Patents by Inventor Thomas Hicks

Thomas Hicks 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: 12019981
    Abstract: A machine reading system is described herein that includes a framework in which grammar rules can be developed using a concise language that combines syntax and semantics. The resulting technology thus reduces the development time for new grammars in a new domain. An enormous amount of information appears in the form of natural language across millions of academic papers and other literature sources. For example, in the biological domain, there is a tremendous ongoing effort to extract individual chemical interactions from these texts, but these interactions are only isolated fragments of larger causal mechanisms such as protein signaling pathways. The proposed rule-based event extraction framework can model underlying syntactic representations of events in order to extract signaling pathway fragments. Though application to the biomedical domain is herein described, the framework is domain-independent and is expressive enough to capture most complex events annotated by domain experts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS ON BEHALF OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
    Inventors: Mihai Surdeanu, Marco A. Valenzuela Escarcega, Gustave Hahn-Powell, Dane Bell, Thomas Hicks, Enrique Noriega, Clayton Morrison, Rebecca Sharp, Robert Ionut Vacareanu, George Barbosa
  • Patent number: 11992001
    Abstract: A textured window film has a prismatic effect that allows a substantial amount of incoming light to pass through a window while refracting the light at random or semi-random angles in a manner that distorts viewed images. The result is a window film that is brighter and more vibrant while also providing visual privacy. The textured window film can therefore better simulate real textured and colored glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: ARTSCAPE INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Thomas Hicks, Michael Kyne
  • Publication number: 20210357585
    Abstract: A machine reading system is described herein that includes a framework in which grammar rules can be developed using a concise language that combines syntax and semantics. The resulting technology thus reduces the development time for new grammars in a new domain. An enormous amount of information appears in the form of natural language across millions of academic papers and other literature sources. For example, in the biological domain, there is a tremendous ongoing effort to extract individual chemical interactions from these texts, but these interactions are only isolated fragments of larger causal mechanisms such as protein signaling pathways. The proposed rule-based event extraction framework can model underlying syntactic representations of events in order to extract signaling pathway fragments. Though application to the biomedical domain is herein described, the framework is domain-independent and is expressive enough to capture most complex events annotated by domain experts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventors: Mihai Surdeanu, Marco A. Valenzuela Escarcega, Gustave Hahn-Powell, Dane Bell, Thomas Hicks, Enrique Noriega, Clayton Morrison, Rebecca Sharp, Robert Ionut Vacareanu, George Barbosa
  • Publication number: 20200037602
    Abstract: A bird anti-collision film prevents birds from flying into windows by disrupting visible habitat reflections that might appear on the outside of the windows. The anti-collision film blocks and/or absorbs light that may normally be reflected by a window and also actively scatters, and fluoresces light creating an active light disturbance. The disrupted light includes a light range highly visible by many birds but only partially visible by humans. A textured surface in combination with a fluorescent dye in the anti-collision film increases the intensity and range of the light disturbance. The anti-collision film may be attached to the inside of a window providing the unique advantages of easy inside window installation and insulation from external weather conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Applicant: Artscape, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas HICKS
  • Publication number: 20190285528
    Abstract: A system and method for measuring flow resistance of a fluid in a conduit is provided. The system generally includes a reservoir for containing the fluid, a pump connected to the reservoir for distributing the fluid through a conduit having a straight measurement section, one or more pressure sensors connected to the conduit for measuring the pressure of the fluid in the conduit at one end of the straight measurement section and an opposite end of the straight measurement section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Applicant: Ametek, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel William Castell, Thomas Steele, Thomas Hicks, William John Willems
  • Patent number: 10334840
    Abstract: A bird anti-collision film prevents birds from flying into windows by disrupting visible habitat reflections that might appear on the outside of the windows. The anti-collision film blocks and/or absorbs light that may normally be reflected by a window and also actively scatters, and fluoresces light creating an active light disturbance. The disrupted light includes a light range highly visible by many birds but only partially visible by humans. A textured surface in combination with a fluorescent dye in the anti-collision film increases the intensity and range of the light disturbance. The anti-collision film may be attached to the inside of a window providing the unique advantages of easy inside window installation and insulation from external weather conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: ARTSCAPE INC.
