Patents by Inventor Tao Xie

Tao Xie 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).

  • Publication number: 20150205858
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving an unstructured text query from a first user of an online social network; and accessing, from a data store of the mobile client system, a set of nodes of a social graph of the online social network. The social graph includes a number of nodes and edges connecting the nodes. The nodes include a first node corresponding to the first user and a number of second nodes that each correspond to a concept or a second user associated with the online social network. The method also includes accessing, from the data store of the mobile client system, a set of grammar templates. Each grammar template includes one or more non-terminal tokens and one or more query tokens. The query tokens include references to zero or more second nodes and one or more edges and each grammar template is based on a natural-language string.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Applicant: FACEBOOK, INC.
    Inventors: Tao Xie, Rousseau Newaz Kazi, Maxime Boucher, Yunnan Wu
  • Patent number: 9083049
    Abstract: A fuel cell comprising: a first layer comprising a first ionomer and an additive, the additive comprising a metal oxide comprising an oxide at least one of of Ce, Mn, V, Pt, Ru, Zr, Ni, Cr, W, Co, Mo, or Sn, and wherein the additive is present in at least 0.1 weight percent of the ionomer is disclosed as one embodiment of the invention, and performance and durability are advantaged wherein one or all of the metal oxide consists essentially nanoparticles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Timothy J. Fuller, Michael R. Schoeneweiss, Tao Xie, Frank Coms, Sean M. MacKinnon, Gerald W. Fly
  • Patent number: 9074090
    Abstract: A photonic device is provided having a two or three-dimensionally periodic structure of interconnected members with alterable spacing between the members. The structure is composed of a shape memory polymer configured to be thermo-mechanically tunable to display a plurality of optical properties under a series of temperature changes and stress. A method of producing a photonic device based on a shape memory polymer is provided. A mold, having a two or three-dimensionally periodic structure of interconnected components with a characteristic spacing between the components, is infiltrated with a shape memory polymer precursor to form a composite structure. The composite structure is solidified. The mold is removed from the composite structure to form a photonic device as an inverse replica of the mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Tao Xie, William B. Carter, Geoffrey P. McKnight
  • Publication number: 20150189126
    Abstract: A video frame producer, a method of generating content frames and a video viewing device are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the video frame producer includes: (1) a content provider configured to generate content frames for a display and (2) a viewing smoother configured to direct the content provider to generate the content frames at a frame rate based on a display refresh rate of the display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2014
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Applicant: Nvidia Corporation
    Inventors: Tao Xie, Matthew Wagner, Ilan Aelion
  • Patent number: 9062898
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle is operated in conjunction with various thermodynamic cycle working fluid circuits to cool a target fluid that may be used in a separate system or duty. In one embodiment, the refrigeration cycle includes an ejector that extracts a motive fluid from the working fluid cycles in order to entrain a suction fluid that is also extracted from the working fluid circuits. Expanding the suction fluid reduces the pressure and temperature of the suction fluid for cooling the target fluid in an evaporator, which evaporates the suction fluid before being entrained into the ejector by the motive fluid. A mixed fluid is discharged from the ejector and injected into the working fluid circuits upstream from a condenser that cools the mixed fluid and the working fluid circulating throughout the working fluid circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Echogen Power Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy James Held, Michael Louis Vermeersch, Tao Xie
  • Publication number: 20150152215
    Abstract: In some variations, the invention provides a curable adhesive formulation comprising a curable liquid precursor capable of frontal polymerization, wherein the liquid precursor comprises a monomer and a polymerization catalyst, and frontal-polymerization-triggering susceptors in contact with, or contained within, the liquid precursor. The susceptors may include conducting and/or magnetic solid particles capable of induction heating in the presence of a remotely applied electromagnetic field. Other variations provide a polymer-curing system comprising a curable liquid precursor, frontal-polymerization-triggering susceptors, and an apparatus configured to remotely produce an alternating electromagnetic field in line-of-sight with the susceptors (but not necessarily in line-of-sight with the liquid precursor), thereby generating induction heating to initiate the frontal polymerization. The susceptors may be about 0.1 wt % to about 50 wt % of the curable formulation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2014
