Patents by Inventor Stephen Thornton
Stephen Thornton 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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Publication number: 20240066542Abstract: An aerosol delivery system has an aerosol generator with a vibrating aperture plate (10) and an actuator (11, 16, 17, 19), a controller (18, 19). The controller in real time monitors (201) the aerosol generator as it is driven for vibration of the aperture plate, and detects (202) a change in an electrical characteristic in response to a transition from a wet state to a dry state of the aperture plate. It automatically modifies (203, 205, 206), during the transition, operation of the aerosol generator in response to the detected change. The modification includes reducing applied power (203). The controller continues (204) to monitor during the transition, including monitoring the aperture plate for presence of residual liquid on the aperture plate first surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2023Publication date: February 29, 2024Applicant: STAMFORD DEVICES LIMITEDInventors: Joseph GREHAN, Noel COYLE, Russell GREANEY, Stephen THORNTON
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Patent number: 11899470Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses for an airframe of a volitant body are presented herein. An apparatus may include a body having a normal axis. The body comprising a central air passage communicating through the body along the normal axis of the body. The central air passage may have an inlet at a first end of the body and an outlet at a second end of the body, the second end being opposite the first end. The central air passage may form an interior surface of the body. The central air passage permitting a flow of air through the body via the central air passage. The inlet may be formed to produce a Venturi effect in the flow of air passing through the central air passage from the inlet to the outlet by choking the flow of air at the inlet.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2020Date of Patent: February 13, 2024Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.Inventors: Clifford W. Wong, Michael P. Goslin, Stephen A. Thornton
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Patent number: 11839891Abstract: An aerosol delivery system has an aerosol generator with a vibrating aperture plate (10) and an actuator (11, 16, 17, 19), a controller (18, 19). The controller in real time monitors (201) the aerosol generator as it is driven for vibration of the aperture plate, and detects (202) a change in an electrical characteristic in response to a transition from a wet state to a dry state of the aperture plate. It automatically modifies (203, 205, 206), during the transition, operation of the aerosol generator in response to the detected change. The modification includes reducing applied power (203). The controller continues (204) to monitor during the transition, including monitoring the aperture plate for presence of residual liquid on the aperture plate first surface.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2018Date of Patent: December 12, 2023Assignee: Stamford Devices LimitedInventors: Joseph Grehan, Noel Coyle, Russell Greaney, Stephen Thornton
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Patent number: 11715092Abstract: Embodiments provide for managing ownership of physical objects and digital counterparts using a distributed ledger and tokens stored on the physical objects. An example method generally includes reading, via a wireless data connection between a physical object and a mobile device, a token stored on the physical object. The token may include at least a unique identifier of the physical object. A request to transfer ownership of the physical object to an owner of the mobile device is generated, and the request may include at least the unique identifier of the physical object. The generated request is transmitted to a distributed ledger system, and a response is received from the distributed ledger system indicating whether the transfer was successful. The indication of whether the transfer was successful is displayed on the mobile device.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2019Date of Patent: August 1, 2023Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.Inventors: Jason A. Yeung, Clifford Wong, Elliott H. Baumbach, Michael P. Goslin, Tritia V. Medrano, Nathan D. Nocon, Stephen A. Thornton
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Patent number: 11216665Abstract: Embodiments provide for an augmented reality (AR) system able to track the movement of real-world objects and apply that movement to virtual objects. The AR system includes a radio configured to receive first sensor data from a sensor attached to a first physical object in physical space. The AR system further includes a processor configured to determine when a physical object changes from a first state to a second state object based on the first sensor data, and update an environmental map based on the change from the first state to the second state of the first physical object.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2019Date of Patent: January 4, 2022Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.Inventors: Corey D. Drake, Timothy M. Panec, Tritia V. Medrano, Stephen A. Thornton, Jason A. Yeung, Nathan D. Nocon, Elliott H. Baumbach
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Patent number: 11123647Abstract: An entertainment system includes multiple figurines configured for wireless communication, and a control device having a hardware processor, a system memory storing a control application, and a transceiver. The hardware processor executes the control application to detect each of the figurines via the transceiver and to identify a predetermined entertainment for performance by two or more of the figurines. The hardware processor further executes the control application to transmit control signals to the two or more figurines via the transceiver, wherein a first control signal instructs a first of the two or more figurines to perform a first portion of the predetermined entertainment, and a second control signal instructs a second of the two or more figurines to perform a second portion of the predetermined entertainment. The two or more of the figurines are configured to perform the predetermined entertainment according to the control signals.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2019Date of Patent: September 21, 2021Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.Inventors: Janice Rosenthal, Nathan Nocon, Stephen A. Thornton, Michael P. Goslin, Timothy Panec
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Publication number: 20210237888Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses for an airframe of a volitant body are presented herein. An apparatus may include a body having a normal axis. The body comprising a central air passage communicating through the body along the normal axis of the body. The central air passage may have an inlet at a first end of the body and an outlet at a second end of the body, the second end being opposite the first end. The central air passage may form an interior surface of the body. The central air passage permitting a flow of air through the body via the central air passage. The inlet may be formed to produce a Venturi effect in the flow of air passing through the central air passage from the inlet to the outlet by choking the flow of air at the inlet.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2020Publication date: August 5, 2021Inventors: Clifford W. Wong, Michael P. Goslin, Stephen A. Thornton
