Patents Examined by Laura Nguyen
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Patent number: 9721470Abstract: An approach is provided in which an intelligent parking system receives a request from a driver of a vehicle for a parking space. The intelligent parking system identifies available parking spaces and selects a preferred parking space from the available parking spaces based upon comparing dynamic parking space properties corresponding to the available parking spaces to factors such as driver skill data corresponding to the driver or vehicle properties corresponding to the vehicle. In turn, the intelligent parking system notifies the driver of the preferred parking space.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2015Date of Patent: August 1, 2017Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Vikrant Akavaram, Lisa M. Bradley, Lillian Y. Lei, Lawrence Louie
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Patent number: 9707929Abstract: A sensor unit is provided that is not susceptible to errors for contactlessly actuating a vehicle door. The sensor unit includes a first proximity sensor and a second proximity sensor. Each of the two proximity sensors has an elongate detection field extending substantially in a Y direction. The detection fields of the two proximity sensors are spaced from one another in a direction perpendicular to the Y direction. In addition, the detection field of the first proximity sensor projects beyond the detection field of the second proximity sensor in the Y direction at least on one side by a projecting length.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2013Date of Patent: July 18, 2017Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, BambergInventors: Frank Holzberg, Karl Schneider
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Patent number: 9710983Abstract: A system and method is provided for authenticating a vehicle equipped with a passive keyless system. The method includes sending one or more initial challenge signal(s) from a vehicle module to a portable keyfob in response to a passive keyless start attempt of the vehicle, the initial challenge signal(s) being sent before a successful passive keyless start of the vehicle; sending one or more secondary challenge signal(s) from the vehicle module to the portable keyfob in response to at least one trigger event and after a successful passive keyless start of the vehicle; initiating an active authentication to confirm the presence of an authorized driver in the vehicle if a valid response to the secondary challenge signal(s) is not received by the vehicle module; and performing one or more remedial action(s) if a valid response to the active authentication is not received.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2015Date of Patent: July 18, 2017Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Ron Y. Asmar, David T. Proefke, Charles J. Bongiorno, Aaron P. Creguer
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Patent number: 9711034Abstract: A system comprising: at least one processor; at least one sensor; and computer executable instructions readable by the at least one processor and operative to: use the at least one sensor to determine a number of persons or identity of a person; and trigger an alarm based on the number of persons or the identity of the person. A method comprising: using at least one processor to perform any or all of the following: use at least one sensor to determine a number of persons or identity of a person; and triggering an alarm based on the number of persons or the identity of the person.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2011Date of Patent: July 18, 2017Inventor: Isaac S. Daniel
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Patent number: 9700239Abstract: A method of detecting a change in occupancy status of a fluidizable bed (10) includes determining (102) an unloaded plenum pressure value corresponding to the absence of a load on the bed, determining (104) a loaded plenum pressure value corresponding to the presence of an occupant on the bed, and establishing a reference (PREF) as a function of at least one of the unloaded plenum pressure value and the loaded plenum pressure value. A signal (116, 120) is issued in response to a relationship between the reference and a value (PMON) representative of actual pressure in the plenum. The bed also includes a pressure sensor (60) for monitoring a pressure value representative of pressure in the plenum and a controller (50) for issuing a signal (116, 120) responsive to a relationship between the monitored value and a reference value.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2012Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: Hill-Rom Services, Inc.Inventors: Frank Sauser, Kristopher Klink
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Patent number: 9701422Abstract: A warning method for an aircraft includes receiving a first parameter indicative of an aircraft's flight path, calculating a stable approach value based on the first parameter, receiving a second parameter indicative of the aircraft's turbulence, calculating a turbulence factor based on the second parameter, calculating a safe landing value based on the stable approach value and the turbulence factor, comparing the safe landing value to a threshold value, and providing an aircraft warning when the safe landing value fails to meet the threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2016Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: Safe Flight Instrument CorporationInventors: Randall A. Greene, Shawn P. Beyer, Robert D. Teter
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Patent number: 9704401Abstract: An approach is provided in which an intelligent parking system receives a request from a driver of a vehicle for a parking space. The intelligent parking system identifies available parking spaces and selects a preferred parking space from the available parking spaces based upon comparing dynamic parking space properties corresponding to the available parking spaces to factors such as driver skill data corresponding to the driver or vehicle properties corresponding to the vehicle. In turn, the intelligent parking system notifies the driver of the preferred parking space.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2014Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Vikrant Akavaram, Lisa M. Bradley, Lillian Y. Lei, Lawrence Louie
