Patents by Inventor Ming Zheng

Ming Zheng has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9441604
    Abstract: An ignition system for an internal combustion engine includes an igniter having at least two high voltage (HV) electrodes and a low voltage (LV) electrode. The at least two HV electrodes are electrically isolated one from the other and the at least two HV electrodes are electrically isolated from the LV electrode. The system includes a coil assembly having at least one primary winding and at least two secondary windings, each secondary winding having a terminal for providing a HV signal. A driver module is provided for energizing the coil assembly. A high-tension cable, comprising at least two resistive wires, connects the at least two HV electrodes to the terminals of respective ones of the at least two secondary windings. The high-tension cable further comprises a non-resistive wire connecting the LV electrode to the driver module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Inventors: Ming Zheng, Shui Yu, Kelvin Xie
  • Patent number: 9421869
    Abstract: This disclosure describes a power unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that may generate a current from a magnetic field of an overhead power line. In various implementations, while the power UAV is flying, the power UAV may receive another UAV at a platform. A control element of the power UAV may generate signals to cause the power UAV to fly to a location of a conductor of the power line. The control element may also determine a position of the secondary coil with respect to the power line and generate control signals to adjust the position of the secondary coil based on the determined position of the secondary coil, a determined safety distance, and/or a determined threshold distance for efficient current generation. A shielding substrate may also be provided to shield electronics of the power UAV or other UAVs from magnetic fields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Peruvemba Ranganathan Sai Ananthanarayanan, Anuj Dron, Adrian Napoles, Rohit Sammeta, Ming Zheng
  • Patent number: 9415869
    Abstract: A plurality of UAVs may be operated in a fleet, each of the UAVs in the fleet being configured to work collectively to achieve one or more functions, such as to create a display or implement an antenna array. The fleet of UAVs may operate individually and/or may be coupled to one another to operate as a collective unit. In some embodiments, one or more UAVs in the fleet may operate individually, while two or more UAVs in the fleet may be connected to one another. In such embodiments, the individual UAVs and the connected UAVs may together comprise the fleet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Danny Chan, Eswarappa Channabasappa, Namhoon Kim, Tzung-I (Ian) Lee, Ulf Jan Ove Mattsson, Joseph Christopher Modro, Ming Zheng
  • Patent number: 9413058
    Abstract: Antenna structures and methods of operating the same are described. One apparatus includes a metal cover having a first corner portion, a second corner portion, and an elongated portion. The elongated portion is physically separated from the first corner portion by a first cutout in the metal cover and the elongated portion is physically separated from the second corner portion by a second cutout in the metal cover. A radio frequency (RF) circuit is coupled to a feeding element that is coupled to the elongated portion. A capacitor is coupled between the feeding element and the first corner portion near the distal end of the feeding element. The RF circuit is operable to cause the feeding element, the elongated portion, and the first corner portion to radiate electromagnetic energy as a first radiator in a first frequency range with dual resonance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jerry Weiming Kuo, Adrian Napoles, Ming Zheng, Khaled Ahmad Obeidat
  • Patent number: 9407003
    Abstract: Antenna structures and methods of operating the same of an electronic device are described. One apparatus includes a radio frequency (RF) including a surface-current dispersing circuit and an antenna structure coupled to the RF feed at a feeding point and coupled to a ground plane at a grounding point. The antenna structure comprises an even multiple of quarter-wavelength elements with a first element coupled to the feeding point and a second element coupled to the grounding point and the grounding point is located at a specified distance from the feeding point. Surface currents, generated as a result of the RF signals being applied to the RF feed at the feeding point, create a first hot spot of an even multiple of hot spots of magnetic field at the feeding point. The surface-current dispersing circuit and the ground point disperse a portion of the surface currents at the feeding point towards the grounding point to create other hot spots of the even multiple of hot spots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jay William Kruse, Joseph Christopher Modro, Ming Zheng, Jerry Weiming Kuo
  • Patent number: 9356336
    Abstract: Methods and systems for extending a bandwidth of a dual-folded monopole antenna of a user device are described. A dual-folded monopole antenna includes a first folded monopole structure coupled to a single radio frequency (RF) input and a parasitic folded monopole structure coupled to a ground plane. The first folded monopole structure is configured to operate as a feeding structure to a parasitic folded monopole structure that is not conductively connected to the RF input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Ming Zheng, Joseph C. Modro
  • Patent number: 9350077
    Abstract: A low Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) gamma-folded loop-shaped antenna has a resonant structure including two arms connected to an elongated loop and has dual resonant elements in the 5 GHz WiFi band, dividing emissions in the 5 GHz bands between two emission hotspots. The elongated loop folds back upon itself 180 degrees. The antenna also may include a discontinuous transition in cross-sectional area tuned to boost emissions in the 2.4 GHz WiFi band. The antenna is designed for compact handheld devices that may be held close to a person's body, reducing the intensity of energy irradiated into the body in the 5 GHz band by distributing the energy across spatially-separated dual resonant elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ming Zheng, Joseph Christopher Modro
