Patents by Inventor Thomas R. Miller

Thomas R. Miller 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: 20250233767
    Abstract: A hospitality property management tool and system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment of the system, thermostats are located in respective rooms at a hospitality establishment. The thermostats are joined in network communication with environmental amenities, such as lights and a thermostat that respectively controls lighting and temperature. The thermostats utilize an unoccupied room profile and an occupied room profile to set the environmental conditions, such as the lighting and the temperature, in the rooms. A guest preference profile may be activated within a room to provide guest-specific environmental conditions in the room associated with a guest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2025
    Publication date: July 17, 2025
    Applicant: Enseo, LLC
    Inventors: William C. Fang, Thomas R. Miller, Vanessa Ogle
  • Patent number: 12328454
    Abstract: A system and method for providing awareness in a hospitality environment are presented. In one embodiment, a vertical and horizontal array of thermostats is provided and each thermostat includes an identification corresponding to a room in which the thermostat is placed. Each thermostat includes a wireless transceiver that periodically transmits an identification beacon signal that is received by a proximate wireless-enabled programmable interactive device. The proximate wireless-enabled programmable interactive device, in turn, broadcasts data packets including an indication of the strength of thermostat identification signals received. The broadcasts are received by a server via an array of wireless routers. A location of the proximate wireless-enabled programmable interactive device is determined based on the signal strength information in the data packets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2025
    Assignee: Enseo, LLC
    Inventors: William C. Fang, Thomas R. Miller, Vanessa Ogle
  • Patent number: 12316472
    Abstract: A hospitality property management tool and system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment of the system, set-top boxes are located in respective rooms at a hospitality establishment. The set-top boxes are joined in network communication with environmental amenities, such as lights and a thermostat that respectively control lighting and temperature. The set-top boxes utilize an unoccupied room profile and occupied room profile to set the environmental conditions, such as lighting and temperature, in the rooms. A guest preference profile may be activated within a room to provide guest-specific environmental conditions in the room associated with the guest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: Enseo, LLP
    Inventors: Thomas R. Miller, Vanessa Ogle, William C. Fang
  • Patent number: 12284400
    Abstract: A geolocationing system and method for providing awareness in a multi-space environment, such as a hospitality environment or educational environment, are presented. In one embodiment of the geolocationing system, a vertical and horizontal array of gateway devices is provided. Each gateway device includes a gateway device identification providing an accurately-known fixed location within the multi-space environment. Each gateway device includes a wireless transceiver that receives a beacon signal from a proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device. The gateway devices, in turn, send gateway signals to a server, which determines an estimated location of the wireless-enabled personal locator device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: Enseo, LLC
    Inventors: William C. Fang, Thomas R. Miller, Vanessa Ogle
  • Patent number: 12284399
    Abstract: A geolocationing system and method for providing awareness in a multi-space environment, such as a hospitality environment or educational environment, are presented. In one embodiment of the geolocationing system, a vertical and horizontal array of gateway devices is provided. Each gateway device includes a gateway device identification providing an accurately-known fixed location within the multi-space environment. Each gateway device includes a wireless transceiver that receives a beacon signal from a proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device. The gateway devices, in turn, send gateway signals to a server, which determines estimated location of the wireless-enabled personal locator device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: Enseo, LLC
    Inventors: William C. Fang, Thomas R. Miller, Vanessa Ogle
  • Patent number: 12262067
    Abstract: A system and method for providing awareness in a hospitality environment are presented. In one embodiment, a vertical and horizontal array of set-top boxes is provided and each set-top box includes an identification corresponding to the room in which the set-top box is placed. Each set-top box includes a wireless transceiver that periodically transmits an identification beacon that is received by a proximate wireless-enabled interactive device. The proximate wireless-enabled interactive device, in turn, broadcasts data packets including an indication of the strength of set-top box identification signals received. The broadcasts are received by a server via an array of wireless routers. The location of the proximate wireless-enabled interactive device is determined based on the signal strength information in the data packets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: Enseo, LLC
    Inventors: Vanessa Ogle, Thomas R. Miller, William C. Fang
  • Patent number: 12250426
    Abstract: A set-top box with enhanced behavioral controls and system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment of the set-top box, a wireless transceiver is located within a housing, which also interconnectedly includes a television input, a television output, a processor, and memory. The set-top box may pair with an electronic door locking apparatus coupled to a door that is room-collocated with the set-top box in a hospitality establishment. The set-top box may then receive a status signal from the electronic door locking apparatus relative to the open/closed status of the door and locked/unlocked status of the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Enseo, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas R. Miller, Vanessa Ogle
