Patents by Inventor Thomas A. Roberts

Thomas A. Roberts 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: 20250146581
    Abstract: There is provided a seal assembly comprising: a first component and a second component spaced apart from the first component so as to define a passage for the transfer of fluid from an inlet of the seal assembly to an outlet of the seal assembly, wherein the first component comprises a concavity at least partially defining the passage, and wherein no part of the second component extends into the portion of the passage bounded by the concavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2025
    Publication date: May 8, 2025
    Inventors: Robin Daniels, James Alexander McEwen, Levinia Mathews, Christopher Parry, Thomas Roberts, George E. Sandford, Stephen Caddy, Thomas Hulson, Dave Lee, Martin Selway, Kevin Franks, Lisa Jane Hill, Henry David Lambton Carr, Jonathan Wilson, Lee Curtis, Fahim Ismail Patel, Matthew Whittlesea, Matthew J. Purdey, Donald E. Willey
  • Patent number: 12291382
    Abstract: An elongate web of wrapping material having a longitudinal axis and a series of lines of weakening spaced from each other in a direction along the axis is disclosed. Each line of weakening is configured to form an extraction opening for the removal of smoking articles from a bundle of smoking articles wrapped in a longitudinal section of the wrapping material cut from the web. A portion of each line of weakening extends in a longitudinal direction, and at least a part of said portion extends at an angle to the longitudinal axis. A method of manufacturing an elongate web of wrapping material is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: NICOVENTURES TRADING LIMITED
    Inventor: Thomas Robert Allen
  • Patent number: 12281660
    Abstract: An ejector device comprises a housing (110) having a motive fluid inlet (111) to receive motive fluid, a suction fluid inlet (112) to receive suction fluid and a fluid outlet (113) to output the motive fluid and the suction fluid. The ejector device comprises a nozzle and diffuser assembly (150) configured to fit within the housing (110). The nozzle and diffuser assembly (150) comprises a nozzle (160), a diffuser (170) and a connecting structure (180) connecting the nozzle (160) to the diffuser 170. The connecting structure (180) is configured to permit fluid flow between the nozzle (160) and the diffuser (170). The connecting structure (180) has apertures (182) configured to allow fluid to be drawn into the fluid flow between the nozzle 160 and the diffuser (170).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: TRANSVAC SYSTEMS LIMITED
    Inventors: Gary Anthony Short, Jacob Thomas Roberts
  • Publication number: 20250117131
    Abstract: A method of identifying devolved sequences of handwriting motions is described. The method includes obtaining, via sensors of a wearable device of a computing system, data corresponding to a user attempting to perform a sequence of handwriting motions associated with one or more target inputs while wearing the wearable device. The method includes identifying, based on at least (i) the data corresponding to the user attempting to perform the sequence of handwriting motion and (ii) the one or more target inputs associated with the sequence of handwriting motions, a devolved sequence of handwriting motions to suggest to the user for inputting a respective target input of the one or more target inputs. The devolved sequence of handwriting motions is a different sequence and includes fewer handwriting motions as compared to the sequence of handwriting motions. And the method includes presenting a representation of the devolved sequence of handwriting motions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2024
    Publication date: April 10, 2025
    Inventors: Evgeniy Gabrilovich, Patrick William John Kaifosh, Shagun Sodhani, Michael Mandel, Stephen McAnearney, Adam Calhoun, Adam Berenzweig, Laurentius Johannes Paulus van der Maaten, Salvatore Candido, Chia-Jung Chang, Siddharth Reddy, Thomas Robert Reardon
  • Publication number: 20250105545
    Abstract: A header connector includes a header housing extending between a mating end and a terminating end. The mating end is configured to be mated with a plug connector. The header housing has a cavity between the mating end and the terminating end. The header housing has a mounting flange configured to be mounted to a panel. The header connector includes a busbar carrier assembly that includes a busbar carrier and a busbar held by the busbar carrier. The busbar carrier has a support wall and a mounting portion. The busbar is coupled to the support wall. The mounting portion is coupled to the terminating end of the header housing. The busbar is received in the cavity of the header housing for mating with the plug connector when the mounting portion of the busbar carrier is coupled to the terminating end of the header housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2024
    Publication date: March 27, 2025
    Inventor: Thomas Robert DeWitte
  • Patent number: 12251618
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to artificial topographical structures, such as mounds, installed at playgrounds using a structural framework. The structural framework is made up of a first plurality of panels extending in a first direction and a second plurality of panels extending in a second direction, with the second direction being transverse to the first direction. Each of the second plurality of panels may be connected to one or more of the first plurality of panels, such as through a complementary arrangement of slots. The artificial structure also includes at least a support layer and a cushion layer. The upper edges of the panels are designed to together provide an artificial mound having a defined contour.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: PLAYCORE WISCONSIN, INC.
