Patents by Inventor Robert K. Hughes
Robert K. Hughes 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).
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Patent number: 8548946Abstract: Defining a content package having media files and table of contents (TOC) data. The content package includes physical representation data and logical representation data for the media files (e.g., stored in the TOC data). Computing devices store, download, and play back the media files based on the data in the content package. Presentations (e.g., collections of files) within the content package are available for extraction based on a configuration of a media player. The media files are provided for presentation to a user of the computing device, or for storage by the computing device.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2009Date of Patent: October 1, 2013Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventor: Robert K. Hughes, Jr.
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Publication number: 20130174776Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to a traffic control marker having a mesh base and an improved inner core. In accordance with various embodiments, there is provided a traffic control assembly, which includes a base selectively mountable adjacent a roadway, the base comprising a plurality of through holes, and a flexible tubular member connected to the base. The traffic control assembly further includes a flange selectively mountable below the base. The flange includes a plurality of through holes spaced around a portion of the circumference of the flange. Further, the traffic control assembly includes an adhesive material applied to an underside of the base and the flange to secure the traffic control assembly to the roadway. The adhesive material fills the plurality of through holes in the base and in the flange, when the traffic control assembly is mounted to the roadway.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 9, 2013Publication date: July 11, 2013Inventor: Robert K. Hughes, JR.
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Patent number: 8348545Abstract: A clear protective cover on a roadway marker for protecting reflective sheeting located on the marker. The protective cover prevents the reflective sheeting from being displaced from the marker when impacted, for example, by vehicle. The protective cover can be formed from a clear, high-impact strength, polycarbonate material. A stiffening element located within the roadway marker increases the stiffness and resiliency of the roadway marker. The stiffening element provides more spring to return the roadway marker back to a substantially erect position after being deflected, for example, by a vehicle. The stiffening element can be a formed from a hard material such as PVC and can have the shape of a ball, cylinder, puck, oblong, or other suitable shape.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2010Date of Patent: January 8, 2013Inventor: Robert K. Hughes, Jr.
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Patent number: 8202020Abstract: A traffic control assembly for marking roadways or other marking areas is shown generally having a base, a stake, a pin, a collar, and a flexible marker that extends substantially vertically from the base when in a non-impacted and non-deformed state. The pin passes through pin holes in the stake, collar, and marker when the traffic assembly is installed. The traffic control assembly has fewer parts and is thus easier to install and replace. The pin is in contact with the base to provide support to the stake and prevent it from listing when the assembly is struck by a vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2009Date of Patent: June 19, 2012Inventor: Robert K. Hughes, Jr.
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Publication number: 20120115630Abstract: Prongs of a divot repair tool that is secured to a golf club are repeatedly inserted into the turf and removed from the turf surrounding a ball mark to repair the turf without requiring the user to bend over. The divot repair tool includes a base portion having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, a top, and a bottom opposite the top. At least one prong extends from the first end. A vertical portion extends from the base and is substantially perpendicular to the base. A magnet is secured within the base portion to secure the divot repair tool to the golf club.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2011Publication date: May 10, 2012Inventor: Robert K. Hughes, SR.
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Patent number: 7941522Abstract: A security system is described which controls the access of applications to system resources in the field of interactive multimedia. The system establishes a framework for application security, including a signature system, and further provides file formats that support security. Signed applications are afforded high access privileges, while unsigned applications are afforded low access privileges. The combination of signed and unsigned applications on, e.g., a disk, provides for low access privileges for all applications, signed and unsigned.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2006Date of Patent: May 10, 2011Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Robert K. Hughes, Jr., Yves Arrouye
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Publication number: 20110106847Abstract: Assembling streamed content for on-demand presentation is described. In embodiments, a media asset can be requested from a content distributor, and cacheable segments of the media asset are streamed to the requesting client device. The cacheable segments are received in an initial quality display format for uninterrupted playback of the media asset at the client device while the cacheable segments are being received. An asset matrix that correlates a bit rate and a time position for each cacheable segment in the media asset is also received. The cacheable segments of the media asset can be assembled according to the asset matrix to generate an assembled asset data file of the media asset. The assembled asset data file can then be back-filled with selected ones of the cacheable segments that are replaced with a highest quality display format for on-demand presentation of the media asset when selected for viewing.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2009Publication date: May 5, 2011Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATIONInventors: John A. Bocharov, John C. Simmons, Robert K. Hughes, Sudheer Sirivara, Charles A. Finkelstein
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Publication number: 20100189497Abstract: A stiffening element located within a flexible hinge on a roadway marker for increasing the stiffness of the hinge and resiliency of the roadway marker. The stiffening element provides more spring to return the roadway marker back to a substantially erect position after being deflected, for example, by a vehicle. The stiffening element can be a formed from a hard material such as PVC and can have the shape of a ball, cylinder, puck, oblong, or other suitable shape.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2009Publication date: July 29, 2010Inventor: Robert K. Hughes, SR.
