Patents by Inventor Joshua R. Smith

Joshua R. Smith 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: 12294228
    Abstract: Examples of charging systems are described which may utilize a network of resonator circuits. Control methods are described which may locate a charging location at which an electronic device is placed proximate the charging system and identify a path of resonator circuits to activate to charge the electronic device. Individual resonator circuits in the path may be activated by selecting a resonant frequency of the resonator circuit such that power may be transferred by the resonator circuit at an operating frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: University of Washington
    Inventors: Joshua R. Smith, Xingyi Shi
  • Publication number: 20250125746
    Abstract: An electrostatic clutch includes a shaft having an electrically conductive first layer. The clutch also includes a hold attachment rotatably coupled to the shaft and a tension band having an electrically conductive second layer. The tension band is wrapped around the shaft such that a first end of the tension band is coupled to the hold attachment. The clutch includes a dielectric material disposed between the first layer and the second layer and a load attachment rotatably coupled to the shaft. The clutch is configured for an engaged mode where a voltage applied between the first layer and the second layer causes the tension band to clasp the shaft and the load attachment and the hold attachment to be rotationally locked to the shaft, and for a disengaged mode where the voltage is absent and the shaft can rotate freely with respect to the load attachment and the hold attachment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2024
    Publication date: April 17, 2025
    Inventors: Jeffrey Lipton, Joshua R. Smith, Timothy Amish, Jeffrey Auletta, Chad Christopher Kessens
  • Publication number: 20250012619
    Abstract: Acoustic balances configured for weighing in ultrasonic non-contact manipulators, and associated systems and methods are described. In one embodiment, a method for a non-contact acoustic determination of a mass of an object includes capturing the object within an acoustic trap of an acoustic balance. The method also includes, in response to changing at least one acoustic parameter of the acoustic balance, changing an equilibrium position of the object; and in response to changing the equilibrium position of the object, causing the object to oscillate. The method also includes determining a resonant frequency of oscillation of the object; and based on the resonant frequency of oscillation of the object, determining the mass of the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2024
    Publication date: January 9, 2025
    Applicant: University of Washington
    Inventors: Joshua R. Smith, Jared Nakahara
  • Patent number: 12178403
    Abstract: Systems and methods for capturing and rendering light fields for head-mounted displays are disclosed. A mediated-reality visualization system includes a head-mounted display assembly comprising a frame configured to be mounted to a user's head and a display device coupled to the frame. An imaging assembly separate and spaced apart from the head-mounted display assembly is configured to capture light-field data. A computing device in communication with the imaging assembly and the display device is configured to receive light-field data from the imaging assembly and render one or more virtual cameras. Images from the one or more virtual cameras are presented to a user via the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: University of Washington
    Inventors: Joshua R. Smith, Samuel R. Browd, Rufus Griffin Nicoll, James Andrew Youngquist
  • Publication number: 20240219549
    Abstract: An integrated occupancy sensing system includes one or more radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor nodes and one or more base station units. Each of the one or more RFID sensor nodes includes at least one of (1) an image sensor, (2) an acoustic energy sensor, (3) a temperature sensor, (4) an illuminance sensor, or (5) a relative humidity sensor. Each of the one or more base station units is configured to be connected to a power source to emit a continuous wave carrier signal and to receive a reflected signal. Each of the one or more RFID sensor nodes is configured to receive and reflect the continuous wave carrier signal. In response to receiving the reflected signal from the one or more RFID sensor nodes, at least one of the base station units is configured to infer the likelihood of human occupancy in the building.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2022
    Publication date: July 4, 2024
    Inventors: Gregor P. HENZE, Joshua R. SMITH, Soumik SARKAR, Anthony J. FLORITA, Margarite JACOBY, Mohamadtaghi Katanbaf NEZHAD, Ali SAFFARI, Sin Yong TAN
  • Publication number: 20240080433
    Abstract: The present technology relates generally to systems and methods for mediated-reality surgical visualization. A mediated-reality surgical visualization system includes an opaque, head-mounted display assembly comprising a frame configured to be mounted to a user's head, an image capture device coupled to the frame, and a display device coupled to the frame, the display device configured to display an image towards the user. A computing device in communication with the display device and the image capture device is configured to receive image data from the image capture device and present an image from the image data via the display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Applicant: University of Washington
    Inventors: Samuel R. Browd, Joshua R. Smith, Rufus Griffin Nicoll
  • Publication number: 20240000295
    Abstract: Systems and methods for capturing and rendering light fields for head-mounted displays are disclosed. A mediated-reality visualization system includes a head-mounted display assembly comprising a frame configured to be mounted to a user's head and a display device coupled to the frame. An imaging assembly separate and spaced apart from the head-mounted display assembly is configured to capture light-field data. A computing device in communication with the imaging assembly and the display device is configured to receive light-field data from the imaging assembly and render one or more virtual cameras. Images from the one or more virtual cameras are presented to a user via the display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2023
