Area Or Volume Patents (Class 702/156)
  • Patent number: 11966996
    Abstract: This invention provides a system and method that performs 3D imaging of a complex object, where image data is likely lost. Available 3D image data, in combination with an absence/loss of image data, allows computation of x, y and z dimensions. Absence/loss of data is assumed to be just another type of image data, and represents the presence of something that has prevented accurate data from being generated in the subject image. Segments of data can be connected to areas of absent data and generate a maximum bounding box. The shadow that this object generates can be represented as negative or missing data, but is not representative of the physical object. The height from the positive data, the object shadow size based on that height, the location in the FOV, and the ray angles that generate the images, are estimated and the object shadow size is removed from the result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Cognex Corporation
    Inventors: Gang Liu, Ben R. Carey, Nickolas J. Mullan, Caleb Spear, Andrew Parrett
  • Patent number: 11928545
    Abstract: A method for processing the packages in a material handling environment is disclosed. The method includes receiving an image of a field of view of an image capturing device. The image comprising at least one decodable indicia having a predefined shape, the at least one decodable indicia attached to a package. The method further includes identifying one or more decodable indicia image coordinates, wherein each of the one or more decodable indicia image coordinates define a corner of the at least one decodable indicia using a 2-dimensional (2D) coordinate system. The method further includes transforming the one or more decodable indicia image coordinates to one or more decodable indicia spatial coordinates in the 3D coordinate system. Further, the method includes comparing the one or more decodable indicia spatial coordinates with one or more 3D region coordinates to determine whether the package is within a 3D region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Hand Held Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Franck Laffargue, Jean-Luc Courtemanche, Robert Michael Hussey
  • Patent number: 11821831
    Abstract: Methods for quantitatively determining the time (TNI) between (1) the application of this method and (2) the time at which the next out-of-service API 653 internal inspection of a steel, field-erected, aboveground storage tank (AST) containing petroleum/water products should be performed. These methods combine four in-service measurements of the thickness, integrity, and corrosion rate of the tank bottom with an empirical corrosion rate cumulative frequency distribution (CFD) for the tank of interest to develop a Bayesian tank bottom survival probability distribution to determine TNI. During this entire TNI time period, the risk of tank bottom failure is less than at the time these methods were applied. If available, the results of a previous out-of-service API 653 internal inspection are also used. These methods can be applied at any time while the tank is in-service to update the internal inspection interval previously determined in an out-of-service internal inspection of the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Vista Precision Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph W. Maresca, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11657628
    Abstract: A loading determination system includes a memory and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to acquire a dimension of a loading space in a vehicle, acquire image data of luggage to be loaded, compute a dimension of the luggage based on the acquired image data, and determine whether or not loading of the luggage into the loading space is possible by comparing the acquired dimension of the loading space with the computed dimension of the luggage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuma Uchibori
  • Patent number: 11525755
    Abstract: A water detection system for a fluid storage system includes a housing configured to be disposed in fluid communication with a fluid storage vessel, a water-activated battery disposed within the housing and configured to produce an electrical voltage upon contact with water, and an electronic circuit disposed within the housing and configured to detect water above a threshold within the fluid storage vessel based at least in part on the electrical voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Stacy Callaway Huggar, Emily Kathleen Krebs, Jeffrey Neal Pollack, Carlos J P Chavez, Stefanie Jean Acosta, Janelle Denice Dziuk, Mitzi Ruiz, Michael Joseph Gaeta
  • Patent number: 11326740
    Abstract: To provide a gas filling method in which it is possible to estimate a volume of a tank with high accuracy even when the tank has a small volume. A hydrogen filling system includes a hydrogen station having a pressure accumulator of compressed hydrogen gas, a vehicle having a hydrogen tank, a connection tube system that connects the accumulator and the tank, and a flow rate sensor and a station pressure sensor provided on the connection tube system. A hydrogen gas filling method is a method of filling the tank with the hydrogen gas from the pressure accumulator and includes estimating a volume of the hydrogen tank based on detection values of the flow rate sensor and the station pressure sensor and a volume value of the connection tube system, after a start of filling of the hydrogen tank with the hydrogen gas from the pressure accumulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigehiro Yamaguchi, Yuzo Fujita, Kiyoshi Handa
