Patents Examined by Hoi Lau
  • Device availability notification and scheduling
    Patent number: 9147214
    Abstract: An availability notification for a device can be provided to a mobile device. The availability notification can be provided based on a configuration established by a subscriber of a mobile device as well as a characteristic of the mobile device. The subscriber can interact with an interface provided by the network provider to establish the configuration. Additionally, the subscriber can reserve the device via his or her mobile device. For example, a reservation interface may be provided to the subscriber via his or her mobile device that includes reservation options that can be selected by the subscriber to reserve the device. The reservation interface can further include the availability notification that indicates the device is currently available.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC
    Inventors: Mark Edward Causey, Scott Andrus, Adrianne B. Luu, Kevin W. Jones
  • Remote controlled detection system
    Patent number: 9147333
    Abstract: In accordance with example embodiments, a system may include a sensor, a remote, and one or more transceivers. In example embodiments, the sensor may be configured to sense a condition and send a first signal when the condition is sensed. In example embodiments, the first signal includes a first unique identifier. In example embodiments, the remote is configured to send a second and third signal (for remote “on” and “off”) and the second and third signals will include a second unique identifier. In example embodiments, the first transceiver is configured to receive and retransmit the first, second and third signals. A retransmission of the third signal from the remote further deactivates the transceiver(s) from the “ready” state to the “off” state. Sending the second signal from the remote (the “on” signal) resets the transceiver(s) from the “off” state to the “ready” state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: Enuresis Solutions LLC
    Inventor: Kaiomars P. Anklesaria
  • Automated monitoring and control of safety in a production area
    Patent number: 9143843
    Abstract: A machine vision process monitors and controls safe working practice in a production area by capturing and processing image data relative to personal protective equipment (PPE) worn by individuals, movement of various articles, and movement-related conformations of individuals and other objects in the production area. The data is analyzed to determine whether there is a violation of a predetermined minimum threshold image, movement, or conformation value for a predetermined threshold period of time. The determination of a safety violation triggers computer activation of a safety control device. The process is carried out using a system including an image data capturing device, a computer and computer-readable program code, and a safety control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Sealed Air Corporation
    Inventors: Nicholas De Luca, Koichi Sato
  • Determination of time zone and DST participation
    Patent number: 9134427
    Abstract: A local time zone setting for a device is automatically provided based on a location and a date and time. Location information is obtained for a present location of the device within a geographical area and the date and time. An association is established between the present location and a geopolitical portion of the geographical area, the geopolitical portion including time zone application rules. The local time zone setting is automatically provided based on the time zone application rules, which can include daylight savings time (DST) participation, and the present date and time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Andrew Tyler McIntosh
  • Evacuation system
    Patent number: 9129498
    Abstract: A method includes receiving, at a node located in a structure, an indication of an evacuation condition. The structure includes a plurality of nodes in communication with one another. The method also includes sending, by the node, a message to one or more additional nodes. The message informs the one or more additional nodes that the node is going to determine an evacuation route in response to the indication of the evacuation condition such that the one or more additional nodes do not determine the evacuation route. The method also includes determining, by the node, the evacuation route based at least in part on the indication of the evacuation condition and at least in part on a layout of the structure. The method further includes providing, by the node, the evacuation route to the one or more additional nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: ONEEVENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Kurt Joseph Wedig, Daniel Ralph Parent, Tammy Michelle Wedig, Kristin Ann Sutter-Parent
  • Vehicular display system
    Patent number: 9126483
    Abstract: A vehicular display system includes a vehicle on-board unit having a vehicular display part, and a mobile device having a mobile display part. The vehicular display part is fixedly mounted on a vehicle and configured to display vehicular information including at least a vehicle speed. The mobile display part is configured to display the vehicular information including the vehicle speed when the mobile device is set in position between a driver of the vehicle and the vehicular display part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Aoki, Yoshimitsu Ishida, Masaru Nakayama
