Patents Examined by Laura Nguyen
  • Patent number: 9013328
    Abstract: An electrically activated latch for aircraft stowage bins includes an overhead stowage bin module having a stationary support structure and a movable stowage bin portion. An electrically operated stowage bin latch mechanism latches the movable stowage bin portion in a closed position and unlatches the movable stowage bin portion to an open position. An electrically operated stowage bin activation switch operates the stowage bin latch mechanism, allowing the aircraft stowage bins to be locked by independently controlling the overhead stowage bins through the aircraft cabin management system, or by control of the latch by the stowage bin activation switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: BE Intellectual Property, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank E. Hashberger, Clarence Ivester
  • Patent number: 9007184
    Abstract: In a method for operating a household appliance, a portable operating unit is docked to a selected one of a plurality of household appliances. The selected household appliance is identified using the portable operating unit which is then configured to operate the selected household appliance only. The portable operating unit includes at least one docking element for docking to a docking station of the selected household appliance, an identification device for identifying the selected household appliance, and a configuration device for configuration of the operating unit for operating the selected household appliance only.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Julia Ehrensberger, Frank Rieser
  • Patent number: 8994524
    Abstract: An indication unit for vehicles is suggested, which comprises at least one LED and at least one electrical circuit in a housing. The indication unit is connected to a first control, which is arranged in the vehicle, and connected to an LED driver circuit. A second control circuit, which is arranged in or on the housing of the indication unit, operates the LED with pulse-width modulated signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: SMR Patents S.a.r.l.
    Inventors: Daniel Fritz, Soenke Goldschmidt
  • Patent number: 8947268
    Abstract: An instrument panel for a rotorcraft having two pilot seats, said instrument panel being arranged under an anti-glare shield (4) and including display means (2), at least some of the display means (2) being suitable for acting as communications means, said display means (2) comprising a first set (5) of display means (2) arranged on the instrument panel, and a second set (6) of display means (2) arranged on the instrument panel, wherein the instrument panel includes, symmetrically relative to a longitudinal axis, a central dashboard (3), and at least two lateral dashboards arranged on either side of the central dashboard (3), the dashboards being mutually parallel and presenting a forward longitudinal offset from one dashboard to the next starting from the central dashboard (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Airbus Helicopters
    Inventor: André Barbieri
  • Patent number: 8947238
    Abstract: A system and method for multi-media experience capture and data transfer includes a system for transferring data including a first wireless communication system located on a moveable amusement attraction, a second wireless communication system located on the moveable amusement attraction, and logic to operate the first wireless communication system and the second wireless communication system based on a changeable parameter of the moveable amusement attraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: David Canora, Shannon Richard Monroe, Peter Stepniewicz
  • Patent number: 8937527
    Abstract: Methods and systems are described herein for remotely or wirelessly controlling access to dwellings, buildings and/or properties. In one aspect, an electronic access system comprises: a plurality of independent access control devices (115, 125, 135, 145, 155, 165) for controlling entry and/or exit at respective access points and at least one remote control device (170) adapted to wirelessly transmit control signals to the access control devices (115, 125, 135, 145, 155, 165) and wirelessly receive feedback signals from the access control devices. The at least one remote control device (170) is adapted to indicate status information based on receipt of the feedback signals. The plurality of access control devices (115, 125, 135, 145, 155, 165) may be adapted to operate mechanical, electrical or electro-mechanical devices for enabling and/or disabling access in response to receipt of a wireless control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Gainsborough Hardware Industries Limited
    Inventors: Harris Lambrou, Sajan K. Velandi, Stuart Clark, Alan Roy Wilton, Ian Bartos
  • Patent number: 8933817
    Abstract: A removable vehicle directional light unit for use on a police or emergency vehicle which will be highly visible from a long distance for directing traffic to one or more specified lanes to reduce congestion and avoid accidents, particularly accidents involving police and emergency vehicles parked in the vicinity. The device is removably installed onto the rear window, mounted on the rear deck, or mounted on the trunk or top of the vehicle when in use and has a plurality of highly visible flashing lights configured in the shape of an arrow pointing in the direction leading away from a traffic blockage. The vehicle directional light unit includes a control box with a selector switch and flasher units to cause light groupings to flash in a selected pattern indicating the intended lane or lanes which approaching traffic should use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Inventor: Bobby Caudill
  • Patent number: 8902041
