Patents Examined by Stephen Burgdorf
  • Patent number: 9734646
    Abstract: A system for premise access includes a device for accessing the system by a prospective buyer that has a location determining subsystem. An application running on the device for accessing the system downloads a set of currently available premise listings. Upon arrival near one of the premises as determined by comparing a location of the device to each of the currently available premise listings, if the prospective buyer is authorized to enter the one of the premises and if the prospective buyer indicates a desire to enter the one of the premises, the application running on the device for accessing provides an access code for entry into the one of the premises (e.g. opens a lock or lockbox by radio frequency transmission, opens a lock or lockbox by infra-red transmission, displays a combination, etc.).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Inventor: John P. Noell
  • Patent number: 9734708
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for enabling a user to safely interact with a smart utility meter (1), comprising the following steps:—Transmission by said user of a command signal from a remote handheld electronic device (2) through a short range wireless optical communication link (3) between optical transmitting means (20) provided on said handheld electronic device (2) and optical receiving means (11) provided on said smart utility meter (1); —Reception of said command signal on said optical receiving means (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: ITRON METERING SOLUTIONS UK LTD.
    Inventor: Anthony Field
  • Patent number: 9721457
    Abstract: The present invention relates to detectors of hazardous environmental conditions (e.g., smoke, gas, motion). Specifically, the invention relates to a hazard detector configured to transmit and/or receive information related to hazardous environmental conditions based at least in part on the location of the hazard detector as identified through one or more location based service means (e.g., global positioning systems (GPS), cellular triangulation, Internet IP geolocation).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Inventors: Jonathan Thompson, Latonya Slack
  • Patent number: 9714860
    Abstract: A gas supply warning and communication system to generate and communicate alarm signals indicating gas pressure and gas flow malfunctions in a pressurized gas system, and to open a reserve gas reservoir in the event of certain types of malfunction. The system stores, transmits, and makes available for download, gas pressure, gas flow, and oxygen concentration data, and information regarding the status of the system. The system also accepts commands for modification of system function from users of remote devices. A software product encoding methods for operating the gas supply warning and communication system. A motorized reservoir changing device including a universal valve coupler, and methods for operating a reservoir valve with the reservoir changing device. A gripper tube for secure connection of gas lines linking components of a pressurized gas system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Advanced Interactive Response Systems
    Inventor: Valerie A. Obenchain
  • Patent number: 9711028
    Abstract: A warning circuit for use on ladders includes a first sensor responsive to the placement of a first of a user's feet thereon and a second sensor responsive to the placement of a second of the user's feet thereon. The second sensor is electrically connected in series to the first sensor, and a relay is electrically connected in series to one of the first and second sensors. A power source has a power output terminal electrically connected in series to the other of the sensors connected in series. A sound device is electrically connected to a load output of the relay and to the power source. The load output of the relay is energized only when the first sensor is activated prior to activation of the second sensor whereupon the load output then energizes the sound device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Inventor: Benjamin Friedman
  • Patent number: 9704369
    Abstract: A system, a method and an apparatus for autonomous monitoring, detecting and tracking of at least one of movement and orientation of a body or portion of a body. The apparatus comprises a device configured to monitor the translational movement and/or rotational movement of the body; and an altimeter including at least one pair of opposed high sensitivity sensors configured to measure changes in height of the body. An alert condition is determined based on the translational and/or rotational movement of the body and changes in height of the body or portion of the body. The alert condition may comprise a hard fall event, a soft fall event, a susceptibility to a fall, or a near fall event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Barron Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Neal T. Richardson, B. Eugene Parker, Jr., William T. Gressick
  • Patent number: 9697662
    Abstract: An activate signal is sent out from a remote controller via a first channel. An authorization process is activated after the activate signal is received by an access control terminal. A control signal is sent out from the remote controller via a second channel to the access control terminal. The access control terminal is unlocked if the control signal received by the access control terminal is verified by the authorization process to be consistent with a predetermined rule. The first channel is different from the second channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: LEADOT INNOVATION, INC.
