Patents Examined by Sisay Yacob
  • Patent number: 10953887
    Abstract: In accordance with one or more embodiments herein, a system for monitoring the condition of a road surface traveled by a plurality of vehicles, each comprising at least one sensor, is provided. The system comprises a central processing arrangement arranged to: map at least a part of the road surface with a number of cells; receive road surface data for the cells, which road surface data is based on measurements made by the sensors as the plurality of vehicles travel on the road surface; and calculate a probability for at least one road surface parameter for each cell traveled by the plurality of vehicles based at least on road surface data received from the plurality of vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Nira Dynamics AB
    Inventors: Per Magnusson, Thomas Svantesson
  • Patent number: 10952411
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method, system and apparatus for detecting when an animal is in heat. The invention further relates to a method of alerting a responsible individual that the animal is in heat. The method for detecting when an animal is in heat comprises the steps of, using a sensor mounted on a bull, monitoring the activity of the bull in the proximity of the animal. Thereafter, the activity of the bull is analysed before finally it is determined, based on the analysed activity of the bull, whether or not the animal is in heat. The invention shifts the focus from the animal, such as a cow, to the bull and leans on the natural instincts of the bull to determine when the cow is in heat. By implementing such a system, a more reliable and/or less expensive system than many of the existing offerings is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Inventors: Niall Austin, Emmet Savage, John Larkin
  • Patent number: 10952611
    Abstract: Methods and systems for providing data communication in medical systems are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Inc.
    Inventors: Martin J. Fennell, Lei He, Mark Kent Sloan
  • Patent number: 10950128
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments described in this disclosure are generally directed to systems and methods for assigning parking spots to autonomous vehicles based on data transfer throughput and other considerations. In one exemplary method, a server computer receives from a first autonomous vehicle, information regarding a size of a first dataset available for uploading from the first autonomous vehicle into the server computer. The server computer may further receive from a second autonomous vehicle, information regarding a size of a second dataset that the second autonomous vehicle has available for uploading into the server computer. The server computer may then assign parking spots to the two autonomous vehicles based on evaluating various factors such as the size of one or both datasets, characteristics of wireless links for carrying out data transfer in the parking area, characteristics of various access points in the parking area, and priorities associated with the data transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Eric Eaton
  • Patent number: 10930249
    Abstract: There is provided a mechanism to help a user to notice by guiding the user. An information processor including a guidance controller that causes a projection device to project, in a space in which a user is located, guidance information for guiding the user to a guidance location, on the basis of environment information regarding the space and user information indicating a position and a line of sight of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kentaro Ida, Takuya Ikeda, Fumihiko Iida, Ryuichi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10926725
    Abstract: A system comprising a sensor, a protective enclosure configured to enclose the sensor and a mounting pad configured to be attached to a predetermined surface of a predetermined vehicle, the mounting pad having a predetermined contact area as a function of a weight of the sensor and the protective enclosure. The sensor and the protective enclosure are attached to the mounting pad, and the mounting pad is attached to the predetermined surface of the vehicle using an adhesive layer that extends over the predetermined contact area that is selected to provide a maximum weight support that is correlated to a weight of the sensor and the protective enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: STOCKED ROBOTICS, INC.
