Patents by Inventor Preston Phillips

Preston Phillips 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: 20160078704
    Abstract: An inventory control system is described that includes a tool storage device including a drawer or a tray providing a pallet, wherein the pallet includes storage locations for objects; a sensing device configured to form an image of the storage locations; and a data processor configured to determine presence or absence of the pallet and presence or absence of objects within the storage locations of the pallet using the information from the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Inventors: Preston PHILLIPS, David C. FLY, Matthew J. LIPSEY, Joseph CHWAN, Frederick J. ROGERS
  • Patent number: 9258534
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining an inventory condition of objects based on captured images are described. An exemplary inventory control system or method utilizes a highly efficient and economical approach to apply suitable imaging parameters for capturing images of a storage drawer being accessed by a user, or for manipulating the captured images of the drawer. An inventory condition of the drawer is determined based on the captured images or manipulated images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: SNAP-ON INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Stephen L. Glickman, David A. Jackson, Matthew J. Lipsey, Preston Phillips, David C. Fly, Jason L. Weeks
  • Patent number: 9147174
    Abstract: Systems for monitoring an inventory condition of objects based on captured images are described. An exemplary system includes at least one storage drawer, each storage drawer including a plurality of storage locations for storing objects; and a data storage device storing reference data for each storage drawer. The reference data includes, for each region of interest corresponding to each respective storage drawer, at least one of a reference image signature representing attributes of the region of interest when a stored object is present, and a reference image signature representing attributes of the region of interest when the stored object is not present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: SNAP-ON INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Stephen L. Glickman, David A. Jackson, Matthew J. Lipsey, Preston Phillips, Frederick J. Rogers
  • Publication number: 20150201166
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining an inventory condition of objects based on captured images are described. An exemplary inventory control system or method utilizes a highly efficient and economical approach to apply suitable imaging parameters for capturing images of a storage drawer being accessed by a user, or for manipulating the captured images of the drawer. An inventory condition of the drawer is determined based on the captured images or manipulated images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Inventors: Stephen L. GLICKMAN, David A. JACKSON, Matthew J. LIPSEY, Preston PHILLIPS, David C. FLY, Jason L. WEEKS
  • Patent number: 9041508
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining an inventory condition of objects based on captured images are described. An exemplary inventory control system or method utilizes a highly efficient and economical approach to apply suitable imaging parameters for capturing images of a storage drawer being accessed by a user, or for manipulating the captured images of the drawer. An inventory condition of the drawer is determined based on the captured images or manipulated images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: SNAP-ON INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Stephen L. Glickman, David A. Jackson, Matthew J. Lipsey, Preston Phillips, David C. Fly, Jason L. Weeks
  • Publication number: 20140358740
    Abstract: Systems for monitoring an inventory condition of objects based on captured images are described. An exemplary system includes at least one storage drawer, each storage drawer including a plurality of storage locations for storing objects; and an image sensing device configured to capture an image of one of the storage locations. A radio-frequency identification (RFID) sensor sub-system senses attributes of objects located in the inventory control system. A data storage system stores, for each storage location, reference data including identification of the object associated with each storage location. A data processor determines the inventory condition of each storage location of the captured image based on the image data of the captured image in conjunction with the sensing data of attributes of objects located in the inventory control system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Matthew J. LIPSEY, Preston PHILLIPS, David C. FLY
  • Patent number: 8842183
    Abstract: Systems for monitoring an inventory condition of objects based on captured images are described. An exemplary system includes at least one storage drawer, each storage drawer including a plurality of storage locations for storing objects, wherein each drawer is associated with an identifier with known color attributes; and an image sensing device configured to capture an image of one of the storage drawers along with the associated identifier. A data storage device of the system stores, for each storage drawer, information of the known color attributes of the associated identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
    Inventors: Stephen L. Glickman, David A. Jackson, Matthew J. Lipsey, Preston Phillips, David C. Fly, Jason L. Weeks
  • Publication number: 20140025543
