Systems and methods for communicating with a unique identifier
Patent No. 11,019,134
A system for device communication is disclosed. The system may include one or more memory devices storing instructions and one or more processors configured to execute the instructions to transmit a first unique identifier to a wave device, and receive a second unique identifier from the wave device. Further, the first unique identifier may exclusively identify a person, and the second unique identifier may exclusively identify a first wave receiver associated with a person, an entity, a place, or an object. In addition, at least the first unique identifier may be transmitted to the wave device based on an indication of a proximity between the first person and the first wave receiver.
Inventors: Eric K. Barnum (Midlothian, Virginia), Anthony Reynolds (Richmond)
Assignee: Capital One Services (McLean, Virginia)
May 25, 2021
Thyristor current interrupter and auxiliary quasi-resonant turn-off unit
Patent No. 11,018,666
An apparatus and method that can accelerate the turn off time for a thyristor current interrupter. Following commutation of a load current from a main thyristor to an auxiliary turn-off unit, a capacitor of the auxiliary turn-off unit can provide a resonant current to create a zero current crossing for turning the main thyristor off, as well as provide a reverse bias voltage for the main thyristor. The auxiliary turn-off unit can hold the main thyristor off and facilitate sufficient time being available for main thyristor to block forward system voltage. A voltage level of another capacitor of the auxiliary turn-off unit can, with a switch of the auxiliary turn-off unit and the main thyristor turned off, be increased to a level that triggers at least one voltage-clamping unit to absorb electrical power from that capacitor. The load current passing in the auxiliary turn-off unit can be decreased as the electrical power is absorbed to a level at which one or more auxiliary thyristor switches of the auxiliary turn-off unit can be turned off.
Inventors: Yu Du (Raleigh, North Carolina), Xiaoquing Song (Raleigh, North Carolina), Yuzhi Zhang (Apex, North Carolina), Adil Oudrhiri (Richmond)
Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (Baden, Switzerland)
May 25, 2021
Sliding packs with flip top hinged lids
Patent No. 11,014,736
In an example embodiment, a slide-action hinged-lid pack comprises a hinged-lid inner pack configured to hold consumer items, the hinged-lid inner pack including a front wall, a back wall, a left side wall, a right side wall, a bottom wall and a hinged-lid pivotally connected to an upper end of the back wall for movement between an open position and a closed position, and an outer shell, and wherein the hinged-lid inner pack can slide from a first position at which the hinged-lid is in the closed position to a second position at which the hinged-lid is in the open position, the outer shell including a first stop tab on an inner side of the back wall, the hinged-lid inner pack including a second stop tab on a tongue extending from the hinged-lid, and the hinged-lid inner pack including a third stop tab on the back wall of the hinged-lid inner pack, the second stop tab operable to engage the first stop tab during movement of the hinged-lid inner pack from the first position to the second position, and the third stop tab operable to abut the second stop tab when the hinged-lid inner pack is moved to the second position.
Inventors: Brian Casey (Richmond)
Assignee: Altria Client Services (Richmond)
May 25, 2021
Carton and carton blank
Patent No. 11,014,726
Aspects of the disclosure relate to a carton (90) for packaging one or more articles(IO) and to a blank (10) for forming the carton. The carton comprises a plurality of panels (12,14,16,18,20,22) for forming walls of the carton including: a top wall, a bottom wall, a pair of side walls and a pair of end walls. The top wall (14,22) comprises a handle structure (H). The handle structure comprises at least one hand aperture (A1,A2) defined in the top wall. At least one primary fold line (39a,39b,49a,49b) is formed in the top wall and extends from a region of the at least one hand aperture towards at least one of the corners of the top wall. A diagonal severance line (47a, 47b, 57a, 57b) is formed in the top wall inwardly of and spaced from the at least one corner for separating the at least one primary fold line from the at least one corner.
Inventors: Andrew T. Peeler (Richmond), Matthew E. Zacherle (Chesterfield, Virginia), Bradford J. Walling (Chesterfield, Virginia)
Assignee: Westrock Packaging Systems (Atlanta, Georgia)
May 25, 2021
Pod assembly and e-vapor apparatus including the same
Patent No. 11,013,273
An e-vapor apparatus may include a pod assembly including a pre-vapor formulation compartment, a first electrical connector, a vapor channel traversing the pre-vapor formulation compartment, and a vaporizer, the pre-vapor formulation compartment configured to hold a pre-vapor formulation therein and in fluidic communication with the vaporizer during an operation of the e-vapor apparatus, the first electrical connector including first and second power electrodes, the first power electrode including a first contact portion on an exterior of the first electrical connector and a first extended portion configured to contact an anode portion of the vaporizer, the second power electrode including a second contact portion on the exterior of the first electrical connector and a second extended portion configured to contact a cathode portion of the vaporizer. The e-vapor apparatus may further include a dispensing body including a second electrical connector configured to connect to the first electrical connector.
Inventors: Ryan Newcomb (Powhatan, Virginia), Terry Bache (Richmond), Eric Hawes (Midlothian, Virginia), Raymond Lau (Richmond), Cristian Popa (Hertfordshire, Great Britain), James Yorkshades (Gamlingay, Great Britain)
Assignee: Altria Client Services (Richmond)
May 25, 2021
Portable exercise device
Patent No. 11,013,946
An exercise device includes an adjustable strap to secure the device to a free standing object, such as a piece of furniture having two sections. The strap includes hook fabric portions and a loop fabric portion to adjust to a desired length to fit within the sections of the furniture. The exercise device also includes oval rings to attach to the strap at ends thereof. Each oval ring includes a bar located in its center to engage the strap. The position of the oval rings is secured against the furniture. Attachments for exercising, such as exercise bands, are attached to the oval rings so that a user operates the exercise device as needed, then disassembles the device for storage or to use elsewhere.
Inventors: Vicki N. Lindsey (Chesterfield, Virginia)
Assignee: N/A
May 25, 2021
Methods for detecting film-forming amines in water
Patent No. 11,016,027
Methods and systems for detecting and quantifying film forming amines in water systems are described. Water containing a film forming amine is combined with a fluorescent dye, the pH of the water is reduced, and then the fluorescence signal of the fluorescent dye is measured. The fluorescence signal is indicative of the amount of film forming amine in the water, and can be used to quantify the amount of film forming amine and control the amount of film forming amine that is introduced into the water system.
