Patents by Inventor Patrick J. Hughes

Patrick J. Hughes 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: 12140938
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for optimizing a process of manufacturing a product. In one aspect, the method comprises repeatedly performing the following: i) selecting a configuration of input settings for manufacturing a product, based on a causal model that measures causal relationships between input settings and a measure of a quality of the product; ii) determining the measure of the quality of the product manufactured using the configuration of input settings; and iii) adjusting, based on the measure of the quality of the product manufactured using the configuration of input settings, the causal model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Brian E. Brooks, Gilles J. Benoit, Peter O. Olson, Tyler W. Olson, Himanshu Nayar, Frederick J. Arsenault, Nicholas A. Johnson, Brett R. Hemes, Thomas J. Strey, Jonathan B. Arthur, Nathan J. Herbst, Aaron K. Nienaber, Sarah M. Mullins, Mark W. Orlando, Cory D. Sauer, Timothy J. Clemens, Scott L. Barnett, Zachary M. Schaeffer, Patrick G. Zimmerman, Gregory P. Moriarty, Jeffrey P. Adolf, Steven P. Floeder, Andreas Backes, Peter J. Schneider, Maureen A. Kavanagh, Glenn E. Casner, Miaoding Dai, Christopher M. Brown, Lori A. Sjolund, Jon A. Kirschhoffer, Carter C. Hughes
  • Publication number: 20240067541
    Abstract: Data related to biofilm and Legionella in cooling tower coolant is detected, collected and used to treat the biofilm and Legionella.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: Reverse Ionizer Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Desmond A. Fraser, Patrick J. Hughes, Hossein Ghaffari Nik, Akrem Hassen Adem Aberra, Richard B. McMurray, Shelley Marie Grandy
  • Patent number: 11891316
    Abstract: Plasma discharges and electromagnetic fields may be applied to a liquid, such as water, to treat unwanted material in the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Inventors: Desmond A. Fraser, Patrick J. Hughes, Hossein Ghaffari Nik, Akrem Hassen Adem Aberra, Richard B. McMurray, Shelley Marie Grandy
  • Patent number: 11673816
    Abstract: Harmful biological contaminants are treated using plasma fields. The inventive techniques offer improved results over existing devices and methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Inventors: Desmond A. Fraser, Hossein Ghaffari Nik, Richard B. McMurray, Akrem Hassen Adem Aberra, Shelley Marie Grandy, Patrick J. Hughes, David Anthony Davis, Kyler Delman Sparks
  • Patent number: 11661358
    Abstract: Plasma discharges and electromagnetic fields may be applied to a liquid, such as water, for desalinization purposes and to treat unwanted material in the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Inventors: Desmond A. Fraser, Hossein Ghaffari Nik, Richard B. McMurray, Akrem Hassen Adem Aberra, Shelley Marie Grandy, Patrick J. Hughes
  • Publication number: 20230137919
    Abstract: Unwanted material in water, such as Legionella and scale, may be treated using a combination of technologies. Components of each technology may be controlled using a databus, such as an Internet-of-things (IoT) databus. An additional advantage of the treatment technologies is an increase in the efficiency of heat transfer components, such as cooling towers, and a related reduction in carbon footprint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Applicant: Reverse Ionizer Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Desmond A. Fraser, Hossein Ghaffari Nik, Richard B. McMurray, Akrem Hassen Adem Aberra, Shelley Marie Grandy, Patrick J. Hughes, David Anthony Davis, Maximo Mejia, Loraine Huchler, Albin Samuel Alex
  • Patent number: 11208337
    Abstract: Resources, such as water, energy, power, amount of de-scaling chemicals, device lifetimes, data analytics and system depreciation may be conserved through the use of dual-field electric and magnetic probes that create and apply electromagnetic fields to liquids, such as water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Reverse Ionizer Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick J. Hughes, Desmond A. Fraser, Hossein Ghaffari Nik, Akrem Hassen Adem Aberra, Richard B. McMurray, Shelley Marie Grandy
  • Publication number: 20210358261
    Abstract: Systems and methods for integrating graphic animation technologies with fantasy sports contest applications are provided. This invention enables a fantasy sports contest application to depict plays in various sporting events using graphic animation. The fantasy sports contest application may combine graphical representation of real-life elements such as, for example, player facial features, with default elements such as, for example, a generic player body, to create realistic graphic video. The fantasy sports contest application may provide links to animated videos for depicting plays on contest screens in which information associated with the plays may be displayed. The fantasy sports contest application may play the animated video for a user in response to the user selecting such a link. In some embodiment of the present invention, the fantasy sports contest application may also customize animated video based on user-supplied setup information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventors: Patrick J. Hughes, David Barber