    Inventors: Thomas Robert Norquist, Tin-Man Lau, Elisabeth Mathis
  • Publication number: 20250086263
    Abstract: A method for proof of unique personhood for user authentication, bot detection, and quantum-safe encryption is described. The method asks users to designate a drawing of one or more points and/or lines that will serve as proof of their unique personhood and as any one or more of the following: a unique passcode, user authentication method, quantum-safe encryption seed, and bot detector. Measures of the mark itself as well as measures of the cadence (stops, starts and pauses) of how the user drew it, and the natural human variations in how the user draws the mark over subsequent visits are stored, rather than thrown out, and used to train adaptive and machine learning algorithms to recognize the unique human user as well as for creating quantum-safe encryptions keys, passwords, and for preventing bots and artificial intelligence entities from creating or accessing accounts and critical data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2023
    Publication date: March 13, 2025
    Inventors: Thomas Robert Messegee, Amy Kathryn Colleen Messegee
  • Publication number: 20250066530
    Abstract: There is described a foamed isocyanate-based polymer derived from a reaction mixture comprising: an isocyanate; a polyol composition comprising a first prescribed amount of polymer particles dispersed in a base polyol; a second prescribed amount of biomass-based carbonaceous particulate material; and a blowing agent. In one embodiement, the foamed isocyanate-based polymer having an Indentation Force Deflection when measured pursuant to ASTM D3574-11 which is within about 15% as that of a reference foam produced by omitting the biomass-based carbonaceous particulate material from the reaction mixture and increasing the amount of polymer particles in the polymer polyol composition to equal the sum of the first prescribed amount and the second prescribed amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2024
    Publication date: February 27, 2025
    Inventors: Derrick William Smith, Thomas Robert Beamish, Paul David Hurrell
  • Publication number: 20250060975
    Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions for distributing tasks between a handheld intermediary processing device (HIPD) and communicatively coupled devices is disclosed. The instructions cause one or more processors to, while a HIPD and a head-wearable device are communicatively coupled and share operational data for performing one or more computational tasks, identify one or more back-end tasks and one or more front-end tasks associated with performing the one or more computational tasks. The instructions further cause performance of the one or more back-end tasks at the HIPD including updating the operational data to create updated operational data. The instructions further cause performance of the one or more front-end tasks at the head-wearable device using the updated operational data such that a representation based on the one or more computational tasks is presented to the user by the head-wearable device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2024
    Publication date: February 20, 2025
    Inventors: Emron Jackson Henry, Joseph N Bravate, Roger Ibars Martinez, Eric Ma, Pol Pla I Conesa, Thomas Robert Reardon, Chris Rojas, Ian Joseph Roth, Bryan Sparks, Vikram Tank
  • Patent number: 12228221
    Abstract: There is provided a seal assembly comprising: a first component and a second component spaced apart from the first component so as to define a passage for the transfer of fluid from an inlet of the seal assembly to an outlet of the seal assembly, wherein the first component comprises a concavity at least partially defining the passage, and wherein no part of the second component extends into the portion of the passage bounded by the concavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: Cummins Ltd
    Inventors: Robin Daniels, James Alexander McEwen, Levinia Mathews, Christopher Parry, Thomas Roberts, George E. Sandford, Stephen Caddy, Thomas Hulson, Dave Lee, Martin Selway, Kevin Franks, Lisa Jane Hill, Henry David Lambton Carr, Jonathan Wilson, Lee Curtis, Fahim Ismail Patel, Matthew Whittlesea, Matthew J. Purdey, Donald E. Willey
  • Patent number: 12228642
