Patents by Inventor Michael J. Smith

Michael J. 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).

  • Publication number: 20140312030
    Abstract: A heat treating system comprises a hot-wall microwave applicator cavity having a gas-diffusing structure on one surface, a microwave power supply, a transmission line between the applicator and power supply, and a granular heat transfer medium partially filling the cavity. The medium may be a single material or a blend of several materials, preferably having equivalent aerodynamic densities. The related method includes the steps of: placing a material to be heated into a microwave cavity having a gas diffusing structure on one surface; partially filling the cavity with a quantity of granular heat transfer medium sufficient to cover the material to be treated and the gas diffusing structure; flowing gas through the diffusing structure at a rate sufficient to fluidize the granular medium; and, introducing microwave energy into the cavity to raise the material and granular medium to a selected temperature for a selected time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2013
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Inventors: Paul D. Steneck, Michael J. Smith, Larry E. Stokely
  • Patent number: 8846058
    Abstract: A chimeric Shiga toxoid according to the invention contains an enzymatically-inactivated StxA subunit and a native StxB subunit. This hybrid Shiga toxoid induces the production of broadly cross-reactive species of antibodies against Shiga toxin following immunization. The StxA subunit is modified so that it is enzymatically inactive. The invention thus encompasses the Shiga toxoid or fragments thereof and the nucleic acid sequence of the Shiga toxoid or fragments thereof. The invention further encompasses the production of a Shiga toxoid, the production of antibodies using the Shiga toxoid and methods of productions, and an immunogenic composition containing the Shiga toxoid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Smith, Alison D. O'Brien, Louise D. Teel, Angela R. Melton-Celsa
  • Publication number: 20140272258
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a recycled polystyrene foamed sheet apparatus for displaying images and a method of making the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventor: Michael J. SMITH
  • Patent number: 8832465
    Abstract: An SOC implements a security enclave processor (SEP). The SEP may include a processor and one or more security peripherals. The SEP may be isolated from the rest of the SOC (e.g. one or more central processing units (CPUs) in the SOC, or application processors (APs) in the SOC). Access to the SEP may be strictly controlled by hardware. For example, a mechanism in which the CPUs/APs can only access a mailbox location in the SEP is described. The CPU/AP may write a message to the mailbox, which the SEP may read and respond to. The SEP may include one or more of the following in some embodiments: secure key management using wrapping keys, SEP control of boot and/or power management, and separate trust zones in memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Manu Gulati, Michael J. Smith, Shu-Yi Yu
  • Patent number: 8825834
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for automated cluster member management based on node capabilities. In one embodiment of the invention, a method for automated cluster member management based on node capabilities can be provided. The method can include defining a membership policy for a cluster, the membership policy specifying a nodal configuration required for a node in a cluster. The method further can include evaluating different nodes in a computing environment against the membership policy for the cluster. Finally, the method can include associating cluster members in the cluster to only those of the nodes having respective configurations meeting the nodal configuration of the membership policy. Likewise, the method can include evaluating nodes already in the cluster, and disassociating cluster members in the cluster from those of the nodes having respective configurations failing to meet the nodal configuration of the membership policy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Elizabeth A. Black-Ziegelbein, Tsu-Phin Hee, Brian K. Martin, Michael J. Smith
  • Publication number: 20140232889
    Abstract: A system and method for automatically changing the operation of a mobile device in response to a presence of information is described. In some examples, the system determines an information capture device is proximate to text, automatically changes operation of the capture device to a certain mode, captures the text, and performs an action associated with the captured text.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Martin T. King, Redwood Stephens, Claes-Fredrik Mannby, Jesse Peterson, Mark Sanvitale, Michael J. Smith
  • Patent number: 8810392
