Patents Examined by Brent A. Swarthout
  • Patent number: 9613517
    Abstract: A method, computer program product, and system for object location managing. The method including generating a first list including one or more personal objects based on a personal schedule of a user, generating a second list including one or more personal objects physically located within a predefined range of a checkpoint, comparing the first list to the second list to determine which personal objects are on both lists and which personal objects are missing, if any, from the second list, and notifying the user with the results of the comparison between the first list and the second list by activating an alarm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael E. Gildein, II, Vijai Kalathur, Rajaram B. Krishnamurthy, Christine D. Mikijanic, Moses J. Vaughan
  • Patent number: 7403133
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method of dynamically transitioning into a distinct display format during unusual attitude conditions. In one embodiment, the method includes collecting attitude data, comparing current attitude to a first set attitude angle, and fading a distinct display format into a display for unusual attitude conditions when current attitude is at least equal to the first set attitude angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventors: Gang He, Ivan S Wyatt, Jary E. Engels, Thea L. Feyereisen, Aaron J. Gannon, Blake W. Wilson
  • Patent number: 7397354
    Abstract: The invention relates to an engine cooling system monitoring system. There is a need for a cooling system monitoring system for an engine system wherein the coolant is maintained at a precise temperature. Thus, a cooling system monitoring system is provided for an engine system having internal combustion engine, a fan driven by a variable speed fan drive, and a radiator for cooling coolant circulating through the engine. The monitoring system includes a fan speed sensor generating a fan speed signal, a control unit and a display device controlled by the control unit. The control unit generates a cooling system status signal as a function of the fan speed signal and a maximum fan speed value. The display device has visible position range associated with a normal engine operating temperature, and has an indicator movable within said position range in response to the cooling system status signal to indicate a status of the engine cooling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: David Joseph Easton
  • Patent number: 7388513
    Abstract: A driving state determining system in a vehicle recognizes an obstruction that may collide with the vehicle based on obtained various information. The system executes a plurality of danger determinations that have individual determination conditions, based on a relative distance and a relative speed with the obstruction to thereby comprehensively determine one of danger regions that the vehicle is situated in. The danger regions are classified depending on a danger degree. The system then outputs a determined result to relevant devices. Each of the relevant devices thereby determines operation by obtaining the comprehensively determined result outputted by the system. Consequently, the relevant devices can function more cooperatively and more effectively to lead to increase in safety than another system where each of relevant devices determines operation by individually collecting information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shunitsu Kubo
  • Patent number: 7385529
    Abstract: The dynamic, predictive information system and method assigns shipping assets (drivers-tractors-trailers) from carriers to transport orders by shippers. Computer databases hold shipping asset data. Specific transport orders are electronically joined to specific driver-tractor-trailer combinations. A search and sort routine produces resulting records based upon proximity, trailer type, proximity of the joined driver-trailer combination, carrier service region and pick-up and delivery date constraints. The sort is by price or performance indicators which are pre-selected shipper ranges matched to historical shipping data from carriers. The system books the carrier, the driver-tractor-trailer combination and the shipper to transport order with an electronic communications phase. In a truck lane scenario, the system joins a specific driver and a specific tractor and a non-specific trailer to a specific transport order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Fittipaldi Logistics, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Hersh, Michael J. Darden, John M. Urbanowicz
  • Patent number: 7385488
    Abstract: Disclosed is a rear warning system employing an outside mirror of a vehicle. When a driver moves a vehicle backward and parks the vehicle, the rear warning system warns a driver that the vehicle approaches a person or an obstacle existing behind the vehicle and provides the driver with a visual indication of the distance between the rear end of the vehicle and the person or the obstacle, so that a vehicular collision can be prevented and the vehicle can be stopped or parked at an exact distance, thereby enhancing the convenience in driving the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Jong Gyu Kim
  • Patent number: 7385487
    Abstract: An obstacle detection system, particularly for assisting car parking that comprises a control unit and a plurality of sensors, which comprise emitters-receivers for emitting an ultrasonic signal and for receiving an echo signal reflected by at least one obstacle and an evaluator for the parametric evaluation of the received echo signals, the evaluator comprising a polling module suitable to determine, for each sensing, the number of times for which the received signals are repeated and to reject the signals that are repeated for a number of times that is lower than a preset number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Meta System - S.p.A.
