Patents Examined by Thomas McCormack
  • Patent number: 9567848
    Abstract: Systems and methods for downhole telemetry diagnosis. A downhole telemetry system includes a plurality of joints of wired drill pipe connected end-to-end, a first repeater sub, and a second repeater sub. The first repeater sub is connected to an uphole end of the plurality of joints of wired drill pipe. The second repeater sub connected to a downhole end of the plurality of joints of wired drill pipe. The first repeater sub is configured to transmit a signal into one of the joints of wired drill pipe that is connected to the first repeater sub; to detect energy of the transmitted signal returned to the first repeater sub; to measure duration of the returned energy; and to determine an operational state of the first repeater sub based on the measured duration of the returned energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: INTELLISERV, LLC
    Inventor: Rhys Kevin Adsit
  • Patent number: 9569714
    Abstract: A system and method is described for an automated RFID quality control process. The method may include configuring an RFID manufacturing press with quality control specifications, manufacturing a batch of RFID inlays, executing a performance test on each RFID inlay, comparing the results of the performance test to the quality control specifications, and determining a pass or fail status for the batch of RFID inlays based on the results of the performance test. The system may include an RFID manufacturing press having at least one lane, at least one interrogator antenna, and programmable control logic for the RFID manufacturing press, wherein the programmable control logic is adapted to execute a performance test on each RFID relay of a batch of RFID relays output by the manufacturing press, compare the results of the performance test to user-configurable quality control specifications, and determine whether the batch of RFID relays meets the specifications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: AVERY DENNISON RETAIL INFORMATION SERVICES, LLC
    Inventors: Chris Marcus, Edward A. Armijo
  • Patent number: 9542844
    Abstract: To provide effective navigation directions to a user in an automotive environment, a system determines information related to navigating the user to a destination, determines whether a screen of the portable device currently is in a line-of-sight with the user and generates a navigation instruction based on the determined information. Generating the navigation instruction includes selecting a level of detail of visual information for the navigation instruction in view of whether the screen is in the line-of-sight with the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventors: William Henry Steinmetz, Riku Inoue, Kyle Jutte
  • Patent number: 9535185
    Abstract: Methods and systems for failure point diagnostics in cable telemetry at a wellsite. The methods involve providing a system includes a cable operatively coupling between a surface modem and a downhole modem that is operatively coupled to a downhole toolstring of one or more downhole tools via a toolbus. The methods further involve generating a plurality of test signals, sequentially applying the test signals across one or more test loops in the cable telemetry system, and generating a failure point alert when at least one of the test signals fails in at least one of the test loops. The failure point alert identifies which component of the cable telemetry system caused the test signal to fail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Schlumberger technology Corporation
    Inventors: Alex Olson, Nalin Weerasinghe, Milos Milosevic, Kun Wang, Motohiro Nakanouchi, Kenji Endo, Yuichi Kobayashi, Hiromasa Nishisaka
  • Patent number: 9530304
    Abstract: Distributed sensing is provided. A first node of a plurality of nodes receives a fire status message from a second node of the plurality of nodes. The fire status message indicates a determination by the second node that an environmental condition exceeds a predetermined threshold. Each node of the plurality of nodes is a computing device. The first node estimates an arrival time of a fire based, at least in part, on the fire status message and a geographic location of the second node. The arrival time is a time until the fire arrives at a predetermined geographic location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Michael P. Clarke
  • Patent number: 9512717
    Abstract: A disclosed system for downhole time domain reflectometry (TDR) includes a surface electro-optical interface, a downhole electro-optical interface, a fiber-optic cable that couples the surface electro-optical interface and the downhole electro-optical interface, and an electrical transmission line that extends from the downhole electro-optical interface into a wellbore environment to enable TDR operations. A described method for downhole TDR includes transmitting an optical signal to a downhole environment, converting the optical signal to an electrical signal in the downhole environment, reflecting the electrical signal using an electrical transmission line in the downhole environment, analyzing data corresponding to the reflected electrical signal, and displaying a result of the analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Neal G. Skinner, Etienne M. Samson, David Paul Sharp, John L. Maida
  • Patent number: 9513864
    Abstract: Pairing a portable electronic device with a media device that is playing media, providing control to the portable device, displaying information about the media being played on the portable electronic device, and providing a link to the media asset in an online store. Discovering that a media device that is currently publically playing media, receiving a media signal encoded with metadata describing the media being played, and displaying an accrued history of various instances of media items that have been overheard during a public play session as a list of media items associated with metadata describing the media items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Alsina, Lucas Newman, Nicholas James Paulson, Elbert D. Chen, Augustin Prats, Andrew T. Belk
