Patents Issued in December 19, 2017
  • Patent number: 9846007
    Abstract: A monitoring apparatus and system for recording, differentiating, and reporting the discharge of firearms. The monitoring apparatus can be mounted to a firearm and may be automatically activated when the firearm is drawn from a holster thus enabling the monitoring apparatus to record information such as sound, video, location, time, and the like. The apparatus may use this information to differentiate between shots fired by the firearm and shots fired by other firearms. The device may report this distinction to a remote computer configured to receive updates from the weapon mounted apparatus in real time. The remote computer may display the information on a user interface such as a map display, and/or distribute the information according to rules defining how the information should be processed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Young, Jack & Wright, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald J. Young, Jamon Jack, Thomas L. Wright
  • Patent number: 9846008
    Abstract: A holster for carrying a concealed weapon in an area of a body between a knee and an ankle. The holster includes a sleeve that has a non-uniform circumference defining a shape contoured to substantially encompass the lower leg of an individual, a closure mechanism that is fixed to the sleeve and configured to allow for expansion and compression of at least part of the sleeve and a pocket that is fixed to the exterior of the sleeve and that is shaped to carry a weapon therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Inventor: Michael C. DiLeo
  • Patent number: 9846009
    Abstract: An interchangeable scope lens covers system comprises a pair of lens covers each comprising a lens cover sleeve that is generally shaped like a hollow cylinder having a generally decreasing diameter from a proximal end to a distal end. Near the distal end, a generally annular lens is removably secured by a lens cap. The lenses are therefore easily removed and interchanged as desired by the user to configure the system to respond to changing shooting conditions. Between the pair of lens covers is attached a plurality of elastic cords or similar materials that hold the lens covers tightly against both ends of a scope tube in order to provide a press fit that keeps moisture, debris, etc. from entering the space between the lens covers and the scope lenses. The press fit forms a seal or barrier between the lens covers and the scope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Engineered Outdoor Products, LLC
    Inventor: Denny McDaniels
  • Patent number: 9846010
    Abstract: A tool for temporarily fitting a sighting scope to a firearm with a mounting rail. The tool includes a vertically moving slide that is adjusted so that the scope is at the correct height. The height of corresponding scope rings required can then be read from the tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Inventor: Steven Pasfield
  • Patent number: 9846011
    Abstract: A motion analysis system includes an acceleration measuring device, an acceleration processor, a velocity processor, a distance processor, a peak velocity processor, a profile correlation processor, and a vehicle action processor. The system determines a time for an initiation of an action for a vehicle by determining that a distance traveled by the vehicle is greater than a safe separation distance and that a peak velocity is greater than a minimum velocity. The system initiates the action for the vehicle based on the verified position of the vehicle and the confirmed profile data as determined by the profile correlation processor, and based on the determination that the distance traveled by the vehicle is greater than the safe separation distance and that the peak velocity is greater than the minimum velocity as determined by the vehicle action processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Alan Clark, Aaron C. Lattimore
  • Patent number: 9846012
    Abstract: A ballistic armored component attaches to the existing retention straps of common combat helmets and provides protection to the otherwise exposed lower skull and upper neck region. A fabric covering contains a soft armor or hard armor insert, and is mounted by straps or other fasteners to existing straps found in conventional helmets. The armor component may be fabric of aramid fibers, or fabric of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene fibers, or may be fabricated of a rigid plate of ceramic, polymer, or metal. The armored component adds additional protection from ground-level or subterranean munitions, by placing a ballistic shape on the lower skull region (occipital region), providing significant additional ballistic coverage with minimal weight and bulk. The fabric shell may also be connected directly to the helmet shell, to allow the component to withdraw within the helmet when the wearer's neck is flexed rearwardly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: LineWeight LLC
    Inventors: Caleb Clark Crye, Eric Owen Fehlberg, Gregg M. Thompson
  • Patent number: 9846013
    Abstract: Vehicle armor may include an assembly of components including an outer armor pack, an air gap, an inner armor pack, and a high energy absorbing layer. At least one version of the outer armor pack may include an outermost outer fiber reinforced composite protective layer of ?1 mm thickness, an outer ceramic armor layer, and an inner fiber reinforced composite support layer to absorb residual energy from small arms. The air gap may be between 1-10 mm to allow for deflection of the outer armor pack. The inner armor pack may include an outer fiber reinforced composite protective layer of ?0.5 mm thickness, an inner segmented ceramic armor layer, and an innermost inner fiber reinforced composite layer of ?10 mm thickness. The high energy absorbing layer may have ?25 mm thickness and be configured to mitigate the effect of residual fragments defeating the outer and inner armor packs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Inventors: Christopher Davies, Roger Medwell
