Patents by Inventor Robert Blanchard

Robert Blanchard 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).

  • Publication number: 20150252899
    Abstract: A transmission assembly for a self-propelled machine includes a transmission housing fitted with an input shaft, an output shaft, a mechanism for reversing the rotational drive direction of the output shaft, and a brake mechanism, each mechanism including a control, the direction reversing and brake controls carried by the housing being mounted respectively movable, one between at least three positions: a neutral, a forward and a reverse position, the other between at least a first braking position and a non-braking position, the brake control being couplable to a brake control member that can be actuated by the operator, in order to shift the brake control from the non-braking to the first braking position. The brake control has a separate second braking position, and the transmission assembly includes return elements capable, in the neutral position of the direction reversing control, of returning the brake control to the second braking position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Applicant: FRANCE REDUCTEURS
    Inventor: Robert Blanchard
  • Patent number: 9124951
    Abstract: An example apparatus that processes DTVCC data has a demultiplexer that extracts DTVCC data packets from a DTV signal. A parser parses the DTVCC data packets by: passing normal DTVCC data to a CC decoder; detecting ancillary data in the DTVCC data packets; and separating the ancillary data from the DTVCC data for output to an ancillary data process. An apparatus that processes DTVCC data has an ancillary data packager that packages data ancillary to DTV data for insertion into the DTVCC data packets. A DTVCC data packager receives CC data into DTVCC data packets and packages the ancillary data together with the DTVCC data into DTVCC data packets. A multiplexer multiplexes the DTVCC data packets from the DTVCC data packager with non-CCDTV data to produce DTV signal data. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Blanchard, Mark Kenneth Eyer
  • Publication number: 20150007219
    Abstract: A method consistent with certain implementations involves delivering a triggered declarative object (TDO) to a television receiver device that carries out a programmed routine when user activated and includes an announcement definition that announces presence of the TDO to the at the announcement time; and the TDO including data that defines a time of display of an announcement and a location on a video display for display of the announcement of the TDO. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robert Blanchard, Mark Kenneth Eyer
  • Patent number: 8863171
    Abstract: A method consistent with certain implementations involves delivering a triggered declarative object (TDO) to a television receiver device that carries out a programmed routine when user activated and includes an announcement definition that announces presence of the TDO to the at the announcement time; and the TDO including data that defines a time of display of an announcement and a location on a video display for display of the announcement of the TDO. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Blanchard, Mark Kenneth Eyer
  • Patent number: 8851256
    Abstract: A transmission between a driving primary shaft and an outlet shaft of a self-propelled machine, includes a housing within which there are housed, at least in part: a stepdown mechanism; two clutch mechanisms, one being progressive and the other being non-progressive with a movable dog; and a clutch control device including first and second clutch control elements. The second clutch control elements include at least one spring blade extending along the outlet shaft, the spring blade being mounted to move axially on the outlet shaft during axial movement of the dog from the unclutched extreme position towards a clutched position as a result of the movable dog bearing thereagainst, the spring blade being drivable axially on the shaft and being elastically deformable between an active position in which the dog comes into abutment against the spring blade, and an inactive position in which the dog slides along the spring blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: France Reducteurs
    Inventor: Robert Blanchard
  • Publication number: 20140259052
    Abstract: An example apparatus that processes DTVCC data has a demultiplexer that extracts DTVCC data packets from a DTV signal. A parser parses the DTVCC data packets by: passing normal DTVCC data to a CC decoder; detecting ancillary data in the DTVCC data packets; and separating the ancillary data from the DTVCC data for output to an ancillary data process. An apparatus that processes DTVCC data has an ancillary data packager that packages data ancillary to DTV data for insertion into the DTVCC data packets. A DTVCC data packager receives CC data into DTVCC data packets and packages the ancillary data together with the DTVCC data into DTVCC data packets. A multiplexer multiplexes the DTVCC data packets from the DTVCC data packager with non-CCDTV data to produce DTV signal data. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robert Blanchard, MARK KENNETH EYER
  • Patent number: 8813164
