Patents Examined by Thomas J Mullen
  • Patent number: 7633376
    Abstract: RFID readers, computers, and methods are provided for reporting on the authentication of one or more RFID tags associated with a proffered item, while requiring special permissions be cleared before reporting. In some embodiments, a question is input about whether a Declared Password (DP) is regarded as proper for an Item Identifier (II), both of which have been input from the tags. An answer is generated for the question from the reference database, and transmitted to the user. The answer does not reveal an Actual Code that is indeed regarded as proper, unless the user first demonstrates they already know it. Beyond the authentication of the tag, the answer can further indicate the legitimacy of the proffered item, for a supply chain, at a Customs Office, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Impinj, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Diorio, Gregory T. Kavounas
  • Patent number: 7629896
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a floor display system with variable image orientation. Embodiments may further relate to networked data distribution and management; interactivity; image-enhancing optics; controlled audio; a protective covering; an anti-slip feature; fragrance technology; theft prevention; deployment in a track-and-trench system; specialized positioning mechanisms; and lightweight, flexible implementations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Intellimat, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald D. Blum, Bradley J. Blum, Dwight P. Duston, Kobby Greenberg, Boaz Harari, Youval Katzman, William Kokonaski, Joseph A. Thibodeau, J. Thomas Walker, Barry H. Whalen
  • Patent number: 7629898
    Abstract: A method for providing an emergency vehicle alert to an occupant of a second vehicle includes: receiving an alert signal at a receiver device on the second vehicle from the emergency vehicle; and, responsive to the received alert signal, automatically warning the occupant of the second vehicle that the emergency vehicle may be approaching and/or is in a vicinity of the second vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Mark Kirkpatrick
  • Patent number: 7629899
    Abstract: Method for transmitting data from infrastructure to vehicles includes arranging a transmitter apart from the vehicles, providing information relating to operation of at least one vehicle or of an occupant of a vehicle to the transmitter, transmitting the information from the transmitter to the at least one vehicle, and receiving the transmitted information at the at least one vehicle. Transmitters may be arranged on a roadway on which the vehicles travel, at a gas station or other vehicle-accessible commercial or public location such as a mall, at the vehicle operator's home and on a road sign, basically anywhere in range of a traveling vehicle. The information to be transmitted to the vehicle may be prioritized and transmitted via the transmitter based on the prioritization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Intelligent Technologies International, Inc.
    Inventor: David S. Breed
  • Patent number: 7619522
    Abstract: The invention is directed to an improved RFID system. The system provides a transponder that can communicate over at least two different frequencies so that the real time performance of the transponder can be improved without losing backwards compatibility. The system provides an improved apparatus and method that allows the end user to customize and program identification tags. The system also provides an ear tag, which may be in button form, for use on livestock with superior durability and overall performance in the field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Destron Fearing Corporation
    Inventor: Randolph K. Geissler
  • Patent number: 7616127
    Abstract: A removable mount for mounting an electronic system component on a forklift includes, in one embodiment, a mounting plate having a major surface for mounting the electronic system component and an inverted J-shaped part located at a top portion of the mounting plate. The inverted J-shaped part is adapted for mounting the mounting plate on an unmodified original equipment manufacture (OEM) carriage of the forklift or an unmodified OEM sideshifter of the forklift. The mounting plate also has a slot to accommodate a fastener for anchoring the mounting plate to the unmodified OEM carriage or to the unmodified OEM sideshifter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: EMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard W. Sorenson, Jr., Ernest Lee Son, Paul Edward Wiesner, William H. Roeder, Michael Sayre Clott
  • Patent number: 7612655
    Abstract: An alarm system for certain hearing impaired individuals having implanted hearing assistive devices contains a device for detecting an alarm condition, and a transmitter which is tuned to a resonant frequency of an implanted passive energy portion of a cochlear implant or similar device. Upon detection of an alarm condition, the transmitter transmits an alarm signal at the resonant frequency, causing the implanted device to resonate even in the absence of the externally worn hearing assistive portion. Resonance is perceived by the hearing impaired individual as a buzzing or other abnormal noise, alerting the individual to the alarm condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Paul Kolz, Garry Joseph Sullivan