  • Patent number: 11199927
    Abstract: The present application provides a method for determining whether a line piece is corresponding to a stylus tip. The method comprises: gathering multiple touch sensitive signal values corresponding to the line piece; calculating a first slope at edge of the line piece; determining whether the first slope is larger than a slope threshold; and determining that the line piece is corresponding to the stylus tip if the first slope is larger than the slope threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: EGALAX_EMPIA TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventors: Shang-Tai Yeh, Chi-Hao Tang, Jen-Yi Sun
  • Patent number: 11194340
    Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device scans through a scanning zone while emitting light pulses and receives reflected signals corresponding to the light pulses. The LIDAR device scans the emitted light pulses through the scanning zone by reflecting the light pulses from an array of oscillating mirrors. The mirrors are operated by a set of electromagnets arranged to apply torque on the mirrors, and an orientation feedback system senses the orientations of the mirrors. Driving parameters for each mirror are determined based on information from the orientation feedback system. The driving parameters can be used to drive the mirrors in phase at an operating frequency despite variations in moments of inertia and resonant frequencies among the mirrors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Drew Ulrich, Pierre-yves Droz, Samuel Lenius
  • Patent number: 10832333
    Abstract: A structural analysis computing device may generate a proposed insurance claim and/or generate a proposed insurance quote for an object pictured in a three-dimensional (3D) image. The structural analysis computing device may be coupled to a drone configured to capture exterior images of the object. The structural analysis computing device may include a memory, a user interface, an object sensor configured to capture the 3D image, and a processor in communication with the memory and the object sensor. The processor may access the 3D image including the object, and analyze the 3D images to identify features of the object—such as by inputting the 3D image into a trained machine learning or pattern recognition program. The processor may generate a proposed claim form for a damaged object and/or a proposed quote for an uninsured object, and display the form to a user for their review and/or approval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Timothy J. Spader, George T. Dulee, Jr., Donald Yuhas, Aaron Brucker, Chris Stroh, Jeffrey Mousty
  • Patent number: 10824533
    Abstract: Techniques for optimizing power and computational density of data centers are described. According to various embodiments, a benchmark test is performed by a computer data center system. Thereafter, transaction information and power consumption information associated with the performance of the benchmark test are accessed. A service efficiency metric value is then generated based on the transaction information and the power consumption information, the service efficiency metric value indicating a number of transactions executed via the computer data center system during a specific time period per unit of power consumed in executing the transactions during the specific time period. The generated service efficiency metric value is then compared to a target threshold value. Thereafter, a performance summary report indicating the generated service efficiency metric value, and indicating a result of the comparison of the generated service efficiency metric value to the target value, is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: eBay Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy Rodriguez, Richard Henry Donaldson, II, Dean Harold Nelson, Serena Anne De Vito, Braden Carter, Christopher Narancic
  • Patent number: 10655945
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for dimensioning an object carried by an automated pallet mover is disclosed. An example includes an image sensor configured to capture image data representative of a dimensioning area. A dimensioning coordinator is remotely located from an automated transportation system capable of moving the automated pallet mover. The dimensioning coordinator detects a dimensioning trigger condition associated with the pallet mover and sends first instructions to the automated transportation system to move the vehicle to the dimensioning area, and second instructions to coordinate movement of the vehicle and image capture operation to perform dimensioning on the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chinmay Nanda, Richard Mark Clayton
  • Patent number: 10619795
    Abstract: The present invention provides a monitoring apparatus for an outlet of a vessel storing gas under pressure. The monitoring apparatus comprises a flow control valve movable to a position between a fully open position and a fully closed position to adjust a flow of gas from the outlet of the vessel, a valve position detector connected to the flow control valve to detect the position of the flow control valve, an internal pressure sensor to sense an internal pressure Pint(t) of the gas in the vessel at different times, a processor, a memory and an alarm. The processor calculates an actual rate of change in pressure dPint/dt of the gas in the vessel over time, and compares dPint/dt with an expected rate of change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: LINDE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Piers Lambert, Rigoberto Perez De Alejo Fortun, Helmut Franz
