Patents by Inventor John C. Thomas

John C. Thomas 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: 11951878
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided that includes a vehicle body defining a cabin interior, a plurality of seats located within the cabin interior, each seat having an adjustable seat base and an adjustable seat back, a monitoring system for detecting and monitoring a pet within the cabin interior, and a controller processing signals generated by the monitoring system and determining a location of the pet based on the monitored signals, the controller further controlling at least one of the adjustable seat base and adjustable seat back of a seat based on the determined location of the pet so that the seat is configured to accommodate the pet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Hussein H. Berry, Annette Lynn Huebner, Marguerite Lynn Kimball, David Brian Glickman, Gregory Paul Thomas, John Robert Van Wiemeersch
  • Patent number: 11932156
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided that includes a vehicle body defining a cabin interior and comprising a front row of seats and a rear row of seats, a plurality of seats located within the cabin interior, and a monitoring system for detecting and monitoring a pet or passenger within the cabin interior. The vehicle also includes a movable center console positioned between a pair of the forward row of seats and forward of the rear row of seats and comprising a holder for holding a drink container, and a controller processing signals generated by the monitoring system and determining a location of the detected pet or passenger on the rear row of seats based on the processed signals, the controller further controlling the movable console between a forward first position and a rearward second position closer to the rear row of seats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Hussein H. Berry, Annette Lynn Huebner, Marguerite Lynn Kimball, David Brian Glickman, Gregory Paul Thomas, John Robert Van Wiemeersch
  • Patent number: 11928652
    Abstract: A system receives information for a plurality of invoices having invoice amounts owed by a debtor-buyer to a plurality of creditor-suppliers, a cash pool amount for a cash pool available by the debtor-buyer for early payment of at least some of the invoice amounts, and a desired return rate, receives a plurality of offers, each offer from a corresponding creditor-supplier and comprising an offer return rate, determines whether each of the plurality of offers is eligible for acceptance based on each offer return rate from each offer and the desired return rate for the buyer and selects one or more invoices each having an invoice amount, and transmits award information to the debtor-buyer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: POLLEN, INC.
    Inventors: Alexander C. Kemper, Kevin J. Daniels, Peter L. Thomas, John G. Christopher, Douglas A. Martin
  • Publication number: 20230230074
    Abstract: A method and system provided for a single-action with which the customer places an order and receives goods by the single action of connecting an electrical vehicle (EV) to a charging station according to the business terms associated with this invention, the affiliated organizations that purchase or support the operation of the invention participate in a business “franchise” operation whereby all affiliated organizations increase their revenues as the volume of EV charging events increases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2023
    Publication date: July 20, 2023
    Inventors: Paul S. Levy, Edward Butler, John C. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20220169764
    Abstract: Cationic copolymers having pendant N-allylimidazolium-containing groups are provided. The cationic copolymers can be used, for example, to provide anion exchange membranes for use in electrochemical cells such as fuel cells, electrolyzers, batteries, and electrodialysis cells. The anion exchange membranes typically have good mechanical properties and ionic conductivity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Inventors: Claire Hartmann-Thompson, Mark J. Pellerite, Marina M. Kaplun, John C. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20220127396
    Abstract: A crosslinkable copolymer is provided. The crosslinkable copolymer has pendant cationic nitrogen-containing groups with some, but not all, of these pendant groups further including a (meth)acryloyl group. The (meth)acryloyl groups can react to form a crosslinked copolymer that is ionically conductive. The crosslinked copolymer can be used to provide an anion exchange membrane that can be used in electrochemical cells such as fuel cells, electrolyzers, batteries, and electrodialysis cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Inventors: Claire Hartmann-Thompson, Mark J. Pellerite, John C. Thomas, Marina M. Kaplun
  • Publication number: 20210406880
    Abstract: A method and system provided for a single-action with which the customer places an order and receives goods by the single action of connecting an electrical vehicle (EV) to a charging station according to the business terms associated with this invention, the affiliated organizations that purchase or support the operation of the invention participate in a business “franchise” operation whereby all affiliated organizations increase their revenues as the volume of EV charging events increases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Paul S. Levy, Edward Butler, John C. Thomas
  • Patent number: 11175935
    Abstract: Embodiments include method, systems and computer program products for a path-sensitive contextual help system. In some embodiments, user actions are obtained from a user session of a user. A concrete user action trace is captured using the obtained user actions, wherein the concrete user action trace is a subset of user actions from the user session. An abstract user action trace is generated using the concrete user action trace. A help action corresponding to the abstract user action trace is identified and, in some embodiments, is presented to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Evelyn Duesterwald, John C. Thomas, Patrick A. Wagstrom
  • Patent number: 11151552
    Abstract: A method and system provided for a single-action with which the customer places an order and receives goods by the single action of connecting an electrical vehicle (EV) to a charging station according to the business terms associated with this invention, the affiliated organizations that purchase or support the operation of the invention participate in a business “franchise” operation whereby all affiliated organizations increase their revenues as the volume of EV charging events increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Inventors: Paul S. Levy, Edward Butler, John C. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20200342506
    Abstract: A method and system provided for a single-action with which the customer places an order and receives goods by the single action of connecting an electrical vehicle (EV) to a charging station according to the business terms associated with this invention, the affiliated organizations that purchase or support the operation of the invention participate in a business “franchise” operation whereby all affiliated organizations increase their revenues as the volume of EV charging events increases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Publication date: October 29, 2020
