Patents by Inventor Keith A. Smith

Keith A. 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).

  • Publication number: 20210195092
    Abstract: A method includes capturing an image using a content capture device with an initial image setting. The image includes a plurality of pixel groups, and a pixel group can have one or more pixels. A plurality of edge pixel groups is identified and then classified into two subsets. A first subset of saturated edge pixel groups includes edge pixel groups that have at least one neighboring pixel group with an image intensity exceeding a saturated intensity value. A second subset of non-saturated edge pixel groups includes edge pixel groups that have no neighboring pixel groups with an image intensity exceeding a saturated intensity value. An adjustment value to the image setting is determined based on a total number of saturated edge pixel groups and a total number of non-saturated edge pixel groups. An updated image is captured with an updated image setting based on the adjustment value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Applicant: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Sheh-Che Huang, Christian Ivan Robert Moore, Brian Keith Smith
  • Publication number: 20210188224
    Abstract: A system includes a phase break input unit, one or more vehicle location detectors, and one or more processors. The phase break input unit is configured to obtain phase break location information indicating a location of a phase break along a route to be traversed by a vehicle. The one or more vehicle location detectors are configured to obtain vehicle location information indicating at least one of location of the vehicle or movement of the vehicle. The one or more processors are configured to determine an estimated arrival time of the vehicle at the phase break using the phase brake location information and the vehicle location information, and send a phase break control signal to a control system of the vehicle responsive to the estimated arrival time satisfying a threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Stuart Barr, Karen A. Shaw, Keith Smith
  • Publication number: 20210192406
    Abstract: A system and method for automatically communicating an identification signal from a vehicle controller of a vehicle that may include receiving trip data from a dispatch controller based on the identification signal that is communicated. Software of the vehicle controller may be updated at a determined time based on the trip data that is received, and movement of the vehicle may be controlled based on movement allowance signals received by the vehicle controller and used by the software of the vehicle controller during the movement of the vehicle to determine whether the vehicle is permitted to enter into segments of one or more routes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Andrew Staats, Stuart Barr, Keith Smith
  • Publication number: 20210188223
    Abstract: Method and system may be configured to determine a stationary time period during which a vehicle has remained stationary. The method and system may be further configured to enable a parked function of the vehicle in response to determining that the stationary time period exceeds a designated threshold. While the parked function is enabled, the vehicle applies a braking effort to the vehicle in response to detecting movement of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Alexandre Rossmann, Amit Saxena, Keith Smith
  • Publication number: 20210165403
    Abstract: A self-propelled device determines an orientation for its movement based on a pre-determined reference frame. A controller device is operable by a user to control the self-propelled device. The controller device includes a user interface for controlling at least a direction of movement of the self-propelled device. The self-propelled device is configured to signal the controller device information that indicates the orientation of the self-propelled device. The controller device is configured to orient the user interface, based on the information signaled from the self-propelled device, to reflect the orientation of the self-propelled device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Applicant: Sphero, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian H. Bernstein, Adam Wilson, Brian Keith Smith
  • Patent number: 10986270
    Abstract: A head mounted display system can process images by assessing relative motion between the head mounted display and one or more features in a user's environment. The assessment of relative motion can include determining whether the head mounted display has moved, is moving and/or is expected to move with respect to one or more features in the environment. Additionally or alternatively, the assessment can include determining whether one or more features in the environment have moved, are moving and/or are expected to move relative to the head mounted display. The image processing can further include determining one or more virtual image content locations in the environment that correspond to a location where renderable virtual image content appears to a user when the location appears in the display and comparing the one or more virtual image content locations in the environment with a viewing zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Keith Smith, Carlos A. Rivera Cintron, Jose Felix Rodriguez, Matthew Thomas Hull, Gregory Michael Link
  • Patent number: 10954843
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods are disclosed for emissions control. An emissions monitor module measures at least one pollutant level for an exhaust gas flow produced by a combustion source and treated by a pollution control device. The at least one pollutant level may be controllable based on at least one combustion source operating parameter and at least one pollution control device operating parameter. A control module controls the at least one combustion source operating parameter and the at least one pollution control device operating parameter based on the at least one measured pollutant level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: ROCKWELL AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Keith A. Smith, Vincent R. Heng, Thomas M. McDonnell, Dennis T. Yieh
  • Publication number: 20210071058
    Abstract: A drilling fluid and method for drilling in a coal containing formation. The method includes: providing a mixed metal-viscosified drilling fluid including at least 1% potassium salt; circulating the drilling fluid through the well; and drilling into a coal seam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: STEFAN ALEXANDRU STOIAN, CARL KEITH SMITH
  • Patent number: 10882435
    Abstract: A vehicle trailer with a pair of engagement arm assemblies, one engagement arm assembly on either lateral side of the vehicle trailer, the vehicle trailer having a draw assembly for engagement with a vehicle, a chassis associated with the draw assembly and mounted on at least a pair of wheels and having at least a pair of spaced apart side rails, each side rail mounting an engagement arm assembly, each engagement arm assembly including an elongate rigid arm mounting an elongate engagement key, a first length adjustable arm associated with the elongate engagement key and a second length adjustable arm associated with the elongate rigid arm such that the elongate rigid arm can be raised and lowered to load and unload an object relative to the trailer and the elongate engagement key can be pivoted to tip an object mounted relative to the trailer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Inventors: Lindon Keith Smith, Andries Hilton Hechter
  • Patent number: 10876027
    Abstract: A drilling fluid and method for drilling in a coal containing formation. The method includes: providing a mixed metal-viscosified drilling fluid including at least 1% potassium salt; circulating the drilling fluid through the well; and drilling into a coal seam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: CANADIAN ENERGY SERVICES L.P.
