Patents Examined by Minh Phan
  • Patent number: 9930964
    Abstract: Disclosed is a shelf having a slanted base. In example embodiments the base may include a protrusion configured to engage an electronic device, such as, but not limited to, a camera. Example embodiments also relate to a system having the shelf and the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Inventor: Gerald Beranek
  • Patent number: 9933474
    Abstract: A partial discharge detection apparatus, includes: a support structure and a first antenna configured to receive electromagnetic signals at least partially associated with partial discharges of an electric object and generate a first electrical signal, the first antenna having a first receiving effective area for first receiving directions and a second antenna configured to receive electromagnetic noise signals and generate a second electrical signal, the first and second antennas being arranged to cause the second antenna to have a second receiving effective area for the first receiving directions smaller than the first receiving effective area. The apparatus further includes a first processing module configured to generate from the first and second electrical signals a difference electrical signal representing a difference between the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: PRYSMIAN S.P.A.
    Inventors: Roberto Candela, Antonio Di Stefano, Giuseppe Fiscelli, Giuseppe Costantino Giaconia
  • Patent number: 9933378
    Abstract: A power feeding coil unit (a coil unit) is provided with a power feeding coil (a coil for power transmission) and an apparatus for detecting foreign matter. The apparatus for detecting foreign matter is provided with a plurality of resonators having a resonator coil and capacitor and also an excitation coil for exciting the plurality of resonators. The plurality of resonators are disposed in rows and columns to cover at least an area interlinking with a magnetic flux generated by the power feeding coil. The excitation coil makes resonators adjacent in a row direction and a column direction among the plurality of resonators to generate an alternating magnetic field with resonance frequencies different from each other within a frequency band in which the power feeding coil is not excited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi Urano
  • Patent number: 9927926
    Abstract: A capacitance sensing system can include a plurality of transmit (TX) electrodes disposed in a first direction; a plurality of first electrodes disposed in a second direction and coupled to the TX electrodes by a mutual capacitance, and coupled to a capacitance sense circuit when at least one TX electrode receives a transmit signal; and a plurality of second electrodes structures, interspersed with the first electrodes and coupled to a ground node at least while the one TX electrode receives the transmit signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Tao Peng
  • Patent number: 9926778
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for use of a fiber-optic sensor loop for use within a wellbore; with a plurality of light sources optically coupled to the fiber-optic sensor loop; at least one electromagnetically sensitized region within the fiber-optic sensor loop; and a plurality of detectors optically coupled to the fiber-optic sensor loop; and using the sensing system to detect changes in a magnetic field within the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Maida, Tasneem A. Mandviwala, Allen Cekorich
  • Patent number: 9927382
    Abstract: A flame sense assembly (100) includes a flame sense electrode having a sense rod (108), at least a portion of the sense rod (108) for placement in a flame area; and an electrically conductive ground screen (110) for electrical connection to ground, at least a portion of the ground screen (110) for placement in the flame area; wherein the ground screen (110) is positioned relative to the sense rod (108) to allow an electric current to pass between the sense rod (108) to the ground screen (110) in the presence of a flame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: CARRIER COMMERCIAL REFRIGERATION, INC.
