Patents Issued in May 1, 2018
  • Patent number: 9959480
    Abstract: Features are disclosed for classifying pixels included in a digital image. Distance information from a pixel to structural reference points, such as skeletal joints, is generated. The distance information is then applied to a pixel classifier to identify one or more classifications for the pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Amit Kumar Agrawal, Qiang Liu, David Ting-Yu Wu
  • Patent number: 9959481
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus for processing an image acquired by imaging a living body includes: a blood vessel candidate region extraction unit configured to extract a plurality of blood vessel candidate regions from the image; an identical blood vessel candidate region extraction unit configured to extract, from among the plurality of blood vessel candidate regions, a blood vessel candidate region group estimated to form a line shape when integrated, as an identical blood vessel candidate region; an evaluation value calculation unit configured to calculate one or more kinds of evaluation values for evaluating a likelihood that the identical blood vessel candidate region corresponds to an identical blood vessel; and a blood vessel region discrimination unit configured to discriminate whether or not the identical blood vessel candidate region forms an identical blood vessel region, based on the evaluation values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto Kitamura, Yamato Kanda, Toshiya Kamiyama
  • Patent number: 9959482
    Abstract: The present invention provides a classifying method of classifying an article into one of a plurality of groups based on an image of the article, comprising determining an evaluation method for obtaining an evaluation value of an image by using at least some of sample images, obtaining evaluation values for the sample images by the determined evaluation method, changing the evaluation method so as to increase a degree of dissimilarity in an evaluation value range for sample images between the plurality of groups by changing a evaluation value of at least one sample image having a singular evaluation value among the sample images, obtaining an evaluation value for the image of the article using the changed evaluation method, and classifying the article into one of the plurality of groups based on the evaluation value for the image of the article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takanori Uemura, Hiroshi Okuda
  • Patent number: 9959483
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide a system and a method for information identification to more accurately identify an object and make the process more easily. The system for information identification includes a database that registers information on an object; images the object from a predetermined direction by using the first imaging unit; images the object from a different direction by the second imaging unit; registers information on the object imaged by the first imaging unit in the database; and compares information on the object imaged by the second imaging unit with information registered in the database to identify the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: OPTIM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shunji Sugaya
  • Patent number: 9959484
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a method and an apparatus for generating an image filter. The method includes receiving a first image that is selected with a specific imaging effect desired for the image filter, generating a group of images corresponding to the first image, wherein the group of images comprises at least a second image of a common structure characteristic with the first image and without the specific imaging effect, calculating a mapping relationship for transforming the group of images to the first image and storing the mapping relationship to be used as the image filter to generate the specific imaging effect on other images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Xiaomi Inc.
    Inventors: Baichao Wang, Zhijun Chen, Wendi Hou
  • Patent number: 9959485
    Abstract: An image pattern recognition method detects a pattern in a sequence of video images or individual images from detected interest points. Feature vectors are extracted with video data from video regions around the interest points. A forest of decision trees is used to compute a set of bin values in histograms with bins corresponding to leaf nodes of the decision trees. Each bin value is a sum of contributions computed for individual interest points. Non-binary decision functions are used to compute the contributions and node dependent scale values are used to compute the arguments of the non-binary decision functions. The node dependent scale values may be computed from standard deviations of feature values found for the nodes, multiplied by a factor that is common to the nodes. This factor may be adjusted by feedback so that it can be set differently for different detection classes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie voor toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk onderzoek TNO
    Inventor: Gerardus Johannes Burghouts
  • Patent number: 9959486
    Abstract: A single level machine-learnt classifier is used in medical imaging. A gross or large structure is located using any approach, including non-ML approaches such as region growing or level-sets. Smaller portions of the structure are located using ML applied to relatively small patches (small relative to the organ or overall structure of interest). The classification of small patches allows for a simple ML approach specific to a single scale or at a voxel/pixel level. The use of small patches may allow for providing classification as a service (e.g., cloud-based classification) since partial image data is to be transmitted. The use of small patches may allow for feedback on classification and updates to the ML. The use of small patches may allow for the creation of a labeled library of classification partially based on ML. Given a near complete labeled library, a simple matching of patches or a lookup can replace ML classification for faster throughput.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Atilla Peter Kiraly, Benjamin L. Odry
  • Patent number: 9959487
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method and a device for adding a font. The method includes: acquiring an image; recognizing text in the image as at least one character, each character being a font file corresponding to a single word or a single symbol; and adding a recognized character to a system font library, the system font library including characters used for displaying text on a user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Xiaomi Inc.