  • System for haptically representing sensor input
    Patent number: 9116546
    Abstract: A haptic representation system is provided that generates a haptic effect in response to sensor input. The sensor input is mapped to a haptic signal. The haptic signal is sent to an actuator configured to receive the haptic signal. The actuator utilizes the haptic signal to generate the haptic effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Immersion Corporation
    Inventors: David Birnbaum, Christopher J. Ullrich, Danny Grant, Ali Modarres, Juan Manuel Cruz-Hernandez
  • Methods and systems for efficient security screening
    Patent number: 9116513
    Abstract: A path of a security checkpoint may lead from an entrance to an identification checkpoint, and from the identification checkpoint to at least one recomposure station. A display may display an expected wait time for at least one person to pass from the entrance to the exit, the person using at least the first portion of the path. A first audio system may provide a type of music to a first area covering at least a second portion of the path, a location of the first area and the type of music determined based on proximity of the second portion of the path to the identification checking station. A second audio system may provide instructions to a second area covering at least a third portion of the path, a location of the second area determined based on proximity of the third portion to the identification checking station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: SecurityPoint Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph T Ambrefe, Jr., Douglas J Linehan
  • RFID reader and method of controlling the same
    Patent number: 9111155
    Abstract: A radio frequency identification (RFID) reader and a method of controlling the RFID reader are provided. The RFID reader includes a link frequency calculator which calculates a link frequency by using a signal transmitted from a tag and a sampling signal; a first decoder which converts the signal transmitted from the tag into a first signal or a second signal having a different value from the first signal; a decoding controller which outputs a mode signal representing a format used to decode the signal converted in the first decoder; and a second decoder which decodes the converted signal according to the mode signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: INTELLECTUAL DISCOVERY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Bong-hyen Kwon
  • Charge control device
    Patent number: 9108561
    Abstract: A vehicle is equipped with a charge plug. The vehicle includes a vehicular battery charged through the charge plug. A charge control device for the vehicle includes a vehicle information acquisition unit, an exit determination unit, and an alarming operation unit. The vehicle information acquisition unit acquires vehicle information, which represents a state of the vehicle. The exit determination unit determines, according to the vehicle information, whether an occupant of the vehicle has an exit intention to exit from the vehicle. The alarming operation unit implements an alarming operation to restrict the occupant from forgetting to mount the charge plug when the exit determination unit determines that the occupant has the exit intention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshihiro Nakamura
  • Emergency vehicle warning system and method
    Patent number: 9111447
    Abstract: An aspect of some embodiments of the present invention relates to a warning system for use in an emergency vehicle. The system comprises a tone generator, configured for generating an output alert signal, and a radio wave generator. The radio wave generator is configured for receiving the output alert signal and encoding the output alert signal into an electrical signal, and for converting the electrical signal into an electromagnetic wave configured for being received by a radio and/or a cellular communication device within a desired distance from the emergency vehicle, thus enabling the receiving radio and/or cellular communication device to convert the electromagnetic wave to an audio signal that can be emitted by the radio and/or cellular communication device to warn a user of a proximity of the emergency vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Inventor: Kim Tamar Holland
  • System and method for tracking shopping behavior
    Patent number: 9111157
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for tracking an interrogator relay unit (IRU) associated with a mobile asset within a structure, comprising: integrating one or more RFID tags within building materials within the structure; emitting an RF interrogation signal using the IRU; receiving, at the IRU, location data from one or more RFID tags in response to the RF interrogation signal; and transmitting the location data, an identification information of the IRU, and timestamp data to a remote server using the IRU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: INSIGHT HOLDING GROUP, INC.