  • Publication number: 20250076450
    Abstract: A geolocationing system and method for providing awareness in a multi-space environment, such as a hospitality environment or educational environment, are presented. In one embodiment of the geolocationing system, a vertical and horizontal array of gateway devices is provided. Each gateway device includes a gateway device identification providing an accurately-known fixed location within the multi-space environment. Each gateway device includes a wireless transceiver that receives a beacon signal from a proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device. The gateway devices, in turn, send gateway signals to a server, which determines estimated location of the wireless-enabled personal locator device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2023
    Publication date: March 6, 2025
    Inventors: William C. Fang, Raymond S. Horton, Thomas R. Miller
  • Patent number: 12237941
    Abstract: A hospitality property management tool and system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment of the system, thermostats are located in respective rooms at a hospitality establishment. The thermostats are joined in network communication with environmental amenities, such as lights and a thermostat that respectively controls lighting and temperature. The thermostats utilize an unoccupied room profile and an occupied room profile to set the environmental conditions, such as the lighting and the temperature, in the rooms. A guest preference profile may be activated within a room to provide guest-specific environmental conditions in the room associated with a guest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Enseo, LLC
    Inventors: William C. Fang, Thomas R. Miller, Vanessa Ogle
  • Patent number: 12236405
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses for real-time trickle payments are provided. A system includes a processing circuit configured to: receive a request from a consumer device to commission a service provided by a supplier; place a financial hold on funds allocated to a supplier financial account based on performance terms of a smart contract; detect initiation of performance of the requested service based on performance information from a mobile device associated with the supplier and correlating the performance information to the smart contract; increase a financial hold on funds allocated to a consumer financial account in a hold amount proportional to the monitored performance, and decrease the financial hold on the funds allocated to the supplier financial account in the hold amount proportional to the monitored performance; and, upon the completion of the requested service, release the funds on hold in the supplier financial account.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
    Inventors: Eileen Johnstone, Michael Knorr, Thomas R. Miller, Catherine Wangari Mwangi, Mercedes Roldan-Colon, Jessica A. Weng
  • Publication number: 20250063213
    Abstract: A geolocationing system and method for providing awareness in a multi-space environment, such as a hospitality environment or educational environment, are presented. In one embodiment of the geolocationing system, a vertical and horizontal array of gateway devices is provided. Each gateway device includes a gateway device identification providing an accurately-known fixed location within the multi-space environment. Each gateway device includes a wireless transceiver that receives a beacon signal from a proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device. The gateway devices, in turn, send gateway signals to a server, which determines estimated location of the wireless-enabled personal location device with trilateration and received signal strength modeling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2024
    Publication date: February 20, 2025
    Inventors: Thomas R. Miller, William C. Fang, Vanessa Ogle
  • Patent number: 12212792
    Abstract: A set-top box with self-monitoring and system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment of the set-top box, a housing secures a television input, a television output, a processor, memory, and storage therein, which are communicatively interconnected by a busing architecture. The memory is accessible to the processor, and the memory includes processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to detect when the television is not being utilized. Responsive thereto, the instructions cause the processor to scan channels received from the television input and generate a composite TV screen image data that may be resolved to a single TV screen image made from an assemblage of TV screen image captures corresponding to the scanned channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Enseo, LLC
    Inventors: William C. Fang, Thomas R. Miller, Vanessa Ogle
  • Patent number: 12199791
    Abstract: A hospitality property management tool and system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment of the system, thermostats are located in respective rooms at a hospitality establishment. The thermostats are joined in network communication with environmental amenities, such as lights and a thermostat that respectively controls lighting and temperature. The thermostats utilize an unoccupied room profile and an occupied room profile to set the environmental conditions, such as the lighting and the temperature, in the rooms. A guest preference profile may be activated within a room to provide guest-specific environmental conditions in the room associated with a guest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Enseo, LLC
    Inventors: William C. Fang, Thomas R. Miller, Vanessa Ogle
  • Patent number: 12200655
