Patents Examined by Carlos Garcia
  • Patent number: 11327557
    Abstract: A micro piezo-electric air valve is used to form a skin interface system composed by a matrix of valves interconnected that bring temperature and touch sensorial experience to people through the skin's tactile, pressure and temperature biological sensors by means of micro air jet formations and/or air bubble formations over the skin. The piezo-electric air valve is specially designed to sensitize a small area of the skin of the user by quickly delivering a specific volume of air following a selected pattern, for example a pixel of an image that is processed by a computer system and converted into electric signal that opens or closes the piezo-electric air valve causing the air to flow. Such a skin interface system can be used by blind people to interpret a scene in front of them when using a video camera. or for use as a suit for therapeutic use and gaming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Inventor: Alberto Navas-Roch
  • Patent number: 11330395
    Abstract: A method of operating a facility includes identifying, by a controller, a ground vehicle approaching a restricted access area, and determining, by the controller, if the identified ground vehicle is authorized to enter the restricted access area. The controller permits the identified ground vehicle to enter the restricted access area when the controller determines that the identified ground vehicle is authorized to enter the restricted access area. The controller determines if an object other than the identified ground vehicle is approaching the restricted access area with the identified ground vehicle, and activates protective action when the controller determines that the identified ground vehicle is not authorized to enter the restricted access area or that an object other than the permitted ground vehicle is approaching to enter the restricted access area with the permitted ground vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Aurora Flight Services Corp., a subsidiary of The Boeing Company
    Inventors: William Robert Bosworth, James Mcdaniel Snider, II
  • Patent number: 11321794
    Abstract: A server device includes a processor configured to i) acquire vehicle information when a delivery request is made; ii) acquire predetermined authentication information for unlocking and locking a door of a vehicle, based on the acquired vehicle information; iii) transmit the acquired predetermined authentication information to a delivery terminal; and iv) to acquire predetermined proof information for proving that a user of the vehicle is a rightful recipient of a delivery article, by communicating with a user terminal. The processor is configured to transmit the acquired predetermined authentication information to the delivery terminal, on a condition that the predetermined proof information is acquired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasumasa Kobayashi, Ryuichi Suzuki, Yuki Ito, Hiroyasu Shiokawa, Naoki Yamamuro, Makoto Akahane
  • Patent number: 11315372
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method of conserving energy while seeking to wirelessly actuate an access control using a mobile device is provided. The method including: searching for a wireless signal at a first rate; detecting a wireless signal; generating a zone of interest; detecting positional data of a mobile device; and searching for a wireless signal at a second rate greater than the first rate when positional data of the mobile device indicates that the mobile device is within the zone of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Pedro Fernandez-Orellana, Ankit Tiwari, Kunal Srivastava, Lakshman Subramanian
  • Patent number: 11312331
    Abstract: A method for providing temporary access to a vehicle includes receiving a vehicle access request at a vehicle, transporting the vehicle from a storage space to a user originating the vehicle access request using the at least one of the semi-autonomous mode and the fully autonomous mode, providing the user access to the vehicle via a smartlock system, and transporting the vehicle from the user to the storage space subsequent to the user's access. The vehicle includes a controller configured to operate the vehicle in at least one of a semi-autonomous mode and a fully autonomous mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventor: Hrishi Eathakota
  • Patent number: 11310071
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a dormancy controlling method for an on board computing platform, a device and a readable storage medium, which relate to the field of autonomous driving in computer technology. A specific implementation is: determining a dormancy level corresponding to the on board computing platform; and controlling, according to the dormancy level, operating states of at least one processor and an external device controlled by the at least one processor in the on board computing platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Inventor: Jiayue Hu
  • Patent number: 11295620
    Abstract: A server is provided. The server includes a communicator comprising communication circuitry, a memory and a processor configured to control the server to store information on a plurality of safety components included in a plurality of vehicles received through the communicator, combine at least one safety component of the plurality of vehicles based on the information on the stored plurality of safety components, and identify surroundings of the plurality of vehicles using the combined safety components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Woomok Kim, Jooyoung Kim, Heeju Joo
  • Patent number: 11293779
    Abstract: Disclosed are techniques to conserve battery of an endpoint device. Example techniques include adjusting the size of messages transmitted by an endpoint device and/or adjusting the transmission rate of an endpoint device. In some configurations, the one or more criteria are used by an endpoint device to determine what data fields to include within a message and/or adjust a transmission rate associated with the transmission of messages by the endpoint device. For instance, the one or more criteria may include the battery level of the device, the time of year, whether the data has already been transmitted by the endpoint device, whether the data has been acknowledged as received by another device, whether the endpoint device has been instructed by another device to reduce the message size and/or adjust the transmission rate, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Itron, Inc.
