Patents Examined by Mark Rushing
  • Patent number: 9728063
    Abstract: An environmental monitoring pipeline closure and a wireless positioning and warning system thereof are disclosed. The environmental monitoring pipeline closure is composed of an upper platen, an expansion body, a lower platen, a plurality of bolts, and a plurality of compression rings, on which a plurality of clamping holes are provided for holding and fixing a cable line. A gas sensing device is provided inside the pipeline closure to detect gas concentrations within the space inside a manhole channel when being installed in the underground manhole channel. The measured data is transferred to a monitoring device through wireless transmissions to keep monitoring gas concentrations within the manhole channel. This prevents injuries and deaths of people working inside the manhole channel due to a lack of oxygen or inhalation of harmful gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Inventors: Jui-Chi Fu, Nien-Chi Hung
  • Patent number: 9728837
    Abstract: An electronic communications device includes a body of semiconductor material with an integrated electronic circuit, an inductive element, and a capacitive element. The capacitive element is formed by a first electrode and a second electrode positioned between the inductive element and the integrated electronic circuit. Tuning of the device circuitry is accomplished by energizing the inductive/capacitive elements, determining resonance frequency, and using a laser trimming operation to alter the structure of one or more of the first electrode, second electrode or inductive element and change the resonance frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Alberto Pagani, Alessandro Finocchiaro, Giovanni Girlando
  • Patent number: 9729458
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include systems and methods for providing Quality of service to RFID. In one embodiment the present invention includes a method of providing quality of service in an RFID network comprising storing RFID priority information corresponding to the RFID network, wherein the RFID network comprises one or more tags and one or more readers mapping the RFID priority information into priority information corresponding to a second network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: GOLBA LLC
    Inventor: Mehran Moshfeghi
  • Patent number: 9718315
    Abstract: Embodiments provide a device, an element, a passive element, methods and computer programs for obtaining tire characteristics. A device includes a transmitter inside a tire to transmit a signal at least partially indicating a first characteristic of the tire. The device further includes a passive element to at least partially influence the signal based on a second characteristic of the tire. The device further includes an element to detect the influence of the signal by the passive element and to obtain information related to the second characteristic of the tire based on the influence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Andre Peine, Thomas Lange
  • Patent number: 9721447
    Abstract: A method can include receiving power level information for a device that includes a rechargeable battery and a display; determining a power level differential based at least in part on the power level information and historical information of the device; and rendering a power level differential notice to the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: John Carl Mese, Russell Speight VanBlon, Arnold S. Weksler, Nathan J. Peterson, Rod D. Waltermann
  • Patent number: 9716927
    Abstract: A method of sending data from a central facility to a vehicle includes transmitting a vehicle identifier to a status server from a central facility located apart from the status server; obtaining at the central facility one or more vehicle status variables corresponding to the transmitted identity of the vehicle from the status server; and initiating a direct transmission of packet data from the central facility to the vehicle based on the content of the obtained vehicle status variables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: General Motors LLC
    Inventors: Scott Droste, Khaled Rabbah
  • Patent number: 9700218
    Abstract: A method for storing data relating to generated alarms includes receiving a physiological signal or a physiological parameter value. The method also includes generating an alarm in response to a determination that the physiological signal or physiological parameter value meets an alarm condition. Additionally, the method includes receiving a relevance indicator indicating a relevance of the generated alarm and storing the relevance indicator and the alarm condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventor: Robert T. Boyer
  • Patent number: 9701242
    Abstract: An electrical apparatus can be used to modulate an apparent intensity of a vehicular braking indicator according to a specified pattern. When a duration of an initial brake application exceeds a specified initial modulation duration, the apparent intensity can continue to be modulated, but in a manner suppressing apparent variation in intensity until at least one of a release of brake application or until a specified timeout duration lapses. In an example, upon lapse of the timeout duration, modulation can be re-established to vary the apparent intensity of the vehicular braking indicator according to the specified pattern for another modulation duration corresponding to the initial modulation duration. The pattern can be customizable, such as provided to the electrical apparatus digitally, before installation. The customizability of the specified pattern can be inhibited, such as after installation by an installer or seller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Genesis Systems, LLC
    Inventor: George Jameson
  • Patent number: 9703381
    Abstract: A multimodal haptic device operating as a closed-loop system, the device including a pipeline configured to allow a closed-loop flow of a fluid medium, a manifold operatively connected to the pipeline, the manifold having a pump and a valve to control and regulate a flow of the fluid medium along the pipeline, and a display unit operatively connected to the pipeline, the display unit having a tactile display and a valve operatively connected to the tactile display for regulating an efflux of the fluid medium from the tactile display into the pipeline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FEDERALE DE LAUSANNE (EPFL)
    Inventors: Simon Gallo, Giulio Rognini, Tobias Lukas Bützer
  • Patent number: 9697722
    Abstract: Present example embodiments relate generally to methods, systems, devices, computer readable medium, and logic for managing a plurality of alarms initiated by a plurality of alarm sensors. The method comprises receiving the plurality of initiated alarm. The method further comprises prioritizing the initiated alarms. The method further comprises creating an initiated alarm being a condition-based alarm when an initiated alarm satisfies an event condition. The method further comprises reprioritizing an initiated alarm when said initiated alarm satisfies a reprioritization condition. The method further comprises suppressing an initiated alarm. The method further comprises reporting an unsuppressed initiated alarm based on the prioritizing of said alarm. The method further comprises providing information comprising an operator action for the unsuppressed initiated alarm and an initiated alarm suppressed based on the unsuppressed initiated alarm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: THAI OIL PUBLIC COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventor: Mongkol Janchookiat
  • Patent number: 9693308
