Patents Examined by Mark Rushing
  • Patent number: 9633552
    Abstract: Present example embodiments relate generally to methods, systems, computing devices, and logic for managing a plurality of alarms initiated by a plurality of alarm sensors. The method comprises the steps of: receiving the plurality of initiated alarm, prioritizing the initiated alarms, creating an initiated alarm being a condition-based alarm when an initiated alarm satisfies an event condition, reprioritizing an initiated alarm when said initiated alarm satisfies a reprioritization condition, suppressing an initiated alarm, reporting an unsuppressed initiated alarm based on the prioritizing of said alarm, and 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: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: THAI OIL PUBLIC COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventor: Mongkol Janchookiat
  • Patent number: 9629225
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for interpreting control commands received from a control element, wherein the control element sends control commands indicating start of activation (e.g., press operation) and end of activation (e.g., release operation) separately. Two time thresholds provided by respective timers (T1, T2) are used at the controlled device (20), a lower time threshold for determining the short activation and a higher time threshold for determining the long activation; the difference between the two time thresholds indicates a “dead zone” of no control action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: PHILIPS LIGHTING HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Emmanuel David Lucas Michael Frimout, Bozena Erdmann
  • Patent number: 9625560
    Abstract: The present inventive concept includes a duct system and method for using same to map and locate ducts. A preferred embodiment of the duct system includes a duct, a plurality of electronic information modules and an oversheath at least partially covering the plurality of information modules and fixing the information modules to the duct. The plurality of information modules are configured to emit a positional signal to enable location of the information modules and associated duct(s) and/or mapping of the duct system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: DURA-LINE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Timothy A. Grimsley, Thomas McCall
  • Patent number: 9619979
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a visual indication of cable connection status. A method may include determining whether an Information Handling System (IHS) has established data communications using one of a plurality of different types of protocols supported by a cable and providing, on the cable, a visual indication of the type of protocol being used and/or an amount of power delivered via the cable. A cable may include a plurality of conductors, a controller coupled to the plurality of conductors, and a plurality of LEDs coupled to the controller. The controller may: determine whether an IHS coupled to the cable has established data communication with another device via the cable using one of a plurality of different types of protocols supported by the cable; and provide a visual indication of the type of protocol being used in the data communication and/or power delivered via the cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Adolfo S. Montero, Marcin M. Nowak
  • Patent number: 9619031
    Abstract: A haptic actuator may include a housing having a top and a bottom, and first and second coils carried by the top and bottom, respectively, of the housing. The haptic actuator may also include a field member carried by the housing. The field member may include a permanent magnet between the first and second coils, first and second ends, and a first mass between the first end and the permanent magnet, and a second mass between the second end and the permanent magnet. A first shaft may slidably couple the first mass to the housing, and a second shaft may slidably couple the second mass to the housing. The haptic actuator may also include a first set of biasing members between the first end of the field member and the housing and a second set of biasing members between the second end of the field member and the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Arman Hajati, Jonah A. Harley
  • Patent number: 9617757
    Abstract: Locks, systems and methods of monitoring a lock, the lock having a hub with a slot rotatable by a handle to open and close a latchbolt. A locking member is moveable into and out of engagement with the hub slot to prevent and permit movement of the hub and latchbolt. A sensor on the lock, adjacent the hub and locking member, monitors a moving lock component. The sensor may sense the position of the locking member in or out of engagement with the hub slot. The sensor may be a reed switch actuated by a magnet on the moving lock component. The lock may further include a magnet mounted on the hub and the sensor may comprise a reed switch capable of being actuated by the magnet on the hub. The lock and system may include an external control unit having an alarm for controlling operation of the lock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Sargent Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Scott B. Lowder
  • Patent number: 9619717
    Abstract: An apparatus for recognizing lane lines including a broken line. An image capture unit is configured to acquire an image of the surroundings including a roadway ahead of a subject vehicle. An edge-point extractor is configured to extract edge points in the image. An first-edge-point detector is configured to detect first edge points facing at least one missing section of a broken line in the edge points extracted by the edge-point extractor. A lane-line recognizes is configured to recognize a lane line using the edge points extracted by the edge-point extractor other than all or some of the first edge points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Syunya Kumano, Naoki Kawasaki, Shunsuke Suzuki, Tetsuya Takafuji
  • Patent number: 9609972
    Abstract: A mail notification system that is operable to alert a user when mail has been deposited into the interior of a mailbox being monitored by the mail notification system. The mail notification system further includes a base station having a controller that operates an audio speaker and a light. The base station further includes operational controls such as a power button, a reset button and volume controls for the audio speaker. A monitoring unit is placed within the interior volume of a mailbox. The monitoring unit includes internal power supply and a controller. The controller provides operation of a sensor wherein the sensor is either a motion sensor or a photo sensor. The monitoring unit functions to transmit a signal to the base station subsequent the detection of motion or an increase in the light within the interior volume of the mailbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Inventor: Perry DuBois
  • Patent number: 9607283
    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: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: MacroPoint LLC.
