Patents Examined by Jeffrey Donels
  • Patent number: 11295715
    Abstract: Techniques for automatically controlling the expressive behavior of a virtual musical instrument by analyzing an audio recording of a live musician are provided. In some embodiments, an audio recording may be analyzed at various points along the timeline of the recording to derive corresponding values of a parameter that is in some way representative of the musical expression of the live musician. Values of control parameters that control one or more aspects of the audio playback of a virtual instrument may then be generated based on the determined values of the expression parameter. Values of control parameters may be provided to a sample library to control how a digital score selects and/or plays back samples from the library, and/or values of the control parameters may be stored with the digital score for subsequent playback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Symphonova, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shelley Katz, Goran Tchubrilo
  • Patent number: 11292690
    Abstract: A method of operating a building elevator system within a building having a plurality of landings including: controlling a first elevator group; controlling a second elevator group; adjusting a range of landings served by one or more elevator systems of the second elevator group in response to at least one of the predicted passenger response time, the time of day, the amount of traffic received by the first elevator group, the amount of traffic received by the second elevator group, the amount of traffic within the first range of landings, the amount of traffic within the second range of landings, the amount of traffic received by the first elevator group relative to the amount of traffic received by the second elevator group, and the amount of traffic within the first range of landings relative to an amount of traffic within the second range of landings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Arthur Hsu
  • Patent number: 11286133
    Abstract: An elevator system includes a component adapted to perform a function, a sensor, and a control configuration. The sensor is configured to detect an operating parameter associated with the function. The control configuration is configured to receive a parameter signal from the sensor, and extract a predesignated feature from data associated with the parameter signal. The predesignated feature is then aggregated by the control configuration and machine learning is applied to determine a degradation level of the function associated with the predesignated feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Nikola Trcka, Teems E. Lovett, Sandeep Sudi, Paul R. Braunwart, Sudarshan N. Koushik, Peter Liaskas
  • Patent number: 11279595
    Abstract: A door operating arrangement in an elevator, including a door operating unit located in the elevator car including a door controller and a door drive as well as a door motor configured to open and close elevator car doors, optionally together with elevator landing doors, a DC bus connecting the door operating unit via a travelling cable of the elevator car with a DC power source of the elevator. The voltage level of the DC bus is between 40 V and 120 V, the DC bus is connected to a capacitor bank located in the elevator car having a parallel connection of at least two capacitors and a total capacity value of at least 75.000 ?F, preferably at least 100.000 ?F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Pasi Raassina, Ari-Pekka Lahtinen
  • Patent number: 11279591
    Abstract: A multicar elevator system includes a group of individually drivable elevator cars and two shafts coupled to each other with at least two transfer channels. The system further includes a control unit configured to operate the system in either of two operating modes, wherein in the first mode the group of elevator cars is arranged to travel to a first vertical direction in the first shaft and to another vertical direction in the second shaft through the transfer channels. In the second mode, a first sub-group of elevator cars are parked in one of the shafts and at least one elevator car belonging to a second sub-group of elevator cars is arranged to travel in the both vertical directions in the other shaft upon a call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ari Hänninen, Ari Koivisto
  • Patent number: 11274020
    Abstract: A door operation controller for an elevator includes at least one sensor arranged in a doorway at a landing for detecting moving direction and/or moving speed of a person or an object in or near the doorway during a time period from when the elevator door is opened until when the elevator door is closed at the landing. The controller is configured to control door operation in response to the detection of a person's or object's movement in or near the doorway at the landing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Hisanori Seki, Atsushi Yamada, Tomomitsu Sano
  • Patent number: 11274019
    Abstract: A wireless power transfer arrangement for an elevator car of an elevator is presented. The wireless power transfer arrangement comprises primary winding units distantly arranged with respect to each other at first positions of an elevator shaft along which the elevator car is configured to be moved, at least one secondary winding unit arranged to the elevator car. Each one of the primary winding units and the at least one secondary winding unit are arranged so that there is a gap between said winding units for enabling movement of the secondary winding unit with respect to the primary winding units and for establishing an inductive coupling between said winding units whenever said winding units are arranged to face each other at one of the first positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Pasi Raassina, Seppo Suur-Askola, Ilya Petrov, Pekka Perunka
  • Patent number: 11261061
    Abstract: A stairlift may include a rail and a drive unit having a chair and a carrier. The carrier may be adapted to drive along the rail, and the chair may be supported by the carrier. The chair may have a folding mechanism that comprises a base body fixed to the carrier, a seat body that is foldably fixed by way of a seat joint to the base body, a leg body that is foldably fixed to the seat body by way of a leg joint, and a footrest body that is foldably fixed to the leg body by way of a footrest joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: TK HOME SOLUTIONS S.V.
