Patents by Inventor W. Daniel Hillis

W. Daniel Hillis 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: 11321408
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method and apparatus for limiting the number of results returned by a data store in response to a query. Upon receiving an initial query, the data store returns a page of results that includes a subset of the data items within the data store satisfying the conditions of the query. The data store also provides a marker indicating the extent of the set of data items. If a subsequent query that requests additional results which satisfy the same query conditions and that includes the marker is received, the data store returns a page of results that includes a subset of data items that are disjoint from the initial subset, and provides an updated marker which indicates the extent of the union of the initial and subsequent subsets. If still further results are desired from the data store, an additional query containing the updated marker may be submitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Invention, LLC
    Inventors: W. Daniel Hillis, Eric Bax, Augusto Callejas, Harry Kao, Mathias L. Kolehmainen
  • Patent number: 11265703
    Abstract: Data in a portable electronic device is protected by using external and internal status detection means to determine if the device is misplaced, lost, or stolen. The device then takes, singly or in combination, one of several actions to protect the data on the device, including declaring its location to an owner or service provider, locking the device or specific functions of the device to disable all data retrieval functionality, erasing or overwriting all the stored data in the device or, where the data has been stored in the device in an encrypted format, destroying an internally-stored encryption key, thereby preventing unauthorized access to the encrypted data in the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Minds, LLC
    Inventors: Bran Ferren, W. Daniel Hillis
  • Patent number: 11223191
    Abstract: A power distribution and communication system includes nodes connected by power lines and communication links. The system receives power from one or more power sources. Each node contains at least one power port, data port and load port. Associated with each power port and load port is a port monitor for measuring current flowing into or out of the port and the voltage difference between the port outlet and ground, which measurements are passed to a processing element. The processing element and monitor analyze measured values to detect fault conditions. Upon fault condition detection, the port is disabled by opening a switch, disconnecting the port from the system voltage. The processing element receives power directly from the power line, thus receiving power from a live power line even if the associated power port is disabled allowing the processing element to enable a disabled node following a failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Invention, LLC
    Inventors: W. Daniel Hillis, Anthony N. Gardner, Russel Howe, Randall Adam Yates
  • Patent number: 11102194
    Abstract: Secure network communications are described. In one aspect, a secure network can include a passbuilder that provides policy information related to performance characteristics of the secure network. A sender can receive the policy information and transmit packets to a receiver if the policy information is complied with by the potential packet transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: APPLIED INVENTION, LLC
    Inventor: W. Daniel Hillis
  • Patent number: 11075808
    Abstract: A phased adoption procedure is disclosed for adopting a new communication system that provides potential adopters a high degree of confidence in the reliability of the proposed communication system prior to committed adoption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: APPLIED INVENTION, LLC
    Inventor: W. Daniel Hillis
  • Publication number: 20210109605
    Abstract: The invention provides an instrument control panel that is easily customized and reconfigured, and yet provides the familiar tactile sensation of physical knobs, sliders, and buttons. The instrument control panel comprises one or more interface components that are removably coupled to an interface display wherein the interface components communicate with one or more control components disposed behind the interface display. The present invention lends itself particularly well to an instrument panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Inventors: Bran FERREN, W. Daniel HILLIS, Randall Adam YATES, Ira M. LICHTMAN, Clinton Blake HOPE
  • Publication number: 20210067503
    Abstract: Secure network communications are described. In one aspect, a secure network can include a passbuilder that provides policy information related to performance characteristics of the secure network. A sender can receive the policy information and transmit packets to a receiver if the policy information is complied with by the potential packet transmission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Inventors: W. Daniel HILLIS, Mathias L. KOLEHMAINEN
  • Publication number: 20210058369
    Abstract: A secure communication system enabling secure transport of information is disclosed. The system comprises a secure network with one or more packet processing units connected by links through an internal communication system. The secure network transports packets of information between credentialed and authenticated agents. Each packet is associated with a visa issued by a visa service. The visa specifies the procedures governing the processing of the packet by the packet processing units as it is transported along a compliant flow, between agents thorough the network, according to a set of policies specified in a network configuration. Packet processing units include docks and forwarders. Adaptors serving the agents communicate with the network through tie-ins to docks. The system also includes and admin service, accessible to one more admins, that facilitates configuration and management of the network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Inventors: W. Daniel HILLIS, David C. DOUGLAS, Mathias KOLEHMAINEN, Steven WILLIS, Frank KASTENHOLZ, Michael DUBNO
  • Patent number: 10887508
    Abstract: Essentially coincident with the capture of an image by the imaging device, biometric information indicating the identity of the operator of the device is obtained from at least one biometric sensor. The biometric information and captured image are then stored in a manner reliably associating each with the other. At a later time, biometric information is obtained from a supposed operator of the imaging device. By comparing this candidate biometric information with the stored biometric information, the supposed operator may be authenticated as the operator of the imaging device at the time of capture of the stored image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Minds, LLC
    Inventors: Bran Ferren, W. Daniel Hillis, Clinton Blake Hope
  • Patent number: 10871831
    Abstract: The invention provides an instrument control panel that is easily customized and reconfigured, and yet provides the familiar tactile sensation of physical knobs, sliders, and buttons. The instrument control panel comprises one or more interface components that are removably coupled to an interface display wherein the interface components communicate with one or more control components disposed behind the interface display. The present invention lends itself particularly well to an instrument panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Applied Minds, LLC
    Inventors: Bran Ferren, W. Daniel Hillis, Randall Adam Yates, Ira M. Lichtman, Clinton Blake Hope
  • Patent number: 10868806
