Patents Examined by Mark Rushing
  • Patent number: 9836905
    Abstract: A system and a method for causing a garage door to open using a garage door opener having a wireless receiver is provided. The system comprises an interface coupled to an environment sensor and configured to receive data from the environment sensor. The system can include processing electronics coupled to the interface and configured to receive the data from the interface and to use the received data to determine whether an environmental condition exists. The processing electronics provide a command to cause the garage door opener to open the garage door based on the determination of whether the environmental condition exists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: GENTEX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Richard J. Chutorash, Philip J. Vanderwall
  • Patent number: 9836939
    Abstract: An emergency services system (“ESS”) for a worksite is constituted by a number of tags, a mesh network, and a management system. Each person on the worksite is provided with a tag. Each tag when activated and logged onto the ESS uniquely identifies the person carrying that tag. The mesh network comprises a number of nodes and is arranged to provide communication over the entirety of the worksite. The nodes communicate with active tags. The management system receives and processes position data of active tags from the nodes via the communications network. The management system includes one or more displays arranged to display information pertaining to a worksite, its personnel and status. The ESS relies on use of signal strength in the mesh communication network to provide one source of location information. The observed signal strength received to multiple nodes is used to triangulate the position of a tag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Inventor: Margaret Hildick-Pytte
  • Patent number: 9824562
    Abstract: A system for pairing a smoke detector based audio system with a device for wireless audio. The system has a smoke detector circuit with an integrated audio system. The device is paired to the smoke detector circuit using a communications protocol and used to output audio from a speaker. The system has an alarm circuit and an alarm speaker, that can be separate from the audio speaker. The alarm circuit is connected to one or more detection device for determining hazardous conditions. If a hazardous condition is detected, the audio from the device is overridden and alarm audio is output to warn of the hazardous condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: SMOKE AUDIO INC.
    Inventor: Philip J. Wilging
  • Patent number: 9816308
    Abstract: Methods and systems for opening an access point of a vehicle. A system and a method may involve receiving wirelessly a signal from a remote controller carried by a user. The system and the method may further involve receiving audio or video data indicating the user approaching the vehicle. The system and the method may also involve determining an intention of the user to access an interior of the vehicle based on the audio or video data. The system and the method may also involve opening an access point of the vehicle responsive to the determining of the intention of the user to access the interior of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Scott Vincent Myers, Venkatapathi Raju Nallapa, Alexandru Mihai Gurghian
  • Patent number: 9812010
    Abstract: From a first patrol unit, the first data are received for identifying a location of the first patrol unit. From the first patrol unit, second data are received for identifying a subject. The subject includes at least one of: a subject vehicle; and a subject person. A database is queried about the subject and, in response to the querying, a determination is made bout whether the subject is a likely threat. In response to determining that the subject is a likely threat, and in response to the first data, a predetermined number of second patrol units are identified that are most geographically proximate to the location of the first patrol unit, and a message is output to the predetermined number of second patrol units about: the subject; the likely threat; and the first patrol unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: COPsync, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Shane Rapp, Russell Dean Chaney
  • Patent number: 9808404
    Abstract: A system for providing a reminder to a user is provided that comprises a reminder datastore arranged to store reminder information relating to a task for the user to be reminded about, and a reminder processor arranged to determine a time at which the reminder is due, based on the reminder information. A locating mechanism is provided to obtain information relating to a location of the user, and an output mechanism is provided to output reminder alerts through one or more reminder devices. The reminder processor is arranged to obtain information relating to a location of the user for the time at which the reminder is due, from the locating mechanism, and to identify one of the one or more reminder devices in proximity to said location of the user, based on known locations of the one or more reminder devices. The output mechanism is arranged to output a reminder alert through the identified reminder device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Julian Charles Nolan, Melanie Jane Windridge, Alex Marshal, Joyca Petra Wilma Lacroix
  • Patent number: 9785809
    Abstract: An electrical activity monitoring device based on a sensor device attachable to a power cable of an electrical device for monitoring the electrical status of the electrical device. The device comprises an antenna element which performs the dual functions of magnetically coupling with an electrical pulse generated in the power cable in response to a change of electrical power state of the electrical device and to transmit data to a reader via the power cable. An electrical activity monitoring apparatus is also provided for monitoring the electrical status of at least one electrical device connected to a power supply network by a respective power cable provided with a sensor device. The electrical activity monitoring apparatus comprises a reader and a reader-power line interface device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: THOMSON Licensing
    Inventors: Ali Louzir, Jean-Yves Le Naour, Jean-Luc Robert