  • Patent number: 9846014
    Abstract: A ballistic material utilizes a three-dimensional, square-based pyramid unit cell (SBPUC) sphere structure that includes four base spheres and a primary sphere, which are tightly packed and in contact with each other. The base spheres and the primary sphere are arranged whereby the centers of each of the base spheres form corners of a square base, while the center of the primary sphere forms an apex, which when connected to the corners, forms an imaginary pyramid. The ballistic material is formed from one or more layers of SBPUCs that are provided between a pair of spaced substrate layers, so as to achieve the desired level of ballistic protection performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON
    Inventors: Xiaosheng Gao, Yibin Fu
  • Patent number: 9846015
    Abstract: A fluid lubricated projectile trap includes a substantially cylindrical chamber defined by a forward concave wall and a rearward concave wall. A bullet funnel extending forwardly therefrom. The funnel having a lower panel connecting to the forward concave wall in conjunction with an end plate defines a pressurized fluid containment with discharge outlets directed to the rearward concave wall. All plumbing may be secured below the ramp and forward of the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Savage Range Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles E. Nester, Ronald Coburn
  • Patent number: 9846016
    Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems may protect a target from undesirable electromagnetic radiation by detecting electromagnetic radiation (including coherent radiation such as laser beams) aimed at a target from a source; calculating a first release position to disrupt the electromagnetic radiation thereby protecting the target; launching a projectile that may include a disruptive medium or a disruptive-medium precursor; directing the projectile to the first release position; and releasing the disruptive medium from the projectile at the first release position, such that the releasing of the disruptive medium forms a cloud of the disruptive medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Donald V. Drouin, Jr., Mark J. Clemen, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9846017
    Abstract: A high pressure obturator for a breech loaded, tube-launched projectile includes a generally annular ring having a central longitudinal axis and a radially inward portion. A flange portion is disposed radially outward of and partially contiguous with the radially inward portion. The flange portion extends axially forward and aft beyond the radially inward portion. The outer diameter of the flange portion decreases linearly from an aft most outer diameter to a forward most outer diameter. The obturator may be formed of a plastic material and include circumferential wraps of a high-strength fiber completely embedded in grooves in the obturator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Ryan Hooke, Tyler Myers
  • Patent number: 9846018
    Abstract: A ram with a multi-axis, multi-directional “self-centering shell holder” having predetermined spacing with respect to its engagement with the shell holder so that the shell holder supporting the cartridge case has the ability to deviate from the ram centerline in any direction to re-align with a centerline of the die bore is provided. The present invention also provides a retaining clip with push down tab allowing for quick insertion and removal of the self-aligning shell holder from the ram top.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Mayville Engineering Company Inc.
    Inventor: Ted P. Schloer
  • Patent number: 9846019
    Abstract: A rocker arm detonator is provided that includes a detonator head, which includes a pivotably arranged firing pin which is acted upon by a firing pin spring, and has a safety clip, which is pivotably disposed in the same direction of rotation as the firing pin from a starting position, in which it is pressed in the direction of the detonator head to a firing pin release position. To reliably avoid an unintentional detonation of the rocker arm detonator prior to its proper use, when the rocker arm detonator is not in use, the firing pin spring is in its untensioned state and may be tensioned by a separate tensioning lever as soon as the rocker arm detonator is to be properly deployed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Rheinmetall Waffe Munition ARGES GmbH
    Inventor: Helge Graf
  • Patent number: 9846020
    Abstract: An arrangement for providing explosive charging and a plug into a bore hole, wherein a hose comprising at least one first conduit is introduced into said bore hole. Also explosive material is introduced to an outlet of said first conduit and thereby into said bore hole. In addition a plug is introduced into said bore hole by the help of said hose. The plug has a diameter, the size of which is configured to be manipulated after or during introducing into said bore hole at a certain depth so that after said introducing the diameter of the plug is larger than before said introducing and so that the surface of the plug after manipulating the size of diameter essentially make a physical contact with the bore hole surface. The plug is introduced by said hose in a releasable manner so that after or during the manipulation of the plug diameter size the plug is configured to be released from the hose and to stay in said bore hole essentially at said certain depth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Normet Oy
