Patents Examined by Ryan Sherwin
  • Patent number: 9445146
    Abstract: The invention relates to a multimedia arrangement comprising a remote control having a keypad with only six control buttons. All functions of the multimedia device can be controlled via three menu levels, an object group being selectable in the first menu level, an object being selectable in the second menu level, and an action to be performed with the object being selectable in the third. Elements of the object groups, objects, and actions are displayed in fields on the display device in a vertical column and a horizontal line, the column and the line intersecting in a focus field. The elements of the fields can be moved by the control buttons in the fixed focus field, and can be activated there by a selection button. Selection and arrangement of the elements is done by a user database in the multimedia device depending on data determined by an identification device of the remote control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: fm marketing gmbh
    Inventor: Ferdinand Maier
  • Patent number: 9444290
    Abstract: A circuit for signal decoding in RFID or wireless power charging is provided in the present invention. The implement of the present invention is to add a current sense resistor connected to an upper switch or a lower switch the up arm switch or low arm switch to decode the signal on the current sense resistor. Since the error would occur in the original voltage decoder of the wireless power or RFID when the load is heavy and voltage signal swing is large, such that the charge status and then the off-line status cyclically occur and then the charge status . . . occurs in cycle when the mobile device is charging under charge. Since the present invention uses the voltage and current for decoding at the same time, the decoding would be succeed whenever the load is light or heavy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: GENERALPLUS TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventor: Down Xu Chuang
  • Patent number: 9443416
    Abstract: A fire alarm system includes a transceiver. The transceiver has: a housing; conductors for receiving power from power lines; power output conductors for transmitting the power to a local alarm; and a connector for the alarm conductor of the local alarm. The transceiver has a trigger circuit, responsive to an alarm condition. A transmitter circuit responds to the alarm condition by injecting a signal onto a power conductor, using power line carrier technology. A receiver circuit responds to a second signal, similar to the first signal, by triggering the transmitter circuit; and by triggering the local alarm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Inventor: Christopher George Kalivas
  • Patent number: 9433297
    Abstract: A seat cushion includes a sensor housed within the seat cushion for generating an output signal in response to detecting a load. The seat cushion also includes an alarm device and a microcontroller configured to receive the output signal from the sensor and activate the alarm device at predetermined times. The predetermined times are based on the five Islamic prayer times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Inventor: Effat Al-Saraj
  • Patent number: 9305292
    Abstract: Transponder alteration systems and methods are provided for altering the state of a transponder device in the field, the transponder device used by a transponder user. The system may comprise an alteration portion, disposed in a banking system, the alteration portion inputting an alteration request from a user for an additional application to be disposed upon the user's transponder device. The processing of the alteration portion may include (1) accessing a database to retrieve data to process the alteration request; (2) generating an information packet for the user based on the retrieved data, and outputting the information packet to the user; and (3) generating a data packet based on the retrieved data, and outputting the data packet to an interim device, such that the interim device interfaces with the transponder device to transmit the data packet to the transponder device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
    Inventor: Dori K. Skelding
  • Patent number: 9303507
    Abstract: This present invention generally relates to the issue of signal obstruction in down hole applications. This invention relates to conformal coatings and down hole transmission systems to aid in transmission of wireless signals down hole. The conformal coating includes a substrate material that has an array of rods embedded therein. These embedded rods are made of a Mie Resonance based dielectric material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael John Black, Brett Wayne Bouldin, Mohamed N. Noui-Mehidi
  • Patent number: 9297882
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method may include determining that a plurality of computing devices comprising first and second computing devices are paired via a wireless communication technology that facilitates communication between the computing devices. The computer-implemented method may also include establishing a maximum distance that the first and second computing devices are allowed to move away from one another. The computer-implemented method may further include calculating a current distance between the first and second computing devices and then determining that the current distance exceeds the maximum distance. In addition, the computer-implemented method may include providing a notification to at least one of the first and second computing devices to alert a user of the first computing device that the current distance between the first and second computing devices exceeds the maximum distance and to indicate a location of the second computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Symantec Corporation