    Inventor: Bennett H. Adelson
  • Patent number: 9598007
    Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for monitoring powered assets for fueling. For example, in one embodiment, a fuel server can monitor the location of powered assets and fueling units. In response to determining, for example, that a powered asset that needs fuel is within a predetermined geofence defined around a fueling unit, the powered asset can emit a perceivable indication. The powered asset can then be authenticated for receiving fuel from the fueling unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: UNITED PARCEL SERVICE OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Daniel Tyler
  • Patent number: 9589213
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining the presence or absence of a turnoff from a roadway. In the apparatus, a white-line candidate extractor applies image processing to an image of surroundings of a subject vehicle acquired by a vehicle-mounted camera to extract white-line candidates in the roadway. A white-line likelihood calculator calculates, for each of the white-line candidates extracted by the white-line candidate extractor, a likelihood of the white-line candidate. A white-line likelihood calculator calculates, for each of the white-line candidates extracted by the white-line candidate extractor, a likelihood of the white-line candidate. A turnoff determiner calculates a likelihood for one of a plurality of features of the white line selected by the white-line selector, and determines the presence or absence of a turnoff from the roadway based on the likelihood calculated by the turnoff determiner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoki Kawasaki, Syunya Kumano, Shunsuke Suzuki, Tetsuya Takafuji
  • Patent number: 9583004
    Abstract: Environmental hazards and safe conditions can be indicated to an operator of a vehicle. An audio signal of varying intensities can be played to indicate the severity of a potential hazard. An audio signal can be played at different locations in the vehicle cabin to indicate the location of a potential hazard. Surfaces such as but not limited to windows can be tinted to indicate a hazardous or safe condition. Tinting can be of various intensities commensurate with a potential hazard. Location of tinting can indicate the location of a potential hazard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew W. Lovitt, Michael Hall
  • Patent number: 9582994
    Abstract: A particular device may configure one or more of other devices to accept and execute remote control commands from the particular device's remote control unit. This may be performed via one or more various communication links between the devices on that enables the devices to communicate with each other. For example, the remote control of a set-top box can be used to control both the set-top box and a television without a user having to specially program the set-top box or other universal remote control. One example of a communication link between the devices that enables the devices to communicate with each other is a device-to-device messaging protocol such as that provided by the High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) standard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: EchoStar Technologies L.L.C.
    Inventor: Jon Richardson
  • Patent number: 9574930
    Abstract: A smart electronic float includes: an accelerometer, sensing a movement distance, a movement velocity, movement power, and a sinking gravity of the smart electronic float in water, to produce a corresponding plurality of pieces of float movement data; a microcontroller, receiving the float movement data sensed by the accelerometer; a first wireless communications device, where the microcontroller transmits the float movement data to an electronic device through the first wireless communications device, and receives a light-emitting diode (LED) on/off signal from the electronic device; and an LED, where on/off of the LED is controlled by the microcontroller according to the LED on/off signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: INSYDE SOFTWARE CORP.
