Patents by Inventor Michael Douglas McQueen

Michael Douglas McQueen 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: 11934740
    Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for associating electronic devices together based on received audio commands are described. Methods for associating an audio-controlled device with a physically separate display screen device such that information responses can then be provided in both audio and graphic formats using the two devices in conjunction with each other are described. The audio-controlled device can receive audio commands that can be analyzed to determine the author, which can then be used to further streamline the association operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Justin-Josef Angel, Eric Alan Breitbard, Sean Robert Ryan, Robert Steven Murdock, Michael Douglas McQueen, Ryan Charles Chase, Colin Neil Swann
  • Patent number: 11545115
    Abstract: A video display hub is mounted in a common household area such as a kitchen or family room. The display hub is configured to display various types of information for users in the area, such as weather, traffic updates, schedules, notes, messages, lists, news, etc. When the user is at a distance from the display hub, information is presented at a relatively low density, with a low level of granularity and detail in conjunction with large fonts, graphics, and icons. When the user is close to the display hub, information is presented at a relatively high density, with a high level of granularity and detail in conjunction with small fonts, graphics, and icons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Douglas McQueen, Meng Li, Eric Alan Breitbard, Robert Steven Murdock, Julien George Beguin, Gregory Michael Hart, Scott Ian Blanksteen
  • Patent number: 11256463
    Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying prioritized content using a display array are described herein. In some embodiments, a display array may include two or more display devices, which may render content thereby. If an update or change to the content occurs, or if new content is requested, then that content may be assigned a higher priority level. A computing system may include a device management system that continually monitors the availability of the various display devices of the display array, and based on the content received by an applications management system of the computing system, determines which display device should render which content. For instance, an update to content displayed on a second display device may be caused to be displayed on a first display device in response to the device management system determining that the first display device is to be used for displaying high priority content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David Edward Bliss, Michael Douglas McQueen
  • Patent number: 11176930
    Abstract: Systems including physical devices, such as button and switches, that receive audio when a user performs a specific interaction are described. The audio may correspond to a particular spoken command to be executed by a system in a time-delayed fashion. At a later time, when another interaction is performed with the physical device, the device may send the stored audio to a server for processing to determine a command associated with the audio. A device may store multiple audio data segments corresponding to multiple different commands, and each piece of audio data corresponding to a command may be associated with a specific physical operation of a device. If audio data is determined as corresponding to a multiple-input command, additional information needed to perform the multiple-input command may be audibly gathered from a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David Edward Bliss, Michael Douglas McQueen
  • Patent number: 11048459
    Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying prioritized content using a display array are described herein. In some embodiments, a display array may include two or more display devices, which may render content thereby. If an update or change to the content occurs, or if new content is requested, then that content may be assigned a higher priority level. A computing system may include a device management system that continually monitors the availability of the various display devices of the display array, and based on the content received by an applications management system of the computing system, determines which display device should render which content. For instance, an update to content displayed on a second display device may be caused to be displayed on a first display device in response to the device management system determining that the first display device is to be used for displaying high priority content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David Edward Bliss, Michael Douglas McQueen
  • Publication number: 20210165624
    Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying prioritized content using a display array are described herein. In some embodiments, a display array may include two or more display devices, which may render content thereby. If an update or change to the content occurs, or if new content is requested, then that content may be assigned a higher priority level. A computing system may include a device management system that continually monitors the availability of the various display devices of the display array, and based on the content received by an applications management system of the computing system, determines which display device should render which content. For instance, an update to content displayed on a second display device may be caused to be displayed on a first display device in response to the device management system determining that the first display device is to be used for displaying high priority content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Inventors: David Edward Bliss, Michael Douglas McQueen
  • Patent number: 10708543