Inventors: Dale Stuart (Glen Allen, Virginia), Rajendra Prasad Kalakodimi (Glen Allen, Virginia)
Assignee: Chemtreat (Glen Allen, Virginia)
May 25, 2021
Non-peptide opioid receptor modulators
Patent No. 11,014,933
Non-peptide MOR opioid receptor modulators are provided. The compounds exhibit predominantly central activity and are used to treat e.g. substance use disorders, and pain.
Inventors: Yan Zhang (Glen Allen, Virginia)
Assignee: Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond)
May 25, 2021
Non-combustible tobacco vaping insert, and a cartridge containing the non-combustible tobacco vaping insert
Patent No. 11,013,267
The non-combustible tobacco vaping insert includes a filter having a first diameter, and a non-combustible tobacco element with a first end contacting the filter. At least one first portion of the tobacco element has a second diameter that is smaller than the first diameter of the filter. The cartridge includes a heater configured to vaporize a pre-vapor formulation that is communicated to the heater by a wick. The insert is positioned in at least a portion of an air passage within cartridge, where the insert is configured to allow vapor that is generated by the heater to pass through the insert prior to being discharged from the cartridge.
Inventors: Ali A. Rostami (Glen Allen, Virginia), San Li (Midlothian, Virginia), Yezdi B. Pithawalla (Midlothian, Virginia)
Assignee: Altria Client Services (Richmond)
May 25, 2021
Techniques for dynamic network resiliency
Patent No. 11,018,927
Various embodiments are generally directed to techniques for dynamic network resiliency, such as by monitoring and controlling the configuration of one or more network components to ensure proper endpoint alignment, for instance. Some embodiments are particularly directed to a tool (e.g., resiliency agent) that can automatically recognize symptoms of issues with a network component, such as autoscaling, latency, traffic spikes, resource utilization spikes, etcetera, and respond appropriately to ensure continued and optimized operation of the network component. In many embodiments, the tool may dynamically reroute endpoint traffic, perform traffic balancing, and/or drive autoscaling to optimize operation of the network component in response to recognizing symptoms.
Inventors: Lindsay Helbing (Newport News, Virginia), Bryan Pinos (Williamsburg, Virginia), Eric Barnum (Midlothian, Virginia)
Assignee: Capital One Services (McLean, Virginia)
Embedded liquid lubricants for tableting
Patent No. 11,013,251
The invention provides a nutritional supplement and/or pharmaceutical composition for tableting comprising an embedded lubrication matrix. The embedded lubrication matrix comprises an oily liquid finely dispersed in an oil insoluble material. A method of lubricating a nutritional supplement or pharmaceutical composition for tableting using a matrix with embedded lubrication is also provided.
Inventors: Yong Dai (Mechanicsville, Virginia), Alan M. Goldberg (Nutley, New Jersey), Michael A. Goode (Powhatan, Virginia), Raymond Alan Bartolucci (Poughkeepsie, New York), James O. Frazier (Powhatan, Virginia)
Assignee: PF Consumer Healthcare 1 (Wilmington, Delaware)
May 25, 2021
Pod assembly, dispensing body, and e-vapor apparatus including the same
Patent No. 11,026,296
An e-vapor apparatus may include a pod assembly and a dispensing body configured to receive the pod assembly. A vaporizer may be disposed in the pod assembly and/or the dispensing body. The pod assembly may include a vapor precursor compartment, a device compartment, and a vapor channel extending from the device compartment and traversing the vapor precursor compartment. The pod assembly is a smart pod configured to receive, store, and transmit information that can be communicated with the dispensing body and/or another electronic device. The proximal portion of the dispensing body includes a vapor passage and a through-hole. The vapor passage may extend from an end surface of the proximal portion to a side wall of the through-hole. The through-hole is configured to receive the pod assembly such that the vapor channel of the pod assembly is aligned with the vapor passage of the dispensing body.
Inventors: Eric Hawes (Midlothian, Virginia), Raymond W. Lau (Richmond), Alistair Bramley (Richmond)
Assignee: Altria Client Services (Richmond)
June 1, 2021
Automated streaming data platform
Patent No. 1,025,688
Aspects described herein generally improve the quality, efficiency, and speed of data processing by automatically generating a plurality of nodes for a streaming data platform based on user parameters. This combination of different platform nodes may allow for the generation and initiation of a streaming platform that may run in a cloud and may provide multi-availability-zone and multi-region capabilities to support replication and disaster recovery capabilities for data management. The streaming platform may include a coordination layer, a streaming layer, and a replication layer, and each layer may include a plurality of nodes.
Inventors: Haranatha Ijjurouthu (Irving, Texas), Gopi Kancharla (Frisco, Texas), Prasad D. Sangle (Glen Allen, Virginia), Ranga Rao Surineedi (Glen Allen, Virginia), Rama Mohan Boppana (Glen Allen, Virginia), Jordan Tyler Hale (Henrico, Virginia), Richard Morrisey (Richmond), Pallavi Desai (Herndon, Virginia), William Scott Cochran (Henrico, Virginia), William Thomas Lyne (Richmond)
Assignee: Capital One Services (McLean, Virginia)
API driven continuous testing systems for testing disparate software
Patent No. 11,023,369
A system for providing an API-driven continuous test platform is disclosed. The system may include one or more processors, a test engine, one or more test agents, and a database. The system may prepare (according to a configuration file) a first test configuration comprising a first selection of the one or more test agents, execute (using the test engine) the first test configuration to produce one or more first test results, and store (using the database) the one or more first test results. Finally, the system may process (using a continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipeline) the first test results by performing at least one of the following CI/CD processes: updating a central code base of an enterprise production environment, rejecting at least one code snippet processed by the test engine during execution of the first test configuration, and marking the first test results as inconclusive.
Inventors: Govind Pande (Chantilly, Virginia), Pritam Sarkar (Richmond), Agnibrata Nayak (Henrico, Virginia), Theodore Kayes (Henrico, Virginia), Sunil Palla (Henrico, Virginia), Mark Mikkelson (Richmond), Pradosh Sivadoss (Broadlands, Virginia)
Assignee: Capital One Services (McLean, Virginia)
June 1, 2021
Security system for a building
Patent No. 11,021,893
A security system for a building has multiple lock modules. Each lock module is associated with a particular door and has an unlocked position that allows the particular door to open and a locked position that prevents the particular door from opening. Each lock module includes a door status signal and a controller. The door status signal includes a unique identifier for the particular door associated with the lock module and a status that identifies when the lock module is in the locked position. The controller transmits the door status signal for the lock module. A lock module command signal received by at least some of the lock modules directs at least some of the lock modules to reposition to either the unlocked position or the locked position.
