Patents by Inventor Thomas J. Sullivan

Thomas J. Sullivan 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: 20200367760
    Abstract: Methods and devices for obtaining a blood pressure measurement of a subject measure a transit time of a blood pulse of the subject. A method includes sensing, with a pulse ejection sensor of a wrist-worn device, ejection of blood from the left ventricle. Arrival of a resulting blood pressure pulse at the wrist is sensed via a pulse arrival sensor of the wrist-worn device. A transit time of the blood pressure pulse from the left ventricle to the wrist is determined. A relative blood pressure value of the subject is determined based on the transit time. A reference absolute blood pressure value associated with the relative blood pressure value is received. An absolute blood pressure value for the relative blood pressure value is determined based on the reference absolute blood pressure value and the relative blood pressure value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: Erno H. Klaassen, Wren Nancy Dougherty, Richard C. Kimoto, Ravi K. Narasimhan, Thomas J. Sullivan, Stephen J. Waydo, Todd K. Whitehurst, Santiago Quijano, Derek Park-Shing Young, Zijing Zeng
  • Patent number: 10779738
    Abstract: Wrist-worn devices and related methods measure a pulse transit time non-invasively and calculate a blood pressure value using the pulse transit time. A wrist-worn device include a wrist-worn elongate band, at least four EKG or ICG electrodes coupled to the wrist-worn device for detecting a ventricular ejection of a heart, a photo-plethysmogram (PPG) sensor coupled to the wrist-worn device for detecting arrival of a blood pressure pulse at the user's wrist, and a controller configured to calculate a pulse transit time (PTT) for the blood pressure pulse. The controller calculates one or more blood pressure values for the user based on the PTT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Inventors: Thomas J. Sullivan, Wren Nancy Dougherty, Richard C. Kimoto, Erno Klaassen, Ravi Narasimhan, Stephen J. Waydo, Todd K. Whitehurst, Derek Park-Shing Young, Santiago Quijano, Zijing Zeng
  • Patent number: 10772512
    Abstract: The present invention provides non-invasive devices, methods, and systems for determining a pressure of blood within a cardiovascular system of a user, the cardiovascular system including a heart and the user having a wrist covered by skin. More particularly, the present invention discloses a variety of wrist-worn devices having a variety of sensors configured to non-invasively engage the skin on the wrist of the user for sensing a variety of user signals from the cardiovascular system of the user. Generally, approaches disclosed herein may passively track blood pressure values without any interaction required on the part of the user or may allow for on demand or point measurements of blood pressure values by having a user actively interact with the sensors of the wrist-worn device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Inventors: Erno H. Klaassen, Wren Nancy Dougherty, Richard C. Kimoto, Ravi Narasimhan, Thomas J. Sullivan, Stephen J. Waydo, Todd K. Whitehurst, Santiago Quijano, Derek Park-Shing Young, Zijing Zeng
  • Publication number: 20200286103
    Abstract: Asset portfolios may be expressed in a category taxonomy to provide a hierarchical data structure for a recommendation engine. The traversal cost across a weighted directed graph between nodes in the category taxonomy is used as a component of a composite score for a category transition. Observed data about category transitions is aggregated to provide an additional component of the composite score. Randomness may also be used to promote data discovery in the asset portfolio management and recommendation engine as part of the weighted composite score.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Publication date: September 10, 2020
    Inventor: Thomas J. Sullivan
  • Publication number: 20200286131
    Abstract: Branded content, or a target asset, may be included in a set of ordered assets based on the category of an anchor asset. Fill rates, total views of the target asset, or a combination may be used in selecting an optimization strategy. A dual optimization may be used to reduce the burden of presentation based on historical yield rates and follow-on rates observed from category transition data. Serendipity may be incorporated in the process through use of a reserve pool of transitions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Publication date: September 10, 2020
    Inventor: Thomas J. Sullivan
  • Publication number: 20200275139
    Abstract: An anchor asset is selected among a plurality of assets based on a caching gain calculation for the anchor asset. A variety of assets are selected from the plurality of assets based on a relationship with the anchor asset, the variety of assets including any combination of: audio, video, text, image, etc. The anchor asset and the variety of assets are cached on one or more geographically diverse servers among a plurality of servers for delivery to client devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Inventors: Richard James Hyden, Joel Spitalnik, Thomas J Sullivan
  • Patent number: 10740776
    Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments for the aggregation and analysis of vehicle prices via a geo-specific model. Data may be collected at various geo-specific levels such as a ZIP-Code level to provide greater data resolution. Data sets taken into account may include demarcation point data sets and data sets based on vehicle transactions. A demarcation point data set may be based on consumer market factors that influence car-buying behavior. Vehicle transactions may be classified into data sets for other vehicles having similar characteristics to the vehicle. A geo-specific statistical pricing model may then be applied to the data sets based on similar characteristics to a particular vehicle to produce a price estimation for the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: TrueCar, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Swinson, Param Pash Kaur Dhillon, Thomas J. Sullivan, Xingchu Liu
  • Patent number: 10702171
