Patents by Inventor William C. Cottrill

William C. Cottrill 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: 20200394335
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, identifying, during a CPU's execution of a first program, a branching instruction of the first program that redirects execution to a second program. Responsive to the identifying of the branching instruction, a return address of a next instruction of the first program is encrypted. The encrypted return address is transferred to the second program without the CPU retaining a record of the return address. The encrypted return address is received from the second program responsive to its completion of execution. The received encrypted return address is decrypted to obtain the return address enabling a resumption of execution of the first program from the next instruction. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: William C. Cottrill, Sheldon Kent Meredith, Peter Hardie
  • Publication number: 20200374406
    Abstract: Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for mobile network handling of simultaneous data usage session records. A system can include a network session server that has a processor and a memory storing instructions that configure a processor to perform operations. The operations can include obtaining, from a session probe within a core network device, a raw mobile data set associated with a user equipment. The operations can include determining that the user equipment engages in a simultaneous usage session based on the raw mobile data set. The operations can include identifying targeted domains that are present within the raw mobile data set, and creating a raw session record for each of the targeted domains associated with the simultaneous usage session.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Sheldon Meredith, William C. Cottrill
  • Publication number: 20200335161
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, applying a setting voltage across first and second electrodes, wherein a nanowire with a first electrical resistance is electrically connected between the first and second electrodes, wherein the applying of the setting voltage causes a migration of ions from the first and/or second electrodes to a surface of the nanowire, and wherein the migration of ions effectuates a reduction of electrical resistance of the nanowire from the first electrical resistance to a second electrical resistance that is lower than the first electrical resistance; and applying a reading voltage across the pair of electrodes, wherein the reading voltage is less than the setting voltage, and wherein the reading voltage is sufficiently small such that the applying of the reading voltage causes no more than an insignificant change of the electrical resistance of the nanowire from the second electrical resistance. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Sheldon Kent Meredith, Yevgeniy Puzyrev, William C. Cottrill
  • Patent number: 10810393
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, acquiring under ambient illumination an image of a label having an encoded region and an authentication region having a random distribution of reflective particles overlaying the encoded region. The encoded message is decoded from the image. An authentication image of the label is obtained according to an image capture configuration. The authentication image includes a reflection pattern of the random distribution of reflective particles. The reflection pattern is associated with the decoded message and an authenticity of the label is determined according to the association and based on a comparison of the reflection pattern to an authenticated reference reflection pattern. Authenticity of the label is determined responsive to the comparison indicating substantial match between the reflection pattern and the authenticated reference reflection pattern. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: William C. Cottrill, Sheldon Kent Meredith, Yevgeniy Puzyrev
  • Patent number: 10799704
    Abstract: A proximity-based security mechanism can control access to the programming interface of an implanted medical device. The security mechanism prevents unauthorized remote access to the programming interface by hackers or other hostile individuals, securing the safety of the subject. The system also allows the subject or other responsible person to activate the programming interface when changes to the operation of the implanted medical device are needed. In one example, a security interface is operable to detect, while implanted in the subject, an activation signal produced in close proximity to the subject, and activate the programming interface in response to the activation signal so that the implantable medical device can receive the programming instructions. A proximity-based security mechanism can be a dedicated device, or can be implemented in a programmable computing device such as a smartphone or other mobile computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Sheldon Meredith, Peter Hardie, William C. Cottrill
  • Publication number: 20200311365
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, acquiring under ambient illumination an image of a label having an encoded region and an authentication region having a random distribution of reflective particles overlaying the encoded region. The encoded message is decoded from the image. An authentication image of the label is obtained according to an image capture configuration. The authentication image includes a reflection pattern of the random distribution of reflective particles. The reflection pattern is associated with the decoded message and an authenticity of the label is determined according to the association and based on a comparison of the reflection pattern to an authenticated reference reflection pattern. Authenticity of the label is determined responsive to the comparison indicating substantial match between the reflection pattern and the authenticated reference reflection pattern. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: William C. Cottrill, Sheldon Kent Meredith, Yevgeniy Puzyrev
  • Publication number: 20200295207