  • Patent number: 7612661
    Abstract: Systems and methods that dynamically generates alarms in real time are disclosed. An interface component receives instructions for generating alarms. A builder component dynamically creates alarms in real time based on instructions received and information stored on a data repository. The information comprises at least one or more of user roles, language spreadsheet and device characteristics. The system can further comprise a publisher component that packages alarms for delivery to web servers and/or another network. A proxy component for implementing the subject invention with legacy controllers is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David K. Johnson, Eric G. Dorgelo, Kenwood H. Hall, Jan Bezdicek, Dale Robert Sapach, John J. Baier
  • Patent number: 7605705
    Abstract: A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for determining whether a set of items is complete. An interrogate signal is transmitted from a tag reader into an interrogation zone. Each item returning a response signal to the tag reader in response to the interrogate signal is included in a checked item set. The checked item set is compared to a set data. The set data identifies all items in a set of items, the set data is included in at least one tag associated with at least one item in the set of items, and the set data is included in at least one response signal received at the tag reader. A determination is made whether the set of items is complete, wherein the set of items is complete if every item identified in the set data is included in the checked item set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Barry Alan Kritt, Thomas S. Mazzeo, Rodney Edward Shepard, II
  • Patent number: 7602299
    Abstract: Techniques for linear release for a security tag are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Franklin H. Valade, Jr., John R. B. Chamberlain, Dennis L. Hogan, Thang T. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 7602313
    Abstract: License plate for a vehicle includes a plate having an indicia and arranged to be mounted on the vehicle, and a transponder arranged in the plate. The transponder is arranged to receive a signal from an interrogator, modify the received signal and transmitted the modified signal to the interrogator. The transponder may be a SAW transponder, an RFID transponder and/or include a reflective or back scattering antenna, a polarization antenna, a rotating antenna, or a corner cube or dihedral reflector. An energy harvesting component can be arranged on the license plate or in the license plate for providing power to the transponder. The energy harvesting component generates energy during or from movement or vibration of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Intelligent Technologies International, Inc.
    Inventors: David S. Breed, Wendell C. Johnson
  • Patent number: 7598869
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method to personalize and enhance the value of consumer items for use in outdoor activities. It utilizes radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, computers, PDAs, and cell phones to link, record, and retrieve positional, personal, and historical data. The personalization and association of an object to a unique event by the consumer will lead to enhanced value of the product. Information that is stored on cell phones, PDAs, computers, and external databases are transferred as multimedia messages. The information is cataloged and organized using the unique RFID number. The subject line of the multimedia message is the RFID tag number. Commercial items such as skis, coats, hats, shoes, shirts, pants, gloves, sun glasses, surfboards, bicycles, wetsuits, cell phones, computers, golf clubs, golf balls, fishing poles, and lures will be produced that contain RFID tags.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Inventors: Monto H. Kumagai, Philip Miller
  • Patent number: 7595723
    Abstract: In one embodiment the present invention provides a wireless communication system for medical sensor data. This communications system includes a portable unit that connects to a wireless sensor and a monitor unit that connects to a sensor monitor. Once activated, the units will self organize into a wireless communication structure controlled by the portable unit. As other pairs of units activate, they can self-organize their transmissions by joining an existing network or by creating new networks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
    Inventors: Harold A. Heitzmann, John A. Frazier, Morgan T. McKeown, Wayne A. Noda, George Francis Sutton, III, Ann B. Yadlowsky, Michael LeRoy Gelvin, John T. Armstrong, John D. Richert
  • Patent number: 7595721