    Inventor: Anssi Mykkänen
  • Patent number: 9846021
    Abstract: The present invention relates measuring tapes and methods for making thereof. In particular, the measuring tape of the present invention contains a wipe mechanism for cleaning the tape as it retracts into its housing. The wipe mechanism contains a top wipe and a bottom wipe for removing debris from the top and bottom surfaces of the tape, respectively, when it is retracted after use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Mucktape, LLC
    Inventor: Joseph P. Zelenack, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9846022
    Abstract: An alignment device for a wafer in an industrial process assembly includes an inner surface shaped to conform to an outer surface of a wafer, an outer surface comprising at least two cams; and two ends connecting the inner surface to the outer surface. The two ends are positioned such that when the alignment device is positioned on the outer surface of the wafer, the alignment device extends more than one hundred eighty degrees around the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Dieterich Standard, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathaniel Kirk Kenyon, Bryce Arthur Bingham, John Henry Stehle
  • Patent number: 9846023
    Abstract: A method for monitoring position of and controlling a second nanosatellite (NS) relative to a position of a first NS. Each of the first and second NSs has a rectangular or cubical configuration of independently activatable, current-carrying solenoids, each solenoid having an independent magnetic dipole moment vector, ?1 and ?2. A vector force F and a vector torque are expressed as linear or bilinear combinations of the first set and second set of magnetic moments, and a distance vector extending between the first and second NSs is estimated. Control equations are applied to estimate vectors, ?1 and ?2, required to move the NSs toward a desired NS configuration. This extends to control of N nanosatellites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR OF NASA
    Inventor: Donald I. Soloway
  • Patent number: 9846024
    Abstract: An electric-field sensor is provided that includes a voltage-controlled capacitor and generator circuitry. The voltage-controlled capacitor is influenceable by an electric field created by a target located a distance from the solid-state electric-field sensor. The generator circuitry is configured to generate a modulated voltage for driving the voltage-controlled capacitor to produce a modulated capacitance as the voltage-controlled capacitor is influenced by the electric field to enable measurement of the electric field. In this regard, the voltage-controlled capacitor and generator circuitry are configured such that, in operation, an electric field of the target causes a change in the modulated capacitance and a current flow through the voltage-controlled capacitor. An electric potential of the target, then, is measurable as a function of the change in magnitude of the current flow through the voltage-controlled capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: The University of North Carolina at Charlotte
    Inventor: Maciej Artur Noras
  • Patent number: 9846025
    Abstract: A track data determination system including: a video camera device positioned on a vehicle to capture video data in at least one field-of-view; a geographic positioning unit associated with the vehicle to generate position data and time data; a recording device to store at least one of the following: at least a portion of the video data, at least a portion of the position data, at least a portion of the time data, or any combination thereof; and a controller to: (i) receive the video data, the position data, and/or the time data; and (ii) determine track data based at least in part upon the video data, the position data, and/or the time data. A computer-implemented track data determination method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Wabtec Holding Corp.
    Inventors: Michael Charles Kirchner, Jeffrey D. Kernwein, Chad E. Diefenderfer, Matthew T. Wall
  • Patent number: 9846026
    Abstract: A light-emitting table suitable for use in metrology includes a plurality of light sources and a field to be illuminated. Light-emitting centers of the light sources represent starting points of light source axes which perpendicularly intersect the field to be illuminated. The light-emitting centers of the light sources on one side and the field to be illuminated on the other side delimit an intermediate space in the interior of the light-emitting table. Located between the light source axes within the intermediate space are curved and mirrored surfaces, the focal points or caustics (K) of which are located within the intermediate space between the curved and mirrored surfaces and the field to be illuminated. A coordinate measuring machine for capturing the coordinates of a workpiece includes at least one optical sensor and a light-emitting table for illuminating the workpiece during measurement of the coordinates of the workpiece using the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Industrielle Messtechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Nils Haverkamp
  • Patent number: 9846027