  • Patent number: 9325070
    Abstract: Antenna structures and methods of operating the same of a dual-loop-slot antenna of an electronic device are described. One dual-loop-slot antenna includes a first loop antenna coupled to a radio frequency (RF) feed and a ground plane, a second loop coupled to the RF feed and the ground plane. At least a portion of the second loop antenna is formed by the first loop antenna. The dual-loop-slot antenna also includes a slot antenna formed at least in part by a portion of at least one of the first loop antenna or the second loop antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Khaled Ahmad Obeidat, Mark Corbridge, Ming Zheng, Joseph Christopher Modro
  • Patent number: 9322339
    Abstract: A premixed charge of air and a low reactivity fuel is created in a combustion chamber space by the time at which a piston comes substantially to top dead center at which time a high reactivity fuel is directly injected into a central zone of the combustion chamber space which is bounded partially by a central bowl cavity in the piston head which is itself surrounded by an upright intermediate wall. The high reactivity fuel combusts by conventional diesel combustion and creates a flame front which propagates into an outer zone of the combustion chamber space which is bounded partially by the upright intermediate wall and an outer bowl cavity in the piston head to initiate combustion of the premixed air-fuel charge in the outer zone of the combustion chamber space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC.
    Inventors: William de Ojeda, Ming Zheng
  • Patent number: 9276317
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems for quad-mode antennas of user devices are described. The quad-mode antenna includes a loop element coupled to a single radio frequency (RF) input and ground. The loop element is configured to operate in four resonant modes to radiate electromagnetic energy in response to the single RF input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Ming Zheng
  • Publication number: 20160013623
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for producing a corona discharge for igniting an air/fuel mixture in an internal combustion engine. An igniter is provided having a discharge tip that protrudes into a combustion zone. During a first stage of a combustion process, a first primary winding of a RF transformer is driven at a first predetermined voltage level and at a first resonant frequency that is based on a first impedance in the combustion zone prior to onset of combustion, for generating a corona discharge at the tip of the igniter. During a second stage subsequent to the first stage, a second primary winding of the RF transformer is driven at a second predetermined voltage level and at a second resonant frequency that is based on a second impedance in the combustion zone at a time that is subsequent to onset of the combustion process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventor: Ming ZHENG
  • Publication number: 20150358254
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system for implementing node port virtualization on a fibre channel in the field of communication technologies are provided. Multiple different virtual Node Port (N_port) identifications (IDs) are allocated to each of multiple N_ports, of an N_port virtualization (NPV) switch, corresponding to an N_port ID of a remote node. Because a virtual N_port ID is allocated, to each remote node, for more than one N_port of the NPV switch, regardless of which N_port of these N_ports a node connected to the NPV switch is registered for, the node can obtain the virtual N_port ID that is of each remote node and that is corresponding to the N_port. Therefore, any node connected to the NPV switch can communicate with any remote node, thereby improving communication efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventors: Ming Zheng, Xingfeng Jiang, Wei Song, Yongjun Yu
  • Publication number: 20150207849
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling one or more controllable devices (5, 6, 7, 38, 39, 40) in a system. In order to provide the apparatus with a more user friendly interface to control the one or more controllable device in the system, the method comprises capturing an image (50), comprising the one or more controllable devices, displaying the captured image (50), associating local areas (105,106,107,108,109,110) in the captured image (50) to the one or more respective controllable devices (5,6,7,38,39,40) on basis of information associated with the controllable devices in the captured image, receiving a user input indicating a selected one of the local areas in the displayed image, determining a command for the one or more controllable devices from the user input associated with the selected local area; and communicating the command to the one or more controllable devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2013
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Applicant: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Bingzhou Chen, Jianping Zhang, Xiang Chen, Hong Ming Zheng, Jian Lin Xu, Zhen Hua Zhou
  • Publication number: 20150143369
    Abstract: A communications method and system. When a central control point learns that a virtual machine of a tenant is deployed on a first server, the central control point delivers, to the first server, a first local virtual local area network identifier (VLAN ID) pre-configured for the tenant, so that a virtual switch (vSwitch) of the first server stores a correspondence between the tenant and the first local VLAN ID and can control, according to the correspondence, communication between virtual machines of the tenant in a ToR switch to which the first server belongs; the central control point delivers, to a first ToR, a first mapping relationship that is between a global VLAN ID and the first local VLAN ID and is pre-configured for the tenant, so that the first ToR can control communication between virtual machines of the tenant in different servers according to the first mapping relationship.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Ming Zheng, Xingfeng Jiang