    Inventor: Thomas Hicks
  • Patent number: 10195969
    Abstract: A vehicle seat back includes a seat back frame. An impact pad is supported on the seat back frame. The impact pad includes a pad body that is located on a rear side of the seat back frame. The impact pad includes a frame contact surface that matches a contour of the seat back frame. The vehicle seat back also includes one of more spaces located between the pad body and the seat back frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Veine, Ashford Galbreath, Thomas Hicks
  • Publication number: 20180260474
    Abstract: A machine reading system is described herein that includes a framework in which grammar rules can be developed using a concise language that combines syntax and semantics. The resulting technology thus reduces the development time for new grammars in a new domain. An enormous amount of information appears in the form of natural language across millions of academic papers and other literature sources. For example, in the biological domain, there is a tremendous ongoing effort to extract individual chemical interactions from these texts, but these interactions are only isolated fragments of larger causal mechanisms such as protein signaling pathways. The proposed rule-based event extraction framework can model underlying syntactic representations of events in order to extract signaling pathway fragments. Though application to the biomedical domain is herein described, the framework is domain-independent and is expressive enough to capture most complex events annotated by domain experts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Inventors: Mihai Surdeanu, Marco A. Valenzuela Escarcega, Gustave Hahn-Powell, Dane Bell, Thomas Hicks, Enrique Noriega, Clayton Morrison
  • Publication number: 20180178686
    Abstract: A vehicle seat back includes a seat back frame. An impact pad is supported on the seat back frame. The impact pad includes a pad body that is located on a rear side of the seat back frame. The impact pad includes a frame contact surface that matches a contour of the seat back frame. The vehicle seat back also includes one of more spaces located between the pad body and the seat back frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Applicant: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Veine, Ashford Galbreath, Thomas Hicks
  • Patent number: 9278577
    Abstract: A decorative fabricated covering includes a first piece of vinyl. A first ink layer is printed on the first piece of vinyl and a textured layer is printed on top of the first ink layer. A second ink layer is printed on a second separate piece of vinyl. The first and second pieces of vinyl are then laminated together. An overprint layer may be printed on top of the textured layer and a second textured layer may be printed on top of the overprint resin layer. A domed layer may be formed on top of the second ink layer and a reflective material, such as glitter, may be mixed in the second textured layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Artscape, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Hicks
  • Publication number: 20160041319
    Abstract: A bird anti-collision film prevents birds from flying into windows by disrupting visible habitat reflections that might appear on the outside of the windows. The anti-collision film blocks and/or absorbs light that may normally be reflected by a window and also actively scatters, and fluoresces light creating an active light disturbance. The disrupted light includes a light range highly visible by many birds but only partially visible by humans. A textured surface in combination with a fluorescent dye in the anti-collision film increases the intensity and range of the light disturbance. The anti-collision film may be attached to the inside of a window providing the unique advantages of easy inside window installation and insulation from external weather conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Applicant: Artscape Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas HICKS
  • Publication number: 20150160385
    Abstract: A bird anti-collision film prevents birds from flying into windows by disrupting visible habitat reflections that might appear on the outside of the windows. Instead of simply blocking or absorbing light, the anti-collision film actively refracts and scatters light generating an active light disturbance. The refracted light includes an ultraviolet light range visible by many birds. A textured surface and an optical brightener increase the intensity of the refracted light disturbance. The anti-collision film increases active light disturbance intensity when attached to the inside of a window providing the unique advantages of easy inside window installation and insulation from external weather conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2015
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Applicant: Artscape Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas HICKS
  • Publication number: 20150140270
    Abstract: A decorative fabricated covering includes a first piece of vinyl. A first ink layer is printed on the first piece of vinyl and a textured layer is printed on top of the first ink layer. A second ink layer is printed on a second separate piece of vinyl. The first and second pieces of vinyl are then laminated together. An overprint layer may be printed on top of the textured layer and a second textured layer may be printed on top of the overprint resin layer. A domed layer may be formed on top of the second ink layer and a reflective material, such as glitter, may be mixed in the second textured layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: ARTSCAPE, INC.
