Patents by Inventor William Craig
William Craig 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: 20250245710Abstract: Examples provide a system for exit computer vision basket matching receipts to shopping carts automatically in real-time as a customer is exiting a retail facility. Computer vision analysis of one or more images of a shopping cart produces a set of recognized items from the images. The set of recognized items are compared to the items identified in each candidate receipt in a plurality of candidate receipts. A confidence score is generated for each candidate receipt based on the number of common items found in both the set of recognized items and each receipt. The score is weighted based on factors such as uniqueness of the items and number of instances of each item. The receipt having the highest weighted confidence score is paired with the shopping cart. The paired receipt and image of the shopping cart are output to a user for verification via a user interface.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2025Publication date: July 31, 2025Inventors: Feiyun Zhu, Huanyu Zang, Wei Wang, Lingfeng Zhang, Mingquan Yuan, Zhaoliang Duan, Colin Grant Mitchell, Yanmei Jin, William Craig Robinson
-
Patent number: 12367457Abstract: Systems and methods of verifying pairings of price tag labels and products at a product storage facility include an image capture device that moves about and captures images of product storage structures at the product storage facility, and a database that stores inventory data associated with the products stocked at the product storage facility. A computing device processes the images to extract one or more characters from the price tag labels and products detected in the images, correlates the extracted characters to the inventory data to identify a product code and a product name that matches the characters extracted from the price tag labels and the products. If the characters extracted from the price tag and from the on-shelf product to which the price tag label is allocated match, the database is updated to reflect that the price tag label is properly allocated to the appropriate on-shelf product.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2022Date of Patent: July 22, 2025Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLCInventors: Lingfeng Zhang, Wei Wang, Avinash Madhusudanrao Jade, Raghava Balusu, Mingquan Yuan, Jing Wang, Han Zhang, Zhaoliang Duan, William Craig Robinson, Jr., Benjamin R. Ellison, Paul Lewis Lobo
-
Publication number: 20250218029Abstract: Examples provide a system for filtering the contents of adjacent item storage compartments from item recognition results obtained using computer vision (CV) for more accurate mapping of item locations within a retail environment. A filter manager selects a vertical member and tracks it throughout a series of images generated by an image capture device. The selected vertical member defines at least a portion of a target compartment in each image. The vertical member can be a display case door or a vertical steel bar defining the side of an item storage compartment. A set of adjacent items located on each side of the target compartment is filtered from the item recognition results. The target compartment location is determined based on a location tag of the target compartment. The items remaining after filtering are mapped to the target compartment location while reducing CV item location false positives.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 3, 2024Publication date: July 3, 2025Inventors: Han Zhang, Siddhartha Chakraborty, Avinash Madhusudanrao Jade, Lingfeng Zhang, Zhaoliang Duan, Eric W. Rader, William Craig Robinson, Mingquan Yuan, Abhinav Pachauri, Benjamin Ellison, Ishan Arora, Raghava Balusu, Ashlin Ghosh, Rongdong Chai, Ketan Shah, Paul Lobo
-
Publication number: 20250218000Abstract: Examples enable pallet tag tracking and cluster voting for more accurate pallet tag management using images of a selected pallet. A tag manager tracks a pallet through multiple images of the pallet to ensure the same pallet appears in every image. If the pallet tag is absent from all the images, a tag missing confidence score is generated that indicates the degree of confidence that the tag is missing from the pallet and not merely out of view. The score is used to prioritize handling of pallet tag missing exceptions. If the pallet tag is present in the images, optical character recognition (OCR) results for each tag image are aggregated into a tag cluster with a confidence score calculated for each result. A pallet tag identification (ID) number is predicted based on the result having the highest confidence score to ensure the pallet tag ID is complete and accurate.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 3, 2024Publication date: July 3, 2025Inventors: Han Zhang, Avinash Madhusudanrao Jade, Lingfeng Zhang, Zhaoliang Duan, Mingquan Yuan, Eric W. Rader, Zhiwei Huang, Benjamin Ellison, William Craig Robinson, Siddhartha Chakraborty, Raghava Balusu, Aadarsh Gupta, Jing Wang, Rongdong Chai, Ashlin Ghosh, Oleksandr Viatchaninov
-
