Patents Examined by Brian Miller
  • Electronic lock with selectable power off function
    Patent number: 9567773
    Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for electronic locks with a selectable power off function. The electronic lock includes an electronic controller disposed within a lock housing and operable to control a state of the lock between locked and unlocked positions. An electronic actuator electrically coupled to the controller is movable between first and second positions corresponding to a locked position and an unlocked position of the lock, respectively. The electronic lock further includes at least one electrical energy storage device and a selector switch coupled to the controller to define a desired state of the lock between one of an electrically locked (EL) and an electrically unlocked (EU) state in an electric power off condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Schlage Lock Company LLC
    Inventors: Sundar Raj Dore Vasudevan, Dilip Bangaru, Adam Michael Litwinski, William Brian Ainley, Russell Lee Steiner, Michelle Vickrey
  • Laminated film-packed hard disk drive for hermetic sealing
    Patent number: 9570114
    Abstract: A hermetically-sealed hard disk drive (HDD) utilizes a laminated film enclosure to hermetically seal an HDD within. The laminated film enclosure may be constructed of a heat sealant layer hermetically-sealed around the HDD, a barrier layer which inhibits gas from escaping from inside the laminated film enclosure, and a film surface protective layer which protects the heat sealant and barrier layers. Embodiments may include a heat sealant layer comprising a thermoplastic polymer such as polypropylene, a barrier layer comprising a metal such as aluminum, and a film surface protective layer comprising a thermoplastic polymer such as polyethylene terephthalate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Kimihiko Sudo, Kazuki Takeichi, Takako Hayakawa, Yuta Onobu
  • Multilayer disk drive motors having out-of-plane bending
    Patent number: 9564154
    Abstract: Various embodiments concern a gimbaled flexure having a dual stage actuation structure. The flexure comprises a gimbal on which a motor is mounted. The motor comprises a first and second terminals and a plurality of actuator layers formed from a piezoelectric material. The plurality of actuator layers comprise serially stacked first, second, and third actuator layers. The plurality of actuator layers are respectively poled and connected to the first and second terminals such that both of the first and second actuator layers expand while the third actuator layer contracts in response to application of a signal across the first and second terminals. The differential motion of the plurality of layers in the motor cause the motor to curl about the contracting third actuator layer. The curling motion causes a portion of the flexure to preferentially curl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Hutchinson Technology Incorporated
    Inventors: Jacob D. Bjorstrom, Ryan N. Ruzicka, Joseph C. Wheatley
  • Method of and a system for matching audio tracks using chromaprints with a fast candidate selection routine
    Patent number: 9558272
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method of matching of a first incoming audio track with an indexed audio track, the method executable at a server, the method comprising: selecting the indexed audio track as a candidate audio track from a plurality of indexed audio tracks; validating the candidate audio track against the first audio track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: YANDEX EUROPE AG
    Inventor: Elena Andreevna Kalinina
  • Piezoelectric disk drive suspension motors having plated stiffeners
    Patent number: 9558771
    Abstract: Various embodiments concern a gimbaled flexure having a dual stage actuation structure. The flexure comprises a gimbal on which a motor is mounted. The motor comprises a first terminal, one or more layers of piezoelectric material, and a metal stiffener disposed directly on the first terminal. The stiffener comprises a layer of metal defining a majority of a top side of the motor. The first terminal can be gold sputtered on the piezoelectric material while the stiffener can be nickel plated on the gold. The stiffener can cause the motor, and the flexure on which it is mounted, to curl upon electrical activation of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Hutchinson Technology Incorporated
    Inventor: Jacob D. Bjorstrom
  • Magnetic recording write apparatus having a pole including an assist portion extending in the cross-track direction
    Patent number: 9558763
    Abstract: A magnetic write apparatus has a media-facing surface (MFS), a pole, side shield(s), a side gap and coil(s) for energizing the pole. The pole includes main and assist portions. The main portion is ferromagnetic, includes a pole tip and includes side surface(s) having a flare angle from the MFS. The pole tip occupies a portion of the MFS. The flare angle is nonzero and acute. The assist portion adjoins the main portion, extends from the main portion in a direction having a component in a cross-track direction, and has a depth of not more than three hundred nanometers. The side shield(s) occupy another portion of the MFS, have a back surface, and are between the assist portion and the MFS. The assist portion is conformal with the back surface of the side shield(s). The side gap is between the main portion of the pole and the side shield(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC
    Inventors: Peng Luo, Yunfei Li, Zhigang Bai, Hai Sun, Feng Liu, Zhanjie Li
  • Slider including one or more fluid pathways, and related apparatuses and methods
    Patent number: 9552836
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a slider that includes at least one fluid pathway that is in fluid communication with an air bearing face and/or the trailing edge face of the slider. The at least one fluid pathway is configured to propel/transport a fluid such as a lubricant toward at least one side face via capillary action. The present invention is also directed to related apparatuses and methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Narayanan Ramakrishnan, Ajaykumar Rajasekharan
  • Authentication method between a reader and a radio tag
    Patent number: 9553729
    Abstract: A method for authenticating a reader to a radio tag includes the following steps, which are implemented by the tag: receiving a piece of information ciphered by a reversible operation, which is parameterized by an authentication coupon for the reader, and a data item allowing determination of an index for identifying the authentication coupon of the reader; calculating a current authentication coupon for the reader as a function of the index; deciphering the received piece of information ciphered by the reversible operation, which is parameterized by the calculated current authentication coupon; and checking the deciphered piece of information that is intended to verify that the calculated current coupon corresponds to the authentication coupon used by the reader in order to parameterize the reversible operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: ORANGE
    Inventor: Matthew Robshaw
  • Remote operation and control system for pressure filter
    Patent number: 9548791
    Abstract: A remote operation and control system for a pressure filter; a PLC controller in a pressure filter body is connected to the interface of a GPRS-DTU communication network; the aerial of the GPRS-DTU communication network is linked to a communication tower via a signal; the communication tower is connected to a GGSN communication interface and an SGSN communication interface, forming a GPRS communication network; the GPRS communication network is connected to the wiring port of a router; a wire connects to a firewall via the router, and enters the wiring port of a switch; an industrial Ethernet is configured to connect to the wiring port of the switch. The remote operation and control system for a pressure filter achieves unattended operation on the working site of the pressure filter, thus improving the technical level of the control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: JINGJIN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION INC.
    Inventors: Guiting Jiang, Fengqi Yan
  • Tray braking device
    Patent number: 9530448
    Abstract: The tray braking device includes a tray, a tray motor, a sliding plate and a buffer structure. The tray is used for carrying a disc. The tray motor is used for driving the tray to a finish position from a first position. The sliding plate is disposed on a base. The buffer structure is disposed between the sliding plate and the base. When the tray moves to a second position from the first position, the tray moves at a first speed, and the second position is positioned between the first position and the finish position. When the tray moves towards the finish position from the second position, the tray drives the sliding plate to move, such that the buffer structure leans between the sliding plate and the base and generates deformation, making the tray move at a second speed slower than the first speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignees: LITE-ON ELECTRONICS (GUANGZHOU) LIMITED, LITE-ON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ming-Hung Chung
  • Disc drive with a buffer portion for reducing an ejection speed of a tray
    Patent number: 9524744
    Abstract: A disc drive including a frame, a tray, a movable element and a buffer portion is provided. The tray is slidably disposed in the frame and includes a sliding groove. The movable element includes a protrusion slidably disposed on the sliding groove. The buffer portion is disposed adjacent to an end of the sliding groove. During the disc ejecting process, the protrusion contacts the buffer portion, to reduce the tray ejection speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignees: LITE-ON ELECTRONICS (GUANGZHOU) LIMITED, LITE-ON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ming-Hung Chung
  • Speakerphone base for an electronic device
    Patent number: 9520737
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising a housing having a front portion and a slot formed in the housing, the slot having a plurality of different widths along a length of the slot. The slot includes a first width configured to support a first type of electronic mobile device in a first upright configuration at a first angle relative to the front portion of the housing, and a second width configured to support a second type of electronic mobile device in a second upright configuration at a second angle relative to the front portion of the housing. The first width has a first depth in the slot, the second width has a second depth in the slot, where the first angle is based on the first width and first depth, and the second angle is based on the second width and the second depth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Logitech Europe S.A.
