Patents Examined by Anne Lai
  • Patent number: 8154153
    Abstract: A power supply system is introduced herein. The power supply system includes a power converter to supply a power source to an electronic circuit through an output cable of the power supply. A communication unit is coupled to the output cable of the power supply to develop a communication channel between the power converter and the electronic circuit in order to report the status of the power converter to the electronic circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Systems General Corp.
    Inventors: Ta-yung Yang, Jenn-Yu G. Lin
  • Patent number: 8154412
    Abstract: An identification badge worn by an individual is sensed when that individual enters a lavatory. The individual is also provided with an indicator device which is worn on or about the hands. Inside the lavatory, there is also provided a hand cleaning station which includes one or more indicator readers that determines whether the indicator device is in close proximity and dispenses soap on the individual's hands, then provides an appropriate indication to a computer system. Should the badge sensor sense the individual's departure from the lavatory without an appropriate indication being generated by the indicator readers, a warning signal is generated, which is sent to the computer system and to an appropriate officer, who can then address the individual.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Inventor: Vincent L. Verdiramo
  • Patent number: 8149118
    Abstract: In a device and a method for registering the opening of closures of spaces to be secured, a sealing module, which includes a sensor, a microprocessor, a memory, and a wireless communication device, can be attached to the closure in such a way that the sensor detects a movement and writes data documenting the movement into the memory; a detection unit includes at least one wireless communication device, a microprocessor, and a memory that are embodied to read out at least the data documenting the movement from the memory of the sealing module and to write these data into the memory of the mobile detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Niesen, Hubert Kalweit
  • Patent number: 8128269
    Abstract: The apparatus consists of a self contained lighting and identification device (10) having a strap (104) for attachment to a SCBA tank. A back plate (58) and a front shield (62) are spaced apart forming a cavity for LED back-lighting, with the front shield incorporates identification indicia (68) which provides recognition of a specific firefighter. Battery containing tubes (72) act as structural pillars and are located between an upper end cap assembly (20) and a lower end cap assembly (86), utilizing tie rods (96) for attachment therebetween. Diffused light distribution tubes (78) energized by LED's are positioned adjacent to the battery tubes evenly dispersing light on each side of the apparatus, effectively penetrating a smoke environment. The upper end cap assembly incorporates a printed circuit board (46) which includes the necessary control and lighting devices, and the lower end cap has a removable bottom cover (90) allowing batteries to be replaced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Inventor: George I. Boyadjieff
  • Patent number: 8130107
    Abstract: A system and method for detecting leaks using sensors to report the leak and communicate with a control unit to turn off the source of the leak once detected. A valve can be turned off in the event of a leak and embodiments employing battery power can function during loss of power such as a power blackout. Wireless sensors can be employed to detect leaks that wirelessly communicate with a control and operate solely with a designated control unit. The wireless sensors can operate using low power provided by batteries. The control panel can display alarm conditions from the sensors, including: low battery, poor signal, wet sensor, communication failure, sensor failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Inventor: Timothy Meyer
  • Patent number: 8130111
    Abstract: A user device may be capable of providing a service portal and feedback on the condition of the user device, such as a user device. A condition analysis of the user device may be performed by a user, such as a person or a computing device. A condition analysis may be performed to determine the physical condition and the operational condition of the user device. A condition rating may be assigned to the user device that may be commensurate with the condition analysis. The condition data and condition analysis may be entered into and stored in a data store. A maintenance action may be performed based at least in part on the condition rating. The user device may be a user device that may be operated by a financial institution or other business entity. A user may be a customer and/or an employee, vendor, or contractor of the financial institution or other business entity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Bank of America Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen R. Crowley, Cynthia A. Clear
  • Patent number: 8120485
    Abstract: A container comprising a body having embedded therein a plurality of chipless radio frequency identification elements. The chipless radio frequency identification elements comprise a plurality of categories of resonant elements. The resonant elements can be utilized in a system having a binary code feature. The combination of different resonant elements can be read and translated to identify the features of a particular product. The container can be prepared by compounding moldable compositions with the resonant elements and molding the moldable compositions containing the resonant elements into the final product. The invention also provides a system and a method for reading the binary code provided by the chipless radio frequency identification elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Abbott Laboratories
