Patents Examined by Ali Neyzari
  • Patent number: 10040611
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a lock-box may include assembling top, bottom, left, right, and rear walls. A front door may be assembled with an electromechanical lock assembly mounted thereto, and be rotatably secured to a wall. A user interface may be electrically connected to the electromechanical lock assembly, and accessible to a user at the front face of the lock-box. An illumination device may be electrically connected to electronics of the electromechanical lock assembly. A backlit panel may be removably attached to the front door to form a portion of a front face of the front door, where the backlit panel is positioned in front of the illumination device so that information on the backlit panel is illuminated when the illumination device is illuminated. A latch member may be secured within the lock-box to secure the front door when in a closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Safemark Systems, LP
    Inventor: Scott Nelson
  • Patent number: 10043046
    Abstract: Messages may be passed between Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags using RFID readers. A first tag with a message intended for a second tag sends the message to an RFID reader. The reader then determines that the destination of the message is the second tag and sends the message to the second tag. The second tag may confirm receipt of the message by sending a receipt confirmation message to the reader for forwarding to the first tag, and/or the reader may itself confirm that the message was sent to the second tag by sending a transmit confirmation message to the first tag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Impinj, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Robshaw, Tan Mau Wu
  • Patent number: 10040672
    Abstract: A portable transmitting/receiving device, in particular in the form a remote control device for lifting and industrial devices, has a housing that has a receiving portion for accommodating an electronic controller and for mounting at least one operating element (such as a joystick, switch, regulator, or touchscreen with virtual operating elements). Additionally, the housing extends in the vertical direction from a lower-face base contour to an upper-face terminating contour and is perpendicularly delimited by a lateral contour. At least a substantial part of the housing is made of a molded housing part made of an elastomer, the molded housing part forming at least the upper-face terminating contour and the lateral contour. The molded housing part forms a basin that delimits the receiving area and that has a circumferential wall that is completely made of an elastomer and that has a closable opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Inventor: Thomas Haug
  • Patent number: 10040009
    Abstract: A filter cartridge includes a radio frequency identification tag positioned at an outer surface of a casing. The radio frequency identification tag includes an antenna and an integrated circuit. The antenna, the integrated circuit or both the antenna and the integrated circuit are fixedly connected to one or more of the casing, a water absorbent material and a fiber fabric positioned over the radio frequency identification tag on the outer surface of the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Reinhard Krause, Gregory Sergeevich Chernov
  • Patent number: 10037449
    Abstract: A storage unit includes a support bar for hanging items and an RFID antenna provided within a predefined distance of the support bar. When the items hanging from the support bar are adorned with RFID tags, and the RFID antenna emits electromagnetic fields in a direction of the support bar, RFID signals identifying the items are transmitted from the RFID tags to the RFID antenna, thereby enabling a placement or a removal of an item to be automatically registered, or an accounting of the available items to be automatically performed. The RFID antenna may be a portion of a transmission line that uses shields and/or dielectric materials to shape the electromagnetic fields toward a predefined direction, and the locations of items bearing RFID tags on the support bar may be determined by varying the phase of the emitted radiofrequency and determining strengths of RFID signals when the electromagnetic fields are emitted at varying phases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Camerin Hahn, Somasundaram Niranjayan, Ronald Eugene Huebner
  • Patent number: 10037640
    Abstract: A closure lid attached to a secure storage device for storing material is provided. The closure lid attaches to a storage device that may include a container having a void for external access to the interior space. The closure lid, similarly dimensioned according to the void may be joined to the container and can be manipulated between an open or closed state by utilizing locking tabs. The closure lid may provide an airtight tight without utilizing a vacuum pump. Locking tabs may deploy and retract in the closure lid; the locking tabs may deploy and retract when a one-step operation of applying pressure to the closure lid and turning a control ring clockwise engages and disengages the locking tabs. An access control system is configured to present an input, validate user input, and permit a state change of the lock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Sneakguard, LLC
    Inventor: Graeme Gordon
  • Patent number: 10025300
