Patents Examined by Eric M. Blount
  • Patent number: 9989930
    Abstract: A mobile electronic device according to one embodiment includes a sounding module that performs alarm sounding and a controller that determines whether the mobile electronic device is in a moving state. When it is determined that the mobile electronic device is in the moving state, the controller disables the alarm sounding by the sounding module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kouji Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9990828
    Abstract: A rescue method for identifying and rescuing a person in question, the rescue method comprising an operation in which a user wearing a jewelry item having a serial number is encountered and the serial number on the jewelry item is recognized, an operation in which the serial number is conveyed to a data management company that stores the serial number as identification information pertaining to the user, an operation in which the identification information pertaining to the user is conveyed to a rescue organization, and an operation in which a command to rescue the user is issued at the rescue organization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Colan Totte Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsumi Komatsu
  • Patent number: 9987182
    Abstract: A system for determining a location of a patient on a hospital bed comprising: at least one deformation sensor adapted to generate a signal indicative of a deformation of a frame of the bed; a location determination unit for determining a lateral and/or longitudinal location of the patient based on the deformation of the frame. A method for monitoring an exit of a patient from a hospital bed comprising: determining a patient location on the bed based on measured deformation and generating an alarm signal if the determined location is outside a predetermined area. A weight sensing system for a hospital bed having a base with a suspended frame suspended from a fixed frame comprising: a load sensor connecting the suspended frame and the fixed frame via a suspension member which is unsecured from the fixed frame to allow free vertical movement of the suspended frame relative to the fixed frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: UMANO MEDICAL INC.
    Inventors: Guy Lemire, Richard Labbe, Jimmy Laflamme, Sylvain Lacasse, Steve Bolduc, Luc Landry, Jean-Philippe Beaudet
  • Patent number: 9990827
    Abstract: A patient care system and a corresponding method that provide patient monitoring. The system includes a server, at least one patient communication device, and at least one caregiver communication device. The communication devices send receiving signals and notifications wirelessly to/from the server, and may be adapted to be worn on a user's wrist. Notifications can be sent to the caregiver communication device to notify the user to provide care to a patient in response to a patient request for assistance based on defined conditions, which may be proximity based. The server may track all received and sent notifications and may provide analytics of this information to improve quality of healthcare in a facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: RISTCALL LLC
    Inventors: Srinath Vaddepally, Ameya Bhat, Yicheng Bai
  • Patent number: 9981604
    Abstract: An object detector is provided including a light emitter including at least a light source having a plurality of light emitting areas disposed along a first direction to emit light, an optical scanner configured to scan the light emitted from the light emitter along a second direction that is different from the first direction, a light receiver configured to receive the light that is scanned by the optical scanner and then is reflected at an object, and a controller configured to divide a detection field into a plurality of subareas in a third direction that is orthogonal to the second direction, where a number of partitions of the detection field is variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kohji Sakai
  • Patent number: 9978246
    Abstract: A portable, self-contained flood alarm which alleviates the shortcomings of the alarms of the prior art and offers an easy-to-use and reliable flood and water level alarm which will adequately warn users of potential flood conditions and possibly save their personal belongings, equipment and lives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Inventor: Belinda J. Walbert
  • Patent number: 9976265
    Abstract: Technologies for communicating roadway information includes a plurality of roadway markers configured to propagate communications amongst each other. To do so, each roadway marker is configured to transmit communications to one or more other roadway markers. The communications may include sensor data generated by a sensor of a roadway marker. One or more roadway markers may transmit the sensor data to a roadway controller. Additionally or alternatively, the communication may include an alert message. A roadway marker may include a local alert device and be configured to activate the alert device in response to receiving an alert message. Additionally, one or more roadway markers may communicate with a roadway controller, a roadway traffic device, and/or an in-vehicle computing system of a vehicle to propagate roadway marker sensor data and/or alert messages. The roadway controller may be configured to control the roadway traffic devices, roadway makers, and/or communicate with remote computing devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Michael T. Moran, Charles Baron
  • Patent number: 9969326
    Abstract: An intention signaling system for an autonomous vehicle (AV) can monitor sensor information indicating a situational environment of the AV, and detect an external entity based, at least in part, on the sensor data. The intention signaling system can generate an output to signal one of an intent of the AV or an acquiescence of the AV to the external entity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: William Payne Ross, Chenggang Liu
  • Patent number: 9969430
    Abstract: A method for supporting a driver of a vehicle when approaching a roadway via an approach road. First, an item of information concerning a course of the approach road is read in. Then, using the item of information concerning the course of the roadway, an activation signal is provided for the activation of a driver assistance function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Volker Niemz
  • Patent number: 9959770
    Abstract: A flight itinerary alerting system for monitoring a flight itinerary includes a monitoring system storing flight itinerary data like pilot contact data, first tier contact data, and second tier contact data. An alert routine executable on the monitoring system i) determines first or second tier alert conditions if no deactivation message is received upon expiry of a respective first or second duration following the expected arrival time, and ii) send an alert message through a communication network to a computer device of a corresponding first or second tier contact person upon determination of the respective alert condition. The multiple tiers of contact data with respective alerting criteria allows quick determination if search and rescue should be contacted with inherent redundancy, thus preventing overdue aircraft from being overlooked, while also minimizing false alarms in reporting overdue aircraft to search and rescue which might reasonably be accounted for by responsible persons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: AIRSUITE Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Kleywegt
  • Patent number: 9947220
    Abstract: Traffic signs that facilitate portability are disclosed. In certain embodiments, they are designed to be lighter and have fewer steps involved in their set up, preferably involving only one person. The design of certain embodiments also allows multiple signs to be transported together, and facilitates air flow through the signs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Inventor: Juan Banuelos