    Inventor: Justin Wang
  • Patent number: 9691274
    Abstract: A transmission apparatus is a transmission apparatus that generates a pressure wave for transmitting data in drilling mud, and includes a tubular member, a plurality of valves that are provided side by side in an axial direction of the tubular member inside the tubular member, each of which includes a stator including holes for passing the drilling mud, and a rotatable rotor which is provided to overlap the stator and includes blocking portions blocking the holes in the stator according to a rotation position, a motor that rotates the respective rotors, and a control unit that controls the motor 130 so as to rotate and stop the respective rotors at frequencies different from each other, according to data to be transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology
    Inventors: Yuichi Shinmoto, Junya Ishiwata, Tsuyoshi Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 9674050
    Abstract: In various exemplary embodiments, a system and associated method to provide management of a plurality of electronic elements in a datacenter is disclosed. The system includes a datacenter management system coupled to a wireless network to receive information regarding a spatial location of a handheld device within the datacenter. The datacenter management system provides information to the handheld device related to each of the plurality of electronic elements. The datacenter management system includes a management processor to process information related to each of the plurality of electronic elements and a database to store information related to each of the plurality of electronic elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: PAYPAL, INC.
    Inventors: Jean-Christophe Martin, Kevin Thayer
  • Patent number: 9666001
    Abstract: Method and system for detecting passages by vehicle at a virtual gantry controlled by a GNSS system comprising an OBU in every vehicle to be surveyed by the system, said OBU receiving signals from satellites to consistently and frequently estimate positions for the vehicle, the method comprising the steps of: defining a virtual gantry in terms of a number of ordered passage lines across a road; determining intersection points from the intersection between the GNSS trace and the passage line; calculating a value representing probability of a true passage at that passage line; for each vehicle for which intersection points have been determined for at least two different passage lines, calculating a total probability value based on the individually calculated probability values; concluding of a true passage by the vehicle in question only if the total probability value is exceeding a predefined minimum value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Q-Free ASA
    Inventors: Ola Martin Lykkja, Hans Christian Bolstad, Anders Løland, Ragnar Bang Huseby
  • Patent number: 9666047
    Abstract: Techniques are described for moving asset location tracking and monitoring system technology. A system monitors for events related to a monitoring system that monitors a fixed property and the system detects an event related to the monitoring system based on the monitoring. The system performs an operation that leverages geographic location tracking of at least one mobile asset associated with the fixed property based on the detected event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Alarm.com Incorporated
    Inventors: Alison Jane Slavin, Jean-Paul Martin, Daniel J. Ramos
  • Patent number: 9633556
    Abstract: A remote receives an instruction to transmit and determines whether or not to include an acknowledgement request in the instruction based on statistics regarding receipt of acknowledgements associated with previously transmitted instructions. If so, the remote control device includes the request before transmitting. The remote control may determine whether or not to include the request in a variety of different ways in a variety of different implementations. In some implementations, the remote control may classify instructions into two or more different classifications and may treat instructions of different classifications differently. In other implementations, the remote control may treat the same instruction differently depending on the number of requested acknowledgements successfully received during a time period. In various other implementations, the remote control may perform various combinations of these approaches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: EchoStar Technologies L.L.C.