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a photodetecting device that includes a bottom gate, a bilayer semiconductor formed on the bottom gate, and a top gate above the bilayer semiconductor comprising a polymer electrolyte. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Yevgeniy Puzyrev, Sheldon Kent Meredith, William C. Cottrill
  • Publication number: 20200285639
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, obtaining a first vector comprising a first plurality of parameters, determining a vector difference between the first plurality of parameters and a second plurality of parameters of a second vector, responsive to the determining, computing a first weighted vector distance based on the vector difference, providing a first representation of the first weighted vector distance to at least one bus, obtaining a second representation of a second weighted vector distance from the at least one bus, comparing the second representation of the second weighted vector distance to the first representation of the first weighted vector distance, and responsive to determining that the second representation of the second weighted vector distance matches the first representation of the first weighted vector distance based on the comparing, setting a first indicator to indicate a first match. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2019
    Publication date: September 10, 2020
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Sheldon Kent Meredith, William C. Cottrill, Yevgeniy Puzyrev
  • Patent number: 10748608
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, applying a setting voltage across first and second electrodes, wherein a nanowire with a first electrical resistance is electrically connected between the first and second electrodes, wherein the applying of the setting voltage causes a migration of ions from the first and/or second electrodes to a surface of the nanowire, and wherein the migration of ions effectuates a reduction of electrical resistance of the nanowire from the first electrical resistance to a second electrical resistance that is lower than the first electrical resistance; and applying a reading voltage across the pair of electrodes, wherein the reading voltage is less than the setting voltage, and wherein the reading voltage is sufficiently small such that the applying of the reading voltage causes no more than an insignificant change of the electrical resistance of the nanowire from the second electrical resistance. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Sheldon Kent Meredith, Yevgeniy Puzyrev, William C. Cottrill
  • Patent number: 10742822
    Abstract: Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for mobile network handling of simultaneous data usage session records. A system can include a network session server that has a processor and a memory storing instructions that configure a processor to perform operations. The operations can include obtaining, from a session probe within a core network device, a raw mobile data set associated with a user equipment. The operations can include determining that the user equipment engages in a simultaneous usage session based on the raw mobile data set. The operations can include identifying targeted domains that are present within the raw mobile data set, and creating a raw session record for each of the targeted domains associated with the simultaneous usage session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Sheldon Meredith, William C. Cottrill
  • Patent number: 10708659
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, capturing first monitoring information associated with an audience that is viewing a presentation, determining an actual audience engagement level by performing pattern recognition on the first monitoring information, comparing the actual audience engagement level with an expected audience engagement level to generate an engagement score for the presentation, and transmitting, to a device, a haptic feedback according to the engagement score during the presenting of the presentation. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Sheldon Kent Meredith, William C. Cottrill, Brandon B. Hilliard
  • Patent number: 10691745
    Abstract: An arrangement of physical objects can be analyzed using a captured digital image of the arrangement and a reference display file database. A processing device communicatively coupled to the reference display file database receives the captured image depicting the arrangement of physical objects and accesses a reference display file from the reference display file database. The reference display file includes multi-viewpoint image data and scoring components. The processing device identifies at least some of the physical objects using the reference display file. The processing device scores each identified object for such attributes as presence, position and orientation using the scoring components from the reference display file, producing an overall score based on the scoring of each identified object. The processing device can then transmit the overall score to other systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Sheldon Meredith, William C. Cottrill, Brandon Hilliard
  • Publication number: 20200195785
    Abstract: Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for mobile network handling of simultaneous data usage session records. A system can include a network session server that has a processor and a memory storing instructions that configure a processor to perform operations. The operations can include obtaining, from a session probe within a core network device, a raw mobile data set associated with a user equipment. The operations can include determining that the user equipment engages in a simultaneous usage session based on the raw mobile data set. The operations can include identifying targeted domains that are present within the raw mobile data set, and creating a raw session record for each of the targeted domains associated with the simultaneous usage session.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Sheldon Meredith, William C. Cottrill
  • Patent number: 10675556