    Abstract: An example apparatus that processes DTVCC data has a demultiplexer that extracts DTVCC data packets from an DTV signal. A parser receives the DTVCC data packets and parses the data packets by: passing normal DTVCC data to a CC decoder; detecting ancillary data in the DTVCC data packets; and separating the ancillary data from the DTVCC data for output to an ancillary data process. An example apparatus that processes DTVCC data has an ancillary data packager that packages data ancillary to DTV data for insertion into the DTVCC data packets. A DTVCC data packager receives CC data from a CC data source into DTVCC data packets and packages the ancillary data together with the DTVCC data into DTVCC data packets. A multiplexer multiplexes the DTVCC data packets from the DTVCC data packager with non-CCDTV data to produce DTV signal data. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Blanchard, Mark Kenneth Eyer
  • Publication number: 20140189729
    Abstract: A method of processing a boot sequence for a processor forming a part of a module apparatus involves interrogating a host television device to determine if the host television device requires use of an application execution engine residing on the module apparatus; receiving a reply to the interrogation; and responsive to the reply, establishing a mode of operation wherein the application execution engine is used to execute application code for the host television device. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicants: SONY ELECTRONICS INC., SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: George Williams, Xudong Yu, Toshiro Ozawa, Rolf Toft, Leo M. Pedlow, JR., Brant L. Candelore, David Boyden, Robert Blanchard, Christopher Jensen Read
  • Patent number: 8718198
    Abstract: A method of processing a boot sequence for a processor forming a part of a module apparatus involves interrogating a host television device to determine if the host television device requires use of an application execution engine residing on the module apparatus; receiving a reply to the interrogation; and responsive to the reply, establishing a mode of operation wherein the application execution engine is used to execute application code for the host television device. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: George Williams, Xudong Yu, Toshiro Ozawa, Rolf Toft, Leo M. Pedlow, Jr., Brant L. Candelore, David Boyden, Robert Blanchard, Christopher Jensen Read
  • Patent number: 8713625
    Abstract: In certain implementations, closed captioning data can be packaged in IP packets and transmitted over an HDMI interface to permit closed captioning data to be rendered at a television set or other HDMI sink closer to the TV set rather than at a source so as to more closely match the capabilities of the display device. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Blanchard, Mark Kenneth Eyer, Peter Rae Shintani
  • Patent number: 8671790
    Abstract: Transmission mechanism housing (1) of the type including two half-shells (1A, 1B) that can be assembled generally via a parting line, this housing (1) accommodating at least one control member (2) moved angularly with the aid of a lever (3) outside the housing (1), the lever (3) including a sleeve (4) that can be inserted removably into a receiving bearing (5) of the housing (1), the sleeve (4) being capable, in the state in which it is inserted into the receiving bearing (5), of being held in at least one predetermined axial position by locking elements (6A, 6B). The locking elements (6A, 6B) are configured in order to travel from the locked position to the unlocked position, and vice versa, by simple relative rotary movement of the sleeve (4) and of the bearing (5) about the longitudinal axis of the sleeve (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: France Reducteurs
    Inventor: Robert Blanchard
  • Patent number: 8671791
    Abstract: A direction-reversing device includes at least one input shaft, an output shaft, and direction-reversing element with a clutch sleeve including a moving clutch sleeve, mounted to move axially on one of the shafts carrying it to enable occupying forward and reverse positions. This device also includes a blocking element that is driven in rotation by the input shaft that carries the moving clutch sleeve, whereby this blocking element is mounted to move between the off position, in which the moving clutch sleeve is able to switch from one operating position to the next, and the on position, in which the blocking element forms an obstacle that prevents the switching of the moving clutch sleeve from one position to the next, being able to switch automatically from the off position to the on position when the input shaft is driven at a speed of rotation that exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: France Reducteurs
    Inventor: Robert Blanchard
  • Publication number: 20140063019
    Abstract: A method of two dimensional (2D) content data conversion to three dimensional (3D) content data involves receiving 3D video content and 2D user interface content data via a 2D to 3D content conversion module. A displacement represented by disparity data that defines a separation of left eye and right eye data for 3D rendering of the 2D user interface content data is determined. 3D user interface content data is generated at a 3D depth on the display based upon the received 2D user interface content data and the determined displacement. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: YANG YU, ROBERT BLANCHARD, STEVEN RICHMAN
  • Patent number: 8665380
