motion of the object; and a proximity sensor and associated logic to take a proximity reading and to compare the proximity reading to a stored reading taken when the object was in a secure position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2015
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: Joe Britt, Alec Storrie-Lombardi
  • Publication number: 20160345516
    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: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventors: Joe Britt, Omar Zakaria, Alec Storrie-Lombardi
  • Publication number: 20160349127
    Abstract: A system and method are described for capturing and playing back a massage. For example, one embodiment of a system comprises: a massage capture apparatus having a plurality of sensors disposed thereon to measure forces associated with a massage given to a user as the user is wearing or otherwise in contact with the massage capture apparatus, the forces associated with locations on the massage capture apparatus; and the sensors generating massage data including the forces and associated locations; a massage database to receive and store the massage data; and a massage playback apparatus to download the massage data from the massage database and responsively play back the massage as the user or another user is in contact with the massage playback apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventor: Joe Britt
  • Publication number: 20160353305
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for an automotive internet of things (IoT) system, apparatus, and method. For example, one embodiment of an automotive Internet of Things (IoT) device configured within a car comprises: a wireless communication interface to take signal strength measurements to a mobile device, the signal strength measurements comprising signal strength values; and a signal strength analysis and notification module to analyze the signal strength values from the mobile device to determine when the user has left his or her mobile device at home or at another location and to responsively generate a notification to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventors: Omar Zakaria, Joe Britt, Houman Forood
  • Patent number: 9497572
    Abstract: An Internet of Things system and method are described. For example, one embodiment of a system comprises: an IoT hub comprising a WAN interface to couple the IoT hub to an IoT service over the WAN, and a local communication interface to communicatively couple the IoT hub to a plurality of different types of IoT devices; and at least one IoT device having a memory for storing program code and a microcontroller for executing the program code, wherein the program code includes library program code comprising basic building blocks usable by a developer to implement any IoT device by creating application program code which utilizes the library program code, wherein at least one of the basic building blocks comprises a communication stack to enable communication with the IoT hub, the library program code provided to the developer in a software development kit (SDK) with the microcontroller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: AFERO, INC.
    Inventors: Joe Britt, Shin Matsumura, Houman Forood, Scott Zimmerman, Phillip Myles, Sean Zawicki, Daisuke Kutami
  • Publication number: 20160197772
    Abstract: A platform, apparatus and method for Internet of Things Implementations for controlling electronic equipment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2015
    Publication date: July 7, 2016
    Inventors: JOE BRITT, Justin Lee
  • Publication number: 20160197786
    Abstract: A platform, apparatus and method for detecting that an IoT hub communication channel has become inoperative. For example, one embodiment of an IoT system comprises: an Internet of Things (IoT) hub comprising a network interface to couple the IoT hub to an IoT service over a first communication channel; at least one IoT device communicatively coupled to the IoT hub over a second communication channel; connection monitoring logic to detect when the first communication channel between the IoT service and the IoT hub has become inoperative; notification logic to transmit a notification to a data processing device of a user of the IoT system responsive to the connection monitoring logic detecting that the first communication channel has become inoperative.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2015
    Publication date: July 7, 2016
    Inventors: JOE BRITT, SHIN MATSUMURA, HOUMAN FOROOD, SCOTT ZIMMERMAN, PHILLIP MYLES, SEAN ZAWICKI, DAISUKE KUTAMI, JUSTIN LEE
  • Publication number: 20160198465
    Abstract: A platform, apparatus and method for Internet of Things Implementations for selecting a cellular carrier. 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 through a cellular (cell) carrier, the IoT hub further comprising a local communication interface to communicatively couple the IoT hub to a plurality of IoT devices over local communication channels; cell carrier selection logic on the IoT hub to implement a set of rules to select between two or more cell carriers through which to connect the IoT hub to the IoT service, the rules being based, at least in part, on a cost associated with connecting to each of the two or more cell carriers and connectivity data associated with cell connections between the IoT hub and each of the two or more cell carriers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2015
    Publication date: July 7, 2016
    Inventors: JOE BRITT, SHIN MATSUMURA, HOUMAN FOROOD