    Inventor: Giuseppe Simonazzi
  • Patent number: 7385504
    Abstract: A vending machine door monitoring system for an audit system is provided. This door monitoring system may utilize the same door switch utilized by the vending machine controller (VMC) in order to detect the state of an access door for the vending machine. This door monitoring system may have a separate power supply for applying a back-up voltage to a door circuit in the event that the VMC fails to supply the voltage. The door monitoring system may be further configured to detect a state of the door circuit regardless of the order in which the terminals from the door switch are coupled to the audit system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Cantaloupe Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Anant Agrawal, A. Louis Beaudoin, Mandeep S. Arora, Fred Cheng, Eric M. Chu
  • Patent number: 7385525
    Abstract: An electronic toll collection system with dynamically adjusted timing for operation of one or more subsystems. The timing is dynamically adjusted based upon the prevailing traffic speed for the roadway. The roadway traffic speed is determined based upon direct measurements of traffic speed by external equipment or based upon a variable correlated with traffic speed. The variable may include the average number of handshakes per transponder over an estimation period. The subsystem may include a vehicle position determination system, an enforcement system, a loop detection system, or other such subsystems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Mark IV Industries Corporation
    Inventors: Thua Van Ho, Roger Tong, Wal-Cheung Tang, Daniel Terrier, Martin Capper
  • Patent number: 7382251
    Abstract: A system monitors the condition of a container. A container security device secures at least one door of the container. The container security device is programmably armed to implement the securing. The container security device is adapted to sense at least one condition of the container, transmit information relative to the at least one sensed condition to a location outside the container, and interpret the at least one sensed condition. A remote arming plug is coupled to the container security device. The remote arming plug has a unique identifier to be communicated to the container security device to initiate an arming sequence of the container security device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: CommerceGuard AB
    Inventors: Karl Bohman, Stig Ekström
  • Patent number: 7382286
    Abstract: A method of receiving a first set of target data points from a first data feed and receiving a second set of target data points from a second data feed arrangement. Comparing a time variable included in the target data points from the first set to the time variable included in the target data points from the second set to determine time matched target data points and further comparing a second variable included in the time matched target data points from the first set to the second variable included in the corresponding time matched target data points from the second set to determine fully matched target data points. Combining the first set of target data points with the second set of target data points when the fully matched target data points satisfies a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Megadata Corp.
    Inventors: James Cole, Robert Damis, John R. Keller, Bruce A. Leidahl
  • Patent number: 7382288
    Abstract: A head-up display (HUD) is disclosed. The HUD is provided on board an aircraft. The HUD comprises a projector and a combiner. The combiner enables viewing of the world outside of the combiner and also allows viewing of information provided from the projector. A computer is coupled to the projector and provides airport runway and taxiway symbols conformally mapped onto the combiner. Also provided on the combiner is a mapping of virtual airport signs onto the combiner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: John G. Wilson, Kenneth A. Zimmerman, Gary C. Bailey, Robert A. Armstrong, Louis J. Bailey
  • Patent number: 7382252
    Abstract: An emergency signal apparatus for alerting police, medical service, neighbors and people passing by to emergency situations that may arise in or at a residence. The apparatus is designed for mounting on an upright post or column such as is commonly used for supporting rural mailboxes and includes a flashing strobe light and a siren which can be activated by operation of a manual switch in the residence or by operating a remote switch by a radio frequency emitter. The signal apparatus preferably includes illuminated house numbers, chimes within the residence and automatic dialing of the 911 emergency telephone number with a prerecorded message giving name, telephone number and address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Inventor: Chet J. Brannon
  • Patent number: 7382285
    Abstract: A system and method for filtering various targets (such as ground vehicles, stationary objects, and aircraft) from display on a display screen within the cockpit of an “Own Ship” aircraft. The system and method withhold from display any non-exempt targets that have an altitude that is either: (1) greater than an upper-threshold altitude; or (2) less than a lower-threshold altitude. The upper-threshold altitude and the lower-threshold altitude may be set to user-specified, customized values as desired to accommodate current flying conditions. In addition, the system and method may also be configured to operate in a plurality of operating modes, each of which features a different upper threshold altitude/lower threshold altitude combination. The system and method are preferably configured to reset certain threshold altitudes to pre-defined default altitudes in response to the aircraft landing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Garmin AT, Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Horvath, Robert Grove, Bob Hilb, Craig Bowers
