Patents by Inventor Thomas Fields

Thomas Fields 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: 20240108960
    Abstract: A shooting system includes a collapsible ball capture support adapted to support a ball capture device and a ball return. The ball return detects a ball captured by the ball capture device and returns the ball to a user in response to the detected ball. To return the ball to the user, the system identifies a location of the user with respect to the shooting system, orients the ball return toward the user, and accelerates the ball along a trajectory based on a distance between the user and the shooting system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Thomas Fields, Erik Gonzalez, Michael Gonzalez, Prasad Murugesu, Raj Shah
  • Patent number: 11731021
    Abstract: A shooting system includes a collapsible ball capture support adapted to support a ball capture device and a ball return. The ball return detects a ball captured by the ball capture device and returns the ball to a user in response to the detected ball. To return the ball to the user, the system identifies a location of the user with respect to the shooting system, orients the ball return toward the user, and accelerates the ball along a trajectory based on a distance between the user and the shooting system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Grind Basketball, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Fields, Erik Gonzalez, Michael Gonzalez, Prasad Murugesu, Raj Shah
  • Publication number: 20210283479
    Abstract: A shooting system includes a collapsible ball capture support adapted to support a ball capture device and a ball return. The ball return detects a ball captured by the ball capture device and returns the ball to a user in response to the detected ball. To return the ball to the user, the system identifies a location of the user with respect to the shooting system, orients the ball return toward the user, and accelerates the ball along a trajectory based on a distance between the user and the shooting system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Inventors: Thomas Fields, Erik Gonzalez, Michael Gonzalez, Prasad Murugesu, Raj Shah
  • Publication number: 20210268358
    Abstract: A ball return system for returning balls shot at a target to a user of the ball return system includes an ejector adapted to accelerate balls out of the ball return system toward a target destination. The ball return system also includes a mast disposed on a base on which the ejector is disposed. The ball return system further includes a collapsible net support adapted to transition between a collapsed state and an expanded state. The collapsible net support is connected to the mast by a joint that enables the collapsible net support to transition between: a first orientation in which a length of the collapsible net support is aligned with a length of the mast, and a second orientation in which the collapsible support net is stacked on top of the ejector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Inventor: Thomas Fields
  • Publication number: 20180326278
    Abstract: A shooting system includes a collapsible ball capture support adapted to support a ball capture device and a ball return. The ball return detects a ball captured by the ball capture device and returns the ball to a user in response to the detected ball. To return the ball to the user, the system identifies a location of the user with respect to the shooting system, orients the ball return toward the user, and accelerates the ball along a trajectory based on a distance between the user and the shooting system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas Fields, Erik Gonzalez, Michael Gonzalez, Prasad Murugesu, Raj Shah
  • Publication number: 20110270766
    Abstract: A system that enables parties to a real estate transaction to remotely access the system via the internet to initiate and consummate the offer/counter-offer process leading up to and including execution of a definitive purchase agreement between buyer and seller, wherein parties to the real estate transaction include the Buyer, the Seller and their respective agents. The system provides for a user interface that enables input of the transaction specification information which is typically input by the real estate agent. Subsequently, the system enables secure routing of the transaction between the parties for their online review and response. The system also provides for unique identity verification, logging and tracking functions to ensure validity and enforceability of electronic acceptance of transactions and related purchase agreements and documents by all parties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2010
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Inventors: Parameswaran Ramakrishnan, Kevin Wesley Kopp, Thomas Fields, William Flynt Stilley
  • Publication number: 20070195153
    Abstract: The dynamic range of an electrophotographic device may be shifted by calibrating a laser power of a laser source to operate within a first range of power levels during a laser power adjustment operation. At least one laser control parameter is modified after calibrating the laser power so that the laser source is operable within a second range of power levels different from the first range of power levels and a beam emitted by the laser source is controlled within the second range of power levels when the beam is directed towards an image area of a photoconductive surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2006
    Publication date: August 23, 2007
    Applicant: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Fields, Christopher Jones, William Cook, Cyrus Clarke, Jonathan Frey
  • Publication number: 20060250104
    Abstract: Correction of rotary encoder eccentricity in an image forming device having a motor controller using period and position pulse train feedback signals. A motor includes an encoder disc rotating with the motor and at least two encoder sensors disposed at different circumferential positions about the encoder disc. A controller may use a high speed clock to calculate a corrected speed count based on speed counts determined from the number of clock cycles that elapse per cycle of pulse trains from the encoders. The controller may also calculate a corrected position count based at least partly on one or more position counts determined from the number of clock cycles that elapse between periodic sampling points and transitions of encoder pulse trains. The corrected position count may also be calculated based on a position count and one or more speed counts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2005