  • Patent number: 9506776
    Abstract: In an approach for adaptive sampling of smart meter data, a computer retrieves one or more balancing constraints associated with one or more smart meter sensors. The computer retrieves meter sensor data from the one or more smart meter sensors according to the one or more balancing constraints. The computer determines a subsample of the meter sensor data, and then transmits the subsample of the meter sensor data to an optimization engine for use in solving an optimization problem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Carlos A. Alzate Perez, Francesco Fusco, Pascal Pompey, Mathieu Sinn, Michael Wurst
  • Patent number: 9504278
    Abstract: An electronic cigarette case comprises an information receiving and sending module, a microprocessor and a sliding touch control module. The microprocessor is configured to collect at least one kind of data selected from the group consisting of personal information data, electronic cigarette case data, and electronic cigarette data. The sliding touch control module is configured to sense a sliding touch signal of a user and transmit the sliding touch signal to the microprocessor. The microprocessor controls the information receiving and sending module to send the data collected by the microprocessor to the electronic device according to the sliding touch signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: HUIZHOU KIMREE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD. SHENZHEN BRANCH
    Inventor: Qiuming Liu
  • Patent number: 9483934
    Abstract: System and method for presence based control of connected devices including a smart device configured to operate at least one connected device, and a locator configured to supervise an entrance of a subarea of a monitored area, wherein the smart device and the locator are configured to exchange radio frequency (RF) signals and to determine the presence of the smart device within the subarea based on received RF signals, and wherein the smart device to issue control commands to operate the at least one connected device based on a predefined scheme and on the presence of the smart device within the subarea.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Inventor: Oren Kotlicki
  • Patent number: 9479633
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally include an alarm system and method of using an alarm system to reliably provide an alarm to a user at a desired time or at the occurrence of some desired action. In some embodiments, the apparatus and methods include a media output device that can receive information about an alarm event and then automatically provide an alarm prompt at the time when the alarm event is to occur. In one configuration, a media output device is configured to communicate and synchronize with a portable electronic device, so that a reliable and coordinated delivery of an alarm prompt can be obtained by these devices. Some aspects of the invention may include an apparatus, method and/or computing device software application configured to more easily setup and reliably deliver the alarm signal information to the user using one or more media output devices that are used in combination with an input device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: LOGITECH EUROPE S.A.
    Inventors: Xavier Caine, Felix Müller, Raymond C. Salas, Eric Andre Tissot-Dupont, Rory Dooley, Stephen Dusse, Patrick Nicolet, Yezhou Wang, Kevin McLintock
  • Patent number: 9466189
    Abstract: Embodiments of intrusion detection systems are described and which include an intrusion detection panel that receives binary and metadata sensor data from which the presence of an alarm condition is detected. In addition sensor devices analyze sensor data received from other sensor devices that are in a peer to peer relationship with the corresponding sensor device to validate whether the indicated alarm condition is a valid alarm or a false alarm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Tyco Fire & Security GmbH
    Inventors: Hap Patterson, Joseph E. Hauhn
  • Patent number: 9449448
    Abstract: A method of configuring a lock control unit of an access control system. The unit has an associated lock control unit identifier and an electronic key, and can communicate via a wireless communications channel with a mobile unit and can receive an electronic key from the mobile unit to verify a received electronic key and, subject to successful verification, to activate the lock mechanism. A message having a location address is received from an access control management system. Lock control unit(s) are detected communicating via the channel in a proximity of the technician mobile unit. A respective lock control unit identifier is received from each detected unit. The unit connected to the lock mechanism is identified, based on the received identifiers. An electronic key associated with the identifier is received from the ACMS. Commands are sent to the lock control unit causing the lock control unit to perform configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Bekey A/S
    Inventor: Ebbe Andersen
  • Patent number: 9444555
    Abstract: A subsea communication system and its method of operating are provided. A subsea power distribution module of the subsea communication system may be adapted to be connected to a topside power supply of a topside installation and to distribute electric power received from topside power supply to subsea modules. A first communication connection to the subsea power distribution module may be adapted to provide a data communication with the topside installation. A second communication connection between the subsea power distribution module and a subsea module may be provided. The subsea power distribution module may forward data communications received on the first communication connection to the subsea module via the second communication connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Karstein Kristiansen
