Patents Examined by James Yang
  • Patent number: 10055917
    Abstract: A convenience controller activates a small zone high precision welcoming detecting function (with high current utilization) in response to a detected arrival of an authorized user into a larger zone low precision approach region around a vehicle (with low current utilization). A short range transmitter broadcasts a polling signal covering the region. The short range transmitter has an approach pending mode wherein the polling signal is broadcast according to a first repetition and a baseline mode wherein the polling signal is broadcast according to a lower repetition. The short range transmitter has a first power drain in the approach pending mode. A wireless communication system is configured to monitor for user activity outside the approach region corresponding to proximity to the approach region. If the short range transmitter is in the baseline mode when the activity is detected, then the short range transmitter switches to the approach pending mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Spahl, John R. Van Wiemeersch
  • Patent number: 10051308
    Abstract: A communication medium with fewer limitations on the directivity or available communication range, such as an IP network, is used to perform a remote control operation. Since two-way communication can be carried out between a remote controller and a device to be operated, it is possible to provide more reliable communication by means of a delivery confirmation, to handle a GUI-based complex command scheme, and to provide large-volume data transmission, such as moving-image streaming, using relatively broad bands. A television receiver to be operated by the remote controller distributes moving-image data, such as a child view, to an IP remote controller through an IP network so that the data can be viewed on the IP remote controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Sato, Junichi Nakamura, Naoki Yuasa, Shuichi Otsu, Hiroki Hashi, Mie Namai
  • Patent number: 10038945
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes a communication unit that communicates with a tag located within a target region when the communication unit is active within the target region, and a processor configured to monitor an activity within the target region based on status information from the tag received by the communication unit, wherein the activity comprises at least one of opening and closing of a member arranged within the target region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Philippe Gilberton, Guillaume Bichot, Ali Louzir
  • Patent number: 10026307
    Abstract: A system and method for enabling set up of a controlling device capable of controlling a plurality of appliances provides an interactive instruction set and associated programming which is downloadable to a controllable appliance having an associated display, such as an Internet enabled television. The programming is accessible by the controllable appliance and is configured to appropriately display interactive instructions from the interactive instruction set to a user during a user initiated set up procedure for setting up the controlling device to communicate commands to another controllable device (e.g., a DVD, VCR, DVR, etc).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Lee Haughawout, Arsham Hatambeiki, Paul Ogaz, Jeffrey Kohanek
  • Patent number: 10021350
    Abstract: The present specification discloses a system for controlling a movement of at least one person into a controlled location. The system includes an X-ray screening system having an entrance area defined by walls and a gate, and an exit area defined by walls and a gate. The gates are automatically controlled based upon the output of the X-ray screening system. Additional gates, defining an additional holding area, are used for subsequent analysis and inspection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Rapiscan Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy James Rayner
  • Patent number: 10021451
    Abstract: A method for communicating data by an electronic device is provided. The method includes transmitting a signal including audio/video (A/V) data to a first external electronic device through a first communication module, while connected with the first external electronic device, generating data or a signal unrelated to the A/V data or receiving the data or signal unrelated to the A/V data from an external electronic device other than the first external electronic device, and providing an audio or a video through a display or an embedded sound device based on at least a portion of the data or the signal unrelated to the A/V data or transmitting the at least a portion of the data or the signal unrelated to the A/V data to a second external electronic device through a second communication module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ki-Man Lee, Mi-Sun Kim, Sang-Hun Kim, Hyun-Joong Kim, Mi-Ra Seo, Woo-Cheol Jung, Yong-Gu Lee
  • Patent number: 10020833
    Abstract: A light bulb or other lamp device incorporating improved antenna configurations and integrated networking equipment is described herein. In one example, a LED light bulb is arranged to include a wireless transceiver and related wireless network processing circuitry, and is coupled to multiple antennas configured to receive and transmit signals using spatial diversity, beamforming, multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO), or other multi-antenna techniques. The heat sink in the light bulb may be purposed to provide one or more of the multiple antennas, such as use of respective heat sink structures to serve as a diversity antenna. The wireless network processing circuitry may be used for control of the light bulb or for operability with wireless and non-wireless networks. For example, the network processing circuitry may operate as a wireless network access point, repeater, relay, bridge, or like function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: BBY SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Farhad Nourbakhsh