  • Patent number: 10437401
    Abstract: A touch sensitive processing apparatus includes: a driving circuit for connecting to multiple first electrodes, respectively; a sensing circuit for connecting to multiple second electrodes, respectively; and a processor configured for executing multiple sets of first round mutual capacitive detecting steps. Each set of the first round mutual capacitive detecting step further includes: having the driving circuit sending a driving signal to neighboring N first electrodes, where N is a positive integer larger than 1; and having the sensing circuit simultaneously detecting the driving signal via the second electrodes for generating multiple first round sensing information with respective to the set of first round mutual capacitive detecting step. Each of the first round sensing information corresponds to an intersection of central line of the N first electrodes and the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: EGALAX_EMPIA TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventors: Shang-Tai Yeh, Cheng-Han Lee
  • Patent number: 10006796
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a device, a container and a method for measuring a liquid volume in a container based on air pressure sensing. The measuring device includes a moving member, a unidirectional member, an air pressure detection device and a controller. The moving member is connected with a con tamer to be detected to form a gas storage space. By using the unidirectional member, the gas storage space is communicated with the external environment when the volume decreases, and remains sealed with the external environment when the volume increases. The air pressure detection device is disposed on the moving member to measure a pressure value in the gas storage space. The device accurately measures the liquid volume in the container, effectively eliminates the interference of liquid motion on the measurement result, and can be conveniently used to detect a water volume in the natural usage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Inventor: Xiaoliang Li
  • Patent number: 9965159
    Abstract: An approach is provided for measuring objects in images of scenes using measurement markers. An image editor retrieves and displays an image of a scene that includes an object of interest and a reference object having a known actual size in the scene in at least one dimension. A user of the image editor overlays a measurement marker on the object of interest in the displayed image. The image editor image editor determines a display size in the image editor of the at least one dimension of the reference object and a display size in the image editor of at least one dimension of the measurement marker. The image editor determines and displays an actual size in the scene of the at least one dimension of the measurement marker. Embodiments allow a user to adjust the scale of the reference object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kurt Knodt
  • Patent number: 9892321
    Abstract: A method for analyzing a rock sample comprises analyzing a three dimensional image of the rock sample using maximal inscribed sphere analysis to determine proxies for at least one of grain size distribution, mean grain size and standard deviation of grain size. The proxy or proxies are used to determine at least one mechanical property of the rock formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: New England Research, Inc.
    Inventor: Laurent Louis
  • Patent number: 9766170
    Abstract: A method and computer product program for determining Young's modulus. The method includes placing a probe in contact with a surface of a material on a substrate and, with an initial force of 800 nano newtons or less; determining the location of the surface relative to an initial indentation depth for the initial force; increasing the force on the probe from the initial force to a maximum force greater than the initial force to generate a load curve; decreasing the force on the probe from the maximum force to the initial force to generate an unload curve, the maximum force selected such that the unload curve is independent of the presence of the substrate; and using the unload curve, determining a relationship between (i) the reduced modulus of the sample material and (ii) the ratio of probe penetration depth and the thickness of the layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Geraud J. Dubois, Jane E. Frommer, Robin S. King, Krystelle Lionti, Kumar R. Virwani, Willi Volksen
  • Patent number: 9587938
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided. The apparatus is provided for interacting with a cylindrically-shaped construction material sample that defines a longitudinal axis extending from a central point of an end of the construction material sample. The apparatus includes a translation mechanism configured for rotating the construction material sample about the longitudinal axis and at least one material-interacting device spaced-apart from the translation mechanism and configured for interacting with the construction material sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Troxler Electronic Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Ernest Troxler
