Patents by Inventor Mark Schaffer

Mark Schaffer 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: 20230199274
    Abstract: An integrated network receiver includes a first universal resource identifier for a first channel and an input suitable for receiving a first input video content from the Internet based upon the first universal resource identifier. The integrated network receiver provides the first input video content for the first channel to a head end connected to a plurality of customer devices through a transmission network. The integrated network receiver updating the first universal resource identifier based upon data obtained from a video address server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2023
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Applicant: ARRIS Enterprises LLC
    Inventors: Erik ELSTERMANN, John SHUMATE, Robert SEYMOUR, Todd KASSMAN, Michael CASTELOES, Mark SCHAFFER
  • Patent number: 11606627
    Abstract: An integrated network receiver includes a first universal resource identifier for a first channel and an input suitable for receiving a first input video content from the Internet based upon the first universal resource identifier. The integrated network receiver provides the first input video content for the first channel to a head end connected to a plurality of customer devices through a transmission network. The integrated network receiver updating the first universal resource identifier based upon data obtained from a video address server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC
    Inventors: Erik Elstermann, John Shumate, Robert Seymour, Todd Kassman, Michael Casteloes, Mark Schaffer
  • Publication number: 20220070552
    Abstract: An integrated network receiver includes a first universal resource identifier for a first channel and an input suitable for receiving a first input video content from the Internet based upon the first universal resource identifier. The integrated network receiver provides the first input video content for the first channel to a head end connected to a plurality of customer devices through a transmission network. The integrated network receiver updating the first universal resource identifier based upon data obtained from a video address server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Erik ELSTERMANN, John SHUMATE, Robert SEYMOUR, Todd KASSMAN, Michael CASTELOES, Mark SCHAFFER
  • Patent number: 11214161
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to charge electric vehicles are disclosed. An example method includes determining, via a processor, a remaining trip distance for an electric vehicle. The example method further includes determining, via the processor, a remaining expected range of the electric vehicle. The example method also includes transmitting a request for a mobile charging unit to meet the electric vehicle at a location when a ratio of the remaining trip distance to a remaining expected range exceeds a first threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth James Miller, Daniel Mark Schaffer
  • Patent number: 11152799
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to charge electric vehicles are disclosed. An example method includes monitoring, via a processor, a battery charge level of an electric vehicle receiving a battery charge from a mobile charging unit. The example method includes determining, via the processor, a remaining trip distance of the electric vehicle from a location of the battery charge to a trip destination. The example method further includes determining, via the processor, a target charge level for the battery charge. The target charge level corresponds to when the battery charge level provides a first probability that the electric vehicle will reach the trip destination without an additional battery charge. The example method also includes generating, via the processor, a signal to stop the battery charge when the battery charge level reaches the target charge level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Mark Schaffer, Kenneth James Miller
  • Patent number: 11133688
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to charge electric vehicles are disclosed. An example method includes receiving, at a processor, a request for a mobile charging unit to meet an electric vehicle to provide a battery charge to the electric vehicle. The request is generated by the electric vehicle when a ratio of a remaining trip distance of the electric vehicle to a remaining expected range of the electric vehicle exceeds a threshold. The example method further includes identifying, via the processor, a location for the battery charge based on input from a user of the electric vehicle regarding a plurality of possible locations for the battery charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Mark Schaffer, Kenneth James Miller
  • Publication number: 20200317077
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to charge electric vehicles are disclosed. An example method includes receiving, at a processor, a request for a mobile charging unit to meet an electric vehicle to provide a battery charge to the electric vehicle. The request is generated by the electric vehicle when a ratio of a remaining trip distance of the electric vehicle to a remaining expected range of the electric vehicle exceeds a threshold. The example method further includes identifying, via the processor, a location for the battery charge based on input from a user of the electric vehicle regarding a plurality of possible locations for the battery charge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventors: Daniel Mark SCHAFFER, Kenneth James MILLER
  • Publication number: 20200317074
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to charge electric vehicles are disclosed. An example method includes determining, via a processor, a remaining trip distance for an electric vehicle. The example method further includes determining, via the processor, a remaining expected range of the electric vehicle. The example method also includes transmitting a request for a mobile charging unit to meet the electric vehicle at a location when a ratio of the remaining trip distance to a remaining expected range exceeds a first threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventors: Kenneth James MILLER, Daniel Mark SCHAFFER
  • Publication number: 20200317084
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to charge electric vehicles are disclosed. An example method includes monitoring, via a processor, a battery charge level of an electric vehicle receiving a battery charge from a mobile charging unit. The example method includes determining, via the processor, a remaining trip distance of the electric vehicle from a location of the battery charge to a trip destination. The example method further includes determining, via the processor, a target charge level for the battery charge. The target charge level corresponds to when the battery charge level provides a first probability that the electric vehicle will reach the trip destination without an additional battery charge. The example method also includes generating, via the processor, a signal to stop the battery charge when the battery charge level reaches the target charge level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventors: Daniel Mark SCHAFFER, Kenneth James MILLER
  • Patent number: 10602378