    Abstract: A synchronous video communication session may be established between two devices having corresponding device profiles that are symmetrically or asymmetrically whitelisted with respect to each other. A first device located in a first environment may receive user input indicating a request to whitelist a second device located in a second environment. Whitelisting of the second device by the first device may cause a continuous live video stream to be presented on the second device. The continuous video stream may depict at least a portion of the first environment in which the first device is located. The continuous video stream may be initially at least partially obscured. Upon initiation of a video communication session between the first device and the second device, an audio stream may begin to be delivered between the devices and the video stream may no longer be obscured and a clear video image may be presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Alan Breitbard, Michael Douglas McQueen, Robert Steven Murdock, Meng Li, Stephan Josef Andrizzi
  • Publication number: 20200210133
    Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying prioritized content using a display array are described herein. In some embodiments, a display array may include two or more display devices, which may render content thereby. If an update or change to the content occurs, or if new content is requested, then that content may be assigned a higher priority level. A computing system may include a device management system that continually monitors the availability of the various display devices of the display array, and based on the content received by an applications management system of the computing system, determines which display device should render which content. For instance, an update to content displayed on a second display device may be caused to be displayed on a first display device in response to the device management system determining that the first display device is to be used for displaying high priority content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: David Edward Bliss, Michael Douglas McQueen
  • Patent number: 10674114
    Abstract: A video display hub is mounted in a common household area such as a kitchen or family room. During times that have been designated as being available for communications, devices in first and second households exchange and display blurred video, allowing users in each household to see vague shapes and movements of the other household. Upon noticing activity, a user in the first household may initiate a video conversation, causing the video from the first household to be unblurred and causing unobscured voice to be transmitted to the second household. A user in the second household may respond by allowing the video conversation to be fully enabled, allowing the video from the second household to be unblurred and unobscured voice to be transmitted back to the first household.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Douglas McQueen, Meng Li, Eric Alan Breitbard, Robert Steven Murdock, Julien George Beguin, Gregory Michael Hart, David A. Limp, Scott Ian Blanksteen
  • Patent number: 10636074
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for detecting handwritten text on a writing surface, determining one or more layout and/or content attributes of the handwritten text, determining application functionality that corresponds to the layout and/or content attribute(s), executing the application functionality to obtain an execution result, and presenting an indication of the execution result on the writing surface in association with at least a portion of the handwritten text.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Van Tuyl Bentley, Angela Lam, Michael Douglas McQueen, Robert Steven Murdock
  • Patent number: 10558417
    Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying prioritized content using a display array are described herein. In some embodiments, a display array may include two or more display devices, which may render content thereby. If an update or change to the content occurs, or if new content is requested, then that content may be assigned a higher priority level. A computing system may include a device management system that continually monitors the availability of the various display devices of the display array, and based on the content received by an applications management system of the computing system, determines which display device should render which content. For instance, an update to content displayed on a second display device may be caused to be displayed on a first display device in response to the device management system determining that the first display device is to be used for displaying high priority content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David Edward Bliss, Michael Douglas McQueen
  • Publication number: 20200034114
    Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for associating electronic devices together based on received audio commands are described. Methods for associating an audio-controlled device with a physically separate display screen device such that information responses can then be provided in both audio and graphic formats using the two devices in conjunction with each other are described. The audio-controlled device can receive audio commands that can be analyzed to determine the author, which can then be used to further streamline the association operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Inventors: Justin-Josef Angel, Eric Alan Breitbard, Sean Robert Ryan, Robert Steven Murdock, Michael Douglas McQueen, Ryan Charles Chase, Colin Neil Swann
  • Patent number: 10379808
    Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for associating electronic devices together based on received audio commands are described. Methods for associating an audio-controlled device with a physically separate display screen device such that information responses can then be provided in both audio and graphic formats using the two devices in conjunction with each other are described. The audio-controlled device can receive audio commands that can be analyzed to determine the author, which can then be used to further streamline the association operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Justin-Josef Angel, Eric Alan Breitbard, Sean Robert Ryan, Robert Steven Murdock, Michael Douglas McQueen, Ryan Charles Chase, Colin Neil Swann
  • Patent number: 10354621