  • Patent number: 9430872
    Abstract: A system and method of generating point clouds from passive images. Image clusters are formed, wherein each image cluster includes two or more passive images selected from a set of passive images. Quality of the point cloud that could be generated from each image cluster is predicted for each image cluster based on a performance prediction score for each image cluster. A subset of image clusters is selected for further processing based on their performance prediction scores. A mission-specific quality score is determined for each point cloud generated and the point cloud with the highest quality score is selected for storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Stephen J. Raif, John J. Coogan, Steven B. Seida, Paul L. Pryor, Carlton E. Nance, Wyatt D. Sharp, III, Jody D. Verret
  • Patent number: 9289669
    Abstract: A method for measuring a physical quantity of an object by using a single light source and a planar sensor unit, and a virtual golf system using the same are provided. According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for measuring a physical quantity of an object by using a single light source and a planar sensor unit, the method comprising: detecting, by the planar sensor unit, a shadow of the object generated by light emitted from the single light source, wherein the planar sensor unit is disposed on a bottom surface opposed to the single light source; and measuring a physical quantity of the object based on information regarding the shadow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Inventors: Jey Ho Suk, Yong Ho Suk
  • Patent number: 9043183
    Abstract: Techniques for hard press rejection are described herein. In an example embodiment, a touch area on a sensor array is determined, where the touch area corresponds to a detected object and is associated with multiple signal values. A slope value for the detected object is computed based on a ratio of a signal distribution value in the touch area to a metric indicating a size of the touch area with respect to the sensor array. The slope value is compared to a threshold in order to determine whether to accept or to reject the detected object, and the detected object is rejected based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Petro Ksondzyk, Jae-Bum Ahn
  • Patent number: 9033901
    Abstract: A measuring device to aid mattress selection has an upstanding frame with a plurality of vertically space-apart horizontal illuminated strips. A camera mounted in front of the frame takes front view and side view images of a person standing in front of the illuminated strips. These images are delivered to an associated computer having means to determine the body mass distribution and the spine curvature of the person based on the images of the strips taken by the camera and in particular based on those portions of the image of the illuminated strips blocked by the person standing in front of the illuminated strips. This information can then be used to aid in appropriate mattress selection for the person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Inventors: David Woolfson, Duncan Bain, Lee Hubbard
  • Publication number: 20150134296
    Abstract: A method for determining functional volumes for the search for kinetics representing the trend of concentration of a radioactive tracer in an area of biological tissue, being applied to spatial components comprises the following steps applied iteratively according to a Markov chain Monte-Carlo scheme: generation of a set K0? made up of a set of candidate kinetics associated with values of probability of appearance, depending on the concentration ? of radioactive tracer; a labeling step during which, for each spatial component of index K, the probabilities of selection of the kinetics of the set K0? are weighted by introducing a function ?k representative of the concentration of radioactive tracer in this component to obtain a set of indicative values, an indicative value Dk designating the kinetic with which the spatial component K is associated; construction of functional volumes, a functional volume VFj made up of the set of spatial components which share the same indicative value Dk.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: Eric Barat, Claude Comtat, Thomas Dautremer, Thierry Montagu, Regine Trebossen
  • Patent number: 8955740
    Abstract: A system and method are used for measuring objects of random size or shape. An object to be measured is received on a horizontal deck with rollers. A first vertical surface at an angle to the deck creates a first inside corner. One or both of the deck and first vertical surfaces including a plurality of computer-readable codes, each code representing a distance from the first inside corner. A reader is provided for reading the computer-readable codes associated with the greatest physical extent of the object in one of two dimensions. The system may further include a second vertical surface, thereby creating a second inside corner to measure an object or group of objects in three dimensions. The second vertical surface folds down, thereby enabling an operator to move the object or objects off of the deck, past the second vertical surface, and onto another deck or platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Plymouth Packaging Inc.
