Patents Represented by Attorney Global IP Counselors, LLP
  • Patent number: 8292061
    Abstract: A package apparatus includes a first conveyance unit and a second conveyance unit. The first conveyance unit is configured and arranged to convey a plurality of packaged objects in a first conveying direction. The second conveyance unit is provided below the first conveyance unit and configured and arranged to convey the packaged objects in a second conveying direction generally opposite from the first conveying direction. The second conveyance unit is configured and arrange to overlay each of the packaged objects received from the first conveyance unit on an adjacent one of the packaged objects such that the packaged objects are generally oriented in the second conveying direction to form a group of the packaged objects that is conveyed in the second conveying direction on the second conveyance unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Ishida Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seisaku Iwasa, Motoki Takayama, Tatsuya Arimatsu, Yuji Yokota
  • Patent number: 8292514
    Abstract: To provide an optical connecting member capable of positioning and connecting a coated fiber by a simple connecting work with high precision, and a method of fitting the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Ohtsuka, Masaki Ohmura, Mitsuaki Tamura, Masahiro Hamada, Mitsuru Kihara, Ryo Koayama
  • Patent number: 8294594
    Abstract: An on-board vehicle warning system includes a vehicle location detecting section, a traffic regulation retrieving section, an incoming message receiving section, a vehicle information detecting section, a potential violation alerting section. The traffic regulation retrieving section is configured to retrieve information relating to a local traffic regulation corresponding to the location of the host vehicle from traffic regulation data including traffic regulations relating to a plurality of jurisdictions. The potential violation alerting section is configured to determine a potential traffic violation based on the intersection information and the vehicle travel information, and to selectively produce a driver notification to a driver of the host vehicle based upon a determination of the potential traffic violation according to the local traffic regulation corresponding to the location of the host vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Roy Goudy, Tetsuya Iijima, Seiji Takeda
  • Patent number: 8292415
    Abstract: A liquid column member of a liquid tank is adapted to be coupled to a tank body of the liquid tank and to face a photosensor that detects a liquid level in the tank body. The liquid column member includes a pipe body and a liquid guide portion. The pipe body is made of light transmissive material. The pipe body has a liquid repellent internal surface. The liquid guide portion is configured and arranged to guide a droplet that slips down along the internal surface of the pipe body away from a sensing position of the photosensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Katsumi Shinkai
  • Patent number: 8290168
    Abstract: An audio broadcast processing method includes a plurality of steps. One step involves processing an audio broadcast having at least one occurrence of signal degradation that adversely affects audio quality of a corresponding segment of the audio performance. Another step involves modifying the segment of the audio performance with a plurality of differing signal degradation compensation factors to selectively compensate for the at least one occurrence of signal degradation to produce a plurality of compensated audio performances. Another step involves evaluating the compensated audio performances. Still another step involves determining at least one preferred signal degradation compensation factor based on data from the evaluating of the compensated audio performances. Yet another step includes configuring an audio device with the at least one preferred processing factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Luke S. Blaszczynski, Ron P. Mastropietro, Patrick Dennis
  • Patent number: 8286468
    Abstract: A cylindrical internal surface processing apparatus has an internal diameter measuring device and a controller. The internal diameter measuring device measures an internal diameter of an internal cylindrical bore formed in a base member to obtain a measurement result of the internal diameter of the internal cylindrical bore. The controller includes a surface roughening control section and a quality determining section. The surface roughening control section controls operation of a surface roughening equipment to form a rough surface section and an internal diameter measuring surface section on the internal cylindrical bore. The internal diameter measuring surface section is smoother than the rough surface section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kimio Nishimura, Akihiko Ikeda, Kiyokazu Sugiyama, Junichi Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 8286529
    Abstract: A bicycle control device is provided with a base member, a first operating member, a first non-contact switch and a first clicking mechanism. The first operating member is movably mounted with respect to the base member to move between a rest position, a first operation position and a second operation position. The first non-contact switch detects movement of the first operating member with respect to the base member from the rest position to the first operation position. The first non-contact switch is further detects movement of the first operating member with respect to the base member from the rest position to the second operation position. The first clicking mechanism is arranged such that the first clicking mechanism produces a first haptic feedback response to indicate the first operating member being moved from the rest position to the first operation position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Toshio Tetsuka
  • Patent number: 8282104
    Abstract: The reduction in real operation objects in game systems that use real operation objects is detected. The quantity of real operation objects, which are repeatedly used by being circulated, is detected, it is judged whether the quantity is sufficient or not, and the judging results are output. For example, in a ball throwing game, balls are used in rotation by repeatedly supplying and recovering the balls. The quantity of balls in circulation is detected, and if the quantity is less than a threshold value, the manager of the game system is notified whether a sufficient quantity of balls is being supplied to the player or not, by for example outputting a warning message. By playing with an insufficient quantity of balls the level of difficulty of the game is essentially increased, so the player will feel that this is unfair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuya Okuda, Toru Takeda, Shingo Onkoshi, Tadasu Kitae
  • Patent number: 8282456
    Abstract: A gaming machine is provided which includes: an operation sequence table 211 storing an operation sequence in which one or more groups of time-series input timings are associated with operation means to be operated for input by a player based on the group of the input timings; operation instructing means 202 that outputs an operation instruction based on the operation sequence; evaluation means 205 that evaluates a game score based on comparison between the input timings and an operation timings; a criterion table 212 storing a criterion for determining a master level of the player; a master level determining means 203 that determines a master level of the player based on the criterion; and operation sequence changing means 204 that changes a part of at least one group of input timings, in the case where the player has a master level equal to or more than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Masuda, Mitsuhiro Nozaki, Yoshito Fukuda, Masanori Kono