Inventors: Roland Trout (Lexington, North Carolina), Stephen Gardner Worth III(Holly Springs, North Carolina), William Neal Davis (Greensboro, North Carolina), Eric Michael Wagner (Cary, North Carolina), George Lee Reid (Greer, South Carolina), Sanjeev Pal (Weddington, North Carolina), John Allen Wiseman (Richmond), Michael Clyde Pittman (Glen Allen, Virginia)
Assignee: Barricaid Technology Group (Lexington, North Carolina)
June 1, 2021
Methods for fast nucleic acid amplification
Patent No. 11,021,744
Methods, devices, and kits are provided for performing PCR in <20 seconds per cycle, with improved efficiency and yield.
Inventors: Carl T. Wittwer (Salt Lake City, Utah), Jared Steven Farrar (Richmond)
Assignee: University of Utah Research Foundation (Salt Lake City, Utah)
June 1, 2021
Pouch with oxygen scavenger and method of forming pouch with oxygen scavenger
Patent No. 11,021,312
The pouch includes a pouch material defining an inner cavity, the pouch material includes a first polymer layer and a gas impermeable layer, the first polymer layer forms an inner surface of the inner cavity, a consumable item in the inner cavity, and an oxygen scavenger, the oxygen scavenger includes at least one active element dispersed within a matrix material, the oxygen scavenger is at least partially connected to the first polymer layer within the inner cavity, and the first polymer layer and the matrix material both include a first polymer material.
Inventors: Scott A. Fath (Richmond), Robert T. Mitten (Glen Allen, Virginia), Jason A. Macko (Henrico, Virginia)
Assignee: Altria Client Services (Richmond)
June 1, 2021
Dual cavity sliding dispenser
Patent No. 11,021,293
A dispensing container is provided, the container including an outer shell comprising a top, a bottom, sidewalls extending between the top and bottom, and two ends, at least one end being open; an inner tray, slidably received within the outer shell, comprising at least one storage compartment adapted for storage of a plurality of units of a product to be dispensed, and comprising at least one depressible detent, the detent comprising a raised surface that abuts the outer shell; wherein, in a closed configuration, the detent holds the inner tray within the outer shell, and wherein the at least one detent may be depressed by pressure to allow the inner tray to slide relative to the outer shell.
Inventors: Ryan A. Bailey (Richmond), John A. Gelardi (Midlothian, Virginia)
Assignee: R.J.R. Reynolds Tobacco Co. (Winston-Salem, North Carolina)
June 1, 2021
Apparatuses and methods for tamping the contents of a container
Patent No. 11,021,278
Apparatuses and methods for tamping the contents of a container are disclosed. An embodiment of an apparatus includes a tamp head for tamping the contents of the container; and a container support assembly structured and arranged to temporarily support the bottom surface of the container during tamping, the container support assembly comprising a support element having a protrusion extending upward from a substantially flat and horizontal upper surface, wherein the protrusion is sized and shaped to correspond to the size and shape of the bottom surface of the container.
Inventors: James D. Evans (Chesterfield, Virginia), Herbert Cary Longest (Midlothian, Virginia), Tamika S. Murrell (Richmond), Robert V. Powell Jr. (Midlothian, Virginia), Jeremy Straight (Midlothian, Virginia), Jarrod Chalkley (Mechanicsville, Virginia)
Assignee: Altria Client Services (Richmond)
June 1, 2021
Toaster with mechanical delay shut-off mechanism
Patent No. 11,019,961
A shut-off mechanism for a toaster includes a damper arm pivotally mounted on a frame that includes a damper unit. The damper unit including (a) a cavity in which a viscous fluid is stored, (b) a rotor that resides partially in the cavity and partially outside of the cavity, the viscous fluid resisting rotation of the rotor relative to the cavity, and (c) an engagement member attached to the rotor that engages a track on the frame. The damper arm is movable between a deactivated position and an activated position. An electrical switch configured to engage an electrical contact when the damper arm is in the activated position and to disengage from the electrical contact when the damper arm is in the deactivated position.
Inventors: William D. Starr (Richmond)
Assignee: Hamilton Beach Brands (Glen Allen, Virgnia)
June 1, 2021
Techniques for dynamic network management
Patent No. 11,025,494
Various embodiments are generally directed to techniques for dynamic network management, such as by monitoring and analyzing network parameters, such as network traffic and network configurations, to enable visualization of network state and improved situational awareness. Some embodiments are particularly directed to providing a graphical user interface (GUI) that utilizes various network parameters to map, characterize, and/or assign attributes to network traffic and resources. In many embodiments, network traffic may be monitored and/or routed based on their attributes.
Inventors: Bryan Pinos (Williamsburg, Virginia), Christopher Moczydlowski (Ruther Glen, Virginia), John Anand Lourdusamy (Glen Allen, Virginia), Eric Barnum (Midlothian, Virginia)
Assignee: Capital One Services (McLean, Virginia)
June 1, 2021
Systems and methods for generating and managing dynamic customized electronic tokens for electronic device interaction
Patent No. 11,023,887
Systems and methods are provided for generating and managing dynamic customized electronic tokens for electronic device interactions. A system for transferring data between a user device associated with a user and a remote device may include a memory storing instructions and a processor configured to execute the stored instructions. The stored instructions may configure the processor to receive, via a network, transaction information from the remote device, access information associated with an electronic token, and provide the electronic token to the remote device. The electronic token may be associated with at least one of the user or the user device, and a token server may generate the electronic token based on the received transaction information, and determine one or more expiration parameters for the electronic token.
