Patents by Inventor Thomas Cofino

Thomas Cofino 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: 8812507
    Abstract: A self-organizing personal file system is disclosed that evaluates the “importance” of terms and phrases in a document in a personal corpus relative to usage in a reference corpus. A personalized term weighting scheme assigns a weight to terms or phrases based on the frequency of occurrence of the corresponding term or phrase in a reference corpus. Documents are positioned in a visual file space associated with a personal corpus by storing each of the documents with an indication of the term weight for terms appearing in the corresponding document. A singular value decomposition is performed based on the term weights to position a given document in the visual file space based on a relative frequency distribution of terms of the document compared to the occurrence of such terms in a reference corpus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas A. Cofino, Jonathan Lenchner
  • Patent number: 8515959
    Abstract: A self-organizing personal file system is disclosed that evaluates the “importance” of terms and phrases in a document in a personal corpus relative to usage in a reference corpus. A personalized term weighting scheme assigns a weight to terms or phrases based on the frequency of occurrence of the corresponding term or phrase in a reference corpus. The personalized term weighting for a given term or phrase can be used to store and access documents containing the corresponding term or phrase in the spatial file system and provides coordinates in a spatial file system, for one or more documents containing the corresponding term or phrase. The location of a given document in a file space may be specified by the relative frequency distribution of the stems of its significant terms or phrases compared to the occurrence of such terms or phrases in a reference corpus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas A. Cofino, Jonathan Lenchner
  • Patent number: 7616094
    Abstract: A Write Broadcast system and method uses a base station to write sent data to all or some selected number (sub group) of tags in a base station field simultaneously. By unselecting the tags that have been successfully written to, and requesting a response from the remaining tags in the field (or sub group), the system determines, by receiving a response to the request, that there are tags in the field (sub group) that were unsuccessfully written to. Another Write Broadcast signal is sent to these tags. The system is useful for quickly (simultaneously) “stamping” information on the tag memory of a large number of tags in the field of the base station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Intermec IP Corp.
    Inventors: Harley Kent Heinrich, Christian Lenz Cesar, Thomas A. Cofino, Daniel J. Friedman, Kenneth Alan Goldman, Sharon Louise Greene, Kevin P. McAuliffe, Shun Shing Chan
  • Publication number: 20080016039
    Abstract: A document search and retrieval system and program product therefor. Search requests are provided to the system through a user interface. A document decomposer decomposes documents into individual document components. Document components and corresponding searchable indices for each are stored in a Component Library. A search unit searches stored document components responsive to search queries. A results validator compares document hitlists with a document type identified in a search query to select valid hitlists entries for a final hitlist. A document view assembly module collects identified document components and assembles them into a document for view at the user interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Publication date: January 17, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: GREGORY BROWN, THOMAS COFINO, YURDAER DOGANATA, YOUSSEF DRISSI, TONG-HAING FIN, MOON KIM, LEV KOZAKOV, JOHN MILLER
  • Patent number: 7254571
    Abstract: A document search and retrieval system and program product therefor. Search requests are provided to the system through a user interface. A document decomposer decomposes documents into individual document components. Document components and corresponding searchable indices for each are stored in a Component Library. A search unit searches stored document components responsive to search queries. A results validator compares document hitlists with a document type identified in a search query to select valid hitlists entries for a final hitlist. A document view assembly module collects identified document components and assembles them into a document for view at the user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory T. Brown, Thomas A. Cofino, Yurdaer Nezihi Doganata, Youssef Drissi, Tong-Haing Fin, Moon Ju Kim, Lev Kozakov, John Williams Miller
  • Publication number: 20070159305
    Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for selecting certain subgroups of radio frequency (RF) tags for querying, communicating, and/or identifying by a base station. The base station sends commands to a group tags within a RF field of the base station. The tags use control logic to determine whether or not they meet certain criteria sent out by the commands. This may cause the tags to change state which either prevents or allows a given tag to participate in an identification process. In this way, a given subgroups of tags meeting certain criteria can be selected for querying, communicating, and/or identifying.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2007
    Publication date: July 12, 2007
    Inventors: Christian Cesar, Shun-Shing Chan, Harley Heinrich, Thomas Cofino, Dilip Kandlur, Kenneth Goldman, Sharon Greene, Kevin McAuliffe, Arvind Krishna
  • Patent number: 7158046
    Abstract: A master entity is capable of broadcasting commands to slaves which move to another state when they satisfy a primitive condition specified in the command. By moving slaves among three sets, a desired subset of slaves can be isolated in one of the sets. This desired subset of slaves ten can be moved to one of the states that is unaffected by commands that cause the selection of other desirable subsets of slaves. In the incorporated U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,547 and 5,673,037, certain subgroups of radio frequency tags are selected for querying, communicating, and/or identifying by commands from a base station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Intermec IP Corp.