    Inventor: Greg Magnell
  • Patent number: 8897523
    Abstract: One method for counting surgical samples comprises: identifying a physical sample in a field of view of an optical sensor; indexing a sample counter for the identified physical sample; extracting a feature from a portion of the field of the view of the optical sensor; and estimating the extracorporeal blood volume in a portion of the physical sample based upon the extracted feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Gauss Surgical
    Inventors: Siddarth Satish, Kevin Miller, Ali Zandifar, Andrew Hosford
  • Publication number: 20140329069
    Abstract: A fiber-metal laminate of mutually bonded fiber-reinforced composite layers and metal sheets comprises a combination of a fiber-reinforced composite layer and an adjacent metal sheet, in which combination the properties satisfy the following relations: Elam*Ecomp/(Emetal*tmetal2) has a value between a lower bound given by a*(Vf?c)(b/(Vf?c)) with b=0.36 and c=0.3??(1a) and zero when Vf?0.3,??(1b) and an upper bound given by a*(Vf?c)(b/(Vf?c)) with b=0.88 and c=0??(1c) 0.10?Vf<0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Inventors: Gregory Wilson, Rene Alderliesten, Jan Willem Gunnink
  • Patent number: 8868375
    Abstract: Data, including a plurality of spatial positions of a device that moves through the space, at least some of the positions being positions along the boundary, is accessed; a physical measurement of a region at the boundary is accessed; a determined measurement of the region at the boundary, the determined measurement being based on a subset of the plurality of spatial positions; comparing the physical measurement and the determined measurement, is accessed; a correction based on the comparison is determined; the correction is applied to at least some of the plurality of spatial positions to generate corrected spatial positions; a diagram of the space based on the corrected spatial positions is generated; and the diagram of the space is presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Locometric Ltd
    Inventor: Max Christian
  • Publication number: 20140257749
    Abstract: A dietary measurement system and a method of correlating dietary information to a defined volume of a measuring device are provided to reduce the effort and time necessary to keep track of the nutritional intake. The dietary measurement system comprises at least a measuring device adapted to accommodate food having multiple measurement indicators representing defined volumes, a nutrition database comprising dietary contents information for food and a mapping device. The mapping device comprises an input interface for receiving food selection information and a mapping processor, connected with said input interface and said nutrition database, said mapping processor being adapted to generate dietary correlation data from said dietary contents information, said dietary correlation data providing a reference between one of said measurement indicators of said measuring device and a given dietary contents level for food according to said food selection information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Inventor: George Alexander Nathanson
  • Publication number: 20140244208
    Abstract: In a method for determining an area milled by at least one construction machine or at least one mining machine by means of a milling drum (2) by means of working a predetermined area in several milling trajectories by at least one machine (1), determining the length of the milling trajectories along which a milling operation has taken place by evaluating the continuous machine positions, adding up the previously milled partial areas taking into account the length of the milling trajectory and the installed width of the milling drum (2), wherein the partial area currently milled along the milling trajectory is checked, either continuously or subsequently, for overlapping or multiple overlapping with any previously milled partial areas, and any partial areas which overlap are deducted, as overlapping areas, from the added-up previously milled partial areas, the total added-up partial areas milled minus the total overlapping areas established give the milled area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: WIRTGEN GMBH
    Inventors: Sven Paulsen, Stefan Wagner, Cyrus Barimani, Günter Hähn
  • Publication number: 20140214359
    Abstract: A method, non-transitory computer readable medium and a system that includes a fuzzy logic module arranged to apply a fuzzy logic algorithm for calculating, in response to received echoes that are received by a receiver, confidence levels of origins of received echoes; wherein the received echoes are reflected or scattered from the origins; and a volume calculator that is arranged to calculate a volume of the content in response to (a) estimated locations of the origins, and (b) the confidence levels of the origins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Inventors: Avishai Bartov, Yossi Zlotnick
  • Patent number: 8775119
    Abstract: A system and method for identifying stands or portions thereof that are not growing as expected. In one embodiment, a computer system compares a measured leaf area index of a stand that is determined from remotely sensed data to an expected leaf area index. The computer system identifies stands or portions of stands where the measured leaf area index is greater than the expected leaf area index and/or stands or portions of stands where the measured leaf area index is less than the expected leaf area index. In one embodiment, the comparison is used to identify stands or portions thereof where silviculture treatments may be necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser NR Company
