Patents Examined by Carol S. Tsai
  • Patent number: 9804288
    Abstract: A system method and computer-readable medium for correcting measurements obtained by a down hole tool for residual measurement errors is disclosed. A down hole tool having at least two directional field sensors is disposed in a borehole. The at least two directional sensors are substantially orthogonal to each other and to a longitudinal axis of the down hole tool. Measurements are obtained from the at least two directional sensors during rotation of the tool by at least 360 degrees around the longitudinal axis of the tool. Residual measurement errors are determined for the obtained measurements, and a quality level of the determined residual measurement errors selected. The determined residual measurement errors are applied to the obtained measurements when the determined residual measurement errors are consistent with the selected quality level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, a GE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Robert A. Estes, Randy R. Riggs, Francis Chad Hanak, John F. Priest
  • Patent number: 9792255
    Abstract: A method of calculating an electronic state of a material by using a calculation device, wherein the calculation device sets a set containing, as elements, a plurality of operation models, where each of operation models provides an approximate solution to the electronic state of the material, determines an optimized operation model that are close in distance in a space formed by the set while defining a direction in which the calculated self-consistent solutions of the effective Hamiltonian of an electron system continuously change, evaluates a variational energy of the electron system by the self-consistent solution, updates the operation model so that the evaluated variational energy approaches an energy of an exact solution to be calculated and further, so that the variational energy forms a monotonically decreasing convex function, and calculates the exact solution of the electronic state from one or a plurality of variational energy series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: OSAKA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Koichi Kusakabe, Isao Maruyama
  • Patent number: 9782069
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for post-hoc correction of calibration errors in eye tracking data, which take into consideration calibration errors that result from changes in user position during a user session in which the user's fixations on a display screen are captured and recorded by an eye tracking system, and which take into consideration errors that occur when the user looks away from a displayed target item before selecting the target item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rachel K. E. Bellamy, Bonnie E. John, John T. Richards, Calvin B. Swart, John C. Thomas, Jr., Sharon M. Trewin
  • Patent number: 9766356
    Abstract: A method for estimating uncertainties in determining hypocenters of seismic events occurring in subsurface formations according to one aspect includes determining estimates of event locations by choosing local peaks in summed amplitude of seismic energy detected by an array of sensors disposed above an area of the subsurface to be evaluated. For each peak, the following is performed: recomputing the summed amplitude response for a selected set of points of comprising small perturbations in time and space from the estimated event locations; computing second derivatives of log likelihood function from the stacked responses at the estimated location and the perturbed locations; assembling the second derivatives into a Fisher information matrix; computing an inverse of the Fisher information matrix; determining variances of estimated parameters from the elements from the diagonal of the inverted matrix; and computing standard deviations of the estimated parameters by calculating a square root of the variances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Microseismic, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael P. Thornton
  • Patent number: 9766223
    Abstract: This invention provides new methods and apparatus for rapidly analyzing a single bioparticle or a plurality of bioparticles to assess their condition. The invention is enabled by an optical microcavity comprising reflective structures to confine light and bioparticles in the same space. Under resonance conditions, an electromagnetic standing wave is established in the microcavity to interact with the bioparticle. Means are provided to bring a bioparticle into the microcavity and to detect changes in the resonance condition with and without the bioparticle in the microcavity. Information about the bioparticle is obtained using the benefits of light interactions as fast, non-contacting, and non-destructive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Inventor: Paul L. Gourley
  • Patent number: 9739883
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods associated with determining velocity and/or acceleration information using ultrasound. A system may include one or more ultrasonic transmitters and/or receivers. An ultrasonic transmitter may be configured to transmit ultrasound into a region bounded by one or more surfaces. The ultrasonic receiver may detect a Doppler shift of reflected ultrasound to determine an acceleration and/or velocity associated with an object. The velocity and/or acceleration information may be utilized to modify the state of a gaming system, entertainment system, infotainment system, and/or other device. The velocity and/or acceleration date may be used in combination with a mapping or positioning system that generates positional data associated with the objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: ELWHA LLC
    Inventors: Jesse R. Cheatham, III, Roderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Jordin T. Kare, Craig J. Mundie, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Robert C. Petroski, Eric D. Rudder, Desney S. Tan, Clarence T. Tegreene, Charles Whitmer, Andrew Wilson, Jeannette M. Wing, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Victoria Y. H. Wood
  • Patent number: 9733230
    Abstract: This invention encompasses embodiments for multi-modal integrated simultaneous measurement of various aspects of fluids contained in circulating systems such as automotive reciprocating engines and vehicle transmissions. These circulating systems perform constant internal lubrication, and heat and contaminant removal to protect the internal moving parts from the inherent friction and damage in normal operation. Most commonly this is achieved with fluids based on hydrocarbon and/or related synthetics, which, over time, can lose their protective properties, and vary in their performance or breakdown/decay due to internal and external events. Several components within the lubricant fluid can be measured and can provide insight into the efficacy of the system to perform its designed mission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: MASTINC
    Inventors: Brian Von Herzen, Steven Van Fleet
  • Patent number: 9726641
    Abstract: Disclosed is an ultrasonic IRIS inspection system and a method of providing automatically compensated concentric B-scans by means of curve-fitting the unadjusted tube boundaries from inspection data, and from the curve fitted theoretical circle, using non-linear regression analysis to determine an adjusted center. The off-center distance between the adjust center and the misaligned center is then used to produce concentric inspection result by compensating the unadjusted inspection result with the off-center distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: OLYMPUS SCIENTIFIC SOLUTIONS AMERICAS INC.