  • Patent number: 9777510
    Abstract: A tamper-detection device and system are disclosed. The tamper-detection device includes one or more components which enable the tamper-detection device to detect a state change, even in the absence of a power supply. A capacitor is provided in the tamper-detection device that, when shorted, discharges and induces a state change at a microcontroller of the tamper-detection device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: ASSA ABLOY AB
    Inventor: Per Kristian Moller
  • Patent number: 9779400
    Abstract: The present disclosure concerns a method of identifying a biometric record of an individual in a database comprising a plurality of biometric records, each record comprising at least one reference biometric sample, the method comprising: receiving, by a biometric identification unit (202), an input biometric sample with associated source information; selecting, by the biometric identification unit using a reference table (210), and based on said source information a matching process; and applying by said biometric identification unit said selected matching process to at least some of said biometric records of said database to determine whether said input biometric sample matches a reference biometric sample of one of said biometric records.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited
    Inventors: Alastair Ross Partington, Alessio Cavallini, Cyrille Bataller
  • Patent number: 9772358
    Abstract: An electrical energy transferring device coupled to an electrical energy receiving device is provided. The electrical energy transferring device includes an electrical source measuring unit and a power indicating unit. The electrical source measuring unit detects a power consumption and/or a charging status of the electrical energy receiving device. The power indicating unit is coupled to the electrical source measuring unit for showing the power consumption and/or the charging status of the electrical energy receiving device by a color signal and/or an audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: PROLIFIC TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventor: Chia-Chang Hsu
  • Patent number: 9773221
    Abstract: A machine or group of machines for monitoring location of at least one of a vehicle or freight carried by the vehicle includes a server comprising a central processing unit, a memory, a clock, and a server communication transceiver that receives location information of a mobile device, the mobile device comprising a GPS receiver, a microprocessor and a wireless communication transceiver coupled to the GPS receiver, the mobile device comprising the GPS receiver programmed to receive data sent by a plurality of GPS satellites, calculate location information of the mobile device comprising the GPS receiver and transmit the location information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: MACROPOINT, LLC.
    Inventor: Bennett H. Adelson
  • Patent number: 9770624
    Abstract: A sport-boot pressure monitoring system and method of use. The system includes a left boot sensor having a left flexible fluid-containing bladder shaped to fit between a user's left leg and an interior surface of a left boot worn by the user and a left pressure sense element in pressure-sensing communication with the left flexible fluid-containing bladder, a right boot sensor that is similar to the left one, and a controller to provide a pressure alert if pressure between one of the user's legs and the interior surface of the boot worn on that leg violates a predetermined pressure threshold and to provide a proximity alert if a distance between the left and right boots violates a predetermined proximity threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Inventors: Chris Norcross Bender, Kay Daniel Vetter
  • Patent number: 9773408
    Abstract: An operation method of a mobile terminal includes determining a home appliance not registered with a server, displaying an object indicating the retrieved unregistered home appliance on a screen, and, upon receiving an input to register the unregistered home appliance, transmitting product information of the unregistered home appliance to the server. Consequently, product registration for the home appliance is easily and conveniently performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Yanghwan Kim, Hyungsoo Kim
  • Patent number: 9769617
    Abstract: A system for monitoring locations of each of a population of wandering devices, each having localizing functionality, the system comprising a tracking functionality operative for monitoring locations of each of the population of wandering devices and accordingly, providing location information which characterizes individual wandering devices from among said population, via a viewing functionality, to corresponding end-users registered in respective association with the wandering devices; and an interface with the wandering devices operative to command that location information regarding at least one individual wandering device be transmitted to the tracking functionality more frequently if at least one individual end-user registered in respective association with the individual wandering device is logged onto a viewing functionality and less frequently if no end-user registered in respective association with the individual wandering device is logged onto the viewing functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: VESTIGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
    Inventors: Shlomo Shur, Shai Bar-Lavi
  • Patent number: 9757511
    Abstract: A personal medical device and method of use with restricted mode challenge having a personal medical device including: a memory operable to store programming code; a processor operably connected to the memory; a user input having input buttons to receive input from the user; and a user display to display output to the user. The processor is operable to: detect a user request for entry to the restricted mode; display a user input image on the user display, the user input image including display buttons corresponding to the input buttons; highlight one of the display buttons; detect actuation of one of the input buttons on the user input; and deny entry to the restricted mode when the one of the input buttons does not correspond to the highlighted display button.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: MEDTRONIC MINIMED, INC.
