Patents Examined by Mark S. Rushing
  • Patent number: 10936927
    Abstract: A product tagging system is provided. The product tagging system includes at least one RF backscatter transmitter configured to emit (i) a main carrier RF signal, and (ii) Radio Frequency (RF) signals on two frequencies whose summation forms a twin carrier RF signal. The product tagging system further includes a passive RF backscatter tag associated with a product and configured to reflect and frequency shift the main carrier RF signal to a different frequency using the twin carrier RF signal. The product tagging system also includes at least one RF backscatter receiver configured to read the product on the different frequency by detecting a distributed ambient backscatter signal generated by a reflection and frequency shifting of the main carrier RF signal by the passive RF backscatter tag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Inventors: Karthikeyan Sundaresan, Eugene Chai, Sampath Rangarajan, Mohammad Rostami
  • Patent number: 10922763
    Abstract: A method described herein is performed by a utility meter lacking an integrated display. The method includes measuring consumption of a resource and, further, generating consumption data based on measuring the consumption of the resource. Via a communication device, the utility meter wirelessly connects directly to an external device having a display. The utility meter verifies that the external device is authorized to access the utility meter. The utility meter transmits the consumption data to the external device to utilize the display of the external device as an interface to the utility meter. The utility meter receives an instruction via manual entry at the display of the external device, and the utility meter executes the instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Landis+Gyr Innovations, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Torpy, Matt Karlgaard, David Decker, James Randall Turner
  • Patent number: 10905600
    Abstract: In one example, a sensor system of a patient monitoring system includes a voiding sensor that includes an electrical circuit configured to be transitioned from a first impedance state to a second impedance state in response to a voiding event in an absorbent region of an absorbent article worn by a patient. The sensor system also includes one or more processors configured to: determine, based on whether the impedance state of the electrical circuit is open or closed, that the voiding event has occurred; and generate, based at least in part on the occurrence of the voiding event, patient status data of the patient. The sensor system also includes a communication module configured to wirelessly transmit, via a relay module, the patient status data to a remote monitoring device that is distinct from the relay module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: KPR U.S., LLC
    Inventors: Harish Patel, Robert Gaines, Vishal Narvekar, Richard Gahan
  • Patent number: 10896594
    Abstract: Devices and methods for prioritizing alert recipients using activity monitoring data are disclosed. A method includes: receiving, by a computing device, an incoming alert; receiving, by the computing device, activity data corresponding to a first on-call person; determining, by the computing device, whether or not the first on-call person is available using the activity data corresponding to the first on-call person; in response to determining that the first on-call person is available, the computing device sending the incoming alert to the first on-call person; and in response to determining that the first on-call person is not available, the computing device sending the incoming alert to a second on-call person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ciaran E. Hannigan, Nicholas R. Sandonato
  • Patent number: 10885756
    Abstract: A computer implemented method includes receiving one or more user set preferences for detecting a hub alarm condition and one or more actions to perform in response to detecting a hub alarm condition, receiving, from the output of the security panel, data indicating that a traditional alarm condition occurred, based on receiving data indicating a traditional alarm condition occurred at the monitored property, receiving sensor data from at least one wireless sensor in a vicinity of a hardwired sensor associated with the traditional alarm condition, determining, based on the sensor data received from at least one wireless sensor in a vicinity of the hardwired sensor associated the traditional alarm condition, that the sensor data satisfies a condition, and in response to determining that the sensor data satisfies a condition, performing an action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Alarm.com Incorporated
    Inventor: Thomas Rogers
  • Patent number: 10884162
    Abstract: Devices and systems for determining personal outdoor comfort are described herein. One device includes instructions executable to receive inputs corresponding to characteristics of a user associated with a mobile device, determine a location of the mobile device, communicate an indication of the characteristics and the determined location to a computing device, and receive an outdoor comfort determination from the computing device, wherein the outdoor comfort determination is particular to the user based on the characteristics of the user and particular to the location of the mobile device based on a plurality of environmental parameters associated with the location of the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Weathervane Labs, LLC
    Inventors: Brian Smoliak, Jason Smoliak
  • Patent number: 10876940