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems that involve monitoring presence of items based on context. An exemplary method involves: (i) determining a context for a given user; (ii) determining a proximity framework between a monitoring device and one or more items, based on the determined context, wherein the proximity framework comprises (a) one or more proximity requirements, each proximity requirement indicating a required proximity between the monitoring device and at least one of the items and (b) a notification process corresponding to each proximity requirement; (iii) monitoring proximity of each of the items relative to the monitoring device, based on a presence signal from each of the items, in order to determine when one of the proximity requirements is not met; and (iv) responsive to determining that one of the proximity requirements is not met, initiating the corresponding notification process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Teller, Claes-Fredrik Mannby, Michael J. Smith, Cheryl Grunbeck
  • Patent number: 8794420
    Abstract: An apparatus, such as but not necessarily limited to a safe, is contemplated. The apparatus may be configured to secure a sorter, bill validator or other delivery mechanism separately from a storage area in order to permit removal of the delivery mechanism without compromising security of the storage area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Fire King Security Products, LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Smith, Daniel Jones
  • Publication number: 20140215182
    Abstract: In an embodiment, an integrated circuit includes at least one processor. The processor may include a reset vector base address register configured to store a reset vector address for the processor. Responsive to a reset, the processor may be configured to capture a reset vector address on an input, updating the reset vector base address register. Upon release from reset, the processor may initiate instruction execution at the reset vector address. The integrated circuit may further include a logic circuit that is coupled to provide the reset vector address. The logic circuit may include a register that is programmable with the reset vector address. More particularly, in an embodiment, the register may be programmable via a write operation issued by the processor (e.g. a memory-mapped write operation). Accordingly, the reset vector address may be programmable in the integrated circuit, and may be changed from time to time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Josh P. de Cesare, Gerard R. Williams, III, Michael J. Smith, Wei-Han Lien
  • Publication number: 20140209431
    Abstract: An apparatus, such as but not necessarily limited to a safe, is contemplated. The apparatus may be configured to secure a sorter, bill validator or other delivery mechanism separately from a storage area in order to permit removal of the delivery mechanism without compromising security of the storage area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: FKI SECURITY PRODUCTS
    Inventors: Michael J. Smith, Daniel Jones
  • Publication number: 20140193898
    Abstract: A method for producing a biogas is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a polyculture of aquatic plants to a growth system; continuously providing water, carbon dioxide, air and nutrients to the polyculture contained within the growth system; growing the polyculture for a time sufficient to produce an aquatic plant-based biomass; withdrawing a portion of the aquatic plant-based biomass contained within the growth system; and treating the withdrawn aquatic plant-based biomass to produce a biogas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: SSB INTERNATIONAL, LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. SMITH, Edward William GAINE
  • Publication number: 20140164684
    Abstract: A storage array controller provides a method and system for autonomously issuing trim commands to one or more solid-state storage devices in a storage array. The storage array controller is separate from any operating system running on a host system and separate from any controller in the solid-state storage device(s). The trim commands allow the solid-state storage device to operate more efficiently.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Inventors: Daniel L. Rosenband, Michael J. Smith
  • Patent number: 8751209
    Abstract: A method is provided for determining optimum positions in a region for a plurality of sensors that are capable of detecting occurrence of a hazard in the region. The hazard may be a chemical, biological, and/or radiological hazard in solid, liquid or gas form. A “simulation cache” is provided that stores data representing interaction of the hazard with sensors at each of the plurality of candidate locations in the region for each of the plurality of sensor types. Data is then retrieved from the simulation cache as needed for evaluation a particular candidate sensor solution comprising one or more sensors of one or more sensor types at corresponding ones of the candidate locations. An optimization algorithm may be used to select a candidate sensor solution. The data that is retrieved from the simulation cache for a selected candidate sensor solution is evaluated with respect to certain performance criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Exelis Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Daniel Henning, Michael J. Smith, Javad Sedehi, William Crocoll
  • Publication number: 20140113828
    Abstract: Electrical, mechanical, computing, and/or other devices that include components formed of extremely low resistance (ELR) materials, including, but not limited to, modified ELR materials, layered ELR materials, and new ELR materials, are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: AMBATURE INC.