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to blood pressure monitoring. In some embodiments, methods and devices of measuring a mean arterial pressure are provided and/or monitoring blood pressure changes. A wrist-worn device may include a plurality of sensors backed by a plurality of actuators. Subsets of the plurality of sensors may be selectively actuateable against a wrist of a user using one or more of the plurality of actuators. A preferred sensor and location may be identified based on pressure signals received from each of the sensors. In some embodiments, devices may use a fluid bladder coupled with piezoelectric film sensors. A fluid bladder pressure sensor may be used to calibrate the piezoelectric film signal to provide a static and dynamic pressure reading. In yet another embodiment, a mean arterial pressure may be calculated by processing a swept pressure signal obtained as a sensor is swept through different heights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Inventors: Ravi Narasimhan, Zijing Zeng, Richard C. Kimoto, Erno Klaassen, Thomas J. Sullivan, Derek Park-Shing Young, Todd K. Whitehurst
  • Publication number: 20200077954
    Abstract: Detecting user contact with one or more electrodes of a physiological signal sensor can be used to ensure physiological signals measured by the physiological signal sensor meet waveform characteristics (e.g., of a clinically accurate physiological signal). In some examples, a mobile and/or wearable device can comprise sensing circuitry, stimulation circuitry, and processing circuitry. The stimulation circuit can drive one or more stimulation signals on one or more electrodes, the resulting signal(s) can be measured (e.g., by the sensing circuitry), and the processing circuitry can determine whether a user is in contact with the electrode(s). Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, mobile and/or wearable device can comprise saturation detection circuitry, and the processing circuitry can determine whether the sensing circuitry is saturated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Inventors: Chad A. BOSSETTI, Thomas J. SULLIVAN, Xiaoyu GUO, Paras SAMSUKHA, Anirban CHATTERJEE
  • Publication number: 20200074490
    Abstract: Endogenous and exogenous variables associated with an item for sale by an affiliate may be displayed to a user of an affiliate decision-making tool. In response to the user selecting one of the endogenous variables, the affiliate decision-making tool may compute a number of introductions, a number of leads, and a number of sales for each of a plurality of possible values of the endogenous variable. The computation may be done utilizing a display position algorithm. A visualization of effects of setting the endogenous variable at different levels may be presented. The user may interact with the display position algorithm to vary one or more of the plurality of possible values of the endogenous variable such that the affiliate is eligible or disqualified to be displayed by an intermediary in response to a search for the item by a visitor of a network site owned and operated by the intermediary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Michael D. Swinson, Jason McBride, Isaac Lemon Laughlin, Thomas J. Sullivan
  • Publication number: 20200058016
    Abstract: A computerized system for activating, issuing and otherwise managing transactions and activities pertaining to stored-value cards over a communications network. A central information database is provided for storing stored-value cardholder and card purchaser information received directly from respective stored-value cardholders and card purchasers PCs through a universal central processor via respective communication gateways. The central processor is coupled for communication realtime to multiple unaffiliated stored-value card processing networks normally operated by respective hosts. Each network includes a stored-value card processor coupled to a stored-value card database and multiple respective merchant communication devices. The central processor is programmed for managing the activation and issuance of transactions and activities for the stored-value card through the respective unaffiliated networks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Publication date: February 20, 2020
    Inventors: Thomas J. Sullivan, J. Simmons Graves
  • Patent number: 10555686
    Abstract: Methods and devices for removing parasitic effects from body impedance measurements. Such parasitic effects can include parasitic coupling(s)/impedance(s) and/or parasitic coupling between the impedance measurement device and the body tissue being measured. In one approach, a drive current is controlled so as to control the voltage of a sense electrode to reduce a parasitic current. In another approach, different known capacitances are added to enable calculation of unknown electrode impedances. In another approach, a positive feedback loop is used to reduce error associated with a parasitic current of a voltage sensor used to measure resulting subject voltage. In another approach, sequential application of drive voltage to each electrode is used and resulting currents through all electrodes are measured and used to calculate body impedance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Inventors: Richard C. Kimoto, Thomas J. Sullivan, Paras Samsukha
  • Publication number: 20200005381
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems and methods for the filtering, selection and presentation of vendors accounting for both user characteristics and vendor characteristics, such that the systems and methods may be used by both customer and vendor alike to better match customer needs with the resource-constrained vendors with whom a successful sale has a higher probability of occurring. Embodiments may include filtering, selecting and/or presenting vendors to a user sorted by the probability that the particular vendor will possess the characteristics that appeal to a particular customer and therefore result in a large probability of sale and suppress presentation of those vendors that are unlikely to be selected by the customer since their characteristics are less consistent with those needed by the customer and, therefore, are unlikely to result in a sale.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Inventors: Jason McBride, Thomas J. Sullivan, Michael D. Swinson, Zixia Wang
  • Patent number: 10517489
    Abstract: Wrist-worn devices and related methods measure a pulse transit time non-invasively and calculate a blood pressure value using the pulse transit time. A wrist-worn device includes an accelerometer, a photo-lethysmogram (PPG) or a pulse pressure sensor, and a controller. The PPG or the pulse pressure sensor coupled to the wrist-worn device for detecting an arrival of a blood pressure pulse at the user's wrist. The controller is configured to process output signals from the accelerometer to detect when the blood pressure pulse is propagated from the left ventricle of the user's heart, process a signal from the PPG or the pulse pressure sensor to detect when the blood pressure pulse arrives at the wrist, calculate a pulse transit time (PTT) for propagation of the blood pressure pulse from the left ventricle to the wrist, and generate one or more blood pressure values for the user based on the PTT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Inventors: Ravi Narasimhan, Richard C. Kimoto, Thomas J. Sullivan, Todd K. Whitehurst, Derek Park-shing Young, Zijing Zeng, Erno Klaassen