    Abstract: There is provided a material testing machine that a control device of the material testing machine includes a detection circuit which extracts a resistance component caused by the physical quantity and a capacitive component caused by an electrostatic capacitance of the cable from a measurement signal from the detector, a memory element which stores a normal capacitive component extracted by the detection circuit, and a comparator which compares the current capacitive component extracted by the detection circuit with the normal capacitive component, and when a comparison result from the comparator indicates that a value of the current capacitive component varies beyond a predetermined allowable range with respect to the normal capacitive component, it is treated that the cable is disconnected, and a disconnection warning is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroshi Tsuji
  • Patent number: 10870517
    Abstract: This disclosure relates generally to a smart closure for any container that has lock/unlock features, and can be accessed using keypad or biometrics, also including RFID, Bluetooth, or wireless control and communication. This can also include monitoring solutions, with data logging. For example, time of access, temperature, weight, or other environmental conditions. The closure and container assembly present a positive lock mechanism designed to provide an affirmative indication that full closure has been attained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Inventor: Nicholas Evan Mott
  • Patent number: 10854050
    Abstract: A method at an electronic device with an array of indicator lights includes: obtaining first visual output instructions stored at the electronic device, where the first visual output instructions control operation of the array of indicator lights based on operating state of the electronic device; receiving a voice input; obtaining from a remote system a response to the voice input and second visual output instructions, where the second visual output instructions are provided by the remote system along with the response in accordance with a determination that the voice input satisfies one or more criteria; executing the response; and displaying visual output on the array of indicator lights in accordance with the second visual output instructions, where otherwise in absence of the second visual output instructions the electronic device displays visual output on the array of indicator lights in accordance with the first visual output instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth Mixter, Yuan Yuan
  • Patent number: 10852413
    Abstract: A product tagging system is provided. The product tagging system includes at least one RF backscatter transmitter configured to emit a Radio Frequency (RF) signal on a frequency. The product tagging system further includes a passive RF backscatter tag associated with a product and configured to reflect and frequency shift the RF signal to a different frequency. The product tagging system also includes at least one RF backscatter receiver configured to read the product on the different frequency by detecting a distributed ambient backscatter signal generated by a reflection and frequency shifting of the RF signal by the passive RF backscatter tag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Inventors: Karthikeyan Sundaresan, Eugene Chai, Sampath Rangarajan
  • Patent number: 10852414
    Abstract: An in-home inventory and location system is provided. At least one RF backscatter transmitter, hosted on a device, is configured to emit a RF signal on a frequency. A set of passive RF backscatter tags, each associated with a respective one of a plurality of products in a given area, is configured to reflect and frequency shift the RF signal to a different frequency. At least one RF backscatter receiver, hosted on another device, is configured to read the products on the different frequency by detecting a distributed ambient backscatter signal generated by a reflection and frequency shifting of the RF signal by the passive RF backscatter tag. At least one of the device hosting the at least one RF backscatter transmitter and the other device hosting the at least one RF backscatter receiver is configured to maintain an inventory and location of the products in the given area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Inventors: Karthikeyan Sundaresan, Eugene Chai, Sampath Rangarajan
  • Patent number: 10852415
    Abstract: A navigation assistance system is provided. At least one RF backscatter transmitter, hosted on a device, is configured to emit a RF signal on a frequency. A set of passive RF backscatter tags, each associated with a respective one of a plurality of navigation markers in a given venue, is configured to reflect the RF signal and frequency shift the RF signal to a different frequency. At least one RF backscatter receiver is configured to read the navigation markers on the different frequency by detecting a distributed ambient backscatter signal generated by a reflection and frequency shifting of the RF signal by the passive RF backscatter tag. At least one of the device hosting the at least one RF backscatter transmitter and the other device hosting the at least one RF backscatter receiver is configured to maintain an inventory of locations of the navigation markers in the given venue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Inventors: Karthikeyan Sundaresan, Eugene Chai, Sampath Rangarajan
  • Patent number: 10852416