    Inventors: Tommy Bourgelas, Martin St-Laurent, Guillaume Painchaud-April
  • Patent number: 9712169
    Abstract: A transmit power measurement apparatus includes a transmit power detection path, a compensation circuit and a tracking circuit. The compensation circuit includes a programmable filter device and a compensation controller. The programmable filter device generates a filter output. The compensation controller sets the programmable filter device at least based on a frequency response of the transmit power detection path. The tracking circuit generates a transmit power tracking result at least based on the filter output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: MediaTek Singapore Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Bing Xu, Li-Shin Lai, Chi-Hsueh Wang, Hsiang-Hui Chang
  • Patent number: 9707950
    Abstract: Linear brake pedal travel measurements are provided using a diagnostic unit with at least two linear measurement devices. The at least two linear measurement devices are offset in at least a vertical direction from a face of the brake pedal lever, and therefore directly measure non-linear pedal travel values. Thus, in certain embodiments, the system is further configured to convert the non-linear pedal travel measurements received from each of the at least two linear measurement devices to a linear brake pedal travel value corresponding to an operated position of the brake pedal lever. The resulting linear brake pedal travel information may then be used to evaluate brake pedal performance or measure customer brake feeling in an objective and reproducible way.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Matthew Wessner, Cristian Zucchetti
  • Patent number: 9702941
    Abstract: A method makes available information for the purpose of performing maintenance and servicing of a battery, which includes at least one battery module with an assigned module control device and a central control device, wherein at least one module control device has a non-volatile memory. The method comprises detecting and quantizing useful data of battery units, forming a histogram which has frequency values of the occurrence of specific values of the individual quantized useful data or values derived therefrom, transferring the histogram from the central control device to a module control device, and storing the histogram in the non-volatile memory of the module control device. Furthermore, a computer program and a battery management system are specified which are configured to execute the method, as well as a battery and a motor vehicle whose drive system is connected to a battery of this type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignees: Robert Bosch GmbH, Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Christoph Brochhaus
  • Patent number: 9696240
    Abstract: Method of determining the longitudinal pitch of blocks of a tread band having a raised pattern with a number of longitudinal grooves and transverse grooves; the method including the step of calculating a best longitudinal pitch of the blocks, to minimize pass-by noise at a given target speed, as a function of the resonance frequency of the longitudinal grooves and an integer greater than zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nicola Pieroni
  • Patent number: 9696357
    Abstract: A method measures a resistance of an element that is operably coupled to receive an AC line voltage. The method includes obtaining a first voltage measurement value V1A from a first side of the element at a first time, and obtaining a second voltage measurement value V2A from a second side of the element at the first time. The method also includes obtaining a first current measurement value IA through the element at the first time, and obtaining a second current measurement value IB through the element at the second time. The method further includes obtaining a third voltage measurement value V1B from the first side of the element at a second time, and obtaining a fourth voltage measurement value V2B from the second side of the element at the second time. The processing device determines the resistance at least in part based on the values V1A, V2A, V1B, V2B, IA and IB. The determination based on an adjusted difference of V2B and V2A.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Landis+Gyr, Inc.