  • Patent number: 10482485
    Abstract: Endogenous and exogenous variables associated with an item for sale by an affiliate may be displayed to a user of an affiliate decision-making tool. In response to the user selecting one of the endogenous variables, the affiliate decision-making tool may compute a number of introductions, a number of leads, and a number of sales for each of a plurality of possible values of the endogenous variable. The computation may be done utilizing a display position algorithm. A visualization of effects of setting the endogenous variable at different levels may be presented. The user may interact with the display position algorithm to vary one or more of the plurality of possible values of the endogenous variable such that the affiliate is eligible or disqualified to be displayed by an intermediary in response to a search for the item by a visitor of a network site owned and operated by the intermediary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: TrueCar, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Swinson, Jason McBride, Isaac Lemon Laughlin, Thomas J. Sullivan
  • Patent number: 10467676
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems and methods for the filtering, selection and presentation of vendors accounting for both user characteristics and vendor characteristics, such that the systems and methods may be used by both customer and vendor alike to better match customer needs with the resource-constrained vendors with whom a successful sale has a higher probability of occurring. Embodiments may include filtering, selecting and/or presenting vendors to a user sorted by the probability that the particular vendor will possess the characteristics that appeal to a particular customer and therefore result in a large probability of sale and suppress presentation of those vendors that are unlikely to be selected by the customer since their characteristics are less consistent with those needed by the customer and, therefore, are unlikely to result in a sale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: TrueCar, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason McBride, Thomas J. Sullivan, Michael D. Swinson, Zixia Wang
  • Publication number: 20190156354
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed provide a system, method, and computer program product for identifying consumer items more likely to be bought by an individual user. In some embodiments, a collaborative filter may be used to rank items based on the degree to which they match user preferences. The collaborative filter may be hierarchical and may take various factors into consideration. Example factors may include the similarity among items based on observable features, a summary of aggregate online search behavior across multiple users, the item features determined to be most important to the individual user, and a baseline item against which a conditional probability of another item being selected is measured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2019
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Thomas J. Sullivan, Michael D. Swinson
  • Patent number: 10296929
    Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments for the aggregation and analysis of vehicle prices via a geo-specific model. Data may be collected at various geo-specific levels such as a ZIP-Code level to provide greater data resolution. Data sets taken into account may include demarcation point data sets and data sets based on vehicle transactions. A demarcation point data set may be based on consumer market factors that influence car-buying behavior. Vehicle transactions may be classified into data sets for other vehicles having similar characteristics to the vehicle. A geo-specific statistical pricing model may then be applied to the data sets based on similar characteristics to a particular vehicle to produce a price estimation for the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: TRUECAR, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Swinson, Param Pash Kaur Dhillon, Thomas J. Sullivan, Xingchu Liu
  • Patent number: 10217106
    Abstract: A computerized system for activating, issuing and otherwise managing transactions and activities pertaining to stored-value cards over a communications network. A central information database is provided for storing stored-value cardholder and card purchaser information received directly from respective stored-value cardholders and card purchasers PCs through a universal central processor via respective communication gateways. The central processor is coupled for communication realtime to multiple unaffiliated stored-value card processing networks normally operated by respective hosts. Each network includes a stored-value card processor coupled to a stored-value card database and multiple respective merchant communication devices. The central processor is programmed for managing the activation and issuance of transactions and activities for the stored-value card through the respective unaffiliated networks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: BLACKHAWK NETWORK, INC.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Sullivan, J. Simmons Graves
  • Patent number: 10210534
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed provide a system, method, and computer program product for identifying consumer items more likely to be bought by an individual user. In some embodiments, a collaborative filter may be used to rank items based on the degree to which they match user preferences. The collaborative filter may be hierarchical and may take various factors into consideration. Example factors may include the similarity among items based on observable features, a summary of aggregate online search behavior across multiple users, the item features determined to be most important to the individual user, and a baseline item against which a conditional probability of another item being selected is measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: TrueCar, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Sullivan, Michael D. Swinson