  • Publication number: 20210339120
    Abstract: The fantasy sports contest application of the present invention alerts the user of necessary roster changes before an upcoming fantasy sports competition. The fantasy sports contest application may evaluate the user's team roster before an upcoming fantasy sports competition to ensure that all roster spots on the team roster are filled with athletes available for real-life competitions. The fantasy sports contest application may also identify roster changes and roster transactions that may be beneficial to a user's fantasy sports contest team roster. The fantasy sports contest application may recommend roster changes and roster transactions to the user by evaluating the performance of athletes using performance criteria. The performance criteria can be based on the past performance of athletes, either overall, or for certain situations. The performance criteria may be predefined by the system, user-editable, or any suitable combination thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: Patrick J. Hughes, William Junkin, David Barber
  • Patent number: 11055962
    Abstract: Systems and methods for integrating graphic animation technologies with fantasy sports contest applications are provided. This invention enables a fantasy sports contest application to depict plays in various sporting events using graphic animation. The fantasy sports contest application may combine graphical representation of real-life elements such as, for example, player facial features, with default elements such as, for example, a generic player body, to create realistic graphic video. The fantasy sports contest application may provide links to animated videos for depicting plays on contest screens in which information associated with the plays may be displayed. The fantasy sports contest application may play the animated video for a user in response to the user selecting such a link. In some embodiment of the present invention, the fantasy sports contest application may also customize animated video based on user-supplied setup information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick J. Hughes, David Barber
  • Patent number: 11040274
    Abstract: The fantasy sports contest application of the present invention alerts the user of necessary roster changes before an upcoming fantasy sports competition. The fantasy sports contest application may evaluate the user's team roster before an upcoming fantasy sports competition to ensure that all roster spots on the team roster are filled with athletes available for real-life competitions. The fantasy sports contest application may also identify roster changes and roster transactions that may be beneficial to a user's fantasy sports contest team roster. The fantasy sports contest application may recommend roster changes and roster transactions to the user by evaluating the performance of athletes using performance criteria. The performance criteria can be based on the past performance of athletes, either overall, or for certain situations. The performance criteria may be predefined by the system, user-editable, or any suitable combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick J. Hughes, William Junkin, David Barber
  • Publication number: 20210181927
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing multimedia highlight segments featuring real-life action related to fantasy sports competition. Links to highlight segments are provided in conjunction with fantasy sports contest information. A Highlight Center is provided with links to compilations of highlight segments featuring the best action culled from a pool of highlight segments. The user may be alerted of newly available highlight segments affecting fantasy scoring while the user watches a fantasy sports related television broadcast.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Inventors: Patrick J. Hughes, David Barber
  • Publication number: 20210130197
    Abstract: Harmful biological contaminants are treated using plasma fields. The inventive techniques offer improved results over existing devices and methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2019
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Inventors: Desmond A. Fraser, Hossein Ghaffari Nik, Richard B. McMurray, Akrem Hassen Adem Aberra, Shelley Marie Grandy, Patrick J. Hughes, David Anthony Davis, Kyler Delman Sparks
  • Patent number: 10877644
