Patents by Inventor Michael U. Frank

Michael U. Frank 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: 12160486
    Abstract: A system and corresponding method gather information about browsing and purchasing behavior of web users to avoid tracking information associated with individual web browser instances. The system enables collection of historical and statistical information by legitimate interested parties to be severed from information about the behavior of a browser instance, and so too from information about the user of the browser instance. The system is configured to perform at least one of: (i) masking a web browser cookie to prevent use of the cookie to access browsing information related to a user and (ii) replace stories about sequences of browser behaviors with statistics about abstracted “story types.” A story type is a sequence of behavior types common to all web browser instances which have performed that sequence. An example embodiment uses masking and aggregation techniques, frequently, and includes a variety of industry standard security measures specially adapted to these purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: Popdust, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Sprague, Sameet U. Durg, William Fielding Frank, George Mario Fortuna
  • Patent number: 12091032
    Abstract: Methods, systems, devices and apparatuses for a sound enhancement system. The sound enhancement system includes a trailer brake control unit placed on the vehicle and an electronic control unit coupled to the trailer brake control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to determine the vehicle is operating in a tow mode based on the trailer brake status, determine a magnitude of an audio signal that mimics or enhances engine sound based on the tow mode, and generate the audio signal. The sound enhancement system further includes an audio device configured to output the audio signal based at the determined magnitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignees: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Scott W. Shopoff, Michael U. Frank, Keita Okamoto, Luis Miyar Alvarez
  • Publication number: 20240051561
    Abstract: Methods, systems, devices and apparatuses for a sound enhancement system. The sound enhancement system includes a trailer brake control unit placed on the vehicle and an electronic control unit coupled to the trailer brake control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to determine the vehicle is operating in a tow mode based on the trailer brake status, determine a magnitude of an audio signal that mimics or enhances engine sound based on the tow mode, and generate the audio signal. The sound enhancement system further includes an audio device configured to output the audio signal based at the determined magnitude.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2022
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Scott W. Shopoff, Michael U. Frank, Keita Okamoto, Luis Miyar Alvarez
  • Patent number: 11322132
    Abstract: Methods, systems, devices and apparatuses for a sound enhancement system. The sound enhancement system includes an airflow sensor. The airflow sensor is configured to measure an airflow into an engine of the vehicle. The sound enhancement system includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is coupled to the airflow sensor. The electronic control unit is configured to determine a time of when to output an audio signal that mimics or enhances engine sound based on the airflow into the engine of the vehicle. The electronic control unit is configured to generate the audio signal based on the airflow into the engine of the vehicle. The sound enhancement system includes an audio device. The audio device is configured to output the audio signal based on the timing of when to output the audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Michael U. Frank, Scott W. Shopoff, Keita Okamoto, Shigeki Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20220051653
    Abstract: Methods, systems, devices and apparatuses for a sound enhancement system. The sound enhancement system includes an airflow sensor. The airflow sensor is configured to measure an airflow into an engine of the vehicle. The sound enhancement system includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is coupled to the airflow sensor. The electronic control unit is configured to determine a time of when to output an audio signal that mimics or enhances engine sound based on the airflow into the engine of the vehicle. The electronic control unit is configured to generate the audio signal based on the airflow into the engine of the vehicle. The sound enhancement system includes an audio device. The audio device is configured to output the audio signal based on the timing of when to output the audio signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Publication date: February 17, 2022
    Inventors: Michael U. Frank, Scott W. Shopoff, Keita Okamoto, Shigeki Yoshida