Patents Examined by Daryl Pope
  • Patent number: 9953529
    Abstract: A method of communicating a notification includes identifying an issue associated with a target vehicle. A location of the target vehicle is determined, and a notification signal is broadcast from a host vehicle. The notification signal includes the location of the target vehicle and the identified issue associated with the target vehicle. The broadcast notification signal is received by the target vehicle, which determines that the received notification signal is intended for the target vehicle, by comparing a current location of the target vehicle to the location of the target vehicle included in the notification signal. When the target vehicle determines that the broadcast notification signal received from the host vehicle is intended for the target vehicle, the target vehicle may issue an alert signal to alert an occupant of the target vehicle of the issue associated with the target vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Suresh Puradchithasan, Peter Andres, Munib Ahmed Yusuf
  • Patent number: 9952290
    Abstract: The present disclosures relates to an apparatus and a method for detecting power abnormality of an engine-type forklift truck, and the apparatus for detecting power abnormality of an engine-type forklift truck includes: a power supply unit including a pair of batteries so as to supply power to an electric device included in an engine-type forklift truck; an engine control unit (ECU) which receives power from the power supply unit; an equalizer which is provided between the power supply unit and the ECU so as to maintain a voltage balance between the pair of batteries and adjust a voltage of power supplied to the ECU; and an abnormality detecting unit which compares a voltage input from the pair of batteries with a voltage input from any one of the pair of batteries, and detects abnormality in the voltage balance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: DOOSAN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Pyung Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 9945927
    Abstract: In an object detection apparatus, a first region definition unit defines a first object region including a first detection point representing a relative position of a first object detected by a millimeter-wave radar with respect to a reference point in an XY-plane. An X-axis direction of the XY-plane is a vehicle widthwise direction, and a Y-axis direction of the XY-plane is a vehicle lengthwise direction. A second region definition unit defines a second object region including a second detection point representing a relative position of a second object detected based on a captured image with respect to the reference point. A region size modification unit modifies the size of the first region in the presence of axial misalignment of the radar. A determination unit determines that the first and second objects are the same if there is an overlap of the first and second object regions in the XY-plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takahiro Baba
  • Patent number: 9931053
    Abstract: Embodiments provide a system to detect abnormal breathing by a person, such as a baby, through a piece of clothing worn by the person. The piece of clothing may be adapted to include a sound sensor that can collect breathing sounds by the person. The piece of clothing may also be adapted to include an inflatable neck support that can be automatically inflated without the person's intervention. The breathing sound signals by the person can be processed for determining whether the person breathing abnormally. When it is determined that the person is breathing abnormally, an instruction to inflate the inflatable neck support of the clothing may be generated. Such an instruction can be transmitted to the clothing wirelessly to effectuate the inflation of the inflatable neck support so the person's incorrect breathing posture that causes the abnormal breathing can be addressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Inventor: Wellen Sham
  • Patent number: 9928734
    Abstract: Vehicle-to-pedestrian information systems that use directional sound transmission on autonomous vehicles are disclosed. A cloud computing system manages messages for transmission to pedestrians via autonomous vehicles having directional speakers. The cloud computing system identifies pedestrians and identifies messages for the pedestrians. Pedestrians may be known and authenticated to the cloud computing system or may be unknown. The cloud computing system maintains profiles for known pedestrians and transmits messages to vehicles based on the profiles. The cloud computing system keeps track of the location of vehicles and causes the vehicles to use directional speakers to transmit messages to the pedestrians based on the relative positions of the vehicles and the pedestrians.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: NIO USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Austin L. Newman
  • Patent number: 9922557
    Abstract: Apparatus whereby one or more vehicle nodes are configured for use in a vehicular communications network which provides for exchange of data between a plurality of vehicle nodes, the vehicle node comprising at least one on-board computing unit which is operable to broadcast identity messages to, and to receive identity messages from the plurality of neighboring vehicle nodes on at least one roadway and the at least one on-board computing unit further comprising a transmitter and a receiver, transmitting operational vehicle event messages notifying the plurality of neighboring vehicle nodes of impending operational vehicle events that includes at least one of acceleration, brake application, lane mergers, turn or lane changes, or passing of neighboring vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: DrivePath, LLC
    Inventor: Martin D. Nathanson
  • Patent number: 9919711