    Abstract: Secure network communications are described. In one aspect, a secure network can include a passbuilder that provides policy information related to performance characteristics of the secure network. A sender can receive the policy information and transmit packets to a receiver if the policy information is complied with by the potential packet transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: APPLIED INVENTION, LLC
    Inventors: W. Daniel Hillis, Mathias L. Kolehmainen
  • Patent number: 10782240
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and mechanisms for measuring small masses attached to a substrate within a microcantilever. Specifically, the disclosure describes the measurement of small particles accumulated at a substrate that cannot be flowed through a microchannel within a microcantilever. A resonance measurement is acquired at a first time. A pair resonance measurements is then acquired at a second point in timeā€”one with the test mass at a first position off or along the microcantilever, the second with the test mass at a second position along the microcantilever. Comparing the resonance frequencies determined for the two test mass positions allows for disambiguation of changes in the mass of the particles from changes in the resonant behavior of the microcantilever itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Applied Invention, LLC
    Inventor: W. Daniel Hillis
  • Patent number: 10735644
    Abstract: Essentially coincident with the capture of an image by the imaging device, biometric information indicating the identity of the operator of the device is obtained from at least one biometric sensor. The biometric information and captured image are then stored in a manner reliably associating each with the other. At a later time, biometric information is obtained from a supposed operator of the imaging device. By comparing this candidate biometric information with the stored biometric information, the supposed operator may be authenticated as the operator of the imaging device at the time of capture of the stored image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Applied Minds, LLC
    Inventors: Bran Ferren, W. Daniel Hillis, Clinton Blake Hope
  • Publication number: 20200231010
    Abstract: The disclosed technology includes a system comprising a tire-mounted inertial measurement unit (IMU). The IMU can be configured to measure linear acceleration data and angular velocity data associated with a tire, and the system can be configured to determine various indicators of tire health based on the linear acceleration data and angular velocity data. The system can be configured to determine a distance between the IMU and an outer rolling surface of the tire. The system can be configured to monitor changes in this distance over time, which can be indicative of tread wear over time. Accordingly, the system can be configured to monitor change in the tread depth over time such that the system is configured to monitor tread depth of the tire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2020
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Inventors: Jeffrey D. Carpenter, Mark E. Duttweiler, W. Daniel Hillis, James Wallace Sarrett, Bruce J. Walker, David C. Douglas
  • Publication number: 20200214566
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for configuring and using displays, speakers, or other output devices positioned by an article of clothing or other such structure wearable by a healthcare recipient, for example, in a clinic or residential care facility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventors: Paul G. Allen, Edward S. Boyden, Mahalaxmi Gita Bangera, W. Daniel Hillis, Roderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Edward K.Y. Jung, Eric C. Leuthardt, Dennis J. Rivet, Michael A. Smith, Elizabeth A. Sweeney, Lowell L. Wood, JR., Victoria Y.H. Wood
  • Patent number: 10708262
    Abstract: A method of operating a security token to authenticate a user in a multi-factor authentication system is disclosed. The method includes: monitoring user custody of the token, the token having an identifying characteristic representing a possession factor for use through possession factor authentication; during a period of continuous user custody of the token based on the monitoring, obtaining a knowledge factor from a user having the continuous user custody; caching the knowledge factor in a memory of the token; and in response to a second authentication request, retrieving the knowledge factor from the memory to demonstrate to an authentication system knowledge of the knowledge factor, during the period of continuous user custody.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Applied Invention, LLC
    Inventor: W. Daniel Hillis
  • Publication number: 20200177454
    Abstract: A phased adoption procedure is disclosed for adopting a new communication system that provides potential adopters a high degree of confidence in the reliability of the proposed communication system prior to committed adoption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Inventor: W. Daniel HILLIS
  • Publication number: 20200162902
    Abstract: Data in a portable electronic device is protected by using external and internal status detection means to determine if the device is misplaced, lost, or stolen. The device then takes, singly or in combination, one of several actions to protect the data on the device, including declaring its location to an owner or service provider, locking the device or specific functions of the device to disable all data retrieval functionality, erasing or overwriting all the stored data in the device or, where the data has been stored in the device in an encrypted format, destroying an internally-stored encryption key, thereby preventing unauthorized access to the encrypted data in the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Bran FERREN, W. Daniel HILLIS
  • Publication number: 20200151233
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method and apparatus for limiting the number of results returned by a data store in response to a query. Upon receiving an initial query, the data store returns a page of results that includes a subset of the data items within the data store satisfying the conditions of the query. The data store also provides a marker indicating the extent of the set of data items. If a subsequent query that requests additional results which satisfy the same query conditions and that includes the marker is received, the data store returns a page of results that includes a subset of data items that are disjoint from the initial subset, and provides an updated marker which indicates the extent of the union of the initial and subsequent subsets. If still further results are desired from the data store, an additional query containing the updated marker may be submitted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventors: W. Daniel HILLIS, Eric BAX, Augusto CALLEJAS, Harry KAO, Mathias L. KOLEHMAINEN
  • Publication number: 20200136367
    Abstract: A power distribution and communication system includes nodes connected by power lines and communication links. The system receives power from one or more power sources. Each node contains at least one power port, data port and load port. Associated with each power port and load port is a port monitor for measuring current flowing into or out of the port and the voltage difference between the port outlet and ground, which measurements are passed to a processing element. The processing element and monitor analyze measured values to detect fault conditions. Upon fault condition detection, the port is disabled by opening a switch, disconnecting the port from the system voltage. The processing element receives power directly from the power line, thus receiving power from a live power line even if the associated power port is disabled allowing the processing element to enable a disabled node following a failure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2019
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Inventors: W. Daniel HILLIS, Anthony N. GARDNER, Russel HOWE, Randall Adam YATES