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Inventors: Tao XIE, Andrew P. NOWAK, Thomas BOUNDY
  • Patent number: 9027371
    Abstract: An appliance system that includes an appliance group containing at least two appliances, a first appliance designed to perform a first consumer function related to the first appliance and a second appliance that is separate from the first appliance and designed to perform a second consumer function related to the second appliance. The appliance system also includes a thermal energy generator, typically a heat pump, where the thermal energy heats at least one thermal energy bearing fluid and is operably connected to the first and second appliances to deliver thermal energy to the first and second appliances simultaneously or at different times via one or more of the thermal energy bearing fluids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce C. Beihoff, Nihat O. Cur, Kirk M. Dunsbergen, Joel A. Luckman, Richard A. Sunshine, Tao Xie
  • Publication number: 20150086791
    Abstract: One variation includes a method including using a reversible dry adhesive system to reversibly couple a first substrate to a second substrate. One variation includes a method including using a reversible dry adhesive system to reversibly couple a first substrate to a second substrate during building or reconfiguring a product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Alan L. Browne, Tao Xie, John C. Ulicny, William R. Rodgers, Nilesh D. Mankame, Xingcheng Xiao, Nancy L. Johnson, Jessica A. Schroeder, John N. Owens, Ingrid Rousseau, Hamid G. Kia, Paul E. Krajewski
  • Patent number: 8951654
    Abstract: One embodiment includes a rechargeable charge storage device including a microcapsule disposed within said rechargeable charge storage device; and a thermal retardant chemical species contained within said microcapsule, wherein said microcapsule is adapted to release said chemical species upon being exposed to a triggering event either prior to or during an unstable rise in temperature of said charge storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Anil K. Sachdev, Mark W. Verbrugge, Thomas C. Pederson, William R. Rodgers, Hamid G. Kia, Howard William Cox, Paula D. Fasulo, Ingrid A. Rousseau, Tao Xie
  • Patent number: 8915104
    Abstract: An appliance system that includes an appliance group containing at least two appliances, a first appliance designed to perform a first consumer function related to the first appliance and a second appliance that is separate from the first appliance and designed to perform a second consumer function related to the second appliance. The appliance system also includes a thermal energy generator, typically a heat pump, where the thermal energy heats at least one thermal energy bearing fluid and is operably connected to the first and second appliances to deliver thermal energy to the first and second appliances simultaneously or at different times via one or more of the thermal energy bearing fluids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Inventors: Bruce C. Beihoff, Nihat O. Cur, Kirk M. Dunsbergen, Joel A. Luckman, Richard A. Sunshine, Tao Xie
  • Publication number: 20140344406
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a computing device receives from a mobile device a request for one or more images. The computing device adjusts one or more of the images based at least in part on one or more display capabilities of the mobile device, and one or more tagged regions within one or more of the images. The computing device sends to the mobile device one or more of the images as adjusted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Inventors: Tao Xie, Michael Dudley Johnson
  • Patent number: 8878870
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide graphic processing techniques and configurations including an apparatus comprising a storage medium having stored therein a table comprising information about respective positions and sizes of a number of rectangular blocks, the rectangular blocks to substantially form at least one plane having an arbitrary shape object, and at least one overlay engine operatively coupled with the table and associated with the at least one plane to request the information about the respective positions and the sizes of the number of rectangular blocks to provide graphics overlay of the arbitrary shape object. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Satish Kumar Vutukuri, Haohong Wang, Li Sha, Tao Xie, Ching-Han Tsai, Tzun-Wei Lee, Leung Chung Lai, Shuhua Xiang
  • Patent number: 8865310
    Abstract: A polymer material system that consists of multiple SMP layers of different shape memory transition temperatures in a multilayer construction to achieve and tailor a multiple shape memory effect. Wherein two SMP layers of different shape memory transition temperatures are utilized, a triple shape memory effect is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Tao Xie, Xingcheng Xiao, Yang T. Cheng
  • Patent number: 8854397
