Patents Examined by Julie Lieu
  • Patent number: 9883226
    Abstract: An entertainment device initiates a configuration process of a controlling device in response to a change in an audio visual entertainment system configuration in which at least one of a plurality devices is connected to the entertainment device as an audio and/or visual source and at least one of the plurality of devices is connected to the entertainment device as an audio and/or visual output destination for the entertainment device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Arling, Patrick H. Hayes
  • Patent number: 9873377
    Abstract: An apparatus for diagnosing a brake light malfunction includes a primary abnormality signal output unit to output a primary brake light abnormality signal using primary state information of a vehicle, a secondary brake light abnormality signal output unit to output a secondary abnormality signal using secondary state information of the vehicle. An abnormality signal verifier outputs a third brake light abnormality signal when receiving the primary and secondary abnormality signals, and outputs a fourth brake light abnormality signal using the third abnormality signal and an abnormality signal of an engine control system of the vehicle. A final abnormality determiner changes into a malfunction state mode from a normal state mode when receiving the fourth abnormality signal, and determines whether the brake light is in a final abnormal state, depending on whether an operation time of the malfunction state mode exceeds a predetermined longest malfunction-sensing time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hee Jeong
  • Patent number: 9865154
    Abstract: A security system includes a plurality of sensors installed at a premises to capture data from an environment in or around the premises, a memory configured to store data captured spanning at least a first period of time, and a processor configured to arm the plurality of sensors in an order determined based on a history of detected activity in the premises as indicated by the stored data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Sourav Raj Dey, Mark Rajan Malhotra, Ehsan Maani, Yash Modi
  • Patent number: 9858774
    Abstract: A haptic device operated alone or interacts with other physical or virtual devices of similar design that enable users to remotely image, analyze, or manipulate objects, either manually and or with the assistance of computer programs. The device extends and retracts “pins” in reaction to messages from a processor, and to external pressure applied to the pins' topical surface. A support structure provides a constant geometric plane. An operating system is provided that is capable of interaction for any one of a collection of devices of varying size and function. Multiple devices that are paired or otherwise positioned relative to one another, or scaled in size relative to one another, can be controlled to operate in cooperation with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Inventor: Jonathan M. Crofford
  • Patent number: 9856078
    Abstract: The various embodiments herein provide a smart garbage container with animal deterrence mechanism. The smart garbage container comprises a plurality of shock absorber rings and an animal deterrent. The plurality of shock absorber rings is placed at strategically selected places in the garbage container prone to mishandling. The animal deterrent is attached to a longitudinal body surface of the garbage container. The strategically selected places primarily comprise a junction between a lower container body and a container cap, and a base of the garbage container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Inventors: Manuel Martinez, Jasmin Arias
  • Patent number: 9858773
    Abstract: Techniques are described herein that are capable of providing electrical stimuli to skin of a user to convey information to the user. For instance, the electrical stimuli may inform the user of an event, a condition, etc. Examples of an event include but are not limited to receipt of a message (e.g., an email, an instant message (IM), a short message service (SMS) message, or a transcribed voicemail), receipt of an alarm (e.g., an alarm clock alarm or a warning), receipt of a phone call, occurrence of a time of day, etc. The electrical stimuli may inform the user of a condition of clothing that is worn by the user. The electrical stimuli may inform the user that a physical positioning of the user is to be changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventor: Daniel Guilherme Paixao Deschamps
  • Patent number: 9852635
    Abstract: A driving support apparatus includes an image acquisition that acquires a captured image, a calculator that calculates distance and relative speed between a subject vehicle and a following vehicle, and distances and relative speeds between following vehicles; an evaluator that evaluates a degree of risk caused when the subject vehicle changes a lane to the adjacent lane with respect to the following vehicles on a basis of the distances and the relative speeds; and a display controller that creates support information on the degree of risk associated with a lane change in association with road sections based on positions at which the following vehicles are present, and displays a support image in which a created support information is superimposed on the captured image at a corresponding position on the display portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Fukuda, Takeshi Kawashima, Takeshi Hatoh, Daisuke Takemori, Toshiyuki Konishi
  • Patent number: 9848813
    Abstract: A method for determining an operational state of a driver of a vehicle uses an awareness detection arrangement. The awareness detection arrangement includes at least a first and a second source for generating data relating to the behavior of the driver. The method includes receiving, from the first and the second source, data relating to at least one of physiological data of the driver, the operation of the vehicle, and a model of the driver operating the vehicle, comparing the data from the first and the second source with a driver state model defining a plurality of predefined driver states for each of the first and the second source, respectively, determining based on the comparison, for each of the first and the second source, a state probability for each of the plurality of predefined driver states, and weighing the determined driver states for the first and the second source with each other for determining an overall operational state probability for the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB
    Inventors: Peter Tobias Kronberg, Fredrik Sandblom
  • Patent number: 9852630
    Abstract: A distributed remote sensing system including at least one gateway, at least one sensing device and a communication interface providing radio frequency communication through a shared frequency scheme between each sensing device and one of the at least one gateway and between each sensing device and another of the at least one gateway through a different frequency scheme.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: fybr
    Inventors: Paul Becker, Richard E. Goodwin, Edwin Horton
  • Patent number: 9852555
    Abstract: The present disclosure involves systems, software, sensors, and applied solutions for detecting incidents associated with a vehicle, where sensors associated with the vehicle identify impacts or proximity alerts to other vehicles and objects and record information related to those detected incidents. The recorded information can be immediately communicated to interested parties of the person or entity (e.g., emergency responders, business contacts) associated with the vehicle, or alternatively, stored for inspection at the vehicle and reviewed at a destination along the vehicle's route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Inventor: Christopher Chambers