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for estimating wave properties of a body of water. A computer-implemented system obtains measurement data for a duration of time from an inertial measurement unit (IMU) onboard an underwater device, generates model input data based on at least the measurement data obtained at the plurality of time points, and processes the model input data to generate model output data indicating one or more wave properties using a machine-learning model. The system further determines, based on at least the one or more wave properties, whether the device is safe to be deployed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: TidaIX AI Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Robert Swanson, Riva Gulassa
  • Patent number: 12230922
    Abstract: An electrical header for use in an electrical connector assembly includes a body adapted to mount to an object and having an opening formed therethrough for receiving an electrical terminal. The body further defines a plug on a first side thereof and adapted to engage with a mating electrical connector of the assembly. The plug includes a pair of first opposing sidewalls extending from the body and defining a locking feature adapted to engage with a corresponding locking feature of the mating connector, and a pair of second opposing sidewalls extending from the body and defining a keying feature. The first and second pairs of opposing sidewalls are adapted to mate with a first mating connector oriented in a first direction, and mate with a second mating connector oriented in a second direction distinct from the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: TE Connectivity Solutions GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Robert DeWitte, Adam Price Tyler, Lindsey Gatesman, David James Rhein
  • Patent number: 12198517
    Abstract: This disclosure describes, in part, devices and methods for deactivating tags. For instance, an electronic device may include antennas that transmit signals and/or fields for deactivating the tags. In some examples, the electronic device includes a first gate that includes a first portion of the antennas and a second gate that includes a second portion of the antennas. To deactivate the tags, the electronic device may detect locations of an object relative to the electronic device. The electronic device may then activate a respective tag and/or a respective group of tags based on the location of the object. For example, the electronic device may activate a first tag and/or a first group of tags when the object is at a first location, activate a second tag and/or a second group of tags when the object is at a second location, and/or so forth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Rachid M Alameh, Jason Thomas Roberts Hart
  • Patent number: 12175222
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes generating, based on a representation of a tensor mapping between an input tensor and an output tensor, a list of mappings from elements of the input tensor to elements of the output tensor, and generating groups of mappings from the list of mappings, where each of the groups of mappings corresponds to a respective set of matrix multiplications, a matrix transpose, or both. The computer-implemented method also includes generating a respective expression for each of the groups of mappings and generating code for summing results of the respective expressions, where each respective expression includes the respective set of matrix multiplications, the matrix transpose, or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Ray Benfield, Hongbin Zheng, Thomas Robert Norell
  • Publication number: 20240415327
    Abstract: Disclosed is an open-flame oven comprising a housing surrounding an oven chamber for containing foodstuffs during cooking. The oven housing comprises an inner surface forming an internal wall of the oven chamber. The open-flame oven further comprises an oven mouth for accessing the oven chamber and a floor forming a base of the oven chamber for supporting foodstuffs, the oven floor extending across the oven chamber from the oven mouth. The internal wall of the oven housing comprises wall sections extending generally upwardly along lateral sides of the oven floor and an alcove in the internal wall of the oven housing adjacent the lateral side of the oven floor. The open-flame oven further comprises a gas burner arranged in the alcove adjacent the lateral side of the oven floor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2024
    Publication date: December 19, 2024
    Inventors: Thomas Robert Llewelyn GOZNEY, Patrick Welton
  • Publication number: 20240419686
