Patents by Inventor Thomas D. Erickson
Thomas D. Erickson 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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Patent number: 11932979Abstract: A laundry treating appliance for treating laundry items according to an automatic cycle of operation can include a cabinet defining an interior and having an access opening providing access to the interior. A tub can be located within the interior and can at least partially define a liquid chamber. A drum is rotatably mounted within the liquid chamber and at least partially defines a treating chamber. A clothes mover is located within the treating chamber and rotatable about a vertical axis. The clothes mover can include a base and a barrel.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2020Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATIONInventors: Jonathan A. Andrejczuk, Adam Gary, Philip J. Czarnecki, Benjamin D. Lowell, Sayer J. Murphy, James Jeffery, Eric W. Merrow, Emmanuel F. Gonzaga, Thomas R. Scott, Donald E. Erickson, Bradley D. Morrow, Jason S. Burnette, Kevin Peralta, Corinne M. Gorenchan, Kenneth L. McConnell
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Patent number: 10831197Abstract: A drone identifies situational context (based on signals from at least one sensor) and selects an action in response to the situational context, based on a personality of the drone. The drone then communicates its personality to other drones within a swarm of drones, the drone being a member of the swarm of drones.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2019Date of Patent: November 10, 2020Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Kala K. Fleming, Clifford A. Pickover, Komminist Weldemariam
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Publication number: 20200226483Abstract: One or more alternatives are received. Each of the one or more alternatives has an associated weight. An advocate-agent corresponding to each of the one or more alternatives is generated in which each advocate-agent is configured to advocate for the corresponding alternative. An interaction characteristic is determined for each advocate-agent based on the associated weight and an engagement model. An engagement metric associated with each advocate-agent is received in which the engagement metric is indicative of an attention level of a user towards the particular alternative associated with the particular advocate-agent. The interaction characteristic a particular advocate-agent is adjusted based upon the engagement metric associated with the particular advocate-agent according to the engagement model.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 16, 2019Publication date: July 16, 2020Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Rachel Katherine Emma Bellamy, Thomas D. Erickson
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Patent number: 10696399Abstract: A computer program product for maintaining a machine. The system includes an aerial vehicle configured to fly to a lubrication location proximate the machine. A supply of friction minimizing material is carried by the aerial vehicle. A controller is configured to deliver at least part of the supply of friction minimizing material to the machine when the aerial vehicle is at the lubrication location.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2019Date of Patent: June 30, 2020Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Kala Fleming, Clifford A. Pickover, Komminist Weldemariam
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Patent number: 10691505Abstract: A bot conflict-resolution service agent (BCRSA) for addressing conflicts between bots in a target domain is disclosed. The BCRSA is configured to receive data from a target domain that includes changes made to a content of the target domain, analyze the data to identify a first change made to the content by a first bot and a second change made to the content by a second bot, determine based on the analysis that the first and second changes conflict, determine that the first and second bots are in conflict, select an amelioration action to be executed to resolve the conflict between the first and second bots from a plurality of available amelioration actions, and resolve the conflict by executing the selected amelioration action.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2019Date of Patent: June 23, 2020Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Clifford A. Pickover, Komminist Weldemariam
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Patent number: 10683088Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle for providing ameliorative action. The unmanned aerial vehicle includes a processor-based monitoring device to monitor a plurality of individuals to determine crowd data associated with the plurality of individuals, a crowd estimator configured to receive the crowd data to estimate a crowd pressure estimation value indicative of a likelihood of a crowd event, the crowd pressure estimation value being based on the crowd data, and an ameliorative action generator to automatically perform a function when the crowd pressure estimation value exceeds a predetermined threshold value, wherein the function includes activating one or more feedback outputs configured to provide an ameliorative action.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2016Date of Patent: June 16, 2020Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Clifford A. Pickover, Maja Vukovic
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Patent number: 10678266Abstract: A system for continued navigation of unmanned aerial vehicles beyond restricted boundaries. The system comprises a monitoring device to track a geolocation corresponding to an unmanned aerial vehicle and to compare the geolocation corresponding to the unmanned aerial vehicle with a geolocation corresponding to a restricted boundary to determine a location of the unmanned aerial vehicle with respect to a restricted environment, and a route generator to generate an alternative navigation method to navigate the restricted environment when the unmanned aerial vehicle is located within a predetermined distance of the restricted environment.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2018Date of Patent: June 9, 2020Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Clifford A. Pickover, Maja Vukovic
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Publication number: 20200079506Abstract: A computer program product for maintaining a machine. The system includes an aerial vehicle configured to fly to a lubrication location proximate the machine. A supply of friction minimizing material is carried by the aerial vehicle. A controller is configured to deliver at least part of the supply of friction minimizing material to the machine when the aerial vehicle is at the lubrication location.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2019Publication date: March 12, 2020Inventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Kala Fleming, Clifford A. Pickover, Komminist Weldemariam
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Patent number: 10569872Abstract: A system for maintaining a machine. The system includes an aerial vehicle configured to fly to a lubrication location proximate the machine. A supply of friction minimizing material is carried by the aerial vehicle. A controller is configured to deliver at least part of the supply of friction minimizing material to the machine when the aerial vehicle is at the lubrication location.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2017Date of Patent: February 25, 2020Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Kala Fleming, Clifford A. Pickover, Komminist Weldemariam
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Publication number: 20190310638Abstract: A drone identifies situational context (based on signals from at least one sensor) and selects an action in response to the situational context, based on a personality of the drone. The drone then communicates its personality to other drones within a swarm of drones, the drone being a member of the swarm of drones.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2019Publication date: October 10, 2019Inventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Kala K. Fleming, Clifford A. Pickover, Komminist Weldemariam
