Patents Examined by Phung T Nguyen
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Patent number: 6545593Abstract: An AC signal filter useful in a truck tractor equipped with power line communication for indicating in the tractor the status of an automatic braking system (ABS) in a trailer to which the tractor can be connected. The filter comprises a first power line carrying DC power connected between the tractor battery and a tractor ABS module. A second power line carrying DC power is connected from the tractor battery to a tractor connecting to a trailer ABS module. A first inductor is coupled in the first power line to block the passage of AC signals from the tractor ABS to the tractor battery, but permit the passage of DC current from the tractor battery to the tractor ABS module. A second inductor is coupled in the first power line to block the passage of AC signals from the trailer ABS module to the tractor battery but permit the passage of DC current from the tractor battery to the trailer ABS module.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2001Date of Patent: April 8, 2003Assignee: R.A. Philips IndustriesInventor: Eric D. DeWilde
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Patent number: 6538574Abstract: A device for signaling the position of an elevator car in the case of passenger evacuation includes a measurement circuit connected to a landing door safety chain of the elevator installation. The measurement circuit has at least one LED that indicates to a rescuer person the presence of the elevator car at a floor.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2001Date of Patent: March 25, 2003Assignee: Inventio AGInventor: Eric Rossignol
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Patent number: 6535131Abstract: An apparatus for automatically identifying when an animal is in distress receives a sound pattern produced near the selected animal and compares it with pre-stored audio patterns corresponding to respective sounds expected to be produced by that type of animal when in various types of distress to determine the best match. When a good enough match is made, a signal is automatically sent to a remote communication unit near an attendant.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2000Date of Patent: March 18, 2003Inventors: Avshalom Bar-Shalom, Gideon Inzler
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Patent number: 6535130Abstract: An EAS tag in which the tag is held to an article by an attaching assembly a part of which is releasably prevented from being withdrawn from the body of the tag. The tag body is provided with an arcuate channel through which an arcuate detacher probe can be guided for releasing the attaching assembly part. A spring clamp provides the releasable preventing function and includes jaws specifically adapted to respond to in-plane torsional forces provided by the arcuate probe which is moved through the arcuate channel by rotation to reach the spring clamp. The tag has improved anti-defeat devices and methods including one or more of the following; a shield to protect the EAS sensor, a shield to protect the releasable spring clamp, a tag self-alarm that alarms upon various unauthorized defeat attempts, an LED to signal an armed condition of the tag alarm, a magnet switch to alarm the tag upon exposure to a relatively strong magnetic field, and a plurality of apertures to decoy the position of the alarm piezo.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2001Date of Patent: March 18, 2003Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics CorporationInventors: Thang Nguyen, David B. Ferguson, Roy Hannes, Dennis L. Hogan, Michael A. Peluso, Sergio Perez, Manuel A. Soto, Craig Szklany
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Patent number: 6535124Abstract: A method and apparatus for analyzing and signal conditioning the pulsation signal derived from combustion of fuel in a turbine. There are one or more user defined frequency bands and the method and apparatus provides a digital signal for the true RMS value of each of the user defined bands. Turbine protection logic has as its input the digital true RMS values for each such band and inspects that value to determine if the frequencies in that band exceed a predetermined level for a predetermined period of time.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2001Date of Patent: March 18, 2003Assignee: ABB Automation Inc.Inventors: Anthony M. DiTommaso, Kevin Dowdell, Michael J. Kleya, William J. Kline
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Patent number: 6525654Abstract: The invention concerns an apparatus for monitoring the operation of electrical circuits on a vehicle trailer 10, and has a monitoring unit 18 including a monitor circuit 32 for outputting a signal in response to failure of a component such as a lamp 12a-12d of a trailer electrical circuit. The monitoring unit also has a transmitter 34 for passing a failure indication signal to a receiver 90 of an indicator unit 26 which is mounted in a towing vehicle 14 in a position where it can give an indication of failure of the component to the vehicle driver.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2001Date of Patent: February 25, 2003Assignee: Nighthawk (TLM) LimitedInventor: Henry Robert Siggers
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Patent number: 6522260Abstract: A portable panel position detector for determining the orientation of panels being serially moved on a transfer line into a downstream panel treatment facility comprising a pair of support towers laterally spaced to allow the passage of line supported panels therethrough. The spaced support towers operatively mount elongated and vertically extending sensor strips in opposing spaced relationship that defines clearance-determining gating between the towers. In the event a panel moving through the restricted gate is not properly orientated on the transfer line, at least one sensor strip or a portion thereof will be deflected by physical contact with the panel moving therethrough. The displaced strip effects the triggering of an alarm that advises a transfer line attendant that the panel is improperly loaded. The panel can be appropriately repositioned on the transfer line so that it can successfully pass through the treatment facility without damage.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2001Date of Patent: February 18, 2003Assignee: General Motors CorporationInventors: Sooho Kim, David W. Poma, George L. Kilbertus