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Applicant: University of Washington
    Inventors: Joshua R. Smith, Samuel R. Browd, Rufus Griffin Nicoll, James Andrew Youngquist
  • Patent number: 11722017
    Abstract: An adaptive system for efficient and long-range wireless power delivery using magnetically coupled resonators responds to changes in a dynamic environment, and maintains high efficiency over a narrow or fixed frequency range. The system uses adaptive impedance matching to maintain high efficiency. The wireless power transfer system includes a drive inductor coupled to a high-Q transmitter coil, and a load inductor coupled to a high-Q receiver coil. The transmitter coil and receiver coil for a magnetically coupled resonator. A first matching network is (i) operably coupled to the drive inductor and configured to selectively adjust the impedance between the drive inductor and the transmitter coil, or (ii) is operably coupled to the load inductor and configured to selectively adjust the impedance between the load inductor and the receiver coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: University of Washington through its Center for Commercialization
    Inventors: Joshua R. Smith, Benjamin H. Waters, Scott Wisdom, Alanson P. Sample
  • Patent number: 11693875
    Abstract: A method is provided to produce a custom calendar user interface (UI) display on an electronic device display screen comprising: providing a search query to a user device; sending the search query over the network to a server system; receiving over the network by one or more user devices from a server system, information that identifies one or more code objects that match the search query; using the identified one or more identified code objects by the one or more user devices to generate one or more visual content items within a calendar user interface (UI) grid display on their device display screens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Asana, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua R. Smith, Anne DuBois, Cliff Chang, John Stahl, Jr., David Braginsky, Scott Alexander Smith
  • Publication number: 20230144336
    Abstract: Examples of charging systems are described which may utilize a network of resonator circuits. Control methods are described which may locate a charging location at which an electronic device is placed proximate the charging system and identify a path of resonator circuits to activate to charge the electronic device. Individual resonator circuits in the path may be activated by selecting a resonant frequency of the resonator circuit such that power may be transferred by the resonator circuit at an operating frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Applicant: University of Washington
    Inventors: Joshua R. Smith, Xingyi Shi
  • Patent number: 11621583
    Abstract: A wireless power transfer system includes a transmitter configured to transmit power to a receiver, for example, through coupled resonators. The transmitter receives feedback from the receiver, and uses the feedback to control the power transmission, to control a parameter at the receiver, for example, a rectified voltage output by the receiver. The feedback to the transmitter may be provided, for example, by an out-of-band radio system between the transmitter and receiver, by a reflection coefficient at the transmitter, and/or by an encoded modulation of power in the receiver, for example, in an impedance matching module. The transmitter may control the transmitted power, for example, by controlling a transmitter signal generator voltage (VSIG), a transmitter gate driver voltage (VGD), a transmitter amplifier voltage (VPA), and/or an impedance setting in a transmitter impedance matching module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: University of Washington
    Inventors: Joshua R. Smith, Benjamin Waters
  • Patent number: 11612307
    Abstract: Systems and methods for capturing and rendering light fields for head-mounted displays are disclosed. A mediated-reality visualization system includes a head-mounted display assembly comprising a frame configured to be mounted to a user's head and a display device coupled to the frame. An imaging assembly separate and spaced apart :from the head-mounted display assembly is configured to capture light-field data. A computing device in communication with the imaging assembly and the display device is configured to receive light-field data from the imaging assembly and render one or more virtual cameras. Images from the one or more virtual cameras are presented to a user via the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: University of Washington
    Inventors: Joshua R. Smith, Samuel R. Browd, Rufus Griffin Nicoll, James Andrew Youngquist
  • Publication number: 20230045959
    Abstract: System and method for non-contact manipulation of objects via ultrasonic levitation are presented herein. In one embodiment, a method for a non-contact manipulation of an object includes: generating ultrasound field by an array of ultrasound transducers; lifting the object off a dispensing device by the ultrasound field; and levitating the object by the ultrasound field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Applicant: University of Washington
    Inventors: Joshua R. Smith, Jared Nakahara, Boling Yang
  • Patent number: 11475392
    Abstract: A system and method for linking data objects and physical objects of various kinds to an identified user is described. The system provides to the identified user information relating to the delivery status of mail pieces directed to or sent by the user, and the user then tracks and traces the mail pieces. The system further provides to the identified user information relating to continued sessions through which the user provides to a postal service system information relating to mailing labels and postage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Escher Group, Ltd.
