Patents Examined by Ryan Sherwin
  • Patent number: 9633558
    Abstract: A processing method for implementing control of a target device includes: providing an interface for confirming or inputting a target device identifier; receiving a target device identifier confirmed or selected by a user; providing an interface for confirming or selecting a function parameter of a target device; receiving a function parameter of a target device confirmed or selected by the user; providing a control interface image; and generating and storing, according to the received target device identifier and function parameter that are sent by the user and correspondence between the function parameter of the target device and a value of a control signal, correspondence among the target device identifier, an operation instruction for the control interface image, and the value of the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Junxiu Wang
  • Patent number: 9619987
    Abstract: A floor covering includes: a surface layer having a plurality of conductive segments capable of being supplied with electrical power; an at least partially electrically insulating intermediate layer having a plurality of through-recesses distributed in a substantially regular manner so that the mean distance between a recess and the recess closest thereto is between approximately 5 and 20 cm; a base layer having a plurality of electrical contacts, of which at least some correspond to the recesses of the surface layer and are connected to an electronic controller; the surface, intermediate and base layers being superimposed in this order and positioned so that at least some of the conductive segments are arranged at least partially opposite a recess of the intermediate layer, and so that these conductive segments react to a pressure by approaching the electrical contacts which correspond to the base layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: ABCD INNOVATION
    Inventors: Claude Desgorces, Dominique Henault
  • Patent number: 9617071
    Abstract: A non-contact lid sensor is provided for use with an oil field thief hatch and a latch. The sensor is mounted to the latch and comprises a reed switch. The latch pin is removed and embedded with a magnet with the magnet's north-south poles parallel to the pin's length so that the magnet triggers the reed switch. The reed switch is oriented so that it is perpendicular to the lower latch pin and the face of the sensor. The magnet and reed switch are aligned so that when the lid is closed the reed switch never sees the 0 Gauss line of the magnet. When the latch is in a closed position the reed switch allows the current to pass through the sensor and signal that the hatch is closed. The sensor system also allows for a Hall effect sensor to be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: SENSOR SOLUTIONS CORP.
    Inventor: David Lorenzen
  • Patent number: 9607497
    Abstract: An event venue, such as a sports stadium, can use a security system to wireless communicate about security issues. The event venue may have one or more wireless transmitters with transmission zones within the event venue. When a central security office system receives a security alert from a device belonging to a security guard or an eventgoer, or from a law enforcement or first responder network, or from security cameras or emergency beacons (e.g., a fire alarms), information detailing the security issue can be composed into an electronic message, which may include camera footage. The electronic message can then be sent out to at least a subset of the devices in the event venue using the wireless transmitters, for example to summon security guards to deal with a brawl, or to warn eventgoers of a fire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: ProSports Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: John E. Cronin
  • Patent number: 9589402
    Abstract: An access control system controls access to a restricted area. A mobile device exchanges messages with a backend server to validate a user and to control an actuator for a physical barrier responsive to validation. Beacon-based unique identifiers are calculated at validation time for the current location to facilitate the validation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: ACCENTURE GLOBAL SERVICES LIMITED
    Inventors: Sunil Raina, Avishek Somani, Alden Cuddihey, Scott Thomas Butler, Douglas Arthur Michael Archibald
  • Patent number: 9567849
    Abstract: A sonde based antenna is used for communication within a wellbore. The sonde based antenna may include a toroidal antenna positioned about a conducting element. The sonde may be positionable within a gap sub. The sonde may be electrically connected to the first and second tubulars of the gap sub such that the tubulars are electrically coupled by the conducting element and are otherwise electrically insulated. The sonde may include a first and second structural member, the first and second structural members being electrically insulated except by the conducting element. The first and/or second structural element may extend through and/or around the toroidal antenna to, for example, add structural rigidity to the sonde.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: SCIENTIFIC DRILLING INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Stephan Graf, Matthew A. White, William Denzel, Nathan Paszek
  • Patent number: 9557814
    Abstract: Methods and systems for applying biometric data to an interactive program executed by a portable device are provided. According to embodiments of the invention, raw bio-signal data is captured and filtered so as to determine the bio-signal of the user of the interactive program. The bio-signal is analyzed so as to determine biometrics of the user, which are applied as input to the interactive program. A setting or state of the interactive program is modified based on the biometrics. An updated state of the interactive program is rendered to the user, reflecting the modification of the setting or state of the interactive program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventor: George Weising
  • Patent number: 9560009
