Patents by Inventor Jose L. Romero, Jr.

Jose L. Romero, Jr. 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: 11910857
    Abstract: An article of apparel for providing shelter to one or more people during a storm or other severe weather event is provided. In one embodiment, the article of apparel includes a cape. The article of apparel also includes at least one fastening mechanism. The at least one fastening mechanism including a pair of wrist cuffs configured to secure the article of apparel to a wearer. The article of apparel further including at least one securement mechanism. The at least one securement mechanism including a pair of arm straps. The pair of arm straps include a closure system configured to interlock the arm straps together in a locked configuration to secure the wearer to a stationary object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Andre Rene Buentello, Nina Cooper, Ashley Raine Philbrick, Stacy Callaway Huggar, Jose L. Romero, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11902463
    Abstract: A system may include a processor that may execute computer-executable instructions that cause the processor to receive caller information regarding an incoming communication from a caller and receive a request from a user to route the incoming communication to a virtual assistant application. The virtual assistant application is configured to interact with the caller and determine whether the caller is associated a fraudulent caller activity stored on databases accessible by the processor. The processor may then receive an indication from the virtual assistant application that the caller is associated with the fraudulent caller activity and forward the incoming communication to another party in response to receiving the indication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Andre Rene Buentello, Mark Anthony Lopez, Gregory Brian Meyer, Ashley Raine Philbrick, Garrett Rielly Rapport, Jose L. Romero, Jr., Michael Jay Szentes
  • Patent number: 11875676
    Abstract: A system and method for alerting a driver of a motor vehicle or a person walking along a road or hiking on a trail of potentially dangerous hazards in their path. Hazards may be deep water, ice, oil slicks or other hazards. In the case of a motor vehicle, the system uses cameras mounted on or within the vehicle to detect potential hazards and then analyzes the images combined with the known topography of the location to evaluate the ability of the vehicle to safely traverse the hazard. In the case of a person walking or hiking, the person may use the camera on a personal mobile device to capture images of the hazard and to combine the images with the known topography at the location to evaluate the danger presented by the hazard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Andre Rene Buentello, Nina Schuessler, Ashley Raine Philbrick, Stacy Callaway Huggar, Jose L. Romero, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11860988
    Abstract: A method and system for a one-time authentication interaction to conduct electronic financial transactions using a wearable smart ring device is described. In one embodiment, a method includes detecting, by a mobile device, that a wearable smart ring device is being worn by a user. The method also includes receiving, by the mobile device, authentication information associated with the user, and comparing the received authentication information with stored authentication information associated with the user. Upon determining that the received authentication information matches the stored authentication information, the wearable smart ring device is authorized to conduct electronic financial transactions. Additionally, the wearable smart ring device remains authorized to conduct electronic financial transactions as long as it is worn by the user. Once removed from the user's finger, the wearable smart ring device is de-authorized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Kelly Q. Baker, William Preston Culbertson, II, Will Kerns Maney, Jr., Gregory David Hansen, Jerry John Maestas, Oscar Guerra, Gregory Brian Meyer, Ana Maldonado, Michelle Susan Croak, Andre Rene Buentello, Stacy Callaway Huggar, Jose L. Romero, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11842388
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system, method, and mobile computing device apparatus for detecting the physical presence of a bank customer at a bank branch, and delivering an enhanced customer service experience by anticipating the bank customer's needs. Detection of the bank customer through visual data such as facial recognition, or electronic data such as medium range electronic communication networks to the customer's mobile computing device, allow a bank to retrieve relevant customer profile and customer transaction history data and use that data to deliver communications to the customer even before the customer speaks to a bank teller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Bryan J. Osterkamp, Will Kerns Maney, Jr., Andre Rene Buentello, Mark Paxman Warnick, Jose L. Romero, Jr., Oscar Roberto Tijerina, Sean Carl Mitchem, Timothy Blair Chalmers, Ruthie D. Lyle, Mitzi Ruiz
  • Patent number: 11836870
    Abstract: A system and method for helping a user carrying a smart device to maintain safe distances from other persons during an epidemic or a pandemic. A portable smart device measures the approximate distance to persons in the vicinity of the user, and notifies the user whenever he or she is too close to other persons. The portable smart device may overlay augmented reality graphics (such as arcs, lines, text, numbers, or other graphics) over images captured by the smart device's camera, to indicate safe distances. The graphics serve to inform and/or warn the user that he or she may be getting too close to other persons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Thomas Wayne Schwarz, Jr., Jeanie Graciela Lopez, Janelle Denice Dziuk, Paula Ann Whittington, Donald Nathaniel Holloway, III, Jennifer Hunt Erickson, Will Kerns Maney, Jr., Bradley Jay Billman, Noe Alberto Martinez, Jose L. Romero, Jr., Bharat Prasad
  • Patent number: 11816747
    Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting use of a property are provided. A first set of property identifying data for a first property is received from a first source. The first source indicates a use of the first property but does not publicly provide an address of the first property prior to initiation of a request for use of the first property. A second set of property identifying data for a second property from a second source is also received. The second source provides a property address of the second property. The first set of data are compared to the second set of data, to determine an amount of overlap. When the amount of overlap meets a pre-defined threshold amount, the first property and the second property are identified as a common property and a notice is provided of the property address and the use of the common property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Andre Rene Buentello, Mark Anthony Lopez, Gregory Brian Meyer, Ashley Raine Philbrick, Garrett Rielly Rapport, Jose L. Romero, Jr., Michael Jay Szentes
  • Patent number: 11817711
    Abstract: A system includes an electrical connection system configured to transmit electric power to a plurality of devices associated with a structure and a control system associated with the structure. The control system is configured to receive data indicative of a respective priority associated with the plurality of devices and operate the electrical connection system to control flow of electric power to the plurality of devices based on the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Andre Rene Buentello, Dustin Bowen Bitter, Brennen Michael Ricks, Jose L. Romero, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11789595
    Abstract: A customer management system can be designed to provide an integrated smart graphical user interface. For example, a computing device can receive information that includes a topic of conversation for a chat-based communication; initiate, via a first graphical user interface (GUI), the chat-based communication with another computing device after the information is received, display, via a second GUI, the user profile associated with the person, wherein the second GUI is displayed adjacent to and integrated with the first GUI; determine a relationship between one or more words or phrases received via the first GUI from the first computing device and the additional information in the user profile, where the relationship is determined in real-time or near real-time as the one or more words or phrases are received; and display a visual indicator in the second GUI that shows content in the second GUI that is relevant to the determined relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: William Daniel Farmer, Andre Rene Buentello, Jose L. Romero, Jr., Priyadarshini Badugu
  • Patent number: 11783021
    Abstract: Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices can be used to perform authentication related operations because IoT devices are prevalent in our society and because a server performing an authentication operation can communicate with IoT devices via the Internet. In a first example authentication technique, a server determines whether a person can perform an operation requested by the person based on whether the person performed an action on an IoT device, where the action is selected by the server and send to the person's user device. In a second example authentication technique, a server determines whether a person can perform an operation based on whether a person accurately identified an action performed by an IoT device, where the IoT device performs the action based on a command sent by the server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Christopher Russell, Emily Kathleen Krebs, Jose L. Romero, Jr., Reynaldo Medina, III, Andre Rene Buentello, Noe Alberto Martinez, Cayley Danielle Collum, Ryan Thomas Russell
  • Patent number: 11783152
    Abstract: Chip cards that are protected from unauthorized access to information and instructions stored in the chip card's chip by unauthorized persons using illicit devices that emulate chip readers to interrogate the chips in chip cards and obtain or download confidential data stored in the chips. The chip cards are disabled when not ready to be used, such that the chips cannot be accessed by illicit devices, thus protecting the chip card owner and/or issuer from potential losses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Robert Lee Black, Matthew Ryan Santacroce, Andre Rene Buentello, Jose L. Romero, Jr., Timothy Blair Chalmers, Samip Dilip Mehra
  • Patent number: 11762971
    Abstract: A dual wearable smart device system and a method of using the dual wearable smart device system for authenticating an electronic financial transaction are described. In one embodiment, a method for approving an electronic financial transaction using at least two wearable smart devices includes providing a first wearable smart device that is designated as a payment device for conducting electronic financial transactions. The method also includes providing a second wearable smart device that is designated as a confirmation device for confirming the electronic financial transactions by the first wearable smart device. The method includes initiating, by the first wearable smart device, an electronic financial transaction, and, approving, by the second wearable smart device, the electronic financial transaction initiated by the first wearable smart device. The method further includes authenticating the first wearable smart device to complete the electronic financial transaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Kelly Q. Baker, William Preston Culbertson, II, Will Kerns Maney, Jr., Gregory David Hansen, Jerry John Maestas, Oscar Guerra, Gregory Brian Meyer, Ana Maldonado, Michelle Susan Croak, Andre Rene Buentello, Stacy Callaway Huggar, Jose L. Romero, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11748676
    Abstract: Systems and methods for virtual walkthroughs are provided. Pre-loss and post loss captures of an environment are captured and analyzed to identify loss estimates and trigger claim fulfillment based upon the loss estimates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Andre Rene Buentello, Jose L. Romero, Jr., Garrett Rielly Rapport, Gregory Brian Meyer, Michael Jay Szentes, Mark Anthony Lopez, Ashley Raine Philbrick