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Patent number: 6507284Abstract: The present invention provides an enclosure sign apparatus for unavoidable viewing of a sign before manipulation of an entryway opening device. The enclosure sign apparatus includes at least one side surface extending out as least as far as the entryway opening device, a back surface interconnected to the side surface, wherein the back surface comprises an opening to accommodate the entryway opening device therethrough, and a front surface having a sign. The front surface is capable of preventing access to the entryway opening device and is interconnected to the side surface. When in use, access is obtained to an entryway opening device by physically removing the enclosure sign apparatus so that there is unavoidable viewing of a sign before manipulation of the entryway opening device.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2000Date of Patent: January 14, 2003Assignee: Roche Colorado CorporationInventor: Marc Thomas Rothney
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Patent number: 6507276Abstract: A tire pressure monitoring system includes plurality of sensor modules having respective motion switches and pressure sensors respectively attached to the tires of a vehicle. The sensor modules communicate, by RF broadcast transmission, tire pressure messages at staggered times so that the transmitted messages to a passenger compartment monitor do not interfere with each other for improve reliable reception of the messages.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2000Date of Patent: January 14, 2003Assignee: CM Automotive Systems Inc.Inventors: Jorge A. Young, Chander P. Mittal, Joe Huayue Zhou
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Patent number: 6504478Abstract: An earth stratum flush monitoring method and a system thereof. Multiple transmitter units are embedded in the earth stratum at predetermined depth intervals. When the earth stratum is flushed, the respective transmitter units will be one by one flushed and displaced and shocked or rotated in accordance with the change of flush depth of the earth stratum. A shock sensor in each transmitter unit will sense this shock. The radio signal transmitters of the transmitter units will emit different encoded radio signals. A signal receiving apparatus disposed on the ground receives the signals and a computer reads the signals so as to monitor and know the real-time flush depth of the earth stratum. The detected real-time flush depth is then transmitted to an early warning unit for the early warning unit to read and judge and emit an alarm in time.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2001Date of Patent: January 7, 2003Inventors: J. Y. Richard Yen, Kimble J. Chen
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Patent number: 6496108Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for regulating clearance for a vehicle, in which a relative velocity (vrel) and a relative distance (a) between the vehicle and a second vehicle driving ahead are detected, and a control signal for an adaptive cruise control device is generated from these quantities. The control signal being derived from a danger criterion (G) is determined from the relative velocity (vrel) and the relative distance (a), this danger criterion which is weighted with an adaptive factor (AF) representing the individual driving behavior of a vehicle driver, and a control signal initiating a deceleration of the vehicle is generated when the danger criterion (GF), weighted with the adaptive factor and adapted to the vehicle driver, falls below a defined threshold value (S).Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2000Date of Patent: December 17, 2002Assignee: Volkswagen AGInventors: Wolfgang Bäker, Thomas Ruchatz
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Patent number: 6480110Abstract: A radio frequency identification tag having a step-tunable inductor for tuning a parallel resonant antenna circuit of the radio frequency identification tag to a desired frequency. The step-tunable inductor comprises a plurality of branches in which each branch is adapted for adjusting the step-tunable inductor to a desired inductance value for resonating the parallel antenna circuit to a carrier frequency of a tag interrogator/reader.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2000Date of Patent: November 12, 2002Assignee: Microchip Technology IncorporatedInventors: Youbok Lee, Lee Furey, Roger St. Amand
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Patent number: 6445298Abstract: A system and method for remotely ascertaining movement or non-movement of an individual in order to determine a possible emergency condition. The system includes a plurality of base systems, a central monitoring system, and a plurality of client systems. Each base system is associated with a site to be monitored and includes at least one monitoring device for generating information in response to detected movement of an individual. The central monitoring system is remotely located from the base systems and is coupled thereto for receiving the generated information. The central monitoring system includes a database for storing and retrieving at least a portion of the generated information from each base system. Each client system is remotely located from the base systems and central monitoring system and is couplable to the central monitoring system for retrieving at least a portion of the stored information in the database.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2000Date of Patent: September 3, 2002Inventor: Isaac Shepher