    Inventor: Wilco Van Eijgen
  • Patent number: 11254541
    Abstract: A lift system comprises a rail (1) and a carriage assembly (2) comprising a seat (21) or platform (21) for supporting a person to be conveyed along the rail (1), drive means arranged to engage the rail (1) and controllable to drive the carriage assembly (2) along the rail (1), energy storage means arranged to power the drive means, input means operable by a user to provide an input signal indicative of a desired movement of the carriage assembly (2) along the rail (1), and control means arranged to receive the input signal and control the drive means in response to the input signal. The system includes charging means arranged to charge the energy storage means when the carriage assembly (2) is at a first charging position on the rail (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: ACORN MOBILITY SERVICES LIMITED
    Inventors: John Stewart Jakes, Keith Holdstock
  • Patent number: 11257471
    Abstract: An artificial intelligence (AI) method includes generating a first musical interaction behavioral model. The first musical interaction behavioral model causes an interactive electronic device to perform a first set of musical operations and a first set of motional operations. The AI method further includes receiving user inputs received in response to the performance of the first set of musical operations and the first set of motional operations and determining a user learning progression level based on the user inputs. In response to determining that the user learning progression level is above a threshold, the AI method includes generating a second musical interaction behavioral model. The second musical interaction behavioral model causes the interactive electronic device to perform a second set of musical operations and a second set of motional operations. The AI method further includes performing the second set of musical operations and the second set of motional operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Sean O'Brien, Erick Wong, Julia Wong
  • Patent number: 11244663
    Abstract: A foot percussion device can include a rigid board defining an upper surface and a lower surface distal from the upper surface; a spacer secured to and extending from the lower surface of the board, the spacer being compressible and defining a height before compression, the spacer configured to isolate the board from contact with a floor surface on which the device is placed; an audio jack; and a sensor in contact with and secured to one of the upper surface and the lower surface of the board, the sensor configured to convert mechanical vibrations in the board to electrical signals transmittable through the audio jack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: Victoria Rose Advisors LLC
    Inventors: Victor J. Perkins, Jaia S. Perkins
  • Patent number: 11242227
    Abstract: In a method for carrying out an installation process in an elevator shaft of an elevator system, an assembly device is inserted into the elevator shaft. The assembly device includes a support component, a mechatronic installation component retained by the support component and a control apparatus. At least one assembly apparatus (tool, sensor or component) is arranged on the support component. The support component is fixed in a fixing position in the elevator shaft. After the support component has been fixed, an actual position of the at least one assembly apparatus is determined relative to the installation component. Using the determined actual position relative to the support component, the at least one assembly apparatus is received by the installation component and an assembly step is carried out using the received at least one assembly apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: INVENTIO AG
    Inventors: Andrea Cambruzzi, Erich Butler, Philipp Zimmerli, Raphael Bitzi
  • Patent number: 11242219
    Abstract: A story monitoring method when a robot takes an elevator is provided. The method including: obtaining gravity acceleration of the robot in a static state in an elevator and transient acceleration of the robot in a moving state in the elevator, a starting story number, and a story height of each story; obtaining an acceleration change waveform of the robot; comparing the acceleration change waveform by using an acceleration waveform classifier of the elevator, to obtain a movement status of the elevator at each moment; obtaining actual displacement of the elevator in a complete movement status of the elevator; and obtaining a story that the elevator is on after a complete movement status according to the actual displacement of the elevator, the starting story number, and the story height of each story.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Xiaolong Zhu, Shanmin Tang, Yongsheng Liu
  • Patent number: 11235953
    Abstract: A method and a mounting device for carrying out an installation operation in an elevator shaft of an elevator system include a mounting device having a carrier component and a mechatronic installation component held on the carrier component. In a displacement phase, the carrier component is displaced relative to the elevator shaft and positioned at different heights within the elevator shaft. In a mounting phase, a mounting step is carried out at least partially automatically, wherein a mounting device is removed from a magazine component disposed on the carrier component and installed on a shaft wall of the elevator shaft. In a stocking phase, a magazine component is stocked with mounting devices outside the elevator shaft and, in a loading phase, the stocked magazine component is disposed on the carrier component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: INVENTIO AG
