Patents by Inventor Scott Smyers

Scott Smyers 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: 10813300
    Abstract: An articulating blower nozzle that maintains directional orientation of a high velocity air flow while the blower is being swung by an operator. The dynamic nozzle blows the debris to a specific point while the blower is swung from side to side, thereby collecting the debris is a specific area without the operator having to constantly reorient their body to complete the work.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Inventor: Joseph Scott Smyers
  • Publication number: 20170280630
    Abstract: An articulating blower nozzle that maintains directional orientation of a high velocity air flow while the blower is being swung by an operator. The dynamic nozzle blows the debris to a specific point while the blower is swung from side to side, thereby collecting the debris is a specific area without the operator having to constantly reorient their body to complete the work.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventor: Joseph Scott Smyers
  • Patent number: 9754262
    Abstract: Particular embodiments provide recommendations based on community affiliation. In one embodiment, the method determines a query from a target user. A community in which the target user is a member is then determined. The community may include a plurality of members that have joined the community based on a common interest. User activity information is analyzed for at least a portion of the members of the community to determine a recommendation for the query. The user activity information is determined to be of interest to the target user based on the target user's membership in the community. For example, based on the user's membership in the community, recommendations as to what other members in the community liked can be correlated to the query for the target user. Thus, the recommendation may be provided to the user based on what other users in the community liked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignees: SONY ELECTRONICS INC., SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Scott Smyers, Mark Eyer
  • Publication number: 20150300868
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for fuel level sensing use a rotatable housing, an interior arm suspended on an axle within the housing, a counterweight joined to one end of the interior arm and a position sensor with first and second sensor elements. The sensor elements are arranged within the housing with one of the sensor elements is joined to an interior wall of the housing and the other joined to the interior arm such that the sensor elements are rotatable relative to one another. An exterior arm joined to an exterior of the housing is adapted to accommodate a float. The exterior arm slaves the rotatable housing in rotation about a rotational axis, and relative rotation of the first and second sensor elements may cause a change in a sensor output of the position sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Inventor: Joseph Scott Smyers
  • Patent number: 8917606
    Abstract: An isochronous back channel is configured between a transmitting device and a receiving device. The isochronous back channel provides retransmission and flow control information from the receiving device to the transmitting device related to a stream of isochronous data packets transmitted from the transmitting device to the receiving device. An isochronous back channel packet for indicating a retransmission or flow control function to perform is configured and transmitted from the receiving device to the transmitting device over the isochronous back channel. A transmitting plug is configured on the receiving device and a receiving plug is configured on the transmitting device for implementing the isochronous back channel. The isochronous back channel packet includes a control instruction that instructs the transmitting device to either reset, stop or resume transmission of the stream of isochronous data packets being transmitted from the transmitting device to the receiving device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Richard A. Bardini, Glen Stone, Scott Smyers
  • Patent number: 8606651
    Abstract: Particular embodiments provide home network use recommendations to a user. The home network use recommendations may involve recommendations on items, which may include devices, applications, and/or services. When users connect an item (e.g., a device) to a home network, information associated with the item may be received. Metadata for the information is generated that describes the information. The metadata may be stored in storage in a user profile for the user. The user profile may then be analyzed to determine home network use recommendations. For example, recommendations may be how to use or configure the home network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Motoyuki Koike, Scott Smyers
  • Patent number: 8165924
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of controlling a virtual shopping center can include: receiving a user input at a query input engine; aggregating an output from the query input engine with a user preference, such as a purchase history or other expressed interest, to form a search criteria; searching a database using the search criteria; and displaying an image associated with a matching product or service resulting from the search of the database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Smyers, Mark Eyer
  • Patent number: 8135724
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of tagging content can include: accessing a frame of a digital media production; identifying an object for tagging within the frame; defining a metadata tag for the object; and storing the metadata tag in association with the identified object and the frame in the digital media production. In one embodiment, a method of substituting content can include: receiving tagged digital media in a controller; identifying an object for substitution by searching through objects and metadata tags in the tagged digital media; retrieving a substitute object using the controller; and re-rendering the tagged digital media to produce a customized digital media using the substitute object in place of the identified object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc
    Inventor: Scott Smyers
  • Publication number: 20110158109
    Abstract: An isochronous back channel is configured between a transmitting device and a receiving device. The isochronous back channel provides retransmission and flow control information from the receiving device to the transmitting device related to a stream of isochronous data packets transmitted from the transmitting device to the receiving device. An isochronous back channel packet for indicating a retransmission or flow control function to perform is configured and transmitted from the receiving device to the transmitting device over the isochronous back channel. A transmitting plug is configured on the receiving device and a receiving plug is configured on the transmitting device for implementing the isochronous back channel. The isochronous back channel packet includes a control instruction that instructs the transmitting device to either reset, stop or resume transmission of the stream of isochronous data packets being transmitted from the transmitting device to the receiving device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicants: SONY CORPORATION, SONY ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Richard A. Bardini, Glen Stone, Scott Smyers
  • Patent number: 7965984
    Abstract: Particular embodiments generally relate to providing information to a user. In one embodiment, a first information delivery device detects a headset associated with a user. The headset is detected when it is within a range of the first information delivery device. The first information delivery device contacts the headset using pairing information for the headset. After the pairing operation, information to deliver to the user is then determined. The information may be determined based on a user identifier associated with the user. For example, personalized information may be delivered to the headset. This personalized information may be information about the store or shopping center. In one example, the headset may be automatically contacted by information delivery device, which may cause the headset to ring. The user may decide to answer and can then hear the personalized information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott Smyers
  • Patent number: 7929447
    Abstract: An isochronous back channel is configured between a transmitting device and a receiving device. The isochronous back channel provides retransmission and flow control information from the receiving device to the transmitting device related to a stream of isochronous data packets transmitted from the transmitting device to the receiving device. An isochronous back channel packet for indicating a retransmission or flow control function to perform is configured and transmitted from the receiving device to the transmitting device over the isochronous back channel. A transmitting plug is configured on the receiving device and a receiving plug is configured on the transmitting device for implementing the isochronous back channel. The isochronous back channel packet includes a control instruction that instructs the transmitting device to either reset, stop or resume transmission of the stream of isochronous data packets being transmitted from the transmitting device to the receiving device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard A. Bardini, Glen Stone, Scott Smyers
  • Publication number: 20100076997
    Abstract: Particular embodiments provide home network use recommendations to a user. The home network use recommendations may involve recommendations on items, which may include devices, applications, and/or services. When users connect an item (e.g., a device) to a home network, information associated with the item may be received. Metadata for the information is generated that describes the information. The metadata may be stored in storage in a user profile for the user. The user profile may then be analyzed to determine home network use recommendations. For example, recommendations may be how to use or configure the home network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicants: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Motoyuki Koike, Scott Smyers
  • Publication number: 20090276230
    Abstract: Particular embodiments provide recommendations based on community affiliation. In one embodiment, the method determines a query from a target user. A community in which the target user is a member is then determined. The community may include a plurality of members that have joined the community based on a common interest. User activity information is analyzed for at least a portion of the members of the community to determine a recommendation for the query. The user activity information is determined to be of interest to the target user based on the target user's membership in the community. For example, based on the user's membership in the community, recommendations as to what other members in the community liked can be correlated to the query for the target user. Thus, the recommendation may be provided to the user based on what other users in the community liked.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Applicants: SONY CORPORATION, SONY ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Scott Smyers, Mark Eyer
  • Publication number: 20090215393
