David N Merrill

US Patent:

D635190, Mar 29, 2011

Filed:

Oct 14, 2010

Appl. No.:

29/376968

Inventors:

David Jeffrey Merrill - San Francisco CA, US
Jeevan James Kalanithi - San Francisco CA, US
Brent Paul Fitzgerald - San Francisco CA, US

Assignee:

SIFTEO, Inc. - San Francisco CA

International Classification:

1907

US Classification:

D19 60

US Patent:

8401475, Mar 19, 2013

Filed:

Oct 21, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/909690

Inventors:

Jeevan Kalanithi - San Francisco CA, US
David Merrill - San Francisco CA, US

Assignee:

Sifteo, Inc. - San Francisco CA

International Classification:

H04B 7/00

US Classification:

455 412, 455 411, 455 413

Abstract:

An apparatus and method are disclosed for a software and hardware configuration that uses inductive coupling to allow a physical object to determine information describing another physical object. An inductor capacitor circuit acts as a transmitter as well as a receiver of inductive field. A voltage signal provided to an inductor in an object causes the inductor to generate inductive field received by another inductor in a second object. An object receiving inductive field from another object analyzes the inductive field to receive arbitrary data, including but not limited to data that can allow the receiving object to determine the identity of the object transmitting the inductive field. The object receiving the inductive field can also determine the distance between the receiving object and the transmitting object based on the strength of a signal generated by the inductive field.

US Patent:

D691656, Oct 15, 2013

Filed:

Apr 18, 2012

Appl. No.:

29/418638

Inventors:

David Jeffrey Merrill - San Francisco CA, US
Jeevan James Kalanithi - San Francisco CA, US
Robert K. Lang - San Francisco CA, US

Assignee:

Sifteo, Inc. - San Francisco CA

International Classification:

1907

US Classification:

D19 60

US Patent:

8611817, Dec 17, 2013

Filed:

Jan 31, 2013

Appl. No.:

13/755763

Inventors:

David Merrill - San Francisco CA, US

Assignee:

Sifteo, Inc. - San Francisco CA

International Classification:

H04B 5/00

US Classification:

455 411, 455 412, 4555501

Abstract:

An apparatus and method are disclosed for a software and hardware configuration that uses inductive coupling to allow a physical object to determine information describing another physical object. An inductor capacitor circuit acts as a transmitter as well as a receiver of inductive field. A voltage signal provided to an inductor in an object causes the inductor to generate inductive field received by another inductor in a second object. An object receiving inductive field from another object analyzes the inductive field to receive arbitrary data, including but not limited to data that can allow the receiving object to determine the identity of the object transmitting the inductive field. The object receiving the inductive field can also determine the distance between the receiving object and the transmitting object based on the strength of a signal generated by the inductive field.

US Patent:

20090273560, Nov 5, 2009

Filed:

Feb 4, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/365885

Inventors:

Jeevan James Kalanithi - San Francisco CA, US
David Jeffrey Merrill - Somerville MA, US
Patricia Emilia Maes - Cambridge MA, US

Assignee:

MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY - CAMBRIDGE MA

International Classification:

G09G 5/00

US Classification:

345156

Abstract:

A distributed tangible user interface comprises compact, self-powered, tangible user interface manipulative devices having sensing, display, and wireless communication capabilities, along with one or more associated digital content or other interactive software management applications. The manipulative devices display visual representations of digital content or program controls and can be physically manipulated as a group by a user for interaction with the digital information or software application. A controller on each manipulative device receives and processes data from a movement sensor, initiating behavior on the manipulative and/or forwarding the results to a management application that uses the information to manage the digital content, software application, and/or the manipulative devices. The manipulative devices may also detect the proximity and identity of other manipulative devices, responding to and/or forwarding that information to the management application, and may have feedback devices for presenting responsive information to the user.

US Patent:

20100299174, Nov 25, 2010

Filed:

May 20, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/469409

Inventors:

Suman Guha - Fremont CA, US
Margaret Lloyd - Menlo Park CA, US
Seth Stafford - San Carlos CA, US
Tom David Anthony - Castro Valley CA, US
David Scott Merrill - Palo Alto CA, US
Nigel King - San Mateo CA, US
Kim Elizabeth Powell - Niwot CO, US

Assignee:

Oracle International Corporation - Redwood Shores CA

International Classification:

G06Q 10/00
G06F 17/30

US Classification:

705 9, 707E17018, 707E17044

Abstract:

Techniques for supporting shared procurement services in an enterprise application. According to one set of embodiments, associations between procurement service providers and procurement clients are stored, where the associations represent outsourcing relationships between these entities in the operational structure of an enterprise. The associations are then used by the application to facilitate the management of procurement-related content and the processing of procurement transactions. In one embodiment, the associations enable procurement-related content to be created/managed centrally by a procurement service provider and then made accessible to procurement clients serviced by the procurement service provider. In another embodiment, a rules-driven mechanism is provided for routing procurement requisitions from procurement clients to associated procurement service providers for processing.

US Patent:

20100299268, Nov 25, 2010

Filed:

May 20, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/469396

Inventors:

Suman Guha - Fremont CA, US
Margaret Lloyd - Menlo Park CA, US
Seth Stafford - San Carlos CA, US
Tom David Anthony - Castro Valley CA, US
David Scott Merrill - Palo Alto CA, US
Nigel King - San Mateo CA, US
Kim Elizabeth Powell - Niwot CO, US

Assignee:

Oracle International Corporation - Redwood Shores CA

International Classification:

G06Q 30/00
G06Q 10/00

US Classification:

705 80, 705 7, 705 26

Abstract:

Techniques for supporting shared procurement services in an enterprise application. According to one set of embodiments, associations between procurement service providers and procurement clients are stored, where the associations represent outsourcing relationships between these entities in the operational structure of an enterprise. The associations are then used by the application to facilitate the management of procurement-related content and the processing of procurement transactions. In one embodiment, the associations enable procurement-related content to be created/managed centrally by a procurement service provider and then made accessible to procurement clients serviced by the procurement service provider. In another embodiment, a rules-driven mechanism is provided for routing procurement requisitions from procurement clients to associated procurement service providers for processing.

US Patent:

20110215998, Sep 8, 2011

Filed:

Mar 7, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/041657

Inventors:

Brent Paul FITZGERALD - San Francisco CA, US
Jeevan James KALANITHI - San Francisco CA, US
David Jeffrey MERRILL - San Francisco CA, US

International Classification:

G09G 5/00

US Classification:

345156

Abstract:

A system and a method are disclosed for a software configuration for use with distributed tangible user interfaces, in which the software is manipulated via a set of individual actions on individual objects, and in which such individual actions across one or more objects may be combined, simultaneously and/or over time, resulting in compound actions that manipulate the software. These actions and compound actions may be interpreted and acted upon by the software differently depending on its design, configuration, and internal state.