Patents by Inventor Tom Browne

Tom Browne 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: 9167310
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described that relate to on-demand compression for electronic data, such as media content, through a communication pathway. The communication pathway may be a configured to multicast media content to a plurality of end-users in a service group. In certain embodiments, the service group may comprise a service group node having a quadrature amplitude modulation device. In one exemplary method, it may be determined whether the amount of media content being transmitted meets a first utilization threshold. The determination may be based on, at least in part, by measurements taken at one or more electronic devices located throughout a network or system. If the first bandwidth utilization threshold is not met, media content may be transmitted in a first format. If the first bandwidth utilization threshold is met, at least a portion of the media content may be transmitted in a first optimized delivery technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Tom Brown, Rick Gasloli
  • Publication number: 20150265111
    Abstract: Disclosed is a splash guard that can be permanently or removably attached to a toilet seat. The splash guard includes an elongated, rectangular panel that can be secured to the underside of a toilet seat about the opening thereof. The panel is flexible so that it may be curved similarly to the opening of the toilet seat. The panel further includes an upper edge having an adhesive thereon that can be secured to the underside of the toilet seat so that the panel is perpendicular thereto. The upper edge may further include a flange thereon to provide additional surface area for securing the panel to a toilet seat. When installed, the panel extends downward into the toilet bowl and serves to deflect splashed liquid from within the toilet bowl so as to prevent the liquid from escaping the toilet bowl through the gap between the toilet bowl and toilet seat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Publication date: September 24, 2015
    Inventors: Tom Brown, Sandra Brown
  • Publication number: 20150257345
    Abstract: The present invention encompasses a composition comprising a viable pollen suspension in a water miscible carrier. The compositions are especially suitable for mechanical distribution, such as, electrostatic spraying of the viable pollen composition onto a flowering plant to increase pollination. The invention further provides a mechanical system and method for applying droplets containing a viable pollen suspension to flowering plants to increase pollination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Inventor: Tom Brown
  • Publication number: 20150214443
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing an optical device or wavelength converting light-emitting device, the method comprising coating a wafer containing at least one material selected from the group of a gallium nitride material and a silicon carbide material with a composite structure comprising an optical material, e.g., wavelength converting material, and a compound represented by formula (I) and curing the composite structure to induce polymerization of said compound. The present invention further provides an optical device, e.g., a wavelength converting light-emitting device produced by this method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Inventor: Tom Brown
  • Publication number: 20150135243
    Abstract: Cache management techniques are described for a content distribution network (CDN), for example, a video on demand (VOD) system supporting user requests and delivery of video content. A preferred cache size may be calculated for one or more cache devices in the CDN, for example, based on a maximum cache memory size, a bandwidth availability associated with the CDN, and a title dispersion calculation determined by the user requests within the CDN. After establishing the cache with a set of assets (e.g., video content), an asset replacement algorithm may be executed at one or more cache devices in the CDN. When a determination is made that a new asset should be added to a full cache, a multi-factor comparative analysis may be performed on the assets currently residing in the cache, comparing the popularity and size of assets and combinations of assets, along with other factors to determine which assets should be replaced in the cache device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: Volnie Whyte, Amit Gang, Tom Brown, Robert Gaydos, Mark Muehl
  • Publication number: 20150078181
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method and system for monitoring the bandwidth utilization on a high speed data network port over time. According to the method described herein, measurements of the bandwidth utilization on the port may be taken over a predetermined time interval and analyzed to determine whether the utilization measurement equals or exceeds a predetermined upper threshold. If the port exhibits high bandwidth utilization within the time interval, an alert may be set for further monitoring of the port or for port augmentation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Nishant Agarwal, Tom Brown, John Paclik
  • Publication number: 20150037790
    Abstract: This invention relates to methods for variant cytosine detection, and kits and probes for variant cytosine detection. In particular the variant cytosine detection is related to detection of methylated cytosine, hydroxymethylated cytosine, carboxycytosine and/or formylcytosine in nucleic acid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Applicant: The University of Southampton
    Inventors: Keith R. Fox, Tom Brown, Scott T. Kimber
  • Patent number: 8863204
    Abstract: Cache management techniques are described for a content distribution network (CDN), for example, a video on demand (VOD) system supporting user requests and delivery of video content. A preferred cache size may be calculated for one or more cache devices in the CDN, for example, based on a maximum cache memory size, a bandwidth availability associated with the CDN, and a title dispersion calculation determined by the user requests within the CDN. After establishing the cache with a set of assets (e.g., video content), an asset replacement algorithm may be executed at one or more cache devices in the CDN. When a determination is made that a new asset should be added to a full cache, a multi-factor comparative analysis may be performed on the assets currently residing in the cache, comparing the popularity and size of assets and combinations of assets, along with other factors to determine which assets should be replaced in the cache device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Volnie Whyte, Amit Garg, Tom Brown, Robert Gaydos, Mark Muehl
  • Patent number: 8846883
    Abstract: Oligonucleotide chemistry is central to the advancement of core technologies such as DNA sequencing, forensic and genetic analysis and has impacted greatly on the discipline of molecular biology. Oligonucleotides and their analogues are essential tools in these areas. They are often produced by automated solid-phase phosphoramidite synthesis but it is difficult to synthesize long DNA and RNA sequences by this method. Methods are proposed for ligating oligonucleotides together, in particular the use of an azide-alkyne coupling reaction to ligate the backbones of oligonucleotides together to form longer oligonucleotides that can be synthesized using current phosphoramidite synthesis methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: University of Southhampton
    Inventors: Tom Brown, Afaf Helmy El-Sagheer
  • Patent number: 8797891
