Patents Examined by Jeffery A. Hofsass
  • Method and a device for monitoring a state of a blood line in a machine for extracorporeal blood treatment
    Patent number: 9216248
    Abstract: A method for monitoring a state of a blood line in a circuit for extracorporeal blood treatment, including the steps of: acquiring at least a first pressure value from a first sensor mounted at a first point of a circuit for extracorporeal blood treatment, comprising a blood line in which the blood is subjected to a pulsating thrust; acquiring at least a second pressure value from a second sensor mounted at a second point, distinct from the first point of the blood line of the circuit for extracorporeal blood treatment, and correlating at least a first value, correlated to the first pressure value, and at least a second value, correlated to the second pressure value, with at least a threshold value, in order to obtain a datum representing a state of the blood line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Gambro Lundia AB
    Inventors: Mauro Suffritti, Marco Lizzi
  • Determining air filter replacement conditions using air flow and energy consumption values
    Patent number: 9207727
    Abstract: A method of determining a condition of a filter located within a system is provided. The method may include determining a first air flow measurement value for a first air flow through the filter, determining a first energy consumption value associated with generating the first air flow through the filter, determining a first ratio between the first air flow measurement value and the first energy consumption value, determining a second air flow measurement value for a second air flow through the filter, determining a second energy consumption value associated with generating the second air flow through the filter, and determining a second ratio between the second air flow measurement value and the second energy consumption value. The filter may then be replaced based on a comparison between the determined first and the determined second ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Lenovo Enterprise Solutions (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Nicholas J. Balogh, Gordon B. Grout, Kobina K. Inkumsah, Robert H. Johnson, Jr.
  • Methods for remote assistance of disabled persons having at least two remote individuals which receive different indications
    Patent number: 9202360
    Abstract: A mobile terminal is used to assist individuals with disabilities. A mobile terminal such as a “smartphone”, tablet or other commercially available wireless handheld device may be loaded with software. The software may be configured to: (i) store criteria for managing communications between a disabled user of the mobile terminal and a remote caregiver and a second remote individual, (ii) determine whether a criterion is satisfied, and if so (iii) initiate a communication from the mobile terminal to the remote caregiver, and (iv) initiate a second alert to the second remote individual via a second alert type. Thus, through this software, the mobile terminal may dynamically facilitate communications with specific remote caregivers based on specific situations that may confront disabled individuals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: HandHold Adaptive, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel E. Tedesco, Robert C. Tedesco, James A. Jorasch
  • System and method for tire burst detection
    Patent number: 9193475
    Abstract: Tire pressure monitoring systems and methods for detecting a tire burst are disclosed. The system may include a tire pressure sensor, a tire pressure monitor, and a tire burst indicator. The tire pressure sensor may measure tire pressure in an aircraft tire. The tire pressure monitor may analyze data from the tire pressure sensor to detect a tire burst. A tire burst may be detected in response to a rapid decrease in tire pressure. In response to detecting a tire burst, the tire pressure monitor may transmit a tire burst message to the tire burst indicator. The tire burst indicator may indicate to a pilot that a tire burst has been detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: GOODRICH CORPORATION
    Inventor: Eric Cahill
  • Single cycle offset adjustment for traffic signal controllers using a threshold percentage of the cycle length
    Patent number: 9189957
    Abstract: Embodiments include a method for single cycle offset adjustment for a traffic signal includes receiving a current signal control plan and a new signal control plan. The method also includes calculating an offset between the current signal control plan and a new signal control plan and determining if the offset is less than a threshold percentage of a cycle length of the new signal control plan. If the offset is less than a threshold percentage of the cycle length, the method includes reducing a time period of each phase of a next cycle of the new signal control plan. If the offset is greater than the threshold percentage of the cycle length, the method includes increasing the time period of each phase of the next cycle of the new signal control plan. The method also includes executing the new signal control plan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: SIEMENS INDUSTRY, INC.
