Patents Examined by Thomas Mullen
  • Patent number: 9940816
    Abstract: A warning system for vehicles equipped with air brakes is provided. The present invention provides one or more warning modules in connection with a low pressure switch and a door jamb switch to provide an alert if the driver fails to apply the parking brake and opens the vehicle door. A low pressure switch is connected to an air line controlled by a cabin parking brake switch. When the parking brake switch is toggled on, air is evacuated from the air line and the parking brakes are applied; the low pressure switch is then open. When the air line is pressurized, the parking brake switch is not toggled on and the parking brakes are not applied, causing the low pressure switch to close. If the door jamb sensor registers the driver door is open, the low pressure switch and door jamb sensor complete a circuit, activating the warning modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Inventors: Vincent Cavaliere, John McLaren, Robin Gene Weaver
  • Patent number: 9942328
    Abstract: A system and method are described for implementing latched attributes within an IoT system. For example, one embodiment of a method comprises: specifying an attribute for each of a plurality of items of data managed in an Internet of Things (IoT) device and/or an IoT service, at least some of the attributes comprising latched attributes having a current value and an indication of state changes to the latched attribute over a period of time; when an IoT device is unable to connect with the IoT service for a period of time maintaining an indication of any state changes occurring to the latched attribute over the period of time; upon establishing a successful connection between the IoT device and the IoT service after the period of time, transmitting the indication of state changes of the latched attribute from the IoT device to the IoT service; and analyzing the indication of state changes to determine whether to generate an alert condition on the IoT service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: AFERO, INC.
    Inventors: Shannon Holland, Robey Pointer, Stephen Sewerynek, Nickolas Heckman, Chris Aiuto, Lucas Finkelstein, Scott Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 9940834
    Abstract: Methods and systems for communicating between autonomous vehicles are described herein. Such communication may be performed for signaling, collision avoidance, path coordination, and/or autonomous control. A computing device may receive communications from autonomous vehicles, where the communications include data for the same road segment, including an indication of a condition of the road segment. The computing device may combine the data for the same road segment to generate an overall indication of the condition of the road segment, which may include a recommendation to vehicles approaching the road segment. Additionally, the computing device may receive a request from a mobile device within a vehicle approaching the road segment to display vehicle data. The overall indication for the road segment may then be displayed on a user interface of the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Blake Konrardy, Scott T. Christensen, Gregory Hayward, Scott Farris
  • Patent number: 9934671
    Abstract: Securing communications from a process plant to a remote system includes a data diode disposed there between that allows data to egress from the plant but prevents ingress of data into the plant and its associated systems. Process plant data from the secure communications is then analyzed to detect conditions occurring at process plant entities in the process plant using various machine learning techniques. When the process plant entity is a valve, the mode of operation for the valve is determined and a different analysis is applied for each mode in which a valve operates. Additionally, the process plant data for each valve is compared to other valves in the same process plant, enterprise, industry, etc. Accordingly, the health of each of the valves is ranked relative to each other and the process plant data for each valve is displayed in a side-by-side comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: FISHER CONTROLS INTERNATIONAL LLC
    Inventor: Shawn W. Anderson
  • Patent number: 9928715
    Abstract: A system for identifying a change in walking speed of a person includes plurality of sensors (8,9,10,11,18) disposed among a plurality of locations in a living space (20). Each of the plurality of sensors (8,9,10,11,18) is operable to detect one of motion of the person or location of the person. Travel times (tt) for a path (19) traveled by the person through the living space (20) are measured based on the signals of the plurality of sensors (8,9,10,11,18). A reliability indication (R1) of the likelihood that another person is visiting the living space (20) is established. A change in the person's walking speed is identified by identifying changes in the travel times (tt), disregarding travel times (tt) which are indicated as unreliable by the reliability indication (R1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Dutch Domotics B.V.