    Inventors: Christian Lenz Cesar, Shun-Shing Chan, Thomas A. Cofino, Kenneth Alan Goldman, Sharon Louise Greene, Harley Kent Heinrich, Kevin P. McAuliffe
  • Patent number: 7092938
    Abstract: A search engine system is provided in which inputted data in various configurations is first passed through transitional translation layers which convert the data in its multiple configurations to a common or kernel computer form and language. The data is operated on and stored in the kernel form and language. The operated on data is then outputted through transitional translation layers and provided in the desired format the same or different from the input form and language.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory T. Brown, Thomas A. Cofino, Yurdaer Nezihi Doganata, Youssef Drissi, Tong-Haing Fin, Moon Ju Kim, Lev Kozakov
  • Publication number: 20050270159
    Abstract: A combination of a radio frequency identification transponder (RFID Tag) and to a magnetic electronic article surveillance (EAS) device is disclosed. The present invention relates generally to radio frequency identification (RFID) systems, and more specifically to RFID transponders for use in RFID systems and the method for their assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2005
    Publication date: December 8, 2005
    Inventors: Michael Brady, Thomas Cofino, Richard Gambino, Paul Moskowitz, Alejandro Schrott, Robert Von Gutfeld
  • Publication number: 20050256848
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for ranking the results of a document search by identifying a prior, similar search and assigning a weight to each document based on whether the document was selected by a user of the prior search. The assigned weights are utilized to rank the documents identified by the document search in order of their relevance to the search terms. The search terms of the document search and information describing the selections made by a user of the document search are then stored to facilitate the assignment of weights to documents in future searches. According to another aspect of the invention, the weight assigned to a document is correlated to a degree of closeness of search terms of a prior search and search terms of a new document search. For example, a degree of closeness measurement is defined that correlates to a number of synonyms common between the search terms of a prior search and the search terms of a new document search.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2004
    Publication date: November 17, 2005
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sherman Alpert, Thomas Cofino, John Karat, John Vergo, Catherine Wolf
  • Publication number: 20050187931
    Abstract: A self-organizing personal file system is disclosed that evaluates the “importance” of terms and phrases in a document in a personal corpus relative to usage in a reference corpus. A personalized term weighting scheme assigns a weight to terms or phrases based on the frequency of occurrence of the corresponding term or phrase in a reference corpus. The personalized term weighting for a given term or phrase can be used to store and access documents containing the corresponding term or phrase in the spatial file system and provides coordinates in a spatial file system, for one or more documents containing the corresponding term or phrase. The location of a given document in a file space may be specified by the relative frequency distribution of the stems of its significant terms or phrases compared to the occurrence of such terms or phrases in a reference corpus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2005
    Publication date: August 25, 2005
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Cofino, Jonathan Lenchner
  • Publication number: 20050168348
    Abstract: A master entity is capable of broadcasting commands to a plurality of three-state-selection machine slaves. Transitions from one state to another are effected on instruction from commands in a sequence of commands broadcast from the master. Slaves move to another state when they satisfy a primitive condition specified in the command. By moving slaves among the three sets, a desired subset of slaves can be isolated in one of the sets. This desired subset of slaves then can be moved to one of the states that is unaffected by commands that cause the selection of other desirable subsets of slaves. In the embodiments of the incorporated U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,037, certain subgroups of radio frequency (RF) tags are selected for querying, communicating, and/or identifying by commands from a base station. Commands from the base station may cause the tags to change state which either prevents or allows a given tag to participate in an identification process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2004
    Publication date: August 4, 2005
    Inventors: Christian Cesar, Shun Chan, Thomas Cofino, Kenneth Goldman, Sharon Greene, Harley Heinrich, Kevin McAuliffe
  • Publication number: 20050162278
    Abstract: A combination of a radio frequency identification transponder (RFID Tag) and to a magnetic electronic article surveillance (EAS) device is disclosed. The present invention relates generally to radio frequency identification (RFID) systems, and more specifically to RFID transponders for use in RFID systems and the method for their assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2004
    Publication date: July 28, 2005
    Inventors: Michael Brady, Thomas Cofino, Richard Gambino, Paul Moskowitz, Alejandro Schrott, Robert von Gutfeld
  • Patent number: 6919793
    Abstract: A Write Broadcast system and method uses a base station to write sent data to all or some selected number (sub group) of tags in a base station field simultaneously. By unselecting the tags that have been successfully written to, and requesting a response from the remaining tags in the field (or sub group), the system determines, by receiving a response to the request, that there are tags in the field (sub group) that were unsuccessfully written to. Another Write Broadcast signal is sent to these tags. The system is useful for quickly (simultaneously) “stamping” information on the tag memory of a large number of tags in the field of the base station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Intermec IP Corp.
