Patents Examined by Son M. Tang
  • Patent number: 10027127
    Abstract: A load control system may include load control devices for controlling power provided to an electrical load. The load control devices may include a control-source device and a control-target device. The control-target device may control the power provided to the electrical load based on digital messages received from the control-source device. A user device may discover load control devices when the load control devices are within an established range associated with the user device. The user device and the load control devices may communicate via a wireless communications module. The established range may be adjusted based on the configurable transmit power of the user device or the wireless communications module associated with the user device. A discovered control-target device may be associated with a control-source device to enable the control-target device to control the power provided to the electrical load based on digital messages received from the control-source device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.
    Inventors: Jordan H. Crafts, William Bryce Fricke, Stephen M. Ludwig, Jr., Jonathan T. Lenz, Bryan Robert Barnes, Kyle Thomas Barco
  • Patent number: 10013882
    Abstract: A surrounding information acquisition section and a recognition unit (a surrounding detection unit) detect a first position (a change position) at which the type of a lane mark is switched. A lane change determination unit outputs a determination result whether lane change is available or unavailable on the basis of the type of the lane mark ahead of the first position to a notification mechanism (a notification unit) at a time point at which a vehicle has reached a predetermined range including the first position. The notification mechanism makes notification of the determination result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Fujii, Haruhiko Nishiguchi, Daisuke Kubota, Ryohsaku Arakawa, Idhsada Sanguanwongthong, Kei Oshida
  • Patent number: 10002504
    Abstract: Systems and methods of providing intelligent system trouble notifications using localization are provided. Some methods can include a dealer device receiving a first signal from a first control panel device indicative of a system trouble event at the first control panel device, the dealer device transmitting a second signal to each of a plurality of other control panel devices soliciting a status update therefrom, the dealer device receiving a respective third signal from each of the plurality of other control panel devices indicative of a respective system status, and the dealer device determining whether the system trouble event is local to the first control panel device or is area wide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Shaiju Janardhanan, Hemanth P V
  • Patent number: 9997058
    Abstract: A particular smart hazard detector may itself function as a guide during a process of installation of the same at an installation location. Additionally, the installation location of the particular smart hazard detector may play a central role in how various settings of the smart hazard detector are defined and adjusted over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: David Sloo, Nick Webb, Yoky Matsuoka, Anthony Michael Fadell, Matthew Lee Rogers
  • Patent number: 9984548
    Abstract: There is provided a method and device (2) for providing an alarm (7) on request of a person (1). The person is wearing the device that is attached with attachment means (3, 4, 5) to the wrist or other part of the body. A pulling force (6) of the person acting on the device causes a change in an electrical characteristic of a component (301) included in the device. The change of the electrical characteristic is measured and when detected will result in an activation of the alarm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventor: Patrick Kechichian
  • Patent number: 9978235
    Abstract: Systems (100) and methods (800) for operating a security tag. The methods involve: coupling the security tag to an article by at least partially inserting an attachment assembly into a tag body; performing core security tag functions by a first electronic circuit disposed within the tag body of the security tag to protect the article from an unauthorized removal of the article from an area; and performing at least one first peripheral security tag function by a second electronic circuit disposed within the attachment assembly of the security tag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Tyco Fire & Security GmbH
    Inventors: Jorge F. Alicot, Alan Day, Charles T. Turgeon
  • Patent number: 9978272
    Abstract: A vehicle communication system includes a plurality of user accounts, each user account corresponding to a user. A server is programmed to receive communication invitations from inviting vehicles, and is programmed to transmit the communication invitations to invitee vehicles to facilitate inter-vehicle communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: RIDETONES, INC
    Inventor: Otman A. Basir
  • Patent number: 9972205
    Abstract: A remote controlled mobile traffic control system which can be used in the place of a human flag person. A mobile platform with an adjustable traffic control indicator thereon is controlled by a remote control. The operator can move the platform and change the indication of the traffic control apparatus from a safe distance. The apparatus permits “flagging” of traffic in a moving traffic control zone arrangement, and operational safety is maximized. A traffic barrier arm is movable between deployed and retracted positions obstructing the path of oncoming traffic, for example by a remote controlled actuator or by remote controlled turning of the platform. A remote alarm unit accompanies to the work crew to alarm them of traffic entering the work zone without authorization or at unsafe speed. The apparatus can travel with a moving or changing work zone, either by human remote control or autonomous “follow me” functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Inventor: Leo Beaulieu
  • Patent number: 9962080
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for qualifying an alarm among the alarms stemming from a first supervision system supervising the activity of an individual, the system being adapted to compute an activity index that is representative of the activity of the individual, alarms being triggered by the supervision system in the event of a drift in the activity index, a drift corresponding to a difference in the value of the index in relation to a reference value, the method being such that it is implemented in a management server connected to at least one second supervision system, and that it has, on reception of an alarm triggered by the first supervision system, steps of obtainment of a drift in the activity index of the at least one second supervision system, comparison of the drift in the activity index of the first supervision system and a value that is representative of the drift in the activity index of the at least one second system, and qualification of the alarm according to the result of the comparison
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Orange
    Inventors: Marc Berenguer, Marie-Jeanne Bouzid
  • Patent number: 9958945
    Abstract: A linear vibration actuator is provided, comprising a movable structure, a coil and an elastic suspension system. The elastic suspension system comprises a first and a second elastic sheets, and the first and second elastic sheet respectively comprising a first and a second fixed portions, a first and a second suspension portions, and a first and a second engaging portions. Both first and second suspension portions comprise a bend with an angle greater than 90°. The elastic suspension system enables the simple harmonic motion of the movable structure approximating a parallel motion to improve vibration effect without increasing current outputted to the coil, so as to reduce temperature and power consumption of the present invention. As a result, the present invention is able to provide superior vibration effect to portable electronic product and solve the overheating and power consumption problems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: TOPRAY MEMS INC.
