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).

  • Patent number: 11932979
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: 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
  • Patent number: 10831197
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Kala K. Fleming, Clifford A. Pickover, Komminist Weldemariam
  • Publication number: 20200226483
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rachel Katherine Emma Bellamy, Thomas D. Erickson
  • Patent number: 10696399
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Kala Fleming, Clifford A. Pickover, Komminist Weldemariam
  • Patent number: 10691505
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Clifford A. Pickover, Komminist Weldemariam
  • Patent number: 10683088
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Clifford A. Pickover, Maja Vukovic
  • Patent number: 10678266
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Clifford A. Pickover, Maja Vukovic
  • Publication number: 20200079506
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Inventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Kala Fleming, Clifford A. Pickover, Komminist Weldemariam
  • Patent number: 10569872
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Kala Fleming, Clifford A. Pickover, Komminist Weldemariam
  • Publication number: 20190310638
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Inventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Kala K. Fleming, Clifford A. Pickover, Komminist Weldemariam
  • Patent number: 10394861
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Robert G. Farrell
  • Patent number: 10394963
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Robert G. Farrell
  • Publication number: 20190213899
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Jonathan Lenchner, Clifford A. Pickover, Komminist Weldemariam
  • Publication number: 20190213900
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Jonathan Lenchner, Clifford A. Pickover, Komminist Weldemariam
  • Patent number: 10345825
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Clifford A. Pickover, Maja Vukovic, Komminist Weldemariam
  • Patent number: 10335952
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Ashish Kundu, Clifford A. Pickover, Maja Vukovic
  • Patent number: 10331497
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Clifford A. Pickover, Komminist Weldemariam
  • Patent number: 10324466
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Kala K. Fleming, Clifford A. Pickover, Komminist Weldemariam
  • Publication number: 20190155663
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Clifford A. Pickover, Komminist Weldemariam
  • Patent number: 10289456
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Inventors: Thomas D. Erickson, Clifford A. Pickover, Komminist Weldemariam