Patents by Inventor Tien-Fa Hou

Tien-Fa Hou 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: 7692602
    Abstract: The present invention provides a control apparatus of an antenna array. The control apparatus of an antenna array comprises a control circuit including a serial interface circuit connected to the first switch and the second switch by a first control line and a second control line separately, and an antenna coupled between the first switch and the second switch. The serial interface circuit controls On/Off status of the first switch and the second switch separately through the first control line and the second control line. Furthermore, the control circuit and the others can be connected serially through the included serial interface circuits to increase the number of antennas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: G-Time Electronic Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Che-Ming Wu, Tien-Fa Hou
  • Publication number: 20090102120
    Abstract: In a radio-frequency identification (RFID) system capable of detecting RFID tag orientation, a RFID tag thereof comprises a plurality of antennas. When a particular one of the antennas receives an RF signal from a reader of the RFID system, the RFID tag is able to send out an identification data corresponding to that antenna receiving the RF signal, enabling a processor of the RFID system to determine the position and orientation of the RFID tag based on the identification data read by the reader. A puzzle system can be designed by employing the RFID system capable of detecting RFID tag orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Applicant: G-TIME ELECTRONIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: TIEN-FA HOU, CHE-MING WU
  • Publication number: 20090092951
    Abstract: The invention discloses a sensing type learning card and a learning system including the card and a card reader. The sensing type learning card includes at least one card body and at least one identification label. The card reader includes a platform with a defined card disposing area, at least one sensing unit installed at the platform, at least one display unit installed on the card disposing area, a storage unit for storing at least one learning data, and a processing unit. The card body includes a transparent area. The identification label stores an identification data. If the sensing type learning card is disposed on the card disposing area, the sensing unit senses the identification label to read the identification data, and the processing unit inquires a learning data corresponding to the identification data from the storage unit, and drives the display unit to display the inquired learning data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Inventors: Tien-Fa HOU, Che-Ming WU
  • Publication number: 20090066711
    Abstract: This invention discloses a RF sensing system, a RF display device and a puzzle system using the same. The RF sensing system includes a platform, at least one RF reader and a RF display device. The RF reader is installed at the platform for generating a radio signal. The RF display device includes a display panel and a flat panel. If the RF display device receives the radio signal, the display panel can change a display state. The flat panel has a text or an image. If the display panel is at an opaque state, at least a portion of the text or the image is blocked by the display panel. If the display panel is at a transparent state, the text or the image is exposed. If the flat panel has a puzzle pattern, several RF display devices can be used for forming a puzzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: G-TIME ELECTRONIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tien-Fa Hou, Che-Ming Wu
  • Publication number: 20090058607
    Abstract: This invention discloses a RFID positioning apparatus and a method for identifying and positioning at least one RFID tag. The apparatus comprises a transmission module for transmitting a frequency, a capacitor, sensing modules, an identification module and circuit modules. A first switching unit of the sensing module performs a connection operation according to the frequency to form a magnetic flux of a induction coil and the capacitor, such that the first induction coil senses an identification signal of a RFID tag. The identification module receives the identification signal for identifying and positioning the RFID tag. Each circuit module is connected to the transmission module, sensing module, capacitor and identification module, and transmits the identification signal. The circuit modules have substantially equal length to achieve a matched status of all induction coils.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: G-TIME ELECTRONIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: TIEN-FA HOU, CHE-MING WU, YING-FENG WU
  • Publication number: 20090058002
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a learning device and its method. The learning device comprises a platform, a plurality of puzzle pieces, a plurality of reading units, a storage unit and a processing unit. Each puzzle piece includes a pattern and at least one ID code. The reading unit is used for reading the ID code. The storage unit is used for storing a plurality of records of learning information related to the patterns of the puzzle pieces. The processing unit selects one of the learning information, generates a hint signal of the selected learning information to hint a user about a specified position of placing the puzzle piece on the platform, scans the reading units to obtain the read ID code to determine the position of the puzzle piece placed on the platform, compares the determined position with the specified position, and generates a response signal according to a determining result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: G-TIME ELECTRONIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: TIEN-FA HOU
  • Publication number: 20090008875