    Inventor: Daniel K. Nelson
  • Dashboard including rules to display data
    Patent number: 9187038
    Abstract: According to one example of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for displaying a dashboard display in a vehicle. The apparatus comprises a vehicle data bus interface for communicating with vehicle subsystems of a vehicle management system, a rules store for storing a set of dashboard display rules, and a dashboard display module. The dashboard display module is arranged to obtain a dashboard display definition, to determine whether the dashboard display definition is in compliance with the dashboard display rules; to obtain, where it is so determined, data from one or more of the vehicle subsystems in accordance with the dashboard display definition, and to display the obtained data in accordance with the dashboard display definition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Rikin Patel, William E. Bejcek, David J. Nowaczyk, Alejandro Anzures Rueda
  • System and method for providing notification of a task
    Patent number: 9189947
    Abstract: An apparatus for providing notification of a task includes a position component configured to determine user location information of a user of a mobile communication device, a communication component configured to provide the user location information to a communicatively coupled remote server for determining historical presence information based on at least one of a number of times a user is present at a location and an amount of time the user is present at the location, and a user interface configured to receive identification of task information including a task location and to present a notification of a task based on the historical presence information, the task location, and a current location of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Scenera Mobile Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Munindar P. Singh, Mona Singh
  • Tire position determination system having tire pressure sensors and using axle rotation detectors
    Patent number: 9180742
    Abstract: A tire position determination system including tire pressure detectors respectively attached to tires, axle rotation detectors respectively corresponding to axles, and a receiver located on a vehicle body. Each tire pressure detector detects when reaching a specific position on a rotation trajectory of the corresponding tire and transmits a radio wave including the tire ID. An ID temporary registration unit temporarily registers tire IDs to the memory that are received from the tire pressure detectors existing in a signal receivable area of the receiver. An ID registration acquires axle rotation information from each axle rotation detector whenever receiving the radio wave from each tire pressure detector, and specifies a tire ID of a tire that rotates in synchronism with rotation of each axle to determine the tire position of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI RIKA DENKI SEISAKUSHO
    Inventors: Masanori Kosugi, Naoki Watanabe, Katsuhide Kumagai
  • Pressure detection system for a pressure cooker indicating use-related wear
    Patent number: 9177460
    Abstract: The invention describes a pressure detection system for a pressure cooker, having a sensor (17) for detecting a pressure prevailing inside the pressure cooker by means of measured values, a computer unit (16) connected to the sensor (17), and a display (3, 4), wherein the computer unit (16) is designed to evaluate the measured values supplied by the sensor (17) and to establish whether at least one first threshold value (S1) has been reached. In order to indicate use-related wear, the computer unit (16) is further designed to continue a counter when the measured value reaches the first threshold value (S1) and to output a notification on the display (3, 4) when a predefined value of the counter is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: FISSLER GMBH
    Inventor: Folkhart Fissler
  • Pedestrian warning light system for vehicles with illumination in different directions
    Patent number: 9165460
    Abstract: A pedestrian-warning light system for a vehicle is disclosed herein. The pedestrian-warning light system includes a sensing device mountable with respect to a vehicle and operable to detect a pedestrian within a zone adjacent to the front of the vehicle. The zone extends along a first axis. The sensing device is operable to emit a detection signal in response to the pedestrian being in the zone. The pedestrian-warning light system also includes a lighting arrangement mountable within the vehicle and operable to concurrently emit light into the vehicle and away from the vehicle in a first direction toward the zone and away from the vehicle in a second direction at least partially opposite to the first direction away from the zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Inventor: Basem Albert Aziz
  • Self learning medication storage device
    Patent number: 9161885
    Abstract: Compartments of a medication storage device are fitted with sensors to detect the presence of medication and the opening of compartment lids or doors. A controller monitors the sensor signals and sounds an alarm if medication is not removed from a compartment within a variance range about a target time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Inventor: Wesley Zhou
  • Apparatus for tire pressure monitoring, information transmissing method thereof and integrated receiver system
    Patent number: 9162540