    Inventors: Andrea Cambruzzi, Erich Bütler, Philipp Zimmerli, Raphael Bitzi
  • Patent number: 11225396
    Abstract: A shaft hoisting plant has a conveyance and an overwind brake device for the conveyance, a travel path for the conveyance, and an overwind path adjoining a lower and/or upper end of the travel path. The overwind brake device includes retaining bars arranged in pairs in a manner spaced apart from one another and extending in a longitudinal direction, energy-absorbing material arranged in the form of plates arranged one above another in the longitudinal direction between the retaining bars. A plow is movable relative to the retaining elements, such that, upon overwinding of the conveyance, the plow deforms and/or destroys the energy-absorbing material between the retaining elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: OLKO-MASCHINENTECHNIK GMBH
    Inventors: Matthias Junge, Lars Rietz, Nicole Klein, Eduard Haberkorn
  • Patent number: 11217215
    Abstract: An accessory for modifying sound output of a musical instrument. The body of the instrument has a soundboard. The accessory includes a sound sensor, an actuator, a fastener, and a controller. The sound sensor engages the body and senses vibration of the body representing the sound output of the musical instrument. The actuator engages the soundboard and deforms the soundboard of the musical instrument so as to modify the sound output of the musical instrument. The sound sensor is preferably arranged distally to the actuator. The fastener engages the accessory to the musical instrument, to locate the actuator against the soundboard of the musical instrument. The controller is connected to the actuator and the sound sensor for receiving and analysing the sound output sensed by the sound sensor, and controlling the actuator in dependence on the sound output sensed by the sound sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Inventor: Michael Robert Coyle
  • Patent number: 11205409
    Abstract: A programmable signal processing and musical instrument setup system for stringed musical instruments, comprising at least one analog signal processing circuit, a control circuit operably coupled to at least one analog signal processing circuit, and a storage unit operably coupled to the control circuit, being arranged on the musical instrument for storing setup parameters for the musical instrument. The system comprises: a communication module with an individual identification information connected to the control circuit for enabling communication with an external programming device that has a storage unit configured for storing an individual identification information of at least one musical instrument, in association with the musical instrument in at least one configuration file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Inventors: András Bognár, Dániel Bognár, Sándor Bognár
  • Patent number: 11205408
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques are provided for generating music, and, more particularly, to methods, systems, and apparatuses for generating music associated with a state contained within a communication, for a user interface for generating music associated with a state, for generated music to reflect movement between states, and for generating music to guide a user toward a desired state. In various embodiments, a computing system might analyze a communication of a user to determine at least one state contained within the communication. The communication may be a sensor communication, a biometric/health communication, a voice communication, a numerical communication, a textual communication, a picture/video communication, etc. Based on the determined at least one state, the computing system might generate music associated with the state or continuously control the generation of music to guide a user toward a desired state. A user interface for generating music may also be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Muvik Labs, LLC
    Inventor: Victoria A Grace
  • Patent number: 11198587
    Abstract: A method for deploying a controller to an elevator system includes generating a request to at least one other controller for obtaining at least one parameter relating to a deployment of the controller to the elevator system, receiving a response, and in response to detection that the at least one parameter in the response comprises a set of operational parameters, initiating a configuration procedure, and in response to detection that the at least one parameter in the response does not comprise the set of operational parameters, deriving an identifier of the elevator system included as the at least one parameter in the response and generating a request including the identifier of the elevator system for obtaining the set of operational parameters. An elevator system is configured to perform the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Matti Mustonen, Jouko Kinnari, Jani Hautakorpi
  • Patent number: 11192752
    Abstract: A drive control method and system for controlling an inverter during power disruptions in the operation of an elevator drive includes the steps of predetermining whether a hoist motor of the elevator drive will be operating in a motor mode, a balanced mode or a regenerative mode on commencement of the power disruption, and controlling the inverter in accordance with the predetermined operating mode after commencement of the power disruption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: INVENTIO AG
    Inventors: Roman Camenzind, Thomas Eilinger, Om Prakash