    Inventors: Yi Gao, Hongqiang Wang, Yunyuan Ge
  • Patent number: 9959488
    Abstract: A tape printer including a data receiving portion, a display control portion, and a print control portion is provided. The data receiving portion is configured to receive talk data containing plural pieces of speech related data along a time series, the speech related data including speech display texts from each of a first speaker and a second speaker. The display control portion is configured to control the display device so that the plural pieces of speech related data is arrayed and displayed in order of the time series along a tape length direction, and first and second speech related data respectively in relation to the first and second speaker contained in the talk data are displayed in mutually different forms. The print control portion is configured to control a printing head to form a plurality of print objects corresponding respectively to the plural pieces of speech related data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Minako Ishida
  • Patent number: 9959489
    Abstract: Delaying processing based on received commands is suppressed while preventing executing parallel processes involving operation of hardware. Servers can send printing commands and non-printing commands to a printing device. When a printing command is received from a first server and a printing command is then received from another server different from the first server while a process based on the printing command received from the first server is executing, the printing device does not execute the process based on the printing command received from the other server; but if a non-printing command is received from another server, the printing device executes a process based on the non-printing command received from the other server parallel to the process based on the printing command received from the first server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Yamamoto, Akio Takamoto
  • Patent number: 9959490
    Abstract: This is directed to defining the orientation in which a document is printed from the orientation of the device on which the document is displayed. In particular, some electronic devices can have limited user interfaces that do not provide for a simple or elegant interface for defining print settings. To overcome limitations in a displayed user interface, the orientation of an electronic device can be used to define the print orientation of a displayed document. In particular, a motion-sensing component of an electronic device can determine whether the electronic device display is in a portrait or landscape orientation, and define the page orientation of the displayed document to match the determined device orientation. The electronic device can then send information representing the displayed document in the defined page orientation to the printer system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: David Gelphman
  • Patent number: 9959491
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus decides a grid point coordinate on a lookup table corresponding to a predetermined color; calculates, based on association between a signal of the predetermined color in the uniform color space designated by a first color space information and the decided grid point coordinate, a first matrix for converting each signal in the uniform color space into a grid point coordinate; calculates, based on association between the signal of the predetermined color in the uniform color space designated by a second color space information and the decided grid point coordinate, a second matrix for converting each grid point coordinate into a signal in the uniform color space; and generates a lookup table for converting each grid point coordinate into a signal in the second color space by using the second matrix and the second color space information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Oka
  • Patent number: 9959492
    Abstract: An image processing device supplies image data to be used in an image forming apparatus, the image processing device including a control unit configured to process the image data in accordance with an image quality processing parameter, wherein the control unit distinguishes between an overprint region in which overprinting of a coat layer of a transparent material is to be performed on a transfer medium and a non-overprint region in which the overprinting is not to be performed, and adjusts a difference in image quality between the overprint region and the non-overprint region by using the image quality processing parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Daijiro Saito
  • Patent number: 9959493
    Abstract: Methods for authenticating printer supply items using revocation lists are disclosed. Revocation lists are updated using DNSSEC to communicate between a printer and a DNS name server. A first domain name is created containing a request for a challenge to an authentication module and sent to the DNS name server. A second domain name is created containing a response to the challenge and sent to the DNS name server. The DNS name server indicates success or failure, which is used to authenticate the printer supply item. Other systems and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Lexmark international Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Alan Adkins, James Ronald Booth, Matthew David Clarke, Graydon Randall Dodson, Joshua Scott Potter
  • Patent number: 9959494
    Abstract: An RFID-based item tracking system may use statistical methods to determine whether a tag or tagged item that does not respond when inventoried is present in a particular zone or reader antenna field-of-view. In one embodiment, the item tracking system may determine an observability of an item based on one or more initial trials. Upon not detecting the item in one or more subsequent trials, the item tracking system may estimate whether the item is still present based on the observability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: IMPINJ, INC