  • Patent number: 10021513
    Abstract: An example method includes presenting, on a first display screen associated with a first computing device, a first graphically encoded display element. The method also includes acquiring, using an image acquisition component associated with a second computing device, one or more images of the first display screen, determining that the one or more images correspond to the first display element, and responsive to determining that the one or more images correspond to the first display element, transferring a data item from the second computing device to the first computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ignacio P Mellado Bataller, Ryan S. Dixon
  • Patent number: 10013833
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for replicating a transponder key is disclosed. The transponder replication device includes an antenna that reads a transponder code from a transponder key; a camera, wherein the camera captures a bitting characteristic of the transponder key blade; a stabilizer that secures the transponder key in place while the camera captures the bitting characteristic; a memory device for storing the transponder data; means for transmitting the transponder code and the bitting characteristic of the transponder key blade to a remote location; and, a remote communication device that is compatible with the internet communications device that receives the transponder data and transmits it to a transponder duplication device at the remote location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: RB Distribution, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Blalock, Michael DiGregorio, Matthew Barnard, Brandon Graver
  • Patent number: 10015654
    Abstract: A system for tracking objects includes tracking devices each attached to an object to be tracked and including a short range communications module. A server includes a processor and a memory. A mobile communications device (typically a mobile telephone) includes memory for storing an identification of the mobile device, a long range communication module for communication over a cellular communication network and a short range communications module for receiving short range signals transmitted from tracking devices. The mobile telephone also includes a location determination module to determine the location of the mobile telephone. On receipt of a short range distress signal from a tracking device, a location is obtained from the location module and a signal transmitted to the server including at least the identification of the tracking device, a time of receipt of the short range signal from the tracking device and the determined location of the tracking device when the short range signal was received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignees: Discoery Limited, Cambridge Mobile Telematics
    Inventors: Ilan Ossin, Hari Balakrishnan, Lewis David Girod
  • Patent number: 10004038
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of bypassing data and a mobile device to establish a shared data path via a shared memory of the mobile device between network modules. The network modules may exchange data packets via the shared memory, and a processing unit of the mobile device enters into a sleep mode when the network modules exchange the data packets via the shared memory SM. The power consumption of the mobile device is therefore reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: MEDIATEK INC.
    Inventor: Shun-Yong Huang
  • Patent number: 9998310
    Abstract: A distributed radio frequency communication system facilitates communication between a wireless terminal and a core network. The system includes a remote radio unit (RRU) coupled to at least one antenna to communicate with the wireless terminal. The RRU includes electronic circuitry to perform at least a first portion of a first-level protocol of a radio access network (RAN) for communicating between the wireless terminal and the core network. The system also includes a baseband unit (BBU) coupled to the core network, and configured to perform at least a second-level protocol of the RAN. A fronthaul link is coupled to the BBU and the RRU. The fronthaul link utilizes an adaptive fronthaul protocol for communication between the BBU and the RRU. The adaptive fronthaul protocol has provisions for adapting to conditions of the fronthaul link and radio network by changing the way data is communicated over the fronthaul link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Inventors: Alan Barbieri, Dario Fertonani
  • Patent number: 9996809
    Abstract: A method for automatically tracking assets and gathering information associated therewith is disclosed. Such a method includes attaching a tracking beacon to an asset and wirelessly monitoring, with an asset tracking system, a location of the asset using the attached tracking beacon. The method further enables a user to manually input information associated with the asset using an input element (e.g., button, directional switching device, touchscreen, etc.) incorporated into the tracking beacon. The method wirelessly transmits the information from the tracking beacon to the asset tracking system. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Davido L. Hyer, Richard D. Brinkworth
  • Patent number: 9991944