    Abstract: A measuring apparatus, method and program with which a distance between two points that are not within one photographing range can be easily measured is provided. According to an embodiment, a representative point is set in an image in which a start point is set, and the coordinates, of the points and characteristic quantity of a neighborhood image is stored. Hereafter in each image until an end point is set, a representative point of the most recent image is searched, the coordinates thereof are stored, a new representative point is set, the coordinates thereof and the characteristic quantity of the neighborhood image are stored, and the coordinates of the end point are stored. A vector between the respective two points connecting the start point, representative points and the end point in the sequence of setting is calculated, and the distance between the start point and the end point is calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Isao Kimura, Atsushi Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 9846028
    Abstract: A film thickness measurement device 1A includes a light emission unit 10 for emitting light onto a measurement object 100, a light detection unit 20A for detecting the wavelength-dependent intensity of reflected light, and a film thickness calculation unit 30A for determining the film thickness of a first film 102 by comparing measured spectral reflectance obtained based on the detection result in the light detection unit 20A with theoretical spectral reflectance that takes into account front surface reflectance, front surface transmissivity, and back surface reflectance. The film thickness calculation unit 30A compares the measured spectral reflectance with a plurality of values of the theoretical spectral reflectance obtained by changing the front surface reflectance value, the front surface transmissivity value, and the back surface reflectance value, and determines the film thickness of the first film 102 based on the theoretical spectral reflectance closest to the measured spectral reflectance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Kenichi Ohtsuka, Tetsuhisa Nakano
  • Patent number: 9846029
    Abstract: The invention relates to a laser system (100) comprising a laser receiver (10) and a laser emitter (20) and to a method using this system (100). The laser receiver is designed for locating a laser beam (22) relative to the laser receiver (10) by its laser light photo sensor (1). The laser receiver (10) has an acceleration sensor (4) providing a signal indicating a movement of the laser receiver together with a movement direction and an acceleration of this movement and a circuitry (3) connected to said photo sensor (1) and to the acceleration sensor (4) designed to compute and correlate the signals of photo sensor (1) and acceleration sensor (4) and to weight the information derived from the acceleration sensor (4). Laser receiver and laser emitter of the laser system are both provided with communication means, so that by communicating the weighted information the laser plane can be adjusted and/or re-adjusted in response to a movement of the leaser receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Charles Leopold Elisabeth Dumoulin, Anton Kehl
  • Patent number: 9846030
    Abstract: An optical method of measurement and an optical apparatus for determining the spatial position of at least one luminous object on a sample. A sequence of at least two compact luminous distributions of different topological families is projected onto the sample, and light re-emitted by the luminous object is detected. At least one optical image is generated for each luminous distribution on the basis of the light detected. The optical images are analyzed to obtain spatiotemporal information regarding the light re-emitted by the luminous object, or location of the luminous object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Bioaxial SAS
    Inventor: Gabriel Y. Sirat
  • Patent number: 9846031
    Abstract: A method for testing a vehicle underbody of a motor vehicle includes: recording at least one image of at least one region of the vehicle underbody of the motor vehicle using a camera device; producing a three-dimensional depth image with the aid of the at least one recorded image of the at least one region of the vehicle underbody of the motor vehicle; and testing the at least one region of the vehicle underbody of the motor vehicle with the aid of the produced three-dimensional depth image of the vehicle underbody using optical image recognition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Guenter Nobis, Volker Uffenkamp, Masato Takami
  • Patent number: 9846032
    Abstract: Systems, methods, for three-dimensional (“3D”) and computer-readable media fluid scanning are provided. According to some embodiments, there is provided a method that may include adding a first predetermined amount of fluid into a container, measuring a first fluid height in the container after the adding the first predetermined amount of fluid, adding a second predetermined amount of fluid into the container when the first predetermined amount of fluid is in the container, measuring a second fluid height in the container after the adding the second predetermined amount of fluid, emptying the fluid from the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Inventor: John William Ladd
  • Patent number: 9846033
    Abstract: A laser level including a laser level body for projecting a laser beam, the laser level body including an adjustable stand having a left frame and a right frame independently manually displaceable between a fully closed frame position for storage purposes and a fully opened frame position for raising the laser level body to a maximum height above a horizontal reference surface. The adjustable stand enables the laser level body to be selectively inclined with respect to the horizontal reference surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: KAPRO INDUSTRIES LTD.