  • Patent number: 11734401
    Abstract: Authentication techniques are described to allow a person to be authenticated to interact with an organization, where a type of authentication can be determined based on an environment in which the person is located. For example, an authentication server can collect a status information related to a safety setting of a mobile device. The safety setting can be enabled, e.g., if a person is driving a vehicle. When enabled, the safety setting can prevent the person from performing one or more operations on the mobile device. Based on the collected status information, the authentication server can request the person to provide user information via the mobile device so that the authentication server can determine whether the person is authenticated to interact with an organization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Emily Kathleen Krebs, Jose L. Romero, Jr., Reynaldo Medina, III, Andre Rene Buentello, Noe Alberto Martinez, Cayley Danielle Collum, Christopher Russell
  • Patent number: 11707026
    Abstract: The present disclosure is related to a smart irrigation system that includes a first sensor configured to monitor a moisture level at a location and a second sensor configured to monitor a contamination level within a fluid. The smart irrigation system also includes one or more processors configured to receive a first signal from the first sensor, receive a second signal from the second sensor, and route the fluid to the location in response to the first signal indicating that the moisture level is below a moisture threshold and the second signal indicating that the contamination level is below a contamination threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Gregory David Hansen, Andre Rene Buentello, Jose L. Romero, Jr., Nina Cooper, Galo M. Alava
  • Patent number: 11670171
    Abstract: A system for preventing collisions between users of the system. The system includes a central processing server receiving first path information relating to a first user and second path information relating to a second user. The central processing server determines a projected path of each user. The central processing server compares the projected paths identifies points of intersection, which are locations that put the users at risk of a collision. The central processing server sends navigation directions to avoid the collision to the first user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Andre Rene Buentello, Gregory David Hansen, Jose L. Romero, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11610204
    Abstract: A touchless method and system of performing an authentication of a person in order to permit access to a secured resource is disclosed. The system and method are configured to collect channel state information associated with a person as they pass through a sensor zone and identify a biometric signal for the person. The system detects whether there is a match between the biometric signal and any biometric signals previously collected and stored in a database. If there is a match, the system verifies an identity of the person and can be configured to automatically grant the person access to one or more services, features, or locations for which he or she is authorized based on the authentication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Bryan J. Osterkamp, Will Kerns Maney, Jr., Andre Rene Buentello, Mark Paxman Warnick, Jose L. Romero, Jr., Oscar Roberto Tijerina, Sean Carl Mitchem, Timothy Blair Chalmers, Ruthie D. Lyle, Mitzi Ruiz
  • Patent number: 11599756
    Abstract: A flexible chip card such as a credit card or a debit card that incorporates a protective layer that precludes unauthorized access to the chip in the chip card. The protective layer is a highly conductive layer that shields the chip and prevents electromagnetic waves that may be emitted by an illicit device from accessing the chip. This protective layer thus prevents any unauthorized persons from obtaining confidential information from the chip card that may then be used to consummate fraudulent transactions or conduct other illicit activities. In one embodiment, the flexible chip card includes one or more stiffening structures to provide rigidity to the chip card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Robert Lee Black, Matthew Ryan Santacroce, Andre Rene Buentello, Jose L. Romero, Jr., Timothy Blair Chalmers, Samip Dilip Mehra
  • Patent number: 11580855
    Abstract: A system and method for alerting a driver of a motor vehicle or a person walking along a road or hiking on a trail of potentially dangerous hazards in their path. Hazards may be deep water, ice, oil slicks or other hazards. In the case of a motor vehicle, the system uses cameras mounted on or within the vehicle to detect potential hazards and then analyzes the images combined with the known topography of the location to evaluate the ability of the vehicle to safely traverse the hazard. In the case of a person walking or hiking, the person may use the camera on a personal mobile device to capture images of the hazard and to combine the images with the known topography at the location to evaluate the danger presented by the hazard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Andre Rene Buentello, Nina Schuessler, Ashley Raine Philbrick, Stacy Callaway Huggar, Jose L. Romero, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11568410
    Abstract: A system and method for preventing fraudulent credit card or debit card transactions by coupling a smart phone to the credit card or the debit card, and transmitting identification information from the smart phone to the card. The card is normally disabled such that no transaction may take place unless the card is enabled. The card receives the transmitted identification information and compares that information to corresponding information stored on the card. If the received information matches the stored information, the card is enabled thus allowing the transaction to take place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Robert Lee Black, Matthew Ryan Santacroce, Andre Rene Buentello, Jose L. Romero, Jr., Timothy Blair Chalmers, Samip Dilip Mehra