Patents by Inventor William Tod Gross

William Tod Gross 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: 11982261
    Abstract: An energy storage and delivery system includes one or more cableways and a cage that travels along each of the one or more cableways. The cage is coupled (e.g., fixedly coupled) to one or more cables that extend between a lower elevation and a higher elevation, the cables or steel ribbons being translated along the associated cableway by a traction motor wheel to translate the cage along the associated cableway. The system is operable to pick-up, transport and deliver with the cage a plurality of blocks from the lower elevation to the higher elevation to store energy (e.g., via the potential energy of the block). The system is also operable to pick-up, transport and deliver with the cage a plurality of blocks from the higher elevation to the lower elevation at least partially under force of gravity to generate electricity via an electric generator coupled to the traction motor wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Energy Vault, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrea Pedretti, William Tod Gross
  • Publication number: 20240140494
    Abstract: An energy storage and delivery system includes one or more cableways and a cage that travels along each of the one or more cableways. The cage is coupled (e.g., fixedly coupled) to one or more cables that extend between a lower elevation and a higher elevation, the cables or steel ribbons being translated along the associated cableway by a traction motor wheel to translate the cage along the associated cableway. The system is operable to pick-up, transport and deliver with the cage a plurality of blocks from the lower elevation to the higher elevation to store energy (e.g., via the potential energy of the block). The system is also operable to pick-up, transport and deliver with the cage a plurality of blocks from the higher elevation to the lower elevation at least partially under force of gravity to generate electricity via an electric generator coupled to the traction motor wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2024
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventors: Andrea Pedretti, William Tod Gross
  • Publication number: 20240141874
    Abstract: An energy storage and delivery system includes one or more cableways and a cage that travels along each of the one or more cableways. The cage is coupled (e.g., fixedly coupled) to one or more cables that extend between a lower elevation and a higher elevation, the cables or steel ribbons being translated along the associated cableway by a traction motor wheel to translate the cage along the associated cableway. The system is operable to pick-up, transport and deliver with the cage a plurality of blocks from the lower elevation to the higher elevation to store energy (e.g., via the potential energy of the block). The system is also operable to pick-up, transport and deliver with the cage a plurality of blocks from the higher elevation to the lower elevation at least partially under force of gravity to generate electricity via an electric generator coupled to the traction motor wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2024
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventors: Andrea Pedretti, William Tod Gross
  • Publication number: 20240141875
    Abstract: An energy storage and delivery system includes one or more cableways and a cage that travels along each of the one or more cableways. The cage is coupled (e.g., fixedly coupled) to one or more cables that extend between a lower elevation and a higher elevation, the cables or steel ribbons being translated along the associated cableway by a traction motor wheel to translate the cage along the associated cableway. The system is operable to pick-up, transport and deliver with the cage a plurality of blocks from the lower elevation to the higher elevation to store energy (e.g., via the potential energy of the block). The system is also operable to pick-up, transport and deliver with the cage a plurality of blocks from the higher elevation to the lower elevation at least partially under force of gravity to generate electricity via an electric generator coupled to the traction motor wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2024
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventors: Andrea Pedretti, William Tod Gross
  • Patent number: 11947606
    Abstract: A search engine system generally includes a user interface in a computing environment configured to receive at least a first fragment from a user and a content display module configured to automatically generate an anticipated search result in the computing environment based on at least the first fragment. The content display module is configured to automatically display search results that include an arrangement of a plurality of visual content elements based on the anticipated search result. The content display module is configured to direct the user to content at one of a network and a local destination associated with one of the visual content elements selectable by the user with the user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: STRONG FORCE TX PORTFOLIO 2018, LLC
    Inventors: William Tod Gross, Paul Thomas Ryan
  • Publication number: 20220409005
    Abstract: A dishwasher comprises an image sensor, first and second drawers, first and second actuators configured to respectively extend or retract the first and second drawers, and a computer system. The computer system is configured to receive images from the image sensor, determine whether an object is within a threshold distance, and in response to determining that an object is moved to within the threshold distance, use a washwear recognition system to determine whether the object comprises an washwear item. A determined washwear type and a washwear dimension are used to identify an unoccupied location in of a size and configured suitable to receive the washwear item. In response to identifying an unoccupied location of a size and configured suitable to receive the washwear item, an actuator among the first actuator and the second actuator is caused to extend a corresponding drawer to thereby receive the item of dishware.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventor: William Tod Gross
  • Publication number: 20220017121
    Abstract: An autonomous urban transport vehicle (AUTV) to transport a user, including a tricycle including brakes and steering and a controller. The controller includes an autonomous mode processor to control the brakes and steering when the AUTV is in an autonomous mode. The controller also includes a manual mode processor to control manual mode functions of the AUTV when the AUTV is in a manual mode. The manual mode functions are exclusive of actuation of the brakes and steering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Inventors: Ryan McLean, Gregg Luconi, William Tod Gross, Maximilian Zavodny
  • Publication number: 20190278817
    Abstract: A search engine system generally includes a user interface in a computing environment configured to receive at least a first fragment from a user and a content display module configured to automatically generate an anticipated search result in the computing environment based on at least the first fragment. The content display module is configured to automatically display search results that include an arrangement of a plurality of visual content elements based on the anticipated search result. The content display module is configured to direct the user to content at one of a network and a local destination associated with one of the visual content elements selectable by the user with the user interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Inventors: William Tod Gross, Paul Thomas Ryan
  • Patent number: 5907677
    Abstract: A method for establishing anonymous communication links comprises the steps of: identifying a plurality of subscribers; assigning a code to each of the plurality of subscribers; accessing a proprietary directory of the subscribers containing the code of each of the plurality of subscribers; and connecting a first subscriber of the plurality of subscribers to a second subscriber of the plurality of subscribers for communications. The first subscriber is identified by a first code so that the first subscriber can communicate with the second subscriber anonymously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1999
    Assignee: Ecall Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Glenn, William Tod Gross, John Richard McRae, Philip Malcolm Neches, James Francis Day, Herbert Mortimer Zydney
  • Patent number: D947287
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Inventors: Ryan McLean, Gregg Luconi, William Tod Gross