    Inventors: Balaji Shyamkumar, Kurt Sundstrom, Scott Cooper, Jayasuryan Iyer, Sandesh Doddameti
  • Patent number: 9959495
    Abstract: A portable data terminal that includes a housing and an environmentally responsive device for collecting data about the environment surrounding the housing. The portable data terminal also includes an encoded information reader unit with one or more data collection hardware devices, which can capture data encoded in decodable indicia, e.g., bar codes. In one embodiment, the portable data terminal is configured to operate in a mode that processes the decodable indicia, and the environmental data so as to correlate the information decoded in the decodable indicia with the environmental data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Hand Held Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Dennis Henry Cudzilo
  • Patent number: 9959496
    Abstract: A microprocessor-controlled system for monitoring a package or container to detect unwanted tampering, recording parameters related to the tampering, and optionally for initiating countermeasures in response to the tampering, is provided. Upon sealing the material within the container, a microprocessor arms the system and a clock function begins. An external contact point provides capability for the package sender to record the microprocessor serial number and sealing time. If the package is punctured, cut, or otherwise damaged in route, that event is recorded by the microprocessor, a reset function is activated for the next potential event. Upon receipt of the package, the receiver may interrogate the package and download the available event log. Knowledge of the package transit route provides for comparison with elapsed time and calculation of the location of any tampering or damage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Inventors: Franklin J. Camper, Scott Nordness, William P. Gulas
  • Patent number: 9959497
    Abstract: A system and a method includes a first computing system interacting with a user and at least capturing physical and mental attributes of the user. The first computing system processes, formats, and organizes captured information of the user to provide organized user information. The first computing system designs a virtual clone of the user using the organized user information and produces a digital virtual clone of the user. A storage device stores the organized user information. A second computing system generates and displays a simulated environment. The second computing system transfers the organized user information, integrates the organized user information, and displays the digital virtual clone of the user in the simulated environment, wherein the digital virtual clone interacts with the stimulated environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Inventor: Yevgen Ivanov
  • Patent number: 9959498
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method that includes receiving, by a processing unit, an instruction that specifies data values for performing a tensor computation. In response to receiving the instruction, the method may include, performing, by the processing unit, the tensor computation by executing a loop nest comprising a plurality of loops, wherein a structure of the loop nest is defined based on one or more of the data values of the instruction. The tensor computation can be at least a portion of a computation of a neural network layer. The data values specified by the instruction may comprise a value that specifies a type of the neural network layer, and the structure of the loop nest can be defined at least in part by the type of the neural network layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Inventors: Ravi Narayanaswami, Dong Hyuk Woo, Olivier Temam, Harshit Khaitan
  • Patent number: 9959499
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure support assigning neurons and/or synapses to group tags where group tags have an associated set of parameters. By using group tags, neurons or synapses in a population can be assigned a group tag. Then, by changing a parameter associated with the group tag, all synapses or neurons in the group may have that parameter changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: David Jonathan Julian, Jeffrey Alexander Levin, Jeffrey Baginsky Gehlhaar
  • Patent number: 9959500
    Abstract: An integrated circuit processor having a processing unit that includes a logical circuit with multiple transistors and a top metal landing pad, and an embedded STT memory. The STT memory includes a dielectric layer formed on the top metal landing pad, an adhesion and topography planarization (ATP) layer formed on the dielectric layer, and an MTJ film layer disposed on the ATP layer. The memory may also include bit lines formed on the MTJ film layer. The ATP layer may have multiple layers such as a top layer and a bottom layer. The top layer may act as an etch stop for etching the MTJ film layer on the top. The ATP layer may have a total thickness of 500 A to 4000 A. The bit lines can be configured to send data to the logic circuit of the processing unit to perform one or more convolution neural network computations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: GYRFALCON TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventors: Chyu-Jiuh Torng, Qi Dong, Lin Yang
  • Patent number: 9959501
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method comprising creating a structural description for at least one neurosynaptic core circuit. Each core circuit comprises an interconnect network including plural electronic synapses for interconnecting one or more electronic neurons with one or more electronic axons. The structural description defines a desired neuronal activity for the core circuits. The desired neuronal activity is simulated by programming the core circuits with the structural description. The structural description controls routing of neuronal firing events for the core circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Dharmendra S. Modha
  • Patent number: 9959502