    Inventors: Otley Dwight Freymiller, Dennis J. Nelson, Ronald J. Glavan
  • Patent number: 9921541
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer to carry, by rotation, developer including toner and magnetic carrier to a developing range facing a latent image bearer; a casing including a developer container and an opening to expose a part of the developer bearer disposed in the casing; an opposing face of the casing including a conductive material and opposing to a surface of the developer bearer downstream from the developing range in a direction of rotation of the developer bearer; a developing bias source to apply a developing bias to the developer bearer; and an insulation layer disposed on the opposing face of the casing. The opposing face is disposed across, from the developer bearer, a casing gap sized to allow the developer borne on the developer bearer to contact the opposing face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasunobu Shimizu, Akira Azami, Masaaki Yamada, Yoshiko Ogawa, Toshio Koike, Mutsuki Morinaga, Yutaka Takahashi, Keinosuke Kondoh, Kentaro Mikuniya, Yoshiharu Kishi
  • Patent number: 9915891
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developing container for accommodating a developer, a rotatable developer carrying member for carrying and feeding the developer, and a layer thickness regulating member for regulating a layer thickness of the developer carried on the developer carrying member. The developer circulates between first and second chambers, which are partitioned by a partition wall. A rotatable feeding member feeds the developer in the first chamber, and a light-transmitting portion permits light transmission into a developing container. The light-transmitting portion is disposed at a developer carrying member side of the partition wall so that a light beam entering inside of the developing container is regularly reflected by a surface of a rotation shaft of the feeding member, and the regularly reflected light is emitted outside of the developing container through a gap between the developer carrying member and the layer thickness regulating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ryota Yasui
  • Patent number: 9910344
    Abstract: A retractable camera platform system allows a mounted camera to be hidden while not in use. The system retracts a camera platform into a recess in the ceiling, wall and the like of a room, building, hallway or other structure. The system includes the camera platform that opens a lowering assembly having doors so that the camera may deploy when needed. The lowering assembly or cover hides the camera and the associated frame structure when not in use. Actuators and linear slide tracks raise and lower the camera as desired. The lowering assembly may be removed from the frame structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: EarthCam, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Cury
  • Patent number: 9904147
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a gimbal for carrying an imaging device. The gimbal comprises a first support frame, a locking device arranged on the first support frame, and a second support frame hinged with the first support frame and being capable of driving in rotation of the first support frame. The locking device is configured to carry the imaging device. The first support frame comprises two first struts. The gimbal further comprises at least one center of gravity (CG) adjusting unit, the at least one CG adjusting unit being arranged at least within one of the first struts. The at least one CG adjusting unit is configured to adjust the center of gravity of the first support frame. The gimbal of the present invention can adjust the center of gravity of the first support frame through the CG adjusting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: SZ DJI OSMO TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yan chong Zhao
  • Patent number: 9903906
    Abstract: A flexible circuit board and a cutting device are provided. The flexible circuit board includes a board body including a cutting region. A plurality rows of testing terminals are located in the cutting region, a first spacing being provided between two adjacent rows of testing terminals. The testing terminals can be respectively cut off from the board body along a cutting direction which is along the extending direction of the first spacing in the board body. A testing circuit is located on a surface of the board body. The testing circuit is arranged in a region outside the cutting region and the testing circuit is independently and electrically connected to each row of the testing terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., BOE (HEBEI) MOBILE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Guowen Yang, Ze Zhang, Lantao Chen
  • Patent number: 9891338
    Abstract: Provided is a compact and lightweight electric field probe which has a transmitting/receiving function whereby piezoelectric crystals can be excited through the application of an alternating current electric field thereto, and piezoelectric effect signals can be detected with sufficient sensitivity. Also provided are a control system for the same, and a piezoelectric crystal detector. The electric near-field probe is provided with a capacitor, in which the space between two metal plates that are positioned parallel to each other is filled by a conductor or air, and a series resonance circuit, which has a prescribed resonance frequency and is connected in series to an inverter that is formed by winding a conductive wire around a toroidal core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: OSAKA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Hideo Akaba, Hideo Itozaki, Junichiro Shinohara, Yuji Miyato, Fumiya Katsutani
  • Patent number: 9891314