    Abstract: A method for change data capture state tracking includes accessing a distributed database including a plurality of clusters, each cluster of the plurality of clusters including a respective plurality of partitions, each cluster of the plurality of clusters configured to receive read and write operation. The method includes receiving, at a second cluster, a plurality of changes for a second table and storing the plurality of changes at a replication log. The method also includes asynchronously replicating the plurality of changes from the second table to a first table and maintaining a respective change stream position tracking a respective position in the replication log indicating one or more changes of the plurality of changes that have been replicated. The method includes receiving a read request at the first cluster requesting one or more rows of the first table and returning the respective change stream position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2023
    Publication date: December 19, 2024
    Applicant: Google LLC
    Inventors: Zijie Li, Shitanshu Verma, Can Tang, Gary Elliott, Gregory Allen Morris, Thomas Robert Magrino, Jack Timothy Dingilian, Teng Zhong, Andrii Shyshkalov, Siu Man Yau, Yijie Bu
  • Publication number: 20240413330
    Abstract: An anode dispersion, which may be used in forming an anode of a lithium-ion battery, is disclosed. The anode dispersion includes: (1) primary anode active particles (PAAPs) that each include silicon (Si) and carbon (C), (2) functionalized pre-lithiation particles (FPLiPs) including lithium (Li), and (3) a solvent composition in which the PAAPs and FPLiPs are dispersed. In some embodiments, a mass ratio of the PAAPs to the FPLiPs is in a range of about 10:1 to about 200:1. In some embodiments, each of the FPLiPs includes a core and an outer protective coating around the core, with the outer protective coating including an oligomeric and/or a polymeric dispersant. Additionally, methods of making an anode, methods of making a lithium-ion battery, methods of making an anode-separator laminate, anodes, lithium-ion batteries, and anode-separator laminates are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2024
    Publication date: December 12, 2024
    Inventors: Sung Hyun LIM, Thomas Robert PORTER, Gleb Nikolayevich YUSHIN
  • Patent number: 12165635
    Abstract: The intelligent automated assistant system engages with the user in an integrated, conversational manner using natural language dialog, and invokes external services when appropriate to obtain information or perform various actions. The system can be implemented using any of a number of different platforms, such as the web, email, smartphone, and the like, or any combination thereof. In one embodiment, the system is based on sets of interrelated domains and tasks, and employs additional functionally powered by external services with which the system can interact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Robert Gruber, Adam John Cheyer, Didier Rene Guzzoni, Christopher Dean Brigham, Richard Donald Giuli, Marcello Bastea-Forte, Harry Joseph Saddler
  • Publication number: 20240390683
    Abstract: A leadless biostimulator includes a housing, and distal and proximal electrodes disposed on or integrated into the housing. The distal electrode includes an electrode body and an electrode tip mounted on a distal end of the electrode body, wherein the electrode tip is electrically conductive and configured to be placed in contact with a stimulation site. The electrode tip includes a distal tip end facing a surrounding environment and opposite a proximal tip end. The electrode tip defines a tip hole extending through the electrode tip along a longitudinal axis of the housing from the distal tip end to the proximal tip end. The tip hole comprises a through hole having a first diameter at the distal tip end and a second diameter at the proximal tip end of the tip electrode, wherein the first diameter of the tip hole is less than the second diameter of the tip hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2024
    Publication date: November 28, 2024
    Applicant: Pacesetter, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Paspa, Thomas B. Eby, Matthew G. Fishler, Carl Lance Boling, Thomas Robert Luhrs, Russell Klehn, Tyler J. Strang, Arees Garabed, Kavous Sahabi, Brett Villavicencio, Wes Alleman, Alex Soriano, Matthew R. Malone, Conor P. Foley
  • Patent number: D1048641
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: Rational Packaging LLC
    Inventors: Thomas A. Roberts, Shawn M. Parella