    Inventors: Sam Feng, Alan Smith, Hsueh Jang Su, Timucin Kip, Ali Moayer
  • Proper installation determination based on RFID
    Patent number: 9519813
    Abstract: A radio frequency identification (RFID) transceiver may be associated with an identification proximity to identify an RFID tag associated with a component. A control may determine proper inflation of component based on the RFID tag being identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: HEWLETT PACKARD ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT LP
    Inventors: Rajeev Grover, David R Cowles
  • Managing a sphere of wireless tags
    Patent number: 9519812
    Abstract: A method for managing a sphere of wireless tags, the method comprises programming, by a wireless reader, a group of wireless tags to belong to the sphere of wireless tags; sending by the wireless reader sphere beacons aimed to the wireless tags of the sphere; detecting a loss of a wireless tag of the sphere if the wireless tag did not respond to a predetermined number of sphere beacons; and responding to the detecting of the loss of the wireless tag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: PIXIE TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventors: Amir Bassan-Eskenazi, Naftaly Sharir, Ofer Friedman, Gili Elias, Giora Sussman, Eran Aharonson
  • Worm mechanism and universal head apparatus using the same
    Patent number: 9518694
    Abstract: Provided is a worm mechanism provided with a worm shaft including a worm, and a worm wheel that meshes with the worm, the worm mechanism including: a first holding member configured to join a drive source that drives the worm shaft to bearings that support the worm shaft at both sides so that the worm shaft is rotatable; and a first urging member configured to urge the first holding member in a first direction in which the worm meshes with the worm wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshifumi Kori
  • Scissor type magnetic sensor with high magnetic moment bias structure for reduced signal asymmetry
    Patent number: 9513349
    Abstract: A scissor type magnetic sensor having a magnetic bias structure extending from the back edge of first and second magnetic free layers. The magnetic bias structure is constructed of a magnetic material having a high magnetic moment, such as NiFe with a high Fe content or CoFe. The high magnetic moment bias structure reduces magnetic signal asymmetry while also maintaining high signal amplitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Hardayal S. Gill, Kuok S. Ho, Suping Song
  • Magnetic head device having suspension and spacer
    Patent number: 9514772
    Abstract: A magnetic head device which has strong joint strength in an arm and a suspension and high accuracy of a size and a shape is provided. The magnetic head device comprises an arm, a suspension overlapping with a leading end part of the arm, a slider located at a leading end part of the suspension, and a first joint part that is placed between the leading end part of the arm and the suspension and that joins the arm and the suspension, the first joint part including Sn or a resin adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Kawashima, Toru Mizuno, Katsuhiko Igarashi, Makoto Orikasa, Hidetoshi Suzuki
  • Disk drive suspension having offset swage hub hole
    Patent number: 9502057
    Abstract: A base plate for a suspension has a swage hub whose inner diameter is offset from the outer diameter, and more specifically, the inner diameter of the swage hub is offset so as to be farther away from the head slider than is the outer diameter. The offset reduces variability in post-swaging deflection of the suspension at the distal end of the base plate to which the load beam is mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Magnecomp Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Schreiber, Peter Hahn
  • Lock device and electronic key system for use with vehicle charging inlet
    Patent number: 9495819
    Abstract: A lock device is arranged in a vehicle including an inlet used for charging. The vehicle is configured to perform a predetermined control operation in accordance with a control request signal transmitted through wireless communication from an electronic key when a normal operation is performed on a control switch of the electronic key. The lock device includes a lock mechanism configured to switch a locking subject related with the inlet between a lock state and an unlock state. A controller controls the lock mechanism to switch the locking subject between a lock state and an unlock state when detecting a special operation performed on the control switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI RIKA DENKI SEISAKUSHO
    Inventor: Keiji Morita
  • Electronic key registration method and electronic key registration system
    Patent number: 9489789
    Abstract: A method for registering an electronic key includes storing an electronic key ID and an encryption code in a controller to register the electronic key to the controller, and associating a communication subject ID, which is unique to a communication subject, with a controller ID, which is unique to the controller storing the electronic key ID and the encryption code, and the electronic key ID.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI RIKA DENKI SEISAKUSHO
    Inventors: Daisuke Kawamura, Hiroaki Iwashita, Masaki Hayashi, Masaki Oshima, Tetsuya Egawa, Kazunori Arakawa