    Inventor: James Christopher
  • Wireless device association system
    Patent number: 9113234
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product for identifying sensor units. Identification information is received from a marker in a wireless signal generated by the marker at a wireless device. The marker is associated with an object. The identification information is sent from the wireless device to a computer system. The computer system associates the wireless device with the object using the identification information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Bradley J. Mitchell, Henry VanRensselaer Fletcher, III, Kevin S. Callahan
  • Electronic apparatus
    Patent number: 9098992
    Abstract: The electronic apparatus includes a submergence detector for detecting submergence of the electronic apparatus in the water and retrieval thereof, a light-emitting device provided within an enclosure of the electronic apparatus, an illumination circuit for lighting the light-emitting device when an illumination signal is input, a controller for causing the light-emitting device to blink by generating the illumination signal at prescribed blinking intervals at least during a period from a point of submergence to a point of retrieval of the electronic apparatus and inputting the illumination signal to the illumination circuit, and a power control circuit for activating the controller by supplying electric power thereto if the electric power is not supplied to the controller when the submergence detector detects submergence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Icom Incorporated
    Inventor: Yoshio Sekiyama
  • Traffic light illumination duration indicator
    Patent number: 9064411
    Abstract: A traffic light illumination duration indicator that provides a motor vehicle operator with a visual indicator of the current illuminated light time remaining before the light changes. The visual indicator is a digital display for showing the remaining minutes and seconds before the traffic light changes state between green, amber and red. The visual indicator can also be a clock-like face that either turns on or turns off a plurality of LED's in a hand sweep action indicating the time duration before the traffic light changes from one state to another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Inventor: Hezekiah Patton, Jr.
  • RFID tag and method for receiving signal thereof
    Patent number: 9041539
    Abstract: Provided are a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag and a method for receiving a signal of the RFID tag. The RFID tag includes a voltage generator configured to generate a voltage signal from a received signal, a common gate circuit configured to convert the voltage signal into a current signal, a current/voltage converter configured to the current signal into a voltage signal by using a resistance value, a low-pass filter configured to perform low-pass filtering on the converted voltage signal, a buffer configured to buffer the low-pass-filtered voltage signal within an operation range, and a peak detector configured to detect a peak value from the buffered signal to demodulate information data. The current/voltage converter controls the resistance value to convert the current signal into a voltage signal included within the operation range of the buffer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Iljong Song, CholSu Yoon
  • Bridge device for use in a system for monitoring protective headgear
    Patent number: 9041528
    Abstract: A bridge device includes a first radio frequency (RF) transceiver that receives event data via an incoming RF signal from protective headgear in response to an impact event at the protective headgear, wherein the incoming RF signal is formatted in accordance with a first wireless protocol. A second RF transceiver transmits the event data in accordance with a second wireless protocol to a first monitoring device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: THL HOLDING COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: John W. Howard, Richard Cutler
  • Theft detection system
    Patent number: 9035771
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method is disclosed herein. The method includes the step of receiving, at a processing device of a monitoring server, a theft detection signal from a first augmented reality device worn by a first employee of a retail store. The method also includes the step of linking, with the processing device, the first augmented reality device in communication with an electronic computing device operated by a second employee in response to said step of receiving the theft detection signal. The second employee can assist the first employee in assessing whether a theft is occurring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Stuart Argue, Anthony Emile Marcar
  • Maintenance decision support system and method for vehicular and roadside applications
    Patent number: 9035755
    Abstract: A method and system are provided in which maintenance vehicles collect information from sensors and operators, forward the collected information to a server, and, in response, receive maps and operator instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Concaten, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Rennie, Kevin K. Groeneweg
  • Apparatus for preventing passive task-related fatigue of driver and method thereof
    Patent number: 9035780
    Abstract: A device that causes a driver not to feel passive task-related fatigue by performing interaction with the driver at a time when the driver feeling passive task-related fatigue, thereby promoting safe driving. In particular, phrase “the interaction with the driver” refers to a series of operations viewing quiz data or beat sequence data to the driver, receiving a response, and visually, acoustically, and tactilely informing a result according to the response, and a control of each component for the operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Sung Jin Sah, Sung Min Park, Hui Sung Lee, Kwang Myung Oh