Patents by Inventor Simon HUGHES

Simon 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).

  • Patent number: 12654932
    Abstract: In an approach to a docking station for a robotic cleaner, the docking station includes a base; a trash bin having a substantially air-impermeable trash bag removably disposed thereon; a dock dirty air inlet defined in the base, the dock dirty air inlet being configured to fluidly couple to the robotic cleaner; and a dock suction motor, wherein the dock suction motor is activated after the robotic cleaner is determined to be docked with the docking station and configured to urge debris from the robotic cleaner into the trash bin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2026
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Lloyd Olsen, Simon Hughes, Spencer Walker-Fooks, Pol Bernat Belenguer
  • Patent number: 12616346
    Abstract: A robotic cleaner may include one or more driven wheels, at least one environmental sensor, and a mop module. The mop module may include a tank having a tank inlet and a tank outlet, a pad coupled at a bottom side of the tank, the pad configured to contact a surface to be cleaned and to receive liquid from the tank outlet, and a latch configured to transition between a latched position, a release position, and a refill position. When in the latched position and in the release position, at least a portion of the latch may extend over the tank inlet and, when in the refill position, the latch may be displaced from the tank inlet, exposing the tank inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2026
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Jun Feng Ding, Evan P. Jasper, Yi hui Zhang, Hamish Thompson, Max Davidowitz, Simon Hughes, Jianjun Ge, Jian Xiang
  • Publication number: 20260021945
    Abstract: A container can include a cylindrical body having an open first end, a closed second end, and a fluid therein. The container can also include a lid configured to removably couple with the open first end of the cylindrical body. The lid can include a lid base having at least one first opening and a lid cap can be rotatably coupled to the lid base and can have a second opening. Rotating the lid cap from a first position corresponding to a storage configuration to a second position corresponding to a dispensing configuration can cause the least one first opening of the lid base and the second opening of the lid cap to be aligned and a flexible straw removably coupled to the lid base can transition from a stored configuration to a deployed configuration in which the flexible straw extends through the second opening of the lid cap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2025
    Publication date: January 22, 2026
    Inventors: Geoff Marsh, Annie Mills, James Potter, Simon Hughes, Robert Ellis
  • Publication number: 20250265258
    Abstract: A method for ranking documents in search results includes defining a first training data set, the first training data set including, for each of a plurality of user queries, information respective of a document selected by a user from results responsive to the query and information respective of one or more documents within an observation window after the selected document in the results, and defining a second training data set, the second training data set including, for each of the plurality of user queries, information respective of the selected document. The method further includes training a first machine learning model with the first training data set, training a second machine learning model with the second training data set, and ranking documents of a further search result set according to the output of the first machine learning model and the output of the second machine learning model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2025
    Publication date: August 21, 2025
    Inventors: Jianghong Zhou, Sayyed Zahiri, Simon Hughes, Surya Kallumadi, Khalifeh AI Jadda, Eugene Agichtein
  • Patent number: 12292895
    Abstract: A method for ranking documents in search results includes defining a first training data set, the first training data set including, for each of a plurality of user queries, information respective of a document selected by a user from results responsive to the query and information respective of one or more documents within an observation window after the selected document in the results, and defining a second training data set, the second training data set including, for each of the plurality of user queries, information respective of the selected document. The method further includes training a first machine learning model with the first training data set, training a second machine learning model with the second training data set, and ranking documents of a further search result set according to the output of the first machine learning model and the output of the second machine learning model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: Home Depot Product Authority, LLC
    Inventors: Jianghong Zhou, Sayyed Zahiri, Simon Hughes, Surya Kallumadi, Khalifeh Al Jadda, Eugene Agichtein
  • Publication number: 20250123045
    Abstract: Various systems, devices, and methods for insulated containers with a drawer are provided. In general, an insulated container, such as a portable cooler, includes a drawer. The insulated container includes a main chamber and includes a drawer chamber that is separate from the main chamber and is configured to movably receive the drawer therein. The main chamber is configured to hold a cooling agent that is configured to cool any items in the main chamber and also any items in the drawer. The insulated container can be manufactured using injection molding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2024
    Publication date: April 17, 2025