    Inventor: Thomas Hicks
  • Patent number: 8140369
    Abstract: A method and system for optimizing the manufacturing workforce and reducing workforce boredom in an assembly plant is provided. A master database contains all the plant workers along with all of the assembly tasks required to be performed at the assembly plant for a predetermined period, a repetitive threshold value for each worker, and a burden value for each assembly task. Each worker is assigned to a particular assembly task based upon the attributes of the worker and the assembly task requirements. A first schedule is generated by matching assembly tasks to a worker. The first schedule is then used to generate a second schedule such that workers do not exceed a repetitive value threshold or a burden value threshold. Thus the method and system generates schedules such that workers are given a variety of assembly tasks and therefore are not bored by performing the same task repetitively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Robin Paul, Thomas Hicks, Dan Ryder, Angela Colleen Weber-Hicks, Gregory Evers
  • Patent number: 8007896
    Abstract: A textured window film has a prismatic effect that allows a substantial amount of incoming light to pass through a window while refracting the light at random or semi-random angles in a manner that distorts viewed images. The result is a window film that is brighter and more vibrant while also providing visual privacy. The textured window film can therefore better simulate real textured and colored glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Artscape, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Hicks, Michael John Kyne
  • Publication number: 20100049574
    Abstract: A method and system for optimizing the manufacturing workforce and reducing workforce boredom in an assembly plant is provided. A master database contains all the plant workers along with all of the assembly tasks required to be performed at the assembly plant for a predetermined period, a repetitive threshold value for each worker, and a burden value for each assembly task. Each worker is assigned to a particular assembly task based upon the attributes of the worker and the assembly task requirements. A first schedule is generated by matching assembly tasks to a worker. The first schedule is then used to generate a second schedule such that workers do not exceed a repetitive value threshold or a burden value threshold. Thus the method and system generates schedules such that workers are given a variety of assembly tasks and therefore are not bored by performing the same task repetitively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2008
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Robin Paul, Thomas Hicks, Dan Ryder, Angela C. Weber-Hicks, Gregory Evers
  • Publication number: 20090068408
    Abstract: A textured window film has a prismatic effect that allows a substantial amount of incoming light to pass through a window while refracting the light at random or semi-random angles in a manner that distorts viewed images. The result is a window film that is brighter and more vibrant while also providing visual privacy. The textured window film can therefore better simulate real textured and colored glass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: Artscape, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Hicks, Michael John Kyne
  • Patent number: 7468203
    Abstract: A textured window film has a prismatic effect that allows a substantial amount of incoming light to pass through a window while refracting the light at random or semi-random angles in a manner that distorts viewed images. The result is a window film that is brighter and more vibrant while also providing visual privacy. The textured window film can therefore better simulate real textured and colored glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: Artscape, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Hicks, Michael John Kyne
  • Publication number: 20070275167
    Abstract: A textured window film has a prismatic effect that allows a substantial amount of incoming light to pass through a window while refracting the light at random or semi-random angles in a manner that distorts viewed images. The result is a window film that is brighter and more vibrant while also providing visual privacy. The textured window film can therefore better simulate real textured and colored glass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2007
    Publication date: November 29, 2007
    Applicant: Artscape, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Hicks, Michael Kyne
  • Patent number: 7248955
    Abstract: A method is provided for operating a proximity sensing unit for controlling an accessory device of a vehicle. A plurality of proximity sensors is disposed in a sequential pattern within a sensing unit whereby the proximity sensors are responsive to a manual activation. At least two activation signals are received from at least two proximity sensors in response to the manual activation. An activation sequence of at least two activation signals is determined. One of a plurality of control actions associated with the activation sequence is selected. A control action is initiated for controlling an operation of the accessory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: David A. Hein, Thomas Hicks, James A. Mulvihill, Lori A. Edwards