Patents Examined by Frederick Ott
  • Patent number: 8514877
    Abstract: Methods and systems for a plurality of physical layers for network connection may include coupling a MAC to one of a plurality of PHYs. The coupling to a specific PHY may be based on auto-detection of network activity, or network devices, via the PHYs. Also, one of the PHYs may be coupled to the MAC as a power-up default. The PHYs may be coupled to a same network, by, for example, cables. A first cable to a first PHY may couple it to a first network switch and a second cable to a second PHY may couple it to a second network switch. The first network switch may be rated to handle, for example, a greater data rate than the second network switch. The first cable may not be able to be used as a cable for the second PHY, and vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Broadcom Israel Research, Ltd.
    Inventors: Eliezer Aloni, Uri Elzur, Predrag Kostic, Klaus Friedrich
  • Patent number: 8508380
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for detecting the opening of a hatch closing a case in an item of equipment including one or more electronic circuit boards, the planes of which are substantially orthogonal to the plane formed by the said hatch, at least one of the said boards including at least two conductive parts electrically insulated from one another and each connected to a detection circuit, a conductive element being attached to the inner side of the hatch, a portion of each of the conductive parts extending laterally to the side of the edge of the said electronic circuit board which is proximal to the hatch, the said conductive element being placed facing the said conductive parts so as to come into contact with them when the hatch is placed in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Christophe Marron, Marc Abadie, David Gribovalle, Pierre Borrat-Michaud
  • Patent number: 8502674
    Abstract: A method, system, and medium are provided for monitoring a location of an object using a mobile device, including emitting from the mobile device a radio frequency (RF) signal that activates a radio frequency identifier tag (“RFID tag”) located within a broadcast area (the RFID tag being affixed to the object); receiving at the mobile device an RF signal generated by the RFID tag; determining that the RFID tag is registered among a set of RFID tags that are to be tracked; determining that the RFID tag is not located within the broadcast area; and emitting by way of the mobile device an alert that indicates that the RFID tag is not located within the broadcast area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventor: Joshua R. Cole
  • Patent number: 8502648
    Abstract: A method of directing an audio signal to an intended user by a remote-control device coupled to an audio/video device is described. The remote-control device sends an instruction to the audio/video device to transmit an audio signal. The remote-control device receives the audio signal and processes the audio signal to generate a directional audio. The directional audio is then routed to an intended user such that the directional audio signal is audible to the intended user, but not to other recipients in the vicinity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Dasaradha Gude, Gunjan Porwal, Murli Krishna Kocherla
  • Patent number: 8493178
    Abstract: A forged face detecting method includes: acquiring a photorealistic image and an infrared image of a subject on which line beams are projected; extracting face features from the infrared image based on characteristics of a pattern of the line beams projected on the acquired infrared image; and detecting whether or not the infrared image is a forged face based on the extracted face features. Said detecting whether or not the infrared image is a forged face includes: checking whether the extracted face features falls within a preset permission range of face features; determining the infrared image to have the forged face if the extracted face features fall out of the range to acquire an infrared image of the subject again; and determining the infrared image to have a non-forged face if the extracted face features falls within the range to perform face recognition for the photorealistic image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Yun Su Chung, Yongjin Lee, Sung Uk Jung, Ki Young Moon
  • Patent number: 8487775
    Abstract: A method of analyzing data based on the physiological orientation of a driver is provided. Data is descriptive of a driver's gaze-direction is processing and criteria defining a location of driver interest is determined. Based on the determined criteria, gaze-direction instances are classified as either on-location or off-location. The classified instances can then be used for further analysis, generally relating to times of elevated driver workload and not driver drowsiness. The classified instances are transformed into one of two binary values (e.g., 1 and 0) representative of whether the respective classified instance is on or off location. The uses of a binary value makes processing and analysis of the data faster and more efficient. Furthermore, classification of at least some of the off-location gaze direction instances can be inferred from the failure to meet the determined criteria for being classified as an on-location driver gaze direction instance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Volvo Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Trent Victor, Peter Kronberg
  • Patent number: 8482377
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an energy store for supplying an actuator, an antenna device for receiving, by contactless communication, energy for charging the energy store and one or more control signals comprising a command for triggering the actuator, and a control unit for controlling the supply of energy to the actuator on the basis of the control signals. After the triggering command has been received, the state of charge of the energy store is determined. When this state is less than a state of charge threshold value that is sufficient for triggering the actuator, a response signal to continue contactless communication is transmitted to the transmitting device via the antenna device. When this state is greater than or equal to the state of charge threshold value, the control unit controls the supply of energy from the energy store to the actuator so that it is possible to trigger the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
    Inventor: Klaus Finkenzeller
  • Patent number: 8446250
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method and system for providing digital security by means of a reconfigurable physical uncloneable function, RPUF. The RPUF comprises a physical system constituted by distributed components arranged to generate a first response when receiving a first challenge at a point of the physical system. The physical reconfiguring of the RPUF comprises redistributing the components such that they generate a second response, which differs from said first response, when again applying the first challenge at the point. The reconfiguration step is further utilized in providing secure storage for digital items. The digital item is data of any kind, including data that needs to be accessed and updated, i.e. which is dynamic in nature. The method is exemplified by implementations such as secure storage of a key, a secure counter and a seed generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Intrinsic ID B.V.