    Abstract: Described is a technology by which ambient data related to a vehicle is sensed and processed, for use in determining a state change related to external traffic awareness. Based upon the state change, an allowed level of interactivity with a user interface may be changed, and/or a notification may be output. Images and/or depth data may be sensed as part of determining whether a user who is interacting with a device in a stopped vehicle is to be made aware of the changed condition with respect to other vehicles, pedestrians and/or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy S. Paek, Paramvir Bahl
  • Patent number: 9921277
    Abstract: Devices and methods are provided for shutting down a magnet system. The device includes a portable housing, a communication unit, and a switch on the portable housing. The portable housing encloses a field shutdown initiation circuitry. The communication unit is disposed at least partially in the portable housing and the communication unit is configured to establish communication between the field shutdown initiation circuitry and the magnet system. The switch is configured to turn on the field shutdown initiation circuitry to initiate a magnet field shutdown in the magnet system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Steckner, Edwin Gonzalez, Joseph Prudic, Dale Allan Messner
  • Patent number: 9922535
    Abstract: Hazard detection systems and methods according to embodiments described herein are operative to enable a user to interface with the hazard detection system by performing a touchless gesture. The touchless gesture can be performed in a vicinity of the hazard detection system without requiring physical access to the hazard detection system. This enables the user to interact with the hazard detection system even if it is out of reach. The hazard detection system can detect gestures and perform an appropriate action responsive to the detected gesture. In one embodiment, the hazard detection system can silence its audible alarm or pre-emptively turn off its audible alarm in response to a detected gesture. Gestures can be detected using one or more ultrasonic sensors, or gestures can be detected using a motion detector in combination with one or more ultrasonic sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Yoky Matsuoka, AJ Minich, Yash Modi, Andrew W. Goldenson
  • Patent number: 9911304
    Abstract: A distributed control method in a distributed control system including a process executed by a by a first notification device, the process including notifying a detection of a first event to a second notification device, storing, in a storage device, acknowledgement information associating an event identifier indicating the first event with a device identifier indicating the second notification device when a negative acknowledgement is received from the second notification device, determining whether the event identifier indicating the first event is stored in the storage device or not when a request for a notification of the detection of the first event is received from a third notification device, and deleting, from the storage device, a device identifier associated with the event identifier indicating the first event when it is determined that the event identifier indicating the first event is stored in the storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Hitoshi Ueno, Kenichi Abiru
  • Patent number: 9908469
    Abstract: When a support ECU detects a crossing object approaching so as to cross a travel path toward which an own vehicle is heading, the support ECU calculates an object speed Vx, which is the speed of the crossing object. When the object speed Vx is more than a speed threshold Vref, the support ECU delivers an alert at a timing at which a margin period Tx becomes equal to or less than a time threshold Tref. On the other hand, when the object speed Vx is equal to or less than the speed threshold Vref, the support ECU alerts a driver at a timing at which a margin distance Dx becomes equal to or less than a distance threshold Dref.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomonori Akiyama, Yuji Ikedo, Ryo Morishita
  • Patent number: 9908436
    Abstract: A new approach is proposed that contemplates system and method to backseat child safety in a passenger vehicle by preventing locking of the vehicle in a parked state when at least one of its backseats is occupied. Specifically, one or more backseat sensors are each configured to detect if one of the backseats of the vehicle is occupied by a passenger. Upon accepting signals from the backseat sensors indicating that at least one of the backseat is occupied, a vehicle controller is configured to disallow locking of the vehicle in the parked state. The vehicle controller is configured to only enable locking of the vehicle when a backdoor corresponding to the occupied backseat has been opened as detected by one of a plurality of backdoor sensors, which generates and provides a backdoor signal to the vehicle controller when the corresponding backdoor to the occupied backseat is opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Inventor: Gail Yvette Jones
  • Patent number: 9905120
    Abstract: Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for alarm initiation when a sensor is intentionally jammed. According to one aspect disclosed herein, a connected home system can include a controller device and a sensor device. The sensor device can include a processor and memory. The memory can store sensor instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the sensor device to perform sensor operations. In particular, the sensor device can detect a jamming signal originating, for example, from a jamming device that is intentionally attempting to jam operations of the sensor device. The sensor device can determine whether the jamming signal is above a jamming alarm threshold. If the sensor device determines that the jamming signal is above the jamming alarm threshold, the sensor device can generate a jamming alarm event that is directed to the controller device. The sensor device can send the jamming alarm event to the controller device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: AT&T Digital Life, Inc.