    Abstract: An in-store interaction and location system is provided. At least one RF backscatter transmitter, hosted on a device, is configured to emit a RF signal on a frequency. A set of passive RF backscatter tags, each associated with a respective one of a plurality of products in a given store area, is configured to reflect and frequency shift the RF signal to a different frequency. At least one RF backscatter receiver, hosted on another device, is configured to read the plurality of products on the different frequency by detecting a distributed ambient backscatter signal generated by a reflection and frequency shifting of the RF signal by the passive RF backscatter tag. At least one of the device and the other device is configured to maintain an inventory and a location of the plurality of products in the given store area and provide the inventory and location to a user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Inventors: Karthikeyan Sundaresan, Eugene Chai, Sampath Rangarajan
  • Patent number: 10849208
    Abstract: A method for controlling a streetlight, includes: detecting an existence of an object in a preset detection area by using a motion detect sensor; determining whether the object is a new object that approaches the detection area newly or an existing object that has been detected; calculating a size of a lighting zone by using the signal processor; inputting the object existence signal and a lighting zone activation signal to a lighting controller and inputting a signal regarding the size of the lighting zone to a local area wireless communication unit; setting at least one or more streetlights among the plurality of node streetlights adjacent to the first node streetlight and transmitting the lighting zone to activation signal to the additional lighting streetlight; and controlling a dimming value of the first node streetlight and the lighting zone activation signal and controlling a dimming value of the additional lighting streetlight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Neobby
    Inventors: Hyeon Il Kim, Moon Hum Yang
  • Patent number: 10846945
    Abstract: The application discloses a method and system of implementing a vehicle automatically passing through a barrier, a vehicle controller and a road barrier controller, so as to implement the automatic passing through of the road barrier of the unmanned vehicle. The method includes: controlling, by a vehicle controller, the vehicle to drive automatically and stop at a place of the road barrier; interacting, by the vehicle controller, with a road barrier controller corresponding to the place of the road barrier to accomplish the automatic passing through of the road barrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: TUSIMPLE, INC.
    Inventors: Nan Wu, He Zheng
  • Patent number: 10848938
    Abstract: The technology relates to actively looking for an assigned passenger prior to a vehicle 100 reaching a pickup location. For instance, information identifying the pickup location and client device information for authenticating the assigned passenger is received. Sensor data is received from a perception system (172) of the vehicle identifying objects in an environment of the vehicle. When the vehicle is within a predetermined distance (represented by distance bar 772) from the pickup location (represented by marker 770), authenticating a client device (420, 430) using the client device information is attempted. When the client device has been authenticated, the sensor data is used to determine whether a pedestrian (750, 752) is within a first threshold distance (D1) of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Philip Nemec, Renaud-Roland Hubert, Joshua Seth Herbach, Min Li Chan, Michael Epstein, Salil Pandit, John Wesley Dyer, Juliet Rothenberg
  • Patent number: 10845252
    Abstract: At least some aspects of the present disclosure feature a mobile sensing system comprising a sensing device for measuring a thermal property of an object, comprising an RF circuit and an antenna electronically coupled to the RF circuit, a sensor electronically coupled to the RF circuit, and a thermal source thermally coupled to the sensor and electronically coupled to the RF circuit, a mobile device having a processor, an RF reader connected to or integrated with the mobile device, wherein the RF reader is configured to interrogate the sensing device; wherein the sensing device receives power when the RF reader interrogates the sensing device and provides at least a portion of the power to the thermal source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Andrew P. Bonifas, Nicholas T. Gabriel, Ronald D. Jesme
  • Patent number: 10829959
    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: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Sargent Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Scott B. Lowder
  • Patent number: 10828985
    Abstract: Systems and methods for improving vehicular safety are provided. According to certain aspects, an electronic device may receive and analyze image data depicting an individual located within a vehicle. The electronic device may also access certain data related to a condition of the individual, and may accordingly determine whether the individual is fit to operate the vehicle. If the individual is unfit to operate the vehicle, the electronic device may generate and display a notification that warns of the dangers of operating the vehicle and encourages the individual to not operate the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Sanchez, Aaron Scott Chan
  • Patent number: 10832557
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for operating a fire alarm system are described herein. One device includes circuitry to determine a resistance associated with an addressable fire alarm loop during a quiescent condition, determine an expected voltage drop in the loop during an alarm condition based on a plurality of devices of the loop, and set an alarm drive voltage of a power supply associated with the loop based on the resistance and the expected voltage drop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Barson