    Abstract: Dynamic data discovery can identify variables or changes in a business environment which can impact existing business rules and can match identified triggers. A business rule associated with a business rule management system can be identified. The business rule management system can be a component of an enterprise organization. The rule can be an operation, a definition, and a constraint associated with the organization. The organization can be a person, a process, a product, a service, or a computing device. Relevant information can be determined from a dynamic data associated with a data source. The determination can be made through the use of semantic analysis. A business pattern associated with the rule can be semantically matched with a dynamic pattern associated with the information. The pattern can be a semantic pattern of the information. A new business rule can be automatically generated from the dynamic data analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Romelia H. Flores, Charlet N. Givens, Shiju Mathai
  • Patent number: 9959503
    Abstract: A social networking system receives messages from users that include hashtags. The social networking system may use a natural language model to identify terms in the hashtag corresponding to words or phrases of the hashtag. The words or phrases may be used to modify a string of the hashtag. The social networking system may also generate computer models to determine likely membership of a message with various hashtags. Prior to generating the computer models, the social networking system may filter certain hashtags from eligibility for computer modeling, particularly hashtags that are not frequently used or that more typically appear as normal text in a message instead of as a hashtag. The social networking system may also calibrate the computer model outputs by comparing a test message output with outputs of a calibration group that includes positive and negative examples with respect to the computer model output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: David Vickrey, Jeffrey William Pasternack
  • Patent number: 9959504
    Abstract: Certain relationships representing material insights are identified from among a set of discovered relationships. Cognitive discovery of relationships in a knowledge base, or corpus, are ranked according to one or more metrics indicative of material insights, including recentness and degree of alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John B. Gordon, John P. Hogan, Sanjay F. Kottaram
  • Patent number: 9959505
    Abstract: High value information Alert and Reporting System (HARS) and method to integrate the public into the law enforcement process by providing information on specific wanted persons/person-of-interest to a diverse range of information display devices specifically selected to display the information to the public. Wanted persons/persons-of-interest are profiled by behavior and acquaintances and predictive behavior algorithms and social media and social communication links and networks are used to predict locations and venues where there is a higher likelihood the person can be found and providing that information to the public. Public observations on the wanted person can be reported to HARS, which notifies the Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) for investigation and apprehension. HARS can provide public service information to the public in the precise area the information is needed and can also provide commercial advertising information to selected target areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Inventor: Marko Milakovich
  • Patent number: 9959506
    Abstract: Features are disclosed for predicting or otherwise determining when a user will initiate an operation on a user computing device, such as requesting network-accessible content. Upon making the determination, the user computing device can proactively perform the determined operation or portions thereof. The user computing device may use a detection model or profile that associates user-initiated operations with data from sensors on the user computing device. The sensors may include movement sensors, environmental sensors, and the like. One benefit, among others, is that user-perceived performance can be improved because some or all of a user-initiated operation has been performed prior to user-initiation of the operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Jari Juhani Karppanen
  • Patent number: 9959507
    Abstract: A device may receive sensor data from a sensor device located on a particular farm. The device may identify an alert, associated with the particular farm, based on the sensor data and using a model. The model may be created based on imagery data and numeric data relating to a group of farms. The device may determine, using the model, a recommended course of action to address the alert, and provide, to a user device associated with the particular farm, the recommended course of action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited
    Inventors: Ankur Mathur, Paul M. Barsamian, Daniel P. Garrison, Pramila Mullan, Juan C. Mendez
  • Patent number: 9959508
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing inferences for use in prediction algorithms to mobile devices are disclosed. The mobile device detects an event and generates an event record that includes contextual information for the event. The event record is transmitted from the mobile device to a service provider system. The service provider system stores the event record on a cloud storage system. The cloud storage system uses the stored event records to generate inferences. The inferences are then passed to the service provider system. In turn, the service provider system provides the inferences to the proper mobile devices. The mobile devices then use the inference in prediction algorithms to generate prediction information that is used to configure applications provided by the device to operate in accordance with a predicted event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: CloudMade, Inc.