    Inventors: Saurav Agarwal, Jacob Corder Currence, Zoltan C. Bardos
  • Patent number: 10926775
    Abstract: A driving evaluation system evaluates driving skills of a vehicle by a driver, and includes an in-turn data acquisition unit that acquires in-turn data including time series data of longitudinal acceleration and lateral acceleration in a turning scene; and a turning scene evaluation unit that evaluates driving skills in the turning scene on the basis of a shape of a trajectory of time series data from a starting point at which the longitudinal acceleration becomes a maximum to an ending point at which an absolute value of the lateral acceleration becomes a maximum, among the in-turn data in a case in which the longitudinal acceleration upon deceleration is positive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hideyuki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10912509
    Abstract: A system and method for detecting abnormal motor vehicle operation and providing notification and alerts to third parties, comprising: an impediment proximity detection subsystem including sensors at least mounted at external surfaces of said vehicle, said impediments consisting of at least fixed and moving objects external to said vehicle; a vital sign detection subsystem installed in said vehicle, including driver monitoring sensors and providing a measure of at least driver pulse rate and hand location; a controller installed in said vehicle, for receiving and processing sensor produced signals; an alarm subsystem installed in said vehicle, producing at least one of a visual or vibrational signal; a cloud interface subsystem including at least a WiFi transceiver installed in said vehicle, and a Google Cloud IoT Service or equivalent, and a vehicle to vehicle communication subsystem installed in said vehicle, using the BroadR-Reach® standard for automotive Ethernet or its evolving equivalents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
    Inventor: Nesreen Alsbou
  • Patent number: 10905523
    Abstract: A lubrication information management device includes: a lubrication detector provided to a lubrication unit; an instrument wireless tag provided to an instrument; and a read-write unit which is either an antenna or a reader-writer. Moreover, the read-write unit communicates lubrication information to the instrument wireless tag when the lubrication detector detects any of lubrication of the instrument and an operation for lubrication. This makes it possible to reliably manage the lubrication of a dental instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: THE YOSHIDA DENTAL MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiki Gotani, Takafumi Sato, Keiichi Kudo
  • Patent number: 10904991
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method of remotely monitoring receives, from an operation terminal, identification information and location information of a location of one or more lamps, stores, in a memory, the received identification information and the received location information in association with each other for the one or more lamps, updates log information regarding a log of a lighting condition of the one or more lamps, in response to an indication that an electric circuit of the one or more lamps is energized for the one or more lamps, and sends monitoring information corresponding to the log information of the electric circuit of the one or more lamps for display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoru Yamada
  • Patent number: 10890015
    Abstract: An electronic key may include a partial capacitor comprising a capacitive metal plate in communication with a processor. The capacitive metal plate of the partial capacitor is configured to form a capacitor with a corresponding capacitive metal plate of a lock when brought into proximity with the metal plate of the lock. Data may be transferred from the key to the lock using a capacitor formed by combining the two metal plates, wherein a common ground is established between the metal plate of the key and the metal plate of the lock through a parasitic capacitance present between the key and lock circuitry. Audit trail data may be recorded based on usage of the key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Knox Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Bryan E. Pavlovic, Tamara Hatzinger, Dominik Scheffler, Howard Needham, Jason Pedersen, John Kowalski, Timothy Sherack, William James
  • Patent number: 10872530
    Abstract: A Display device gives a visual warning to a car driver who is turning off a main road into a side road about a person who is approaching the side road parallel to the main road, the display device includes at least one sensor for sensing the person and at least one light which emits a visual warning signal when a person approaches, wherein the emission angle of the light which emits the visual warning signal is oriented so as to open into the intersection region between a first axis running transversely with respect to the course of the main road and a second axis running transversely with respect to the course of the side road.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Inventor: Martin Budde
  • Patent number: 10854061
    Abstract: An adaptive method and system for monitoring a shipping container for an environmental anomaly uses sensor-based ID nodes within the container and a command node. Sensors on each ID node generate sensor data about an environmental condition proximate the ID node as disposed within the container. Each ID node periodically broadcasts the sensor data. The command node monitors a first group of sensor data from the ID nodes over a first time period to detect an initial environmental threshold condition related to the container, then monitors a subsequent group of sensor data over a second time period under a modified monitoring parameter to detect a secondary environmental threshold condition related to the container as the anomaly. In response to detecting the secondary condition, the command node generates an alert notification and transmits the alert notification to an external transceiver to initiate a mediation response related to the anomaly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: FEDEX CORPORATE SERVICES, INC.
