Patents by Inventor Kevin A. Miller

Kevin A. Miller 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: 8583911
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a system and associated processes for transparent client-side cryptography are provided. In this system, some or all of a user's private data can be encrypted at a client device operated by the user. The client can transmit the encrypted user data to a content site that hosts a network application, such as a social networking application, financial application, or the like. The content site can store the private data in its encrypted form instead of the actual private data. When the content site receives a request for the private data from the user or optionally from other users (such as social networking friends), the server can send the encrypted user data to a client associated with the requesting user. This client, if operated by an authorized user, can decrypt the private data and present it to the authorized user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin Miller
  • Patent number: 8538020
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a system and associated processes for transparent client-side cryptography are provided. In this system, some or all of a user's private data can be encrypted at a client device operated by the user. The client can transmit the encrypted user data to a content site that hosts a network application, such as a social networking application, financial application, or the like. The content site can store the private data in its encrypted form instead of the actual private data. When the content site receives a request for the private data from the user or optionally from other users (such as social networking friends), the server can send the encrypted user data to a client associated with the requesting user. This client, if operated by an authorized user, can decrypt the private data and present it to the authorized user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin Miller
  • Patent number: 8418915
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present disclosure provides a system and associated processes for monitoring a customer's product purchases and product consumption. Further, the system enables the customer to maintain customer-selected preferences by presenting to the customer product information associated with the customer preferences and a product. In one embodiment, the system can monitor the consumption of products over a predefined period of time to facilitate the customer maintaining the customer preferences over the predefined period of time. In one embodiment, the system can present alternative product purchases based on a selected product and the customer preferences. In one embodiment, the system can facilitate monitoring nutrition consumption. In one embodiment, the system can facilitate monitoring pharmaceutical use. In one embodiment, the system can facilitate the customer making environmentally conscious purchases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin Miller
  • Patent number: 8418300
    Abstract: A workpiece system with a reciprocating motion which includes a motor assembly for producing an output drive signal with a periodic force pulse. The drive signal is coupled to a driven member assembly through a magnetic arrangement, wherein the driven member assembly has a workpiece mounted thereon with a return spring assembly. The driven member assembly has a resonant mechanical frequency. As the RPM of the motor increases from zero following startup, the drive signal frequency increases to the point very near resonance, where the energy from the drive signal is transferred into the reciprocating motion of the driven assembly, producing an effective amplitude of workpiece motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Kevin A. Miller, John W. Pace, Wolter F. Benning, Patrick A. Headstrom
  • Publication number: 20130040533
    Abstract: In an aspect, the invention is directed to a set that includes a miniature vehicle that drives one or more wheels with an on-board motor that draws power from an on-board power source. A switch is provided to control the transmission of power from the power source to the motor. A first drive-related magnetically-responsive member is movable between first and second positions to control whether the switch is off or on. A second drive-related magnetically-responsive member is positionable to interact with the first drive-related magnetically responsive member to move the first drive-related magnetically-responsive member to the second position so as to close the switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Inventor: Andrew Kevin MILLER
  • Patent number: 8368327
    Abstract: The system periodically measures the battery voltage of the toothbrush and the current in a stator portion of the motor for the appliance. The amplitude of movement of the toothbrush workpiece is determined from the measured stator current. A circuit/control program changes the duty cycle or pulse width of the drive signal from the motor if the battery voltage drops below a first threshold value and a circuit or control program changes the drive frequency of the appliance if the amplitude of the workpiece movement falls below a first threshold value. A circuit/control program terminates the operation of the toothbrush if the voltage drops below a second threshold value or if the amplitude drops below a second threshold value, both of which are less than the respective first thresholds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Wolter F. Benning, Ari Lumbantobing, Kevin A. Miller
  • Publication number: 20130015788
    Abstract: An adaptive system for a personal care appliance, such as a power toothbrush, having a workpiece which is driven through an amplitude of motion by a drive mechanism which includes a stator member includes a circuit (13) for measuring average electrical current through the stator member and stored information (19) in the personal care appliance which relates the average current values through the stator during operation of the device to corresponding amplitude of motion of the workpiece. A processor (17) utilizing a stored program adjusts the operating frequency to produce a stator current value which correlates to the desired amplitude of motion of the workpiece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: KEVIN A. MILLER, ARI LUMBANTOBING, MEINDERT LAMBERTUS NORG
  • Publication number: 20130010094
    Abstract: One method for estimating the extracorporeal blood volume in a portion of a physical sample includes: extracting a feature from a portion of an image of the sample; tagging the portion of the image of the sample with a blood volume indicator according to the extracted feature; and estimating the extracorporeal blood volume in at least the portion of the physical sample, associated with the portion of the image of the sample, according to the blood volume indicator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Inventors: Siddarth Satish, Kevin Miller, Ali Zandifar
  • Publication number: 20130011042
    Abstract: One method for estimating the extracorporeal blood volume in a portion of a physical sample includes: comparing a portion of an image of the sample with a template image of known extracorporeal blood volume indicator; tagging the portion of the image of the sample with a blood volume indicator according to the template image that is matched to the portion of the image of the sample; and estimating the extracorporeal blood volume in at least a portion of the physical sample, associated with the portion of the image of the sample, according to the blood volume indicator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Inventors: Siddarth Satish, Charles Zhao, Kevin Miller, Ali Zandifar, Amer Abdulla, Michael Hsieh, David Rempel, Mark Gonzalgo
