Patents by Inventor Robert E. Thompson

Robert E. Thompson 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).

  • GAMIFIED NETWORK SECURITY TRAINING USING DEDICATED VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS SIMULATING A DEPLOYED NETWORK TOPOLOGY OF NETWORK SECURITY PRODUCTS
    Publication number: 20200410894
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for providing training to attendees of a network security training session through use of gamification. A virtual environment is created containing a network topology simulating a deployed network of network security devices for which teams of the attendees are to receive training. A 3D game interface is presented on a display of a computer system of an attendee. Based on a leaderboard server's game state, a problem-solving objective for the training session is presented on the display. The virtual environment facilitates interactions by the attendee with the network security devices via real web interfaces of corresponding full-feature virtual network security appliances in connection with attempts by the attendee to complete the objectives. Upon completion of an objective, the leaderboard server's game state is updated. Based on the game state of a group of objectives a second group of problem-solving objectives is presented to the attendee.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Applicant: Fortinet, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. May, Jordon E. Thompson, Jamie Pate
  • GAMIFIED VIRTUAL CONFERENCE WITH NETWORK SECURITY TRAINING OF NETWORK SECURITY PRODUCTS
    Publication number: 20200412781
    Abstract: Systems and methods for demonstrating network security products in a virtual conference and providing training to attendees of a network security training session in the virtual conference through the use of gamification are provided. A server generates a dedicated virtual environment for a particular attendee. A three-dimensional (3D) user interface for the virtual conference is presented on a display of the particular attendee, which represents a simulated conference environment with each network security product being demonstrated as a virtual booth represented in the conference environment. A game client causes the particular attendee to navigate in the 3D user interface to a first virtual booth to access a first learning objective relating to demonstration of a first network security product corresponding to the first booth. A progress report, which is maintained by the server, is used to notify regarding other learning objectives that are of potential interest to the particular attendee.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Applicant: Fortinet, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. May, Jordan E. Thompson, Jamie Pate
  • REMOTE MONITORING OF A SECURITY OPERATIONS CENTER (SOC)
    Publication number: 20200412764
    Abstract: Systems and methods for remote monitoring of a Security Operations Center (SOC) via a mobile application are provided. According to one embodiment, a management service retrieves information regarding multiple network elements that are associated with an enterprise network and extracts parameters of the monitored network elements from the retrieved information. The management service prioritizes the monitored network elements by determining a severity level associated with security-related issues of the network elements and generates various monitoring views that summarize in real time various categories of potential security-related issues detected by the SOC. Further, the management service assigns a priority to each monitoring view and displays a video on the display device that cycles through monitoring views in accordance with their respective assigned priorities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Applicant: Fortinet, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. May, Jordan E. Thompson
  • Execution of multiple operating systems without rebooting
    Patent number: 10789082
    Abstract: Systems and methods for executing multiple operating systems on a computing system without rebooting the computing system are disclosed. Embodiments may include installing a first OS and a second OS on a computing system. Embodiments may further include executing the first OS on hardware resources of the computing system. Some embodiments may also include suspending execution of the first OS, and executing the second OS on the hardware resources while execution of the first OS is suspended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Unisys Corporation
    Inventors: Robert J Sliwa, Brittney Burchett, Michael J DiDomenico, Bryan E Thompson
  • DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR COOLING A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT
    Publication number: 20200229843
    Abstract: A surgical system includes a surgical instrument and a cooling module. The cooling module includes a fluid reservoir retaining a conductive cooling fluid, a pump configured to pump the conductive cooling fluid along a flowpath, first and second electrodes disposed at first and second positions along the flowpath and configured to sense an electrical property of the conductive cooling fluid at the first and second positions, and a controller configured to determine an impedance of the conductive cooling fluid between the first and second positions based upon the sensed electrical properties of the first and second electrodes. A method for cooling a surgical instrument includes detecting an electrical property of a conductive cooling fluid at first and second positions along a flowpath and determining an impedance of the conductive cooling fluid between the first and second positions based upon the detected electrical properties at the first and second positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2020
