Patents by Inventor Tommy Lee Oswald

Tommy Lee Oswald 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: 8334995
    Abstract: Methods and systems for adaptive control of an imaging node allow subsystems of the imaging node to dynamically register authorized commands with a pre-parser after which the pre-parser authorizes inbound line commands for execution by reference to the dynamic registrations. The methods and systems permit highly extensible and granular control over the imaging node, for example, by allowing a user to dynamically unlock and control registered options of the imaging node that are not otherwise controllable, for example, via a standard management protocol or proprietary Web interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Tommy Lee Oswald
  • Patent number: 8291421
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for determining processor usable idle time in a system employing a software instruction processor. The method establishes an idle task with a lowest processor priority for a processor executing application software instructions, and uses the processor to execute an idle task. The method ceases to execute the idle task in response to the processor executing application software instructions. The amount of periodic idle task execution is determined and stored in a tangible memory medium. For example, idle time amounts can be determined per a unit of time, i.e. a percentage per second. In one aspect, the method generates an idle task report. The report can be a periodic report expressing the duration of idle task execution per time period, or a course of execution report expressing idle task start times, idle task stop times, and durations between the corresponding start and stop times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Tommy Lee Oswald, John C. Thomas, James E. Owen
  • Patent number: 8060884
    Abstract: A method and system for scheduling tasks in a computing device ensures substantially seamless processing of an active job while preventing starvation of background tasks. In one aspect, a method comprises the steps of statically allocating processor time to a background task class and dynamically allocating processor time to background tasks within the background task class based at least in part on a current count of the background tasks. The background task processor time may equal the background task class processor time divided by the current count. The method may further comprise, in each of successive processing periods, assigning a processor to each of the background tasks for their respective background task processor times and assigning the processor to active job tasks when the processor is not assigned to any of the background tasks. The computing device may be a printing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Tommy Lee Oswald
  • Publication number: 20100125849
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for determining processor usable idle time in a system employing a software instruction processor. The method establishes an idle task with a lowest processor priority for a processor executing application software instructions, and uses the processor to execute an idle task. The method ceases to execute the idle task in response to the processor executing application software instructions. The amount of periodic idle task execution is determined and stored in a tangible memory medium. For example, idle time amounts can be determined per a unit of time, i.e. a percentage per second. In one aspect, the method generates an idle task report. The report can be a periodic report expressing the duration of idle task execution per time period, or a course of execution report expressing idle task start times, idle task stop times, and durations between the corresponding start and stop times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2008
    Publication date: May 20, 2010
    Inventors: Tommy Lee Oswald, John C. Thomas, James E. Owen
  • Publication number: 20090073486
    Abstract: Methods and systems for adaptive control of an imaging node allow subsystems of the imaging node to dynamically register authorized commands with a pre-parser after which the pre-parser authorizes inbound line commands for execution by reference to the dynamic registrations. The methods and systems permit highly extensible and granular control over the imaging node, for example, by allowing a user to dynamically unlock and control registered options of the imaging node that are not otherwise controllable, for example, via a standard management protocol or proprietary Web interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2007
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Inventor: Tommy Lee Oswald
  • Publication number: 20090019445
    Abstract: Method and system for scheduling tasks in a computing device in a manner that ensures substantially seamless processing of an active job while preventing starvation of background tasks. In one aspect, a method for scheduling tasks in a computing device comprises the steps of statically allocating processor time (P) to a background task class (S) and dynamically allocating processor time (p) to background tasks within the background task class (S) based at least in part on a current count (n) of the background tasks. The background task processor time (p) may equal the background task class processor time (P) divided by the current count (n). The method may further comprise, in each of successive processing periods, assigning a processor to each of the background tasks for their respective background task processor times (P1-n) and assigning the processor to active job tasks when the processor is not assigned to any of the background tasks. The computing device may be a printing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Inventor: Tommy Lee Oswald
  • Patent number: 7437418
    Abstract: A scheduling system for an MFP to provided scheduled readiness of the MFP includes an MFP having an EMail address associated therewith; an EMail system for generating user EMAILS and transmitting the generated EMAILS; a readiness specification which is contained in a user-generated EMail and which sets parameters controlling the readiness of the MFP; an acknowledgment mechanism in the MFP for generating a reply EMail, indicating that the readiness specification has been received and entered; and an error message generator in the MFP for generating a reply EMail indicating that the readiness specification has not been entered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Tommy Lee Oswald
  • Publication number: 20040267888
    Abstract: A scheduling system for an MFP to provided scheduled readiness of the MFP includes an MFP having an EMail address associated therewith; an EMail system for generating user EMAILS and transmitting the generated EMAILS; a readiness specification which is contained in a user-generated EMail and which sets parameters controlling the readiness of the MFP; an acknowledgment mechanism in the MFP for generating a reply EMail, indicating that the readiness specification has been received and entered; and an error message generator in the MFP for generating a reply EMail indicating that the readiness specification has not been entered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2003
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Applicant: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Tommy Lee Oswald
  • Publication number: 20030182632
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for remotely provisioning text string information in a network of connected devices. The method comprises: establishing a localization server loaded with text string information; accessing the localization server from a remote localization enabled (RLE) device; transferring text string information from the localization server to the RLE device; and, displaying the text string information to an RLE user. Accessing the localization server from a remote localization enabled (RLE) device includes selecting and requesting the first set of text string information. In some aspects of the method, the first set of text string information is selected in response to installing the RLE device. Then, the method further comprises: following the transferring of the first set of text string information, storing the first set of text string information in a RLE device permanent memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2002
    Publication date: September 25, 2003
    Inventors: Joseph Bert Murdock, Tommy Lee Oswald