    Inventor: James Brown
  • Patent number: 9959509
    Abstract: Changing a business process model involves several aspects: (1) given a set of change operations, dependencies and conflicts are encoded in dependency and conflict matrices; (2) given a change sequence for a process model M, the change sequence is broken up into subsequences such that operations from different subsequences are independent; (3) given a change sequence for a process model V1 and another change sequence for a process model V2, conflicts between operations in the different change sequences are determined; (4) the process structure tree can be used to localize dependency computations, yielding a more efficient approach to determining dependencies; and (5) the process structure tree can be used to localize conflict computations, yielding a more efficient approach to determining conflicts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jochen M. Kuester, Christian Gerth
  • Patent number: 9959510
    Abstract: A method and system for assembling business systems by identifying assets and commercialization mechanisms needed for a business system, which are then associated with business components described on a component business model (CBM) map, based on asset types and elemental control structures that are common across an industry, and therefore reusable. The generic elemental control structures needed for the business system are configured and then assembled into a service network for implementing the business system. A business system so assembled may be enhanced by adding elemental control structures to the service network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Guy Jonathan James Rackham
  • Patent number: 9959511
    Abstract: An automated seed treatment system is adapted for on-site operation at a retail seed distributor. A sealed seed-treater vessel is configured to apply a plurality of chemical treatments to a batch of seed based on a seed treatment recipe. A programmable system controller is electrically coupled to a pump controller of each of a plurality of pump-stations. The programmable system controller is configured to receive a material transfer indication from each of the plurality of pump-stations and issue commands to the pump controller of each pump-station in response to the seed treatment recipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Bayer CropScience LP
    Inventors: Greg A. Reineccius, Jaco Ernest Van der Westhuizen, Alan W. Geiss, Bradley W. May, Tharacad S. Ramanarayanan, Marc Jean-Marie Andrieux
  • Patent number: 9959512
    Abstract: A system and method are described for enabling transportation to be arranged for individuals carrying handsets or mobile devices. In some embodiments, a customer can transmit a request for transport from a given customer geographic location. A service may handle the request by selecting a driver for the customer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Garrett Camp, Oscar Salazar, Travis Kalanick
  • Patent number: 9959513
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed associated with classifying, processing and interpreting information based on the aggregation and/or analysis of fact-based data events. Some implementations include associated notifications, reports and/or dispute resolution mechanisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Ophio Software, Inc.
    Inventors: Eli Borodow, Imed Yahmadi, Ali Aljane, Eric Baranes, Andrew Borodow
  • Patent number: 9959514
    Abstract: There are provided a system, a method and a computer program product for generating an optimal preventive maintenance/replacement schedule for a set of assets. The method includes receiving data regarding an asset, said data including a failure rate function of said asset, a cost of preventative maintenance (PM) of said asset, a cost of an asset failure, and a cost of replacing an asset. An optimal number K of preventative maintenance time intervals tk and an indication of a possible replacement is computed and stored for each asset by minimizing a mean cost-rate value function with respect to an electrical age of the asset. A first PM schedule is formed without consideration of labor and budget resource constraints. The method further generates a second maintenance schedule for a system of assets by minimizing a deviation from the optimal PM time intervals subject to the labor and budget resource constraints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dung Phan, Jinjun Xiong
  • Patent number: 9959515
    Abstract: There are provided a system, a method and a computer program product for generating an optimal preventive maintenance/replacement schedule for a set of assets. The method includes receiving data regarding an asset, said data including a failure rate function of said asset, a cost of preventative maintenance (PM) of said asset, a cost of an asset failure, and a cost of replacing an asset. An optimal number K of preventative maintenance time intervals tk and an indication of a possible replacement is computed and stored for each asset by minimizing a mean cost-rate value function with respect to an electrical age of the asset. A first PM schedule is formed without consideration of labor and budget resource constraints. The method further generates a second maintenance schedule for a system of assets by minimizing a deviation from the optimal PM time intervals subject to the labor and budget resource constraints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dung Phan, Jinjun Xiong
  • Patent number: 9959516