    Abstract: In a method for unlocking an electronic device, unlocking operation having motion units are preset and are stored into a storage system. Sampled unlocking operation is stored into the storage system. When the electronic device receives a preset unlocking command to start unlocking the electronic device, three-axis acceleration values and three-axis rotation vectors are obtained continuously as an input operation from a first sensor and a second sensor. Motion units of the input operation are recorded. Sampled input operation is obtained by sampling the input operation at a preset time interval. A membership degree of the input operation is calculated. When the membership degree of the input operation conforms to a preset unlocking threshold, the electronic device is unlocked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Chi Mei Communication Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Hsin-Chang Lai, Han-Zen Chang, Liu-Wei Wu, Jiun-Ru Hou
  • Patent number: 8896433
    Abstract: In a method and apparatus for assisting the driver of a vehicle in maintaining a traffic lane limited by traffic lane markings, the traffic lane markings and the position of the vehicle in the traffic lane are detected. Upon an actual or impending change of traffic lanes a lane change warning is output to the driver of the vehicle in a first step, and a course correcting actuating intervention counteracting the lane change is carried out in a second step. The actuating intervention is carried out only if the change of traffic lanes is impermissible due to the type of traffic lane marking to be crossed during the traffic lane change, or if the lane change is not possible without danger due to collision-endangering objects present on the side of the traffic lane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Bernd Danner, Uli Kolbe, Rainer Moebus, Markus Raab, Uwe Regensburger, Reinhold Schoeb, Anke Dorle Dudeck, Lars Dudeck, Sven Gerhard Dudeck
  • Patent number: 8890661
    Abstract: It is presented a method for invoking an application service in response to a tag reading by a mobile terminal. The method comprises the steps of: receiving an input message, the input message comprising data being associated with a tag read by the mobile terminal using local communication, the input message further comprising a recipient identifier linked to the mobile terminal; determining, using a plurality of parameters associated with the tag reading, a plurality of matching application servers, wherein conditions of a tag reading subscription for each of the matching application servers matches the plurality of parameters; and sending an invocation message to each of the matching application servers to invoke a respective application service of each of the matching application servers, the invocation message comprising the recipient identifier enabling each of the application services to send content to the user equipment and the tag data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (Publ)
    Inventors: Jakob Saros, Mattias Eld
  • Patent number: 8836482
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for controlling a Remote User Interface Client (RUIC), on which a remote user interface is displayed, through another RUIC. A message including control information that indicates a control action corresponding to a user input at the other RUIC is received at the RUIC from the other RUIC. The RUIC determines whether the control information is predefined information or undefined information. When the control information is predefined information, the control information is delivered from a web server of the RUIC to an application of the RUIC, and a control operation corresponding to the control information is executed by the application. When the control information is undefined information, the received control information is delivered from the web server to the application through a remote control plug-in in the RUIC to execute the control operation corresponding to the control information by the application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ho-Yeon Park, Sung-Oh Hwang, Bo-Sun Jung
  • Patent number: 8805712
    Abstract: A wireless network hotel room management system includes a communications network. The system includes a computer connected to the communications network and includes a memory configured to store programming and a processor to execute the programming. A guest room unit is situated in each guest room and is in data communication with the network. A housekeeping module is in communication with the network. The computer monitors real time status of the room. Each guest unit is configured to receive projected absence data from a guest and to communicate the same to the computer through the communications network. Programming executed by the processor determines if received projected absence data is indicative that a guest will be gone long enough for housekeeping to clean the room and, if so, communicates a housekeeping order. The system includes a room reservation module for reserving a room and receiving a room key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Inventor: Hobson L. Black
  • Patent number: 8766778
    Abstract: A system and method of providing authenticity to a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag are provided. The method comprises generating a plurality of digital signatures, wherein each digital signature is generated using an index value unique to that digital signature and using information associated with the RFID tag; and storing the plurality of digital signatures on the RFID tag in association with respective index values to enable a desired digital signature to be selected according to a provided index value. Also provided are a system and method of enabling an RFID reader to authenticate an RFID tag, which utilize a challenge comprising an index value to request one of the stored signature and authenticating same. Also provided is an RFID tag that is configured to participate in the challenge-response protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Certicom Corp.
