Patents Examined by Thomas Mullen
  • Patent number: 9855802
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to a Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID)-tag, a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) device, a tire, a receiver device and a method for providing information related to identification of a tire. The RFID-tag is configured to provide information related to the tire identification and it is configured to be powered by the TPMS device. The RFID-tag comprises a memory module configured to store the information related to the tire identification and a transmitter module configured to transmit the information related to the tire identification to a receiver device of a vehicle or a service station. The TPMS device comprises a coupling element configured to provide Radio Frequency power to the RFID-tag, for providing information related to tire identification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Franz Michael Darrer, Gerald Holweg, Ralf-Rainer Schledz
  • Patent number: 9858783
    Abstract: A medical supply monitoring system for a medical kit monitors supplies of the medical kit. The medical kit can house medical supplies within a container at a user location. At least one medical supply can have an electronic tracking tag affixed thereon. The system can include an access sensor, a client device, and a server. The access sensor can be installed upon a covering element of the monitored compartment to indicate when an access event has occurred. The client device can be installed within the container and connected to the access sensor. The client device can be configured to collect the situational data for the access event. The server can be remotely-located from the client device and can be configured to maintain an access log for the medical kit using the situational data collected by the client device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Inventors: Akhil K. Agrawal, Sukrit Agrawal
  • Patent number: 9858782
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an alarm system with a portable identification device and a portable alarm device, wherein the identification device is configured to receive an enquiry signal and in reaction thereto to emit an identification signal, and the alarm device comprises: a touch-sensitive sensor device, an enquiry device, which is configured to emit the enquiry signal and to receive the identification signal, and a control device, the control device being configured: in reaction to the touch signal to emit the enquiry signal by way of the enquiry device, to compare the identification signal received as a reaction to the enquiry signal with a predefined identification in order to carry out an identity check, and to emit an alarm signal if the identity check is negative. The disclosure also relates to a method for triggering an alarm signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas Simmons, Anne Bandel
  • Patent number: 9858778
    Abstract: A programmable security system and method for protecting an item of merchandise includes a programming station, a programmable key and a security system. The programming station generates a security code and communicates the security code to a memory of the programmable key. The programmable key initially communicates the security code to a memory of the security device and subsequently operates the security device upon a matching of the security code in the memory of the security device with the security code in the memory of the programmable key. The programmable key may also transfer power via electrical contacts or inductive transfer from an internal battery to the security device to operate a lock mechanism. The security code may be communicated by wireless infrared (IR) systems, electrical contacts or inductive transfer. A timer inactivates the programmable key and/or the security device after a predetermine period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: InVue Security Products Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Fawcett, Jeffrey A. Grant
  • Patent number: 9855945
    Abstract: Methods of assessing driver behavior include monitoring vehicle systems and driver monitoring systems to accommodate for a driver's slow reaction time, attention lapse and/or alertness. When it is determined that a driver is drowsy, for example, the response system may modify the operation of one or more vehicle systems. The systems that may be modified include: visual devices, audio devices, tactile devices, antilock brake systems, automatic brake prefill systems, brake assist systems, auto cruise control systems, electronic stability control systems, collision warning systems, lane keep assist systems, blind spot indicator systems, electronic pretensioning systems and climate control systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kin C. Fung, Timothy J. Dick
  • Patent number: 9852623
    Abstract: A parking lot sensor includes a sensor for scanning a parking space for a vehicle. A method for controlling the parking lot sensor includes steps of determining an activity of vehicles in the parking lot, of determining a scanning frequency on the basis of the activity and of controlling, as a function of the scanning frequency, the sensor respectively for carrying out a scan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Stefan Nordbruch
  • Patent number: 9847015
    Abstract: A Real Time Locating System (RTLS) hygiene management and monitoring system for individuals and companies to manage and monitor the hygiene of their surroundings. For example, the system can be used in conjunction with a cleaning device and can include a locating module, a display module, and a cleanliness monitoring system. The locating module determines a location of the cleaning device in an area and to track movement of the cleaning device within the area. The display module includes a graphical layout of the area. The cleanliness monitoring system generates data representative of a path that the cleaning device has traversed in the area and at least one aspect of cleaning behavior of the device in the area. The display module displays the data representative of the path and the data representative of the at least one aspect of cleaning behavior, and one or both of the path and the at least one aspect of cleaning behavior is color-coded on the display module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Diversey, Inc.