    Abstract: A disassembly procedure generating apparatus is configured to include: an assembly procedure editing unit that incorporates a new work element into an assembly procedure; an assembly procedure change monitoring unit that performs monitoring as to whether a new work element has been inserted into the assembly procedure; a disassembly procedure generating unit that generates, when a new work element is inserted into the assembly procedure, a disassembly procedure by using work elements of the assembly procedure into which the new work element has been inserted and by using information associating the work elements of the assembly procedure with work elements of the disassembly procedure; a disassembly procedure cost calculating unit that calculates a cost generated for the entirety of the disassembly procedure; and a procedure cost information displaying unit that displays, together with the assembly procedure, the disassembly procedure and the cost generated for the entirety of the disassembly procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jumpei Takata, Yusuke Takahashi, Hitomi Ohana
  • Patent number: 9959517
    Abstract: A method, system, and/or computer program product generates self-organizing layouts of process diagrams. Initial weight vectors are distributed uniformly within boundaries of regions in the process diagram. A spatial input vector is randomly generated within the boundaries of each region. In each region in the process diagram, a closest graphical node is found, and a position of a winning graphical node that is the closest graphical node to the random input vector is adjusted. Positions of all non-immutable graphical objects, wi, in a topographical neighborhood N(k) of a closest graphical node wc that can cross a boundary of one or more regions from the multiple regions are adjusted. The spatial input vector is recursively generated, the closest graphical node is recursively located, and the positions of all non-immutable graphical objects, wi, in the topographical neighborhood N(k) are recursively adjusted until a maximum number of iterations, kmax is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: John Mourra
  • Patent number: 9959518
    Abstract: A method, system, and/or computer program product generates self-organizing layouts of process diagrams. Initial weight vectors are distributed uniformly within boundaries of regions in the process diagram. A spatial input vector is randomly generated within the boundaries of each region. In each region in the process diagram, a closest graphical node is found, and a position of a winning graphical node that is the closest graphical node to the random input vector is adjusted. Positions of all non-immutable graphical objects, wi, in a topographical neighborhood N(k) of a closest graphical node wc that can cross a boundary of one or more regions from the multiple regions are adjusted. The spatial input vector is recursively generated, the closest graphical node is recursively located, and the positions of all non-immutable graphical objects, wi, in the topographical neighborhood N(k) are recursively adjusted until a maximum number of iterations, kmax is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: John Mourra
  • Patent number: 9959519
    Abstract: A method and system for transit characteristic prediction. In one embodiment, a method may include determining respective transit latencies from a source location to a number of destination locations, and grouping the destination locations according to a similarity criterion into a number of subsets corresponding to respective geographical regions, where transit characteristics of locations grouped into a geographical region may each satisfy the similarity criterion. The method may further include determining a respective distribution associated with each of the geographical regions, where a given respective distribution correlates a given transit characteristic from the source location to a given geographical region with a respective surety factor, where the respective surety factor includes a cumulative probability that the given transit characteristic will be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Girish S. Lakshman, Llewellyn W. Bezanson, Pradeep Desai
  • Patent number: 9959520
    Abstract: Product replenishment systems which identify to vendors need for replenishment product, and effect shipment of such product. Product containers have computer readable labels which identify particular product to those containers. When a container is empty, the container is tossed into a chute. An antenna subassembly, including antenna, antenna tuner, and signal reader, reads the label as the container passes through the chute. The container label can alternatively be read by otherwise moving the label across the field of a suitable antenna, or by reading such label using a bar code reader. The antenna, or bar code reader, communicates label information to a local computer. The local computer communicates, to a separate host computer, certain of the label information. The host computer collects information from one or more local computers and communicates with respective vendor computers which receive the information, and process and instruct shipment orders related to the needed product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Endries International Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Endries, Edward Todd Fischer, Patrick Weyenberg
  • Patent number: 9959521
    Abstract: A method and system for control of bailment inventory is disclosed. The method includes receiving a customer identifier from a customer, receiving from the customer at least one customer item for bailment, associating the customer identifier with the at least one customer item, storing the at least one customer item, and returning the at least one customer item to the customer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Chexology, LLC
    Inventors: Derek Pacque, Gerry Hays, Nathan Altman
  • Patent number: 9959522