    Abstract: An inventory control system and method determines an inventory condition of objects stored in the system. Embodiments include a storage container including a plurality of storage locations for storing objects; an image sensing device to capture image data of the container, including image data of the plurality of storage locations and a target area that includes an individual object storage location having less than the plurality of storage locations; a data storage device for storing the image data of the container; and a data processor. The processor receives initial image data representing an initial image of the plurality of storage locations, and image data representing an image of the target area captured subsequent to the initial image; modifies the initial image data based on the image data of the target area to generate adjusted image data; and stores the adjusted image data in the data storage device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2013
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: SNAP-ON INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Preston Phillips, David C. Fly, Matthew J. Lipsey, Joseph Chwan, JR., Frederick J. Rogers
  • Publication number: 20130346261
    Abstract: An inventory control system is provided for monitoring the removal and replacement of objects stored in the system. The system includes a storage container including a plurality of storage locations for storing objects; a sensing device configured to detect the presence or absence of objects in the storage locations; a display device; and a data processor. The data processor is configured to receive work order data identifying a particular work order; receive information associated with the work order based on the work order data; and display the information associated with the work order on the display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: SNAP-ON INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Preston PHILLIPS, David C. FLY, Matthew J. LIPSEY, Joseph CHWAN, JR., Frederick J. ROGERS
  • Publication number: 20130332323
    Abstract: The instant application describes an inventory control system including an object storage device including a drawer or a tray for housing objects; a sensing device configured to acquire an image including information about the objects stored in the object storage device; an interface circuitry in communication with the sensing device and configured to generate object data based on the image acquired by the sensing device; and a processor configured to provide an integrated network access and transmit the object data across a network using a Web Service as defined by World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), the Web Service being a data link interface between the inventory control system and a remote system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Inventors: Preston PHILLIPS, David C. FLY, Matthew J. LIPSEY, Joseph CHWAN, JR., Frederick J. ROGERS
  • Publication number: 20130328661
    Abstract: An inventory control system is described that includes a tool storage device including a drawer or a tray providing a pallet, wherein the pallet includes storage locations for objects; a sensing device configured to form an image of the storage locations; and a data processor configured to determine presence or absence of the pallet and presence or absence of objects within the storage locations of the pallet using the information from the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Inventors: Preston Phillips, David C. Fly, Matthew J. Lipsey, Joseph Chwan, Jr., Frederick J. Rogers
  • Publication number: 20100046791
    Abstract: Systems for monitoring an inventory condition of objects based on captured images are described. An exemplary system includes at least one storage drawer, each storage drawer including a plurality of storage locations for storing objects; and a data storage device storing reference data for each storage drawer. The reference data includes, for each region of interest corresponding to each respective storage drawer, at least one of a reference image signature representing attributes of the region of interest when a stored object is present, and a reference image signature representing attributes of the region of interest when the stored object is not present.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: Snap-on Incorporated
    Inventors: Stephen L. Glickman, David A. Jackson, Matthew J. Lipsey, Preston Phillips, Frederick J. Rogers
  • Publication number: 20100045423
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining an inventory condition of objects based on captured images are described. An exemplary inventory control system or method utilizes a highly efficient and economical approach to apply suitable imaging parameters for capturing images of a storage drawer being accessed by a user, or for manipulating the captured images of the drawer. An inventory condition of the drawer is determined based on the captured images or manipulated images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: SNAP-ON INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Stephen L. GLICKMAN, David A. JACKSON, Matthew J. LIPSEY, Preston PHILLIPS, David C. FLY, Jason L. WEEKS
  • Publication number: 20100039513
    Abstract: Systems for monitoring an inventory condition of objects based on captured images are described. An exemplary system includes at least one storage drawer, each storage drawer including a plurality of storage locations for storing objects, wherein each drawer is associated with an identifier with known color attributes; and an image sensing device configured to capture an image of one of the storage drawers along with the associated identifier. A data storage device of the system stores, for each storage drawer, information of the known color attributes of the associated identifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicant: Snap-on Incorporated
    Inventors: Stephen L. GLICKMAN, David A. Jackson, Matthew J. Lipsey, Preston Phillips, David C. Fly, Jason L. Weeks