Patents by Inventor Merlin Smith
Merlin 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).
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Patent number: 7315885Abstract: In an information appliance system 100, a user device 108 comprises a client platform (200, FIG. 5) that includes a service framework (235, FIG. 5) to discover and connect with a variety of services, both remote and local, transient and persistent, and to disconnect from them when they are no longer of interest or become unavailable. The service framework 235 provides a standard, consistent, simplified way for services to make themselves available and for service-using entities to locate and connect with the services of interest to them. From the perspective of the client platform 200, all services, whether local or remote, are presented as local services to the application. Each remote service is represented as a local service through the use of a local proxy that insulates the service user from the complexities of communicating with a remote server. Various methods of operating a service framework are also described.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2004Date of Patent: January 1, 2008Assignee: Motorola, Inc.Inventors: Bernhard Weisshaar, Merlin Smith, Parvathy Bhaskaran, Mark Clayton, Kungwel Mike Liu
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Patent number: 6971101Abstract: An embodiment of the invention includes an information appliance system (100) having an information appliance device (102) with a focus manager (206). Among other things, the focus manager is disposed to manage a plurality of asynchronous entities (214). Focus manager (206) receives an asynchronous request (209), stores it in a queue (250) and assigns it a priority level (252, 254, 256). Based on the priority level (252, 254, 256), an asynchronous entity (214) takes over control of user interface device resources from an entity (210), utilizes the resources, and returns them to the entity (210).Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2000Date of Patent: November 29, 2005Assignee: Motorola, Inc.Inventors: Mark Clayton, Merlin Smith, Kungwel Mike Liu, Patrick A. Stadler, Ryan J. Kummet
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Patent number: 6895444Abstract: In an information appliance system 100, a user device 108 comprises a client platform (200, FIG. 5) that includes a service framework (235, FIG. 5) to discover and connect with a variety of services, both remote and local, transient and persistent, and to disconnect from them when they are no longer of interest or become unavailable. The service framework 235 provides a standard, consistent, simplified way for services to make themselves available and for service-using entities to locate and connect with the services of interest to them. From the perspective of the client platform 200, all services, whether local or remote, are presented as local services to the application. Each remote service is represented as a local service through the use of a local proxy that insulates the service user from the complexities of communicating with a remote server. Various methods of operating a service framework are also described.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2000Date of Patent: May 17, 2005Assignee: Motorola, Inc.Inventors: Bernhard Weisshaar, Merlin Smith, Parvathy Bhaskaran, Mark Clayton, Kungwel Mike Liu
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Publication number: 20040205153Abstract: In an information appliance system 100, a user device 108 comprises a client platform (200, FIG. 5) that includes a service framework (235, FIG. 5) to discover and connect with a variety of services, both remote and local, transient and persistent, and to disconnect from them when they are no longer of interest or become unavailable. The service framework 235 provides a standard, consistent, simplified way for services to make themselves available and for service-using entities to locate and connect with the services of interest to them. When a service is requested from a remote server, a service frontend (281, FIG. 9) on the client platform attempts to find its corresponding service backend (282, FIG. 9) on a server providing the requested service and, if it finds it, the frontend and backend coalesce in a fully formed service that is made available to a requesting service-using entity. As a result, platform resources and security are maintained.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2004Publication date: October 14, 2004Inventors: Bernhard Weisshaar, Merlin Smith, Parvathy Bhaskaran, Mark Clayton, Kungwell Mike Liu
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Patent number: 6799201Abstract: An internet radio for portable applications and uses such as in an automobile. The internet radio allows access to a host of audio, visual and other information. Normal radio channel function is provided along with programmable content and channel selection, as well as automatic content and channel updating by location and style. Internet access is also provided. Direct or targeted advertising, as well as electronic commerce is supported. Connection to the internet is through wireless communications. Programmability is achieved off-line via a web page and remote computer. Customized information is also communicated to the radio such as stock quotes, travel information, advertising, and e-mail. Onboard global positioning allows for channel updating by location, traffic information, geographic advertising and available similar content.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2000Date of Patent: September 28, 2004Assignee: Motorola, Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey S. Lee, Parvathy Bhaskaran, Mathew Cucuzella, David T. Knappenberger, Richard L. Blanco, Mark Clayton, Axel Fuchs, Steven S. Gubka, William S. Hede, Merlin Smith, Bernhard P. Weisshaar
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Publication number: 20040187133Abstract: In an information appliance system 100, a user device 108 comprises a client platform (200, FIG. 5) that includes a service framework (235, FIG. 5) to discover and connect with a variety of services, both remote and local, transient and persistent, and to disconnect from them when they are no longer of interest or become unavailable. The service framework 235 provides a standard, consistent, simplified way for services to make themselves available and for service-using entities to locate and connect with the services of interest to them. From the perspective of the client platform 200, all services, whether local or remote, are presented as local services to the application. Each remote service is represented as a local service through the use of a local proxy that insulates the service user from the complexities of communicating with a remote server. Various methods of operating a service framework are also described.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2004Publication date: September 23, 2004Inventors: Bernhard Weisshaar, Merlin Smith, Parvathy Bhaskaran, Mark Clayton, Kungwel Mike Liu