    Inventors: Yossi Palatshe, Rafi Ben Josef
  • Patent number: 9846034
    Abstract: A device and method for projecting visible level laser lines onto a work surface and measuring distances along the level laser lines. The device includes a self-leveling laser housing that allows the lasers to level when activated. The device also includes separate distance measuring lasers and a handheld display used to measure distances from the center of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Sure Hang, LLC
    Inventor: Jayson Hill
  • Patent number: 9846035
    Abstract: A geodatic surveying device which is equipped with an automatic target point sighting functionality for determining the position of a target point. A reticle pattern that corresponds to the outer shape of the known reticle is stored, wherein a main point of the reticle pattern is predefined as indicating the target point. In order to carry out an automatic target point sighting functionality, the evaluation means are designed such that, after the function start, a camera image of the reticle is automatically recorded, the reticle pattern is aligned with the reticle in the camera image by means of image processing and, depending on a position of the main point in the camera image in the matched state of the reticle pattern, the orientation of the sighting apparatus is changed in a motorized manner such that the optical target axis OA is oriented with high precision at the target point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: HEXAGON TECHNOLOGY CENTER GMBH
    Inventors: Norbert Kotzur, Bernhard Metzler
  • Patent number: 9846036
    Abstract: There is provided an angular velocity sensor including first and second mass bodies provided within a first frame, a first flexible connector system connecting the first and second mass bodies and the first frame and that includes at least one sensor to detect displacements of the first and second mass bodies, a second flexible connector system connecting the first frame to a second frame provided separate from the first frame and that includes a driver to drive movement of the first frame relative to the second frame, so angular velocities can be measured based on the first and second mass bodies being enabled to rotate in a first axis direction and translated in a second axis direction, and based on the first frame being flexibly connected to the second frame so that a rotation displacement of the first frame is made in a third axis direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong Woon Kim, Won Han, Jong Hyeong Song
  • Patent number: 9846037
    Abstract: A closed-loop microelectromechanical gyroscope with a self-test function. At least one test input signal is generated from a signal of the vibrational primary motion and input during operation of the microelectromechanical gyroscope to the sense circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Lasse Aaltonen
  • Patent number: 9846038
    Abstract: Described herein are implementations of various technologies for an apparatus and method for providing navigation data. In one implementation, a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of computer-executable instructions. When the plurality of computer-executable instructions are executed by a computer, the plurality of executable instructions causes the computer to receive a user selection of a plurality of points of navigation data and receive a user selection of a geographical region. The computer can select at least a portion of the plurality of the points of the navigation data that are in the geographical region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: NAVICO HOLDING AS
    Inventors: Stephen Thomas, Tracy Brown, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9846039
    Abstract: A method of computing an aircraft trajectory, between a departure point and an arrival point, comprises: loading the departure point and a departure angle; determining two waypoints; loading the arrival point and an arrival angle; determining two departure circles of respectively left and right type, which are tangent to the oriented departure straight line respectively on the left and on the right, and passing respectively through the waypoint of left type and through waypoint of right type; determining two arrival circles of respectively left and right type which are tangent to the oriented arrival straight line respectively on its left and on its right and passing through the arrival point; determining a plurality of continuous geometric lateral trajectories comprising an initial portion comprising a portion of a departure circle, a final portion equal to a portion of an arrival circle, and an intermediate portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Vincent Savarit, Emmanuel Dewas, Yohann Combes
  • Patent number: 9846040
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for determining the orientation of an inertial measurement unit (IMU). The method calculates a gyroscopic quaternion, and when the IMU accelerometer reading is about equal to gravity (1 G), a field quaternion is calculated using IMU accelerometer readings. Estimates are made of angular orientation errors due to IMU angular velocity and linear acceleration, and these angular orientation errors are used to selectively mix the gyroscopic quaternion and field quaternion to supply a current sample quaternion. Alternatively, if the accelerometer reading is not about equal to 1 G, the gyroscopic quaternion is used as the current sample quaternion. In one aspect, IMU gyroscope readings and IMU accelerometer readings are calibrated in response to determining a lack of IMU movement. Near-zero gyroscope reading jitter is removed by setting the IMU gyroscopic reading to zero, when the gyroscopic reading is near zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Bryan Hallberg
  • Patent number: 9846041
    Abstract: A mobile device providing time regulated navigational guidance for travel to a flight gate in an airport terminal, based on the time for boarding the flight, the preferences of the traveler, estimated transit times on various segments of a route to the gate from a starting point of the travel (or the current location of the mobile device) involving different transportation modalities, and wait times at various queues in the airport. Notifications and/or reminders are provided according to the time estimates to guide the travel for timely travel to the gate and optionally recommend points of interest on the way to the gate within the time constraint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: OneMarket Network LLC