  • Publication number: 20130011031
    Abstract: One method for counting surgical samples comprises: identifying a physical sample in a field of view of an optical sensor; indexing a sample counter for the identified physical sample; extracting a feature from a portion of the field of the view of the optical sensor; and estimating the extracorporeal blood volume in a portion of the physical sample based upon the extracted feature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Inventors: Siddarth Satish, Kevin Miller, Ali Zandifar, Andrew Hosford
  • Patent number: 8347817
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for feeding a pet in a manner that engages the pet and provides stimulation and exercise. Exemplary apparatus for dispensing animal food include a food hopper for containing animal food operatively connected to a food handler that launches a portion or ration of the animal food away from the unit in response to detecting a triggering action of the animal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Inventor: Kevin Miller
  • Publication number: 20130000093
    Abstract: A method for tuning resonant spring assembly systems used in appliances such as power toothbrushes, particularly leaf spring systems, includes the step of measuring the frequency-dependent amplitude of the appliance workpiece, and then removing a portion of the spring member so as to decrease its spring rate sufficiently that the resonant frequency of the spring member closely approximates the drive frequency of the appliance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Inventors: Joseph W. Grez, Jeffrey R. Gueble, Jerry C. Wood, Devin M. Nelson, Kevin A. Miller, Craig D. Hanela, Bruce E. Taber, Richard K. Taylor, William Bryant, Scott E. Hall, Andreas Lolbneggar, Piet C.J. van Rens, Kurt Sadek, Paulus L.W.M. Barten, D.I. Stephan Leitner
  • Patent number: 8314586
    Abstract: The adapting system for a resonant drive appliance includes a circuit for measuring the back EMF induced in the stator coil of the motor following turn-off of the appliance. The frequency of the back EMF signal is determined from the zero crossings of the EMF signal. The determined frequency is then compared with a running average of previous frequency determinations, and the drive frequency of the appliance is adjusted if the difference between the compared frequencies is greater than a threshold value, e.g. 1 Hz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philipes Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Ari Lumbantobing, Kevin Miller, Meindert Norg, Pieter Johannes Bax
  • Publication number: 20120260441
    Abstract: The mouthpiece assembly includes a receptacle (12) for receiving teeth therein, with bristles (24) mounted thereon for contacting and cleaning the teeth. The receptacle and the bristles cover at least 4 cm. A drive train (20) drives the receptacle such that the bristles move substantially at right angles toward and away from the surfaces of the teeth, the drive train including a motor (22) which produces sufficient force to produce a minimum bristle tip threshold pressure of 6 Newtons per cm and a maximum of 85 Newtons per cm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Kevin A. Miller, Ari Lumbantobing, Patrick A. Headstom, Martinus Bernardus Stapelbroek
  • Patent number: 8288970
    Abstract: An adaptive system for a personal care appliance, such as a power toothbrush, having a workpiece which is driven through an amplitude of motion by a drive mechanism which includes a stator member includes a circuit (13) for measuring average electrical current through the stator member and stored information (19) in the personal care appliance which relates the average current values through the stator during operation of the device to corresponding amplitude of motion of the workpiece. A processor (17) utilizing a stored program adjusts the operating frequency to produce a stator current value which correlates to the desired amplitude of motion of the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Kevin A. Miller, Ari Lumbantobing, Meindert Lambertus Norg
  • Patent number: 8231426
    Abstract: A gearbox for a toy vehicle is provided that is adapted to transmit rotational power from a motor to a first drivetrain system adapted to drive a wheel and a second drivetrain system adapted to actuate an accessory feature. A swing mechanism is provided to alternatively translate rotational motion from the motor to the first drivetrain or the second drivetrain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Spin Master Ltd.
    Inventor: Andrew Kevin Miller
  • Publication number: 20120171645
    Abstract: The present invention is a method and system for autonomous learning of Braille by an unsighted user. The system allows the unsighted user to pass a card over an RFID reader so as to trigger an audible response that is indicative of an indicia (Braille word or character) embossed on the card. The embossed card further comprises an RFID tag and a series of raised indicia surfaces representative of a Braille-based word or character. The tag transmits a signal indicative of the word or character to the receiving (via receiver) micro-controller which will convert the signal to an audible tone to be transmitted through an output device. The system has a memory which holds a library of tones corresponding to a signal to be converted. An autonomous record mode allows the system user to record an audio input to be stored in the library, or utilize an interface port, or removable memory, for downloading an input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Inventors: Glen Dobbs, Kevin Miller
  • Patent number: 8171591
    Abstract: The brushhead includes a brushhead member which includes a bristle field, the brushhead member being adapted for cleaning teeth as part of a power toothbrush, wherein the brushhead in operation moves in a reciprocating action. In one embodiment the brushhead includes a rim member which extends around at least a substantial portion of the brushhead, the rim member extending around the entire bristle field and having an upper edge which is lower than the top of the bristles. The rim member has a different flexibility than the bristles so that the movement of the rim member and the bristles is out of phase during operation of the toothbrush, which results in fluid from the bristles being directed toward the teeth during operation of the toothbrush.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Scott E. Hall, Kevin A. Miller, Joseph W. Grez, Ronald C. Lilley
  • Publication number: 20120085001
    Abstract: A foot orthotic device is disclosed. More specifically described is an individualized foot orthotic device to correct and/or restore the ideal alignment and/or positioning of foot structures. The device is designed using a method and system that applies sequential pressure to regions on a plantar foot surface, and obtaining positional information about each region. Based on the positional information, an orthotic profile is determined, for design of one or more custom, individualized foot orthotic devices for a subject.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: TENSEGRITY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: J. KEVIN MILLER, Michael S. Latterman, Sue Ann Latterman
  • Patent number: D666883
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: The American Parts Company
    Inventors: Robert Michael Howard, Buddie Daniel, Kevin Miller