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Patent number: 6757262Abstract: In an information appliance system 100, a user device 108 comprises a client platform (200, FIG. 5) that includes a service framework (235, FIG. 5) to discover and connect with a variety of services, both remote and local, transient and persistent, and to disconnect from them when they are no longer of interest or become unavailable. The service framework 235 provides a standard, consistent, simplified way for services to make themselves available and for service-using entities to locate and connect with the services of interest to them. When a service is requested from a remote server, a service frontend (281, FIG. 9) on the client platform attempts to find its corresponding service backend (282, FIG. 9) on a server providing the requested service and, if it finds it, the frontend and backend coalesce in a fully formed service that is made available to a requesting service-using entity. As a result, platform resources and security are maintained.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2000Date of Patent: June 29, 2004Assignee: Motorola, Inc.Inventors: Bernhard Weisshaar, Merlin Smith, Parvathy Bhaskaran, Mark Clayton, Kungwel Mike Liu
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Patent number: 6728531Abstract: An internet radio for portable applications and uses such as in an automobile enables remotely configuring a wireless communication device comprising the steps of remotely configuring a format for providing content on said wireless communication device for a first user; remotely configuring a second format for providing content on said wireless communication device for a second user; receiving configuration data representing said format for said first user and said format for said second user from a remote network; and providing selected content from content downloaded from said network. Customized information is also communicated to the radio such as stock quotes, travel information, advertising, and e-mail. Onboard global positioning allows for channel updating by location, traffic information, geographic advertising and available similar content.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2000Date of Patent: April 27, 2004Assignee: Motorola, Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey S. Lee, Parvathy Bhaskaran, Scott Geranen, William S. Hede, David T. Knappenberger, Merlin Smith, Brian S. Gratch
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Patent number: 6725022Abstract: An internet radio for portable applications and uses such as in an automobile enables the selection of content on a wireless communication device comprising the steps of providing a format for displaying content on said wireless communication device; detecting the loss of a signal for a channel providing a predetermined genre; and providing a new format for displaying content having a new channel providing the predetermined genre to replace the lost channel. Customized information is also communicated to the radio such as stock quotes, travel information, advertising, and e-mail. Onboard global positioning allows for channel updating by location, traffic information, geographic advertising and available similar content.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2000Date of Patent: April 20, 2004Assignee: Motorola, Inc.Inventors: Mark Clayton, Richard L. Blanco, William S. Hede, David T. Knappenberger, Merlin Smith
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Patent number: 6580916Abstract: In an information appliance system 100, a user device 108 comprises a client platform (200, FIG. 5) that includes a service framework (235, FIG. 5) to discover and connect with a variety of services, both remote and local, transient and persistent, and to disconnect from them when they are no longer of interest or become unavailable. The service framework 235 provides a standard, consistent, simplified way for services to make themselves available and for service-using entities to locate and connect with the services of interest to them. The service framework 235 comprises service event notification registries (254, 256, FIG. 7) in which service-requesting entities register templates defining the types of services they want to locate and connect with.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2000Date of Patent: June 17, 2003Assignee: Motorola, Inc.Inventors: Bernhard Weisshaar, Merlin Smith, Parvathy Bhaskaran, Mark Clayton, Kungwel Mike Liu
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Patent number: 6380890Abstract: An embodiment of the invention includes a plurality of navigational position sources (208) disposed to provide position data, a position service module (202) to aggregate position data and to form a composite of position data (240) and a position session module (204) to transmit composite of position data (240) to applications (210, 212, 214, 216). An embodiment of a method includes providing a plurality of navigational position sources (208) disposed to provide position data, providing a position service module (202) disposed to receive position data, and aggregating position data to form composite of position data (240). Composite of position data (240) is then transmitted to applications (210, 212, 214, 216) via a position session module (204).Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2000Date of Patent: April 30, 2002Assignee: Motorola, Inc.Inventors: Merlin Smith, Mark Clayton, Rafael A. Saavedra
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Patent number: 6374179Abstract: An embodiment of the invention includes a plurality of navigational position sources (208) disposed to provide position data, a position service module (202) to form a composite of position data (240) and a position session module (204) to transmit composite of position data (240) to applications (210, 212, 214, 216). An embodiment of a method includes providing a plurality of navigational position sources (208) disposed to provide position data, providing a position service module (202) disposed to receive position data, and form composite of position data (240). Composite of position data (240) is then transmitted to one or more applications (210, 212, 214, 216) via a position session module (204).Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2000Date of Patent: April 16, 2002Assignee: Motorola, Inc.Inventors: Merlin Smith, Mark Clayton, Patrick A. Stadler