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: 20190043114
    Abstract: Assets in an asset portfolio are evaluated using historical data and, optionally, additional other measurable characteristics for the assets in the asset portfolio. Each asset is assigned a valuation that represents past consumption and expected future consumption of the asset. The valuation is used to create recommended sets of assets from the asset portfolio. The recommended sets of assets are sent to user devices for consumption which is further monitored for accuracy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventor: Thomas J. Sullivan
  • Publication number: 20180153418
    Abstract: A low-profile blood pressure measurement system and methods of use are disclosed. The system includes an expandable member or structure that has a multi-compartment structure and/or is mounted on a rigid surface or structure. The system is incorporated into a portable multi-function device, or is configured to communicate with a portable multi-function device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas J. SULLIVAN, Habib S. KARAKI, Richard C. KIMOTO, Richard H. KOCH, Tobias J. HARRISON-NOONAN, R. Keith MONTGOMERY
  • Publication number: 20170360306
    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: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Ravi Narasimhan, Zijing Zeng, Richard C. Kimoto, Erno Klaassen, Thomas J. Sullivan, Derek Park-Shing Young, Todd K. Whitehurst
  • Publication number: 20170340219
    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: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2017
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    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
  • Publication number: 20170340209
    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: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2017
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    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: 20170293727
    Abstract: In some implementations, a user device can assist a user with intelligent blood pressure monitoring. For example, the user device can present notifications and/or reminders that prompt the user to take blood pressure measurements at a prescribed time or according to a prescribed schedule. The user device can automatically determine that the user should or should not take a blood pressure measurement based on the user's context and suggest an alternative time for taking the blood pressure measurement. For example, the user's context can include the user's physical and/or psychological state inferred based on sensor data, application data, and/or other detectable information. In some implementations, the user device can automatically monitor the user's blood pressure and take blood pressure measurements based on user context triggers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Publication date: October 12, 2017
    Inventors: Erno H. KLAASSEN, Thomas J. SULLIVAN, Stuart L. GALLANT, Michael O'REILLY, Zijing ZENG, Gracee AGRAWAL
  • Publication number: 20170281024
    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-plethysmogram (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: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Ravi Narasimhan, Richard C. Kimoto, Thomas J. Sullivan, Todd K. Whitehurst, Derek Park-shing Young, Zijing Zeng, Erno Klaassen
  • Publication number: 20170270514
    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: June 7, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: Thomas J. Sullivan, J. Simmons Graves
  • Patent number: 9691063
    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: February 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: BLACKHAWK NETWORK, INC.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Sullivan, J. Simmons Graves
  • Publication number: 20170109768
    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: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2016
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Inventors: Michael D. Swinson, Param Pash Kaur Dhillon, Thomas J. Sullivan, Xingchu Liu
  • Publication number: 20170039580
    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: October 19, 2016
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Inventors: Thomas J. Sullivan, Michael D. Swinson
  • Patent number: 9508084
    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: January 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: TRUECAR, INC.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Sullivan, Michael D. Swinson
  • Publication number: 20160034999
    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: October 15, 2015
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Inventors: Jason McBride, Thomas J. Sullivan, Michael D. Swinson, Zixia Wang
  • Publication number: 20160026920
    Abstract: Creating a playlist of multimedia assets based on estimated user viewing length and an estimated length of engagement during a user session. Assets are selected based on an anchor asset displayed with the playlist of multimedia assets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Inventors: Thomas J. Sullivan, Joel Spitalnik, Sunil Ingle, Jared Essig, Field Garthwaite, Carl Winston Owens
  • Publication number: 20160027057
    Abstract: An asset to be displayed during an online engagement is identified. A mixture of multimedia assets that include any combination of: audio, video, text, or image, are selected to be displayed simultaneously with the asset. Each multimedia asset selected based at least on a relationship between the multimedia asset and the asset to be displayed during the online engagement. A presentation screen is created that includes the selected multimedia assets and the asset to be displayed during the online engagement based on display parameters of a receiving device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Inventors: Thomas J. Sullivan, Joel Spitalnik
  • Patent number: 9189800
    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: September 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: TRUECAR, INC.
    Inventors: Jason McBride, Thomas J. Sullivan, Michael D. Swinson, Zixia Wang
  • Patent number: 9116964
    Abstract: A vehicle identification number (VIN) decoder (VDC) implementing a unique VIN decoding method may, for a given VIN, shorten the VIN and form a stem and a leaf therefrom. Utilizing the stem, the VDC may operate to find matching leaf values, if any, from a set of look up tables. Depending upon a match outcome, one or more trim identification code (TIC) values can be assigned to the VIN and a candidate list can be constructed utilizing the assigned TIC value(s). The candidate list, which can be optimized, may contain one or more candidate trims for the VIN. For each candidate trim, a confidence score and a match probability can be generated. The VDC may provide decoded information containing trim data associated with at least one of the one or more candidate trims for the VIN to a client device over a network connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: TrueCar, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Sullivan, Michael D. Swinson
  • Publication number: 20150161593
    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 20, 2015
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas J. Sullivan, J. Simmons Graves
  • Publication number: 20150134422
    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: January 23, 2015
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: Michael D. Swinson, Jason McBride, Isaac Lemon Laughlin, Thomas J. Sullivan
  • Patent number: 8998081
    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: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Blackhawk Network, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Sullivan, J. Simmons Graves