    Inventors: James Lee Kann, Mark K. Cornwall, Peter Clevenger
  • Patent number: 11289121
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a suspension assembly includes a support plate, a trace member on the support plate and a drive element mounted on the trace member. The trace member includes a metal plate, and a multilayered member on the metal plate. The multilayered member includes a first insulating layer, a conductive layer stacked on the first insulating layer, a second insulating layer stacked on the conductive layer. The multilayered member includes a mount portion on which the drive element is mounted, and a branching portion arranged along the mount portion with a gap therebetween. At least one portion of the branching portion is formed into a thin portion having a thickness less than other portions of the multilayered member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Takafumi Kikuchi, Kenichiro Aoki
  • Patent number: 11288662
    Abstract: A system and method for providing security to a token, including: a digital security system generating a unique token identification code for each token to be locked; the digital security system storing in a security system database each token identification code; for a token being purchased, a point-of-sale system obtaining the unique token identification code from the token being purchased; the point-of-sale system sending the unique token identification code obtained from the token being purchased to the digital security system for activation of the token being purchased; the digital security system receiving the unique token identification code sent from the point-of-sale system and comparing the received unique token identification code with token identification codes in the security system database to authenticate the unique token identification code; and the digital security system activating the unique token identification code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Inventor: Chng Weng Wah
  • Patent number: 11282313
    Abstract: Smart locking devices, systems and methods are provided. A user mobile device can transmit a wireless signal to an electronic locking device. The electronic locking device includes a power sensor to sense the harvested power, and a controller to process the communication component to determine an algorithm to operate the electronic locking device. The mobile device is connected to a network environment where user authentication and encryption data can be generated, stored, and relayed to multiple user mobile devices for wireless key management for authentication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Ronald J. Jesme, Cory M. Arthur, Kandyce M. Bohannon, Eric J. Larson
  • Patent number: 11276425
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a disk device includes a first head actuator, a second head actuator, and a wiring board unit connected to the first head actuator and the second head actuator. The wiring board unit includes a flexible printed wiring board including a base portion and at least two extension portions extending from the base portion, and each of the extension portions includes a joint portion provided with connection pads and a cutting work trace portion. One joint portion is attached to a first actuator block, and the connection end portion of a first wiring member is joined to the connection pads. Another joint portion is attached to a second actuator block, and the connection end portion of a second wiring member is joined to the connection pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Tokizaki
  • Patent number: 11276426
    Abstract: A PZT microactuator such as for a hard disk drive has a restraining layer bonded on its side that is opposite the side on which the PZT is mounted. The restraining layer comprises a stiff and resilient material such as stainless steel. The restraining layer can cover most or all of the top of the PZT, with an electrical connection being made to the PZT where it is not covered by the restraining layer. The restraining layer reduces bending of the PZT as mounted and hence increases effective stroke length, or reverses the sign of the bending which increases the effective stroke length of the PZT even further. The restraining layer can be one or more active layers of PZT material that act in the opposite direction as the main PZT layer. The restraining layer(s) may be thinner than the main PZT layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Magnecomp Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Hahn, Kuen Chee Ee, Long Zhang
  • Patent number: 11263843
    Abstract: Provided is an information processing apparatus including: a locking control unit configured to execute a first process of processes for causing a locking unit to unlock, on the basis of detection of access of a first communication terminal; and a detection unit configured to detect an unlocking request by a user of the first communication terminal. The locking control unit executes a second process of the processes for causing the locking unit to unlock, when the unlocking request is detected and the first process is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Taizo Shirai, Akichika Tanaka, Tatsuhiro Iida, Koichi Sakumoto, Takeo Inagaki, Shinpei Hirano, Tetsuro Tsuji
  • Patent number: 11260828
