Patents by Inventor Robert A. Hood

Robert A. Hood 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: 9911282
    Abstract: A system for detecting inappropriate content in a virtual world environment has, and a corresponding method utilizes, a rating unit for rating each of one or more virtual objects based upon its content. The system has, and the method utilizes, a tagging unit for tagging each of the one or more virtual objects with its respective rating, an object tagging database for storing ratings of the one or more virtual objects, and a policy database for storing policies associated with the ratings and the regions. Further, the system has, and the method utilizes, an object monitor for monitoring the movement of each of the one or more virtual objects, a security scanner for scanning each of the one or more virtual objects to determine the rating of each of the one or more virtual objects, and an enforcement module to enforce the policies of the policy database based upon the rating and the respective region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Neal J. Alewine, Rick A. Hamilton, II, Robert A. Hood, James W. Seaman
  • Publication number: 20160328923
    Abstract: A system for detecting inappropriate content in a virtual world environment has, and a corresponding method utilizes, a rating unit for rating each of one or more virtual objects based upon its content. The system has, and the method utilizes, a tagging unit for tagging each of the one or more virtual objects with its respective rating, an object tagging database for storing ratings of the one or more virtual objects, and a policy database for storing policies associated with the ratings and the regions. Further the system has, and the method utilizes, an object monitor for monitoring the movement of each of the one or more virtual objects, a security scanner for scanning each of the one or more virtual objects to determine the rating of each of the one or more virtual objects, and an enforcement module to enforce the policies of the policy database based upon the rating and the respective region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Inventors: Neal J. Alewine, Rick A. Hamilton, II, Robert A. Hood, James W. Seaman
  • Patent number: 9463387
    Abstract: A system for detecting inappropriate content in a virtual world environment has, and a corresponding method utilizes, a rating unit for rating each of one or more virtual objects based upon its content. The system has, and the method utilizes, a tagging unit for tagging each of the one or more virtual objects with its respective rating, an object tagging database for storing ratings of the one or more virtual objects, and a policy database for storing policies associated with the ratings and the regions. Further the system has, and the method utilizes, an object monitor for monitoring the movement of each of the one or more virtual objects, a security scanner for scanning each of the one or more virtual objects to determine the rating of each of the one or more virtual objects, and an enforcement module to enforce the policies of the policy database based upon the rating and the respective region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Neal J. Alewine, Rick A. Hamilton, II, Robert A. Hood, James W. Seaman
  • Publication number: 20150227636
    Abstract: A system for detecting inappropriate content in a virtual world environment has, and a corresponding method utilizes, a rating unit for rating each of one or more virtual objects based upon its content. The system has, and the method utilizes, a tagging unit for tagging each of the one or more virtual objects with its respective rating, an object tagging database for storing ratings of the one or more virtual objects, and a policy database for storing policies associated with the ratings and the regions. Further the system has, and the method utilizes, an object monitor for monitoring the movement of each of the one or more virtual objects, a security scanner for scanning each of the one or more virtual objects to determine the rating of each of the one or more virtual objects, and an enforcement module to enforce the policies of the policy database based upon the rating and the respective region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventors: Neal J. Alewine, Rick A. Hamilton, II, Robert A. Hood, James W. Seaman
  • Patent number: 9056248
    Abstract: A system for detecting inappropriate content in a virtual world environment has and a corresponding method utilizes a rating unit for rating each of one or more virtual objects based upon its content. The system has and the method utilizes a tagging unit for tagging each of the one or more virtual objects with its respective rating, an object tagging database for storing ratings of the one or more virtual objects, and a policy database for storing policies associated with the ratings and the regions. Further the system has and the method utilizes an object monitor for monitoring the movement of each of the one or more virtual objects, a security scanner for scanning each of the one or more virtual objects to determine the rating of each of the one or more virtual objects, and an enforcement module to enforce the policies of the policy database based upon the rating and the respective region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Neal J. Alewine, Rick A. Hamilton, II, Robert A. Hood, James W. Seaman
  • Patent number: 8131606
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for the management of assets within an enterprise. Management of assets includes the creation of assets, the derivation and lineage of assets and asset composition. In addition, the creation of artifacts by the assets is provided. Assets and artifacts are maintained within a repository that is accessible throughout the enterprise. In addition, rules are provided for the composition and usage of all assets within the enterprise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John A. Bellacicco, Kumar Bhaskaran, Robert A. Hood
  • Patent number: 8128487
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for compensating participants of events or activities of virtual environments, such as on-line games, digital or virtual worlds, and virtual universes are disclosed. One or more embodiments may comprise conducting an event, measuring event participation by the participant, and compensating the participant based upon the measured participation. Various embodiments may compensate the participant based upon the amount of time the participant spends at the event, while other embodiments may compensate the participant based upon amounts or types of activity of the participant while attending the event. Some embodiments may compensate the participant based upon such activity as chat activity, keyboard activity, and mouse activity. Some embodiments may compensate the participant based upon one or more referrals that the participant makes other participants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rick A. Hamilton, II, Robert A. Hood, Robert C. McGinley, James W. Seaman