Publication number: 20250047065Abstract: Described examples include a device includes a first post and a spring supported by the first post. The device also includes a second post coupled to the spring and a mirror on the second post. Additionally, the device includes a movable layer coupled to the spring and to the mirror and a fixed layer, where the movable layer is between the fixed layer and the mirror. The mirror has a width and a length and the length is greater than the width. The mirror is configured to move based on a voltage difference between the movable layer and the fixed layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 24, 2024Publication date: February 6, 2025Inventors: James Norman Hall, Terry Alan Bartlett, William Craig McDonald
-
Publication number: 20240420683Abstract: Some embodiments provide retail product ordering systems comprising: a user computing device comprising an application executed by a device control circuit to: receive an audible utterance; controls a product identifier application interface to: apply a tokenizer model and obtain a set of individual search words; apply a series of featurizer models to the search words to generate features; and apply a classifier and extractor model based on the features and generate multiple requested product entities each comprising a respective sub-set of the position labeled product terms; wherein the device control circuit is further configured to access a purchase history database, confirm an accuracy of each of requested product entities relative to a purchase history, generate a listing of determined product identifiers corresponding to the confirmed set of the multiple requested product entities, and control a display system of the user computing device to render the listing of determined product identifiers.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2024Publication date: December 19, 2024Inventors: Praneeth Gubbala, Xuan Zhang, Bahula Bosetti, Priya Ashok Kumar Choudhary, Dong T. Nguyen, Shivraj V. Kodak, William Craig Robinson, Jr.
-
Patent number: 12160084Abstract: Described examples include apparatus having a driving electrode on a substrate. The apparatus has a platform suspended above the driving electrode and conductively coupled to a platform electrode, where the platform is configured to move in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the substrate in response to a voltage difference applied between the driving electrode and the platform electrode. The apparatus also has a mirror post on the platform. The apparatus has a mirror coupled to the platform by the mirror post, where the mirror is rectangular.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2019Date of Patent: December 3, 2024Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATEDInventors: James Norman Hall, Terry Alan Bartlett, William Craig McDonald
-
Patent number: 12145332Abstract: A device and method for dispensing air and/or sealant to a tire of a vehicle. Power supply for the air compressor is obtained via powered USB instead of the typical 12 V cigarette lighter connector. The position of the tire which is being inflated can also be determined via the data interface of the USB port. By communication between a compressor control module and the vehicle systems interface, the compressor can automatically switch off when the recommended tire pressure has been reached. The control module can be located in the USB power cord plug, and can provide for changes in voltage to the compressor to maximize power and inflation rate and/or efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2022Date of Patent: November 19, 2024Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: Martin Patrick Spindler, William Craig Keller
-
Patent number: 12135415Abstract: A system includes a hinge structure. The hinge structure includes four support posts and four hinges, each hinge coupled to an edge of a support post and to a plate of the hinge structure, where each hinge includes two 90° turns. The system also includes a mirror coupled to the hinge structure and an electrode structure coupled to the hinge structure.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2021Date of Patent: November 5, 2024Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATEDInventors: William Craig McDonald, James Norman Hall, Kelly Jay Taylor, Song Zheng
-
Patent number: 12130425Abstract: Systems and Apparatus for micromirror designs with electrode contact. In some examples, a micromirror including a mirror, a mirror via coupled to the mirror, a hinge coupled to the mirror via, the hinge including a springtip associated with a first side of the micromirror, the springtip associated with a first terminal, and an electrode associated with the first side of the micromirror, the electrode having a dielectric coating in contact with the springtip, the electrode associated with a second terminal different than the first terminal.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2021Date of Patent: October 29, 2024Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATEDInventors: William Craig McDonald, Ryan Patrick Savage
-