  • Patent number: 9947193
    Abstract: An electronic article surveillance (EAS) assembly is installable in a workstation that processes products associated with targets to be electro-optically read. The assembly includes a radio frequency (RF) antenna having a pair of RF feed lines and a conductive loop for generating an electromagnetic field to deactivate EAS tags associated with the products to be processed, and a protective carrier for supporting and protecting the antenna during the installation in a predetermined position in the workstation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Edward D. Barkan, Mark E. Drzymala
  • Patent number: 9937853
    Abstract: A light assembly for a vehicle. The light assembly includes a housing having a front side and a rear side, wherein the rear side is removably securable to a vehicle. The front side of the housing includes a perimeter light, a center light, and a platform light, wherein the lights can alert vehicles approaching a stopping vehicle. The perimeter light is disposed around a perimeter of the housing and can produce an amber color. The center light includes an indicia in a non-colored transparent material and the platform light, disposed between the perimeter light and the center light, that produces a red color. In one embodiment, the light assembly is operably connected to remote control, allowing a user to activate and deactivate the light assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Inventor: Richard Stevens
  • Patent number: 9918905
    Abstract: A smart medication container for providing an automatic, audible playback of recorded and timing information each time it is opened. The smart medication container includes a container base which is an open top container portion and a smart cap connected to the container base through a flexible cord and movable between an open position and closed position. The smart cap includes a sensor for determining when it is removed from the closed position and an audio playback system that plays a prerecorded dosing message and a generated time since last opening message when the smart cap is moved to the open position. The prerecorded dosing message may be stored on a removable storage media so as to allow it to be added, updated or changed by simply providing such a storage media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Inventors: Stanley Howard, Sacrial Howard
  • Patent number: 9907377
    Abstract: A luggage tracking and surveillance system uses a zipper pull attached to a conventional suitcase closure zipper and a retaining fastener attached to conventional fastening straps securing contents inside the suitcase. An observer is not aware of the specially designed zipper pull and retaining fastener because they mimic the appearance of their conventional counterparts. The external zipper pull communicates wirelessly with the retaining fastener inside the suitcase when a zipper pull touch sensor senses that the suitcase has been opened. This awakens a retainer fastener power supply and activates a recording system in the fastener to create a record of the person who opened the suitcase. The retaining fastener can also sense the presence of a human and independently activate the recording system. Recorded still pictures, video, and audio, along with location information supplied by GPS circuitry in the zipper pull and/or retaining fastener, are transmitted to a remote database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: AKQYS IP, LLC
    Inventor: Felix C. Mercado
  • Patent number: 9905128
    Abstract: A system and a method for providing augmented reality (AR) notification are provided. The system includes a recognizing unit configured to recognize a ground region, which is a region corresponding to the ground, on an AR driving image and a controller configured to add a display element to the ground region and to control a notification output associated with driving through the display element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Thinkware Corporation
    Inventors: Min Ji Yoon, Ye Seul Jeong, Youn Joo Shin, Won Jun Heo
  • Patent number: 9896062
    Abstract: In system and methods for theft prevention or mitigation, driver-related data associated with one or more authorized drivers of an insured vehicle may be collected over time. The authorized drivers and the insured vehicle may be covered by an insurance policy issued by an insurance provider. Based upon the collected driver-related data, a database associated with the authorized drivers may be built. Current driver-related data associated with an individual currently driving, attempting to start, or sitting in a seat of the insured vehicle may be collected. It may be determined, using both the database and the current driver-related data, that the individual is not among the authorized drivers. A disablement of an operation of the insured vehicle may be caused, and/or the individual may be caused to be prevented from starting or otherwise operating the insured vehicle, to facilitate preventing or mitigating theft of the insured vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Potter, Mark E. Clauss, Dustin Ryan Carter, Megan Michal Baumann, Atlanta Bonnom, Craig Cope, Jennifer Luella Lawyer, Curtis Simpson, Nathan W. Baumann, Douglas Albert Graff
  • Patent number: 9881467
    Abstract: A method and system for avoiding haptic effects conflict is presented. A haptic enabled device configured to generate haptic effects associated with a first signature is used by a user. The system detects an additional source of haptic effects and determines a second signature associated with the haptic effects produced by the source. The system determines a preferred set of haptic configurations and modifies either the first or second signature based on the preferred set of haptic configurations to achieve a minimal conflict between the first and second signatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Immersion Corporation
    Inventor: Vincent Levesque
  • Patent number: 9870687
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system for interacting with one or more containers placed near a conducting surface. The system sends the information of content inside the container in relation to an action caused by a user over the communication network. The system includes a controller; a frequency generator; a first electrode; an electronic circuitry including a convertor, an e-filed strength meter, an I/O interface and a bi-directional communication unit; a second electrode and a media unit. The controller generates a unique identification code for each container. The controller communicates through the communication network. The frequency generator provides a modulated alternating electric with variable frequency. The first electrode floats in the air inside the container and mirrors charges received from the frequency generator through the conducting surface and the content. The convertor converts alternating charges into DC energy received from the first electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: EPIC SEMICONDUCTORS INC
    Inventors: Wolfgang Richter, Faranak Zadeh
  • Patent number: 9870689
    Abstract: Aspects optimize an alarm time as a function of biometric sleep data. Biometric sleep data is generated from monitoring a sleeping person. A readiness period of time is determined as required for a selected caregiver to complete a task prior to tending to the sleeping person. A probability that the sleeping person will wake within the readiness time period from a current time is determined from the biometric sleep data of the sleeping person. Accordingly, an alarm is initialized (given, broadcast, etc.) to the selected caregiver in response to determining that the wake probability meets a threshold certainty value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lisa Seacat Deluca, Henry C. Will, IV