Inventors: Paul Y. Moreton (Glen Allen, Virginia), Matthew de Ganon (Dobbs Ferry, New York), Thomas S. Poole (Chantilly, Virginia)
Assignee: Capital One Services (McLean, Virginia)
June 1, 2021
System and apparatus for automated evaluation of compatibility of data structures and user devices based on explicit user feedback
Patent No. 11,023,345
Embodiments are disclosed for automated evaluation of compatibility of a data structure with a user device. An example method includes receiving, by communications circuitry, a set of user device characteristics regarding the user device, and retrieving, by the personalization circuitry, a set of data structure characteristics regarding the data structure. The example method further includes calculating, by the personalization circuitry, a set of characteristic-level compatibility scores, and generating, by the personalization circuitry and based on the set of characteristic-level compatibility scores, a compatibility score for the data structure and the user device. Subsequently, the example method includes generating, by an aggregator and using the generated compatibility score, an indication of relative compatibility of the data structure for the user device, and causing transmission, by communications circuitry, of a control signal to the user device based on the indication of relative compatibility. Corresponding apparatuses and computer program products are also provided.
Inventors: Raju Balakrishnan (Santa Clara, California), Vinay K. Deolalikar (Cupertino, California), Matthew M. Heitz (Glen Allen, Virginia)
Assignee: Groupon (Chicago, Illinois)
June 1, 2021
Transaction exchange platform having configurable microservices
Patent No. 11,023,528
Aspects described herein may relate to a transaction exchange platform using a streaming data platform (SDP) and microservices to process transactions according to review and approval workflows. The transaction exchange platform may receive transactions from origination sources, which may be added to the SDP as transaction objects. Microservices on the transaction exchange platform may interact with the transaction objects based on configured workflows associated with the transactions. Processing on the transaction exchange platform may facilitate clearing and settlement of transactions. Some aspects may provide for dynamic and flexible reconfiguration of workflows and/or microservices. Other aspects may provide for data snapshots and workflow tracking, allowing for monitoring, quality control, and auditability of transactions on the transaction exchange platform.
Inventors: Earle Michael Lee (Moseley, Virginia), William Planck (Midlothian, Virginia)
Assignee: Capital One Services (McLean, Virginia)
June 1. 2021
Routing packets in overlapping address spaces
Patent No. 11,025,542
At an outbound end of a tunnel from a first data network, a packet is analyzed to determine whether the packet is to be directed to a local target in the first data network or to be sent over the tunnel to a remote target in a second data network. A target address of the packet is present in both the first data network and the second data network. When the packet is to be directed to the remote target in the second data network, an octet in the target address of the packet is changed from a first value to a second value, the changing forming a modified packet. When the second value is stored in the octet, the modified packet is caused to be sent to the tunnel for delivery to the second data network.
Inventors: Eric M. Anderson (Friendswood, Texas), Susan A. Hearn (Ontario, Canada), Linwood E. Loving (Mechanicsville, Virginia), Martin G. Mclaughlin (Glasgow, Great Britain), Daniel R. Miller (Prospect, Connecticut), John B.Simmons (Westminster, Colorado), Joseph V. Boyle (Marlton, New Jersey)
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp. (Armonk, New York)
June 1, 2021
Plankz buoyancy engine
Patent No. 11,022,091
The Buoyancy engine is a machine that captures buoyancy forces on floats in a liquid column and converts it to rotational energy that can be used to drive other equipment or generate electricity. This invention uses separate systems for the float, drive system and valve mechanism to ensure energy extraction. Additionally, a gravity assist system returns liquid exhausted by valve operation to the liquid column to maintain a net energy gain.
Inventors: Pallant Satnarine Ramsundar (Chester, Virginia)
Assignee: N/A
June 1, 2021
Resilient domain name service (DNS) resolution when an authoritative name server is degraded
Patent No. 11,025,482
In one embodiment, a resolution resiliency application modifies domain name service (DNS) resolution. In operation, the resolution resiliency application determines that an authoritative name server has begun recovering from a degraded state or receives a flush list update from the authoritative name server. In response, the resolution resiliency application performs operation(s) that modify a query rate and/or a cache. The query rate specifies a frequency associated with DNS queries transmitted to the first authoritative name server. The cache stores DNS record(s) received from the first authoritative name server. Finally, the resolution resiliency application generates a DNS response to a DNS query based on the modified query rate and/or the modified cache.
Inventors: Shumon Huque (Reston, Virginia), Burton S. Kaliski Jr. (McLean, Virginia), Eric Osterweil (Fairfax, Virginia), Frank Scalzo (Leesburg, Virginia), Duane Wessels (Moscow, Idaho), Glen Wiley (Goochland, Virginia)
Assignee: Verisign (Reston, Virginia)
June 1, 2021
Oral energy products including encapsulated caffeine
Patent No. 11,020,401
A composition for human consumption includes a base composition having a pH of about 2 to about 5 and encapsulated caffeine dispersed throughout at least a portion of the base composition. The encapsulated caffeine can be a caffeine complex. The base composition can include a liquid or a food. An oral pouch product includes a porous pouch wrapper, an inner botanical filling material contained within the pouch wrapper, and encapsulated caffeine dispersed throughout at least a portion of the oral pouch product. The encapsulated caffeine is included in the composition and/or the oral pouch product an amount sufficient to release about 50 mg to about 200 mg of caffeine. The composition can provide immediate release of caffeine and/or release of caffeine over an extended period of time.
Inventors: Munmaya K. Mishra (Manakin Sabot, Virginia), Gerd Kobal (Sandy Hook, Virgnia)
Assignee: Altria Client Services (Richmond)
June 1, 2021
Kitchen appliance for preparing a beverage and method of operating same
Patent No. 11,019,955
A kitchen appliance for preparing beverage comprises a housing, a basket holder in cooperative engagement with the housing, a filter basket selectively insertable into the basket holder when the basket holder is in an open position, and a ground coffee hopper for holding ground coffee. The hopper is positioned to dispense a desired amount of ground coffee into the filter basket when (i) the hopper is selectively mounted to the housing, (ii) the filter basket is inserted into the basket holder, and (iii) the basket holder is in its closed position. The bottom portion comprises a selectively rotatable doser defining a plurality of dosing cavities. Each dosing cavity is adapted to contain a same, predetermined amount of ground coffee and adapted to dispense the contained ground coffee through a dispensing hole defined in the bottom portion as each dosing cavity is rotated into a position above the dispensing hole.