    Abstract: Particular embodiments generally relate to providing information to a user. In one embodiment, a first information delivery device detects a headset associated with a user. The headset is detected when it is within a range of the first information delivery device. The first information delivery device contacts the headset using pairing information for the headset. After the pairing operation, information to deliver to the user is then determined. The information may be determined based on a user identifier associated with the user. For example, personalized information may be delivered to the headset. This personalized information may be information about the store or shopping center. In one example, the headset may be automatically contacted by information delivery device, which may cause the headset to ring. The user may decide to answer and can then hear the personalized information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Applicants: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Scott Smyers
  • Patent number: 7577782
    Abstract: In a first embodiment, an applications programming interface (API) implements and manages isochronous and asynchronous data transfer operations between an application and a bus structure. During an synchronous transfer the API includes the ability to transfer any amount of data between one or more local data buffers within the application and a range of addresses over the bus structure using one or more asynchronous transactions. An automatic transaction generator may be used to automatically generate the transactions necessary to complete the data transfer. The API also includes the ability to transfer data between the application and another node on the bus structure isochronously over a dedicated channel. During an isochronous data transfer, a buffer management scheme is used to manage a linked list of data buffer descriptors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin K. Lym, Hisato Shima, Scott Smyers, Bruce A. Fairman
  • Publication number: 20090193344
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for determining a community mood can include: receiving a plurality of user inputs for determining individual user moods within a community; aggregating the individual user moods to form an aggregated community mood; selecting a community mood representation corresponding to the aggregated community mood; and displaying the selected community mood representation to the community.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Applicants: SONY CORPORATION, SONY ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Scott Smyers
  • Publication number: 20090143881
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of tagging content can include: accessing a frame of a digital media production; identifying an object for tagging within the frame; defining a metadata tag for the object; and storing the metadata tag in association with the identified object and the frame in the digital media production. In one embodiment, a method of substituting content can include: receiving tagged digital media in a controller; identifying an object for substitution by searching through objects and metadata tags in the tagged digital media; retrieving a substitute object using the controller; and re-rendering the tagged digital media to produce a customized digital media using the substitute object in place of the identified object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicants: SONY CORPORATION, SONY ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Scott Smyers
  • Publication number: 20090138376
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of controlling a virtual shopping center can include: receiving a user input at a query input engine; aggregating an output from the query input engine with a user preference, such as a purchase history or other expressed interest, to form a search criteria; searching a database using the search criteria; and displaying an image associated with a matching product or service resulting from the search of the database.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Applicants: SONY CORPORATION, SONY ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Scott Smyers, Mark Eyer
  • Publication number: 20060291508
    Abstract: An asynchronous data pipe (ADP) automatically generates transactions necessary to complete asynchronous data transfer operations for an application over a bus structure. The ADP includes a register file which is programmed and initiated by the application. The register file includes the bus speed, transaction label, transaction code, destination node identifier, destination offset address, length of each data packet, packet counter, packet counter bump field, control field and a status field. During a data transfer operation, the ADP generates the transactions necessary to complete the operation over the appropriate range of addresses, using the information in the register file as a template. The ADP increments the value in the destination offset address field for each transaction according to the length of each data packet, unless the incrementing feature has been disabled and the transactions are to take place at a fixed address.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Publication date: December 28, 2006
    Inventor: Scott Smyers
  • Patent number: 7154910
    Abstract: A data transmission method configures a source plug on a source device and a destination plug on a destination device for respectively transmitting and receiving isochronous data packets in non real-time. A stream of non real-time isochronous data packets is formed by first packetizing the data stream into conventional real-time isochronous data packets. Then, either a partial real-time isochronous data packet or multiple real-time isochronous data packets are encapsulated within a data payload portion of a non real-time isochronous data packet depending on the transmission speed. If the transmission speed is less than real-time, then a partial real-time isochronous data packet is encapsulated within the non real-time isochronous data packet. If the transmission speed is greater than real-time, then multiple real-time isochronous data packets are encapsulated within a single non real-time isochronous data packet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Richard A. Bardini, Glen Stone, Bruce Fairman, Scott Smyers