Patents Examined by Brian E. Miller
  • Curved outer gimbal strut
    Patent number: 11308982
    Abstract: A head gimbal assembly for supporting a disk drive includes a slider, a load beam, a ring gimbal affixed to the load beam, and a flexure. The gimbal includes a curved outer gimbal strut comprising a protrusion located between a first straight section of the curved outer gimbal strut and a second straight section of the curved outer gimbal strut. The flexure includes a first end extending along the load beam through a center region of a longitudinal axis of the head gimbal assembly and second end that includes a plurality of bond pads electrically coupled to the slider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventor: Mark Pallay
  • Plate material, plate material tearing method, and suspension
    Patent number: 11308983
    Abstract: A plate material has a first portion, a second portion, and a fracture portion connecting the first portion and the second portion, and is separated into the first portion and the second portion by tearing the fracture portion. The first portion and the second portion are arranged in a first direction. The fracture portion has thin portions arranged in a second direction crossing the first direction. Widths in the second direction of the thin portions are different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masaru Inoue
  • Fluid line connector and assembly with securement detection
    Patent number: 11306857
    Abstract: A fluid line connector provides remote securement detection capabilities and is hence equipped for initial assembly, subsequent quality inspection, and subsequent service techniques that can be automated, robotic, and/or autonomous. The fluid line connector, in an embodiment, includes a body, a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag, and an actuator member. The body has a passage for fluid-flow therethrough. The RFID tag can communicate with an RFID interrogator and has a circuit with a break in the circuit. A portion or more, such as a surface, of the actuator member is composed of an electrically-conductive material. The electrically-conductive portion bridges the break when the actuator member is actuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Norma U.S. Holding LLC
    Inventors: Manuel Baudoin, Brian T. Ignaczak, Mateusz Jarosz, René Schindler, Bruno Jacksteit
  • Easy unlocking method with safety using an electronic key and a biological feature
    Patent number: 11302128
    Abstract: An unlocking method includes using an electronic key to execute a lock control app. An account number and a password are set and stored under guidance of the lock control app. A predetermined biological feature is inputted after login of the lock control app and is used to create an authenticated biological feature. The electronic key is used to match with a lock under guidance of the lock control app which is executed as a background program after matching is successful. An unlocking information is outputted to the lock when the authenticated biological feature matches with a biological feature inputted while the electronic key is connected to the lock. The lock switches to an unlocking state when the unlocking information is identified as being correct. When no biological feature is inputted while the electronic key is connected to the lock, the electronic key is disconnected from the lock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Inventor: I-Ting Shen
  • Method and apparatus for identity authentication, and computer readable storage medium
    Patent number: 11294995
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method and an apparatus for identity authentication, an electronic device, and a computer readable storage medium. The method for identity authentication includes: acquiring a signal of a speech of a user; generating feature data with a plurality of dimensions based on the signal, the feature data with the plurality of dimensions indicate different characteristics of the signal; and determining an identity of the user based on the feature data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Beijing Baidu Netcom Science Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Runqi Zhang
  • Capturing communication user intent when interacting with multiple access controls
    Patent number: 11295563
    Abstract: A method of advertisement filtering including receiving advertisements from a multiple of access controls; filtering the received advertisements based on a credential on the mobile device; comparing the filtered received advertisements and determining a user intent to access a particular access control in response to the comparing and to a destination intent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Adam Kuenzi, Jonah J. Harkema, Steve Switzer
  • Communications circuitry supporting high-Q antenna
    Patent number: 11296751
    Abstract: Radio-frequency transmission and reception circuitry is adapted for use with a high-quality-factor antenna. On the transmission side, control circuitry is provided to maintain resonance at the transmission frequency. On the reception side, multiple receive paths are independently controllable for temporal alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Geissler Companies, LLC
    Inventor: Yuri Smirnov
  • Smart electronic lock and the method for using same