    Abstract: The disclosed system comprises one or more small satellites (e.g., CubeSats), one or more ground transmitters, and one or more downlink receivers to facilitate ground-to-space short-burst data communications. The CubeSats are miniaturized or small-form satellites that orbit the Earth transmitting data to and from the ground transmitters and the downlink receivers in low Earth orbit. To efficiently use its surface area, in various embodiments, the CubeSats are designed with deployable and folding wings such that the zenith-pointing side of the wings comprises solar panels and the nadir-pointing side of the wings comprises an antenna. In various embodiments, to increase the data transmission capacity of the CubeSats, the CubeSats comprise a deployable phased array antenna and a software defined radio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: SpaceWorks Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: John Olds, Kevin Feld, Mark Schaffer, Alexander Cheu
  • Patent number: 10368251
    Abstract: The disclosed system comprises one or more small satellites (e.g., CubeSats), one or more ground transmitters, and one or more downlink receivers to facilitate ground-to-space short-burst data communications. The CubeSats are miniaturized or small-form satellites that orbit the Earth transmitting data to and from the ground transmitters and the downlink receivers in low Earth orbit. To efficiently use its surface area, in various embodiments, the CubeSats are designed with deployable and folding wings such that the zenith-pointing side of the wings comprises solar panels and the nadir-pointing side of the wings comprises an antenna. In various embodiments, to increase the data transmission capacity of the CubeSats, the CubeSats comprise a deployable phased array antenna and a software defined radio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: SPACEWORKS ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: John Olds, Kevin Feld, Mark Schaffer, Alexander Cheu
  • Patent number: 10297151
    Abstract: Data is received from each of a plurality of vehicles proximate to an intersection indicating a kinetic energy and a time to the intersection. An optimized timing of a traffic light is determined based on an aggregation of the kinetic energies and times to intersection. A timing of the traffic is modified according to the optimized timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth James Miller, Daniel Mark Schaffer
  • Patent number: 10297092
    Abstract: One example dynamic display system includes: (a) a vehicle including steering, an accelerator, brakes, sensors recording sensor data, a display, a processor, and memory; (b) a display program operatively coupled to the processor and configured to: determine a user hindrance rating based on the sensor data, and select instructions from a pool of instructions based on the hindrance rating and a user-selectable fidelity level, the pool of instructions including visual cues, and audio cues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Mark Schaffer, Kenneth James Miller, Filip Tomik
  • Patent number: 10155551
    Abstract: A front air dam assembly for a vehicle includes a translatable front air deflecting panel for altering an airflow beneath the vehicle, a deploying mechanism for translating the front air deflecting panel between a raised position and one or more deployed positions, and a rapid raising mechanism for rapidly raising the front air deflecting panel from the one or more deployed positions. A controller in operative communication with the deploying mechanism and the rapid raising mechanism controls the operation thereof. At least one sensor is included for sending a signal indicative of a road or vehicle condition to the controller. A locking mechanism under the control of the controller is provided for locking the front air deflector panel in the raised or the one or more deployed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth James Miller, Daniel Mark Schaffer, Christopher James Hocking
  • Patent number: 10131363
    Abstract: A vehicle includes: a motor, sensors, steering, a suspension, a terrain mode switch, processor(s) configured to: implement a selected terrain mode by tuning at least one of the motor, steering, and suspension; record selected terrain modes; compute a confidence factor based on the recorded selections; determine a road condition based on the sensors; display guidance based on the confidence factor and the road condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Mark Schaffer, Kenneth James Miller
  • Patent number: 10106210
    Abstract: A front air dam assembly for a vehicle includes a translatable front air deflecting panel for altering an airflow beneath the vehicle, a deploying mechanism for translating the front air deflecting panel between a raised position and one or more deployed positions, and a rapid raising mechanism for rapidly raising the front air deflecting panel from the one or more deployed positions. A controller in operative communication with the deploying mechanism and the rapid raising mechanism controls the operation thereof. At least one sensor is included for sending a signal indicative of a road or vehicle condition to the controller. A locking mechanism under the control of the controller is provided for locking the front air deflector panel in the raised or the one or more deployed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth James Miller, Daniel Mark Schaffer, Christopher James Hocking
  • Publication number: 20180111627
    Abstract: A vehicle includes: a motor, sensors, steering, a suspension, a terrain mode switch, processor(s) configured to: implement a selected terrain mode by tuning at least one of the motor, steering, and suspension; record selected terrain modes; compute a confidence factor based on the recorded selections; determine a road condition based on the sensors; display guidance based on the confidence factor and the road condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Publication date: April 26, 2018
    Inventors: Daniel Mark Schaffer, Kenneth James Miller
  • Patent number: 9950612
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adjusting grille shutters based on engine coolant temperature and a difference in aerodynamic drag between the grille shutter positions. In one example, the grille shutters may be adjusted into a position closer to a first smaller opening when a difference in aerodynamic drag between the first and second positions is large. In other examples, the grille shutters may be adjusted into a position closer to the second larger opening when a difference in aerodynamic drag between the first and second positions is small thus maintaining the engine at lower temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth James Miller, Douglas Raymond Martin, William Paul Perkins, Daniel Mark Schaffer, John Curtis Hickey
  • Publication number: 20170330456
    Abstract: Data is received from each of a plurality of vehicles proximate to an intersection indicating a kinetic energy and a time to the intersection. An optimized timing of a traffic light is determined based on an aggregation of the kinetic energies and times to intersection. A timing of the traffic is modified according to the optimized timing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth James Miller, Daniel Mark Schaffer
  • Patent number: D997087
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Blink Astro, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin Feld, Bill Doncaster, John Olds, Mark Schaffer, John Madigan, Megan Braun, Ben Merrel, Jeremy Young