    Publication date: November 9, 2006
    Inventors: Brian Reichert, Steven Turney, Danny Chapman, Thomas Fields
  • Publication number: 20050250550
    Abstract: A system and method for using a short message service (SMS) of a wireless communication network operates to convert a subscriber's voice to a text message. The system employs offline conversion and verification of the converted text message prior to transmitting the text message over the wireless communication network. The system is implemented within the subscriber unit handset such that no additional infrastructure modifications of the wireless communication network are required.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2004
    Publication date: November 10, 2005
    Inventor: Thomas Fields
  • Publication number: 20050212905
    Abstract: Laser beam scan line nonlinearity is compensated for by providing algorithms for generating linearity profiles which are used by a corresponding registration system in an electrophotographic device to determine the placement of Pels across a scan line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Publication date: September 29, 2005
    Inventors: Cyrus Clarke, William Corbett, Thomas Fields, Christopher Jones
  • Publication number: 20050212902
    Abstract: An optical scanner is provided having a memory device thereon. The memory device may store operational characteristics of the optical scanner or data that characterizes laser beam scan path and/or laser power requirements by each laser of the optical scanner. The memory device may be used to store historical information such as device temperature, cycles of operation and other historical information of components within a corresponding electrophotographic device. Still further, the electrophotographic device to which the optical scanner is installed may write operational data to the memory device, for example, to store a backup of registration and other operational parameters that are typically stored by the controller of the electrophotographic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Publication date: September 29, 2005
    Inventors: William Cook, Thomas Fields, Allen Johnson, Christopher Jones, Gregory Ream
  • Publication number: 20050212899
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for characterizing laser beam process direction position errors in an electrophotographic device. Once the process direction position errors of a given beam laser beam system have been characterized, an image is adjusted or warped prior to being processed by the laser beam system to compensate for laser beam process direction position errors, e.g., bow and skew.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Publication date: September 29, 2005
    Inventors: Cyrus Clarke, Thomas Fields, Allen Johnson, Christopher Jones
  • Publication number: 20050212903
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for electronically adjusting an image to compensate for laser beam process direction position errors in an electrophotographic device. Initially, a bow profile is defined that characterizes the process direction position errors of a laser beam across a scan line. The device subsequently reads an image to be printed from a first memory location, performs pixel shifts on select columns thereof based upon the bow profile, and temporarily stores the adjusted image data to a second location of memory. The adjusted image data is then communicated to a printhead of the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Publication date: September 29, 2005
    Inventors: William Corbett, Thomas Fields, Allen Johnson, Christopoher Jones
  • Publication number: 20050212472
    Abstract: A motor control circuit uses a stored commutation table to effect time-based commutation of a brushless dc motor. Each entry in the commutation table defines a motor winding commutation state, and an exemplary method of open-loop motor control based on the commutation table comprises commutating the motor based on sequentially selecting table entries at a desired selection rate. That is, motor speed is controlled precisely by controlling the sequential selection rate rather than by relying on feedback from the motor. However, motor feedback for closed-loop control may be used in some modes of operation. For example, the method may include closed-loop control or open-loop control depending on the motor speed range, and may transition from closed-loop to open-loop control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Publication date: September 29, 2005
    Inventors: Danny Chapman, Thomas Fields, Steven Turney
  • Publication number: 20050151827
    Abstract: A method of minimizing visual artifacts resulting from a laser scan process in an electrophotographic machine, the electrophotographic machine including a photoconductive device having an image forming surface. The method including the steps of obtaining correction data relative to a bowed image and offsetting at least a portion of non-bowed image data dependent upon the correction data, and additionally dependent upon halftone cell growth of a halftone cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2004
    Publication date: July 14, 2005
    Inventors: Thomas Fields, Craig Hadady, Christopher Jones, Philip Heink
  • Publication number: 20040232270
    Abstract: An apparatus for automatically removing tape from a wound tape cartridge of the type having a hub around which a length of tape is wound, a protective housing surrounding the hub having a door for providing access to the tape during use, and locking members for preventing the hub from unintentionally rotating and the door from unintentionally opening. The apparatus comprises a cartridge conveyor adapted to convey a plurality of wound tape cartridges. A cartridge processing station operatively associated with the cartridge conveyor for receiving the wound tape cartridges from the cartridge conveyor in a sequential manner and holding the cartridges in an operational position to allow for automatic removal of the tape from the cartridges. An unwinding assembly is operatively associated with the processing station for engaging the tape in a cartridge being held in the operational position at the processing station and stripping the tape from the cartridge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2003
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Inventors: Rusty Milford, Ted Warrendorf, Thomas Fields, W. Norris Dale