    Inventors: Chin-Sung Liu, Hsiao-Ming Chien
  • Patent number: 9911318
    Abstract: A method performed at a computer system includes: receiving current location data for a user; receiving door lock activation data for a door of a dwelling of the user; receiving current occupancy data for the dwelling; determining a configuration of a controller for the dwelling, based at least in part on the received current location data for the user, the received door lock activation data for the door, and the received current occupancy data for the dwelling; if the door was locked from inside the dwelling and the user is present in the dwelling, setting or sending instructions to set a configuration of the controller to a first configuration; and, if the door was locked from outside the dwelling and the user is not present in the dwelling, setting or sending instructions to set the configuration of the controller to a second configuration, distinct from the first configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Jesse William Boettcher, Sophie Solveig Le Guen, Jason Rundle Rukes, Ted Stephen Boda, David Sloo
  • Patent number: 9875638
    Abstract: A computer-based system can generate geofences that are useful for managing offenders who are wearing devices that track their locations, such as offender monitors. In one mode, the computer-based system can track an offender's movement patterns and associated times and utilize the resulting data to generate proposed geofences. In another mode, the computer-based system can propose geofences based on offender category. Establishment categories can be determined based on offender category, and establishments can be identified based on establishment category. Proposed geofences can be created for the identified establishments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: NUMEREX CORP.
    Inventor: Yoganand Rajala
  • Patent number: 9847021
    Abstract: System and method for identifying speeding violations, comprising determining a current speed and a current location of a vehicle, determining a posted speed limit for the current location from a speed-by-street database, comparing the current speed of the vehicle to the posted speed limit, and evaluating whether the current speed exceeds the posted speed limit. Errors are identified in the speed-by-street database by storing a plurality of speeding violation records, wherein the speeding violation records each include a speeding event location; analyzing the speeding violation records to identify one or more speeding event locations having multiple speeding violations; comparing a posted speed limit at the one or more speeding event locations having multiple speeding violations to corresponding speed limit data in the speed-by-street database; and identifying one or more speed limit entries in the speed-by-street database that do not match the posted speed limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Inthinc LLC
    Inventors: Scott McClellan, Todd Follmer, Jonathan C. Catten, Eric Capps, Dave Ord, Richard Eyre, Verlin Russon, Ed Maynard
  • Patent number: 9839855
    Abstract: A system includes one or more retro-reflective markers positioned within a ride system and a tracking system that may detect the one or more retro-reflective markers to track a position of a rider. The tracking system includes an emitter that may emit light toward the one or more retro-reflective markers, a detector that may detect reflected light from the one or more retro-reflective markers, and a controller that may determine the position of the rider relative to the one or more retro-reflective markers based on detection of the reflected light and that may provide an indication of the position of the rider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: UNIVERSAL CITY STUDIOS LLC
    Inventor: Paula Stenzler
  • Patent number: 9811987
    Abstract: A smart textile garment includes a smart textile pocket, a near field communication (NFC) transmitter, an NFC receiver, an electromyography (EMG) sensor, an event processor, and an alert device. The smart textile pocket has a first pocket side and a second pocket side. The NFC transmitter is embedded in the first pocket side, and the NFC receiver is embedded in the second pocket side. The EMG sensor is embedded in a sleeve of the smart textile garment, and indicates a physical movement of a hand of a wearer of the smart textile garment in real time. Based on readings from the NFC receiver and the EMG sensor, the event processor determines that the object has been removed from the smart textile pocket by someone other than the wearer of the smart textile garment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Vijay Ekambaram, Ashok Pon Kumar Sree Prakash, Sarbajit K. Rakshit
  • Patent number: 9805518
    Abstract: Meters and meter covers comprising: a removable cover housing configured to accommodate the upper portion of the internal components of an existing meter, the cover housing engageable with the housing base of the existing meter to cover and enclose the internal components of the existing meter; a sensor affixed to the cover housing, the sensor configured to collect environmental information pertaining to the local external environment of the existing meter; a wireless radio affixed to the cover housing, the wireless radio configured to transmit the environmental information to the existing meter or to a remote server in communication with the existing meter; and a power unit affixed to the cover housing, the power unit supplying power to the sensor and the wireless radio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: IPS GROUP INC.