    Abstract: Distribution of media data to multiple displays is managed by displaying a representation of the access relationships among users, administrators, data, and the displays in the form of a hierarchical tree diagram or corporate organizational chart. The representation can be organized as a number of linked data objects having specific levels of hierarchy, each data object expressing data distribution and access control relationships which are at least partly determined implicitly by their position within the hierarchy. By interacting graphically with the tree, a user can quickly and efficiently manage the distribution of data and the administrative access relationships among displays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: THE MARLIN COMPANY
    Inventors: Frank Kenna, III, Preeti Patel
  • Patent number: 9959523
    Abstract: This disclosure includes a system, device, and method to aggregate a list of video conferences for a user. The method may include identifying one or more video conferences that are likely to be of interest to a user viewing a web page, and providing a list comprising the video conferences that are likely to be of interest to the user, where each video conference in the list is available to be joined by the user viewing the web page without an invitation from participants of the video conference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Justin Lewis, Shiva Jaini
  • Patent number: 9959524
    Abstract: A method and system for providing a graphical position hierarchy and associated data sets is described. The method includes receiving a graphical position hierarchy model, analyzing nodes of the position hierarchy model to discern branches and leafs thereof, associating incumbent information with the nodes, where the incumbent information pertains to resources such as employees, contracting services, consulting, and other data and attributes related to the position hierarchy model, and displaying the model to a user thereof. Nodes of a position hierarchy may include incumbents, or may be placeholder position nodes, with no incumbents, allowing the user to model the position hierarchy according to organization needs before associating or allocating resources thereto. The method provides options for users to analyze the effect of changes to the position hierarchy on organizational resource allocation and costs in order to assess, optimize, and monitor the impact of such changes on the organization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Oracle International Corporation
    Inventors: Julian Challenger, Ute Bursian
  • Patent number: 9959525
    Abstract: A job searching and matching system and method is disclosed that gathers job seeker information in the form of job seeker parameters from one or more job seekers, gathers job information in the form of job parameters from prospective employers and/or recruiters, correlates the information with past job seeker behavior, parameters and behavior from other job seekers, and job parameters and, in response to a job seeker's query, provides matching job results based on common parameters between the job seeker and jobs along with suggested alternative jobs based on the co-relationships.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Monster Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Changsheng Chen, Adam Hyder, Sandeep Khanna
  • Patent number: 9959526
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a network arrangement and an email arrangement. The network arrangement is configured to enable the apparatus to communicate across a network. The email arrangement cooperates with the network arrangement to send and to receive emails. The email arrangement includes presence logic that monitors user interaction based presence with respect to a first email.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Kuhlke, Ethan Hugg, Eric Heng Chih Lee, Chin-Ju Chen
  • Patent number: 9959527
    Abstract: Calendar items can be scheduled with a joined group of user profiles. Scheduling calendar items can include, for each of the calendar items, sending a calendar item request to each of the user profiles in the group of user profiles. In response to the joining of a new user profile to the group, the new user profile can be automatically sent a calendar item request for each of one or more of the calendar items scheduled with the group of user profiles. Also, a first user profile can receive a request to share a calendar with a second user profile. The request can be received from the second user profile and can list one or more additional user profiles as recipients of the request. A representation of the request to share can include a control that can be selected to share the calendar with the additional user profile(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventor: David J. Los
  • Patent number: 9959528
    Abstract: A method of securing a transaction that comprises a trust entity computer in communication with data storage, a first party and a second party over a network, and receiving a request from the first party to undertake a transaction with the second party. In addition, receives a first token, storing the first token in the data storage, receiving a second token from the second party, comparing the stored first token and the received second token, if the stored first token and the received second token are a match, enabling the transaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Safepay Australia PTY Limited
    Inventor: John O'Hara
  • Patent number: 9959529
    Abstract: A customer device generates an order for purchasing one or more goods or services from a merchant. A list of the purchased items is stored in a data structure designated as a tab. The list is routed to a merchant device. The customer device is carried by a user to the merchant. When the user reaches the merchant, the customer device or merchant device can receive a request to add an additional item to the list of purchased items. The tab remains open and modifiable until the customer device or merchant device receives an input to close it. Payment for the goods or services listed in the modified tab is processed upon closing of the tab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Square, Inc.
    Inventors: Ajit Kalidindi Varma, Jesse Reiss