    Inventors: Harley Kent Heinrich, Christian Lenz Cesar, Thomas A. Cofino, Daniel J. Friedman, Kenneth Alan Goldman, Sharon Louise Greene, Kevin P. McAuliffe
  • Publication number: 20050088286
    Abstract: A Write Broadcast system and method uses a base station to write sent data to all or some selected number (sub group) of tags in a base station field simultaneously. By unselecting the tags that have been successfully written to, and requesting a response from the remaining tags in the field (or sub group), the system determines, by receiving a response to the request, that there are tags in the field (sub group) that were unsuccessfully written to. Another Write Broadcast signal is sent to these tags. The system is useful for quickly (simultaneously) “stamping” information on the tag memory of a large number of tags in the field of the base station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2004
    Publication date: April 28, 2005
    Inventors: Harley Heinrich, Christian Cesar, Thomas Cofino, Daniel Friedman, Kenneth Goldman, Sharon Greene, Kevin McAuliffe, Shun-Shing Chan
  • Publication number: 20050001725
    Abstract: A combination of a radio frequency identification transponder (RFID Tag) and to a magnetic electronic article surveillance (EAS) device is disclosed. The present invention relates generally to radio frequency identification (RFID) systems, and more specifically to RFID transponders for use in RFID systems and the method for their assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2004
    Publication date: January 6, 2005
    Inventors: Michael Brady, Thomas Cofino, Dah-Weih Duan, Richard Gambino, Paul Moskowitz, Alejandro Schrott, Robert Von Gutfeld
  • Patent number: 6768414
    Abstract: A Write Broadcast system and method uses a base station to write sent data to all or some selected number (sub group) of tags in a base station field simultaneously. By unselecting the tags that have been successfully written to, and requesting a response from the remaining tags in the field (or sub group), the system determines, by receiving a response to the request, that there are tags in the field (sub group) that were unsuccessfully written to. Another Write Broadcast signal is sent to these tags. The system is useful for quickly (simultaneously) “stamping” information on the tag memory of a large number of tags in the field of the base station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Intermec IP Corp.
    Inventors: Harley Kent Heinrich, Christian Lenz Cesar, Thomas A. Cofino, Daniel J. Friedman, Kenneth Alan Goldman, Sharon Louise Greene, Kevin P. McAuliffe
  • Publication number: 20040044669
    Abstract: A search engine system is provided in which inputted data in various configurations is first passed through transitional translation layers which convert the data in its multiple configurations to a common or kernel computer form and language. The data is operated on and stored in the kernel form and language. The operated on data is then outputted through transitional translation layers and provided in the desired format the same or different from the input form and language.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2002
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory T. Brown, Thomas A. Cofino, Yurdaer Nezihi Doganata, Youssef Drissi, Tong-Haing Fin, Moon Ju Kim, Lev Kozakov
  • Publication number: 20030225747
    Abstract: A document search and retrieval system and program product therefor. Search requests are provided to the system through a user interface. A document decomposer decomposes documents into individual document components. Document components and corresponding searchable indices for each are stored in a Component Library. A search unit searches stored document components responsive to search queries. A results validator compares document hitlists with a document type identified in a search query to select valid hitlists entries for a final hitlist. A document view assembly module collects identified document components and assembles them into a document for view at the user interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2002
    Publication date: December 4, 2003
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory T. Brown, Thomas A. Cofino, Yurdaer Nezihi Doganata, Youssef Drissi, Tong-Haing Fin, Moon Ju Kim, Lev Kozakov, John Williams Miller
  • Publication number: 20020118097
    Abstract: A Write Broadcast system and method uses a base station to write sent data to all or some selected number (sub group) of tags in a base station field simultaneously. By unselecting the tags that have been successfully written to, and requesting a response from the remaining tags in the field (or sub group), the system determines, by receiving a response to the request, that there are tags in the field (sub group) that were unsuccessfully written to. Another Write Broadcast signal is sent to these tags. The system is useful for quickly (simultaneously) “stamping” information on the tag memory of a large number of tags in the field of the base station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 1999
    Publication date: August 29, 2002
    Inventors: HARLEY KENT HEINRICH, CHRISTIAN LENZ CESAR, THOMAS A. COFINO, DANIEL J. FRIEDMAN, KENNETH ALAN GOLDMAN, SHARON LOUIS GREENE, KEVIN MCAULIFFE