    Inventor: Ireneusz Piotr Karkowski
  • Patent number: 9928716
    Abstract: A system for monitoring a lifestyle of a person in a living space includes sensors for detecting a presence of the person and/or an activity of the person, and a processor controlled system, coupled to the sensors for deriving events caused by the person and times when the events occur, for detecting event free periods of first lengths in which no events of a predetermined group occur, and for deriving, an estimate of in-bed time on the basis of the event free period of at least the first length detected in a first observation period beginning before a usual in-bed time, and for determining an estimate of the out-bed time on the basis of the events, and event free periods of at least a second length, detected in a second observation period ending after an usual out-bed time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Dutch Domotics B.V.
    Inventor: Ireneusz Piotr Karkowski
  • Patent number: 9911302
    Abstract: A stairway safety system and method including movement sensors and/or force sensors, a safety button, a central processing unit, a user notify device configured to generate audio or visual indications prompting the stairway user to engage the safety button, and a communication device configured to send a message requesting help. The central processing unit is configured to measure the length of time between detecting signals from the sensors and also to instruct the first user notify device to generate audio or visual indications when the measured time between detecting the signals is shorter or longer than a stairway user's actual or estimated typical travel time through the stairway. The central processing unit is configured to measure time and to instruct the communication device to send the message requesting help if a safety signal is not detected within a safety time period which indicates a request for help may be needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Inventor: Julia E. Helal
  • Patent number: 9913005
    Abstract: A wheel assembly position identifying apparatus includes transmitters, each of which is provided in one of wheel assemblies, and a receiver, which is provided in a body of a vehicle. Each transmitter includes a transmission section, an acceleration sensor, and a transmission-side control section. The receiver includes a reception section, which is configured to receive the signals, and a reception-side control section, which is configured to execute a first identifying process and a second identifying process. In the first identifying process, the positions of the wheel assemblies, in which the corresponding transmitters are provided, are identified based on variations of the rotational positions of the wheel assemblies at the time when the constant position signals are received. In the second identifying process, the positions of the wheel assemblies, in which the corresponding transmitters are provided, are identified based on the received signal strength indications (RSSIs).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: PACIFIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yasuhisa Tsujita
  • Patent number: 9905089
    Abstract: Multiple visual indications are provided in connection with multiple work orders. Each work order involves a respective connection using the device. The multiple visual indications are provided simultaneously for at least a part of the time the visual indications are provided. In one implementation, the visual indications differ from one another. What each visual indication looks like is displayed on a respective portable device configured to display information about the work order associated with that visual indication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: CommScope Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Pat Thompson
  • Patent number: 9905110
    Abstract: Securing communications from a process plant to a remote system includes a data diode disposed there between that allows data to egress from the plant but prevents ingress of data into the plant and its associated systems. Process plant data from the secure communications is then analyzed to detect conditions occurring at process plant entities in the process plant using various machine learning techniques. When the process plant entity is a valve, the mode of operation for the valve is determined and a different analysis is applied for each mode in which a valve operates. Additionally, the process plant data for each valve is compared to other valves in the same process plant, enterprise, industry, etc. Accordingly, the health of each of the valves is ranked relative to each other and the process plant data for each valve is displayed in a side-by-side comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: FISHER CONTROLS INTERNATIONAL LLC
    Inventor: Shawn W. Anderson
  • Patent number: 9900861
    Abstract: A method for a device to determine that it has been lost is provided. The method comprises the device determining its current location, the device comparing its current location to a plurality of stored locations, and the device determining that it has been lost when its current location is a stored location that has been designated as a location where the device is unlikely to be located or is not a stored location that has been designated as a location where the device is likely to be located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Certicom Corp.