  • Publication number: 20100138455
    Abstract: A system for detecting inappropriate content in a virtual world environment has and a corresponding method utilizes a rating unit for rating each of one or more virtual objects based upon its content. The system has and the method utilizes a tagging unit for tagging each of the one or more virtual objects with its respective rating, an object tagging database for storing ratings of the one or more virtual objects, and a policy database for storing policies associated with the ratings and the regions. Further the system has and the method utilizes an object monitor for monitoring the movement of each of the one or more virtual objects, a security scanner for scanning each of the one or more virtual objects to determine the rating of each of the one or more virtual objects, and an enforcement module to enforce the policies of the policy database based upon the rating and the respective region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Neal J. Alewine, Rick A. Hamilton, II, Robert A. Hood, James W. Seaman
  • Publication number: 20090098939
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for compensating participants of events or activities of virtual environments, such as on-line games, digital or virtual worlds, and virtual universes are disclosed. One or more embodiments may comprise conducting an event, measuring event participation by the participant, and compensating the participant based upon the measured participation. Various embodiments may compensate the participant based upon the amount of time the participant spends at the event, while other embodiments may compensate the participant based upon amounts or types of activity of the participant while attending the event. Some embodiments may compensate the participant based upon such activity as chat activity, keyboard activity, and mouse activity. Some embodiments may compensate the participant based upon one or more referrals that the participant makes other participants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2007
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Inventors: Rick A. Hamilton, II, Robert A. Hood, Robert C. McGinley, James W. Seaman
  • Publication number: 20080195509
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for the management of assets within an enterprise. Management of assets includes the creation of assets, the derivation and lineage of assets and asset composition. In addition, the creation of artifacts by the assets is provided. Assets and artifacts are maintained within a repository that is accessible throughout the enterprise. In addition, rules are provided for the composition and usage of all assets within the enterprise.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Applicant: IBM
    Inventors: John A. Bellacicco, Kumar Bhaskaran, Robert A. Hood
  • Publication number: 20080183514
    Abstract: A method for creating and delivering customer solutions includes analyzing a customer's requirements; selecting at least one solution building block as part of a customer solution; and delivering at least one customer solution. The at least one solution building block comprises a preconfigured bundle of at least one asset comprising at least one of a hardware product, software product, service, or another solution building block. The at least one solution building block has been at least one of previously tested or successfully deployed in a customer environment for solving a business, infrastructure, or application problem.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2007
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ingrid Moulckers, Robert A. Hood, Denise E. Frey, Ying Huang, Westley M. Clavey, Stephen E. Bello
  • Patent number: 7263583
    Abstract: In one aspect the invention provides a signal bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions that are executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform operations to determine a maintenance fee for a data storage system. The operations include monitoring at least one data storage device during operation of the data storage system to determine a duty cycle and determining a current value of the maintenance fee based at least in part on the determined duty cycle. In a further disk drive-based embodiment the operations may include, or be instead, determining a disk drive redundancy configuration of disk drives of a data storage system. The operations then compare the determined duty cycle to a threshold value and assert a redundancy configuration change signal based on the result of the comparison. For a RAID configuration embodiment having a RAID level, the asserting operation asserts a RAID level change signal based on the result of the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert A. Hood, Alan L. Stuart
  • Patent number: 5099394
    Abstract: In an adapter card having an attached daughter card, the adapter card is offset from its edge connector, such that the edge connector occupies one plane and the basecard occupies a parallel plane, thereby allowing the daughter card to attach to the basecard and occupy the same plane as the edge connector which allows the daughter card to use an I/O connector without violating the space envelope of the next basecard, and also allows a daughter card to be interchanged between systems with different packaging architectures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1992
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert A. Hood, John W. Reiswig
  • Patent number: 4417414
    Abstract: Fishing line release mechanism for a downrigger or the like in which there are two claims for holding the fishing line and a cam. Each clip is separately tensioned, preferably adjustable. The clip engaging the upper fishing line segment is pivotally and eccentrically connected to the cam while the clip for the outward segment of the fishing line is fixedly connected to the center of the cam. The line is guided by grooves from the upper to the lower clip. Release of either clip causes the other clip to release, thus causing the entire fishing line to drop free from the mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1983
    Inventors: Robert A. Hood, Peter Lindgren
  • Patent number: D370209
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1996
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corp.
    Inventors: Pedro E. Fernandez, Hunter T. Foy, Robert A. Hood