Patents by Inventor Michael A. Lau

Michael A. Lau 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: 10929080
    Abstract: An approach is provided for selecting and displaying one or more images. A determination is made that a user is in a proximity to a digital picture frame. Weather information is received from a weather sensor coupled to the digital picture frame. The weather information specifies a current weather of a geographic location that includes the digital picture frame. Based on the current weather, an emotional state of the user is determined. Based on user profile information corresponding to the user, image(s) included in multiple images are determined to convey the emotional state of the user. Based on the emotional state of the user and the image(s) conveying the emotional state, the image(s) are displayed on a display included in the digital picture frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Travis W. Chun, Romelia H. Flores, Marlentae A. Johnson, Michael A. Lau, Roberto R. Rodriguez, Ronald J. Rutkowski
  • Patent number: 10721204
    Abstract: An enterprise IoT concentrator can receive, from a first community IoT concentrator, first data corresponding to a security issue detected by at least one of a first plurality of devices located within a first physical environment, wherein the first plurality of devices are communicatively linked to one another within a first device domain that is a member of a first device community which includes the first community IoT concentrator. Responsive to receiving the first data, the enterprise IoT concentrator can process the first data to generate second data corresponding to the security issue. The second data can be configured to be processed by a second community IoT concentrator to initiate at least one device located within a second physical environment to perform a specific act that enhances security in the second physical environment. The enterprise IoT concentrator can communicate the second data to the second community IoT concentrator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christina I. Flores, Romelia H. Flores, Leonard S. Hand, Timothy C. Kwan, Michael A. Lau
  • Publication number: 20190332342
    Abstract: An approach is provided for selecting and displaying one or more images. A determination is made that a user is in a proximity to a digital picture frame. Weather information is received from a weather sensor coupled to the digital picture frame. The weather information specifies a current weather of a geographic location that includes the digital picture frame. Based on the current weather, an emotional state of the user is determined. Based on user profile information corresponding to the user, image(s) included in multiple images are determined to convey the emotional state of the user. Based on the emotional state of the user and the image(s) conveying the emotional state, the image(s) are displayed on a display included in the digital picture frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Inventors: Travis W. Chun, Romelia H. Flores, Marlentae A. Johnson, Michael A. Lau, Roberto R. Rodriguez, Ronald J. Rutkowski
  • Patent number: 10394511
    Abstract: An approach is provided for selecting and displaying image(s). A user and user profile information corresponding to the user are identified. A sentiment of the user is identified by determining that user is in proximity to a digital picture frame in a room, receiving a measurement of ambient lighting of the room from a light sensor coupled to the digital picture frame, and determining an emotional state of the user based on the ambient lighting. Based on the user profile, an association is determined between the sentiment of the user and sentiment(s), which are determined to be conveyed by image(s). Based on the ambient lighting, the association between the sentiment of the user and the sentiment(s), and the image(s) conveying the sentiment(s), the image(s) are selected from multiple images. The selected image(s) are displayed on a display included in the digital picture frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Travis W. Chun, Romelia H. Flores, Marlentae A. Johnson, Michael A. Lau, Roberto R. Rodriguez, Ronald J. Rutkowski
  • Publication number: 20190052593
    Abstract: An enterprise IoT concentrator can receive, from a first community IoT concentrator, first data corresponding to a security issue detected by at least one of a first plurality of devices located within a first physical environment, wherein the first plurality of devices are communicatively linked to one another within a first device domain that is a member of a first device community which includes the first community IoT concentrator. Responsive to receiving the first data, the enterprise IoT concentrator can process the first data to generate second data corresponding to the security issue. The second data can be configured to be processed by a second community IoT concentrator to initiate at least one device located within a second physical environment to perform a specific act that enhances security in the second physical environment. The enterprise IoT concentrator can communicate the second data to the second community IoT concentrator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Inventors: Christina I. Flores, Romelia H. Flores, Leonard S. Hand, Timothy C. Kwan, Michael A. Lau