    Inventor: John T. Voisine
  • Patent number: 9689735
    Abstract: The invention relates to meter electronics (20) for vibratory flowmeter friction compensation is provided. The meter electronics (20) includes an interface (201) configured to communicate with a flowmeter assembly (10) of a vibratory flowmeter (5) and receive a vibrational response and a processing system (203) coupled to the interface (201) and configured to measure a mass flow rate of a fluid using the vibrational response. The processing system (203) is configured to determine a fluid velocity (V) using the mass flow rate, a fluid density (p), and a cross-sectional flow area (A), determine a friction factor (f) using the fluid velocity (V) and a pressure drop (?P), and determine a compensation factor using the friction factor (f). The invention also relates to a vibratory flowmeter compensation method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Micro Motion, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony William Pankratz, Joel Weinstein
  • Patent number: 9684089
    Abstract: A method comprises obtaining vertical seismic profile (VSP) data using seismic sources positioned at corresponding shot locations at desired offsets from seismic receivers positioned in a borehole drilled through a formation. The method further comprises receiving seismic waves emanating from the seismic sources, processing the VSP data to determine vertical slowness of the formation, and analyzing an azimuthal anisotropy of the formation. This is performed by calculating modified total slowness of the formation using the vertical slowness and vertical polarization angle, calculating and applying a polar anisotropy correction to the modified total slowness to obtain a corrected value of the modified total slowness, and normalizing the corrected modified total slowness to a desired polarization angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Ran Zhou
  • Patent number: 9673864
    Abstract: A wireless hierarchical heterogonous pico-net providing communication between smart-phone based analysis and control application and multiplicity of sensors and actuators embedded in the ski equipment is described. The topology of this pico-net comprises two layers of hierarch, where the first layer is configured as a Bluetooth wireless network using a Round-Robin scheduling method and consisting of a single master and up-to seven slaves, and the second layer of the hierarchy is configured as a sub-nets consisting of multiplicity of sensors and actuators and communicating internally using ANT personal area network (PAN) wireless interface, or via a digital wire interface. Such network topology provides deterministic latency of a hierarchy a single-hop Bluetooth network, irrespective of the numbers of sensors and actuators embedded within each sub-net of the second layer of hierarchy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: IPCOMM
    Inventor: Stanislaw Czaja
  • Patent number: 9667884
    Abstract: A system for evaluating surgical knot formation is disclosed. The system includes a first surgically relevant object, a pressure sensor, and at least one pair of suture ends passing through the pressure sensor and the first surgically relevant object. The system also includes a controller coupled to the pressure sensor and configured to 1) transform signals from the pressure sensor into a pressure map having pressure magnitudes from a plurality of locations on the pressure sensor corresponding to one or more knots which may be formed in the at least one pair of suture ends; and 2) format the pressure map for display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: LSI Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Angelo John Martellaro, Jude S. Sauer
  • Patent number: 9668032
    Abstract: An enhanced system and method for monitoring operation of a plurality of data sensors allows monitoring of data from industrial batteries and/or Battery Data Sensors (BDSs), vehicles, charging systems and related equipment. One or more Data Collection Modules communicate wirelessly and receive data from each device sensor, store data in the Data Collector memory and asynchronously transmit the data through the Cloud and/or Internet to the Cloud Server, which stores and process all received raw data and stores configuration information for each uniquely identified monitored device. Users may interact with the monitoring system using smart Web-enabled devices, and may submit user configuration data via the Cloud Server and receive reports regarding operation of the monitoring system, individual sensors and monitored devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: NergySense, LLC
    Inventors: James R Wade, Robert William Mosolgo
  • Patent number: 9658290
    Abstract: A device that includes a plurality of substantially identical batteries coupled via switching circuits to a power bus is provided. Control circuits can be coupled to the batteries and the switching circuits to provide electrical energy to the bus from each of the batteries during a sequence of predetermined time intervals, wherein one of the batteries provides electrical energy to the bus during a greater percentage of each time intervals than the others of the plurality. The remaining battery life of the others of the plurality can be estimated in response to sensing that the one of the batteries is substantially discharged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: LIFE SAFETY DISTRIBUTION AG
    Inventor: Andrea Frison
  • Patent number: 9658260
    Abstract: A power system grid is decomposed into several parts and decomposed state estimation steps are executed separately, on each part, using coordinated feedback regarding a boundary state. The achieved solution is the same that would be achieved with a simultaneous state estimation approach. With the disclosed approach, the state estimation problem can be distributed among decomposed estimation operations for each subsystem and a coordinating operation that yields the complete state estimate. The approach is particularly suited for estimating the state of power systems that are naturally decomposed into separate subsystems, such as separate AC and HVDC systems, and/or into separate transmission and distribution systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: ABB SCHWEIZ AG
    Inventors: Xiaoming Feng, Vaibhav Donde, Ernst Scholtz