    Inventors: Anderson Chung Kong Li, Anup Bhagyanji
  • Patent number: 9845718
    Abstract: A controller calculates a period travel distance that is a travel distance of the vehicle from when the available travel distance is calculated to when the available travel distance is calculated next. The controller, when the remaining amount of urea aqueous solution inside a tank exceeds a predetermined amount, executes a first calculation process in which the available travel distance is calculated with reference to the remaining amount of the urea aqueous solution. The controller, after the remaining amount of the urea aqueous solution becomes smaller than or equal to a predetermined amount, executes a second calculation process in which the available travel distance is calculated by subtracting the period travel distance from the previously calculated available travel distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventors: Takahiro Kiyofuji, Kingo Suyama, Gaku Kishimoto, Atsushi Kidokoro
  • Patent number: 9842191
    Abstract: This invention relates to an imaging system and more particularly to imaging system operational property monitoring and describes an approach that makes key parameters available remotely from a collection of imaging systems for trending, ranking, analysis and further service telemetry. A method includes obtaining a set of operational properties of an imaging system. The method further includes identifying an operational property of the set of operational properties that intermittently falls outside of a predetermined operational range and does not require immediate service of the imaging system. The method further includes generating a trend for the identified operational property. The method further includes comparing the generated trend with at least one reference trend. The method further includes determining the imaging system should be serviced based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Edmund Walter Klingenberg, Jorge Ivan Zapata Arias, Frans Van Duijnhoven
  • Patent number: 9839196
    Abstract: A method for tagging and tracking animals utilizes a plurality of user accounts and a plurality of species profiles. A user account of the plurality of user accounts is utilized to enter tag information from a tag of a plurality of tracking tags. More specifically, the tag is attached to a specific animal. When the tag information is entered, a relevant profile from the plurality of species profiles is selected. The relevant profile has information related to the specific animal. Next, the user completes a plurality of fields related to the specific animal which is saved into the relevant profile. Simultaneously, a list of geographical information is completed and saved into the relevant profile. As a result, the relevant profile is saved with the latest information of the specific animal. When required, a premium account of the plurality of user accounts is used to view the relevant profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Bay Slayers, LLC
    Inventors: Michael A Taffler, Richard Scialabba
  • Patent number: 9840229
    Abstract: Remote tamper detection, some example embodiment methods including: receiving signals indicative of a location, the receiving by a first device coupled to an asset; periodically sending a signal of operability from the first device to a second device, the second device coupled to the asset, and the second device configured to selectively disable the asset; receiving a first command from a remote operations center, the receiving by the first device; sending a second command from the first device to the second device, wherein the second command is sent responsive to the receiving of the first command; disabling the asset by the second device when receipt of the signal of operability has ceased or the second command is a disable command; and issuing from the first device an indication of the location of the first device, the issuing from the first device by a wireless transmission to the remote operations center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Gordon*Howard Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald A. Morgan, Stanley G. Schwarz, Christopher M. Macheca
  • Patent number: 9840258
    Abstract: A monitoring system for detecting a condition in a vehicle, including at least one imaging device having a field of view including at least a portion of an interior cabin of the vehicle occupied by an operator of the vehicle during operation, a data storage medium configured to store parameter data in a database, the parameter data including control parameter data for the interior cabin of the vehicle, and at least one processor in communication with the at least one imaging device and the data storage medium. The at least one processor is programmed or configured to receive operational image data from the at least one imaging device, generate operational parameter data from the operational image data, compare the operational parameter data to the control parameter data, and determine if at least one operator is absent from the interior cabin and/or if at least one unauthorized display device is present in the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Frank J. Swiderski
  • Patent number: 9842500
    Abstract: A warning system for an automated vehicle includes an object-detector, a location-detector, a transceiver, and a controller. The object-detector is used to determine a separation-distance to a target-vehicle from a host-vehicle. The location-detector is used to provide global-positioning-system-coordinates (GPS-coordinates) of the target-vehicle. The transceiver is used to transmit a proximity-warning to the target-vehicle. The controller is in communication with the object-detector, the location-detector, and the transceiver. The controller is configured to operate the transceiver to transmit the proximity-warning when the separation-distance between the host-vehicle and the target-vehicle is less than a distance-threshold. The proximity-warning includes the GPS-coordinates of the target-vehicle and the separation-distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Premchand Krishna Prasad, Robert J. Cashler
  • Patent number: 9820699