    Inventors: Klaus Kursawe, Pim T. Tuyls
  • Patent number: 8446256
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for multiplexing radio frequency signals. In some implementations, a system includes a host coupling module, a plurality of antennas, and a processing module. The host coupling module is configured to receive and transmit RF signals through a wired connection. The plurality of antennas are configured to wirelessly transmit RF signals and receive RF signals from RFID tags. The processing module is configured to selectively switch between the plurality of antennas for communication with the RFID tags using the host coupling module and backscatter at least a portion of the received RF signals through the wired connection to communicate information independent of an internal power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Sirit Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Jason Pinkham
  • Patent number: 8432258
    Abstract: Several embodiments provide methods and apparatus to improve communications between an RFID reader and one or more RFID tags. In one implementation, an apparatus comprises a first antenna configured to communicate with a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader; a second antenna separate from said first antenna, and configured to communicate with at least one RFID tag; and structure electrically coupling said first and second antennas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce W. Wilkinson, Richard B. Ulrich, Nicholaus A. Jones
  • Patent number: 8427282
    Abstract: A method of identifying a plurality of transponders, the method comprising receiving at an interrogator one or more data transmission blocks from each transponder, wherein the first data block contains a uniquely detectable transponder identity and zero or more further data blocks defining a set of data blocks making up a transponder transmission. The first data transmission block also contains in transmission block number; one or more further data transmission blocks containing additional block data and a respective transmission block number; the block number being changed, by decrement or increment, automatically as each data block is transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: ZIH Corp.
    Inventors: Christopher Gordon Gervase Turner, Albertus Jacobus Pretorius
  • Patent number: 8421622
    Abstract: A monitoring system for a moving object including a leaking transmission device having a first and second leaking transmission paths extending substantially in parallel to each other, first equipment for transmitting a first transmission signal from one end side of both the ends of the leaking transmission device as a transmission medium to the other end side, second equipment for transmitting a second transmission signal from the other end side of both the ends of the leaking transmission device as the transmission medium to the one end side, and a detector for detecting a two-dimensional movement of a moving object as a monitoring target on the basis of a difference between variations of first and second reception signals based on the respective reflection waves of the first and second transmission signals from the moving object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Wataru Tsujita, Kenji Inomata, Yoshio Sato, Atsuhisa Nakanishi, Hajime Nakajima
  • Patent number: 8421648
    Abstract: A wrong-way-travel warning device comprising a vehicle speed detecting part configured to detect a vehicle speed of a vehicle, a part configured to detect a position of the vehicle, an angle detecting part configured to detect an angle of a vehicular longitudinal direction of the vehicle relative to a lane marking if the vehicle speed of the vehicle becomes less than or equal to a predetermined value, and a warning part configured to issue a warning to an occupant if the position of the vehicle is on a main lane of a highway and if the angle becomes about 90 degrees, is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin AW Co., Ltd., Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Daisuke Konaka, Masaki Nakamura, Koichi Nakao, Tomoaki Ishikawa, Naoto Miura, Masaki Yoshida, Motoki Kanba, Kiyoshi Tsurumi
  • Patent number: 8421595
    Abstract: A method, a device, a server and a system for authenticating the identity with the biological character in an authenticating system, the authenticating system at least includes a local device and an authenticating server, wherein the method comprises the following steps: inputting step, inputting the biological character data in the local device by a biological character sensor; matching step, matching the input biological character data with the original biological character data pre-stored in the memory of the local device; first identification code producing step, producing the first identification code in the local device if the input biological character data is matched with the original biological character data pre-stored in the memory; and authenticating step, sending the first identification code to the authenticating server, authenticating the first identification code by the authenticating server in order to authorize the system to perform the authorized operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Valley Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Jean Cassone