    Patent number: 11288907
    Abstract: Provided is a smart electronic lock and method for using same. The smart electronic lock includes an electronic lock body having a USB socket internally connected to a main control board for driving a driver to connect to an electronic lock cylinder, and a handheld device having a main power source and an unlocking unit for allowing user to input an unlocking password through an unlocking application, as well as a USB connection cable that is removably connected between the handheld device and the electronic lock body. The smart electronic lock eliminates the need of configuring an internal power source or a battery and allows the handheld device to supply power to the main control board through a USB charging port. The unlocking of the electronic lock body is attained by the comparison result of an inputted unlocking password.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Inventors: Chih-Kai Hsieh, Chang-Jung Su, Chia-Wei Chang
  • Stress-reducing gimbal tethers
    Patent number: 11289120
    Abstract: A head gimbal assembly for supporting a disk drive includes a flexure, a slider, a load beam and a gimbal affixed to the load beam. The flexure includes a first end extending along the load beam through a center region of a longitudinal axis of the head gimbal assembly and second end that includes a plurality of bond pads electrically coupled to the slider. The gimbal includes a detab, a connector region, a stator region and a central tongue region. The gimbal includes a gimbal tether configured to reduce stress on a first portion of the gimbal by coupling the first portion of the gimbal to a second portion of the gimbal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventor: Mark Pallay
  • Systems for fingerprint sensor triggered voice interaction in an electronic device
    Patent number: 11281758
    Abstract: An electronic device includes an audio capture device operable to receive audio input, a fingerprint sensor operable to receive fingerprint data, and one or more processors, operable with the audio capture device and the fingerprint sensor. The fingerprint sensor can authenticate a person as an authorized user of an electronic device while device commands are being received in the form of audio input to allow for secure voice interactions without requiring a trigger phrase. The fingerprint sensor can be used in combination with the receipt of voice input to perform two-factor authentication. The fingerprint sensor and audio capture device can be used in combination to enroll, or update enrollment, of a user interacting with a voice assistant as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: John Gorsica, Thomas Merrell, Kathryn Thomas, James Wylder
  • Magnetic recording head with non-magnetic conductive structure
    Patent number: 11276422
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to data storage devices, and more specifically, to a magnetic media drive employing a magnetic recording head. The head includes a trailing shield, a main pole, an STO disposed between the trailing shield and the main pole, and a non-magnetic conductive structure (or non-magnetic conductive layers) adjacent to the main pole and in contact with the STO. The non-magnetic conductive structure provides additional paths for electrical currents to flow to the STO. The non-magnetic conductive structure enables higher current density to the STO without creating hot spots at the MFS. Maximum current efficiency and uniformity can be achieved with the non-magnetic conductive structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Quang Le, Michael Kuok San Ho, Suping Song, Goncalo Marcos Baião De Albuquerque
  • Reader with a compensating layer
    Patent number: 11276423
    Abstract: A reader includes a bearing surface and a free layer having a front surface and a rear surface. The front surface of the free layer forms a portion of the bearing surface. The reader also includes a compensating layer behind the rear surface of the free layer. The reader further includes a tunnel barrier layer below the free layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Alexey Dobrynin, Kevin Anthony McNeill
  • Method for remotely unlocking a lock
    Patent number: 11270536
    Abstract: It is provided a method for requesting remote unlocking of an electronic lock controlling access to a physical space. The method is performed in a user device and comprises steps of: sending a control message to an access controller, the control message comprising user authentication information, the control message causing the access controller to trigger the electronic lock to emit an alert signal; and sending an unlock message to the access controller comprising the user authentication information, in order to unlock the electronic lock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: ASSA ABLOY AB
    Inventors: Stefan Strömberg, Sona Singh
  • Area density capacity improvement with negative anisotropic magnetic material trailing shield notch
    Patent number: 11264052