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method and system for monitoring the bandwidth utilization on a high speed data network port over time. According to the method described herein, measurements of the bandwidth utilization on the port may be taken over a predetermined time interval and analyzed to determine whether the utilization measurement equals or exceeds a predetermined upper threshold. If the port exhibits high bandwidth utilization within the time interval, an alert may be set for further monitoring of the port or for port augmentation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Nishant Agarwal, Tom Brown, John Paclik
  • Publication number: 20140157345
    Abstract: A device, system and method are provided to dynamically manage bandwidth for audiovisual communications and content distribution. The device, system and method may include dynamic qualification of content or channels for distribution in accordance with one or more distribution models, such as a broadcast distribution model and a narrowcast distribution model (e.g., a multicast distribution model and/or a unicast distribution model). In some embodiments, the qualification may be based on demand as reflected in requests for, or access to, content from user terminals. In some embodiments, based on changes in demand for content, a requalification of the content in terms of one or more distribution models may take place.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: COMCAST CABLE COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Amit Garg, Tom Brown
  • Publication number: 20140082681
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described that relate to on-demand compression for electronic data, such as media content, through a communication pathway. The communication pathway may be a configured to multicast media content to a plurality of end-users in a service group. In certain embodiments, the service group may comprise a service group node having a quadrature amplitude modulation device. In one exemplary method, it may be determined whether the amount of media content being transmitted meets a first utilization threshold. The determination may be based on, at least in part, by measurements taken at one or more electronic devices located throughout a network or system. If the first bandwidth utilization threshold is not met, media content may be transmitted in a first format. If the first bandwidth utilization threshold is met, at least a portion of the media content may be transmitted in a first optimized delivery technique.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: COMCAST CABLE COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Tom Brown, Rick Gasloli
  • Publication number: 20140082212
    Abstract: A device, computer readable medium, system and method for overcoming bandwidth limitations is disclosed for determining that a bandwidth limitation is related to preventing delivery of content, identifying a version of the content capable of being transmitted over a lower bandwidth, querying a device requesting delivery of the content for an indication of acceptability of a lower bandwidth version of the content instead of a higher bandwidth version, and based on an affirmative response to the querying, causing delivery of the lower bandwidth version.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Inventors: Amit Garg, Tom Brown
  • Patent number: 8595376
    Abstract: A device, system and method are provided to dynamically manage bandwidth for audiovisual communications and content distribution. The device, system and method may include dynamic qualification of content or channels for distribution in accordance with one or more distribution models, such as a broadcast distribution model and a narrowcast distribution model (e.g., a multicast distribution model and/or a unicast distribution model). In some embodiments, the qualification may be based on demand as reflected in requests for, or access to, content from user terminals. In some embodiments, based on changes in demand for content, a requalification of the content in terms of one or more distribution models may take place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Amit Garg, Tom Brown
  • Publication number: 20130231473
    Abstract: A method for joining oligonucleotides. The method includes joining together one or more oligonucleotides by reacting an alkyne group lined to an oligonucleotide with an azide group linked to an oligonucleotide to form a triazole linkage. The alkyne group is a strained alkyne group. The method can include ligating together ends of one or more oligonucleotides or cross-linking strands of an oligonucleotide duplex. The methods described allow oligonucleotide strands to be ligated together without the need for a ligase enzyme.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Inventors: Tom Brown, Afaf Helmy El-Sagheer
  • Publication number: 20130144750
    Abstract: Methods and systems for providing content and content recommendations are described. Content recommendations for users in a service area may be based on content requests from users within the same service area. Content recommendations over a period of time may dynamically change based on many factors, including: the number of requests for particular content within one or more time frames, the storage location of requested content relative to requesting users, and whether a request occurs within a time period of rapid shift in use and types of content requested. A content recommendation including one or more content recommendations may be provided to users.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Tom Brown
  • Publication number: 20130046083
    Abstract: Oligonucleotide chemistry is central to the advancement of core technologies such as DNA sequencing, forensic and genetic analysis and has impacted greatly on the discipline of molecular biology. Oligonucleotides and their analogues are essential tools in these areas. They are often produced by automated solid-phase phosphoramidite synthesis but it is difficult to synthesize long DNA and RNA sequences by this method. Methods are proposed for ligating oligonucleotides together, in particular the use of an azide-alkyne coupling reaction to ligate the backbones of oligonucleotides together to form longer oligonucleotides than can be synthesized using current phosphoramidite synthesis methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Inventors: Tom Brown, Afaf Helmy El-Sagheer
  • Publication number: 20130046084
    Abstract: Oligonucleotide chemistry is central to the advancement of core technologies such as DNA sequencing, forensic and genetic analysis and has impacted greatly on the discipline of molecular biology. Oligonucleotides and their analogues are essential tools in these areas. They are often produced by automated solid-phase phosphoramidite synthesis but it is difficult to synthesize long DNA and RNA sequences by this method. Methods are proposed for ligating oligonucleotides together, in particular the use of an azide-alkyne coupling reaction to ligate the backbones of oligonucleotides together to form longer oligonucleotides that can be synthesized using current phosphoramidite synthesis methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Inventors: Tom Brown, Afaf Helmy El-Sagheer
  • Publication number: 20120311093
    Abstract: A device, system and method are provided to dynamically manage bandwidth for audiovisual communications and content distribution. The device, system and method may include dynamic qualification of content or channels for distribution in accordance with one or more distribution models, such as a broadcast distribution model and a narrowcast distribution model (e.g., a multicast distribution model and/or a unicast distribution model). In some embodiments, the qualification may be based on demand as reflected in requests for, or access to, content from user terminals. In some embodiments, based on changes in demand for content, a requalification of the content in terms of one or more distribution models may take place.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: COMCAST CABLE COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Amit Garg, Tom Brown
  • Patent number: D666949
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Heidts Acquisition, LLC
    Inventors: Vaughn E. D. West, Tom Brown