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Patent number: 11070958Abstract: Systems, methods and articles of manufacture for performing an operation comprising receiving, by a first wearable device, input specifying to establish a relationship with a second wearable device within a predefined distance of the first wearable device, receiving, by the first wearable device from the second wearable device via wireless data transmissions, an identifier of the second wearable device, a tile identifier of a tile communicably coupled to a tile interface of the second wearable device, and a state associated with the tile; and storing, in a first entry of a data structure of the first wearable device, an indication of the relationship with the second wearable device, wherein the indication comprises the identifier of the second wearable device, the tile identifier, and the state associated with the tile.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2018Date of Patent: July 20, 2021Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.Inventors: Timothy M. Panec, Stephen A. Thornton, Katherine M. Bassett
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Patent number: 11057236Abstract: The present disclosure may be embodied in systems, methods, and computer readable media, and may allow for interactive responses by network-enabled objects, programs, and machines. Embodiments described are well-suited for communicating and responding using small-sized data messages, thus allowing for their implementation in standard messaging systems and by simple devices such as toys and other low-level electronic devices that may have limited processing capacity and/or memory. The present disclosure provides in one embodiment a method comprising receiving at least one broadcast message, each broadcast message in the at least one broadcast message comprising a plurality of identifiers and determining a highest priority identifier amongst the plurality of identifiers received in the at least one broadcast message. The method may further comprise identifying a command sequence associated with the highest priority identifier and executing the command sequence.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2019Date of Patent: July 6, 2021Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.Inventors: Timothy M. Panec, Stephen A. Thornton
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Patent number: 11048108Abstract: According to one implementation, a multi-perspective image display system includes a motor configured to spin a rotor, a display screen coupled to the rotor, and a controller. The controller is configured to cause the motor to spin the display screen, using the rotor, about an axis of rotation at a spin rate, and to determine, based on the spin rate, an illumination on-time for an illumination source of the display screen. The controller is also configured to sequentially render each of multiple different perspectives of an image on the display screen during each revolution of the display screen about the axis of rotation and, concurrently with sequentially rendering each of the plurality of perspectives of the image on the display screen, to strobe the illumination source of the display screen based on the determined illumination on-time to display the multiple different perspectives of the image.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2019Date of Patent: June 29, 2021Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.Inventors: Nathan D. Nocon, Stephen A. Thornton, Clifford Wong, Eric C. Haseltine
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Publication number: 20210182832Abstract: Embodiments provide for managing ownership of physical objects and digital counterparts using a distributed ledger and tokens stored on the physical objects. An example method generally includes reading, via a wireless data connection between a physical object and a mobile device, a token stored on the physical object. The token may include at least a unique identifier of the physical object. A request to transfer ownership of the physical object to an owner of the mobile device is generated, and the request may include at least the unique identifier of the physical object. The generated request is transmitted to a distributed ledger system, and a response is received from the distributed ledger system indicating whether the transfer was successful. The indication of whether the transfer was successful is displayed on the mobile device.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2019Publication date: June 17, 2021Inventors: Jason A. YEUNG, Clifford WONG, Elliott H. BAUMBACH, Michael P. GOSLIN, Tritia V. MEDRANO, Nathan D. NOCON, Stephen A. THORNTON
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Patent number: 10981073Abstract: Techniques for randomized device interaction are provided. A first communication pattern is selected, with at least a degree of randomness, from a plurality of communication patterns, where each of the plurality of communication patterns specifies one or more audio profiles. A first audio profile specified in the first communication pattern is identified. A first portion of audio is extracted from a first audio file with at least a degree of randomness, and the first portion of audio is modified based on the first audio profile. Finally, the first modified portion of audio is outputted by a first device.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2018Date of Patent: April 20, 2021Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.Inventors: Nathan D. Nocon, Stephen A. Thornton, Timothy M. Panec
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Publication number: 20210080766Abstract: According to one implementation, a multi-perspective image display system includes a motor configured to spin a rotor, a display screen coupled to the rotor, and a controller. The controller is configured to cause the motor to spin the display screen, using the rotor, about an axis of rotation at a spin rate, and to determine, based on the spin rate, an illumination on-time for an illumination source of the display screen. The controller is also configured to sequentially render each of multiple different perspectives of an image on the display screen during each revolution of the display screen about the axis of rotation and, concurrently with sequentially rendering each of the plurality of perspectives of the image on the display screen, to strobe the illumination source of the display screen based on the determined illumination on-time to display the multiple different perspectives of the image.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2019Publication date: March 18, 2021Inventors: Nathan D. Nocon, Stephen A. Thornton, Clifford Wong, Eric C. Haseltine