    Abstract: Provided are a tire pressure monitoring device, an information transmitting method thereof, and an integrated receiver system. A tire pressure monitoring device according to an aspect of the present invention includes a first sensing unit sensing a pressure of a tire, a second sensing unit detecting whether a vehicle is driving by sensing at least one of acceleration, motion, and shock, and a calculation unit transmitting, to an integrated system of the vehicle, pressure information of the tire at a first data transfer rate corresponding to a data transfer rate of a body control module or a smart key system when the second sensing unit detects that the vehicle is not driving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kyu Chul Shin
  • Peripheral salient feature enhancement on full-windshield head-up display
    Patent number: 9162622
    Abstract: A method to selectively project graphical images upon a transparent windscreen head up display of a vehicle based upon visual information present in a peripheral zone of vision includes monitoring a location of visual information corresponding to critical information with respect to the windscreen, and processing the location of the visual information to generate display requirements describing the visual information as present in the peripheral zone of vision. Processing the location includes monitoring an estimated operator gaze location with respect to the windscreen, comparing the estimated operator gaze location to the location of visual information, and generating the display requirements when the estimated operator gaze location is distant from the location of visual information by more than a threshold distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Joseph F. Szczerba, Linda S. Angell, Thomas A. Seder, Dehua Cui
  • Handheld visual back-up guidance device and system for trailers and vehicles
    Patent number: 9153134
    Abstract: A visual back-up guidance device and system for trailers and vehicles includes a guidance device having a durable main body, a plurality of indicators represented by a left turn indicator, a GO indicator, a STOP indicator, and a right turn indicator, a speaker and a plurality of control inputs. A visual back-up guidance system includes the guidance device and a driver unit having another plurality of indicators represented by a left turn indicator, a GO indicator, a STOP indicator, and a right turn indicator, that is communicatively linked to the guidance device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Inventors: John Warner, Wendy Warner
  • Medical dispending safety system that monitors drug ingestion
    Patent number: 9147043
    Abstract: The current application is directed to methods for assessing patient risk and managing chronic pain patients in order to improve functional outcomes, decrease mortality and morbidity, and to emphasize the cost effectiveness of chronic pain treatment. Nurse case managers working with physician consultants who have experience in dealing with complex non-cancerous chronic pain diagnoses, substance abuse, mental health conditions, and drug diversion are employed. Chronic pain case management services may be employed, often along with specialized drug-dispensing devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Inventors: Doug Melby, David G. Greenberg
  • Vehicle approach information device with indicator to the driver
    Patent number: 9139132
    Abstract: A vehicle approach informing device includes: an informing sound output unit configured to output informing sound for informing a pedestrian outside a vehicle that the vehicle is approaching when a predetermined condition is satisfied; a stop operation unit configured to receive an operation for stopping the output of the informing sound by the informing sound output unit; and an information output unit configured to output predetermined information to a driver. When the predetermined condition is satisfied and output of the informing sound by the informing sound output unit is stopped by an operation of the stop operation unit, the information output unit outputs information to the driver, the information indicating that the informing sound is not outputted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: FUJI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kanaya, Takuya Itoh
  • Smoke detector with external sampling volume using two different wavelengths and ambient light detection for measurement correction
    Patent number: 9140646
    Abstract: In accordance with certain embodiments, a smoke detector determines the presence of smoke particles outside its housing based on measurements of light detected at different wavelengths and corrected based on an ambient light level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Valor Fire Safety, LLC
    Inventor: Matthew Erdtmann
  • Smoke detector with external sampling volume using two different wavelengths and ambient light detection for measurement correction
    Patent number: 9142112
    Abstract: In accordance with certain embodiments, a smoke detector determines the presence of smoke particles outside its housing based on measurements of light detected at different wavelengths and corrected based on an ambient light level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Valor Fire Safety, LLC
    Inventor: Matthew Erdtmann
  • Smoke detector with external sampling volume using two different wavelengths and ambient light detection for measurement correction
    Patent number: 9142113
    Abstract: In accordance with certain embodiments, a smoke detector determines the presence of smoke particles outside its housing based on measurements of light detected at different wavelengths and corrected based on an ambient light level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Valor Fire Safety, LLC
    Inventor: Matthew Erdtmann
  • Sound emitting handgrip for a tubular handlebar
    Patent number: 9139244
    Abstract: A handgrip assembly including a sound emitting assembly, the handgrip assembly adapted to be slid over and into a tube end at an end portion of a tubular handlebar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Sonic Grip Limited
    Inventor: Frank Anthony Ierfone