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Patent number: 6424266Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring and controlling the operation of an electrical power transformer includes a processor with input transducers for providing to the processor inputs indicative of electrical current in a winding of the transformer and ambient temperature outside the transformer. The processor is arranged using an algorithm based upon heat transfer to repeatedly calculate a first prediction, based upon the present values of electrical current and ambient temperature, of a time period before the hot spot temperature exceeds a pre-set allowable maximum and a second prediction, based upon the current value of power, of a time period before the accumulated loss of life exceeds a pre-set allowable maximum. If the shorter time period of the two calculations is less than a pre-set value, for example one half hour, the processor generates an alarm signal and a display counting down the time remaining in the period, together with a second alarm signal at a shorter second time of for example one quarter hour.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2000Date of Patent: July 23, 2002Assignee: NxtPhase Technology SRLInventors: Mark Anthony Weekes, Robert George Coish, Zhiying Zhang, Glenn William Swift
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Patent number: 6420964Abstract: An informational outlet has an outlet frame body having a wiring holder for connecting the informational wiring installed in a wall face; and an information exchange section having the first connector provided in the room side for connecting the informational wiring of an informational terminal, and for performing the transit, exchange, or processing of information between the informational wiring in the wall face and said informational wiring of said informational terminal.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2000Date of Patent: July 16, 2002Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yoshikane Nishikawa, Tetsuya Wada, Taku Matsuda, Michinori Masuda
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Patent number: 6417775Abstract: A method and system for monitoring relay status using a lighting control panel is disclosed. The lighting control panel is used, for example, to control lighting throughout a building. The method includes the steps of commanding at least one relay to an on or off position from the lighting control panel, monitoring the status of the at least one relay from the lighting control panel, and setting the state of an indicator on the lighting control panel to show relay OFF, relay ON, or relay failed based on a monitored relay status.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2000Date of Patent: July 9, 2002Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Mark F. Culler, Alexander E. Paris, Barry D. Ferg
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Patent number: 6384726Abstract: A safety system for an automatic swimming pool cover having a cover and a cover drive for extending and retracting the cover, the safety system having at least one sensor for detecting the presence of a heat generating body in the pool and for generating a signal in response thereto; and a controller receiving said signal and activating a safety protocol in response to the at least one sensor detecting the presence of a heat generating body.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2000Date of Patent: May 7, 2002Assignee: Fort Wayne Pools, Inc.Inventors: Thomas A. Epple, Timothy M. Saxer
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Patent number: 6380867Abstract: A traffic light sequence indicating system for indicating time remaining before signal light changes. The traffic light sequence indicating system includes a housing. The housing has a front wall, a back wall, a top wall, and a bottom wall. Control circuitry is mounted in the housing and is operationally coupled to the traffic light controller and adapted to time traffic light sequences. A first display displays information from the control circuitry. A surface of the first display is generally flush with a surface of the front wall. The first display is operationally coupled to the control circuitry. The control circuitry displays indicia indicating minutes and seconds on the first display. A fastening means removably fastens the top wall to the arm of the traffic light system.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2001Date of Patent: April 30, 2002Inventor: Darren O. Maull
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Patent number: 6377174Abstract: An intrusion detector has a housing with an infrared device disposed therein, an infrared sensor, a detector window provided in the housing wall for the passage of infrared radiation from the external space onto the infrared sensor, an element for focusing the infrared radiation incident through the detector window onto the infrared sensor and having a sabotage surveillance device including an infrared transmitter and an infrared receiver. The infrared transmitter and the infrared receiver are disposed inside the housing and the detector window is substantially transparent to radiation emitted by the infrared transmitter. The sabotage surveillance of the detector takes place by measuring the proportion of the radiation reflected onto the infrared receiver from the inside of the detector window and the radiation transmitted onto the infrared receiver from the surrounding space.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2000Date of Patent: April 23, 2002Assignee: Siemens Technologies AG, Cerberus DivisionInventors: David Siegwart, Peter Stierli
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Patent number: 6373384Abstract: A deterrent device comprises a portable container having a cavity disposed therein and an actuator mechanism disposed within the cavity. An inflatable deterrent extends outwardly from the actuator mechanism, the inflatable deterrent is substantially contained within the cavity in a non-operative configuration. The actuator mechanism is activated by an operator to attain an operative configuration in which the actuator mechanism inflates the inflatable deterrent outwardly from the container, an assailant being deterred by the inflated inflatable deterrent.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2000Date of Patent: April 16, 2002Inventors: Gary William Ferguson, Branko Palcic