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Inventors: James E. Thompson, Robert B. Smith, Daniel A. Friedrichs
  • BUILDING A COOPERATIVE SECURITY FABRIC OF HIERARCHICALLY INTERCONNECTED NETWORK SECURITY DEVICES
    Publication number: 20200236144
    Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing a cooperative security fabric (CSF) protocol are provided. According to one embodiment, an NSD of multiple NSDs participates in the dynamic construction of a CSF interconnecting the NSDs in a form of a tree, having multiple nodes each representing one of the NSDs, based on hierarchical interconnections between the NSD and directly connected upstream and downstream NSDs. A communication channel is established by a backend daemon of the NSD with a directly connected upstream node of the NSD within the CSF through which queries and replies are communicated and through which periodic keep-alive messages and responses are exchanged between the upstream node and the NSD. A CSF protocol is enforced by a forward daemon of the NSD that limits issuance of query messages to those originated by a source NSD representing an upstream node and directed to a destination NSD representing a downstream node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Applicant: Fortinet, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Xie, Robert A. May, Xiadong Xu, Yong Wang, Jordan E. Thompson, Shenghe Wang
  • Transgenic plants with enhanced agronomic traits
    Publication number: 20200208167
    Abstract: This invention provides recombinant DNA constructs, transgenic plant nuclei and cells with such recombinant DNA construct for expression of proteins that are useful for imparting enhanced agronomic trait(s) to transgenic crop plants. This invention also provides transgenic plants and progeny seed comprising the transgenic plant cells where the plants are selected for having an enhanced trait selected from the group of traits consisting of enhanced water use efficiency, enhanced cold tolerance, increased yield, enhanced nitrogen use efficiency, enhanced seed protein and enhanced seed oil. Also disclosed are methods for manufacturing transgenic seed and plants with enhanced traits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Mark Scott Abad, Jeffrey E. Ahrens, Alice Clara Augustine, Erin Bell, Robert J. Bensen, Paolo Castiglioni, Richard Eric Cerny, Shobha Char, Xianfeng Chen, Jaishree M. Chittoor-Vijayanath, Maureen Daley, Jilll Deikman, Molian Deng, Todd DeZwaan, Stephen Duff, Michael D. Edgerton, Bradon J. Fabbri, Jason Fenner, Karen Gabbert, Barry S. Goldman, Deborah J. Hawkins, Steve He, Richard Johnson, Balasulojini Karunanandaa, Garrett J. Lee, Paul Loida, Savitha Madappa, Robert J. Meister, Donald E. Nelson, Anand Pandravada, Obed Patty, Ming Peng, Marie Petracek, Rajani Monnanda Somaiah, Dhanalakshmi Ramachandra, Monica P. Ravanello, Thomas G. Ruff, Rick A Sanders, Beth Savidge, Steven H. Schwartz, Padmini Sudarshana, Jindong Sun, Rebecca L. Thompson-Mize, Virginia Ursin, Dale L. Val, Srikanth Venkatachalayya, Tymagondlu V. Venkatesh, Kammaradi Vidya, K. Vijayalakshmi, Todd C. Weber, Jingrui Wu, Zhidong Xie, Wei Zheng
  • SHOPPING FACILITY ASSISTANCE SYSTEMS, DEVICES AND METHODS
    Publication number: 20200189891
    Abstract: Apparatuses, components and methods are provided herein useful to provide assistance to customers and/or workers in a shopping facility. In some embodiments, a shopping facility personal assistance system comprises: a plurality of motorized transport units located in and configured to move through a shopping facility space; a plurality of user interface units, each corresponding to a respective motorized transport unit during use of the respective motorized transport unit; and a central computer system having a network interface such that the central computer system wirelessly communicates with one or both of the plurality of motorized transport units and the plurality of user interface units, wherein the central computer system is configured to control movement of the plurality of motorized transport units through the shopping facility space based at least on inputs from the plurality of user interface units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventors: Donald R. High, Michael D. Atchley, Shuvro Chakrobartty, Karl Kay, Brian G. McHale, Robert C. Taylor, John P. Thompson, Eric E. Welch, David C. Winkle
  • Building a cooperative security fabric of hierarchically interconnected network security devices
    Patent number: 10686839
    Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing a cooperative security fabric (CSF) protocol are provided. According to one embodiment, a CSF of multiple network security devices (NSDs) deployed within a protected network is constructed in a form of a tree, having a root node, one or more intermediate nodes and one or more leaf nodes, based on hierarchical interconnections among the NSDs by determining a relative upstream or downstream relationship among each NSD. Backend daemons of the NSDs establish and maintain a bi-directional tunnel between each parent node within the CSF and its respective child nodes through which queries and replies are communicated and through which periodic keep-alive messages and responses are exchanged. Forward daemons of the NSDs enforce a CSF protocol that limits the issuance of query messages to those originated by an upstream node within the CSF and directed to a downstream node within the CSF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Fortinet, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Xie, Robert A. May, Xiadong Xu, Yong Wang, Jordan E. Thompson, Shenghe Wang
  • EXTRA-CARDIOVASCULAR PACING BY AN IMPLANTABLE CARDIOVERTER DEFIBRILLATOR
    Publication number: 20200171316
    Abstract: An extra-cardiovascular implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) having a low voltage therapy module and a high voltage therapy module is configured to select, by a control module of the ICD, a pacing output configuration from at least a low-voltage pacing output configuration of the low voltage therapy module and a high-voltage pacing output configuration of the high voltage therapy module. The high voltage therapy module includes a high voltage capacitor having a first capacitance and the low voltage therapy module includes a plurality of low voltage capacitors each having up to a second capacitance that is less than the first capacitance. The ICD control module controls a respective one of the low voltage therapy module or the high voltage therapy module to deliver extra-cardiovascular pacing pulses in the selected pacing output configuration via extra-cardiovascular electrodes coupled to the ICD.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2020
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Inventors: David A. ANDERSON, Mark T. Marshall, Vladimir P. NIKOLSKI, Robert T. SAWCHUK, Amy E. THOMPSON-NAUMAN, John D. WAHLSTRAND, Gregory A. YOUNKER
  • Devices, systems, and methods for cooling a surgical instrument
    Patent number: 10646246
    Abstract: A surgical system includes a surgical instrument and a cooling module. The cooling module includes a fluid reservoir retaining a conductive cooling fluid, a pump configured to pump the conductive cooling fluid along a flowpath, first and second electrodes disposed at first and second positions along the flowpath and configured to sense an electrical property of the conductive cooling fluid at the first and second positions, and a controller configured to determine an impedance of the conductive cooling fluid between the first and second positions based upon the sensed electrical properties of the first and second electrodes. A method for cooling a surgical instrument includes detecting an electrical property of a conductive cooling fluid at first and second positions along a flowpath and determining an impedance of the conductive cooling fluid between the first and second positions based upon the detected electrical properties at the first and second positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventors: James E. Thompson, Robert B. Smith, Daniel A. Friedrichs
  • INJECTION OF SIMULATED SOURCES IN A SYSTEM OF NETWORKED SENSORS
    Publication number: 20200117840
    Abstract: Simulated sources can be injected into a networked system for use in training and/or testing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Inventors: Daniel A. Cooper, James B. Costales, Krzysztof E. Kamieniecki, Robert J. Ledoux, Jeffrey K. Thompson, Stephen E. Korbly
  • Hypervisor-enforced self encrypting memory in computing fabric
    Patent number: 10592434
    Abstract: Methods and systems for securing memory within a computing fabric are disclosed. One method includes allocating memory of one or more host computing systems in the computing fabric to a partition, the partition included among a plurality of partitions, the computing fabric including a hypervisor installed on the one or more host computing platforms and managing interactions among the plurality of partitions. The method includes defining an address range associated with the memory allocated to the partition, receiving a memory operation including an address within the address range, and, based on the memory operation including an address within the address range, issuing, by the hypervisor, an indication that the memory operation is occurring at an encrypted memory location. The method also includes performing the memory operation, and performing an encryption operation on data associated with the memory operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Unisys Corporation
    Inventors: Robert J Sliwa, Bryan E Thompson, James R Hunter, John A Landis, David A Kershner
  • Injection of simulated sources in a system of networked sensors
    Patent number: 10579747
    Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for detecting a source (such as, e.g., radioactive and chemical sources) using a plurality of networked sensors communicating with a central processor over network. A method can involve injecting a simulated source in the system of networked sensors for use in operational training and/or testing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Passport Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel A. Cooper, James B. Costales, Krzysztof E. Kamieniecki, Robert J. Ledoux, Jeffrey K. Thompson, Stephen E. Korbly
