Patents by Inventor Rob Liston

Rob Liston 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: 11699080
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a service receives machine learning-based generative models from a plurality of distributed sites. Each generative model is trained locally at a site using unlabeled data observed at that site to generate synthetic unlabeled data that mimics the unlabeled data used to train the generative model. The service receives, from each of the distributed sites, a subset of labeled data observed at that site. The service uses the generative models to generate synthetic unlabeled data. The service trains a global machine learning-based model using the received subsets of labeled data received from the distributed sites and the synthetic unlabeled data generated by the generative models.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaoqing Zhu, Yaqi Wang, Dan Tan, Rob Liston, Mehdi Nikkhah
  • Patent number: 11144616
    Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for training a central/global machine learning model in a distributed machine learning system. In the data sampling techniques, a subset of the data obtained at the local sites is intelligently selected for transfer to the central site for use in training the central machine learning model. In the model merging techniques, distributed local training occurs in each local site and copies of the local machine learning models are sent to the central site for aggregation of learning by merging of the models. As a result, in accordance with the examples presented herein, a central machine learning model can be trained based on various representations/transformations of data seen at the local machine learning models, including sampled selections of data-label pairs, intermediate representation of training errors, or synthetic data-label pairs generated by models trained at various local sites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Wai-tian Tan, Rob Liston, John G. Apostolopoulos, Xiaoqing Zhu
  • Patent number: 10937167
    Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for automatically generating object segmentation training data. In particular, a segmentation data generation system is configured to obtain training images derived from a scene captured by one or more image capture devices. Each training image is a still image that includes a foreground object and a background. The segmentation data generation system automatically generates a mask of the training image to delineate the object from the background and, based on the mask automatically generates a masked image. The masked image includes only the object present in the training image. The segmentation data generation system composites the masked image with an image of an environmental scene to generate a composite image that includes the masked image and the environmental scene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Rob Liston, John G. Apostolopoulos
  • Patent number: 10743188
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a device determines locations of a plurality of transmitters relative to a particular wireless access point in a wireless network. One of the transmitters comprises a target client to which the particular wireless access point is to communicate. The device compares a plurality of beamforming patterns associated with the particular wireless access point to the determined locations. The device selects, based on the comparison, one of the beamforming patterns for use by the particular wireless access point to communicate with the target client. The device controls the particular wireless access point to use the selected beamforming pattern to communicate with the target client.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John George Apostolopoulos, Dan Tan, Mehdi Nikkhah, Xiaoqing Zhu, Herbert Wildfeuer, Rob Liston
  • Publication number: 20200090002
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a service receives machine learning-based generative models from a plurality of distributed sites. Each generative model is trained locally at a site using unlabeled data observed at that site to generate synthetic unlabeled data that mimics the unlabeled data used to train the generative model. The service receives, from each of the distributed sites, a subset of labeled data observed at that site. The service uses the generative models to generate synthetic unlabeled data. The service trains a global machine learning-based model using the received subsets of labeled data received from the distributed sites and the synthetic unlabeled data generated by the generative models.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Xiaoqing Zhu, Yaqi Wang, Dan Tan, Rob Liston, Mehdi Nikkhah
  • Publication number: 20200077275
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a device determines locations of a plurality of transmitters relative to a particular wireless access point in a wireless network. One of the transmitters comprises a target client to which the particular wireless access point is to communicate. The device compares a plurality of beamforming patterns associated with the particular wireless access point to the determined locations. The device selects, based on the comparison, one of the beamforming patterns for use by the particular wireless access point to communicate with the target client. The device controls the particular wireless access point to use the selected beamforming pattern to communicate with the target client.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: John George Apostolopoulos, Dan Tan, Mehdi Nikkhah, Xiaoqing Zhu, Herbert Wildfeuer, Rob Liston
  • Patent number: 10382973
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a device determines locations of a plurality of transmitters relative to a particular wireless access point in a wireless network. One of the transmitters comprises a target client to which the particular wireless access point is to communicate. The device compares a plurality of beamforming patterns associated with the particular wireless access point to the determined locations. The device selects, based on the comparison, one of the beamforming patterns for use by the particular wireless access point to communicate with the target client. The device controls the particular wireless access point to use the selected beamforming pattern to communicate with the target client.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John George Apostolopoulos, Dan Tan, Mehdi Nikkhah, Xiaoqing Zhu, Herbert Wildfeuer, Rob Liston