    Abstract: A video display hub is mounted in a common household area such as a kitchen or family room. The display hub is configured to display various types of information for users in the area, such as weather, traffic updates, schedules, notes, messages, lists, news, etc. When the user is at a distance from the display hub, information is presented at a relatively low density, with a low level of granularity and detail in conjunction with large fonts, graphics, and icons. When the user is close to the display hub, information is presented at a relatively high density, with a high level of granularity and detail in conjunction with small fonts, graphics, and icons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Douglas McQueen, Meng Li, Eric Alan Breitbard, Robert Steven Murdock, Julien George Beguin, Gregory Michael Hart, Scott Ian Blanksteen
  • Patent number: 10349007
    Abstract: A video display hub is mounted in a common household area such as a kitchen or family room. During times that have been designated as being available for communications, devices in first and second households exchange and display blurred video, allowing users in each household to see vague shapes and movements of the other household. Upon noticing activity, a user in the first household may initiate a video conversation, causing the video from the first household to be unblurred and causing unobscured voice to be transmitted to the second household. A user in the second household may respond by allowing the video conversation to be fully enabled, allowing the video from the second household to be unblurred and unobscured voice to be transmitted back to the first household.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Douglas McQueen, Meng Li, Eric Alan Breitbard, Robert Steven Murdock, Julien George Beguin, Gregory Michael Hart, David A. Limp, Scott Ian Blanksteen
  • Patent number: 9996310
    Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying prioritized content using a display array are described herein. In some embodiments, a display array may include two or more display devices, which may render content thereby. If an update or change to the content occurs, or if new content is requested, then that content may be assigned a higher priority level. A computing system may include a device management system that continually monitors the availability of the various display devices of the display array, and based on the content received by an applications management system of the computing system, determines which display device should render which content. For instance, an update to content displayed on a second display device may be caused to be displayed on a first display device in response to the device management system determining that the first display device is to be used for displaying high priority content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David Edward Bliss, Michael Douglas McQueen
  • Patent number: 9911398
    Abstract: A video display hub is mounted in a common household area such as a kitchen or family room. The display hub is configured to display various types of information for users in the area, such as weather, traffic updates, schedules, notes, messages, lists, news, etc. When the user is at a distance from the display hub, information is presented at a relatively low density, with a low level of granularity and detail in conjunction with large fonts, graphics, and icons. When the user is close to the display hub, information is presented at a relatively high density, with a high level of granularity and detail in conjunction with small fonts, graphics, and icons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Douglas McQueen, Meng Li, Eric Alan Breitbard, Robert Steven Murdock, Julien George Beguin, Gregory Michael Hart, Scott Ian Blanksteen
  • Patent number: 9819905
    Abstract: A synchronous video communication session may be established between two devices having corresponding device profiles that are symmetrically or asymmetrically whitelisted with respect to each other. A first device located in a first environment may receive user input indicating a request to whitelist a second device located in a second environment. Whitelisting of the second device by the first device may cause a continuous live video stream to be presented on the second device. The continuous video stream may depict at least a portion of the first environment in which the first device is located. The continuous video stream may be initially at least partially obscured. Upon initiation of a video communication session between the first device and the second device, an audio stream may begin to be delivered between the devices and the video stream may no longer be obscured and a clear video image may be presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Alan Breitbard, Michael Douglas McQueen, Robert Steven Murdock, Meng Li, Stephan Josef Andrizzi
  • Patent number: 9794511
    Abstract: A video display hub is mounted in a common household area such as a kitchen or family room. During times that have been designated as being available for communications, devices in first and second households exchange and display blurred video, allowing users in each household to see vague shapes and movements of the other household. Upon noticing activity, a user in the first household may initiate a video conversation, causing the video from the first household to be unblurred and causing unobscured voice to be transmitted to the second household. A user in the second household may respond by allowing the video conversation to be fully enabled, allowing the video from the second household to be unblurred and unobscured voice to be transmitted back to the first household.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Douglas McQueen, Meng Li, Eric Alan Breitbard, Robert Steven Murdock, Julien George Beguin, Gregory Michael Hart, David A. Limp, Scott Ian Blanksteen
  • Patent number: 9787939
    Abstract: Video conferencing is performed using near-end and far-end devices at near-end and far-end sites, respectively. Each device has a display surface and a video camera. The view of the far-end scene displayed by the near-end device is selected as a function of the position of the near-end user relative to the near-end device. As the near-end user moves toward the left, the view pans toward the right of the far-end scene. As the near-end user moves toward the right, the view pans toward the left of the far-end scene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Julien George Beguin, Eric Alan Breitbard, Robert Steven Murdock, Meng Li, Michael Douglas McQueen