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a non-transitory computer readable medium may include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, may receive a first set of data associated with a user, receive a second set of data associated with one or more lockout procedures performed by the user, receive a request to actuate a locking mechanism of an electronic lock configured to prevent a machine in an industrial automation application from being operational, and send a signal to the electronic lock to actuate the locking mechanism when the second set of data indicates that the lockout procedures have been performed by the user and the data corresponds to an authorized user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: ROCKWELL AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Jimi R. Michalscheck, Kelly A. Michalscheck, Jessica L. Korpela, Kyle K. Reissner, David A. Vasko, John J. Jauquet, Matthew R. Ericsson, Andrew Wilber
  • Patent number: 10019893
    Abstract: A wireless communications module including control circuitry disposed within a housing of a USB device or dongle is provided. The wireless communications module includes a USB connector for connecting the control circuitry of the wireless transceiver to control circuitry of a DMX enabled device via a USB port of the DMX enabled device. The wireless communications module further includes a wireless transceiver configured to wirelessly transmit control signals from the DMX enabled device to a wireless communications module of another DMX enabled device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Chauvet & Sons, LLC
    Inventor: Albert Chauvet
  • Patent number: 10019608
    Abstract: A method for operating an RFID device is disclosed. In the embodiment, the method involves establishing a radio-frequency link, receiving signal samples of the radio-frequency link, determining the offset of an initial phase of the link by filtering noise from the signal samples, windowing the filtered signal samples, and calculating an offset value from phase differences between the windows of signal samples, and modifying a configuration profile based on the offset value. During data transmission the configuration profile can be used to configure the transmitter in order to maintain the constant phase during transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Ulrich Neffe, Hubert Watzinger, Michael Stark, Johannes Bruckbauer, Thomas Noisternig
  • Patent number: 10014011
    Abstract: A method including depositing a plasmonic material at a temperature of at least 150° C.; and forming at least a peg of a near field transducer (NFT) from the deposited plasmonic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Sarbeswar Sahoo, Tong Zhao, Michael C. Kautzky
  • Patent number: 9996996
    Abstract: Tracking, identifying and article management systems and methods for reliably and repeatedly determining one or more physically uncopiable attribute instances (of the same or varying types) from or inherent in an article of manufacture, using the selected physical uncopiable attribute(s) to produce an unforgeable identity for the article, and then integrating that unforgeable identity into computer-based tracking systems in a way that permits the tracking system to track and monitor articles for which identity information is known. Applications include documents, fashion accessories, artwork, and other objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Siebels Asset Management Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Jane Marie Siebels, Jeffrey Guy Bonar, Karl Ginter, John Langley Rehwinkel, Derek S. Toledo-Silbert
  • Patent number: 9998932
    Abstract: A system for detecting a fault in a first wire of a power grid that affects a transmission or reception of electromagnetic waves that transport data and that propagate along a surface of the first wire, selecting a backup communication medium from one or more backup communication mediums according to one or more selection criteria, and redirecting the data to the backup communication medium to circumvent the fault. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Paul Shala Henry, Robert Bennett, Irwin Gerszberg, Farhad Barzegar, Donald J Barnickel, Thomas M. Willis, III
  • Patent number: 9990788
    Abstract: An electronic device associated with a lock device detects a trigger event related to security of a smart home environment, determines a target state of the lock device based on the trigger event, and determines a current state of the lock device. A notification is sent to a user device including an indication of the trigger event and a prompt for an override input, and instructions to operate the lock device are either provided or not provided to the lock device based on a result of a comparison of the target state with the current state, and further based on a received override input or lack of a received override input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventor: Mark Malhotra
  • Patent number: 9988791
    Abstract: A management server (32) is provided in a position away from a hydraulic excavator (1). An operator ID and a vehicle body ID and output characteristic information are stored in a memory device (32A) in the management server (32) in such a manner as to be associated with operability desired by each of operators. The management server (32) extracts the output characteristic information in conformity with the operability desired by an operator from the operator ID and the vehicle body ID, and outputs the extracted output characteristic information to the hydraulic excavator (1). A control device (17) in the hydraulic excavator (1) changes the output characteristics of hydraulic actuators (4D), (4E), (4F), (2B), (3B) based upon the output characteristic information stored in a memory (19).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Katsumasa Uji, Yuuichirou Morita, Kouichi Shibata