    Inventor: Tahua Yang
  • Patent number: 8120482
    Abstract: A mobile sensor system and method for managing inventory of a store includes at least one radio frequency identification (RFID) scanner for receiving readings from RFID tags, at least one external sensors for detecting at least one external events other than RF signals from the RFID tags, and a processor configured to update an RFID database for storing the readings from the RFID tags, wherein the update is based on a correlation function of the readings from the RFID tags and the external events detected at the at least one external sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Bennett Ulrich
  • Patent number: 8115644
    Abstract: an apparatus comprising a sensor system and a controller. The sensor system may be configured to provide information about an angle of a ski rope relative to a ski pylon. The controller may be configured to provide (i) a first indication if the sensor indicates the ski rope reaches a target angle within a target time and (ii) a second indication if the sensor does not indicate the ski rope reaches the target angle be within the target time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Inventor: Christopher P. Maiorana
  • Patent number: 8106771
    Abstract: A traceability method is provided for an electronic payment terminal, in the event of a theft thereof. The method includes the following steps: detection of a lack of contact with a base and/or another terminal associated with the terminal, for a predetermined time span, generating a passage of the terminal into a stolen state; and in the stolen state, storage, in a secure memory area of the terminal, of a series of successive tracking data each associated with time stamp information, so as to enable reconstruction of a route followed by the terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Compagnie Industrielle et Financiere d'Ingenierie “Ingenico”
    Inventor: David Naccache
  • Patent number: 8094042
    Abstract: A steering angle warning system comprising a rotation-measuring unit located on an aircraft, and an alarm unit. The rotation-measuring unit is arranged to output a first signal dependent on the steering angle between a nose landing gear of the aircraft and the longitudinal axis of the aircraft fuselage. The alarm unit is arranged to generate an alarm, in dependence on the first signal, when the steering angle is greater than a predetermined value, for example, 60 degrees. The rotation-measuring unit may also be arranged to perform a function in relation to an aircraft steering system, for example to indicate the steering angle to the pilot during ground manoeuvres.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Airbus Operations Limited
    Inventors: Terry George Read, Andreas Yiasoumi, David George Stinchcombe, Andrew David Sadler, Alex Robert Piddock
  • Patent number: 8094030
    Abstract: A fire detection system comprises a detection unit (2A) able to measure an electrical quantity between a first (BOA) and a second (B1A) terminal, and a first detector (11A) connected to the first and second terminals (BOA, B1A) and able to form a first value of the electrical quantity in a determined state of the first detector, for example in the event of the detecting of a fire in a first zone (Z). A second detector (12A) connected to the first and second terminals (BOA, B1A) is able to form a second value of the electrical quantity in said determined state, that is to say for example in the event of the detecting of a fire in a second zone, and a third value of the electrical quantity in another state different from the determined state, that is to say for example during normal operation. The first value and the third value are different from the second value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventor: Laurent Escaich
  • Patent number: 8094007
    Abstract: A security system, such as in a home or other building, includes a broadcast band RF transmitter for transmitting an audio message that can be received by a user on a common home or car radio, for example. The audio message may be provided in response to a command that is transmitted to the security system by a user from a wireless key fob or the like. The user command may instruct the security system to arm or disarm itself, for instance. The audio message, which can be received on a selected channel on a car's radio receiver, informs the user that the command has been executed. The audio message may include a voice message such as “system armed” or “system disarmed”, a musical passage, a beep, chirp, or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Richard H. Hinkson, Kenneth L. Addy, Alfred M. Lizza
  • Patent number: 8094032
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a voltage detecting circuit for detecting a voltage range of a power source. The voltage detecting circuit includes a micro controlling unit, a boost circuit and a plurality of divider resistors. The micro controlling unit includes a general input/output port and a controlling input/output port. The boost circuit provides a constant voltage. A judgment voltage is obtained according to the divider resistors, the constant voltage and a voltage of the power source. A digital level signal is issued by the general input/output port according to the judgment voltage. In response to the digital level signal, the micro controlling unit generates a corresponding prompt associated with the voltage status of the power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Primax Electronics Ltd.