    Inventor: Dana Lu Silverstein
  • Patent number: 9846042
    Abstract: An indoor localization system uses Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (VSLAM) aided by gyroscope sensor information. Indoor environments pose several challenges which could cause a vision only system to fail due to tracking errors. Investigation revealed significant feature loss in a vision only system when traversing plain walls, windows and staircases. However, the addition of a gyroscope helps in handling such difficult conditions by providing additional rotational information. A portable system consisting of an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and a stereo camera has been developed for indoor mapping. The images and gyroscope rates acquired by the system are stored and post-processed using Gyroscope Assisted Scalable Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping Algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
    Inventors: Benzun Wisely Babu, David Cyganski, R. James Duckworth
  • Patent number: 9846043
    Abstract: A map creation apparatus includes an image receiver configured to receive images in time series while moving; a first calculator configured to extract an image area indicating an object from the images and calculate a coordinate of the object in a world coordinate system; a second calculator configured to track the object in the extracted image area with the images and calculate an optical flow of the object; an eliminator configured to calculate a difference in coordinate between vanishing points generated by the movement of the image receiver and the object based on the optical flow, and eliminate the image area of the object from the images when determining the object as a moving object based on the calculated difference; and a storage controller configured to store map information including the coordinate of the object, not eliminated by the moving object eliminator, in the world coordinate system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Aoki, Tamon Sadasue, Yasuhiro Kajiwara, Kazuhiro Takazawa, Kazufumi Matsushita, Yasuko Hashimoto, Yasuko Shirataka
  • Patent number: 9846044
    Abstract: A travel information recording system for associating travel information on a vehicle obtained immediately after travel through a branch location with an appropriate road segment includes: travel segment specifying unit for specifying a travel segment that is a road segment in which a vehicle is traveling; and travel information recorder for recording travel information on the vehicle obtained during travel in the travel segment in association with the travel segment in a storage medium. In the case where there occurs a segment variation in which the travel segment is varied from one of several road segments branched off from a branch location, the travel information recorder acquires the travel information to be recorded in association with a post-variation segment, which is the travel segment after the segment variation, on the basis of the travel information obtained before the segment variation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignees: AISIN AW CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenta Sanami, Satoshi Hirano, Takayuki Miyajima, Tomoki Kodan, Kuniaki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9846045
    Abstract: A method, system, and device for naming a location at which a user is present with a mobile communication device, including retrieving general information relating to the location, the general information managed by or for an entity other than the user; comparing the retrieved general information relating the location to user-specific information managed by or for the user; identifying at least one atemporal correlation between the retrieved general information and the user-specific information; generating a plurality of names for the location based on the atemporal correlation between the retrieved general information and the user-specific information providing the plurality of names for the location for selection; and storing the name selected for the location from the plurality of names.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: SCENERA MOBILE TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Munindar P. Singh, Mona Singh
  • Patent number: 9846046
    Abstract: A vehicle based computing system processor is operable to receive the coordinates from a GPS and transmit the coordinates to a remote network. The processor is operable to receive map data pertaining to a route to be traveled by the vehicle, including a recommended starting road. The processor is able to audibly announce the recommended starting road name on which the vehicle is not presently traveling and to determine if the vehicle has reached that road. The processor is operable to output at least initial instructions for the route to be traveled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Schunder, Joseph J. Berry, Mark Scalf
  • Patent number: 9846047
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and non-transitory computer readable storage medium, in one embodiment, associating at least one wireless device and at least one user, requesting audio information from at least one remote source by the at least one wireless device, receiving the audio information from the remote source, broadcasting an audio identifier to the at least one wireless device, using the audio information, authenticating the association between the at least one wireless device and at least one transport, based on the audio information, determining at least one characteristic of the at least one user based on at least one of at least one user search history and at least one user preference selection and determining at least one probable route of the at least one transport based on the at least one characteristic and at least one of at least one route history and at least one input destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Open Invention Network LLC
    Inventor: David Gerard Ledet
  • Patent number: 9846048
    Abstract: There is provided a route guidance apparatus including a route search unit which searches for at least one route, to a predetermined destination, which is to be traveled by an electric vehicle propelled by electric power stored in a secondary battery provided within the vehicle, and a power consumption calculation unit which calculates power consumption of the electric vehicle when a route to a destination, which was searched for by the route search unit, is traveled by the electric vehicle, based on information on electric power to be consumed when the electric vehicle travels and geographical information relating to the route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihito Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 9846049