  • Patent number: 10135777
    Abstract: A first community Internet of Things (IoT) concentrator can receive first data corresponding to an interaction of a user with at least one of a first plurality of physical objects, the first plurality of physical objects communicatively linked to one another within a first device domain. Responsive to receiving the first data corresponding to the interaction of the user with the at least one of the first of the plurality of physical objects, the first community IoT concentrator or a second IoT concentrator can initiate, based at least in part on the first data, at least one of a second plurality of physical objects to perform a specific act that enhances an interaction of the user with the at least one of the second plurality of physical objects. The second plurality of physical objects can be communicatively linked to one another within a second device domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christina I. Flores, Romelia H. Flores, Leonard S. Hand, Timothy C. Kwan, Michael A. Lau
  • Publication number: 20180113662
    Abstract: An approach is provided for selecting and displaying image(s). A user and user profile information corresponding to the user are identified. A sentiment of the user is identified by determining that user is in proximity to a digital picture frame in a room, receiving a measurement of ambient lighting of the room from a light sensor coupled to the digital picture frame, and determining an emotional state of the user based on the ambient lighting. Based on the user profile, an association is determined between the sentiment of the user and sentiment(s), which are determined to be conveyed by image(s). Based on the ambient lighting, the association between the sentiment of the user and the sentiment(s), and the image(s) conveying the sentiment(s), the image(s) are selected from multiple images. The selected image(s) are displayed on a display included in the digital picture frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Publication date: April 26, 2018
    Inventors: Travis W. Chun, Romelia H. Flores, Marlentae A. Johnson, Michael A. Lau, Roberto R. Rodriguez, Ronald J. Rutkowski
  • Patent number: 9894178
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, computer program products, and systems for leveraging social networks in physical gatherings. Embodiments of the present invention generate profiles for participants at the physical gathering. Embodiments of the present invention can enrich the participants experience at the physical gathering by providing information to the participant, based on the profile for the participant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Christina I. Flores, Romelia H. Flores, Leonard S. Hand, Timothy C. Kwan, Michael A. Lau
  • Patent number: 9817625
    Abstract: An approach is provided for selecting and displaying image(s). A user and user profile information corresponding to the user are identified. A sentiment of the user is identified. Based on the user profile information, an association between the identified sentiment of the user and sentiment(s) is determined. The sentiment(s) are included in a plurality of sentiments conveyed by a plurality of images. Image(s) included in the plurality of images are determined to convey the sentiment(s). Based on the association between the identified sentiment of the user and the sentiment(s) and the image(s) conveying the sentiment(s), the image(s) are selected from the plurality of images. The selected image(s) are displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Travis W. Chun, Romelia H. Flores, Marlentae A. Johnson, Michael A. Lau, Roberto R. Rodriguez, Ronald J. Rutkowski
  • Publication number: 20160352673
    Abstract: A first community Internet of Things (IoT) concentrator can receive first data corresponding to an interaction of a user with at least one of a first plurality of physical objects, the first plurality of physical objects communicatively linked to one another within a first device domain. Responsive to receiving the first data corresponding to the interaction of the user with the at least one of the first of the plurality of physical objects, the first community IoT concentrator or a second IoT concentrator can initiate, based at least in part on the first data, at least one of a second plurality of physical objects to perform a specific act that enhances an interaction of the user with the at least one of the second plurality of physical objects. The second plurality of physical objects can be communicatively linked to one another within a second device domain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventors: Christina I. Flores, Romelia H. Flores, Leonard S. Hand, Timothy C. Kwan, Michael A. Lau
  • Publication number: 20160330290
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, computer program products, and systems for leveraging social networks in physical gatherings. Embodiments of the present invention generate profiles for participants at the physical gathering. Embodiments of the present invention can enrich the participants experience at the physical gathering by providing information to the participant, based on the profile for the participant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Inventors: Christina I. Flores, Romelia H. Flores, Leonard S. Hand, Timothy C. Kwan, Michael A. Lau