  • Patent number: 9847016
    Abstract: Systems and methods of communicating data from an alarm system to emergency services personnel are provided. Some methods can include receiving information from a monitoring system in a monitored region via a first communications link, where the information relates to a detected event in the monitored region. Upon receiving the information, some methods can also include transmitting the information to a communications module via a second, different communications link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Alan Robert McWhirter, Robert John Probin, Martin Leonard Crisp
  • Patent number: 9842676
    Abstract: A surge absorbing element includes a varistor substrate, a pair of electrodes that are electrically connected to both end faces of the varistor substrate, respectively, to sandwich the varistor substrate, external leads that electrically connect to the paired electrodes, respectively, exterior members that cover the electrodes, and a thermal expansion body that is provided between the paired electrodes and that irreversibly expands with heat generated by the varistor substrate to separate at least one of the paired electrodes from the varistor substrate. A temperature at which the thermal expansion body starts expanding is, for example, equal to or higher than 180° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kiyokazu Tada, Manabu Ohashi
  • Patent number: 9842503
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a technique which can enhance a possibility of giving notice of only a detected object in a dead angle area which is significant for a user. A controller causes a notification unit, in a first vehicle, to give notice of a detected object, which is determined to have an influence on a traveling of the first vehicle in a dead angle point which the first vehicle travels from among the detected object which is not detected by the first vehicle but detected by the second vehicle, as a travel influencing object based on a route information of the first vehicle, a current position information of the first vehicle, and a detected object information of the first vehicle and a second vehicle which are obtained by the information receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Yuji Inoue
  • Patent number: 9836941
    Abstract: A proximity alert system for tracking one or more persons in proximity of heavy equipment is provided. The proximity alert system includes a database configured to store identifying data and an identification code of an asset in a worksite, one or more beacons configured to transmit a low energy transmission including an identification code, and one or more receiving units attached to one or more pieces within a worksite configured to detect and transmit data related to the one or more beacons to the database. When an asset is detected as being in dangerous proximity to a piece of equipment, an alert is emitted from the receiving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Inventors: Michael J. Mendiola, Steven B Rasmussen
  • Patent number: 9830781
    Abstract: Wearable devices are described herein including a housing and a mount configured to mount the housing to an external surface of a wearer. The wearable devices further include first and second electrical contacts protruding from the housing and configured such that the electrical contacts can be used to measure a Galvanic skin resistance of skin proximate to the electrical contacts when the wearable device is mounted to the external surface of the wearer. The electrical contacts are additionally configured to deliver an electro-haptic stimulus to skin proximate to the electrical contacts when the wearable device is mounted to the external surface of the wearer. Electro-haptic stimulus could be delivered to a wearer to indicate information to the wearer, including information about a health or activity state of the wearer, about communications received by the wearable device, and about alerts generated by the wearable device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Verily Life Sciences LLC
    Inventors: Russell Norman Mirov, John Lapetina
  • Patent number: 9826266
    Abstract: An entertainment device initiates a configuration process of a controlling device in response to a change in an audio visual entertainment system configuration in which at least one of a plurality devices is connected to the entertainment device as an audio and/or visual source and at least one of the plurality of devices is connected to the entertainment device as an audio and/or visual output destination for the entertainment device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Arling, Patrick H. Hayes
  • Patent number: 9815532
    Abstract: The present invention provides an anchor alarm device which is a manually deployed weighted device attached to or near the anchor which signals to device equipment at water-level. The device detects the movement of, or physical force generated by, a dislodged anchor. When deployed, a component of the anchor alarm device rests adjacent to or as part of a seated anchor at a distance predetermined by the tolerance of the secondary rode. The secondary rode connects the device directly to the anchor, or near the anchor on the primary rode. Upon displacement of the set anchor, in excess of the secondary rode, the device alerts the user. The device utilizes sensor monitoring inside of a housing component to detect a force indicative of anchor displacement. This detection triggers a signals emission which alerts the user of the change in position. In cases wherein the anchor is not immediately retrieved, device re-arms autonomously and stops emission of the alarm signal until the next anchor displacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Inventors: Rodney Scott Shumate, Steven Hampl
  • Patent number: 9818243
    Abstract: A secure communication link is provided between a movable barrier operator and a peripheral system. Information conveyed via this link is used by one, the other, or both such elements to further inform or direct their respective actions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.
    Inventor: James J. Fitzgibbon
  • Patent number: 9803889
    Abstract: A method of determining presence of a flame in a furnace of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. The method comprises determining, using a controller, whether a processor signal (G) is active, responsive to a determination that the processor signal (G) is active, determining, using the controller prior to assertion of a flame-test input control signal, an output state of a first comparator, responsive to a determination that the output state of the first comparator is high, determining, using the controller prior to assertion of the flame-test input control signal, an output state of a second comparator, and responsive to a determination that the output state of the second comparator is low, transmitting, using the controller, a notification that a flame is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Engler
  • Patent number: 9789327
    Abstract: A wearable defibrillation system includes an output device and a motion sensor. The output device emits a sound or a vibration for the patient, who responds by deliberately tapping the system. The motion sensor registers the tapping, and interprets it as a reply from the patient. The reply can be that the patient is conscious, or convey data that the patient enters by tapping the right number of times, or that the patient wants attention, and so on. Since the patient does not need direct access to the wearable defibrillation system for tapping it, he or she can wear it under their other garments, which helps preserve their dignity and privacy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: WEST AFFUM HOLDINGS CORP.
    Inventors: David Thomas Brown, Gary Debardi, David Peter Finch, Krystyna Szul