    Inventor: Plamen H. Vanchev
  • Patent number: 9905108
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for monitoring fatigue and notifying an individual are described. The individual may be an operator of a vehicle, equipment, or machine, a student, or other person that may experience fatigue. In addition to the individual, another person such as an employer, teacher, or parent may be notified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Torvec, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard A. Kaplan, Douglas A. Hemink, Matt Kenyon
  • Patent number: 9905118
    Abstract: Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for limiting service availability when a sensor device is non-operational due to a noise floor change. According to one aspect of the concepts and technologies disclosed herein, a connected home system includes a controller device configured to monitor a plurality of sensor devices deployed within a premises, and a sensor device of the plurality of sensor devices. The sensor device can monitor radio frequency (“RF”) noise in a radio environment associated with the premises. The radio environment is associated with an RF noise floor. The sensor device can determine whether the radio frequency noise exceeds a noise threshold. In response to determining that the RF noise exceeds the noise threshold, the sensor device can cause the controller device to exclude the sensor device from being monitored by the controller device until the RF noise returns to below the noise threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: AT&T Digital Life, Inc.
    Inventor: Plamen Vanchev
  • Patent number: 9901252
    Abstract: A monitoring system includes one or more wireless nodes forming a wireless mesh network; a user activity sensor including a wireless mesh transceiver adapted to communicate with the one or more wireless nodes using the wireless mesh network; and a digital monitoring agent coupled to the wireless transceiver through the wireless mesh network to request assistance from a third party based on the user activity sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventor: Bao Tran
  • Patent number: 9898923
    Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus for programming a sensor at a customer location is disclosed. A defective sensor at a customer location is replaced by a new sensor that is programmed at the customer location using a programming device or a transducer coupled to a computing device. The new sensor is programming using the sensor's detector normally used to sense a change in a magnetic field, an RF signal, infra-red light, or some other emission or property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Ecolink Intelligent Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Carlo Q. Petrucci
  • Patent number: 9892609
    Abstract: A wearable device wearable on a body and a method and an apparatus for providing information by using the wearable device are provided. The wearable device includes at least two sensing units configured to sense detect biometric information of a wearer of the wearable device, and a connector electrically connecting the at least two sensing units to each other and having elasticity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-hong Kim, Jin-hong Min, Jea-hyuck Lee, Jae-geol Cho, Ju-hee Kim, Jae-hong Kim, Chang-hyun Kim, Kang-jin Yoon
  • Patent number: 9892637
    Abstract: A vehicle identification system includes one or more displays associated with a vehicle, a transceiver, and a controller communicatively coupled to the transceiver. The one or more displays are located to be visible from an exterior of the vehicle. The controller is adapted to generate a first signal to be transmitted by the transceiver to a mobile communication device associated with a driver of the vehicle when it is determined that the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of a specific location. The mobile communication device associated with the driver is adapted to generate a second signal to be transmitted to the one or more displays. The second signal represents an indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: RIDESHARE DISPLAYS, INC.
    Inventor: Dereje M. Demisse
  • Patent number: 9881273
    Abstract: An object recognition device that senses electrical signals conducted by the body of a human user (e.g., as a result of direct contact with or close proximity to a device emitting or conducting electromagnetic noise), compares the sensed electrical signals to a plurality of signatures of electrical signals produced by a corresponding plurality of types of electrical and electromechanical devices to determine the type of electrical or electromechanical device that generated the electrical signals sensed by the sensor, and communicates information to the human user related to or triggered by the electrical or electromechanical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignees: DISNEY INTERPRISES, INC., CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Chouchang Yang, Gierad Laput, Robert Xiao, Christopher Harrison, Alanson Sample