  • Hybrid terrain-adaptive lower-extremity systems
    Patent number: 10575971
    Abstract: Hybrid terrain-adaptive lower-extremity apparatus and methods that perform in a variety of different situations by detecting the terrain that is being traversed, and adapting to the detected terrain. In some embodiments, the ability to control the apparatus for each of these situations builds upon five basic capabilities: (1) determining the activity being performed; (2) dynamically controlling the characteristics of the apparatus based on the activity that is being performed; (3) dynamically driving the apparatus based on the activity that is being performed; (4) determining terrain texture irregularities (e.g., how sticky is the terrain, how slippery is the terrain, is the terrain coarse or smooth, does the terrain have any obstructions, such as rocks) and (5) a mechanical design of the apparatus that can respond to the dynamic control and dynamic drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Bionx Medical Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hugh M. Herr, Rick Casler, Christopher M. Nook, Alexander S. Margolin, Kristin J. Size, Matthew T. Kowalczyk, Robert W. Spaller, Gregory K. Thompson, Timothy M. Dalrymple, Seth S. Kessler, David W. Murray, Christopher E. Barnhart
  • EXTRA-CARDIOVASCULAR CARDIAC PACING SYSTEM FOR DELIVERING COMPOSITE PACING PULSES
    Publication number: 20200046975
    Abstract: An implantable medical device is configured to control a therapy module to couple a capacitor array comprising a plurality of capacitors to a plurality of extra-cardiovascular electrodes and control the therapy module to deliver a composite pacing pulse to a patient's heart via the plurality of extra-cardiovascular electrodes by sequentially discharging at least a portion of the plurality capacitors to produce a series of at least two individual pulses that define the composite pacing pulse.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Inventors: David A. ANDERSON, Mark T. MARSHALL, Vladimir P. NIKOLSKI, Robert T. SAWCHUK, Amy E. THOMPSON-NAUMAN, John D. WAHLSTRAND, Gregory A. YOUNKER
  • Arrangement for mounting an actuator button onto a rail of a window covering
    Patent number: 10557304
    Abstract: An arrangement for mounting an actuator button to a rail wherein the fastener for securing the button housing to the rail is hidden from view of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Hunter Douglas Inc.
    Inventors: Richard N. Anderson, Eugene W. Thompson, Robert E. Fisher, II
  • Extra-cardiovascular pacing by an implantable cardioverter defibrillator
    Patent number: 10556118
    Abstract: An extra-cardiovascular implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) having a low voltage therapy module and a high voltage therapy module is configured to select, by a control module of the ICD, a pacing output configuration from at least a low-voltage pacing output configuration of the low voltage therapy module and a high-voltage pacing output configuration of the high voltage therapy module. The high voltage therapy module includes a high voltage capacitor having a first capacitance and the low voltage therapy module includes a plurality of low voltage capacitors each having up to a second capacitance that is less than the first capacitance. The ICD control module controls a respective one of the low voltage therapy module or the high voltage therapy module to deliver extra-cardiovascular pacing pulses in the selected pacing output configuration via extra-cardiovascular electrodes coupled to the ICD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Anderson, Mark T. Marshall, Vladimir P. Nikolski, Robert T. Sawchuk, Amy E. Thompson-Nauman, John D. Wahlstrand, Gregory A. Younker
  • Handle and Brake Arrangement for a Covering for Architectural Openings
    Publication number: 20190383093
    Abstract: A handle is releasably secured to a rail wall by means of fasteners extending from inside the rail. An actuator shaft pushes against a contact plate to move a movable braking member to stop the rotation of a rod inside the rail.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Inventors: Richard N. Anderson, Eugene W. Thompson, Robert E. Fisher
  • Feeder Having Lateral Tilt for an Agricultural Harvesting Combine
    Publication number: 20190343045
    Abstract: Disclosed is a lifting assembly for a crop severing assembly forwardly carried by a tractor having a frame and front a frame and an axle assembly carrying front wheel assemblies. The crop severing assembly has a forward end and a rear end, and includes a pair of bracket assemblies located at the forward end and atop the crop severing assembly. A pair of lift cylinder assemblies each have a lower end and a top end. The lift cylinder lower ends are located at either side of the rear end of the crop severing assembly to bottom brackets extending from the tractor frame forward of the tractor axle assembly and are attached between each cylinder lower end and each cylinder top end to trunnions carried by the crop severing bracket assemblies for pivotally raising and lowering of the forward end of the crop severing assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Applicant: Tribine Industries LLC
    Inventors: Robert A Matousek, Treg Shidler, Martin E. Pruitt, Darren J. Nelson, Dillon M. Thompson