Patents Examined by Jack Wang
  • Patent number: 8299932
    Abstract: In a closed-loop monitoring system, a host device is operable to output encoded signals at a coupling side to a single transmission line. Each of monitoring devices includes: a current inducting generating unit generating induced encoded signals when the encoded signals pass through a signal current generating element coupled across an input side coupled to the transmission line; a control unit identifying a monitoring signal from the induced encoded signals generated by the current inducting generating unit; and a detecting unit detecting, in response to the monitoring signal, whether each of electronic devices coupled thereto is activated ox deactivated and transmitting a reply signal associated with states of the electronic devices to the transmission line based on a detection result made thereby. The host device receives the reply signal from each monitoring device through the transmission line and the coupling side to obtain state information associated with the electronic devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: HICO Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yi-Lin Tang, Nan-Jan Huang, Ruei-Cheng Liu, Wang-Cheng Chen, Cheng-Chung Yeh
  • Patent number: 8294588
    Abstract: A patient monitoring system detects physiological signals from a patient during an MRI examination. The patient monitoring system wirelessly transmits data associated with the physiological signals to a remote base unit. The wireless transmission of data is carried out in a manner to not be disruptive to the MRI examination. The patient monitoring system has a removable, MRI magnet compatible battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.v.
    Inventors: Stephen Douglas Fisher, Robert A. Harwell, Kenneth Van Arsdel
  • Patent number: 8279072
    Abstract: A method for determining a maintenance interval for a consumable part and/or for equipment containing a consumable part obtains a plurality of measurements of temperature of the consumable part, receives each of the measurements at a totalizing unit, correlates each of the measurements to one of a plurality of temperature subranges, accumulates for each of the subranges an amount of time the measurements of temperature were correlated to each of the subranges, determines a total time by aggregating the accumulated time for each subrange with a weighting function, and generates a signal to prompt a maintenance event when the total time equals or passes a runtime setpoint. In supplement to or in alternative to the above, the method also correlates a subrange of two sequential measurements, indexes a breakpoint register if the correlated subranges are different, and generates a signal to prompt a maintenance event when a value of the breakpoint register equals or passes a breakpoint setpoint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: MRL Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin B. Peck, Bjorn W. Larsson
  • Patent number: 8274402
    Abstract: Method for collecting video files of one or more Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) components, including receiving information pertaining to the one or more LDAR components within a specified area, recording a video of the LDAR components for a predetermined amount of time using a camera, associating the video with the information, and storing the video along with the information to a memory located in a computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: LDARtools, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Moses, Rex Moses
  • Patent number: 8274394
    Abstract: A faulted circuit indicator (FCI) for providing an indication of a fault on a monitored conductor, determining whether the FCI is near the end of its useful life (or entered into an end-of-life mode) and altering an operation of the FCI if the useful life of the FCI has reached a select threshold. The operation alteration may include an alteration of the display and/or deactivation of certain features and/or functions of the FCI. Thus, the useful life of the FCI will be increased. Further, utility personnel will be more likely to notice that the FCI is in end-of-life mode. The FCI may also include a battery discharge module and a thyristor for discharging the battery for disposal upon decommissioning of the FCI.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Laurence V. Feight
  • Patent number: 8269638
    Abstract: One aspect of the invention is an apparatus including an alarm for alerting an operator to recharge a humidifier, wherein such alarm is generated other than through the use of a humidity sensor. In one embodiment the total work performed during heating and hydrating an insufflation gas is measured and an alarm generated when the total work performed exceeds a particular threshold. In another embodiment, a flow meter is used to measure the total flow of insufflation gas so that when the total flow of insufflation gas reaches a predetermined level an alarm is activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Lexion Medical LLC
    Inventors: Duane Lloyd, Douglas E. Ott
  • Patent number: 8264350
    Abstract: A security system includes a security device and a spacer. The security device defines a first opening having a first diameter. The spacer is removably positionable in the first opening to create a center opening having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter. The security device includes a magnetically actuable locking mechanism and a housing having the magnetically actuable locking mechanism disposed therein. The locking mechanism includes a magnetically actuable latch, a belt configured to provide a latch mating element for the latch, and a flexible element to bias the magnetically actuable latch and the belt into a locked position. The housing includes a passageway which defines a belt pathway configured to slidingly receive the belt therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Sergio M. Perez, Robert L. Michael, Gilbert Fernandez, Jr., Luis E. Anderson, Oscar Rendon
  • Patent number: 8264359
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of making capacitors for use in surveillance/identification tags or devices, and methods of using such surveillance/identification devices. The capacitors manufactured according to the methods of the present invention and used in the surveillance/identification devices described herein comprise printed conductive and dielectric layers. The methods and devices of the present invention improve the manufacturing tolerances associated with conventional metal-plastic-metal capacitor, as well as the deactivation reliability of the capacitor used in a surveillance/identification tag or device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Kovio, Inc.