    Abstract: In accord with embodiments and implementations consistent with the present invention, rather than perform a full scan of every frequency to find a channel, the tuner is programmed to find a reasonable sample of channels. For example, the tuner can search for at least two or three channels to determine the frequency plan of the channels (by virtue of detection of at least one channel) and then use one of the known plans to directly identify the frequency map. The process can then step quickly through each frequency, without optimizing or fine tuning each channel, to determine the existence of a channel. With this process the number of tunable channels is found quicker and the initial setup time is shortened. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Blanchard, Robert L. Hardacker
  • Patent number: 8656799
    Abstract: Transmission device between an input drive shaft and an output shaft, of the type including a housing inside which are placed at least partially a reduction gear mechanism and a progressive cone clutch mechanism, the reduction gear mechanism including a driving member engaged with a driven member, formed by a gearwheel mounted so as to rotate freely on the output shaft and able to be coupled to/uncoupled from the output shaft via two friction cones of the clutch mechanism, the cones being placed coaxial to the axial bore of the gearwheel and capable of coming, under the action of a control device, into bearing contact with a conical bearing surface of the gearwheel. The conical bearing surfaces of the gearwheel are, relative to the axis of rotation of the gearwheel, offset axially from the gear teeth of the gearwheel and are placed on the same side of the gear teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: France Reducteurs
    Inventor: Robert Blanchard
  • Patent number: 8605136
    Abstract: A method of two dimensional (2D) content data conversion to three dimensional (3D) content data in a 3D television involves receiving 3D video content and 2D user interface content data via a 2D to 3D content conversion module. A displacement represented by disparity data that defines a separation of left eye and right eye data for 3D rendering of the 2D user interface content data is determined. The 3D video content is displayed on a display of the 3D television. 3D user interface content data is generated at a 3D depth on the display based upon the received 2D user interface content data and the determined displacement. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yang Yu, Robert Blanchard, Steven Richman
  • Publication number: 20130298086
    Abstract: A method, system and apparatus provide for detection by a display device of an idle mode of a remote sender device. Information received from a remote sender device by a display device is monitored during a normal operating mode of operation of the display device to determine whether the remote sender device is not providing primary content for display by the display device, such as might occur during a sleep or idle mode of the remote sender device. If the display device determines that primary content is not being provided by the remote sender device, then the display device acquires alternate content that may be displayed. This abstract is not to be considered limiting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Inventors: BRANT L. CANDELORE, ROBERT BLANCHARD
  • Patent number: 8485065
    Abstract: A transmission device for an automotive vehicle of the type includes, mounted on an output shaft formed by at least two wheel drive half-shafts of a vehicle mounted to freely rotate one relative to the other, at least one rotary gearwheel, and two clutch mechanisms with clutch sleeves arranged on both sides of the gearwheel. This device includes, on the one hand, two clutch sleeve configurations: the driving configuration of the gearwheel, and the engine brake configuration of the gearwheel, and, on the other hand, a declutching control mechanism that includes at least one clutch sleeve pilot unit, coaxial to the gearwheel, mounted relative to the gearwheel that moves angularly between two end positions. The declutching pilot unit can be driven into each of the end positions by the two wheel drive half-shafts when they are driven at a speed of rotation that is different from that of the gearwheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: France Reducteurs
    Inventor: Robert Blanchard
  • Patent number: 8449022
    Abstract: A reinforced vehicle structure includes a vehicle floor, a reinforcement member, an accessory attachment member and a plurality of mounting structures. The vehicle floor has an underbody floor surface facing an underbody of the vehicle and an interior floor surface facing an interior of the vehicle. The reinforcement member is mounted to the underbody floor surface. The accessory attachment member is mounted to the interior floor surface. The plurality of mounting structures is spaced along the reinforcement member and extends through the vehicle floor to couple the accessory attachment member to the reinforcement member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Pencak, Matthew Mollick, Robert Blanchard, Dan Hustyi
  • Publication number: 20130107121
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided to notify a visually impaired visual media consumer of the availability of audio description for items of visual media via one or more audible indications. Further, a catalog of items of visual media can be sorted or arranged such that items of visual media having audio description may be selected or inquired about in a quicker and more convenient manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION, A JAPANESE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Robert Blanchard