    Inventor: Yadvinder Bhatia
  • Patent number: 9283847
    Abstract: The method, system, and computer-readable medium facilitates monitoring a vehicle operator during the course of vehicle operation to determine whether the vehicle operator is impaired (e.g., distracted, drowsy, intoxicated) and alerting the vehicle operator using a haptic alert delivered by a wearable computing device worn by the vehicle operator when impairment is detected. The method, system, and computer-readable medium may monitor the vehicle operator, the environment surrounding the vehicle, and/or forces acting on the vehicle using a variety of sensors, including optical sensors or accelerometers. In particular, optical sensors may monitor the vehicle operator to detect eye blinks, head nods, head rotations, and/or gaze fixation. Optical sensors may also monitor the road ahead of the vehicle to detect lane deviation, lane centering, and time to collision. Accelerometers may detect acceleration in the direction of vehicle travel and/or lateral acceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Matthew Eric Riley, Sr., Gregory Dwayne Carter, James M. Freeman, Vaidya Balasubramanian Pillai, Jason Chang, David W. Thurber
  • Patent number: 9274020
    Abstract: The present subject matter provides a system and a method for detecting liquid water. The method includes establishing signal communication between an RFID tag and an RFID reader, monitoring the signal communication between the RFID tag and the RFID reader and determining that liquid water is disposed between the RFID tag and the RFID reader or on the RFID tag if the signal communication between the RFID tag and the RFID reader is disrupted, interrupted or terminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gregory Sergeevich Chernov, Natarajan Venkatakrishnan, Anthony William Simpson, Bradford Stewart Gasior, Kenneth Maurice Jackson, Daniel Joseph Russell
  • Patent number: 9268978
    Abstract: A self-contained RFID-enabling drawer module includes a probe antenna to introduce a robust EM field into a container within a Faraday cage to activate RFID tags within the container, regardless of the container's resonant frequency. A receiving antenna and reader read the data of the activated RFID tags, and a processor and communications module transmit the RFID tag data to a remote processor. The RFID-enabling module is self-contained in that it needs only power and a data connection with which to operate. Where an Ethernet is used, power is obtained by PoE. The RFID-enabling module may be used to retrofit existing medication drawers of a medication cabinet or may be used during the construction of a new cabinet. The RFID-enabling system includes auto tuning of the antenna to dynamically compensate for loading changes on the EM field. Assembly and testing costs are reduced and serviceability of the system is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: MEPS Real-Time, Inc.
    Inventors: Shariq Hussain, Paul M. Elizondo
  • Patent number: 9262923
    Abstract: A blind spot detection system for a vehicle includes a vehicle information detecting module for obtaining at least one vehicle information of the vehicle corresponding to an external environment, an alarm for generating an alarm signal, a plurality of sensors each for emitting a radio signal and receiving a reflecting signal of the transmitted radio signal to detect whether an object exists within a specific range and generate a detection result accordingly, and a control module for controlling the alarm to generate the alarm signal according to the at least one vehicle information and a plurality of detection results generated by the plurality of sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Wistron NeWeb Corporation
    Inventors: Tsai-Wang Chang, Min-Jung Wu, Chien-Chung Tseng
  • Patent number: 9262912
    Abstract: Methods and systems for localizing an asset using the modulated backscatter from an asset tag and one or more marker tags are described. The system includes the reader, a location module and one or more marker tags. The location estimates for the asset tag are based partially on a prior knowledge of the location of each of the one or more marker tags. The location for each marker tag may be stored in a database. The location module determines a location estimate for the asset tag using the estimated parameters of the modulated backscatter signals received from one or more marker tags and from the asset tag. Using the known locations of the marker tags, a location estimate of the asset tag can be determined. The location estimate may be a relative location, an absolute location, and/or may be a zone including the marker tags. A mobile reader using the marker tags can localize asset tags throughout a large area and may, for example, take an inventory of assets throughout the large area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Ben J. Wild, Artem Tkachenko, Kannan Ramchandran, Upamanyu Madhow
  • Patent number: 9251314
    Abstract: A cloud based system that constantly monitors the consumption of each medication by an individual, specifies medication regimes and schedules and provides a means of enforcing compliance based on both local and cloud based intelligence. Enforcing compliance to a medication schedule is achieved through complex logic that correlates events from the medication bottles; behavior learned from the individual, individual's schedules and geo-location. The system employs this complex logic per medication and generates a variety of email, phone call, SMS, MMS, voice messages, audio, visual and multimedia cues and alerts to enforce compliance. These same alerts are also used by multiple caregivers, who can further reinforce compliance by the patient via similar types of communications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Wellocity, Inc.