    Abstract: A description of a high altitude platform with multibeam coverage for aero-based terminals is provided herein. An example apparatus includes a plurality of user link antennas each configured to provide communication coverage among a plurality of aero-based terminals within a specified volume (or area) of the sky, each antenna being configured to communicate with a specified cell within the specified volume. The apparatus also includes a gateway link antenna configured to provide communication coverage to a ground-based gateway terminal. The user link antennas are configured to have differently sized apertures to maintain a similar spectral density among the cells within the specified coverage area. Such a configuration of user link antennas provides consistent Quality of Service and bandwidth for aero-based terminals (such as private and commercial aircraft) operating within the specified coverage area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Hughes Network Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Anthony Robert Noerpel, Stanley Edward Kay
  • Patent number: 9992730
    Abstract: A example method includes receiving, at a cell broadcast center (CBC) an alert request providing information for distribution to at least one user equipment, identifying a broadcast area based on the alert request, one or more cells within the broadcast area, determining a warning area list (WAL) for a message and transmitting the message with the WAL. The WAL may be a list of one or more Tracking Area Identity (TAIs) or a list of cell identifiers depending on various conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Provenance Asset Group LLC
    Inventors: Zdzislaw Grzywacz, Michael Dreiling, Gregory Smith, Yigang Cai
  • Patent number: 9992447
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to inter radio access technology management for audiovisual calls. Wireless link availability and suitability for an audiovisual call may be evaluated for each of a first radio access technology and a second radio access technology. One or more wireless links on which to establish an audiovisual call may be selected based on the evaluations. The audiovisual call may be established on the selected wireless link(s). Wireless link availability and suitability for an audiovisual call may be monitored during the audiovisual call and decisions on whether to perform handover to a different wireless link and/or media duplication on multiple wireless links may be made based on the suitability for an audiovisual call of available wireless links.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ajoy K. Singh, Christopher M. Garrido, Luciano M. Verger, Najeeb M. Abdulrahiman, Srinivasan Vasudevan, Ming Jin, David L. Biderman, Gurtej Singh G. Chandok, Patrick Miauton, Eric A. Allamanche, Anil G. Naik, Deepak Chitlur Lakshman, Hsien-Po Shiang
  • Patent number: 9985593
    Abstract: A switch-mode RFPA driver includes first and second field-effect transistors (FETs) arranged in a totem-pole-like configuration. The switch-mode RFPA driver operates to generate a switch-mode RFPA drive signal having a generally square-wave-like waveform from an input RF signal having a generally sinusoidal-like waveform. According to one embodiment of the invention, to maximize high-frequency operation and avoid distorting the switch-mode RFPA drive signal, the switch-mode RFPA driver is designed so that its output can be connected directly to the input of the switch-mode RFPA to be driven, i.e., without using or requiring the use of an AC coupling capacitor. The first and second FETs of the switch-mode RFPA driver are designed and configured to limit and control the upper and lower magnitude levels of the switch-mode RFPA drive signal to levels suitable for switching the switch-mode RFPA directly, obviating any need for DC biasing at the input of the switch-mode RFPA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Eridan Communications, Inc.
    Inventor: Earl W McCune, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9985675
    Abstract: An electronic device including a housing that encloses a space between opposing faces and has an opening in a side face of the housing, the opening including a hole portion. A tray is configured to be inserted into the hole during mounting of the tray and removed therefrom when the tray is demounted. The device further includes a first fixing structure disposed substantially parallel to a side face of the tray inside the hole, and configured to be at least partially rotated about an axis in a direction outwardly from the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Joon-Yung Park
  • Patent number: 9986077
    Abstract: Techniques for providing audio services to multiple devices are described. For instance, connections between a hands-free unit and multiple wireless devices are established. The connections are themselves used to establish active communication channels, such as active audio communication channels, between the hands-free unit and the wireless devices, such as during a phone call. Upon establishment of an active communication channel with one of the wireless devices, the connections to the other wireless devices are disconnected—and/or additional connections refused—for the duration of the active communication channel. Furthermore, a routing module in various embodiments permits multiple hands-free units to route active communication channels to each other depending on user location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Menashe Haskin
  • Patent number: 9986370
    Abstract: Connection switching for Bluetooth headsets is disclosed. A Bluetooth headset includes a Bluetooth transceiver configured to receive a message from a first Bluetooth device over a first Bluetooth connection with the first Bluetooth device. The message includes a command to establish a second Bluetooth connection with a second Bluetooth device. The Bluetooth headset also includes a processor configured to cause the Bluetooth transceiver to (i) release the first Bluetooth connection and then (ii) establish the second Bluetooth connection with the second Bluetooth device responsive to the Bluetooth transceiver receiving the message. Computer-readable media for the Bluetooth devices is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Bart Trip, Rik Koops, Eddie Klaassens, Kem Gallione, John B Ledingham, Dick de Jong