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a server receives from a mobile device a request for one or more images. The server adjusts one or more of the requested images, based at least partly on the display capabilities of the mobile device, to have a landscape orientation or a portrait orientation, then sends the adjusted image to the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Tao Xie, Michael Dudley Johnson
  • Patent number: 8795464
    Abstract: One exemplary method includes providing a first polymer and a second polymer each comprising a first shape memory polymer backbone having at least one surface free side chain, the first polymer and the second polymer each transformable between a permanent shape and a temporary shape; creating an adhesive bond between the first polymer and the second polymer, wherein the creating of the adhesive bond transforms the first polymer to its temporary shape and transforms the second polymer to its temporary shape; and wherein the at least one surface free chain of the first polymer in its temporary shape is interdiffused with the at least one surface free chain of the second polymer in its temporary shape by the creation of the adhesive bond.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Tao Xie, Xingcheng Xiao, Ruomiao Wang
  • Patent number: 8790845
    Abstract: One embodiment includes a substrate having a plurality of molecular chains, each chain comprising a hydrophilic group, a hydrophobic segment, and a reversible crosslinker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Tao Xie
  • Publication number: 20140208296
    Abstract: Techniques for mining API method usage patterns from source code are described. These techniques include parsing the source code to generate API method call sequences that include an API method. These call sequences are clustered to obtain clusters. Based on the clusters, frequent closed sequences are determined and then clustered to obtain an API usage pattern. In addition, optimal clustering parameters may also be determined. In some instances, a graphical representation is generated based on the API usage pattern in response to a query associated with the API method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yingnong Dang, Jue Wang, Kai Chen, Hongyu Zhang, Tao Xie, Dongmei Zhang
  • Publication number: 20140193002
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a system that includes a detection device and a processor. The detection device is configured to sense that a handheld device has not been placed on or near a surface. In response to sensing that the handheld device has not been placed on or near a surface, the detection device is configured to transmit an indicator to the processor. The processor is configured to receive a first audio signal, and determine that the handheld device has not been placed on or near a surface by receiving the indicator from the detection device. In response to determining that the handheld device has not been placed on or near a surface, the processor is further configured to apply a compensating function to the first audio signal to generate a second audio signal, and transmit the second audio signal to a speaker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: NVIDIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nikhil SATISH, David DIGNAM, Andrew Robert BELL, Shaoming FENG, Tao XIE
  • Patent number: 8747606
    Abstract: A method of forming an adhesive bond between a first substrate and a second substrate includes applying a semi-crystalline polymeric adhesive composition to a bonding area of the first substrate, and, after applying, disposing the second substrate adjacent to and in contact with the composition to form a workpiece. After disposing, the method includes heating the workpiece to cure the composition and thereby form a crosslinked polymeric adhesive material. After heating, the method includes cooling the workpiece such that the material has a crystalline molecular structure. Concurrent to cooling, the method includes imposing a stress on the material to thereby orient the crystalline molecular structure in a desired direction, and, after imposing, dissipating the stress along the crystalline molecular structure in the desired direction to thereby form the adhesive bond between the first substrate and the second substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Tao Xie, Hamid G. Kia, William R. Rodgers, Man Zhang, Chen-Shih Wang
  • Patent number: 8701879
    Abstract: A capsule-in-capsule system comprising at least two segregated chemical reactants is described. An inner capsule contains one reactant and is itself contained, with a second chemical reactant, in an outer capsule. The inner capsule and its contents is fabricated first; then it is incorporated into the second reactant; and the combination of the second reactant and inner capsule is encapsulated in the outer capsule. The reactants may be hydrophobic or hydrophilic and present as fluids, solids or combinations of solid(s) and fluids(s). When subjected to suitably high pressure, the capsule wall materials will fracture or rupture, releasing and preferably mixing all encapsulates to enable their prompt reaction. The utility of the invention is illustrated by its application to development of a corrosion inhibiting passive film on magnesium auto body material and to the adhesive bonding of members where precise positioning is desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Tao Xie, Anil K. Sachdev