    Inventor: Daniel Richard L. Brown
  • Patent number: 9898928
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for adjusting coasting guidance and control to the driver of a vehicle to improve fuel efficiency. The coasting guidance system includes a user interface for displaying coasting information. The coasting guidance system includes an electronic control unit (ECU) coupled to the user interface. The ECU is configured to obtain a current location of the vehicle and a location of a respective lane of a plurality of lanes. The ECU is configured to determine that the vehicle is travelling in the respective lane based on the current location of the vehicle and location of the respective lane. The ECU is configured to determine a stop area of the respective lane and determine an ideal coasting location based on the stop area. The ECU is configured to provide a notification to begin coasting at or within a threshold distance of the ideal coasting location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Joshua D. Payne
  • Patent number: 9891651
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an input device that replicates mechanical actuation of a rotatable input mechanism in such a way that the haptic output provided by the input device is controllable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Benjamin G. Jackson, Brenton A. Baugh, Megan A. McClain, Steven J. Taylor
  • Patent number: 9888875
    Abstract: A driver monitoring system recognizes a state of a driver and determines a recognition stability. When the recognition stability is less than a predetermined reference value, the driver monitoring system makes a request to the driver to perform a different action that is different from an action requested when the recognition stability is not less than the reference value and detects an action of the driver that responds to the request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takuhiro Omi
  • Patent number: 9886093
    Abstract: A band includes one or more haptic actuators that can be activated to provide haptic stimulation to a wearer. An electronic device can be in communication with the one or more haptic actuators through a wired and/or wireless connection. The electronic device can be a separate device, or the electronic device can be removably or fixedly attached to the band. An activation signal can be sent to a single haptic actuator or to groups of two or more haptic actuators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Camille Moussette, Patrick Kessler
  • Patent number: 9887721
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes an antenna, a die manufactured from a semiconducting material, an RF energy collection and processing means disposed on or within said die and including at least a receiver and a processing means, an input configured to supply power to said RF energy collection and processing means and an output for operative communication by said RF energy collection and processing means. The integrated circuit is configurable and operable to provide at least one of electromagnetic emission anomaly detection, tamper detection, anti-tamper monitoring, degradation monitoring, health monitoring, counterfeit detection, software changes monitoring, firmware changes monitoring and monitoring of other RF energy anomalies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: NOKOMIS, INC.
    Inventors: Walter J Keller, III, Bogdan A. Pathak
  • Patent number: 9872649
    Abstract: A method and system for monitoring a user's intoxication including receiving a set of signals, derived from a set of samples collected from the user at a set of time points; providing a sobriety task to the user proximal to a time point of the set of time points; generating a performance dataset characterizing performance of the sobriety task by the user; receiving a supplementary dataset characterizing a demographic profile of the user and/or a physiological state of the user; determining a set of values of an intoxication metric, derived from the set of signals; generating a predicted temporal profile of the intoxication metric for the user based upon the set of values, the set of time points, and the supplementary dataset; generating an analysis of the user's sobriety based upon the performance dataset and the predicted temporal profile; and providing a notification to the user based upon the analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: KHN Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Harry Nothacker, Pauline Anne Basaran, Stacey Ilene Rettus, Michael Jurgen Strasser, Imraan Aziz, John Paul Walton, Zachary Michael Saul, Christopher Thomas Faykus
  • Patent number: 9875639
    Abstract: Methods, systems and devices are provided for hand-washing compliance device with a motion-activated display of motion-controlled messages. In one embodiment, method for presenting and controlling a message on a motion-activated display is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Inventors: Matthew Bone, Josh Mullis
  • Patent number: 9869721
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system and a method for inspecting an assembled condition of an alternator capable of inspecting a driving condition using a smart box monitoring sensor data received from an ECU of a vehicle and then determining whether the assembled condition of the alternator is bad. A system for inspecting an assembled condition of an alternator includes: a smart box configured to receive driving data of a vehicle from an ECU and determine whether the assembled condition of the alternator is bad based on the driving data of the vehicle; and a server configured to receive result data depending on whether the assembled condition of the alternator is bad from the smart box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Dong Chul Lee, Mun Gu Kim, Yeong Il Choi, Jung Myoung Kim
  • Patent number: 9870709
    Abstract: An apparatus for displaying a parking zone may include: a parking zone display controlling unit configured to recognize parking zone lines from image data, to recognize a target parking zone in which a vehicle is to be parked among the parking zone lines on the basis of one or more of vehicle behavior information and the image data, and to correct the parking zone lines so that target parking zone lines in a non-display region are displayed; and a parking zone display unit configured to display the parking zone lines corrected by the parking zone display controlling unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Jae Seob Choi, Kap Je Sung, Jun Hyung Kim, Joong Ryoul Lee, Jun Sik An