  • Patent number: 7378953
    Abstract: Provides: methods for transmission of signals between a sensor and a controller in a wireless sensor network; methods for operating the controller in the wireless sensor network; and methods for transmitting a sensor signal in the wireless sensor network from the sensor to the controller. A wireless sensor network includes a controller connected with multiple antennas for sending out a beacon signal at different instants into different directions and for receiving a sensor signal. Furthermore, the wireless sensor network comprises a sensor having a receiver connected with a sensor antenna for receiving the beacon signal, a transmitter connected with the sensor antenna for sending out the sensor signal, and a control unit which takes care that the sensor signal is transmitted after the beacon signal has been received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Pedro E. Coronel, Simeon Furrer, Wolfgang H. Schott
  • Patent number: 7362214
    Abstract: A branching device for a transmission line, including a main transmission line including at least two signal lines and having respective connectors provided at either end; a first branch transmission line which branches from the signal lines and which has a branch-use connector at an end; a second branch transmission line which branches from the signal lines and which has a branch-use terminal block at an end; a terminating resistor having one end connected to one of the signal lines; and a selection switch that switches the other end of the terminating resistor between connecting with an other one of the signal lines, and forming an open circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsutomu Mizutani
  • Patent number: 7362234
    Abstract: A control system which provides directional control over various real and virtual vehicles, craft and moveable subjects. The control system includes a housing, a controller in the housing having an electronic radio control PC board or an electronic video control PC board and tilt switches which are fixed relative to the housing at preferred orientations. The switches are connected to control terminals of the electronic control PC board. With the tilt switches fixed relative to the housing, orientation of the housing can result in the electronic control PC board transmitting signals to a remote vehicle, craft or virtual subject. Rather than tilt switches, the control system can include pots having shafts orthogonally arranged relative to the housing. The pots are connected to control terminals of the electronic control PC board. Pendulums are fixed to the shafts of the pots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Inventors: Clayton R. Golliher, James D. Moore
  • Patent number: 7362239
    Abstract: A vehicle warning system is responsive to vehicle speed and position as determined by GPS or other location based system information to alert a vehicle operator of potentially unsafe conditions when either exceeding the speed limit on a given road segment or when approaching coordinates of a designated location alert point. The system comprises a portable device, a simple device personalization process using a single physical data communications interface to a local computing device connected to the Internet, and a remote server with a segmented database that provides access to common data services, positional data updates, and device personalization functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Persen Technologies Incorporated
    Inventors: Frank M. Franczyk, James D. Vanstone
  • Patent number: 7358850
    Abstract: An obstacle detection method and system, particularly for car parking systems comprising emitting ultrasound signals at a plurality of sensors, receiving echo signals returned by at least one obstacle, performing a parametric evaluation of the received signals, determining, for each sensor, the distance between the sensor and an obstacle detected by it, associating with each sensor a value of the distance from the obstacle detected by it; determining a value corresponding to the minimum detected distance and replacing it with the sum value between a minimum distance and a priority threshold value; assigning to the sensor that detected the minimum distance a priority status; and defining a sensor polling cycle that polls more frequently a priority status sensor than non-prioritized sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Meta System S.p.A.
    Inventor: Giuseppe Simonazzi
  • Patent number: 7358851
    Abstract: A method for dynamically demonstrating vehicle features and vehicle promotions. The method involves a telematics unit receiving a broadcast over a wireless channel wherein the broadcast includes commercial information associated with at least one of the vehicle features and the vehicle promotions, filtering the broadcast to yield demonstration information which is at least a portion of the commercial information, and presenting the filtered demonstration information in an audio format and/or a video format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Russell A. Patenaude, Shpetim S. Veliu