    Inventor: Julio C. Rojas
  • Patent number: 8762099
    Abstract: A measurement method of the present invention is a measurement method which measures a target divided into a plurality of partial regions to measure a whole shape of the target by stitching the plurality of partial regions. The measurement method comprises Steps S501 to S511 which measures a plurality of partial regions, Step S102 which determines an error in a partial region that is a reference, Step S105 which calculates each of errors in the plurality of partial regions, and Step S107 which performs a correction depending on each of the errors to stitch the plurality of partial regions. Steps S102 to S107 are repeatedly performed by changing the partial region that is the reference (S110).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuki Oshima
  • Publication number: 20140172360
    Abstract: A method of volumetric monitoring for individual remotely located storage bins, in which a plurality of non-volumetric bin sensors are deployed for temperature or other monitoring. By monitoring the contact of particulate material stored within the bin with the non-volumetric bin sensors deployed therein, in relation to the positioning of those sensors within the height of the bin, the approximate level of filling of the storage bin can be monitored remotely by connecting the sensors to a location-based transceiver, which in turn communicates with a central monitoring system. The transceiver will monitor data received from the bin sensors and in accordance with predetermined notification conditions may send a signal to the central monitoring system when a notification condition, such as a depleted storage level within the bin, is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Inventor: Kyle Ronald Folk
  • Publication number: 20140142889
    Abstract: A method of calculating a throat area of a section of a machinery, according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, outlining a boundary of the throat area of the section, selecting a plurality of inspection points along the boundary of the throat area, dividing the throat area into a plurality of sections, calculating an individual area of each of the plurality of sections and summing the individual areas of each of the plurality of sections to calculate the throat area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: United Technologies Corporation
  • Publication number: 20140100812
    Abstract: According to various embodiments, package evaluation systems and methods are provided for evaluating the sustainability of packaging used in the shipment of goods. In particular, the package evaluation systems and methods are configured for performing package evaluations and managing and providing access to data resulting from package evaluations. The package evaluations are designed to assess, among other things, the ability of sample packages to prevent damage to their contents, the volumetric efficiency of sample packages, and the sustainability of the materials used to construct sample packages. In addition, the systems and methods are further configured for assigning a certification to an entity associated with the evaluated packages based on the results of the evaluation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: UNITED PARCEL SERVICE OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: ARNOLD BARLOW, DENNIS R. ESTEP, ANDREW J. GRUBER, PATRICK MCDAVID, QUINTO MARINI, NANCY PARMER
  • Patent number: 8694281
    Abstract: A method for determining the outlet cross-section of a component including one or more turbine blades, in particular of a turbine blade twin, of a gas turbine, in which at least one closed outlet cross-section is measured between the turbine blades, and/or respective open outlet cross-sections are measured on the side of the at least one turbine blade, using a measurement device, wherein in order to determine the corresponding outlet cross-section its respective bounding walls are traversed by the measurement device along a measurement line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines GmbH
    Inventors: Anja Lange, Jens-Heiko Perleberg
  • Patent number: 8676520
    Abstract: A method for determining an amount of a liquid energy commodity in storage in an underground cavern generally comprises the steps of: establishing a volume function for a brine pond associated with the underground cavern; acquiring an image of the brine pond; transmitting the acquired image to a central processing facility; analyzing the acquired image to calculate a depth of the brine in the brine pond; estimating the volume of the brine in the brine pond based on the calculated depth and using the volume function; determining the amount of the liquid energy commodity in storage in the underground cavern associated with the brine pond based on the estimated volume of the brine in the brine pond; and communicating information about the amount of the liquid energy commodity in storage to a third-party market participant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Genscape Intangible Holding, Inc.
