Patents by Inventor Richard Alford

Richard Alford 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: 20240149131
    Abstract: A computerized method for determining an operability status of a ball-throwing machine is disclosed. The computerized method includes operations of obtaining data from operational sensors of the ball-throwing machine collected during operation thereof, and determining the operability status of the ball-throwing machine from the collected data. The operational sensors may be disposed on the ball-throwing machine. Operation of the ball-throwing machine includes performance of a series of ball-launch sequences resulting in launching a series of balls according to a training program. The ball-throwing machine may include one or more launch wheels configured to launch one or more balls by imparting motion thereto, a frame to which the one or more launch wheels are coupled, and a control circuit configured to control the one or more launch wheels and including a processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2023
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Inventors: Wayne Morton Rapp, Lindon Alford Baker, Richard Alan Gros, Daniel Taylor Murphy
  • Publication number: 20240149130
    Abstract: A ball-throwing machine is disclosed that includes one or more launch wheels configured to impart motion to one or more balls, a frame attached to the one or more launch wheels, and a control circuit configured to control the one or more launch wheels. The control circuit includes a processor, non-transitory, computer-readable medium having logic stored thereon, and one or more operational sensors, where the one or more operational sensors are configured to obtain data pertaining to operation of the ball-throwing machine including a launch of a first ball of the one or more balls. In some instances, imparting motion to the one or more balls includes rotating the one or more launch wheels to cause delivery of the one or more balls to a player, wherein the one or more balls are one or more soccer balls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2023
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Inventors: Wayne Morton Rapp, Lindon Alford Baker, Richard Alan Gros, Daniel Taylor Murphy
  • Publication number: 20240149132
    Abstract: A ball-throwing machine is disclosed that includes one or more launch wheels configured to impart motion to one or more balls, a frame to which the one or more launch wheels couple, wherein a staging area is formed within the frame adjacent the one or more launch wheels, a ball-sensor, and a control circuit configured to control the one or more launch wheels. The control circuit includes a processor, and non-transitory, computer-readable medium having logic stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause performance of operations including: receiving ball-sensor data from the ball-sensor, and determining whether a ball is present within the staging area based on the ball-sensor data. In some instances, the ball-sensor is an optical sensor configured to project a light signal into the staging area and detect a reflected light signal when the ball is present within the staging area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2023
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Inventors: Wayne Morton Rapp, Lindon Alford Baker, Richard Alan Gros, Daniel Taylor Murphy
  • Publication number: 20240149113
    Abstract: A computerized method for determining an operability status of a ball-throwing machine is disclosed that includes operations of obtaining sensor data collected by a sensor during deployment of the ball-throwing machine to perform operations according to a training program including launching a series of balls, wherein the sensor is disposed on the ball-throwing machine, parsing the sensor data into segments, comparing the segments to a sequence of predetermined signatures, wherein the sequence of the predetermined signatures is ordered according to actions specified by the training program, and wherein the predetermined signatures represent known sensor data values for the operations performed according to the training program, and when at least a first threshold percentage of the segments are indicated as being inconsistent with the sequence of predetermined signatures, determining that the ball-throwing machine is operating abnormally.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2023
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Inventors: Wayne Morton Rapp, Lindon Alford Baker, Richard Alan Gros, Daniel Taylor Murphy
  • Publication number: 20240149133
    Abstract: A ball-throwing machine is disclosed that includes one or more launch wheels configured to impart motion to one or more balls, a wheel motor coupled to each of the one or more launch wheels, a first encoder coupled to a first wheel motor coupled to a first launch wheel, a frame attached to the one or more launch wheels, and a control circuit configured to control the one or more launch wheels. In some instances, the control circuit includes a processor, and non-transitory, computer-readable medium having logic stored thereon, wherein the logic, upon execution by the processor, is configured to cause performance of operations including: receiving wheel motor data from the first encoder, wherein the wheel motor data includes a log of revolutions per minute of the first wheel motor, and detect whether a first ball was launched based on a variation in the wheel motor data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2023
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Inventors: Wayne Morton Rapp, Lindon Alford Baker, Richard Alan Gros, Daniel Taylor Murphy
  • Publication number: 20240152759
    Abstract: A computerized method for determining an operability status of a ball-throwing machine is disclosed. The method includes operations of obtaining sensor data collected by a sensor during deployment of the ball-throwing machine to perform operations according to a training program, wherein the sensor is disposed on the ball-throwing machine, deploying a trained machine learning model on the sensor data resulting in a classification of a current operability status of the ball-throwing machine or a prediction of a future operability status of the ball-throwing machine, and generating an alert when the classification indicates that the ball-throwing machine is operating abnormally or the prediction indicates the ball-throwing machine is predicted to operate abnormally.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2023
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Inventors: Wayne Morton Rapp, Lindon Alford Baker, Richard Alan Gros, Daniel Taylor Murphy
  • Publication number: 20240089243
    Abstract: Systems and methods can use subscription and identity authentication management to remove paywalls from websites. Login information for access to an application can be received from a user. The application can verify that the login information is associated with a subscriber account associated with a subscriber to the application. Instructions can be received to access a provider site from the user through the application. The application can determine that the provider site is associated with the subscriber account and the user; and then determine access credentials to the provider site based on a predetermined access scheme associated with the provider site. The access credentials can be injected into a paywall associated with the provider site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Theodore F. ECONOMY, Sumorwuo ZAZA, Jane LEE, Richard ALFORD, Nicole ECONOMY, Lauren ECONOMY
  • Publication number: 20100180855
    Abstract: A filter mount for engine includes: a base having a bottom surface; a filter adapter adapted to engage with the filter; a mount for the filter adapter, aligned perpendicular to the bottom surface of the base; and protrusions on the base to guide the movement of the mount so that the mount travels generally perpendicular to the bottom of the base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2009
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Inventor: WESLEY RICHARD ALFORD
  • Publication number: 20060193205
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for arriving at true relative amplitude destretched seismic traces from stretched seismic traces. The method compensates for offset varying reflection interference effects due to normal moveout. Stretch factors ? and also input spectra are determined for NMOR stretched seismic traces. Estimates are then made of stretched wavelet spectra from the input spectra. A destretched wavelet spectra is then obtained. Shaping correction factors are determined by taking the ratio of the destretched wavelet spectra to the stretched wavelet spectra and are applied to the input spectra of the stretched traces to arrive at a destretched trace spectra. True relative amplitude scaling factors are computed by taking the ratio of a true relative amplitude property of the destretched wavelet spectra to a corresponding true relative amplitude property of the stretched wavelet spectra.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2005
    Publication date: August 31, 2006
    Inventors: E. Herkenhoff, Richard Alford, Harry Martin