    Inventors: Paul S. Levy, Edward Butler, John C. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20200330818
    Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system comprising a treadmill. The treadmill comprises a track and a weight stack. The weight stack is coupled to a harness coupleable to a user, the harness constructed to simulate pulling a weighted sled when coupled to the user as the user utilizes the treadmill. The weight stack is coupled to a handle graspable by the user, the harness constructed to simulate pushing a weighted sled when the user grasps the handle as the user utilizes the treadmill.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Inventor: John C. Thomas
  • Patent number: 10787090
    Abstract: A method and system is provided in which an electric automotive charging station connects to the host computer system using un-dedicated network resource contained within the electric vehicle to be charged enabling un-supervised (non-networked) deployment of said charging stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Inventors: Paul S. Levy, Edward Butler, John C. Thomas
  • Patent number: 10778008
    Abstract: As the density of Electric Vehicle deployments in residential neighborhoods increase, demand on local power grids may exceed the local utility power supply causing local brown outs or transformer failure. The invention describes a method and process which enables the acquisition and efficient RF transmission of data that enables utility customers, utilities and/or other controlling entities to collaboratively regulate the timing and rate of Electric Vehicle battery charging in a manner that avoids peak-load related transformer failures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Inventors: Paul S. Levy, Edward Butler, John C. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20200150986
    Abstract: Embodiments include method, systems and computer program products for a path-sensitive contextual help system. In some embodiments, user actions are obtained from a user session of a user. A concrete user action trace is captured using the obtained user actions, wherein the concrete user action trace is a subset of user actions from the user session. An abstract user action trace is generated using the concrete user action trace. A help action corresponding to the abstract user action trace is identified and, in some embodiments, is presented to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventors: Evelyn Duesterwald, John C. Thomas, Patrick A. Wagstrom
  • Patent number: 10579400
    Abstract: Embodiments include method, systems and computer program products for a path-sensitive contextual help system. In some embodiments, user actions are obtained from a user session of a user. A concrete user action trace is captured using the obtained user actions, wherein the concrete user action trace is a subset of user actions from the user session. An abstract user action trace is generated using the concrete user action trace. A help action corresponding to the abstract user action trace is identified and, in some embodiments, is presented to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Evelyn Duesterwald, John C. Thomas, Patrick A. Wagstrom
  • Patent number: 10013160
    Abstract: Detecting user input based on multiple gestures is provided. One or more interactions are received from a user via a user interface. An inferred interaction is determined based, at least in part, on a geometric operation, wherein the geometric operation is based on the one or more interactions. The inferred interaction is presented via the user interface. Whether a confirmation has been received for the inferred interaction is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rachel K. E. Bellamy, Bonnie E. John, Peter K. Malkin, John T. Richards, Calvin B. Swart, John C. Thomas, Jr., Sharon M. Trewin
  • Publication number: 20180176859
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for a mobile unit to select a wireless access point. The method provides a mobile unit with a wireless transponder and a location determination device, such as a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver. A local features database is stored in the memory, cross-referencing a plurality of wireless access points (APs) to corresponding geographic locations. In response to receiving location information, a wireless AP selection application determines the geographic position of the mobile unit, accesses the local features database, and selects the wireless AP associated with the geographic position of the mobile unit. Finally, the wireless AP selection application directs the transponder to communicate with the selected wireless AP. In one aspect, the local features database divides a geographic region into sub-regions, with a corresponding wireless AP assigned to each sub-region. For example, each sub-region may assigned to the closest wireless AP.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Inventors: Darin Haines, William Vojak, Gary Lin Gaebel, John C. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20180136949
    Abstract: Embodiments include method, systems and computer program products for a path-sensitive contextual help system. In some embodiments, user actions are obtained from a user session of a user. A concrete user action trace is captured using the obtained user actions, wherein the concrete user action trace is a subset of user actions from the user session. An abstract user action trace is generated using the concrete user action trace. A help action corresponding to the abstract user action trace is identified and, in some embodiments, is presented to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: Evelyn Duesterwald, John C. Thomas, Patrick A. Wagstrom
  • Patent number: 9782069
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for post-hoc correction of calibration errors in eye tracking data, which take into consideration calibration errors that result from changes in user position during a user session in which the user's fixations on a display screen are captured and recorded by an eye tracking system, and which take into consideration errors that occur when the user looks away from a displayed target item before selecting the target item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rachel K. E. Bellamy, Bonnie E. John, John T. Richards, Calvin B. Swart, John C. Thomas, Jr., Sharon M. Trewin
  • Patent number: 9740398
    Abstract: Detecting user input based on multiple gestures is provided. One or more interactions are received from a user via a user interface. An inferred interaction is determined based, at least in part, on a geometric operation, wherein the geometric operation is based on the one or more interactions. The inferred interaction is presented via the user interface. Whether a confirmation has been received for the inferred interaction is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rachel K. E. Bellamy, Bonnie E. John, Peter K. Malkin, John T. Richards, Calvin B. Swart, John C. Thomas, Jr., Sharon M. Trewin