    Inventors: Susan Olson, Deirdre Alphenaar, Abudi Zein, Jason Fuchs
  • Publication number: 20140046627
    Abstract: A wall area estimation system generates an estimated wall area measurement of a building based on the received roof measurements (e.g., those generated by, received from or found in a three-dimensional model of the roof) and a reference distance. The reference distance is a measurement indicative of a distance between the roof and a model ground surface placed on an image of the building where the walls of the building meet the ground. This reference distance may be used to determine how for down to extend the walls of the building (e.g., to a ground level) when building a three-dimensional digital model of the building to aid in generating wall area measurements. The resulting wall measurements, roof measurements, measurements of areas missing from the wall used to generate a wall estimate report, or a combined roof and wall estimate report including various different identifiers indicating the different features and measurements based on the three-dimensional model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: EAGLE VIEW TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Chris Pershing
  • Publication number: 20130346020
    Abstract: A system generates an estimated floor area measurement of a building based on the calculated estimated total roof area of the roof of the building. This is based on a correlation between the size of the building roof and the size of the building. Typically, the floor area of a single full floor of the building is roughly the size of the roof of the building if the roof were flat with no slope. This in effect is turning the roof into a floor to generate estimated floor area. With additional adjustments to area measurements to account for multiple floors, roof overhang, wall width, internal building features such as walls and staircases, and/or obstructed views of the building in the aerial image(s), etc., an even more accurate floor area estimation may be generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: EAGLE VIEW TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Chris Pershing
  • Patent number: 8594954
    Abstract: Method of estimating the volume (Vtk) of a tank (1), comprising: a step of calculating the volume (Vtk) of the tank (1) by applying the law of conservation of enthalpy (H) of the gas, considering that the transfer of the checking stream of gas is adiabatic (Ttk(t1)=Ttk(t2) and Tsi(t1)=Tsi(t2)), expressing the enthalpy of the gas in the tank as a function only of the temperature Ttk(ti) of the gas and the pressure Ptk(ti) of the gas (Htk=function of (Ttk(ti); Ptk(ti)), using the perfect gas law or a Van der Waals equation of state expressing the volume of the tank Vtk(ti) (in cubic meters) only as a function of the known or previously estimated variables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Jonathan Macron, Loïc Damongeot
  • Patent number: 8577644
    Abstract: Techniques for hard press rejection are described herein. In an example embodiment, a touch area on a sensor array is determined, where the touch area corresponds to a detected object and is associated with multiple signal values. A slope value for the detected object is computed based on a ratio of a signal distribution value in the touch area to a metric indicating a size of the touch area with respect to the sensor array. The slope value is compared to a threshold in order to determine whether to accept or to reject the detected object, and the detected object is rejected based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventors: Petro Ksondzyk, Jae-Bum Ahn
  • Patent number: 8558831
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for drawing a distribution area of data points on a coordinate plane. The method includes a step in which a data point is selected as a first representative point; a step in which the data point corresponding to a direction in which a minimum angle is formed with respect to a first direction in a rotation direction is selected as a second representative point; a step in which the data point corresponding to a direction in which a minimum angle is formed with respect to a next direction in the rotation direction is selected as a next representative point, the step repeatedly selecting the next representative point; and a step in which the representative points are connected by a line to draw a distribution area indication line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Yanai, Junichi Konishi
  • Publication number: 20130262028
    Abstract: The present invention relates a method to estimate representative elementary volume (REV) in a sample of porous media wherein the sub-volume selected is a better approximation of the elementary volume than existing methods. REV in a sample of porous media such as rock can be defined wherein the REV is selected with respect to the expected direction of fluid flow through the porous media. The method can quantify how good is the digital representation of a rock and how accurate a description of a fluid flow through Darcy's law will be, and allows the evaluation of different length scales in different directions for the REV and an assessment of the anisotropy of the pores structures when the method is applied in different directions. The method also can determine a robust criteria to understand when a trend of porosity-permeability breaks down due to an insufficient size of the subsample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: Ingrain, Inc.