  • Publication number: 20190156487
    Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for automatically generating object segmentation training data. In particular, a segmentation data generation system is configured to obtain training images derived from a scene captured by one or more image capture devices. Each training image is a still image that includes a foreground object and a background. The segmentation data generation system automatically generates a mask of the training image to delineate the object from the background and, based on the mask automatically generates a masked image. The masked image includes only the object present in the training image. The segmentation data generation system composites the masked image with an image of an environmental scene to generate a composite image that includes the masked image and the environmental scene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Rob Liston, John G. Apostolopoulos
  • Patent number: 10275683
    Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for assignment of an identity to a group of captured images. A plurality of captured images that each include an image of at least one person are obtained. For each of the plurality of captured images, relational metrics indicating a relationship between the image of the person in a respective captured image and the images of the persons in each of the remaining plurality of captured images is calculated. Based on the relational metrics, a clustering process is performed to generate one or more clusters from the plurality of captured images. Each of the one or more clusters are associated with an identity of an identity database. The one or more clusters may each be associated with an existing identity of the identity database or an additional identity that is not yet present in the identity database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaoqing Zhu, Rob Liston, John G. Apostolopoulos, Wai-tian Tan
  • Publication number: 20190107396
    Abstract: A methodology includes determining coarse location coordinates for a mobile device, anchoring the coarse location coordinates to a map, receiving inertial measurement unit data supplied by the mobile device, wherein the inertial measurement unit data is indicative of relative location coordinates of the mobile device, generating an unanchored path of the mobile device based on the relative location coordinates, and anchoring the unanchored path of the mobile device to the map in a position that optimizes a match between the coarse location coordinates and the relative location coordinates of the mobile device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Publication date: April 11, 2019
    Inventors: Wai-tian Tan, Rob Liston, Xiaoqing Zhu, Mehdi Nikkhah, Santosh G. Pandey
  • Patent number: 10242449
    Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for automatically generating object segmentation training data. In particular, a segmentation data generation system is configured to obtain training images derived from a scene captured by one or more image capture devices. Each training image is a still image that includes a foreground object and a background. The segmentation data generation system automatically generates a mask of the training image to delineate the object from the background and, based on the mask automatically generates a masked image. The masked image includes only the object present in the training image. The segmentation data generation system composites the masked image with an image of an environmental scene to generate a composite image that includes the masked image and the environmental scene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Rob Liston, John G. Apostolopoulos
  • Patent number: 10234291
    Abstract: A methodology includes determining coarse location coordinates for a mobile device, anchoring the coarse location coordinates to a map, receiving inertial measurement unit data supplied by the mobile device, wherein the inertial measurement unit data is indicative of relative location coordinates of the mobile device, generating an unanchored path of the mobile device based on the relative location coordinates, and anchoring the unanchored path of the mobile device to the map in a position that optimizes a match between the coarse location coordinates and the relative location coordinates of the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Wai-tian Tan, Rob Liston, Xiaoqing Zhu, Mehdi Nikkhah, Santosh G. Pandey
  • Patent number: 10145962
    Abstract: A methodology includes receiving from a first mobile device a first estimated location of the first mobile device and a first estimated error associated with the first estimated location, the first estimated location being based on first coarse data from a first wireless access point location determination system fused with inertial measurement unit (IMU) data from the first mobile device, receiving from a second mobile device a second estimated location of the second mobile device and a second estimated error associated with the second estimated location, the second estimated location being based on second coarse data from the first wireless access point location determination system fused with IMU data from the second mobile device, and based on the first estimated error and the second estimated error, determining a recommended change to a deployment of a wireless access point associated with the first wireless access point location determination system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Mehdi Nikkhah, Rob Liston, Wai-tan Tan, Xiaoqing Zhu, Santosh G. Pandey
  • Publication number: 20180240011
    Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for training a central/global machine learning model in a distributed machine learning system. In the data sampling techniques, a subset of the data obtained at the local sites is intelligently selected for transfer to the central site for use in training the central machine learning model. In the model merging techniques, distributed local training occurs in each local site and copies of the local machine learning models are sent to the central site for aggregation of learning by merging of the models. As a result, in accordance with the examples presented herein, a central machine learning model can be trained based on various representations/transformations of data seen at the local machine learning models, including sampled selections of data-label pairs, intermediate representation of training errors, or synthetic data-label pairs generated by models trained at various local sites.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Inventors: Wai-tian Tan, Rob Liston, John G. Apostolopoulos, Xiaoqing Zhu
  • Publication number: 20180204093
    Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for assignment of an identity to a group of captured images. A plurality of captured images that each include an image of at least one person are obtained. For each of the plurality of captured images, relational metrics indicating a relationship between the image of the person in a respective captured image and the images of the persons in each of the remaining plurality of captured images is calculated. Based on the relational metrics, a clustering process is performed to generate one or more clusters from the plurality of captured images. Each of the one or more clusters are associated with an identity of an identity database. The one or more clusters may each be associated with an existing identity of the identity database or an additional identity that is not yet present in the identity database.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Inventors: Xiaoqing Zhu, Rob Liston, John G. Apostolopoulos, Wai-tian Tan
  • Publication number: 20180189951
    Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for automatically generating object segmentation training data. In particular, a segmentation data generation system is configured to obtain training images derived from a scene captured by one or more image capture devices. Each training image is a still image that includes a foreground object and a background. The segmentation data generation system automatically generates a mask of the training image to delineate the object from the background and, based on the mask automatically generates a masked image. The masked image includes only the object present in the training image. The segmentation data generation system composites the masked image with an image of an environmental scene to generate a composite image that includes the masked image and the environmental scene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2017
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventors: Rob Liston, John G. Apostolopoulos
  • Patent number: 9760517
    Abstract: A network device includes Power-over-Ethernet PoE ports to communicate with a communication network and Universal Serial Bus (USB) devices. The network device establishes an Internet Protocol (IP) related connection with an application program, and receives downlink IP packets carrying USB transaction requests destined for the USB device from the application program over the IP connection. The network device converts the received downlink IP packets carrying the USB transaction requests to downlink bus-level USB transactions that are understandable to the USB device. The network device sends the downlink bus-level USB transactions to the USB adaptor device over a PoE connection for forwarding by the USB adaptor device to the USB device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Rob Liston, Koussalya Balasubramanian, Naoshad Mehta
  • Patent number: 9690732
    Abstract: A Network-Universal Serial Bus (NUSB) adaptor exchanges Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) packets with, and receives power from, a Power Source Equipment (PSE) over a PoE connection with the PSE, and exchanges Universal Serial Bus (USB) messages with, and provides power to, a USB device over a USB connection with the USB device. The NUSB adaptor converts between a USB power negotiation protocol implemented between the USB device and the NUSB adaptor and a PoE power negotiation protocol implemented between the NUSB adapter and the network device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Koussalya Balasubramanian, Rob Liston
  • Publication number: 20150331821
    Abstract: A network device includes Power-over-Ethernet PoE ports to communicate with a communication network and Universal Serial Bus (USB) devices. The network device establishes an Internet Protocol (IP) related connection with an application program, and receives downlink IP packets carrying USB transaction requests destined for the USB device from the application program over the IP connection. The network device converts the received downlink IP packets carrying the USB transaction requests to downlink bus-level USB transactions that are understandable to the USB device. The network device sends the downlink bus-level USB transactions to the USB adaptor device over a PoE connection for forwarding by the USB adaptor device to the USB device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Inventors: Rob Liston, Koussalya Balasubramanian, Naoshad Mehta
  • Publication number: 20150331464
    Abstract: A Network-Universal Serial Bus (NUSB) adaptor exchanges Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) packets with, and receives power from, a Power Source Equipment (PSE) over a PoE connection with the PSE, and exchanges Universal Serial Bus (USB) messages with, and provides power to, a USB device over a USB connection with the USB device. The NUSB adaptor converts between a USB power negotiation protocol implemented between the USB device and the NUSB adaptor and a PoE power negotiation protocol implemented between the NUSB adapter and the network device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Inventors: Koussalya Balasubramanian, Rob Liston