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing multimedia highlight segments featuring real-life action related to fantasy sports competition. Links to highlight segments are provided in conjunction with fantasy sports contest information. A Highlight Center is provided with links to compilations of highlight segments featuring the best action culled from a pool of highlight segments. The user may be alerted of newly available highlight segments affecting fantasy scoring while the user watches a fantasy sports related television broadcast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick J. Hughes, David Barber
  • Patent number: 10781116
    Abstract: Devices, systems and methods for applying electromagnetic fields to liquids, such as water, to treat unwanted material in the liquid are disclosed. Such devices, systems and methods may include a cylindrically shaped, water-immersible probe configured to generate electromagnetic fields that are effective to treat unwanted materials, such as scale, and microbes in the water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Reverse Ionizer Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick J. Hughes, Desmond A. Fraser, Hossein Ghaffari Nik, Richard B. McMurray, Robert A. Sutherland
  • Publication number: 20200277209
    Abstract: Plasma discharges and electromagnetic fields may be applied to a liquid, such as water, for desalinization purposes and to treat unwanted material in the liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Applicant: Reverse Ionizer Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Desmond A. Fraser, Hossein Ghaffari Nik, Richard B. McMurray, Akrem Hassen Adem Aberra, Shelley Marie Grandy, Patrick J. Hughes
  • Patent number: 10692619
    Abstract: Radionuclides and other unwanted material in a liquid may be treated, removed or reduced through the use of electromagnetic fields applied to the liquid by electrodes that also function as co-precipitators by leaching polyvalent metal ions into the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Reverse Ionizer Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Desmond A. Fraser, Patrick J. Hughes, Hossein Ghaffari Nik, Akrem Hassen Adem Aberra, Richard B. McMurray, Shelley Marie Grandy
  • Patent number: 10537806
    Abstract: Advertisements are displayed in a fantasy sports contest application in conjunction with fantasy sports contest information and may be interactive in nature. The advertisements may be used to inform the user of prizes being awarded for performance in the fantasy sports contest based on real-time action in a related sports broadcast. The advertisements may be intelligently scheduled around events in a related sports broadcast. The advertisements may be selected according to a user's demonstrated interests. The advertisements may be targeted to the user's specific geographic location. The advertisements may also be used to inform a user of an awarded prize, and to enable the user to claim the awarded prize.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick J. Hughes, David Barber
  • Publication number: 20190336851
    Abstract: The fantasy sports contest application of the present invention alerts the user of necessary roster changes before an upcoming fantasy sports competition. The fantasy sports contest application may evaluate the user's team roster before an upcoming fantasy sports competition to ensure that all roster spots on the team roster are filled with athletes available for real-life competitions. The fantasy sports contest application may also identify roster changes and roster transactions that may be beneficial to a user's fantasy sports contest team roster. The fantasy sports contest application may recommend roster changes and roster transactions to the user by evaluating the performance of athletes using performance criteria. The performance criteria can be based on the past performance of athletes, either overall, or for certain situations. The performance criteria may be predefined by the system, user-editable, or any suitable combination thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Inventors: Patrick J. Hughes, William Junkin, David Barber
  • Patent number: 10391389
    Abstract: The fantasy sports contest application of the present invention alerts the user of necessary roster changes before an upcoming fantasy sports competition. The fantasy sports contest application may evaluate the user's team roster before an upcoming fantasy sports competition to ensure that all roster spots on the team roster are filled with athletes available for real-life competitions. The fantasy sports contest application may also identify roster changes and roster transactions that may be beneficial to a user's fantasy sports contest team roster. The fantasy sports contest application may recommend roster changes and roster transactions to the user by evaluating the performance of athletes using performance criteria. The performance criteria can be based on the past performance of athletes, either overall, or for certain situations. The performance criteria may be predefined by the system, user-editable, or any suitable combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick J. Hughes, William Junkin, David Barber