Inventors: Larry Olson (Montpelier, Virginia)
Assignee: Hamilton Beach Brands (Glen Allen, Virginia)
June 1, 2021
Systems and methods for communicating with a unique identifier
Patent No. 11,019,134
A system for device communication is disclosed. The system may include one or more memory devices storing instructions and one or more processors configured to execute the instructions to transmit a first unique identifier to a wave device, and receive a second unique identifier from the wave device. Further, the first unique identifier may exclusively identify a person, and the second unique identifier may exclusively identify a first wave receiver associated with a person, an entity, a place, or an object. In addition, at least the first unique identifier may be transmitted to the wave device based on an indication of a proximity between the first person and the first wave receiver.
Inventors: Eric K. Barnum (Midlothian, Virginia), Anthony Reynolds (Richmond)
Assignee: Capital One Services (McLean, Virginia)
May 25, 2021
Thyristor current interrupter and auxiliary quasi-resonant turn-off unit
Patent No. 11,018,666
An apparatus and method that can accelerate the turn off time for a thyristor current interrupter. Following commutation of a load current from a main thyristor to an auxiliary turn-off unit, a capacitor of the auxiliary turn-off unit can provide a resonant current to create a zero current crossing for turning the main thyristor off, as well as provide a reverse bias voltage for the main thyristor. The auxiliary turn-off unit can hold the main thyristor off and facilitate sufficient time being available for main thyristor to block forward system voltage. A voltage level of another capacitor of the auxiliary turn-off unit can, with a switch of the auxiliary turn-off unit and the main thyristor turned off, be increased to a level that triggers at least one voltage-clamping unit to absorb electrical power from that capacitor. The load current passing in the auxiliary turn-off unit can be decreased as the electrical power is absorbed to a level at which one or more auxiliary thyristor switches of the auxiliary turn-off unit can be turned off.
Inventors: Yu Du (Raleigh, North Carolina), Xiaoquing Song (Raleigh, North Carolina), Yuzhi Zhang (Apex, North Carolina), Adil Oudrhiri (Richmond)
Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (Baden, Switzerland)
May 25, 2021
Sliding packs with flip top hinged lids
Patent No. 11,014,736
In an example embodiment, a slide-action hinged-lid pack comprises a hinged-lid inner pack configured to hold consumer items, the hinged-lid inner pack including a front wall, a back wall, a left side wall, a right side wall, a bottom wall and a hinged-lid pivotally connected to an upper end of the back wall for movement between an open position and a closed position, and an outer shell, and wherein the hinged-lid inner pack can slide from a first position at which the hinged-lid is in the closed position to a second position at which the hinged-lid is in the open position, the outer shell including a first stop tab on an inner side of the back wall, the hinged-lid inner pack including a second stop tab on a tongue extending from the hinged-lid, and the hinged-lid inner pack including a third stop tab on the back wall of the hinged-lid inner pack, the second stop tab operable to engage the first stop tab during movement of the hinged-lid inner pack from the first position to the second position, and the third stop tab operable to abut the second stop tab when the hinged-lid inner pack is moved to the second position.
Inventors: Brian Casey (Richmond)
Assignee: Altria Client Services (Richmond)
May 25, 2021
Carton and carton blank
Patent No. 11,014,726
Aspects of the disclosure relate to a carton (90) for packaging one or more articles(IO) and to a blank (10) for forming the carton. The carton comprises a plurality of panels (12,14,16,18,20,22) for forming walls of the carton including: a top wall, a bottom wall, a pair of side walls and a pair of end walls. The top wall (14,22) comprises a handle structure (H). The handle structure comprises at least one hand aperture (A1,A2) defined in the top wall. At least one primary fold line (39a,39b,49a,49b) is formed in the top wall and extends from a region of the at least one hand aperture towards at least one of the corners of the top wall. A diagonal severance line (47a, 47b, 57a, 57b) is formed in the top wall inwardly of and spaced from the at least one corner for separating the at least one primary fold line from the at least one corner.
Inventors: Andrew T. Peeler (Richmond), Matthew E. Zacherle (Chesterfield, Virginia), Bradford J. Walling (Chesterfield, Virginia)
Assignee: Westrock Packaging Systems (Atlanta, Georgia)
May 25, 2021
Pod assembly and e-vapor apparatus including the same
Patent No. 11,013,273
An e-vapor apparatus may include a pod assembly including a pre-vapor formulation compartment, a first electrical connector, a vapor channel traversing the pre-vapor formulation compartment, and a vaporizer, the pre-vapor formulation compartment configured to hold a pre-vapor formulation therein and in fluidic communication with the vaporizer during an operation of the e-vapor apparatus, the first electrical connector including first and second power electrodes, the first power electrode including a first contact portion on an exterior of the first electrical connector and a first extended portion configured to contact an anode portion of the vaporizer, the second power electrode including a second contact portion on the exterior of the first electrical connector and a second extended portion configured to contact a cathode portion of the vaporizer. The e-vapor apparatus may further include a dispensing body including a second electrical connector configured to connect to the first electrical connector.
Inventors: Ryan Newcomb (Powhatan, Virginia), Terry Bache (Richmond), Eric Hawes (Midlothian, Virginia), Raymond Lau (Richmond), Cristian Popa (Hertfordshire, Great Britain), James Yorkshades (Gamlingay, Great Britain)
Assignee: Altria Client Services (Richmond)
May 25, 2021
Portable exercise device
Patent No. 11,013,946
An exercise device includes an adjustable strap to secure the device to a free standing object, such as a piece of furniture having two sections. The strap includes hook fabric portions and a loop fabric portion to adjust to a desired length to fit within the sections of the furniture. The exercise device also includes oval rings to attach to the strap at ends thereof. Each oval ring includes a bar located in its center to engage the strap. The position of the oval rings is secured against the furniture. Attachments for exercising, such as exercise bands, are attached to the oval rings so that a user operates the exercise device as needed, then disassembles the device for storage or to use elsewhere.
Inventors: Vicki N. Lindsey (Chesterfield, Virginia)
Assignee: N/A
May 25, 2021
Methods for detecting film-forming amines in water
Patent No. 11,016,027
Methods and systems for detecting and quantifying film forming amines in water systems are described. Water containing a film forming amine is combined with a fluorescent dye, the pH of the water is reduced, and then the fluorescence signal of the fluorescent dye is measured. The fluorescence signal is indicative of the amount of film forming amine in the water, and can be used to quantify the amount of film forming amine and control the amount of film forming amine that is introduced into the water system.