Patent number: 12111085Abstract: A refrigeration system configured to receive a refrigerant is provided, as well as a walk-in refrigeration unit configured to utilize said system. The refrigeration system comprises: a power source, a condenser unit, an evaporation unit, a plurality of compressors, wherein each of the plurality of compressors is communicably coupled to the condenser unit, and a plurality of expansion devices, wherein each of the plurality of expansion devices is communicably coupled to the evaporation unit. The system is configured to receive an A3 refrigerant having a Global Warming Potential (GWP) value less than 10.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2023Date of Patent: October 8, 2024Assignee: REFRIGERATED SOLUTIONS GROUP LLCInventors: William Craig Larson, Narasimha Sapta Sailesh Krovvidi, Nicholas Scott Huppert, Brian McCain
-
Patent number: 12100387Abstract: Some embodiments provide retail product ordering systems comprising: a user computing device comprising an application executed by a device control circuit to: receive an audible utterance; controls a product identifier application interface to: apply a tokenizer model and obtain a set of individual search words; apply a series of featurizer models to the search words to generate features; and apply a classifier and extractor model based on the features and generate multiple requested product entities each comprising a respective sub-set of the position labeled product terms; wherein the device control circuit is further configured to access a purchase history database, confirm an accuracy of each of requested product entities relative to a purchase history, generate a listing of determined product identifiers corresponding to the confirmed set of the multiple requested product entities, and control a display system of the user computing device to render the listing of determined product identifiers.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2022Date of Patent: September 24, 2024Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLCInventors: Praneeth Gubbala, Xuan Zhang, Bahula Bosetti, Priya Ashok Kumar Choudhary, Dong T. Nguyen, Shivraj V. Kodak, William Craig Robinson, Jr.
-
Publication number: 20240295111Abstract: A ligature resistant toilet includes a frame that surrounds a bowl assembly. The frame may be made by rotational molding to create a seamless, one-piece component. The frame includes a front surface, a left surface, and a right surface that are all connected to a top surface by a rounded transition surface. A seat assembly is defined on the top surface of the frame and includes a seat that defines a bowl opening. The frame supports a bowl assembly that is positioned within a hollow interior of the frame. The bowl assembly includes a bowl and a spray ring supported by a top surface of the bowl. Piping may be attached to a trapway of the bowl assembly and extend exterior to the frame to an exterior plumbing system.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 29, 2024Publication date: September 5, 2024Applicant: Willoughby Industries IncInventors: Timothy Brandli, William Craig Alderson
-
Publication number: 20240273863Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to processing captured images. In some embodiments, there is provided a system for processing captured images of objects at a product storage facility including a trained machine learning model; and a control circuit. The control circuit may group a plurality of product identifiers into one or more clusters based on at least one of visual similarity of corresponding images, textual similarity of corresponding associated descriptions, and associated relationships between product identifiers of the plurality of product identifiers; determine clusters having common elements that are at least within a similarity threshold of each other; merge the clusters with the common elements; and generate a mapping dataset used to retrain the trained machine learning model to identify a plurality of objects. The mapping dataset may include a plurality of associations of associated product identifiers to a single object.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 13, 2023Publication date: August 15, 2024Inventors: Ashlin Ghosh, Feiyun Zhu, Avinash M. Jade, Lingfeng Zhang, Amit Jhunjhunwala, Raghava Balusu, William Craig Robinson, JR., Benjamin R. Ellison, Srinivas Muktevi, Zhaoliang Duan
-
Publication number: 20240265565Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to processing captured images. In some embodiments, there is provided a system for processing captured images of objects at a product storage facility including a trained machine learning model stored in a memory; and a control circuit. The control circuit may obtain an image at the product storage facility; cluster objects depicted in the image that have same product identifiers into a corresponding group; determine coordinates of each bounding box of each clustered object in the corresponding group; determine a bounding box representative depth value of pixels inside the bounding box of each clustered object; determine an overall representative depth value of the corresponding group based on bounding box representative depth values of clustered objects; and exclude the clustered objects from identified objects in the image upon a determination that the overall representative depth value is greater than a threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 6, 2023Publication date: August 8, 2024Inventors: Han Zhang, Yilun Chen, Lingfeng Zhang, Adam Cantor, Avinash M. Jade, Benjamin R. Ellison, William Craig Robinson, JR., Mingquan Yuan, Zhaoliang Duan, Wei Wang