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Patent number: 10394861Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a natural language processing (NLP) system configured to receive a natural language (NL) input and perform an analysis operation to generate a NL output. The NLP system is configured to generate at least one confidence level based at least in part on at least one portion of the analysis operation. The NLP system is further configured to integrate at least one disfluency into the NL output based at least in part on the at least one confidence level.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2015Date of Patent: August 27, 2019Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Robert G. Farrell
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Patent number: 10394963Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a natural language processing (NLP) system configured to receive a natural language (NL) input and perform an analysis operation to generate a NL output. The NLP system is configured to generate at least one confidence level based at least in part on at least one portion of the analysis operation. The NLP system is further configured to integrate at least one disfluency into the NL output based at least in part on the at least one confidence level.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2015Date of Patent: August 27, 2019Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Robert G. Farrell
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Publication number: 20190213899Abstract: A computer-implemented method executed by an adaptive learning system is disclosed that includes the step of estimating learning factors of a learner with respect to a content item. The method generates at least one user interaction activity associated with the content item using the estimated learning factors of the learner. The method displays the at least one user interaction activity on a display.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 11, 2018Publication date: July 11, 2019Inventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Jonathan Lenchner, Clifford A. Pickover, Komminist Weldemariam
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Publication number: 20190213900Abstract: A computer-implemented method executed by an adaptive learning system is disclosed that includes the step of receiving a first set of user data associated with a learner. The method stores the first set of user data. The method predicts at least one user interaction activity based on the first set of user data. The method identifies engagement factors for the user in the first set of user data. The method determines a set of engagement models based on the at least one predicted user interaction event, the first set of user data, and the identified engagement factors. The method generates a first set of control items based on the set of engagement models.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 11, 2018Publication date: July 11, 2019Inventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Jonathan Lenchner, Clifford A. Pickover, Komminist Weldemariam
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Patent number: 10345825Abstract: A drone road lighting method, system, and computer program product, includes detecting a need for illumination near a road and deploying a drone to perform an illumination action based on the detected need.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2017Date of Patent: July 9, 2019Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Clifford A. Pickover, Maja Vukovic, Komminist Weldemariam
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Patent number: 10335952Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes monitoring a current location of a mobile robot in a physical space, which includes a first area separated from a second area by a selectively permeable virtual membrane, and a software requirement corresponding to the mobile robot with regard to the second area. The method further includes identifying a software state of the mobile robot that matches the software requirement, determining whether the software state of the mobile robot meets the software requirement, and allowing the mobile robot to move from the first area to the second area through the selectively permeable virtual membrane in response to determining whether the software state of the mobile robot meets the software requirement.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2017Date of Patent: July 2, 2019Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Ashish Kundu, Clifford A. Pickover, Maja Vukovic
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Patent number: 10331497Abstract: A bot conflict-resolution service agent (BCRSA) for addressing conflicts between bots in a target domain is disclosed. The BCRSA is configured to receive data from a target domain that includes changes made to a content of the target domain, analyze the data to identify a first change made to the content by a first bot and a second change made to the content by a second bot, determine based on the analysis that the first and second changes conflict, determine that the first and second bots are in conflict, select an amelioration action to be executed to resolve the conflict between the first and second bots from a plurality of available amelioration actions, and resolve the conflict by executing the selected amelioration action.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2017Date of Patent: June 25, 2019Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Clifford A. Pickover, Komminist Weldemariam
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Patent number: 10324466Abstract: A drone identifies situational context (based on signals from at least one sensor) and selects an action in response to the situational context, based on a personality of the drone. The drone then communicates its personality to other drones within a swarm of drones, the drone being a member of the swarm of drones.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2017Date of Patent: June 18, 2019Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Kala K. Fleming, Clifford A. Pickover, Komminist Weldemariam
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Publication number: 20190155663Abstract: A bot conflict-resolution service agent (BCRSA) for addressing conflicts between bots in a target domain is disclosed. The BCRSA is configured to receive data from a target domain that includes changes made to a content of the target domain, analyze the data to identify a first change made to the content by a first bot and a second change made to the content by a second bot, determine based on the analysis that the first and second changes conflict, determine that the first and second bots are in conflict, select an amelioration action to be executed to resolve the conflict between the first and second bots from a plurality of available amelioration actions, and resolve the conflict by executing the selected amelioration action.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 18, 2019Publication date: May 23, 2019Inventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Clifford A. Pickover, Komminist Weldemariam
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Patent number: 10289456Abstract: A bot conflict-resolution service agent (BCRSA) for addressing conflicts between bots in a target domain is disclosed. The BCRSA is configured to receive data from a target domain that includes changes made to a content of the target domain, analyze the data to identify a first change made to the content by a first bot and a second change made to the content by a second bot, determine based on the analysis that the first and second changes conflict, determine that the first and second bots are in conflict, select an amelioration action to be executed to resolve the conflict between the first and second bots from a plurality of available amelioration actions, and resolve the conflict by executing the selected amelioration action.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2017Date of Patent: May 14, 2019Inventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Clifford A. Pickover, Komminist Weldemariam