    Abstract: An ultra-wide band microwave based personnel/passenger screening system, and in particular, a system for material specific detection, uses non-ionizing radiation in which focused beams of low intensity microwave radiation are projected in rapid succession at an individual as they walk through a portal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Rapiscan Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward James Morton, Anthony J. Peyton
  • Patent number: 9891579
    Abstract: A cleaning member includes a base member comprised of a first material that has a peak temperature of tan ? less than approximately zero degrees Celsius and a contact portion comprised of a second material that has a higher hardness than the first material and a tear strength of approximately 49 kilonewtons per meter or higher, the contact portion contacting an image carrier and cleaning the image carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Noriaki Kojima, Yu Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9891116
    Abstract: To provide a signal generation circuit having a short settling time of an output voltage. In a PTAT signal generation circuit, a trimming circuit is coupled between the cathodes of 0-th to K-th diodes and a line of a ground voltage, the anode of the 0-th diode is coupled to a first node, the anodes of the first to the K-th diodes are coupled to a second node via a resistive element, the first node and the second node are set to the same voltage, a first current flowing through the 0-th diode and a second current flowing through the first to the K-th diodes are set to have the same value, and a third current flowing through the trimming circuit is set to have the value 2 times that of each of the first current and the second current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigeki Obayashi, Hiroki Shimano, Masataka Minami, Hiroji Ozaki
  • Patent number: 9886878
    Abstract: A pixel array, a display driving method, a display driving device and a display device are described. The pixel array comprises a plurality of columns of subpixel groups. Each column of subpixel group comprises M×N subpixels, where N is the number of colors of subpixels, and M is an integer equal or greater than 3. Directions in which subpixels of the subpixel groups in odd columns and subpixels of the subpixel groups in even columns are twisted respectively being opposite in a column direction. The pixel array is suitable for application of Pentile technologies under 2D/3D display mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., BEIJING BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
    Inventors: Renwei Guo, Xue Dong, Xi Chen
  • Patent number: 9869955
    Abstract: A fixing device includes: an endless fusing belt; a heater; a nip member; and a backup member. The endless fusing belt has a width in a widthwise direction. The nip member is disposed spaced apart from the heater. The nip member has a contact surface. The contact surface has widthwise end portions in the widthwise direction. The backup member is configured to nip the fusing belt in cooperation with the nip member. The fusing belt is configured to move in a moving direction at a position where the fusing belt is nipped between the nip member and the backup member. The contact surface has at least two grooves one formed in corresponding one of the widthwise end portions and another formed in the other of the widthwise end portions and extending at an angle equal to or smaller than 10 degrees with respect to the moving direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kei Ishida, Takuji Matsuno
  • Patent number: 9869700
    Abstract: A device for use with an electricity meter is selectively moveable between first and second positions. The device comprises a fuse support capable of holding a fuse in a fuse position. The device is arranged such that, when in the first position, the fuse position is located relative to first and second circuits such that when a fuse is held in the fuse support the first circuit is closed and the second circuit is open. The device is further arranged such that moving the device from the first position to the second position causes the fuse position to be relocated relative to the first and second circuits such that the first circuit is opened and the second circuit is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Itron, Inc.
    Inventor: Christoph Runge
  • Patent number: 9871974
    Abstract: A camera control device may include a housing to store the camera and various control modules. The housing may also have a movable camera shutter operating on a shutter track that is close to the camera inside the camera housing. The shutter may include an open portion and a closed portion and a knob which extends beyond a surface area of the camera housing to control movement of the shutter along the shutter track. The movement of the shutter may also be automated and may be subject to sensors triggering sensed conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: AMX, LLC
    Inventors: Shaun Robinson, Miguel Alejandro Sereno
  • Patent number: 9851404
    Abstract: An embodiment relates to a switchgear for a single-phase motor and a three-phase motor, the switchgear including a processing unit and a first, second and third current path, the first and third current path each including a current transformer. The processing unit is adapted to detect the current I1 of the first current path and the current I3 of the third current path. To provide a cost-effective switchgear for a one-phase motor and a three-phase motor which is adapted to identify the failure of every single phase in the three-phase operation and a phase failure in the one-phase operation, the processing unit is designed such as to detect the currents I1, I3 of the first and third current path and to determine, based on the phase shift between the detected currents I1, I3 of the first and third current path in which operating mode the switchgear is operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Dirk Hertz, Marco Schönenberg, Helene Steuer, Stefan Zitzler