    Inventors: Douglas J. Gilbert, Y. Eugene Shteyn, Michael J. Smith, Joel Patrick Hanna, Paul Greenland, Brian J. Coppa, Forrest J. North
  • Publication number: 20140096709
    Abstract: A validating system is contemplated to facilitate interchangeable use of safes configured to electronically validate paper currency or other types of currency. The validating system may allow currency delivery entities to exchange safes rather than having to remove a cassette or otherwise access contents stored within the safe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: FKI SECURITY PRODUCTS
    Inventors: Edward McGunn, David Murch, Daniel Jones, Terry Densmore, Michael J. Smith
  • Publication number: 20140089682
    Abstract: An SOC implements a security enclave processor (SEP). The SEP may include a processor and one or more security peripherals. The SEP may be isolated from the rest of the SOC (e.g. one or more central processing units (CPUs) in the SOC, or application processors (APs) in the SOC). Access to the SEP may be strictly controlled by hardware. For example, a mechanism in which the CPUs/APs can only access a mailbox location in the SEP is described. The CPU/AP may write a message to the mailbox, which the SEP may read and respond to. The SEP may include one or more of the following in some embodiments: secure key management using wrapping keys, SEP control of boot and/or power management, and separate trust zones in memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Manu Gulati, Michael J. Smith, Shu-Yi Yu
  • Publication number: 20140089650
    Abstract: An SOC implements a security enclave processor (SEP). The SEP may include a processor and one or more security peripherals. The SEP may be isolated from the rest of the SOC (e.g. one or more central processing units (CPUs) in the SOC, or application processors (APs) in the SOC). Access to the SEP may be strictly controlled by hardware. For example, a mechanism in which the CPUs/APs can only access a mailbox location in the SEP is described. The CPU/AP may write a message to the mailbox, which the SEP may read and respond to. The SEP may include one or more of the following in some embodiments: secure key management using wrapping keys, SEP control of boot and/or power management, and separate trust zones in memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: R. Stephen Polzin, Fabrice L. Gautier, Mitchell D. Adler, Timothy R. Paaske, Michael J. Smith
  • Publication number: 20140075208
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided for whitening and managing data for storage in non-volatile memories, such as Flash memory. In some embodiments, an electronic device such as media player is provided, which may include a system-on-a-chip (SoC) and a non-volatile memory. The SoC may include SoC control circuitry and a memory interface that acts as an interface between the SoC control circuitry and the non-volatile memory. The SoC can also include an encryption module, such as a block cipher based on the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). The memory interface can direct the encryption module to whiten all types of data prior to storage in the non-volatile memory, including sensitive data, non-sensitive data, and memory management data. This can, for example, prevent or reduce program-disturb problems or other read/write/erase reliability issues.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth L. Herman, Matthew J. Byom, Michael J. Smith, Tahoma M. Toelkes
  • Patent number: 8638363
    Abstract: A system and method for automatically changing the operation of a mobile device in response to a presence of information is described. In some examples, the system determines an information capture device is proximate to text, automatically changes operation of the capture device to a certain mode, captures the text, and performs an action associated with the captured text.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Martin T. King, Redwood Stephens, Claes-Fredrik Mannby, Jesse Peterson, Mark Sanvitale, Michael J. Smith
  • Patent number: 8588587
    Abstract: An implementation is described for navigating media. The implementation includes displaying a portion of the media. The implementation also includes displaying a navigation interface corresponding to the media. The navigation interface includes an active region, a current view region, and a ghost region. The active region corresponds to at least a portion of the media. The current view region corresponds to a portion of the media to be displayed. The current view is at least partially defined by a selector handle. The ghost region is coupled to the active region. The ghost region represents a range of remaining media other than the portion of the media in the active region. The ghost area provides a context for the remaining media relative to the portion of the media corresponding to the active region. The implementation also includes receiving user input to navigate the media according to a visual interaction between the sector handle and the ghost region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Elizabeth A. Black-Ziegelbein, Sarah M. Peck, McGill Quinn, Michael J. Smith