    Inventors: Giuseppe DE PRISCO, Jonas TOELKE
  • Publication number: 20130262029
    Abstract: A system generates an estimated floor area measurement of a building based on the calculated estimated total roof area of the roof of the building. This is based on a correlation between the size of the building roof and the size of the building. Typically, the floor area of a single full floor of the building is roughly the size of the roof of the building if the roof were flat with no slope. This in effect is turning the roof into a floor to generate estimated floor area. With additional adjustments to area measurements to account for multiple floors, roof overhang, wall width, internal building features such as walls and staircases, and/or obstructed views of the building in the aerial image(s), etc., an even more accurate floor area estimation may be generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: EAGLE VIEW TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Chris Pershing
  • Patent number: 8542229
    Abstract: A disclosed identification method of identifying a data point distribution area on a coordinate plane includes selecting a data point as a first representative point, setting the first representative point as an initial reference point, setting a direction passing through the initial reference point as an initial representative point selection direction, selecting an initial data point direction having a smallest angle relative to the initial representative point selection direction in a predetermined rotation direction when viewed from the initial representative point selection direction, selecting a data point corresponding to the initial data point direction as a second representative point of the data point distribution area, and determining whether there is an overlapping area where a distribution representative point area overlaps a determination area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirokazu Yanai
  • Publication number: 20130226515
    Abstract: A wall area estimation system generates an estimated wall area measurement report of a building. Included in the wall area measurement estimate report are multiple line drawings of a building having a roof. Two of the multiple line drawings are perspective views from an angle of view above the building. A first of the perspective views is substantially centered on a first substantially vertical exterior corner of the house that is approximately opposite of a second substantially vertical exterior corner of the house on which a second of the perspective views is substantially centered. The first and second of the perspective views include a line drawing of the roof that is transparent or translucent to show interior surfaces of the walls of the building in the first and second of the perspective views. The walls of the interior surfaces shown are shaded darker than the walls of the exterior.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: EAGLE VIEW TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: EAGLE VIEW TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
  • Patent number: 8515709
    Abstract: A portable device, a system and a method measure a volume of a vessel, such as, for example, an expandable bag and/or a pressurized vessel, using a light-emitting diode (LED) located within the portable device. A shaft which may extend from the portable device may be introduced into the vessel. The light emitted by the LED may travel through the shaft into the vessel, and light reflected by the interior of the vessel may travel through the shaft into the portable device. The shaft may be introduced into a container in which at least a portion of the vessel is located. The light emitted by the LED may travel through the shaft into the container, and light reflected by the interior of the container and/or the exterior of the vessel may travel through the shaft into the portable device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Phaedrus, LLC
    Inventor: Bradley W. Engstrand
  • Publication number: 20130202157
    Abstract: A wall area estimation system generates an estimated wall area measurement of a building based on the received roof measurements (e.g., those generated by, received from or found in a three dimensional model of the roof) and a reference distance. The reference distance is a measurement indicative of a distance between a reference point on the roof and a ground surface. This reference distance may be used to determine how for down to extend the walls of the building (e.g., to a ground level) when building a three dimensional digital model of the building to aid in generating wall area measurements. The resulting wall measurements, roof measurements, measurements of areas missing from the wall used to generate a wall estimate report, or a combined roof and wall estimate report including various different identifiers indicating the different features and measurements based on the three dimensional model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Inventor: Chris Pershing
  • Publication number: 20130204575
    Abstract: A system generates an estimated floor area measurement of a building based on the calculated estimated total roof area of the roof of the building. This is based on a correlation between the size of the building roof and the size of the building. Typically, the floor area of a single full floor of the building is roughly the size of the roof of the building if the roof were flat with no slope (i.e., virtually turning the roof into another floor to generate estimated floor area). With additional adjustments to area measurements to account for multiple floors, roof overhang, wall width, internal building features such as walls and staircases, and/or obstructed views of the building in the aerial image(s), etc., an even more accurate floor area estimation may be generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Inventor: Chris Pershing
  • Patent number: 8473227
    Abstract: A method for determining an amount of a liquid energy commodity in storage in an underground cavern generally comprises the steps of: establishing a volume function for a brine pond associated with the underground cavern; acquiring an image of the brine pond; transmitting the acquired image to a central processing facility; analyzing the acquired image to calculate a depth of the brine in the brine pond; estimating the volume of the brine in the brine pond based on the calculated depth and using the volume function; determining the amount of the liquid energy commodity in storage in the underground cavern associated with the brine pond based on the estimated volume of the brine in the brine pond; and communicating information about the amount of the liquid energy commodity in storage to a third-party market participant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Genscape Intangible Holding, Inc.
    Inventors: Susan Olson, Deirdre Alphenaar, Abudi Zein, Jason Fuchs