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides techniques for commissioning a light switch and a control device. A wireless light system implementing such techniques includes a light switch comprising a first microcontroller, a first wireless transceiver, and a first magnetic reed switch. The wireless light system further includes a control device comprising a second microcontroller, a second wireless transceiver, and a second magnetic reed switch. When the second magnetic reed switch is closed, the control device transmits via the second wireless transceiver a second unique address to the first wireless transceiver. When the first magnetic reed switch is closed and when the first wireless transceiver receives the second unique address, the first wireless transceiver transmits to the second wireless transceiver a first unique address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company
    Inventor: Barry Martin
  • Patent number: 9552568
    Abstract: A mobile dispensing cart having a plurality of locked drawers has medical articles stored therein for particular patients. The storage drawers have sizes wherein the resonant frequency of the sizes does not match the frequency of operation of the RFID system of the cart. Enclosures are used in the storage areas that provide robust RFID fields for exciting and reading RFID tags. A health care practitioner for a particular patient obtains access and opens a drawer. An RFID tracking system takes an inventory of the cart after the drawer is later closed to determine if any medical article was taken, and if so which one. The identified taken article is compared to a data base of medical articles stored in the cart for the patient and if the taken article does not match the patient data base, an alarm is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: MEPS Real-Time, Inc.
    Inventors: Jimmy C. Caputo, Shariq Hussain, Jeffrey Shamblin
  • Patent number: 9541421
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for providing in-premises management of home area networks. An example management includes a network interface device, a processor in communication with the network interface device, and a transceiver device in communication with the processor. The network interface device can establish a paired communication link with a computing device that is in communication with a head-end system. The processor can receive a command originating from the head-end system and communicated to the management device from the computing device via the paired communication link. The processor can identify a terminal device of the home area network that can perform a function in response to the command. The processor can generate a message for the terminal device including the command. The transceiver device can transmit the message from the processor to the terminal device via a wireless communication link of the home area network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: LANDIS+GYR INNOVATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Jeff Shudark, Ruben Emilio Salazar Cardozo
  • Patent number: 9536420
    Abstract: A power grid event detection apparatus includes an event detection unit to detect a location of an event in a power grid, a customer location unit to determine a location of interest to an interested party, and a rule application unit to determine whether to perform an action designated by the interested party at least when the location of the event corresponds to the location of interest to the interested party.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ramon Juan San Andres, Marc Karl Losée, Atul Nigam
  • Patent number: 9514589
    Abstract: A secure short-distance-based communication and access control system controls access to a restricted area. A run-time mobile device identifier and keys that may be location-specific, device-specific and time-specific are generated and utilized for secure communication between mobile devices and zone computers. The zone computers can validate users via their mobile devices to allow or deny access to the restricted area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: ACCENTURE GLOBAL SERVICES LIMITED
    Inventors: Sunil Raina, Avishek Somani, Alden Cuddihey, Scott Thomas Butler, Douglas Arthur Michael Archibald
  • Patent number: 9509020
    Abstract: Techniques, apparatuses, and systems for monitoring battery pack health based on detection of dimensional changes in the battery pack are provided. A sensor may be configured to detect dimensional change in a battery pack in at least one dimension beyond a first threshold amount. Detection of such dimensional change may cause a notification to be provided that indicates that the battery pack is potentially degraded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Libo Wang, Jianbin Shen, Jasmin B. Farshi
  • Patent number: 9495847
    Abstract: A wireless device includes a sensor module that generates sensor data in response to motion of protective headgear, wherein the sensor data includes acceleration data. A device processing module includes an event processing module that analyzes the sensor data to generate power data that represents power of impact imparted to the protective headgear and that generates event data that includes the power data. A short-range wireless transmitter transmits a wireless signal that includes the event data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: THL HOLDING COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: John W. Howard, Richard Cutler
  • Patent number: 9488045
    Abstract: A system and method for communicating with a downhole tool. A downhole tool includes a downlink receiver and a command actuator. The downlink receiver receives control information, encoded in rotation of the tool, that controls operation of the tool. The downlink receiver includes a rotation sensor and a decoder. The rotation sensor senses rotation of the tool about a longitudinal axis. The decoder demarcates fields of the control information based on rotation state transitions sensed by the rotation sensor. The rotation state transitions are transitions between a rotating state and a non-rotating state. The decoder also decodes a control value for controlling the tool based on a duration of a field of the control information. The control value is wholly encoded in the field, and the field is encoded as a non-rotating state of the tool. The command actuator applies the control value to control operation of the tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO, L.P.