Inventors: Dale Stuart (Glen Allen, Virginia), Rajendra Prasad Kalakodimi (Glen Allen, Virginia)
Assignee: Chemtreat (Glen Allen, Virginia)
May 25, 2021
Non-peptide opioid receptor modulators
Patent No. 11,014,933
Non-peptide MOR opioid receptor modulators are provided. The compounds exhibit predominantly central activity and are used to treat e.g. substance use disorders, and pain.
Inventors: Yan Zhang (Glen Allen, Virginia)
Assignee: Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond)
May 25, 2021
Non-combustible tobacco vaping insert, and a cartridge containing the non-combustible tobacco vaping insert
Patent No. 11,013,267
The non-combustible tobacco vaping insert includes a filter having a first diameter, and a non-combustible tobacco element with a first end contacting the filter. At least one first portion of the tobacco element has a second diameter that is smaller than the first diameter of the filter. The cartridge includes a heater configured to vaporize a pre-vapor formulation that is communicated to the heater by a wick. The insert is positioned in at least a portion of an air passage within cartridge, where the insert is configured to allow vapor that is generated by the heater to pass through the insert prior to being discharged from the cartridge.
Inventors: Ali A. Rostami (Glen Allen, Virginia), San Li (Midlothian, Virginia), Yezdi B. Pithawalla (Midlothian, Virginia)
Assignee: Altria Client Services (Richmond)
May 25, 2021
Techniques for dynamic network resiliency
Patent No. 11,018,927
Various embodiments are generally directed to techniques for dynamic network resiliency, such as by monitoring and controlling the configuration of one or more network components to ensure proper endpoint alignment, for instance. Some embodiments are particularly directed to a tool (e.g., resiliency agent) that can automatically recognize symptoms of issues with a network component, such as autoscaling, latency, traffic spikes, resource utilization spikes, etcetera, and respond appropriately to ensure continued and optimized operation of the network component. In many embodiments, the tool may dynamically reroute endpoint traffic, perform traffic balancing, and/or drive autoscaling to optimize operation of the network component in response to recognizing symptoms.
Inventors: Lindsay Helbing (Newport News, Virginia), Bryan Pinos (Williamsburg, Virginia), Eric Barnum (Midlothian, Virginia)
Assignee: Capital One Services (McLean, Virginia)
Embedded liquid lubricants for tableting
Patent No. 11,013,251
The invention provides a nutritional supplement and/or pharmaceutical composition for tableting comprising an embedded lubrication matrix. The embedded lubrication matrix comprises an oily liquid finely dispersed in an oil insoluble material. A method of lubricating a nutritional supplement or pharmaceutical composition for tableting using a matrix with embedded lubrication is also provided.
Inventors: Yong Dai (Mechanicsville, Virginia), Alan M. Goldberg (Nutley, New Jersey), Michael A. Goode (Powhatan, Virginia), Raymond Alan Bartolucci (Poughkeepsie, New York), James O. Frazier (Powhatan, Virginia)
Assignee: PF Consumer Healthcare 1 (Wilmington, Delaware)
May 25, 2021
Pod assembly, dispensing body, and e-vapor apparatus including the same
Patent No. 11,026,296
An e-vapor apparatus may include a pod assembly and a dispensing body configured to receive the pod assembly. A vaporizer may be disposed in the pod assembly and/or the dispensing body. The pod assembly may include a vapor precursor compartment, a device compartment, and a vapor channel extending from the device compartment and traversing the vapor precursor compartment. The pod assembly is a smart pod configured to receive, store, and transmit information that can be communicated with the dispensing body and/or another electronic device. The proximal portion of the dispensing body includes a vapor passage and a through-hole. The vapor passage may extend from an end surface of the proximal portion to a side wall of the through-hole. The through-hole is configured to receive the pod assembly such that the vapor channel of the pod assembly is aligned with the vapor passage of the dispensing body.
Inventors: Eric Hawes (Midlothian, Virginia), Raymond W. Lau (Richmond), Alistair Bramley (Richmond)
Assignee: Altria Client Services (Richmond)
June 1, 2021
Automated streaming data platform
Patent No. 1,025,688
Aspects described herein generally improve the quality, efficiency, and speed of data processing by automatically generating a plurality of nodes for a streaming data platform based on user parameters. This combination of different platform nodes may allow for the generation and initiation of a streaming platform that may run in a cloud and may provide multi-availability-zone and multi-region capabilities to support replication and disaster recovery capabilities for data management. The streaming platform may include a coordination layer, a streaming layer, and a replication layer, and each layer may include a plurality of nodes.
Inventors: Haranatha Ijjurouthu (Irving, Texas), Gopi Kancharla (Frisco, Texas), Prasad D. Sangle (Glen Allen, Virginia), Ranga Rao Surineedi (Glen Allen, Virginia), Rama Mohan Boppana (Glen Allen, Virginia), Jordan Tyler Hale (Henrico, Virginia), Richard Morrisey (Richmond), Pallavi Desai (Herndon, Virginia), William Scott Cochran (Henrico, Virginia), William Thomas Lyne (Richmond)
Assignee: Capital One Services (McLean, Virginia)
API driven continuous testing systems for testing disparate software
Patent No. 11,023,369
A system for providing an API-driven continuous test platform is disclosed. The system may include one or more processors, a test engine, one or more test agents, and a database. The system may prepare (according to a configuration file) a first test configuration comprising a first selection of the one or more test agents, execute (using the test engine) the first test configuration to produce one or more first test results, and store (using the database) the one or more first test results. Finally, the system may process (using a continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipeline) the first test results by performing at least one of the following CI/CD processes: updating a central code base of an enterprise production environment, rejecting at least one code snippet processed by the test engine during execution of the first test configuration, and marking the first test results as inconclusive.
Inventors: Govind Pande (Chantilly, Virginia), Pritam Sarkar (Richmond), Agnibrata Nayak (Henrico, Virginia), Theodore Kayes (Henrico, Virginia), Sunil Palla (Henrico, Virginia), Mark Mikkelson (Richmond), Pradosh Sivadoss (Broadlands, Virginia)
Assignee: Capital One Services (McLean, Virginia)
June 1, 2021
Security system for a building
Patent No. 11,021,893
A security system for a building has multiple lock modules. Each lock module is associated with a particular door and has an unlocked position that allows the particular door to open and a locked position that prevents the particular door from opening. Each lock module includes a door status signal and a controller. The door status signal includes a unique identifier for the particular door associated with the lock module and a status that identifies when the lock module is in the locked position. The controller transmits the door status signal for the lock module. A lock module command signal received by at least some of the lock modules directs at least some of the lock modules to reposition to either the unlocked position or the locked position.