    Abstract: Driving history of a user with regard to a particular road intersection can be collected and retained in storage. A Markov model can be used to predict likelihood of the user making a particular decision regarding the intersection. A highest likelihood decision can be identified and used to create a travel route. In addition, contextual information can be taken into account when creating the route, such as time of day, road conditions, user situation, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventor: John Charles Krumm
  • Patent number: 9846050
    Abstract: A method for providing path attributes to controllers in a vehicle includes determining a location of a vehicle and a future driving path for the vehicle. The method includes determining, based on a drive history for the vehicle or a driver of the vehicle, drive history path attributes for the future driving path. The method also includes providing the drive history path attributes to a plurality of controllers via a controller bus, wherein the drive history path attributes are provided to the plurality of controllers using a common protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Scott Vincent Myers, Shane Elwart, David A Herman
  • Patent number: 9846051
    Abstract: A navigation system for a motor vehicle includes: an off-board navigation system spatially separated from the motor vehicle, for calculating a suggested route for the motor vehicle; a wireless communication connection between the off-board navigation system and the motor vehicle, for transmitting the suggested route to the motor vehicle; and a man-machine interface arranged in the motor vehicle, for outputting the suggested route to an operator of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AG
    Inventors: Arne Stoschek, Brian Ng, Philippe Alessandrini, Daniel Rosario
  • Patent number: 9846052
    Abstract: A method of creating an electronic travel route includes providing a user interface that includes electronic geographic maps. Routes created by users using the user interface are stored. The routes include mapped electronic routes along which the users have traveled. The method includes receiving geographic information and a request from a requester to create a new route. A set of the routes created are provided to the requester based on the geographic information. Selections of portions of the set of the routes are accepted to create the new route. Based on the new route, a processor of a computer is used to create a set of geographic markers and instructions for traversing the new route. The new route and instructions for traversing the new route are provided based on a search.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: BLACKRIVER SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventor: Eric Lynn
  • Patent number: 9846053
    Abstract: A method of creating map data for enhancing a digital map having a plurality of navigable segments representing a network of navigable segments by applying point locations to the map which correspond to individual events on the network; generating a heat map representing the concentrations of events according to a selected distribution function; applying a threshold calculation to the heat map to identify one or more zones, on the network having a high concentration of events; and associating the or each zone with at least one segment in the digital map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: TOMTOM TRAFFIC B.V.
    Inventors: Gunnar Schmidt, Antoine Carl van der Laan
  • Patent number: 9846054
    Abstract: A system comprises a plurality of sensors, a sensor processor, and a sampling rate engine. The sensor processor is coupled to an output of each sensor of the plurality of sensors. The sensor processor estimates user dynamics in response to a first output signal of a first sensor of the plurality of sensors. The sampling rate engine is coupled to an output of the sensor processor./ The sampling rate engine determines a sampling rate value of a second sensor of the plurality of sensors in response to a user dynamics value from the sensor processor. The second sensor comprises a selectable sampling rate. The selectable sampling rate is configured in response to the sampling rate value determined by the sampling rate engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Deric Wayne Waters, Jayawardan Janardhanan, Saket Thukral
  • Patent number: 9846055
    Abstract: A vibratory gyroscope system is described which utilizes a mechanical resonator having a first mode of vibration and an associated first natural frequency, and a second mode of vibration having an associated second natural frequency. The angular rate of motion input couples energy between the first and second modes of vibration. The gyroscope has driver circuits, sensors and actuators for the first and second modes. The invention utilizes a bias error shifting method which provides for shifting the bias error away from DC to a higher frequency, where it can be removed by low pass filtering. As a result of the inventive method, gyroscope systems can be produced with significantly lower bias error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Bernhard E. Boser, Mitchell H. Kline, Igor Izyumin, Yu-Ching Yeh, Burak Eminoglu
  • Patent number: 9846056
    Abstract: A metering system for metering consumption of a commodity. The metering system includes a meter socket, a meter, and a controller. The meter socket has a tag with identification information. The meter includes a sensor configured to read the identification information from the tag of the meter socket and provide a signal indicative of the identification information from the tag. The controller includes a memory and a processor and is configured to record energy consumption data from the meter. The processor is configured to receive the signal indicative of the identification information of the tag and associate the energy consumption data with the identification information of the tag. The processor is further configured to store the energy consumption data associated with the identification information of the tag in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Vlad Pambucol, John Richard Holt, Konstantin Labastov, David Cooper, Scott Holdsclaw