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a magnetic recording device comprising a magnetic recording head having a negative anisotropic magnetic (?Ku) material notch. The magnetic recording device comprises a main pole disposed at a media facing surface (MFS), a trailing shield disposed adjacent to the main pole, and a trailing gap disposed between the main pole and the trailing shield. The trailing shield comprises a hot seed layer disposed adjacent to the trailing gap, and a notch comprising a ?Ku material in contact with the hot seed layer and the trailing gap. The notch is disposed adjacent to a first surface of the main pole at the MFS. The notch comprising the ?Ku material results in an increased effective write magnetic field, an increased down-track field gradient due to reduced shunting from the main pole to the trailing shield, leading to an increased areal density capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Suping Song, Lijie Guan, Terence Lam, Changqing Shi
  • Housing device and system
    Patent number: 11260826
    Abstract: There is provided a housing device configured to store an electronic key configured to perform wireless communication with an in-vehicle device, the housing device comprising: a housing formed by using a material that shields a first signal of a first frequency band transmitted by the in-vehicle device; a trigger signal reception antenna configured to receive a trigger signal transmitted by a portable device; and an actuator disposed inside the housing, and configured to operate an operation section installed in the electronic key based on the trigger signal, wherein the housing includes a passage structure that allows a second signal of a second frequency band to pass outside, the second signal being transmitted by the electronic key, and having a shorter wavelength than a wavelength of the first signal, and the second signal is used to control a control target device installed in the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI RIKA DENKI SEISAKUSHO
    Inventors: Masanori Kosugi, Yosuke Doi
  • Capacitive one turn (C1T) perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) writer designs
    Patent number: 11264051
    Abstract: A PMR writer with a capacitive one turn design is disclosed with a one turn top coil above the main pole (MP), a one turn bottom coil below the MP, and where a capacitor (C_bot) is electrically connected to the bottom coil thereby shunting the write current (lw) in the bottom coil above certain frequencies proximate to 1 GHz. The C_bot is made of TiO2 or Al-doped TiO2, for example, with a dielectric constant >10. As a result, the writer behaves like a 1+1T writer at lw frequencies substantially below 1 GHz, as a 1+0.xT writer at lw frequencies proximate to 1 GHz, and like a 1+0T writer in an overshoot region of the lw. Accordingly, better trailing shield field gradient, signal-to-noise ratio, and bit error rate during high frequency operation are achieved without compromising saturation speed and adjacent track interference for an overall improvement in performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Headway Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Yue Liu
  • Methods and systems for fingerprint sensor triggered voice interaction in an electronic device
    Patent number: 11250117
    Abstract: An electronic device includes an audio capture device operable to receive audio input, a fingerprint sensor operable to receive fingerprint data, and one or more processors, operable with the audio capture device and the fingerprint sensor. The fingerprint sensor can authenticate a person as an authorized user of an electronic device while device commands are being received in the form of audio input to allow for secure voice interactions without requiring a trigger phrase. The fingerprint sensor can be used in combination with the receipt of voice input to perform two-factor authentication. The fingerprint sensor and audio capture device can be used in combination to enroll, or update enrollment, of a user interacting with a voice assistant as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: John Gorsica, Thomas Merrell, Kathryn Thomas, James Wylder
  • Systems, methods, and apparatuses for ensuring worker safety
    Patent number: 11247080
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses for ensuring safety of a worker are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Hussain Al-Rasheed, Abdullah Al Zahrani
  • Disk device with base and first and second covers
    Patent number: 11238892
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a disk device includes a recording medium, a base accommodating the recording medium, the base including a bottom wall, a sidewall on a peripheral portion of the bottom wall, and a rib on a part of an upper surface of the sidewall, a first cover on a part of the upper surface of the sidewall, and a second cover on the rib and above the first cover. The rib includes a first region with a first chamfered surface with a first chamfered width and a second region with a second chamfered surface with a second chamfered width which is less than the first chamfered width. The first region and the second region are located corresponding to a side portion of the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasuhiko Kato
  • Spacer and hard disk drive apparatus
    Patent number: 11238895
    Abstract: A ring-shaped spacer is to be arranged in contact with a magnetic disk in a hard disk drive apparatus. A maximum height surface roughness Rz of an outer circumferential edge surface of the spacer is at least 1.5 ?m, and the spacer is made of amorphous glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masao Takano