    Inventors: Robert G. Adamczyk, Mark Freger, David P. Lewinski, Ulrich H. Rankers, Lisa M. Val Verde, Steven J. Vargas, Yongbo Wang
  • Patent number: 9760853
    Abstract: A wirelessly-linked RFID tracking system is disclosed herein. The system includes low-power wirelessly-linked RFID readers in communication with a mine radio network to detect and transmit information received from a plurality of RFID tags. The RFID readers transmit tag information to a local server for providing notification and/or alarm information to system users as required under the Miner Act of 2006. The RFID readers may further include environmental sensors to sense and communicate environmental conditions wirelessly. In addition, the optional capability of hi-intensity warning LEDs mounted on the reader devices, may be deployed to alert personnel of an emergency condition even when hundreds of feet away from the device, irrespective of background noise prevalent in mining operations. The disclosed system communicatively links a plurality of wireless RFID readers to each other and/or to the mine radio network to create a data path from an underground environment to a surface environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Inventor: Mark D. Rose
  • Patent number: 9761105
    Abstract: A control system includes a control module (34), a control device (20) mounted to a door (12) and controllable by the control module (34), and a manager mobile device (54) operable to connect with the control module (34) to obtain management authority to access to the door (12). The control device (20) includes a latch (24) for retaining the door (12) in a closed position. A vibration detecting unit (66) is mounted to the door (12) or the control device (20) and is electrically connected to the control module (34). When the vibration detecting unit (66) detects vibrations of the door (12) or the control device (20), the manager mobile device (54) is activated, and the image of the outside of the door (12) is transmitted to the manager mobile device (54), such that the manager can immediately know the situation outside the door (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Inventor: I-Ting Shen
  • Patent number: 9754488
    Abstract: A method is provided for generating an alarm signal in a vehicle for indicating that the vehicle is in the proximity of an object includes detecting a degree of proximity to the object, calculating a value of the distance (d) between the vehicle and the object, generating the alarm signal at least as an audio signal when the distance (d) is less than a predetermined first threshold value (d1), and generating the alarm signal in the form of a sequence of signal stages as the distance (d) decreases. A system is also provided for generating an alarm signal in a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventor: Jon Werk Nielsen
  • Patent number: 9749715
    Abstract: A circuit system includes: a receiver circuit which outputs a periodic voltage pulse via a bus line; and an ascertaining device configured to ascertain whether the voltage on the bus line has reached a specified threshold value. The circuit system is configured to start the reception of data signals a specified time period after an instant at which the voltage on the bus line has reached the specified threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Massoud Momeni, Matthias Siemss
  • Patent number: 9734642
    Abstract: An improved method for providing checkpoint background checks is described herein. In one embodiment, the pass control method can comprise collecting data related to the identity of a visitor with a checkpoint computer, transferring the data to a pass control server, querying one or more member profiles using the data, and returning a message to the checkpoint computer. In this method, the member profiles can comprise identity information and one or more flags. The flags can be related to an outcome of a previously performed background check performed using the identity information. The message returned to the checkpoint computer can be related to the flags within any of the member profiles comprising identity information that matches the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Inventor: Jeremy Keith Mattern