  • Patent number: 9990791
    Abstract: The lockbox contains a microcomputer used in the processes of validating preapproved credentials. One method of obtaining access to the lockbox is by user carrying only an identification card, the lockbox scanning the identification card and transmitting its data to the lockbox's server for validation via an internal cell phone modem's connection through cell towers. The lockbox is also capable of capturing video and audio recordings, storing and categorizing the recordings into data such as traffic or noise levels over varying periods of time; and such data can be transferred to a user's cell phone upon the owner's approval. Additionally, the lockbox is powered by a solar panel power source, making it self-sustaining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Inventors: Matthew Firth, Casper Wypych, Soroush Pourreza
  • Patent number: 9992660
    Abstract: A radio-frequency identification (RFID) transponder device is disclosed. The RFID transponder device includes an antenna component for inductive communication with at least one basestation transceiver device and an interface component coupled to the antenna component. The interface component includes a demodulation component arranged to perform demodulation of a signal at the antenna component for basestation-to-transponder communication and a modulation component arranged to perform modulation of the signal at the antenna component for transponder-to-basestation communication. The interface component is arranged to operate in at least a charge and talk mode of operation, and during the charge and talk mode of operation the modulation component is arranged to perform binary phase-shift keying, BPSK, modulation of the signal at the antenna component for the transponder-to-basestation communication. A RFID basestation transceiver device is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventor: Sven Simons
  • Patent number: 9986065
    Abstract: A secure remote actuation system includes a remote input receptor that receives one or more user inputs from a user, a cloud-based network stores the one or more acceptable inputs, a network device obtains the one or more user inputs from the remote input receptor, the network device obtains the one or more user inputs from the remote input receptor while the user is using the user interface, a cloud-based network compares the one or more user inputs to the one or more acceptable inputs, the acceptable inputs at least partially derived from dynamically changing environmental parameters, and a remote device is controlled based on the comparison of the one or more user inputs to the one or more acceptable inputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Mark Hall, Craig Boswell, Steven Malone
  • Patent number: 9984517
    Abstract: A system and method for determining entry to a secured area at a checkpoint, wherein the method can comprise the steps of receiving by an Access Control Operations Center (ACOC) server from a checkpoint computer a request for entry and identification data, and requesting one or more records from one or more public records databases. The method can also comprise receiving by the ACOC server the records from the one or more public record databases, and performing a keyword search on the one or more records using one or more predetermined keywords to find hits on the one or more predetermined keywords. Moreover, the method can comprise excluding false hits from the hits. Furthermore, the method can comprise sending by the ACOC server to the checkpoint computer a directive to deny the request for entry if any of the hits remain after excluding the false hits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Inventor: Jeremy Keith Mattern
  • Patent number: 9982464
    Abstract: A security device is provided including a security lock configured to retain an object when locked, a receiver configured to receive a security code transmission, and processing circuitry configured to transition the security lock between a locked state and unlock permissive state based on receipt of a security code. The security lock may initially be set to the unlock permissive state. At the first instance in which a security code is received, the processing circuitry may transition the security lock to a key permissive mode in which the security lock transitions to a locked state and in response to a subsequent receipt of the security code the security lock transitions to the unlock permissive state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Checkpoint Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Benoit Perreau, David P. Christianson, Donald Matthew Johnson
  • Patent number: 9980090
    Abstract: A system and method for associating a mobile computing device with a particular seat in a seating environment. The system collects first sensor data from device sensors of a first mobile computing device based on activity detected within the seating environment. The system then determines, for each of a plurality of seats in the seating environment, a degree of correlation with the mobile computing device based at least in part on the first sensor data, and associates the mobile computing device with the seat, among the plurality of seats, having the highest degree of correlation with the first mobile computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Sunvir Gujral, Paul Jacobs, Ravinder Chandhok, Liat Ben-Zur, Sandeep Sharma