    Inventors: Simon Hughes, Thomas Sharp, Able Chen, Haien Zhou, Robert Ellis
  • Publication number: 20250093087
    Abstract: Various systems, devices, and methods for insulated containers with a drawer are provided. In general, an insulated container, such as a portable cooler, includes a drawer. The insulated container includes a main chamber and includes a drawer chamber that is separate from the main chamber and is configured to movably receive the drawer therein. The main chamber is configured to hold a cooling agent that is configured to cool any items in the main chamber and also any items in the drawer. The insulated container can be manufactured using injection molding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2024
    Publication date: March 20, 2025
    Inventors: Simon Hughes, Thomas Sharp, Able Chen, Haien Zhou, Robert Ellis
  • Publication number: 20250093088
    Abstract: Various systems, devices, and methods for insulated containers with a drawer are provided. In general, an insulated container, such as a portable cooler, includes a drawer. The insulated container includes a main chamber and includes a drawer chamber that is separate from the main chamber and is configured to movably receive the drawer therein. The main chamber is configured to hold a cooling agent that is configured to cool any items in the main chamber and also any items in the drawer. The insulated container can be manufactured using injection molding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2023
    Publication date: March 20, 2025
    Inventors: Simon Hughes, Thomas Sharp, Able Chen, Haien Zhou, Robert Ellis, Lauren Tarvin
  • Publication number: 20250091305
    Abstract: Various systems, devices, and methods for insulated containers with a drawer are provided. In general, an insulated container, such as a portable cooler, includes a drawer. The insulated container includes a main chamber and includes a drawer chamber that is separate from the main chamber and is configured to movably receive the drawer therein. The main chamber is configured to hold a cooling agent that is configured to cool any items in the main chamber and also any items in the drawer. The insulated container can be manufactured using injection molding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2023
    Publication date: March 20, 2025
    Inventors: Simon Hughes, Thomas Sharp, Able Chen, Haien Zhou, Robert Ellis
  • Publication number: 20250083895
    Abstract: In an approach to a docking station for a robotic cleaner, the docking station includes a base; a trash bin having a substantially air-impermeable trash bag removably disposed thereon; a dock dirty air inlet defined in the base, the dock dirty air inlet being configured to fluidly couple to the robotic cleaner; and a dock suction motor, wherein the dock suction motor is activated after the robotic cleaner is determined to be docked with the docking station and configured to urge debris from the robotic cleaner into the trash bin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2023
    Publication date: March 13, 2025
    Inventors: Lloyd OLSEN, Simon HUGHES, Spencer WALKER-FOOKS, Pol Bernat BELENGUER
  • Patent number: 12235911
    Abstract: A method for providing document category recommendations may include training a machine learning algorithm; receiving, from a user, a selection of an anchor document; retrieving a user co-viewing sequence; generating, via the trained machine learning algorithm, a sequence embeddings set based on the anchor document and the user co-viewing sequence; comparing the generated embeddings set to respective embeddings for a plurality of candidate sets; determining the candidate set closest to the generated embeddings; and presenting at least one category from the closest candidate set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Home Depot Product Authority, LLC
    Inventors: Srivatsa Mallapragada, Ying Xie, Varsha Rani Chawan, Zeyad Hailat, Simon Hughes, Yuanbo Wang
  • Patent number: 12163734
    Abstract: Various systems, devices, and methods for insulated containers with a drawer are provided. In general, an insulated container, such as a portable cooler, includes a drawer. The insulated container includes a main chamber and includes a drawer chamber that is separate from the main chamber and is configured to movably receive the drawer therein. The main chamber is configured to hold a cooling agent that is configured to cool any items in the main chamber and also any items in the drawer. The insulated container can be manufactured using injection molding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2024
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Simon Hughes, Able Chen, Haien Zhou, Thomas Sharp
  • Publication number: 20240378209
    Abstract: A method for providing a ranked set of search results includes receiving, from a device, a query, determining, via a first machine learning model, an initial set of documents responsive to the received query, accessing a second machine learning model, the second machine learning model selected from a set of machine learning models based on a characteristic of the query, ranking, via the second machine learning model, the initial set of documents based on responsiveness to the query to generate the ranked set of search results, and outputting the ranked set of search results on the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2024
    Publication date: November 14, 2024
    Inventors: Duleep Rathgamage Don, Ying Xie, Le Yu, Simon Hughes, Yun Zhu
  • Patent number: 12129099