    Inventor: Ole-Petter Skaaksrud
  • Patent number: 10839694
    Abstract: A method for estimating a potential blind spot event related to a potential blind spot of a first vehicle, the method may include detecting, using at least one sensor of a second vehicle, the first vehicle and a spatial relationship between the first vehicle and the second vehicle; estimating, based on at least one blind spot parameter of the first vehicle, an occurrence of the potential blind spot event; wherein the potential blind spot event occurs when the second vehicle is within a potential blind spot of the first vehicle or is about to enter the potential blind spot of the first vehicle; and responding to the estimated occurrence of the potential blind spot event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: CARTICA AI LTD
    Inventors: Igal Raichelgauz, Karina Odinaev
  • Patent number: 10839702
    Abstract: There is provided systems and methods for pilot alertness and awareness of target aircraft and target obstacle that are flying within a proceeding flight path collision. Transmitted guiding sound signals consisting of three dimensional effects and tonal sounds are generated by a flight unit, and sent to the pilot's headset for the desired purpose of directing the pilot's head position to locate the target aircraft and target obstacle. The flight unit processes time of collision from received target aircraft broadcast, and contain at least GPS data and target obstacle information from stored navigational maps. The flight unit further receives the pilot's head position through means of a head tracker. Furthermore, the flight unit is able to perform the functions of, storing piloted flight information, voice language instruction, flight assisted notification, and communicating with one or multiple mobile devices such for the information to be displayed visually, and is upgradable remotely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Beeper Avionics Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Schupp, Jay David Marks
  • Patent number: 10830487
    Abstract: A secured method of controlling a smoke control system is described herein. One device includes a user interface configured to display a smoke control element that represents a component of a smoke control system of a facility, receive a password, and receive a selection of an action to be performed by the component of the smoke control system, a memory, and a processor configured to execute executable instructions stored in the memory to cause the action to be performed by the component of the smoke control system in response to verifying the password is valid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Kanaka Nagendra Prasad Naraharisetti, Rajesh Babu Nalukurthy, P Ranjith Kumar, Rich Lau
  • Patent number: 10832064
    Abstract: A vacant parking space detection apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a memory and a hardware processor coupled to the memory. The hardware processor is configured to: generate, for each of divided regions in a region around a vehicle, map information representing a presence probability of an object based on a detection result of a sensor for detecting an object present around the vehicle; define on the map information a plurality of first straight lines, whose intercepts differ from each other, with one or more angles to a straight advancing direction of the vehicle; and detect whether a vacant parking space is present at the angle based on a presence probability of an object assigned to the divided region belonging to each of the plurality of first straight lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshito Hirai
  • Patent number: 10829956
    Abstract: A sliding panel deadbolt lock assembly that is associated with a sliding panel that transitions between an open position and a closed position relative to a stationary panel that is coupled to the sliding panel. A sliding panel lock assembly includes a pin that transitions between an engaged position and a retracted position. A first magnetic field sensing device is positioned at the retracted position of the pin when the pin is in the retracted position to enable the sliding panel to transition from the closed position. The first magnetic field sensing device detects a magnetic field generated by a first magnetic field generating device positioned on the pin. The first magnetic field sensing device positioned at the retracted position of the pin is aligned with the first magnetic field generating device positioned on the pin when the pin is in the retracted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Schlage Lock Company LLC
    Inventor: Richard E. Harris
  • Patent number: 10824831
    Abstract: A method includes sending, by a reader, a radio frequency (RF) signal to a wireless sensor that includes an antenna having a tail section and a head section. The tail section is for placement in an RF limited area for sensing moisture in a first location of a vehicle under test and wherein the head section is for placement in a non-RF limited area. The method further includes receiving, by the reader, an RF response to the RF signal from the wireless sensor. The first RF response includes an indication of adjustment of one or more RF characteristics of the wireless sensor, which corresponds to a variance of the one or more RF characteristics from a desired value, which, in turn, corresponds to a level of moisture at the first location. The method further includes outputting, by the reader, a message regarding the level of moisture at the first location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: RFMicron, Inc.
    Inventors: Shahriar Rokhsaz, Brian David Young
  • Patent number: 10814781
    Abstract: A rear occupant alert method for a vehicle may include: before a door opening or closing event of the vehicle, sensing a master fob and a slave fob through low frequency (LF) antennas in the vehicle to obtain first position information of the master fob and the slave fob; after the door opening or closing event of the vehicle, sensing the master fob and the slave fob through the LF antennas to obtain second position information of the master fob and the slave fob; determining positions of the master fob and the slave fob, respectively, by comparing the first position information of the master fob and the slave fob with the second position information of the master fob and the slave fob; and performing a rear occupant alert function in accordance with the determined positions of the master fob and the slave fob.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Yong-Joo Lee