    Inventor: Sameer Kanagala
  • Patent number: 9242516
    Abstract: A member for attachment to tire includes a functional object in suspension in a soft substance of very high deformability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventors: Martine Borot, Jonathan Champredonde
  • Patent number: 9235736
    Abstract: A method of communication of an active smart RFID label with a user interrogator and a professional interrogator, said professional interrogator enabling a service provider to fully control said active smart RFID label and by means of which interrogator a content and a form of an extract of data, which are collected by a sensor, which is comprised of in the label, as well as a location within the label as location of said extract of data being collected by said label sensor, said location being accessible by the user interrogator are determined. A service user gets concisely acquainted with the service provided by the label by means of a widely used interrogator, whereat he cannot influence the data contained in the label or even its functioning neither needs any additional knowledge to communicate with said label.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: AMS INTERNATIONAL AG
    Inventors: Vinko Kunc, Andrej Vodopivec
  • Patent number: 9235263
    Abstract: An information processing device includes a collecting unit that collects biological information of a first user and a second user. The information processing device includes a specifying unit that specifies an emotion of the first user toward the second user and an emotion of the second user toward the first user using the biological information acquired by the collecting unit. The information processing device includes a determining unit that determines whether or not to provide information on the second user to the first user based on respective emotions specified by the specifying unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: YAHOO JAPAN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mariko Suzuki, Ayaka Hirano, Chika Watanabe, Yuichi Kitajima, Hiroki Sasakido
  • Patent number: 9223934
    Abstract: An automatic data collection system tracks medical articles by providing a robust electromagnetic (EM) field within an enclosure in which the articles are stored. Respective data carriers, such as RFID tags, attached to each article respond to the electromagnetic field by transmitting data identified with each article. An RFID scanner receives the transmitted RFID tag identification data and a processor compares the received identification data to a data base. The data base associates the identification data with data concerning the medical article to which the RFID tag is affixed, such as the name of the medicine, the size of the dose, and the expiration date. The processor is also programmed to keep track of the number of articles of a particular type remaining in the enclosure, to note receipt of an article in the enclosure, and to note removal of the article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: MEPS Real-Time, Inc.
    Inventors: Shariq Hussain, Jeffrey Shamblin, James P. Williams, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9189769
    Abstract: A system and method for managing the contents of a medical storage container that has a required inventory of medical articles. A Faraday cage enclosure is used to isolate, scan, and inventory a tray or other container of medical articles each of which has an RFID tag. The enclosure having a size smaller than the size needed for a resonant frequency at the RFID frequency of operation. A robust electromagnetic field is nevertheless developed in the enclosure and a program compares the scanned present inventory of the tray to the required inventory database and indicates any differences. Expired and recalled articles are identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: MEPS Real-Time, Inc.
    Inventors: Jimmy C. Caputo, Shariq Hussain, Jeffrey Shamblin, James P. Williams, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9163446
    Abstract: A door control apparatus and methods for controlling a door motion device for a hinged door and, optionally, illuminating a designated area on the floor. During the time the designated area is illuminated, a person can expect that the door will not close. The door control apparatus may include control circuitry, and a sensor, and optionally a light emitter and/or a sound emitter. The sensor detects a person proximate to the door and signals the control circuitry upon a detection event. The light emitter is also connected to the control circuitry. Upon a detection event, the control circuitry signals the light emitter to produce light and signals the door motion device to hold the door open. The light emitter directs light to form an image on the floor in the designated area. The light emitter may be, for example, a laser generator or a light emitting diode lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Yale Security Inc.
    Inventors: Blue Houser, Tommy McNally, Michael Allen Webb, Max Stephen Smith, Asa Christiander
  • Patent number: 9165415
    Abstract: An access authentication method and apparatus in which access authentication is performed using positional data associated with access information data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: KT Corporation
    Inventors: Jae-Min Park, Dong-Hoon Kye, Yong-Ki Min