    Inventor: Daniel Richard L. Brown
  • Patent number: 8760291
    Abstract: A notification apparatus, system, and method that provides up-to-the-minute status information for a facility or a group of facilities to an administrator and to persons who work at or otherwise frequent such facility or group of facilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Inventors: Kevin W. Mullins, Gary McConnell
  • Patent number: 8736460
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Neptune Technology Group, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Brennan, Jr., Joseph Quentin Easterling
  • Patent number: 8717147
    Abstract: Disclosed are a passive RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) system and method capable of recognizing a great deal of tags at a high speed. A reader of a passive RFID system, including: a processor dividing slots and subchannels to configure a round, recognizing subchannels that are not involved in a collision and interference by the slots, and changing the subchannels that are not involved in a collision and interference, into a sleep state; a transmission unit encoding a command generated through the processor, performing an amplitude jitter modulation on the encoded command, and transmitting the modulated command; and a reception unit acquiring and demodulating tag signals received through a plurality of subchannels by the slots, and providing the demodulated tag signals to the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Ji Hoon Bae, Cheng Hao Quan, Dong Han Lee, Chan Won Park, Won Kyu Choi, Kwang Soo Cho, Man Sik Park, Gil Young Choi, Jong Suk Chae
  • Patent number: 8686869
    Abstract: A sensing system senses whether or not a lock's bolt (140), e.g. deadbolt, is aligned with a hole (150) which the bolt is to engage in the locked state. In electronic locks, the bolt is not driven into the hole until the sensing system indicates that the bolt is aligned with the hole. Another sensing system senses the position of the bolt and/or a dead-latch bar (1310). This sensing system is spaced from the bolt's end engaging the hole in order not to interfere with the alignment sensing. The two sensing systems are used to determine whether the lock is locked or unlocked. A magnet system provides alignment assistance to align the bolt with the hole before the bolt is driven into the hole. Position encoding for lock and non-lock devices, and other features and embodiments are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: SecureALL Corporation
    Inventors: Arun Kumar Sharma, David Arthur Candee
  • Patent number: 8674853
    Abstract: The embodiments herein provide a system and a method for automatic distress alerting at sea. The method comprises detecting a distress situation by the sensors, sending a distress signal to the processor device, initiating an alarm for a pre-defined time, confirming the detected distress situation by a responsible officer, sending a distress alert package generated by the processor device through a main transmitter device to several satellites and to the terrestrial stations, informing nearest maritime search and rescue coordination centers after receiving the distress alert package and sending one or more rescue teams to a location based on a data provided in the distress alert package. If the alarm is detected to be false by the responsible officer then the distress alert is removed and alarm is activated if the responsible officer neither confirms nor denies the distress situation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Inventors: Mohammad Mahdavi Gorabi, Reza Hossein Ghobakhloo, Ebrahim Aminizadeh
  • Patent number: 8665119
    Abstract: An electrically activated latch for aircraft stowage bins includes an overhead stowage bin module having a stationary support structure and a movable stowage bin portion. An electrically operated stowage bin latch mechanism latches the movable stowage bin portion in a closed position and unlatches the movable stowage bin portion to an open position. An electrically operated stowage bin activation switch operates the stowage bin latch mechanism, allowing the aircraft stowage bins to be locked by independently controlling the overhead stowage bins through the aircraft cabin management system, or by control of the latch by the stowage bin activation switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: BE Intellectual Property, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank E. Hashberger, Clarence Ivester
  • Patent number: 8633832
    Abstract: In a vehicle obstacle detecting apparatus having a radar that transmits a laser beam in front of the vehicle to scan in different detection regions in a horizontal direction parallel to a road and receives reflection waves reflected from an object successively, it is determined whether a high reflection wave such as that reflected from delineator installed on the road at regular intervals exists in the received reflection waves in the detection regions, and if not, an obstacle such as a human being is detected from a low reflection wave. On the other hand, when the high reflection wave exists, the obstacle is detected from a second reflection wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Koike