  • Patent number: 9430890
    Abstract: An in-vehicle device stores a Wake Up pattern, which notifies a mobile device of a start of communication, in an area before a data storage area of a frame and transmits the frame, the mobile device includes a modulation/demodulation circuit and a microcomputer that perform a predetermined reception process on a reception signal, a pattern determination circuit that, when the reception signal includes a Wake Up pattern, determines to start communication and activates the modulation/demodulation circuit and the microcomputer, a power detection circuit that detects power of the reception signal, and, when power is detected for a certain period of time or longer, activates the pattern determination circuit, and a Wake-Up control unit that activates the power detection circuit for a predetermined time with a constant period during a time period other than during communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Mari Ochiai, Akinori Taira
  • Patent number: 9418255
    Abstract: Overwriting information that was correctly written to an IC tag that can communicate wirelessly but is not the IC tag on the medium intended to be processed is prevented so that the wrong information is not stored in the IC tag. When writing write data including uniquely assigned tag ID information to an IC tag ends correctly, the system controller 35 of the media processing device 2 stores information indicating that writing the IC tag was completed. When writing write data to an IC tag, the system controller 35 reads the tag ID information and determines if information matching the read tag ID information is included in the stored tag ID information. If matching information is found, the system controller 35 prohibits writing to the IC tag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Toshiaki Koike
  • Patent number: 9378399
    Abstract: Methods and systems of processing transponder signals received from transponders to identify the transponders are provided. A first signal including a first code and a first identifier may be received from a first transponder. The first identifier is written to the first transponder by an RFID writer when the first transponder is placed proximate to the RFID writer, and the first identifier is used to associate transponders with a first user. A second signal including a second code and the first identifier may be received from a second transponder. The first identifier is also written to the second transponder by the RFID writer when the second transponder is placed proximate to the RFID writer. The first and second transponders are associated with the first user based on receiving the first identifier from both the first and second transponders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: HAND HELD PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventors: Zhenjun Zhang, Ynjiun Paul Wang, Larry Ramsey-Macomber
  • Patent number: 9363355
    Abstract: Provided is a wireless terminal and method therefor, configured to play a broadcast program (TV and/or radio) in a broadcast mode thereof. A display unit displays, during the broadcast mode, at least one icon dedicated to automatically controlling an external device to output the same broadcast as that of a current channel in the broadcast mode. A controller is configured to detect selection of the at least one icon and in response, to transmit via a wireless communication unit at least one command to the external device to automatically tune to a corresponding channel of the current channel and output the same broadcast thereof. The external control by the wireless terminal can enable uninterrupted switching of the broadcast from the wireless terminal to the external device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kyung-Min Ryu
  • Patent number: 9355547
    Abstract: A system and computer implemented method for detecting a change in a home environment for a visually impaired user is disclosed. The method may include monitoring the home environment using a set of sensors configured to collect environment data for a set of areas of the home environment. The method may also include detecting an environmental change in an area of the home environment. The method may also include providing, in response to a triggering event, a notification of the environmental change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mark B. Stevens, John D. Wilson
  • Patent number: 9349271
    Abstract: Short or middle range capabilities are activated at a user device, if not already active, in response to receiving a first message initiated at the property device via a wireless wide range connection. a response message, indicating that the short or middle range capabilities of the user device are active, is transmitted to the property device, via a wireless wide range connection. In response to receiving a second message initiated at the property device and indicating a failed scanning for the user device by the property device via a wireless wide range connection, an alarm indicating movement of the property device and that the property device is located out of range for the short or middle range capabilities of the user device is activated at the user device. At the property device, failed scanning processe(s) triggers the property device to initiate alarm activation at the user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (Publ)
    Inventors: Richard Carlsson, Julien Forgeat, Gechuan Qiu