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Publication number: 20100135722Abstract: A traffic control assembly for marking roadways or other marking areas is shown generally having a base, a stake, a pin, a collar, and a flexible marker that extends substantially vertically from the base when in a non-impacted and non-deformed state. The pin passes through pin holes in the stake, collar, and marker when the traffic assembly is installed. The traffic control assembly has fewer parts and is thus easier to install and replace. The pin is in contact with the base to provide support to the stake and prevent it from listing when the assembly is struck by a vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2009Publication date: June 3, 2010Inventor: Robert K. Hughes, JR.
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Publication number: 20100094900Abstract: Defining a content package having media files and table of contents (TOC) data. The content package includes physical representation data and logical representation data for the media files (e.g., stored in the TOC data). Computing devices store, download, and play back the media files based on the data in the content package. Presentations (e.g., collections of files) within the content package are available for extraction based on a configuration of a media player. The media files are provided for presentation to a user of the computing device, or for storage by the computing device.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2009Publication date: April 15, 2010Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventor: Robert K. Hughes, JR.
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Patent number: 7607870Abstract: A rotary tube notching apparatus capable of operable attachment to a powered rotational drive device such as a drill, is comprised of a surface mountable tube support assembly capable of alternately receiving straight or bent tubing; a height adjustable carriage assembly pivotally mounted to the tube support assembly to enable offset notching, and a shaft assembly rotatably mounted to said carriage assembly for receiving a cutting tool.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2006Date of Patent: October 27, 2009Inventor: Robert K. Hughes, Jr.
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Patent number: 7519616Abstract: The present disclosure relates to providing timing references to multimedia objects that are reference by a separate document that contains elements that particular reference the multimedia objects. The elements are associated with other elements that may be part of another external document. The elements of the external document are grouped in time containers that describe when the elements are to be rendered, which describes when the elements of the separate document are to be rendered, and describes when the multimedia objects are to be rendered. Other documents may receive rendition timing from association with the separate document. An event listener element may be included in the external document that is responsive to events affecting elements in the separate document.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2003Date of Patent: April 14, 2009Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Sean Hayes, Robert K. Hughes, Jr.
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Publication number: 20090022559Abstract: A rotary tube notching apparatus capable of operable attachment to a powered rotational drive device such as a drill, is comprised of a surface mountable tube support assembly capable a length of straight tubing to be notched; a height adjustable carriage assembly slidably mounted to the tube support assembly to enable offset notching, a turret assembly rotatably mounted to the carriage assembly to enable angled notching, and a shaft rotatably and slidably mounted within said turret assembly for receiving a cutting tool.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2007Publication date: January 22, 2009Inventor: Robert K. Hughes, JR.