    Abstract: A system (100) is provided for processing status information of a medical device (020-023). The medical device performs a medical function at a bedside of a patient and is arranged for generating an alarm signal (030) to alert a caregiver of the patient to an occurrence of an event which is associated with the performing of the medical function. A status interface (120) acquires a device signal (024) of the medical device, the device signal comprising status information which is indicative of a current status of the performing of the medical function. Moreover, an analysis subsystem (140) analyzes the status information to estimate an imminent occurrence of the event based on said current status, and a notification subsystem notifies the caregiver of the imminent occurrence away from the bedside of the patient of the event by a generating a notification signal (162) for a notification device (060-064). The priority of notifying the caregiver is based on an estimate of whether the patient is asleep.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Peter Bingley, Angelique Carin Johanna Maria Brosens-Kessels, Jonathan David Mason, Jia Du, Paul Augustinus Peter Kaufholz
  • Patent number: 9824309
    Abstract: A radio frequency identification (RFID) automatic vehicle identification (AVI) system configured to mitigate signal interference, the system comprising a plurality of RFID readers, comprising a first RFID reader and a second RFID reader; and a plurality of antennas, wherein a first antenna is connected to the first RFID reader and a second antenna is connected to the second RFID reader. Prior to the first RFID reader transmitting a signal through the first antenna, the first RFID reader samples a received radio frequency (RF) signal from the first antenna, and if the received RF signal meets predetermined strength and frequency criteria, the first RFID reader inhibits transmission of the signal through the first antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: NEOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: George D. Cruickshanks, David R. Missimer, Christopher J. Hopkins, Steven C. Lin, Thomas J. Frederick
  • Patent number: 9815408
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a rearview camera system (2) of a motor vehicle (1), in which a sequence of images (15) of an environmental region (9) behind the motor vehicle (1) is provided by means of an image capturing device (3) of the rearview camera system (2) and the sequence of the images (15) is displayed on a display (10), wherein a headlight flasher (14) of a vehicle (13) located in the environmental region (9) is detected by the rearview camera system (2) and due to the detection of the headlight flasher (14), a warning signal (17) separate from the images (15) is generated, by which the detected headlight flasher (14) is signaled to the driver of the motor vehicle (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: VALEO Schalter und Sensoren GmbH
    Inventors: Patrick Bonhoure, Siav Kuong Kuoch
  • Patent number: 9816291
    Abstract: A delayed egress exit push rail system for a door has a push rail movable relative to a housing between a home position and a second position to open the door, a sensor for determining the position of the push rail as the push rail moves between the home position and the second position and a controller connected to the sensor. The sensor detects a current position of the push rail in the home position and the controller determines if the current position of the push rail detected by the sensor is within a predetermined acceptable range of positions relative to the home position. If the controller determines that the current position of the push rail is outside of the predetermined range, the controller unlocks the door for immediate egress, relays an error message via light or sound and/or communicates with a remote monitoring device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: SARGENT MANUFACTURING COMPANY
    Inventors: Wai P. Wong, Arthur F. Limoncelli, Jr., David C. DeBiase, Paul Nunez, Eugene W. Lawrence, III, John E. Walsh, Angelo S. Arcaria
  • Patent number: 9798967
    Abstract: In one embodiment the present invention comprises a smartphone and encoders for commissioning RFID transponders. The present invention further includes novel systems, devices, and methods for commissioning RFID transponders with unique object class instance numbers without requiring a realtime connection to a serialization database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: ADASA INC.
    Inventor: Clarke W. McAllister
  • Patent number: 9798970
    Abstract: A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, includes: a substrate; an antenna formed on a first surface of the substrate; an IC chip electrically coupled to the antenna; an adhesive applied to a first area of the substrate to fix the IC chip and the antenna to each other, and a first laminate layer formed on a second surface of the substrate opposite to the first surface thereof, wherein at least a part of the first laminate layer is missing within a second area, which corresponds to the first area, on the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Takayoshi Matsumura
  • Patent number: 9799216
    Abstract: A method and system for using data associated with a first vehicle and a given road segment defined for a road network and using data associated with a second vehicle and the given road segment to determine a multi-vehicle probability value that indicates a probability that the first vehicle and the second vehicle will arrive at a common position of the given road segment simultaneously. The multi-vehicle probability value can be compared to a threshold probability value to determine whether the first vehicle and/or the second vehicle should take a responsive measure to avoid those vehicles arriving at the common position of the given road segment simultaneously. The data associated the first vehicle and the data associated with the second vehicle can each include a respective electronic horizon for that vehicle, and time parameters and probability values associated with those vehicles being on the given road segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: HERE Global B.V.
    Inventors: Sinisa Durekovic, Nicholas E. Smith