  • Patent number: 8421600
    Abstract: Data associated with supply chain events for a manufactured assembly is automatically stored. In preferred embodiments the supply chain events for the manufactured assembly are stored on an RFID tag attached to the assembly as it travels through the supply chain to insure the data concerning the assembly is readily available and not separated from the assembly. In other embodiments, the supply chain events or characteristic data is stored on the RFID tag in a hierarchical structure beginning with the original state of the assembly and with additional entries for each step in the assembly process. In other embodiments, as the product undergoes rework, conversion to a different assembly, or personalizations, the new state of the assembly is stored in the RFID tag. In other preferred embodiments, other information is also stored on the RFID tag such as country of origin, failure data, cycle times and a quality status indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven C. Erickson, Ivory Wellman Knipfer, Jeffrey George Komatsu, Fraser Allan Syme
  • Patent number: 8416062
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for improving RFID tag reading. The apparatus includes a substrate element having a predetermined active area, and a plurality of resonant elements each having a resonant frequency, a quality factor, and a response band. The resonant elements are distributed within the predetermined active area of the substrate element for scattering interrogation electromagnetic waves radiated thereupon from the RFID reader. At least one resonant element has a null-direction thereof orientated in a direction that is substantially orthogonal to a line extending from a center of the resonant element to a center of an antenna of the RFID reader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy B. Austin
  • Patent number: 8416057
    Abstract: A method and system for identifying an authentication status of a first item. An RFID reader transmits zero and a random number to a first RFID tag associated with the first item. The first RFID tag uses a hashing function to compute a hash (H1) of a concatenation of an identifier (Id1) of the first RFID tag, the random number, and a first secret key and sends the hash H1 to the RFID reader which then transmits the identifier Id1 and the random number to a second RFID tag. The second RFID tag uses the hashing function to compute a hash (H2) of a concatenation of the identifier Id1, the random number, and a second secret key and sends the hash H2 to the RFID reader. The authentication status of authentic or counterfeit is determined for the first item based on whether or not H1 is equal to H2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Frederic Bauchot, Jean-Yves Clement, Gerard Marmigere, Pierre Secondo
  • Patent number: 8410932
    Abstract: A capacitive sensor array including a sensor electrode which detects the intrusion of an object, a shield electrode and a background electrode. A control and evaluation circuit is coupled to the sensor electrode which detects a change in the capacitance of the sensor electrode. The sensor electrode periodically evaluates at least one of a current and voltage profile to detect the capacitance change. The shield electrode is coupled to the sensor electrode through the control and evaluation circuit such that it has no influence on the measured capacitance. The background electrode is controlled such that its potential is periodically switched between the reference potential and a second potential. When the sensor electrode is coupled with the first potential, the background electrode may be located on the reference potential. When the sensor electrode is not coupled with the first potential, the background electrode may be located on the second potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Huf Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Peter Van Gastel
  • Patent number: 8405520
    Abstract: A method and system for displaying an in-car view of current traffic conditions is disclosed. A user can select an “In Car View” as a display option. A display shows traffic conditions from a driver's eye view. A forward view depicts a vehicle dashboard, which may include a steering wheel, a central column, gauges, a rear view mirror, and a windshield. Graphics representing traffic conditions are visible through the windshield of the forward view. A side view allows a user to see traffic conditions on the opposite side of the road. The in-car view moves at a rate associated with the pace of the current traffic conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Navteq B.V.
    Inventors: Robert M. Soulchin, Howard M. Swope, III, Michal Balcerzak
  • Patent number: 8405487
    Abstract: A method of storing sensor data in a sensor tag is provided. The method comprises receiving new sensor data output from a sensor, comparing the received new sensor data with immediately previous sensor data to determine whether the comparison result satisfies a predetermined criterion, and storing the new sensor data in a tag memory when it is determined that the criterion is satisfied. Accordingly, efficient use of the tag memory is possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Kang-bok Lee, Sang-yeoun Lee, Heyung-sub Lee, Jong-suk Chae