Inventors: Roland Trout (Lexington, North Carolina), Stephen Gardner Worth III(Holly Springs, North Carolina), William Neal Davis (Greensboro, North Carolina), Eric Michael Wagner (Cary, North Carolina), George Lee Reid (Greer, South Carolina), Sanjeev Pal (Weddington, North Carolina), John Allen Wiseman (Richmond), Michael Clyde Pittman (Glen Allen, Virginia)
Assignee: Barricaid Technology Group (Lexington, North Carolina)
June 1, 2021
Methods for fast nucleic acid amplification
Patent No. 11,021,744
Methods, devices, and kits are provided for performing PCR in <20 seconds per cycle, with improved efficiency and yield.
Inventors: Carl T. Wittwer (Salt Lake City, Utah), Jared Steven Farrar (Richmond)
Assignee: University of Utah Research Foundation (Salt Lake City, Utah)
June 1, 2021
Pouch with oxygen scavenger and method of forming pouch with oxygen scavenger
Patent No. 11,021,312
The pouch includes a pouch material defining an inner cavity, the pouch material includes a first polymer layer and a gas impermeable layer, the first polymer layer forms an inner surface of the inner cavity, a consumable item in the inner cavity, and an oxygen scavenger, the oxygen scavenger includes at least one active element dispersed within a matrix material, the oxygen scavenger is at least partially connected to the first polymer layer within the inner cavity, and the first polymer layer and the matrix material both include a first polymer material.
Inventors: Scott A. Fath (Richmond), Robert T. Mitten (Glen Allen, Virginia), Jason A. Macko (Henrico, Virginia)
Assignee: Altria Client Services (Richmond)
June 1, 2021
Dual cavity sliding dispenser
Patent No. 11,021,293
A dispensing container is provided, the container including an outer shell comprising a top, a bottom, sidewalls extending between the top and bottom, and two ends, at least one end being open; an inner tray, slidably received within the outer shell, comprising at least one storage compartment adapted for storage of a plurality of units of a product to be dispensed, and comprising at least one depressible detent, the detent comprising a raised surface that abuts the outer shell; wherein, in a closed configuration, the detent holds the inner tray within the outer shell, and wherein the at least one detent may be depressed by pressure to allow the inner tray to slide relative to the outer shell.
Inventors: Ryan A. Bailey (Richmond), John A. Gelardi (Midlothian, Virginia)
Assignee: R.J.R. Reynolds Tobacco Co. (Winston-Salem, North Carolina)
June 1, 2021
Apparatuses and methods for tamping the contents of a container
Patent No. 11,021,278
Apparatuses and methods for tamping the contents of a container are disclosed. An embodiment of an apparatus includes a tamp head for tamping the contents of the container; and a container support assembly structured and arranged to temporarily support the bottom surface of the container during tamping, the container support assembly comprising a support element having a protrusion extending upward from a substantially flat and horizontal upper surface, wherein the protrusion is sized and shaped to correspond to the size and shape of the bottom surface of the container.
Inventors: James D. Evans (Chesterfield, Virginia), Herbert Cary Longest (Midlothian, Virginia), Tamika S. Murrell (Richmond), Robert V. Powell Jr. (Midlothian, Virginia), Jeremy Straight (Midlothian, Virginia), Jarrod Chalkley (Mechanicsville, Virginia)
Assignee: Altria Client Services (Richmond)
June 1, 2021
Toaster with mechanical delay shut-off mechanism
Patent No. 11,019,961
A shut-off mechanism for a toaster includes a damper arm pivotally mounted on a frame that includes a damper unit. The damper unit including (a) a cavity in which a viscous fluid is stored, (b) a rotor that resides partially in the cavity and partially outside of the cavity, the viscous fluid resisting rotation of the rotor relative to the cavity, and (c) an engagement member attached to the rotor that engages a track on the frame. The damper arm is movable between a deactivated position and an activated position. An electrical switch configured to engage an electrical contact when the damper arm is in the activated position and to disengage from the electrical contact when the damper arm is in the deactivated position.
Inventors: William D. Starr (Richmond)
Assignee: Hamilton Beach Brands (Glen Allen, Virgnia)
June 1, 2021
Techniques for dynamic network management
Patent No. 11,025,494
Various embodiments are generally directed to techniques for dynamic network management, such as by monitoring and analyzing network parameters, such as network traffic and network configurations, to enable visualization of network state and improved situational awareness. Some embodiments are particularly directed to providing a graphical user interface (GUI) that utilizes various network parameters to map, characterize, and/or assign attributes to network traffic and resources. In many embodiments, network traffic may be monitored and/or routed based on their attributes.
Inventors: Bryan Pinos (Williamsburg, Virginia), Christopher Moczydlowski (Ruther Glen, Virginia), John Anand Lourdusamy (Glen Allen, Virginia), Eric Barnum (Midlothian, Virginia)
Assignee: Capital One Services (McLean, Virginia)
June 1, 2021
Systems and methods for generating and managing dynamic customized electronic tokens for electronic device interaction
Patent No. 11,023,887
Systems and methods are provided for generating and managing dynamic customized electronic tokens for electronic device interactions. A system for transferring data between a user device associated with a user and a remote device may include a memory storing instructions and a processor configured to execute the stored instructions. The stored instructions may configure the processor to receive, via a network, transaction information from the remote device, access information associated with an electronic token, and provide the electronic token to the remote device. The electronic token may be associated with at least one of the user or the user device, and a token server may generate the electronic token based on the received transaction information, and determine one or more expiration parameters for the electronic token.