    Inventors: David William King, Alexander Schwarz, Stephen John Hunter, Chad P. Randall
  • Patent number: 9754202
    Abstract: A method, system and tag for low power radio frequency communication is described. In one embodiment, the RF tag comprises: an access point coupled to provide access to a network; an RF tag comprising an energy harvesting unit operable to convert incident RF energy to direct current (DC); a storage unit operable to store recovered DC power; a passive wakeup pattern detector operable to generate an interrupt in response to detecting a set of one or more subcarriers; one or more sensors for sensing; a communication mechanism; and a microcontroller coupled to the energy harvesting and storage units, the one or more sensors, and the backscatter communicator, the microcontroller operable to wake up from a sleep state in response to the interrupt and cause the communication mechanism to exchange data wirelessly with another while powered by energy previously harvested and stored by the energy harvesting and storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignees: RICOH CO., LTD., DUKE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Ken Gudan, Sergey Chemishkian, Jonathan J. Hull, Matthew S. Reynolds
  • Patent number: 9747538
    Abstract: A method, system and tag for low power radio frequency communication is described. In one embodiment, the RF tag comprises: an energy harvesting unit operable to convert incident RF energy to direct current (DC); a storage unit operable to store recovered DC power; a passive wakeup pattern detector operable to generate an interrupt in response to detecting a set of one or more subcarriers; one or more sensors for sensing; a communication mechanism; and a microcontroller coupled to the energy harvesting and storage units, the one or more sensors, and the backscatter communicator, the microcontroller operable to wake up from a sleep state in response to the interrupt and cause the communication mechanism to exchange data wirelessly with another while powered by energy previously harvested and stored by the energy harvesting and storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignees: RICOH CO., LTD., DUKE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Ken Gudan, Sergey Chemishkian, Jonathan J. Hull, Matthew S. Reynolds
  • Patent number: 9734706
    Abstract: A cable comprises a circuit, a switching element and an input connection for engaging an output connection of a sensor, the switching element configured to selectively enable the circuit of the cable assembly to process an accepted output of at least one of at least two sensors providing differing acceptable outputs and to provide a signal output corresponding to the accepted sensor output for processing by a monitor. A sensor includes an initiation element structured to cause a switching element associated with an input connection of the cable to change a mode of operation of the switching element to selectively enable the circuit to process an output of the sensor accepted by the cable and to provide a signal output corresponding to the accepted sensor output. A system comprises a monitor and the cable including the circuit and the switching element. Methods of operation are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Clinical Innovations, LLC
    Inventors: Brandon D. Moon, Kristian J. Olsen, Jeremy C. Horton
  • Patent number: 9734645
    Abstract: A movable barrier operator transmits a message to a remote peripheral platform and, upon determining that the remote peripheral platform is presently able to carry out a given functionality, responsively permits a particular function to be carried out by the movable barrier operator. Conversely, upon determining that it cannot be ascertained whether the remote peripheral platform is presently able to carry out the given functionality, the movable barrier operator responsively prevents the movable barrier operator from carrying out the particular function. Also, upon detecting that a targeted remote platform does not acknowledge a previously re-transmitted message and further upon detecting that this same remote platform has also not acknowledged a subsequent wirelessly-transmitted second message, the system can switch to automatically retransmitting that second message a lesser number of times than would otherwise be required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Jordan Ari Farber, Jeremy Eugene Jenkins, Robert R. Keller, Jr., Dilip Jagjivan Patel, John Steven Scaletta, Madhurima Neillikuppam Thevanathan