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Publication number: 20080107490Abstract: A rotary tube notching apparatus capable of operable attachment to a powered rotational drive device such as a drill, is comprised of a surface mountable tube support assembly capable of alternately receiving straight or bent tubing; a height adjustable carriage assembly pivotally mounted to the tube support assembly to enable offset notching, and a shaft assembly rotatably mounted to said carriage assembly for receiving a cutting tool.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2006Publication date: May 8, 2008Inventor: Robert K. Hughes
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Patent number: 7077599Abstract: A roadway marker has a pair of ramps, each inclining upward from a base toward the other. A slot is located between the ramps. On end of the slot is closed, while the other end of the slot has a pair of tabs that partially close the slot, leaving a gap between them. A flexible marker strip protrudes upward from the ramps and has a lower portion extending into the slot. The marker strip having a thickness less than the gap to enable the marker strip to be inserted into the slot from an end of the slot. The lower end of the marker is bent and extends into a lateral leg of the slot to prevent upward movement of the marker.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2005Date of Patent: July 18, 2006Inventor: Robert K. Hughes, Jr.
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Patent number: 6732673Abstract: An anchor system for flexible marker posts comprises an anchor that receives a post before the anchor is driven into the ground. In one version of the anchor system, a V-shaped configuration folded along two longitudinal side axes and one lower lateral axis. This version has front and rear plates, and the rear plate has and combines with two flanges to define a narrow pocket that receives the post. The post is secured in the pocket by deforming the pocket with punches. The anchor is retained in the earth by mechanical interference and friction. Additional embodiments include plates that are pre-bent into a V-shape, tabs for maintaining separation of the plates, and a one-piece anchor having a V-shaped lower portion and coplanar, horizontal, upper surfaces connected to the upper edges of the lower portion.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2003Date of Patent: May 11, 2004Assignee: Flexstake, Inc.Inventors: Robert K. Hughes, Sr., Robert K. Hughes, Jr.
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Publication number: 20040067042Abstract: The present disclosure relates to providing extended time-code numbers to multimedia elements that make up multimedia presentation content. A linear time-code is used to properly sequence the multimedia elements for proper presentation. Prefix and suffixes are attached to the linear time-code to different between multimedia elements having the same linear time-code. Multimedia elements having the same linear time-code are used for different presentation variations, such as scene variations for a movie. The unique extended time-code may be provided in a time map table such as used in a medium such as DVD, and may be provided separate from the multimedia elements. Such a time map is appended to a pre-existing information file or provided as a replacement information extension file that includes a legacy IFO file.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2003Publication date: April 8, 2004Inventor: Robert K. Hughes
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Publication number: 20040068510Abstract: The present disclosure relates to providing timing references to multimedia objects that are reference by a separate document that contains elements that particular reference the multimedia objects. The elements are associated with other elements that may be part of another external document. The elements of the external document are grouped in time containers that describe when the elements are to be rendered, which describes when the elements of the separate document are to be rendered, and describes when the multimedia objects are to be rendered. Other documents may receive rendition timing from association with the separate document. An event listener element may be included in the external document that is responsive to events affecting elements in the separate document.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2003Publication date: April 8, 2004Inventors: Sean Hayes, Robert K. Hughes
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Publication number: 20040033061Abstract: A source image is encoded into a base layer and an enhancement layer. The base layer represents a standard definition portion of the source image and the enhancement layer represents a high-resolution portion of the source image. The base layer is stored on a first data storage track of a storage medium, such as a DVD, and the enhancement layer is stored on a second data storage track of the storage medium. The first data storage track may be a default camera angle track and then second data storage track may be a second camera angle track. The data is formatted such that a standard definition device will not read the enhancement layer data. A high-resolution decoding system decodes the base layer and the enhancement layer simultaneously to generate a high-resolution image.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 11, 2003Publication date: February 19, 2004Inventors: Robert K. Hughes, James H. Taylor
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Patent number: 6633725Abstract: A source image is encoded into a base layer and an enhancement layer. The base layer represents a standard definition portion of the source image and the enhancement layer represents a high-resolution portion of the source image. The base layer is stored on a first data storage track of a storage medium, such as a DVD, and the enhancement layer is stored on a second data storage track of the storage medium. The first data storage track may be a default camera angle track and then second data storage track may be a second camera angle track. The data is formatted such that a standard definition device will not read the enhancement layer data. A high-resolution decoding system decodes the base layer and the enhancement layer simultaneously to generate a high-resolution image.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2001Date of Patent: October 14, 2003Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Robert K. Hughes, Jr., James H. Taylor