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Publication number: 20210049361Abstract: Embodiments provide for an augmented reality (AR) system able to track the movement of real-world objects and apply that movement to virtual objects. The AR system includes a radio configured to receive first sensor data from a sensor attached to a first physical object in physical space. The AR system further includes a processor configured to determine when a physical object changes from a first state to a second state object based on the first sensor data, and update an environmental map based on the change from the first state to the second state of the first physical object.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 15, 2019Publication date: February 18, 2021Inventors: Corey D. DRAKE, Timothy M. PANEC, Tritia V. MEDRANO, Stephen A. THORNTON, Jason A. YEUNG, Nathan D. NOCON, Elliott H. BAUMBACH
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Patent number: 10916061Abstract: This disclosure presents systems and methods to synchronize real-world motion of physical objects with presentation of virtual content. Individual physical objects may be detected and/or identified based on image information defining one or more images of a real-world environment. Individual network connections may be established between individual computing platforms and individual physical objects. A network connection may facilitate a synchronization of a presentation of virtual content on a computing platform with motion of one or more physical objects in the real-world environment.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2019Date of Patent: February 9, 2021Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.Inventors: Timothy M. Panec, Janice Rosenthal, Hunter J. Gibson, Nathan D. Nocon, Stephen A. Thornton
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Publication number: 20200358629Abstract: The present disclosure may be embodied in systems, methods, and computer readable media, and may allow for interactive responses by network-enabled objects, programs, and machines. Embodiments described are well-suited for communicating and responding using small-sized data messages, thus allowing for their implementation in standard messaging systems and by simple devices such as toys and other low-level electronic devices that may have limited processing capacity and/or memory. The present disclosure provides in one embodiment a method comprising receiving at least one broadcast message, each broadcast message in the at least one broadcast message comprising a plurality of identifiers and determining a highest priority identifier amongst the plurality of identifiers received in the at least one broadcast message. The method may further comprise identifying a command sequence associated with the highest priority identifier and executing the command sequence.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 9, 2019Publication date: November 12, 2020Applicant: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.Inventors: Timothy M. Panec, Stephen A. Thornton
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Publication number: 20200342683Abstract: This disclosure presents systems and methods to synchronize real-world motion of physical objects with presentation of virtual content. Individual physical objects may be detected and/or identified based on image information defining one or more images of a real-world environment. Individual network connections may be established between individual computing platforms and individual physical objects. A network connection may facilitate a synchronization of a presentation of virtual content on a computing platform with motion of one or more physical objects in the real-world environment.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2019Publication date: October 29, 2020Inventors: Timothy M. Panec, Janice Rosenthal, Hunter J. Gibson, Nathan D. Nocon, Stephen A. Thornton
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Patent number: 10761343Abstract: According to one implementation, a floating image display system includes a computing platform including a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), and a system memory storing a software code. The system also includes one or more display screens controlled by the GPU, and a rotor coupled to the one or more display screens and controlled by the CPU. The CPU executes the software code to render a two-dimensional (2D) graphic on the one or more display screens using the GPU, and to spin the rotor and the one or more display screens about a vertical axis parallel to a display surface of the one or more display screens at a predetermined spin rate to generate a floating image of the 2D graphic. The floating image appears to be a three-dimensional (3D) floating image of the 2D graphic to a user viewing the floating image.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2018Date of Patent: September 1, 2020Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.Inventors: Eric C. Haseltine, Michael P. Goslin, Stephen A. Thornton, Jonathan R. Hsu, Elliott Baumbach
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Publication number: 20200246714Abstract: An entertainment system includes multiple figurines configured for wireless communication, and a control device having a hardware processor, a system memory storing a control application, and a transceiver. The hardware processor executes the control application to detect each of the figurines via the transceiver and to identify a predetermined entertainment for performance by two or more of the figurines. The hardware processor further executes the control application to transmit control signals to the two or more figurines via the transceiver, wherein a first control signal instructs a first of the two or more figurines to perform a first portion of the predetermined entertainment, and a second control signal instructs a second of the two or more figurines to perform a second portion of the predetermined entertainment. The two or more of the figurines are configured to perform the predetermined entertainment according to the control signals.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 4, 2019Publication date: August 6, 2020Inventors: Janice Rosenthal, Nathan Nocon, Stephen A. Thornton, Michael P. Goslin, Timothy Panec
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Patent number: 10732432Abstract: According to one implementation, a floating image display system includes a computing platform including a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), and a system memory storing a software code. The system also includes one or more display screens controlled by the GPU, and a rotor coupled to the one or more display screens and controlled by the CPU. The CPU executes the software code to render a two-dimensional (2D) graphic on the one or more display screens using the GPU, and to spin the rotor and the one or more display screens about a vertical axis parallel to a display surface of the one or more display screens at a predetermined spin rate to generate a floating image of the 2D graphic. The floating image appears to be a three-dimensional (3D) floating image of the 2D graphic to a user viewing the floating image.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2019Date of Patent: August 4, 2020Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.Inventors: Eric C. Haseltine, Michael P. Goslin, Stephen A. Thornton, Jonathan R. Hsu, Elliott Baumbach