    Abstract: A radio tag-mounting member for use in a pneumatic tire having a sponge material fixed to the pneumatic tire at a rim-mounted side surface thereof or/and a rim at a tire-mounted side surface thereof; and a radio tag having a portion for detecting an internal state of the pneumatic tire or/and a portion for recording identifying information of the pneumatic tire. The radio tag is inserted into and fixedly accommodated in an accommodating portion formed in the sponge material as a concavity or as a slit-shaped notch; or the radio tag is fixed to a surface of the sponge material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasushi Shinmura
  • Patent number: 7589617
    Abstract: Systems and methods for a radio frequency identification packaging system are described. A packaging system may include a rotating member to rotate during packaging of a load and a reader to read item information associated with the load during rotation of the rotating member. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Michael John McQuade
  • Patent number: 7586413
    Abstract: The present invention is directed toward secure access systems. Specifically, a radio frequency (RF) enabled device is provided that includes an RF powered human feedback element. An interrogator emitting an RF field may control the human feedback element through the RF field such that information may be transmitted from the interrogator to the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Assa Abloy AB
    Inventor: Michael L. Davis
  • Patent number: 7586402
    Abstract: The opening of vehicle doors often leads to collisions with stationary obstacles that are not visible to the occupants or with moving obstacles that approach the vehicle without being noticed. Thus to avoid collisions when vehicle doors are opened, the aim of the invention is to take any modifications to the environmental situation of the vehicle as a result of a movement of the vehicle and the detected objects into consideration. This allows a collision of the vehicle doors with the objects to be reliably avoided. To achieve this, in a first step the probable trajectory of a vehicle is determined. In an additional step, the objects in the vicinity of the vehicle are detected and probable trajectories of said detected objects are determined. Respective probability ranges are then defined both for the vehicle and the pivoting zone of the vehicle doors and for the detected objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Edgar Bihler, Ingo Dudeck, Uwe Franke, Axel Gern, Reinhard Janssen, Carsten Knoeppel, Frank-Werner Mohn, Rainer Moebus, Volker Oltmann, Uwe Regensburger, Helmut Schittenhelm, Reinhold Schoeb, Avshalom Suissa, Bernd Woltermann, Zoltan Zomotor
  • Patent number: 7579959
    Abstract: Provided is an image recording apparatus having a plurality of functions, including a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) for displaying an operational state of each of the plurality of functions; an LED controller for outputting to the plurality of LEDs a duty cycle for adjusting a brightness of the LEDs corresponding to the operational state of each of the plurality of functions; and a CPU for outputting to the LED controller a register value which changes the duty cycle corresponding to the operational state of each of the plurality of functions. Therefore, the image recording apparatus displays an operation state using its own LED so that the visual effect can be obtained to display the state of an operation of a presently performed function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dong-chun Choo
  • Patent number: 7576657
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses for a reader transceiver circuit are described. The reader transceiver circuit incorporates a frequency generator, such as a surface acoustic wave (SAW) oscillator. A reader incorporating the reader transceiver circuit is configured to read a tag at very close range, including while being in contact with the tag. The transceiver can be coupled to various host devices in a variety of ways, including being located in a RFID reader (e.g., mobile or fixed position), a computing device, a barcode reader, etc. The transceiver can be located in an RFID module that is attachable to a host device, can be configured in the host device, or can be configured to communicate with the host device over a distance. The RFID module may include one or more antennas, such as a first antenna configured to receive a magnetic field component of an electromagnetic wave and a second antenna configured to receive an electric field component of an electromagnetic wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Duron, James Giebel, David Goren, Thomas Wulff, Richard T. Knadle, Jr., Christopher Brock
  • Patent number: 7561050
    Abstract: The Automatic RFID Tuner has one or more RFID repeaters that can travel in the x, y and z axes through a densely packed pallet of goods. The RFID repeater identifies dead spots where RF signals from an RFID transceiver do not penetrate the dense packaging. The RFID repeater calculates a position that ensures the RF signal will reach all passive RFID tags in the dense packaging. The RFID repeater moves to the calculated position so that the RFID transceiver's signal will read all passive RFID tags in the dense packaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kulvir S. Bhogal, Gregory J. Boss, Rick A. Hamilton, II, Alexandre Polozoff, Timothy M. Waters