Inventors: Paul Y. Moreton (Glen Allen, Virginia), Matthew de Ganon (Dobbs Ferry, New York), Thomas S. Poole (Chantilly, Virginia)
Assignee: Capital One Services (McLean, Virginia)
June 1, 2021
System and apparatus for automated evaluation of compatibility of data structures and user devices based on explicit user feedback
Patent No. 11,023,345
Embodiments are disclosed for automated evaluation of compatibility of a data structure with a user device. An example method includes receiving, by communications circuitry, a set of user device characteristics regarding the user device, and retrieving, by the personalization circuitry, a set of data structure characteristics regarding the data structure. The example method further includes calculating, by the personalization circuitry, a set of characteristic-level compatibility scores, and generating, by the personalization circuitry and based on the set of characteristic-level compatibility scores, a compatibility score for the data structure and the user device. Subsequently, the example method includes generating, by an aggregator and using the generated compatibility score, an indication of relative compatibility of the data structure for the user device, and causing transmission, by communications circuitry, of a control signal to the user device based on the indication of relative compatibility. Corresponding apparatuses and computer program products are also provided.
Inventors: Raju Balakrishnan (Santa Clara, California), Vinay K. Deolalikar (Cupertino, California), Matthew M. Heitz (Glen Allen, Virginia)
Assignee: Groupon (Chicago, Illinois)
June 1, 2021
Transaction exchange platform having configurable microservices
Patent No. 11,023,528
Aspects described herein may relate to a transaction exchange platform using a streaming data platform (SDP) and microservices to process transactions according to review and approval workflows. The transaction exchange platform may receive transactions from origination sources, which may be added to the SDP as transaction objects. Microservices on the transaction exchange platform may interact with the transaction objects based on configured workflows associated with the transactions. Processing on the transaction exchange platform may facilitate clearing and settlement of transactions. Some aspects may provide for dynamic and flexible reconfiguration of workflows and/or microservices. Other aspects may provide for data snapshots and workflow tracking, allowing for monitoring, quality control, and auditability of transactions on the transaction exchange platform.
Inventors: Earle Michael Lee (Moseley, Virginia), William Planck (Midlothian, Virginia)
Assignee: Capital One Services (McLean, Virginia)
June 1. 2021
Routing packets in overlapping address spaces
Patent No. 11,025,542
At an outbound end of a tunnel from a first data network, a packet is analyzed to determine whether the packet is to be directed to a local target in the first data network or to be sent over the tunnel to a remote target in a second data network. A target address of the packet is present in both the first data network and the second data network. When the packet is to be directed to the remote target in the second data network, an octet in the target address of the packet is changed from a first value to a second value, the changing forming a modified packet. When the second value is stored in the octet, the modified packet is caused to be sent to the tunnel for delivery to the second data network.
Inventors: Eric M. Anderson (Friendswood, Texas), Susan A. Hearn (Ontario, Canada), Linwood E. Loving (Mechanicsville, Virginia), Martin G. Mclaughlin (Glasgow, Great Britain), Daniel R. Miller (Prospect, Connecticut), John B.Simmons (Westminster, Colorado), Joseph V. Boyle (Marlton, New Jersey)
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp. (Armonk, New York)
June 1, 2021
Plankz buoyancy engine
Patent No. 11,022,091
The Buoyancy engine is a machine that captures buoyancy forces on floats in a liquid column and converts it to rotational energy that can be used to drive other equipment or generate electricity. This invention uses separate systems for the float, drive system and valve mechanism to ensure energy extraction. Additionally, a gravity assist system returns liquid exhausted by valve operation to the liquid column to maintain a net energy gain.
Inventors: Pallant Satnarine Ramsundar (Chester, Virginia)
Assignee: N/A
June 1, 2021
Resilient domain name service (DNS) resolution when an authoritative name server is degraded
Patent No. 11,025,482
In one embodiment, a resolution resiliency application modifies domain name service (DNS) resolution. In operation, the resolution resiliency application determines that an authoritative name server has begun recovering from a degraded state or receives a flush list update from the authoritative name server. In response, the resolution resiliency application performs operation(s) that modify a query rate and/or a cache. The query rate specifies a frequency associated with DNS queries transmitted to the first authoritative name server. The cache stores DNS record(s) received from the first authoritative name server. Finally, the resolution resiliency application generates a DNS response to a DNS query based on the modified query rate and/or the modified cache.
Inventors: Shumon Huque (Reston, Virginia), Burton S. Kaliski Jr. (McLean, Virginia), Eric Osterweil (Fairfax, Virginia), Frank Scalzo (Leesburg, Virginia), Duane Wessels (Moscow, Idaho), Glen Wiley (Goochland, Virginia)
Assignee: Verisign (Reston, Virginia)
June 1, 2021
Oral energy products including encapsulated caffeine
Patent No. 11,020,401
A composition for human consumption includes a base composition having a pH of about 2 to about 5 and encapsulated caffeine dispersed throughout at least a portion of the base composition. The encapsulated caffeine can be a caffeine complex. The base composition can include a liquid or a food. An oral pouch product includes a porous pouch wrapper, an inner botanical filling material contained within the pouch wrapper, and encapsulated caffeine dispersed throughout at least a portion of the oral pouch product. The encapsulated caffeine is included in the composition and/or the oral pouch product an amount sufficient to release about 50 mg to about 200 mg of caffeine. The composition can provide immediate release of caffeine and/or release of caffeine over an extended period of time.
Inventors: Munmaya K. Mishra (Manakin Sabot, Virginia), Gerd Kobal (Sandy Hook, Virgnia)
Assignee: Altria Client Services (Richmond)
June 1, 2021
Kitchen appliance for preparing a beverage and method of operating same
Patent No. 11,019,955
A kitchen appliance for preparing beverage comprises a housing, a basket holder in cooperative engagement with the housing, a filter basket selectively insertable into the basket holder when the basket holder is in an open position, and a ground coffee hopper for holding ground coffee. The hopper is positioned to dispense a desired amount of ground coffee into the filter basket when (i) the hopper is selectively mounted to the housing, (ii) the filter basket is inserted into the basket holder, and (iii) the basket holder is in its closed position. The bottom portion comprises a selectively rotatable doser defining a plurality of dosing cavities. Each dosing cavity is adapted to contain a same, predetermined amount of ground coffee and adapted to dispense the contained ground coffee through a dispensing hole defined in the bottom portion as each dosing cavity is rotated into a position above the dispensing hole.
Inventors: Larry Olson (Montpelier, Virginia)
Assignee: Hamilton Beach Brands (Glen Allen, Virginia)
June 1, 2021