  • Patent number: 8282519
    Abstract: An electric derailleur motor unit is provided for a motorized derailleur assembly. The electric derailleur motor unit has a derailleur motor support, a derailleur motor, a drive train and an output shaft. The derailleur motor is mounted to the derailleur motor support and has a driving shaft. The drive train has at least one intermediate gear operatively coupled to the driving shaft of the derailleur motor and a worm gear operatively coupled to the intermediate gear such that rotation of the driving shaft of the derailleur motor rotates the intermediate gear which in turn rotates the worm gear. The output shaft is operatively coupled to the derailleur motor and rotatably supported on the derailleur motor support. The output shaft has an output gear engaged with the worm gear of the drive train.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Tadashi Ichida, Kazuhiro Fujii
  • Patent number: 8282531
    Abstract: An engine rotational speed control apparatus is provide to prevent a degradation of fuel efficiency caused by an unnecessary increase of the rotational speed of an engine when a depression amount of an accelerator pedal is briefly increased and then immediately decreased. In particular, when the vehicle is accelerated, an optimum fuel efficiency operating point along an optimum fuel efficiency curve is not moved immediately to another optimum fuel efficiency operating point corresponding to a new target drive force. Instead, the target drive force is reached by increasing the engine load while increasing the engine rotational speed as little as possible, and thus using an operating point that does not lie on the optimum fuel efficiency curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanori Ishido, Atsufumi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8276961
    Abstract: A vehicle trim panel includes a mounting structure fixed to a base surface. The mounting structure includes a first and second support portions spaced apart from one another, both extending from the base surface. The first and second support portions have respective first ends fixedly attached to the base surface and respective second ends distal from their respective first ends. The first support portion and the second support portion are bridged by a guide portion that extends between the second ends of the first and second support portions. The guide portion defines a guide surface that extends in a direction that is non-orthogonal relative to a plane defined by an adjacent section of the base surface. The guide portion, the first support portion, the second support portion and the adjacent section of the base surface define an insertion aperture with a central axis that extends parallel to the plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Chad Kwolek
  • Patent number: 8279083
    Abstract: A vehicle information communication method is provided in which at least one of host vehicle probe data and surrounding vehicle probe data is collected in a host vehicle. After collection, the data is transmitted to a carrier vehicle. The carrier vehicle then disassociates identifying information from the data before sending the data to an external communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Steve Tengler, Ronald Heft
  • Patent number: 8280620
    Abstract: A position calculating method performed by a position calculating device having a sensor unit carried by or mounted on a mobile body and moving with the mobile body, includes: calculating the position of the mobile body; setting a detection value agreement range of the sensor unit for each of the possibility of moving, possibility of uncertainty, and possibility of stopping of the mobile body, and setting the detection value agreement range of the possibility of moving as the widest range to establish a membership function; determining whether the mobile body is in the stopping condition by predetermined fuzzy inference calculation using the membership function; changing an error parameter used for predetermined Kalman filter process to correct the calculated position by the Kalman filter process according to whether the stopping condition of the mobile body is determined or not; and correcting the calculated position by the Kalman filter process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeru Imafuku, Kumar Anand
  • Patent number: 8278789
    Abstract: A bicycle generator hub is provided that mainly includes a hub shaft, a hub shell a stator and a magnet. The hub shell is rotatably arranged on the hub shaft. The stator is fixed to the hub shaft. The magnet is arranged in the hub shell such that it faces opposite the stator. The hub shell includes a magnet holder having the magnet embedded in the magnet holder. Material of the magnet holder is disposed on both oppositely facing axial faces such that the magnet holder retains the magnet as an integral unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Keisuke Nakano
  • Patent number: 8279115
    Abstract: A method for providing satellite orbit ephemeris includes: determining a positioning satellite in view of a reference position; and providing to a positioning device a satellite orbit ephemeris of the positioning satellite in view of the reference position, the satellite orbit ephemeris being valid for at least one day.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kyoichi Tomita
  • Patent number: 8272293
    Abstract: A bicycle shift operating device basically comprises a bracket, a shift lever and a shift operating unit. The bracket includes a grip section having a lateral side with a shift cable guide portion. The lateral side faces towards a bicycle longitudinal center plane when the shift operating device is in an installed position. The shift lever is pivotally mounted to the bracket. The shift operating unit is mounted on the bracket. The shift operating unit includes a spool. The spool is rotated in a rotational plane in accordance with movement of the shift lever to wind a shift cable extending from the spool to the lateral side. The shift cable guide portion is arranged at the lateral side of the bracket such that the shift cable guide portion guides the shift cable along a guiding direction that is non-parallel to the rotational plane of the spool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshimitsu Miki, Takashi Kuruse
  • Patent number: 8272683
    Abstract: A vehicle roof assembly includes a vehicle roof structure, an accessory frame and a moveable member. The vehicle roof structure includes a first roof section with a mounting slot and a second roof section with a mounting structure. The accessory frame includes a first frame end that includes a mounting flange, and a second frame end that includes a complementary mounting structure. The mounting flange engages the mounting slot to couple the accessory frame to the vehicle roof structure and to enable the accessory frame to pivot relative to the vehicle roof structure between a pre-installation position and an installed position where the complementary mounting structure engages the mounting structure. The movable member is coupled to the accessory frame and moves between a first position proximate to one of the first and second frame ends, and a second position proximate to the other of the first and second frame ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph R. Brown, Mark D. Snyder
  • Patent number: D668867
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Makita Corporation
    Inventor: Yuji Yamamot
  • Patent number: D668869
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Makita Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Yamamoto, Kiyozumi Kokawa