    Abstract: A method for estimating a battery consumption state of a mobile communication terminal is provided. The method includes building a database with battery characteristic information changing according to at least one of a temperature and an aging characteristic of a battery supplying power to the mobile communication terminal, and estimating a power consumption of the mobile communication terminal and a battery drain rate based on the battery characteristic information and displaying estimated information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jong-Hoe Koo, Sunghyun Choi, Won-Bo Lee, Yong-Seok Park, Ok-Seon Lee, Young-Ki Hong
  • Patent number: 9682654
    Abstract: An apparatus for warning loss of control of a vehicle using communications between vehicles may include: a speed detecting unit for detecting a speed of a vehicle; a position detecting unit for detecting a current position and a travel direction of the vehicle; a route estimating unit for estimating a future position of the vehicle after a time period using the current speed and the position information; a WAVE message generating unit for generating a WAVE message comprising the future position information of the vehicle; a WAVE data communicating unit for broadcasting the WAVE message to a surrounding vehicle and an infrastructure periodically, and receiving WAVE message broadcast from the surrounding vehicle and the infrastructure; and a control unit for sensing accident risk using the future position information of the vehicle and the future position information of the surrounding vehicle, when the surrounding vehicle is in loss of control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jang Hyeon Jo
  • Patent number: 9679464
    Abstract: A system for monitoring the hand sanitizing opportunities in hospital wards (1), the system (1) comprising a plurality of sensors (8, 9, 10) arranged inside a ward (2), capable of detecting at least one hand sanitizing action according to a set of hand sanitizing opportunities, the system (1) further comprising at least one indication device (7) of the hand sanitizing action related to the set of hand sanitizing opportunities. The present invention further relates to a method of monitoring the hand sanitizing opportunities in wards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignees: SOCIEDADE BENEFICENTE ISRAELITA BRASILEIRA HOSPITAL ALBERT EINSTEIN, I-HEALTHSYS PRODUTOS MÉDICOS LTDA-ME
    Inventors: Alexandre Rodrigues Marra, Julio Cesar Martin Monte, Marcelo Prado, Eder Issao Ishibe, Tales Roberto de Souza Santini, Caio Moraes Zanon, Felipe Kermentz Ferraz Costa, Guilherme Machado Gagliardi, Renaldo Massini Junior
  • Patent number: 9663034
    Abstract: There is provided an vehicle alarm output apparatus comprising: a waiting state determining unit configured to determine whether an own vehicle is in a waiting state; a start determining unit configured to determine whether the own vehicle starts to travel; an other vehicle information acquiring unit configured to acquire other vehicle information related to another vehicle; an arrival time calculating unit configured to calculate a time taken for the other vehicle to reach a front end of the own vehicle; and an output unit configured to output a certain alarm upon determining the own vehicle to be in the waiting state, the own vehicle to start, and the time to be equal to or less than a first threshold value; wherein the output unit is prevented from outputting the certain alarm upon detecting the time to be equal to or less than a second threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Matsuoka, Kazuhiro Morimoto
  • Patent number: 9659471
    Abstract: Provided is an anti-theft apparatus for a mobile device that does not disturb a customer when he or she observes and tests a mobile device in a shop and which can be efficiently used with various types of mobile devices. The anti-theft apparatus for a mobile device includes: a base attached to a back surface of a mobile device; a connecting terminal provided in a rear side of the base and connected to an access port of the mobile device; a separation sensor sensing separation of the mobile device from the base; and a distance control unit controlling the distance between the base and the connecting terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: KUM OH ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ki Sang Kim
  • Patent number: 9639613
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and products self-identify an electronic device to a remote control. The remote control queries the electronic device, and the electronic device sends a response. A collision avoidance mechanism allows difference devices to respond to the remote control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Arnold Chester McQuaide, Jr., Maria Adamczyk
  • Patent number: 9640047
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a haptic signal with auditory saliency estimation from an audio signal is disclosed. The method includes detecting audio characteristic information of a bass component and audio characteristic information of a treble component from a received audio signal, estimating auditory saliency with respect to the audio signal based on the two types of audio characteristic information, and calculating a tactile signal based on the auditory saliency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: POSTECH ACADEMY-INDUSTRY FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Seung Moon Choi, In Wook Hwang
  • Patent number: 9634303
    Abstract: The invention provides a faux battery for a real battery in a smoke detector, and electrically connects the faux battery to a real battery in a reachable battery housing located within reach of a human, to facilitate battery changing in the smoke detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Inventor: Frank McBride
  • Patent number: 9633499
    Abstract: A method for detecting presence of one or more security token comprises a host device transmitting a wake-up message for receipt by the security token. Based on the wake-up message and a condition of the one or more security token, the security token either awakens or returns to an inactive state. The wake-up message comprises a security code that is unique to a host device and an instruction code that is configured to selectively instruct at least one of the one or more security tokens associated with the vehicle to awaken. A system for detecting presence of a user includes a host device configured for transmitting a wake-up message to be received by a security token. The wake-up message comprises a unique security code and an instruction code that is configured to instruct security tokens associated with the vehicle to awaken.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Aaron P. Creguer, David T. Proefke
  • Patent number: 9635536
    Abstract: Methods and devices may be used to remotely hushing alarms by receiving an indication of an alarm event occurring at a remote device and presenting a visual indicator of the alarm event including a hush option to alter an audible and/or visual alarm notification of the remote device. A user selection of the hush option is received. In response to receiving the user selection of the hush option, communicating, from the electronic device to the remote device via a point-to-point low power wireless connection between the electronic device and the remote device, a hush request requests that the remote device alter its audible and/or visual alarm notification and causes an adjustment of the visual indicator to reflect a status of the hush request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Smriti Narang, Prashanth Ramachandran, Liang-Yun Wang, Andrew William Stebbins, Jay D. Logue