  • Publication number: 20150113961
    Abstract: An engine system for treating nitrogen oxides present in an exhaust gas generated by the combustion of fuel. The engine system includes one or more long breathing lean nitrogen oxide traps that is/are configured to store at least a portion of the nitrogen oxide in the exhaust gas when the lean nitrogen oxide trap operates in an absorption mode. The lean nitrogen oxide trap is also configured for the conversion of the nitrates stored by the lean nitrogen oxide trap during a regeneration event. The engine-out nitrogen oxide levels may be reduced to extend the duration of the absorption process, thereby reducing both the frequency of regeneration events and the associated fuel penalty. The system may include primary and secondary exhaust gas recirculation systems, with exhaust gas from the secondary system being returned to the engine cylinder to reduce the level of nitrogen oxides in that exhaust gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: William de Ojeda, Ming Zheng, Xiaoye Han, Marko Jeftic, Meiping Wang
  • Publication number: 20140358405
    Abstract: A premixed charge of air and a low reactivity fuel is created in a combustion chamber space by the time at which a piston comes substantially to top dead center at which time a high reactivity fuel is directly injected into a central zone of the combustion chamber space which is bounded partially by a central bowl cavity in the piston head which is itself surrounded by an upright intermediate wall. The high reactivity fuel combusts by conventional diesel combustion and creates a flame front which propagates into an outer zone of the combustion chamber space which is bounded partially by the upright intermediate wall and an outer bowl cavity in the piston head to initiate combustion of the premixed air-fuel charge in the outer zone of the combustion chamber space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: International Engine Intellectual Property Company LLC
    Inventors: William de Ojeda, Ming Zheng
  • Patent number: 8798695
    Abstract: Methods and systems of detecting objects in proximity to user devices and distinguishing between object types are described. One method includes measuring a magnitude of mutual coupling between two antennas of the user device using a transmitted signal by a first antenna and a received signal by a second antenna. The method distinguishes between the user device being proximate to free space, a first object type or a second object type using the magnitude of mutual coupling or magnitude of received signal strength. The first object type includes non-water-based objects that do not absorb electromagnetic radiation and the second object type includes objects that absorb electromagnetic radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ming Zheng, Mark Corbridge
  • Publication number: 20140174991
    Abstract: A process for fractionating a nanoparticle composition, the process includes combining a first polymer, a second polymer, and a solvent to form a fluid and contacting the nanoparticle composition with the fluid. The nanoparticle composition includes a plurality of first nanoparticles, a plurality of second nanoparticles, and a dispersant disposed on an exterior surface of the first nanoparticles and the second nanoparticles. Fractionating the nanoparticle composition also includes forming a multiphase composition that includes a first phase and a second phase by partitioning the first polymer and the second polymer such that a concentration of the first polymer is greater than a concentration of the second polymer in the first phase, and the concentration of the second polymer is greater than the first polymer in the second phase, wherein the solvent is present in the first phase and the second phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: CONSTANTINE Y. KHRIPIN, MING ZHENG
  • Publication number: 20140097991
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising: a first antenna having a first end coupled to a first port and a second end coupled to a second port, the first antenna extending between the first and second ends and having a mid-point substantially halfway between the first and second ends, the first antenna having a first electrical length and resonant in a first operational resonant frequency band; a second antenna extending from the first antenna at a position between one of the first and second ends and the mid-point of the first antenna, the second antenna having a second electrical length and resonant in a second operational resonant frequency band; and a third antenna extending from the first antenna at position between one of the first and second ends and the mid-point of the first antenna, the third antenna having a third electrical length and resonant in a third operational resonant frequency band.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Inventors: Ming Zheng, Hanyang Wang
  • Publication number: 20140076295
    Abstract: An ignition system for an internal combustion engine includes an igniter having at least two high voltage (HV) electrodes and a low voltage (LV) electrode. The at least two HV electrodes are electrically isolated one from the other and the at least two HV electrodes are electrically isolated from the LV electrode. The system includes a coil assembly having at least one primary winding and at least two secondary windings, each secondary winding having a terminal for providing a HV signal. A driver module is provided for energizing the coil assembly. A high-tension cable, comprising at least two resistive wires, connects the at least two HV electrodes to the terminals of respective ones of the at least two secondary windings. The high-tension cable further comprises a non-resistive wire connecting the LV electrode to the driver module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Inventors: Ming ZHENG, Shui YU, Kelvin XIE