    Inventor: Wen-Ming Lin
  • Patent number: 9569946
    Abstract: An optical smoke alarm contains a detector unit that works according to the scattered light principle with a light-emitting diode to irradiate particles to be detected and a photo sensor which is spectrally sensitive thereto to detect the light scattered by the particles. The light-emitting diode contains a first LED chip being a surface-emitting radiator for emitting a first light bundle with light in a first wavelength range of from 350 nm to 500 nm. It contains a second LED chip being a surface-emitting radiator for emitting a second light bundle with light in a second wavelength range of from 665 nm to 1000 nm. The two LED chips are arranged next to each other. A ratio of the optically active surface of the first LED chip to the optically active surface of the second LED chip is within a range of from 2 to 20.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Schweiz AG
    Inventor: Hans Aebersold
  • Patent number: 9564034
    Abstract: A real-time threat detection system incorporating a plurality of sensors adapted to detect radiation across the majority of the electromagnetic spectrum. The system also includes an aided or automatic target recognition module which compares the data from the sensors against known radiation signatures and issues an alert when an anomalous signature is detected. The system further includes an operator station which displays sensor information allowing the operator to intervene. The sensors detect radiation which is normally emitted by persons or other bodies and display areas to the operator where normal emissions are blocked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: THERMAL MATRIX USA, INC.
    Inventors: John William Foster, Michael A. Reinpoldt, Willem H. Reinpoldt, III
  • Patent number: 9554704
    Abstract: Provided is a living organism information measurement device which users can easily and reliably operate. A living organism information measurement device for acquiring living organism information and generating measurement data relating to the information is provided with a device body, and a panel detachably attached to the device body. The device body comprises a control unit which executes a plurality of functions of the device body, a living organism information measurement unit which is connected to the control unit and generates the measurement data, and a first communication unit connected to the control unit. The panel comprises a second communication unit including a memory storing predetermined information. When the panel is attached to the device body, the first communication unit receives the predetermined information from the second communication unit. The control unit selects and executes a function corresponding to the received predetermined information among the plurality of functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC HEALTHCARE HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Koji Okuyama
  • Patent number: 9544635
    Abstract: A method for optimizing memory usage in a device having a universal controlling application includes receiving into the device data for use in configuring the universal controlling application wherein the data is used to identify from within a library of command code sets stored in a memory of the device a command code set that is appropriate for use in commanding functional operations of the appliance and causing a non-identified one or more of the command code sets of the library of command code sets stored in the memory of the device to be discarded to thereby create freed space in the memory of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Naimisaranya Das Busek, Thomas Henley
  • Patent number: 9539915
    Abstract: An automotive vehicle has arranged therein a vehicle seat and is equipped with an occupant detection system for detecting whether an occupant is present on the vehicle seat, the system including a first antenna electrode arranged in the seat and a sensing circuit associated with the seat where the sensing circuit includes an oscillation circuit connected to the first antenna electrode for applying to the first antenna electrode a first oscillating signal and a current detection circuit also connected to the first antenna electrode for determining a first current flowing in the first antenna electrode in response to the first oscillating signal being applied, the first current indicating whether an occupant is present on the vehicle seat, where the vehicle is further equipped with an appliance including an appliance control device arranged in the vehicle compartment at a location where it can be operated by an occupant of the seat and the occupant detection system is configured for detecting whether the occupa
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: IEE International Electronics & Engineering S.A.
    Inventors: Stephen Fuks, Ingrid Scheckenbach, Claus-Christian Kedenburg, Christoph Wendt
  • Patent number: 9530063
    Abstract: An apparatus for recognizing a lane line. In the apparatus, when a three-dimensional object lies in the same lane as a subject vehicle and a distance between the three-dimensional object and the subject vehicle is small in an image acquired by an image capture unit, a masking area setter sets a masking area that is partially truncated at or near a lower end of the three-dimensional object in the image. A degree-of-belief calculator is configured to, for each of the edge points extracted by the edge-point extractor, calculate a degree of belief that the edge point is on the lane line. The degree of belief when the edge point is in the masking area is set less than the degree of belief when the edge point is outside the masking area. A lane-line recognizer is configured to recognize the lane line based on the degrees of belief calculated for the edge points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Syunya Kumano, Naoki Kawasaki, Shunsuke Suzuki, Tetsuya Takafuji