    Inventors: Vivek Subramanian, Patrick Smith, Vikram Pavate, Arvind Kamath, Criswell Choi, Aditi Chandra, James Montague Cleeves
  • Patent number: 8258936
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for acquiring integrated operational data and support data regarding a vehicle. The apparatus comprising a network interface for communicating with the vehicle and a processor that is coupled to the network interface. The processor is configured to transmit a first request for operational data to the vehicle, receive the requested operational data from the vehicle, the requested operational data including at least one event indicator, and retrieve the support data that corresponds to a selected event indicator from a stored location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Pradeep Mahalingaiah
  • Patent number: 8258944
    Abstract: A hospital bed obstacle detection device and related method for detecting an obstacle between first and second components of a hospital bed is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Hill-Rom Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Carl William Riley, Keith Adam Huster, Gregory J. Figel, Irvin J. Vanderpohl, III
  • Patent number: 8258973
    Abstract: A patient care equipment support includes power and data connectors configured to be coupled to power and data connectors of patient care equipment when the patient care equipment is coupled to the equipment support to provide a power coupling and a data coupling between the patient care equipment and the equipment support. The equipment support is transferable between a first device, such as a hospital bed, and a second device, such as an overhead support arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Hill-Rom Services, Inc.
    Inventor: David C. Newkirk
  • Patent number: 8248240
    Abstract: An RFID tag includes an inlay which has a base, an antenna formed on the base, and an IC chip. The IC chip is enclosed in a surface mount package and soldered to the antenna and carries out radio communication through the antenna. The RFID tag further includes underfill that fills a gap between the base and the surface mount package, and a sheath protecting material enclosing the entire inlay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignees: Fujitsu Limited, Fujitsu Frontech Limited
    Inventors: Noritsugu Osaki, Shunji Baba, Shigeru Hashimoto, Yoshiyasu Sugimura, Satoru Nogami
  • Patent number: 8237569
    Abstract: When a product attached with an ID tag is placed inside a package body, there is a risk that communication with an ID tag using a reader/writer is blocked. Then, it is difficult to manage products in a distribution process of products, which leads to lose convenience of ID tags. One feature of the present invention is a product management system that includes a package body for packing a product attached with an ID tag, and a reader/writer. The ID tag includes a thin film integrated circuit portion and an antenna, the package body includes a resonance circuit portion having an antenna coil and a capacitor, and the resonance circuit portion can communicate with the reader/writer and the ID tag. Accordingly, the stability of communication between an ID tag attached to a product and an R/W can be secured, and management of products can be conducted simply and efficiently, even if a product is packed by a package body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Arai, Mai Akiba, Yuko Tachimura, Yohei Kanno
  • Patent number: 8232873
    Abstract: A driver assistance system and method outputs, as a function of certain conditions, at least one piece of information, in particular a warning, to the driver of a motor vehicle. The driver assistance system can be transferred into a demonstration and/or learning mode, in which the conditions applied for outputting the piece of information are different from the normal mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Christoph Sturm
  • Patent number: 8223030
    Abstract: A computer device comprises an output monitor configured to determine an output configuration setting for the computer device and automatically actuate an output setting indicator corresponding to the output configuration setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Peter J. Halpin
  • Patent number: 8207845
    Abstract: An alarm system includes one or more audio stations, and an audio station network interface. The audio stations communicate wirelessly with the audio station network interface. The audio station network interface communicates with a monitoring center over a cellular network, to allow audio monitoring of the premises at the audio stations. The audio station network interface may be called by the monitoring center. Calls may optionally be placed by it in response to user interaction with one of the audio stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Tyco Safety Products Canada Ltd.
    Inventors: Raman Kumar Sharma, Francisco Bogarin
  • Patent number: 8199023
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems, methods, and apparatus for extracting molten liquid from an electrolysis cell. In one embodiment, a system includes a container and an electrical characteristic detector. The container comprises a body adapted to contain molten liquid and a spout. The spout includes a base portion, a tip portion and a passageway connecting the base portion to the tip portion. The electrical characteristic detector is coupled to the container and is configured to determine an electrical characteristic associated with the molten liquid as the molten liquid passes into the body of the container via the passageway. A process parameter associated with the removal of the molten liquid from the container may be changed when it is determined that an electrical characteristic associated with the molten liquid has achieved a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Alcoa Inc.
    Inventors: Leonardo Paulino, Donald P. Ziegler
  • Patent number: 8183996
    Abstract: A mobile information-terminal apparatus moves with a user and provides information to the user. A position-information detecting unit receives signals transmitted from a plurality of transmitters installed in a site to respective areas that are allocated to the transmitters, and detects position information based on the received signals. A position-related-information informing unit that informs the user of related information that corresponds to the position information based on the detected position information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Frontech Limited
    Inventors: Takashi Toyokawa, Hiroki Kishimoto
  • Patent number: 8179258
    Abstract: In a method for reading a tag, the tag is interrogated with a reader device having an antenna. A waveform of the signal received from the tag in response to the interrogation is analyzed through application of a numerical analysis technique. The signal is analyzed to estimate a bit pattern in the waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Alan McReynolds, Cyril Brignone
  • Patent number: 8164442
    Abstract: A method and system for displaying location data and supplemental information associated with a remote mobile device uses, e.g., a spherical display device to display a map of the world or a specific region. The system receives location data from a remote mobile device and displays the location indicated by the location data. The display system may be configured to display a route traveled by the mobile device being tracked by visually connecting multiple locations. The display system may also display supplemental information associated with the map, including points of interest in the area nearby a remote device and information provided by the remote device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph Ungari