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Patent number: 9702730Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a system and method of allocating energy provided by a power source. The system includes a computing device that receives, from meters, observations of energy delivered by the power source to sites. The device classifies the sites into consumption classes, where a first consumption class has complete coverage and a second consumption class has incomplete coverage. The device determines a metric for a characteristic of energy for the first class. The device determines a first demand for the first class based on the metric for the characteristic of energy for the first class. The device generates a sampling distribution of the metric for the characteristic for the second class and determines a second demand for the second class based on the sampling distribution. The device determines a dissipation metric based on the first and second demands.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2014Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: UTILIDATA, INC.Inventor: David Gordon Bell
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Patent number: 9701197Abstract: A device for acknowledging warning indicators includes an electro-encephalograph for detecting signals in the midline occipital region of the user's brain, and a display system for displaying flashing indictors having differing flashing frequencies. The electro-encephalograph detects differing signals caused by the differing flashing frequencies whenever the user observes one of the flashing indicators, and the device thereby recognizes that the user has observed the warning indicator.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2011Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.Inventor: John G. Bendickson
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Patent number: 9704319Abstract: A system and method are described regarding a wireless lockbox that can be used to manage real estate sales tours. A system can include various owners and buyers that create a searchable real estate listing. Buyers can review the list via computing device, such as a smartphone, and request home tours. Owners can review requests and approve potential buyers to tour their property. When the potential buyer approaches the property, software on their computing device can communicate via Bluetooth, or another wireless network, and unlock the wireless lockbox.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2015Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Inventor: Garcia Desinor, Jr.
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Patent number: 9704387Abstract: The present invention features a remote controller with touch switch and light sensor for key illumination control. When a user picks up the controller, a touch switch circuit is activated through means of contact strips built into the aides of the device. These strips sense a human body's capacitance. When this is sensed, an ambient light sensor is activated if the sensor detects low/no light conditions, which are adjustable to a user's preference. it activates a relay which then powers lamps to illuminate the remote controller. The lamps stay illuminated for an adjustable period of time based on user preference.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2015Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Inventor: Robert C. Goodman
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Patent number: 9704396Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for processing notifications regarding issues with nearby vehicles. A roadside reporter receives notifications from individuals or computing devices reporting problems or violations associated with nearby vehicles, and the notification for uniqueness and authenticity. Upon determining that the notification is unique and authentic, the roadside reporter system notifies the driver of the nearby vehicle and other relevant parties about the problem or violation. The roadside reporter may issue rewards to the reporting user. The roadside reporter system further allows the driver of the nearby vehicle to respond to the notification, and subsequently provides the driver with incentives to address the problem or violation.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2014Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: Allstate Insurance CompanyInventors: Theresa A. Owens, Alinawaz Ismaili, Brennan Gee, Francis Lowry
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Patent number: 9701198Abstract: A meter display device for a vehicle includes a rotation number display region which displays a rotation number of a drive source, wherein the rotation number display region is divided into a plurality of partial display regions having different rotation number ranges displayed, wherein the partial display regions have display operation elements which are changed between minimum and maximum values of the respective corresponding rotation number ranges with an increase and a decrease of the rotation number, wherein the partial display regions are separated from each other.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2013Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hidefumi Yasuhara, Shigeru Yamashita, Takashi Miyauchi
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Patent number: 9633243Abstract: An RFID tag device is associated with a mobile device to facilitate wireless transactions and identification. The RFID tag device includes two RF interfaces; one can communicate with RF tag readers, and one can communicate with the mobile device. The RFID tag device can be operated in a passive mode and stores transaction information for later retrieval by the mobile device, or it can be operated in an active mode where it is powered by the mobile device through the RF interface for communicating with the mobile device so that it can be read via the RFID interface. The RFID tag device can further detect and ignore communications between the mobile device and another device using the same communications mode and used by the RFID tag device to communicate with the mobile device.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2013Date of Patent: April 25, 2017Assignee: GEOTOLL, INC.Inventors: Wyatt Drake Geist, Jaime Andres Borras