    Inventors: Jeffery Clausen, Jonathan Ryan Prill, Rami Zewail
  • Patent number: 9456258
    Abstract: Disclosed are techniques to minimize the electricity consumption of battery powered devices during network communications and performance of other functions. Example techniques include efficiently discovering other mains powered and battery powered devices within communication range of the battery powered device. In another example, techniques enable a battery powered device to serve as a relay for one or more other battery powered devices. In another example, techniques ensure that transmissions to and/or from battery powered devices are delivered efficiently and with low latency. In yet another example, techniques determine whether and under what conditions a battery powered device should migrate from one network to another. In the event of migration, example techniques minimize battery consumption associated with the migration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Itron, Inc.
    Inventors: Mehdi Mani, Hartman Van Wyk, Kenneth Charles Rigdon, Elliott Adam Nelson, Keith Barnes, Iskander Banaouas, Yacine Khaled, Viet-Hung H. Nguyen, Bastien Mainaud
  • Patent number: 9449493
    Abstract: Apparatus is described for use with a burglar alarm that includes a detector configured to detect activity and to generate an activity-detection signal in response thereto. A sensor monitors a resting surface and generates a signal in response thereto. A control unit identifies a correspondence between (a) the activity-detection signal, and (b) the signal that is generated by the sensor. The control unit inhibits the burglar alarm from being triggered, in response to the correspondence. Other applications are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: EARLYSENSE LTD.
    Inventors: Zvika Shinar, Liat Tsoref, Guy Meger, Maayan Davidovich, Avner Halperin
  • Patent number: 9449450
    Abstract: A gate extension and retraction apparatus includes a housing, a digital display device, at least one extension arm coupled to the housing and to the digital display device, and an analytical unit comprising a controller, the analytical unit coupled to the digital display device and the controller coupled to the extension arm. The analytical unit includes logic to operate environmental sensors to identify demographic attributes of a proximate person to the digital display device and to locate digital content associated with the demographic attributes and to cause display of the digital content on the digital display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: 9136665 Canada Inc
    Inventor: Stephen Kucer
  • Patent number: 9449498
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, a system includes a master node device. The master node device includes communication circuitry configured to facilitate communication with a welding power supply unit via a long-range communication link, and to facilitate wireless communication with one or more welding-related devices via a short-range wireless communication network. The master node device also includes control circuitry configured to manage power consumption of on-board batteries of the master node device and the one or more welding-related devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Daniel Dina, Kathy Lee Downie
  • Patent number: 9443410
    Abstract: A personal safety response system comprises a wearable device to be worn by a user, the wearable device includes a speaker configured for generating audio notification, an exterior visual indicator configured for generating visual notification, a vibrator configured for generating haptic notification, a panic button, a radio frequency transceiver, and a controller configured to recognize a first set of predetermined conditions, and transmit a notification to a base telephone. The base telephone includes a radio frequency transceiver configured for two-way communication with the wearable device, and transmit and receive data over the telecommunication network and Internet, a memory, a processor configured to recognize a second set of predetermined conditions, and transmit a notification to the wearable device, a user input device configured to receive user input, and a display screen configured to display information associated with the notification transmitted to the wearable device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: ANELTO, INC.
    Inventor: Scott D. Constien