    Inventors: Joshua R. Smith, Paul Michael Yarin, Michael J. Murphy, Andrew Victor Sutherland, II, Eric Metois
  • Patent number: 11212479
    Abstract: Examples described herein include systems, devices, and methods for backscattering carrier signals in accordance with pixel values of an image and/or video. Signals having a property proportionate to pixel values may be converted into a pulse-containing waveform having pulses whose widths and/or duty cycles are determined based on the pixel values. Backscatter transmitters may backscatter a carrier signal in accordance with the pulse-containing waveform to provide the pixel values to a receiver. In this manner, video transmission at low power and/or battery-free operation may be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: University of Washington
    Inventors: Shyamnath Gollakota, Saman Naderiparizi, Mehrdad Hessar, Vamsi Talla, Joshua R. Smith
  • Publication number: 20210391754
    Abstract: A wireless power transfer system includes a transmitter configured to transmit power to a receiver, for example, through coupled resonators. The transmitter receives feedback from the receiver, and uses the feedback to control the power transmission, to control a parameter at the receiver, for example, a rectified voltage output by the receiver. The feedback to the transmitter may be provided, for example, by an out-of-band radio system between the transmitter and receiver, by a reflection coefficient at the transmitter, and/or by an encoded modulation of power in the receiver, for example, in an impedance matching module. The transmitter may control the transmitted power, for example, by controlling a transmitter signal generator voltage (VSIG), a transmitter gate driver voltage (VGD), a transmitter amplifier voltage (VPA), and/or an impedance setting in a transmitter impedance matching module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Applicant: University of Washington
    Inventors: Joshua R. Smith, Benjamin Waters
  • Publication number: 20210339008
    Abstract: An adaptive system for efficient and long-range wireless power delivery using magnetically coupled resonators responds to changes in a dynamic environment, and maintains high efficiency over a narrow or fixed frequency range. The system uses adaptive impedance matching to maintain high efficiency. The wireless power transfer system includes a drive inductor coupled to a high-Q transmitter coil, and a load inductor coupled to a high-Q receiver coil. The transmitter coil and receiver coil for a magnetically coupled resonator. A first matching network is (i) operably coupled to the drive inductor and configured to selectively adjust the impedance between the drive inductor and the transmitter coil, or (ii) is operably coupled to the load inductor and configured to selectively adjust the impedance between the load inductor and the receiver coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2021
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Applicant: University of Washington through its Center for Commercialization
    Inventors: Joshua R. Smith, Benjamin H. Waters, Scott Wisdom, Alanson P. Sample
  • Patent number: 11090481
    Abstract: An adaptive system for efficient and long-range wireless power delivery using magnetically coupled resonators responds to changes in a dynamic environment, and maintains high efficiency over a narrow or fixed frequency range. The system uses adaptive impedance matching to maintain high efficiency. The wireless power transfer system includes a drive inductor coupled to a high-Q transmitter coil, and a load inductor coupled to a high-Q receiver coil. The transmitter coil and receiver coil for a magnetically coupled resonator. A first matching network is (i) operably coupled to the drive inductor and configured to selectively adjust the impedance between the drive inductor and the transmitter coil, or (ii) is operably coupled to the load inductor and configured to selectively adjust the impedance between the load inductor and the receiver coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: University of Washington through its Center for Commercialization
    Inventors: Joshua R. Smith, Benjamin H. Waters, Scott Wisdom, Alanson P. Sample
  • Publication number: 20210216562
    Abstract: A method is provided to produce a custom calendar user interface (UI) display on an electronic device display screen comprising: providing a search query to a user device; sending the search query over the network to a server system; receiving over the network by one or more user devices from a server system, information that identifies one or more code objects that match the search query; using the identified one or more identified code objects by the one or more user devices to generate one or more visual content items within a calendar user interface (UI) grid display on their device display screens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Inventors: Joshua R. Smith, Anne DuBois, Cliff Chang, John Stahl, JR., David Braginsky, Scott Alexander Smith
  • Patent number: 10970299
    Abstract: A method is provided to produce a custom calendar user interface (UI) display on an electronic device display screen comprising: providing a search query to a user device; sending the search query over the network to a server system; receiving over the network by one or more user devices from a server system, information that identifies one or more code objects that match the search query; using the identified one or more identified code objects by the one or more user devices to generate one or more visual content items within a calendar user interface (UI) grid display on their device display screens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Asana, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua R. Smith, Anne DuBois, Cliff Chang, John Stahl, Jr., David Braginsky, Scott Alexander Smith