    Inventor: William R. Reams
  • Patent number: 9628876
    Abstract: A mobile monitoring device and related systems and methods for monitoring a condition to which an object is exposed are disclosed. The monitoring device includes a sensor module for monitoring the condition and periodically producing sensor module data relating to the condition and a microcontroller. The microcontroller includes a sensor data component for receiving the sensor module data from the sensor module and a first transceiver component for receiving network manager data from a local network manager local to the monitoring device. The microcontroller further includes an associator component for comparing the network manager data with the sensor module data and, if the network manager data approximates the sensor module data, establishing an association with the local network manager.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Inventors: Barry John McCleland, Eugene Christiaan van Beljon
  • Patent number: 9617849
    Abstract: A fluid pressure pulse generator comprising a stator and rotor that can be used in measurement while drilling using mud pulse or pressure pulse telemetry is disclosed. The stator comprises a stator body with a circular opening therethrough and the rotor comprises a circular rotor body rotatably received in the circular opening of the stator body. One of the stator body or the rotor body comprises one or more than one fluid opening for flow of fluid therethrough and the other of the stator body or the rotor body comprises one or more than one full flow chamber. The rotor is rotatable between a full flow configuration whereby the full flow chamber and the fluid opening align so that fluid flows from the full flow chamber through the fluid opening, and a reduced flow configuration whereby the full flow chamber and the fluid opening are not aligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Evolution Engineering Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron W. Logan, David A. Switzer, Justin C. Logan, Jili Liu
  • Patent number: 9621215
    Abstract: Example methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable storage media are provided to monitor a mobile device. An example method includes determining whether acceleration data collected by an acceleration sensor of a mobile electronic device satisfies a threshold associated with the acceleration data, and when the acceleration data satisfies the threshold, swelling a component of the mobile electronic device to absorb shock from the mobile electronic device impacting a surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Barrett M. Kreiner, Ryan Schaub, Randall S. Spell
  • Patent number: 9615147
    Abstract: A multisensory meter system is disclosed. The system comprises one main unit and a plurality of remote units. Each remote unit has at least a sensor to measure a physical parameter and wirelessly transmit the measured parameter as a signal to the main unit. The main unit and the remote units have an interface that allows at least one the remote units to be attached to the main unit. When attached, the main unit and the remote unit function as a single meter, and the main unit is capable of receiving signals from the other remote units. In one embodiment, the main unit and the remote units form a mesh network to transmit and receive signals, wherein each remote unit receives signals and transmits said signals. The mesh network may also contain relays. The remote units may measure a number of physical parameters such as relative humidity, temperature, vibration, moisture, electrical current, air speed, voltage and rotational speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: FLIR Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Dejan Radosavljevic
  • Patent number: 9586599
    Abstract: A method for advising a driver of a vehicle may include measuring a plurality of parameters representing the vehicle's current handling condition and the vehicle's limit handling condition, determining a margin between the vehicle's current handling condition and limit handling condition, and initiating an alert for the driver before the vehicle achieves the limit handling condition if the margin exceeds a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Dimitar Petrov Filev, Jianbo Lu, Kwaku O. Prakah-Asante, Fling Tseng
  • Patent number: 9564948
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a circuit, having a single supply, is provided to transmit a wireless signal with low common mode electromagnetic interference (EMI) emission. The circuit can achieve common mode attenuations of 40 dB or greater as a result of the symmetric built circuit. Also included is a system that includes a transmission circuit and a receiver circuit, and a method of using such a system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Siegfried Arnold, Robert Kofler, Davide Maschera, Bardo Mueller
  • Patent number: 9564047
    Abstract: A traffic monitoring system includes a plurality of road monitoring devices and a traffic control center electronically coupled to the road monitoring devices. Each road monitoring device has specific transmittable position information stored therein. The traffic control center has stored transmittable images of a plurality of vehicle types and stored transmittable images of the plurality of roads to be monitored. When one or more vehicles passes one of the road monitoring devices, the road monitoring device receives a vehicle identification code from each vehicle, calculates position information of each vehicle and transmits the road monitoring device position information, each vehicle identification code and the vehicle position information for each vehicle to the traffic control center. The traffic control center configures a three dimensional traffic image from all of the vehicle images of the one or more vehicles passing the one of the road monitoring devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignees: HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY (ShenZhen) CO., LTD., HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Wei-Feng Wu
  • Patent number: 9535188
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining the localized presence of severe weather and signaling an alarm. An outdoor sensor assembly may contain a number of sensors including a barometric pressure sensor, temperature sensor, and humidity sensor. The outdoor sensor assembly is in electrical communication with an indoor controller assembly. A plurality of parameters may be measured and compared with pre-established threshold values. The alarm may be signaled when the measured parameters meet or exceed the selected threshold values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: STORM WARNING, LLC
    Inventor: Joseph Heisler