    Abstract: Liquid purification methods and apparatus are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a frame to define an interior space, the frame having an inner surface in contact with air of the interior space; a barrier positioned between a body of liquid and the interior space; and an absorber suspended from the frame to transfer liquid from the body of liquid into the interior space via an opening in the barrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignees: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P., AT&T MOBILITY II, LLC
    Inventors: Sheldon Kent Meredith, William C. Cottrill, Jeremy T. Fix
  • Publication number: 20200159438
    Abstract: In one example, a processing system may identify a type of data contained in a first dataset that is to be stored in a storage array, wherein the storage array comprises a plurality of storage zones, and wherein the plurality of storage zones includes at least two different types of storage technologies. The processing system may generate a metadata file for the first dataset that contains self-describing information for the first dataset, wherein the metadata file is generated based on the type of the data, and wherein the self-describing information defines a manner, a time, and a location for storing the first dataset. The processing system may send the first dataset to a first storage zone of the plurality of storage zones, wherein the self-describing information includes an instruction to send the first dataset to the first storage zone for at least a defined period of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Sheldon Kent Meredith, Biren Parekh, William C. Cottrill
  • Publication number: 20200118623
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, applying a setting voltage across first and second electrodes, wherein a nanowire with a first electrical resistance is electrically connected between the first and second electrodes, wherein the applying of the setting voltage causes a migration of ions from the first and/or second electrodes to a surface of the nanowire, and wherein the migration of ions effectuates a reduction of electrical resistance of the nanowire from the first electrical resistance to a second electrical resistance that is lower than the first electrical resistance; and applying a reading voltage across the pair of electrodes, wherein the reading voltage is less than the setting voltage, and wherein the reading voltage is sufficiently small such that the applying of the reading voltage causes no more than an insignificant change of the electrical resistance of the nanowire from the second electrical resistance. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Sheldon Kent Meredith, Yevgeniy Puzyrev, William C. Cottrill
  • Publication number: 20200004501
    Abstract: A list of digital elements to be sorted are converted to a group of analog signals. The group of analog signals are simultaneously compared to each other to determine the largest analog signal in the group. The largest analog signal is then compared to each of the analog signals in the group to determine which one or more of the analog signals in the group matches the largest analog signal. The matching one or more of the analog signals is removed from the group and the process is repeated until the group of analog signals have been sorted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Inventors: Sheldon K. Meredith, William C. Cottrill
  • Patent number: 10496370
    Abstract: A sorter receives a list of elements to be sorted. The elements are supplied to a communication bus. A plurality of processing modules are coupled to the communication bus and examine each list element supplied on the bus to see if the list element has a value that is within a range of values processed by the list element. The range of values of the list are subdivided to ranges allocated to the processing modules. When a processing modules determines an element in the bus is within its range, it stores the value and sorts the value in storage dedicated to storing a sorted list of values with the allocated range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignees: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P., AT&T Mobility II LLC
    Inventors: Sheldon K. Meredith, William C. Cottrill, Rick K. Tipton
  • Publication number: 20190361993
    Abstract: An arrangement of physical objects can be analyzed using a captured digital image of the arrangement and a reference display file database. A processing device communicatively coupled to the reference display file database receives the captured image depicting the arrangement of physical objects and accesses a reference display file from the reference display file database. The reference display file includes multi-viewpoint image data and scoring components. The processing device identifies at least some of the physical objects using the reference display file. The processing device scores each identified object for such attributes as presence, position and orientation using the scoring components from the reference display file, producing an overall score based on the scoring of each identified object. The processing device can then transmit the overall score to other systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Inventors: Sheldon Meredith, William C. Cottrill, Brandon Hilliard
  • Publication number: 20190351243
    Abstract: A proximity-based security mechanism can control access to the programming interface of an implanted medical device. The security mechanism prevents unauthorized remote access to the programming interface by hackers or other hostile individuals, securing the safety of the subject. The system also allows the subject or other responsible person to activate the programming interface when changes to the operation of the implanted medical device are needed. In one example, a security interface is operable to detect, while implanted in the subject, an activation signal produced in close proximity to the subject, and activate the programming interface in response to the activation signal so that the implantable medical device can receive the programming instructions. A proximity-based security mechanism can be a dedicated device, or can be implemented in a programmable computing device such as a smartphone or other mobile computing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Sheldon Meredith, Peter Hardie, William C. Cottrill