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Patent number: 9615399Abstract: The present invention relates to a sensor network, and more particularly, to an implanted sensor network in a human body sensor network in which a plurality of sensor nodes are implanted in the human body to detect biosignals of the human body, wherein the implanted sensor network can prevent the temperature of a sensor node implanted in a human body from rising and thus protect the human body from injury caused thereby.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2012Date of Patent: April 4, 2017Assignee: UNIVERSITY-INDUSTRY COOPERATION GROUP OF KYUNG-HEE UNIVERSITYInventors: Choong Seon Hong, Rossi Kamal Md, Obaidur Rahman
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Patent number: 9595145Abstract: A method of providing access to a vehicle, including wirelessly and electronically discovering a personal electronic device disposed outside of the vehicle. A remote central controller is wirelessly instructed to wirelessly transmit a certificate to the personal electronic device. The certificate from the personal electronic device is wirelessly received within the vehicle. Validation from the a remote central controller that the certificate from the personal electronic device was transmitted from the remote central controller to the personal electronic device is wirelessly received within the vehicle. An electronic key to the vehicle is wirelessly transmitted from the vehicle to the personal electronic device.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2014Date of Patent: March 14, 2017Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America, Division of Panasonic Corporation of North AmericaInventors: John Avery, Adeel Yusuf
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Patent number: 9500499Abstract: A method of reporting information from a meter interface unit to a receiving device in which a data packet is transferred from the meter interface unit containing meter readings, which are associated with an indicator of the elapsed time since the reading was taken. The receiving device compares this elapsed time value with the actual elapsed time, based upon the internal clock of the receiving device, in order to determine any inaccuracies in the clock of the meter interface unit. In another embodiment, the data packet includes at least two nonsequential meter readings, separated by a multiplicity of reading intervals, on a rolling basis, such that data will not be lost as a result of a temporary obstruction that interferes with the transmission or receipt of meter readings.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2015Date of Patent: November 22, 2016Assignee: NEPTUNE TECHNOLOGY GROUP INC.Inventors: William J Brennan, Jr., Joseph Quentin Easterling
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Patent number: 9449497Abstract: An alarm system monitors a home, business, or other property for fire, burglary, break-in, or other event that may warrant raising an alarm. The alarm system is configured to detect tampering, whereby someone intentionally impedes the ability of the system to raise an alarm or otherwise interferes the system's operation. An alarm panel of the alarm system communicates with a server. At certain times, the alarm system transmits a series of packets to the server using a unidirectional protocol. Upon receipt of one of the packets, the server alternates between monitoring for an incoming packet and ignoring any incoming packets. Detection of an incoming packet during a monitoring time period causes the server to transition to ignoring packets for a sleep period of time. Completion of the sleep period of time causes the server to return to monitoring for the monitoring period of time.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2014Date of Patent: September 20, 2016Assignee: Numerex Corp.Inventors: Eugene Hyun, Jeffery Smith, Kevin Brown, Andrew Wolverton
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Patent number: 9418535Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring hand-washing compliance can include: detecting sensor readings; calculating movement estimations based on differences between the sensor readings; counting a number of crosses based on how often the movement estimations: are calculated above an upper threshold and are calculated below a lower threshold in consecutive movement calculations, are calculated below the lower threshold and are calculated above the upper threshold in the consecutive movement calculations, or a combination thereof; decrementing a countdown timer based on the number of crosses being above a cross-threshold; and pausing the countdown timer based on the number of crosses being below the cross-threshold.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2015Date of Patent: August 16, 2016Assignee: WashSense Inc.Inventors: Andrew Felch, Michael Boyd, John Bessire, Alex Movitz, Connor Dahlberg
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Patent number: 9418536Abstract: A hand-washing compliance system can include: a sensor mounted to a chassis, the sensor configured to detect sensor readings; a processor coupled to the chassis and connected to the sensor with a communication conduit, the processor configured to: calculate movement estimations based on differences between the sensor readings at discrete times; count a number of crosses based on how often the movement estimations: are calculated above an upper threshold and are calculated below a lower threshold in consecutive movement calculations, are calculated below the lower threshold and are calculated above the upper threshold in the consecutive movement calculations, or a combination thereof, decrement a countdown timer based on the number of crosses being above a cross-threshold, and pause the countdown timer based on the number of crosses being below the cross-threshold; and a housing mounted to the chassis enclosing the processor and at least partially enclosing the sensor.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2015Date of Patent: August 16, 2016Assignee: WashSense Inc.Inventors: Andrew Felch, Michael Boyd, John Bessire, Alex Movitz, Connor Dahlberg