    Abstract: Various systems, devices, and methods for insulated containers with a drawer are provided. In general, an insulated container, such as a portable cooler, includes a drawer. The insulated container includes a main chamber and includes a drawer chamber that is separate from the main chamber and is configured to movably receive the drawer therein. The main chamber is configured to hold a cooling agent that is configured to cool any items in the main chamber and also any items in the drawer. The insulated container can be manufactured using injection molding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2024
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Simon Hughes, Able Chen, Haien Zhou, Thomas Sharp
  • Patent number: 12012852
    Abstract: A robotic mud-logger having a slurry sampler to collect a slurry sample online from a drilling fluid circuit contemporaneous with drilling of a borehole, the slurry sample including drilling fluid and rock cuttings. A liquid separator removes drilling fluid from the slurry sample and discharges a sample of the rock cuttings. A spectrometer and other sensors perform elemental analysis of, and take other measurements related to, the sample of the rock cuttings substantially in real time with collection of the slurry sample. A system is provided for retaining stored samples in containers with identifying data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: DIVERSIFIED WELL LOGGING, LLC
    Inventors: David Tonner, Aaron Swanson, Simon Hughes
  • Publication number: 20240152561
    Abstract: A method for providing document category recommendations may include training a machine learning algorithm; receiving, from a user, a selection of an anchor document; retrieving a user co-viewing sequence; generating, via the trained machine learning algorithm, a sequence embeddings set based on the anchor document and the user co-viewing sequence; comparing the generated embeddings set to respective embeddings for a plurality of candidate sets; determining the candidate set closest to the generated embeddings; and presenting at least one category from the closest candidate set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2023
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Inventors: Srivatsa Mallapragada, Ying Xie, Varsha Rani Chawan, Zeyad Hailat, Simon Hughes, Yuanbo Wang
  • Patent number: 11960555
    Abstract: A method of providing results from a search engine comprises generating an initial set based on a query received from a user; generating an attention value based on the query and on the initial set; applying the attention value to the initial set; and presenting a set of results in response to the query, wherein the results are generated according to the application of the attention value to the initial set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Home Depot Product Authority, LLC
    Inventors: Ali Ahmadvand, Sayyed M. Zahiri, Simon Hughes, Khalifeh Al Jadda, Surya Kallumadi, Eugene Agichtein
  • Publication number: 20240119059
    Abstract: A method for ranking documents in search results includes defining a first training data set, the first training data set including, for each of a plurality of user queries, information respective of a document selected by a user from results responsive to the query and information respective of one or more documents within an observation window after the selected document in the results, and defining a second training data set, the second training data set including, for each of the plurality of user queries, information respective of the selected document. The method further includes training a first machine learning model with the first training data set, training a second machine learning model with the second training data set, and ranking documents of a further search result set according to the output of the first machine learning model and the output of the second machine learning model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2023
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Inventors: Jianghong Zhou, Sayyed Zahiri, Simon Hughes, Surya Kallumadi, Khalifeh Al Jadda, Eugene Agichtein
  • Patent number: 11884402
    Abstract: A holder for holding a rolled-up newspaper comprises one or more elastic members and a grip that has a shaped surface for positioning against a rolled-up newspaper. When the one or more elastic members are secured to a rear surface of a vehicle seat back or to a literature pocket positioned on the rear surface of a vehicle seat back, the one or more elastic members urge the shaped surface of the grip towards the rear surface of the seat back, or of a literature pocket positioned between the grip and the rear surface of the seat back, such that when a rolled-up newspaper is positioned between the shaped surface of the grip and the rear surface of the seat back or the rear surface of the literature pocket, the newspaper is held in place between the shaped surface of the grip and the seat back or the literature pocket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: ACRO AIRCRAFT SEATING LIMITED
    Inventors: Simon Hughes, Andrew Wolfenden
  • Publication number: 20240016356
    Abstract: A robotic cleaner may include one or more driven wheels, at least one environmental sensor, and a mop module. The mop module may include a tank having a tank inlet and a tank outlet, a pad coupled at a bottom side of the tank, the pad configured to contact a surface to be cleaned and to receive liquid from the tank outlet, and a latch configured to transition between a latched position, a release position, and a refill position. When in the latched position and in the release position, at least a portion of the latch may extend over the tank inlet and, when in the refill position, the latch may be displaced from the tank inlet, exposing the tank inlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2022
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventors: Jun Feng DING, Evan P. JASPER, Yi hui ZHANG, Hamish THOMPSON, Max DAVIDOWITZ, Simon HUGHES, Jianjun GE, Jian XIANG