    Abstract: A game system and a method of playing game are disclosed. The game system comprises puzzle blocks being provided with at least one identifier each, reader units for separately reading the identifiers of the puzzle blocks, a storage unit for storing at least one game mode which is corresponding to a permutation data of the puzzle blocks, a selection unit for selecting a desired game mode, and a processing unit for scanning the reader units and identifying current positions of the puzzle blocks based on the identifiers read by the reader units, and comparing the positions of puzzle blocks with the permutation data of puzzle blocks corresponding to the selected game mode, and generating a response message based on comparison result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Applicant: G-TIME ELECTRONIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: CHE-MING WU, TIEN-FA HOU
  • Publication number: 20090008456
    Abstract: The present invention disclose an array reading system for detecting at least one object that has at least one tag identifier provided thereon, which comprises an array reader, a digital control circuit, and a processor. The array reader includes a plurality of image sensors for reading the at least one tag identifier separately, and a multi-channel analog circuit. The digital control circuit is electrically connected to the multi-channel analog circuit of the array reader for scanning the at least one tag identifier on the object to thereby detect a manner in which the object is positioned. The processor identifies based on the positioning manner of the object and the tag identifier whether the object is put at a correct position. With these arrangements, it is possible to quickly read data of the tag identifier and locate the position of the object using the array reader.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Applicant: G-TIME ELECTRONIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: CHE-MING WU, TIEN-FA HOU
  • Publication number: 20070182660
    Abstract: The present invention provides a control apparatus of an antenna array. The control apparatus of an antenna array comprises a control circuit including a serial interface circuit connected to the first switch and the second switch by a first control line and a second control line separately, and an antenna coupled between the first switch and the second switch. The serial interface circuit controls On/Off status of the first switch and the second switch separately through the first control line and the second control line. Furthermore, the control circuit and the others can be connected serially through the included serial interface circuits to increase the number of antennas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2006
    Publication date: August 9, 2007
    Inventors: Che-Ming Wu, Tien-Fa Hou
  • Patent number: 7218230
    Abstract: A RFID system applying to a three-dimensional jigsaw is provided. The RFID system includes a jigsaw substrate having a plurality of blocks, a plurality of jigsaw units corresponding to each blocks of the jigsaw substrate, a RFID reader having a plurality of antennas positioned in a position of each blocks of the jigsaw substrate, and a plurality of tags positioned in a position of each face of a three-dimensional jigsaw unit corresponding to the positions of the antennas, wherein the RFID reader communicates to the tags using modulated radio signals through the antennas and the tags respond with modulated radio signals in order to determine whether the orientation of the three-dimensional jigsaw unit is correct or not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: G-Time Electronic Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ming-Che Wu, Tien-Fa Hou
  • Patent number: 7205896
    Abstract: An RFID reader having a multi-dimensional antenna array makes use of electronic circuits to change the antennas or coils of an RFID device to form a multi-dimensional antenna array, thereby accomplishing detection of the ID codes of RFID tag devices in a scanning way of the RFID technology. This scanning method can also actively discriminate the locations of RFID tag devices. The RFID reader having a multi-dimensional antenna array can scan a plurality of RFID tag devices, and can also effectively discriminate the locations of these RFID tag devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: G-Time Electronic Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Che-Ming Wu, Tien-Fa Hou
  • Publication number: 20060197669
    Abstract: A RFID system applying to a three-dimensional jigsaw is provided. The RFID system includes a jigsaw substrate having a plurality of blocks, a plurality of jigsaw units corresponding to each blocks of the jigsaw substrate, a RFID reader having a plurality of antennas positioned in a position of each blocks of the jigsaw substrate, and a plurality of tags positioned in a position of each face of a three-dimensional jigsaw unit corresponding to the positions of the antennas, wherein the RFID reader communicates to the tags using modulated radio signals through the antennas and the tags respond with modulated radio signals in order to determine whether the orientation of the three-dimensional jigsaw unit is correct or not.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Publication date: September 7, 2006
    Inventors: Che-Ming Wu, Tien-Fa Hou
  • Publication number: 20060187051
    Abstract: An RFID reader having a multi-dimensional antenna array makes use of electronic circuits to change the antennas or coils of an RFID device to form a multi-dimensional antenna array, thereby accomplishing detection of the ID codes of RFID tag devices in a scanning way of the RFID technology. This scanning method can also actively discriminate the locations of RFID tag devices. The RFID reader having a multi-dimensional antenna array can scan a plurality of RFID tag devices, and can also effectively discriminate the locations of these RFID tag devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2005
    Publication date: August 24, 2006
    Inventors: Che-Ming Wu, Tien-Fa Hou