-
Publication number: 20240257380Abstract: Systems and methods of detecting support members of product storage structures that store products at a product storage facility include an image capture device that captures images of a product storage structure including vertical and horizontal support members. A computing device including a control circuit is configured to: obtain the images of the product storage structure captured by the image capture device, stitch the obtained images together to generate a stitched image that depicts the product storage structure, generate a color distribution map of the stitched image of the product storage structure to detect individual ones of the horizontal and vertical support members of the product storage structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2023Publication date: August 1, 2024Inventors: Wei Wang, Lingfeng Zhang, Han Zhang, Avinash M. Jade, Mingquan Yuan, Zhaoliang Duan, Siddhartha Chakraborty, Benjamin R. Ellison, William Craig Robinson, JR., Eric W. Rader
-
Patent number: 12050719Abstract: A container corresponding to executable code may be received. The container may be executed in a secure computation environment by performing one or more operations specified by the executable code of the container. An instruction to terminate the executing of the container may be received from a high level operating system (HLOS) that is external to the secure computation environment. A determination may be made as to whether the container is associated with a preemption privilege and the executing of the container may be terminated after receiving the instruction from the HLOS based on the determination of whether the container is associated with the preemption privilege.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2021Date of Patent: July 30, 2024Assignee: Cryptography Research, Inc.Inventors: Ambuj Kumar, William Craig Rawlings, Ronald Perez, Denis Alexandrovich Pochuev, Michael Alexander Hamburg, Paul Kocher
-
Publication number: 20240249239Abstract: Systems and methods of creating reference template images for detecting and recognizing products at a product storage facility include an image capture device having a field of view that includes a product storage structure of the product storage facility, and a computing device including a control circuit and being communicatively coupled to the image capture device. The computing device obtains images of the product storage structure captured by the image capture device, analyzes the obtained images to detect individual ones of the products located on the product storage structure. Then, the computing device identifies the individual ones of the products detected in the images and crops each of the individual ones of the identified products from the images to generate cropped images. The computing device then creates a cluster of the cropped images, and selects one of the cropped images as a reference template image of an identified individual product.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2023Publication date: July 25, 2024Inventors: Ashlin Ghosh, Raghava Balusu, Abhinav Pachauri, Avinash M. Jade, Lingfeng Zhang, Amit Jhunjhunwala, William Craig Robinson, JR., Benjamin R. Ellison, Srinivas Muktevi, Zhaoliang Duan
-
Patent number: 12038358Abstract: A method is provided of forming a stain assessment target for a biological material staining system. At least one region of a substrate is provided upon a support such as a microscope slide. The substrate is formed from an optically transmissive material which is an analogue of biological tissue. A biological tissue sample for inspection is also provided upon the support. The support, including the at least one region, together with the biological tissue sample and then stained by applying at least one biological tissue stain under similar staining conditions.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2015Date of Patent: July 16, 2024Assignee: LEEDS TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS TRUSTInventors: William Craig Revie, David Stewart Brettle
-
Patent number: 11994039Abstract: A gas turbine engine having a rotor blade stage with a plurality of circumferentially spaced rotors, a nozzle stage adjacent the rotor blade stage and including an outer nozzle end, at least one stop, and a shroud. The shroud having a forward end positioned radially outward from the circumferentially spaced rotor blades, and an aft end axially aft of the forward end. The at least one stop confronting at least a portion of the outer nozzle end.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2022Date of Patent: May 28, 2024Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Kirk Douglas Gallier, Charles William Craig, III