    Abstract: A method for controlling a vehicle is applied to an in-vehicle terminal, includes: obtaining current position information of a vehicle and a preset electronic fence, determining a travel direction according to the current position information and the preset electronic fence; when determining that the vehicle travels from the inside of the preset electronic fence to the outside of the preset electronic fence, determining a current position state of the vehicle according to the current position information, where the position state represents a relative position of the vehicle and the preset electronic fence; determining whether the current position state is the same as a previous position state of the vehicle; and when the current position state is different from the previous position state, performing one or two of outputting warning information and sending a key shielding signal, to enable a key controller to shield a key control signal of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: BYD COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Weimin He, Huizhao Ye, Huilin Song
  • Patent number: 11260827
    Abstract: A method for achieving interactions between user and automobile is disclosed. Specifically, the automobile is equipped with multiple distance sensors and multiple multi-dimensional sensors, and has a processor that is constituted to a keyless entry system with an electronic car key. During conducting the method, the distance sensors detect an approaching object, and the multi-dimensional sensors collect multi-dimensional parameters of the approaching object, such that the processor is able to judge an object action of the approaching object based on the multi-dimensional parameters. As a result, in case of the object action is determined to correspond with one of reference object actions, the automobile is controlled by the processor so as to conduct a specific action, for example, unlocking a door lock, opening a car door, adjusting an illumination of at least one car headlight, and starting automobile engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: TUNG THIH ELECTRONIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chi-Sheng Lin
  • Patent number: 11260462
    Abstract: A dust collector in one aspect of the present invention comprises a dust collection portion, a communication portion, and an interlock operation control portion. When the communication portion receives an interlock command transmitted from an electric working machine, the interlock operation control portion makes the dust collection portion operate interlocking with the electric working machine. The interlock operation control portion includes a storage portion, in which identification information specific to the electric working machine with which the dust collection portion is to be made to perform the interlock operation is stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hitoshi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11244560
    Abstract: A vehicle control system (VCS) includes external communication interfaces, such as a Bluetooth interface, for communicating with a user communication and control device, such as a smart phone or a tablet. The user is enabled to operate certain features of the vehicle, such as the remote start, power locks/trunk, climate control, and security features, through the smart phone. The VCS may also communicate with a remote server via the user's smartphone, for example, providing telematics data and receiving service reminders For display to the user on the smartphone, the VCS, or a display built into the vehicle. The VCS may be custom installed in the vehicle using, the user's or the installer's smartphone, without a physical connection from the VCS to the smartphone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: VOXX INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: James S. Turner, Luc Samson
  • Patent number: 11217052
    Abstract: A processing device includes a control unit configured to perform: identifying a user when the user enters a vehicle and performing a process of guaranteeing a boarded state of the user while the user is in the vehicle; receiving information on a predetermined procedure for performing an authentication process from the user; and transmitting user information which is required for performing the predetermined procedure as information on the user of whom the boarded state in the vehicle is guaranteed to an external device that is installed at a first place for the predetermined procedure in a state in which the boarded state of the user is guaranteed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kunihiro Murakami, Katsuhiko Sakakibara, Makoto Matsushita, Junya Sato, Kiyonori Yoshida, Tae Sugimura, Takashi Hayashi, Jun Endo
  • Patent number: 11213458
    Abstract: A product interaction monitor includes sensors for measuring characteristics related to the product and/or product package or other type of container. The product interaction monitor can be installed in a container cap and used to monitor events associated with the container such as product usage. The product interaction monitor can utilize multiple sensor outputs to increase the accuracy of the detection of the events. The product interaction monitor can be used to estimate product inventory or product usage and communicate information regarding the product and/or product usage to a local display or a remote computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC
    Inventors: Joshua B. Taylor, Colin J. Moore, Greg George Hillebrand