    Inventors: Stefan Alexandru Stoian, Carl Keith Smith
  • Patent number: 10845795
    Abstract: A self-propelled device determines an orientation for its movement based on a pre-determined reference frame. A controller device is operable by a user to control the self-propelled device. The controller device includes a user interface for controlling at least a direction of movement of the self-propelled device. The self-propelled device is configured to signal the controller device information that indicates the orientation of the self-propelled device. The controller device is configured to orient the user interface, based on the information signaled from the self-propelled device, to reflect the orientation of the self-propelled device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Sphero, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian H. Bernstein, Adam Wilson, Brian Keith Smith
  • Publication number: 20200351427
    Abstract: Provided are methods, systems, and computer-program products for determining one or more settings of a content capture device. In some examples, to determine the one or more settings, luma values of pixels of an image from the content capture device may be identified. Objects in the image and information associated with the objects may also be identified. The information associated with the objects may be divided into categories of the information. And using the objects and the information, a separate weight array for each category of the information may be computed. The separate weight arrays may be combined to create a total weight array to augment the luma values. The augmented luma values may be aggregated to compute a weighted luma average for the image. Based upon a difference of the weighted luma average and a target, the one or more settings may be adjusted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Applicant: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Keith Smith, Ilya Tsunaev
  • Patent number: 10738229
    Abstract: A drilling fluid and method for drilling in a coal containing formation. The method includes: providing a mixed metal-viscosified drilling fluid including at least 1% potassium salt; circulating the drilling fluid through the well; and drilling into a coal seam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: CANADIAN ENERGY SERVICES L.P.
    Inventors: Stefan Alexandru Stoian, Carl Keith Smith
  • Patent number: 10701276
    Abstract: Provided are methods, systems, and computer-program products for determining one or more settings of a content capture device. In some examples, to determine the one or more settings, luma values of pixels of an image from the content capture device may be identified. Objects in the image and information associated with the objects may also be identified. The information associated with the objects may be divided into categories of the information. And using the objects and the information, a separate weight array for each category of the information may be computed. The separate weight arrays may be combined to create a total weight array to augment the luma values. The augmented luma values may be aggregated to compute a weighted luma average for the image. Based upon a difference of the weighted luma average and a target, the one or more settings may be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Keith Smith, Ilya Tsunaev
  • Publication number: 20200063634
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods are disclosed for emissions control. An emissions monitor module measures at least one pollutant level for an exhaust gas flow produced by a combustion source and treated by a pollution control device. The at least one pollutant level may be controllable based on at least one combustion source operating parameter and at least one pollution control device operating parameter. A control module controls the at least one combustion source operating parameter and the at least one pollution control device operating parameter based on the at least one measured pollutant level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: KEITH A. SMITH, VINCENT R. HENG, THOMAS M. MCDONNELL, DENNIS T. YIEH
  • Publication number: 20200014849
    Abstract: A system and method for operating a sensor which has at least two modes of operation. The sensor may be provided with one or more common operation steps to be used in both a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation. The sensor may also be provided with one or more dummy operation steps to be used in the second mode of operation but not the first mode of operation. The dummy operation steps can convert the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation when used with the one or more common operation steps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Inventors: Brian Keith Smith, Koon Keong Shee, Gregory Michael Link
  • Publication number: 20190387168
    Abstract: A head mounted display system can process images by assessing relative motion between the head mounted display and one or more features in a user's environment. The assessment of relative motion can include determining whether the head mounted display has moved, is moving and/or is expected to move with respect to one or more features in the environment. Additionally or alternatively, the assessment can include determining whether one or more features in the environment have moved, are moving and/or are expected to move relative to the head mounted display. The image processing can further include determining one or more virtual image content locations in the environment that correspond to a location where renderable virtual image content appears to a user when the location appears in the display and comparing the one or more virtual image content locations in the environment with a viewing zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Inventors: Brian Keith Smith, Carlos A. Rivera Cintron, Jose Felix Rodriguez, Matthew Thomas Hull, Gregory Michael Link
  • Patent number: 10455153
    Abstract: A system and method for operating a sensor which has at least two modes of operation. The sensor may be provided with a sequence of common operation steps which are included in both a first sequence of operation steps which define a first mode of operation and a second sequence of operation steps which define a second mode of operation. The sensor may also be provided with one or more dummy operation steps which relate to the difference between the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation. The sensor can be operated in the first mode of operation by causing it to execute at least the common operation steps and it can be operated in the second mode of operation by causing it to execute the common operation steps and at least one dummy operation step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Keith Smith, Koon Keong Shee, Gregory Michael Link
  • Publication number: 20190316019
    Abstract: A method for drilling a tunnel through a formation must address environmental concerns. One tunneling method comprises the steps of: preparing a mixed metal-viscosified drilling fluid including bentonite, a mixed metal viscosifier and controlling pH to 8.5 to 9.5 to permit a reaction between the bentonite and the mixed metal viscosifier; adding at least one of: (i) calcium sulfate and (ii) a potassium salt; and pumping the drilling fluid while drilling the tunnel with the pH lowered to 7-9. The amount of mixed metal viscosifier used can be limited such that the weight ratio of mixed metal viscosifier to MBT reaches up to 1:30. In the event that there is a problematic increase in viscosity, a non-toxic anionic thinner can be added to the drilling fluid. One such anionic thinner is a polyacrylate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Applicant: Canadian Energy Services L.P.
    Inventors: Carl Keith SMITH, Josh GAWRYLUK
  • Patent number: D861962
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Inventor: Donald Keith Smith