    Abstract: A geolocationing system and method for providing awareness in a multi-space environment, such as a hospitality environment or educational environment, are presented. In one embodiment of the geolocationing system, a vertical and horizontal array of gateway devices is provided. The vertical and horizontal array of gateway devices form a mesh network. Each gateway device includes a gateway device identification providing an accurately-known fixed location within the multi-space environment. Each gateway device includes a wireless transceiver that receives a beacon signal from a proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device. The gateway devices, in turn, send gateway signals via the mesh network to a server, which determines estimated location of the wireless-enabled personal location device with received signal characteristic modeling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Enseo, LLC
    Inventors: William C. Fang, Raymond S. Horton, Thomas R. Miller
  • Patent number: 12137258
    Abstract: A geolocationing system and method for providing awareness in a multi-space environment, such as a hospitality environment or educational environment, are presented. In one embodiment of the geolocationing system, a vertical and horizontal array of gateway devices is provided. Each gateway device includes a gateway device identification providing an accurately-known fixed location within the multi-space environment. Each gateway device includes a wireless transceiver that receives a beacon signal from a proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device. The gateway devices, in turn, send gateway signals to a server, which determines estimated location of the wireless-enabled personal location device with trilateration and received signal strength modeling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: Enseo, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas R. Miller, William C. Fang, Vanessa Ogle
  • Publication number: 20240345203
    Abstract: A geolocationing system and method for providing awareness in a multi-space environment, such as a hospitality environment or educational environment, are presented. In one embodiment of the geolocationing system, a vertical and horizontal array of gateway devices is provided. Each gateway device includes a gateway device identification providing an accurately-known fixed location within the multi-space environment. Each gateway device includes a wireless transceiver that receives a beacon signal from a proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device. The gateway devices, in turn, send gateway signals to a server, which determines estimated location of the wireless-enabled personal location device with angle of arrival modeling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2024
    Publication date: October 17, 2024
    Inventors: William C. Fang, Raymond S. Horton, Thomas R. Miller, Vanessa Ogle
  • Patent number: 12089114
    Abstract: A geolocationing system and method for providing awareness in a multi-space environment, such as a hospitality environment or educational environment, are presented. In one embodiment of the geolocationing system, a vertical and horizontal array of gateway devices is provided. Each gateway device includes a gateway device identification providing an accurately-known fixed location within the multi-space environment. Each gateway device includes a wireless transceiver that receives a beacon signal from a proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device. The gateway devices, in turn, send gateway signals to a server, which determines estimated location of the wireless-enabled personal locator device with time of arrival modeling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: Enseo, LLC
    Inventors: William C. Fang, Raymond S. Horton, Thomas R. Miller, Vanessa Ogle
  • Patent number: 12052459
    Abstract: A thermostat with interactive features and a system and a method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment of the thermostat, the thermostat receives various types of thermostat data such as information about display-based interactions with the thermostat, information about a plurality of amenities on a residential property co-located with the thermostat, and information from a proximate wireless-enabled programmable device interacting with the thermostat. The thermostat may render a map view of the property based on obtained map data. The map view may include an interactive graphical representation of the residential property and be annotated with at least a portion of the thermostat data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2024
    Assignee: Enseo, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas R. Miller, Vanessa Ogle, William C. Fang
  • Patent number: 12019175
    Abstract: A geolocationing system and method for providing awareness in a multi-space environment, such as a hospitality environment or educational environment, are presented. In one embodiment of the geolocationing system, a vertical and horizontal array of gateway devices is provided. Each gateway device includes a gateway device identification providing an accurately-known fixed location within the multi-space environment. Each gateway device includes a wireless transceiver that receives a beacon signal from a proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device. The gateway devices, in turn, send gateway signals to a server, which determines estimated location of the wireless-enabled personal location device with angle of arrival modeling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: Enseo, LLC
    Inventors: William C. Fang, Raymond S. Horton, Thomas R. Miller, Vanessa Ogle
  • Publication number: 20240187690
    Abstract: A geolocationing system and method for providing awareness in a multi-space environment, such as a hospitality environment or educational environment, are presented. In one embodiment of the geolocationing system, an array of gateway devices is provided. Each gateway device includes a gateway device identification providing an accurately-known fixed location within the multi-space environment. Each gateway device includes a wireless transceiver that receives a beacon signal from a proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device. The gateway devices, in turn, send gateway signals to a server, which determines estimated location of the wireless-enabled personal locator device with transmitted signal strength modeling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2024
    Publication date: June 6, 2024
    Inventors: Thomas R. Miller, William C. Fang, Vanessa Ogle