    Inventors: Chun-Nan Su, Chin-Lung Lai
  • Patent number: 8094021
    Abstract: An armored carrier or other transport entity may scan a remotely-readable identification tag, such as a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag, of each monetary package being picked up and/or delivered. The scanner used by the armored carrier may notify the armored carrier if one of the monetary packages goes out of range without being checked out, such as within a period of time. Also, if that monetary package is not returned within range within a particular period of time, the scanner may automatically notify a centralized system. The scanner may further be aware of scheduled monetary packages to be picked up. If not all of the monetary packages as expected are picked up, then the scanner may also notify the armored carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Bank of America Corporation
    Inventors: Michelle Nichols, Todd Atwood, James Heddleson, Felix Mon
  • Patent number: 8077028
    Abstract: An emergency alert system with the capability of providing audible alerts upon the detection of a possible emergency condition or a malfunctioning system component is provided. An audible alert may include voice phrases that are selected and output based, at least in part, on information associated with the possible emergency condition or malfunctioning system component. The noise in an area may be received and the volume of the outputted voice phrase may be changed based, at least in part, on the noise in the area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC
    Inventors: John Evan Lane, Victor Eugene Sanhdage
  • Patent number: 8062926
    Abstract: An RFID tag manufacturing method is including application process in which a heat-curable adhesive is applied to an area where a circuit chip is placed on a base to which antennae are wired so as to be connected with the circuit chip, placement process in which the circuit chip is placed where the adhesive is applied, and thereby the circuit chip is connected with the antennae, covering process in which the circuit chip placed on the base is covered with a sheet member having an adhesive layer on its surface, such that the adhesive layer faces the base, and heat and pressure applying process in which pressure is applied to the sheet member toward the base, and heat and pressure are applied to the circuit chip from above the sheet member, thereby curing the adhesive and fixing the circuit chip and the sheet member on the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kobayashi, Kenji Kobae
  • Patent number: 8040219
    Abstract: To enhance in-building location determination of an electronic device, described is a system and a method that uses a blip access point to transfer location assistance information to the electronic device. The location assistance information may contain a map of dummy beacons that serve as reference points (e.g., landmarks) from which the electronic device may determine its location relative to the map information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB
    Inventors: Jacobus Haartsen, William O. Camp, Jr., Bjorn Lindquist
  • Patent number: 8035946
    Abstract: An overvoltage protector circuit for telecommunication equipments is disclosed. The protector circuit includes a gas discharge tube connected to a communication line for passing any harmful surge currents appearing in the line to ground. A degradation detector circuit is arranged to detect any degradation of the gas discharge tube, the detector circuit comprises a reference gas discharge tube with a higher breakdown voltage than the supervised gas discharge tube and an alarm circuit loop connected to an alarm system. The alarm system is arranged to detect when current is breaking through the reference gas discharge tube and to initiate a degradation alarm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (Publ)
    Inventor: Tomas Eriksson
  • Patent number: 8035498
    Abstract: A system with a self-powered sending unit communicating with a receiving unit. The sending unit interacts with a magnet attached to a rotating or moving member. The sending unit includes an inductor that intercepts the magnetic field from the magnet. The magnetic interaction with the sending unit generates power that is stored for later use by a transmitter. The magnetic interaction also provides a trigger for the transmitter that causes the transmitter to send a signal using the stored energy. In one embodiment, the signal includes a identification code that uniquely identifies the sending unit. A receiving unit includes a receiver responsive to the transmitted signal and, in one embodiment, a display of the measured parameter that is projected by a heads-up display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Inventor: Terry Pennisi