Miscellaneous Patents (Class 340/999)
  • Patent number: 11540566
    Abstract: A garment is intended to identify a danger situation for the user and react. The garment comprises an emergency device provided with sensors. Furthermore, the emergency device comprises an electronic processing unit and a supervisor and communication unit. The supervisor and communication unit, after being informed of the danger situation by the electronic processing unit, monitors the user by means of the sensors and assesses the level of user activity in order to decide or not to call for further assistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: ALPINESTARS RESEARCH S.P.A.
    Inventors: Giovanni Mazzarolo, Colin Ballantyne
  • Patent number: 10543752
    Abstract: Methods and systems are described for operating an interconnected network of autonomous battery powered electric vehicle (BEV) charging stations that maintain fully charged BEVs, for real-time self-guided exchange or rental with little down-time to a user. By locking or otherwise disabling low charge or uncharged vehicles until the vehicle charging is complete, users are assured they are getting a vehicle that has enough charge to get them to their destination. The user can view all available vehicles and their locations using a wireless mobile device on the system network and, with appropriate permissions, reserve and unlock any available vehicle via wireless networking. The locations in a ride share system of docking hubs with electrical power for re-charging BEVs is determined by the commute needs (particularly last mile commute needs) of users of the ride share system as they subscribe to the ride share program which utilizes the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Swiftmile, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Edward Moravick, Colin Aidan Roche
  • Patent number: 10360779
    Abstract: A monitoring system includes one or more sensors, one or more connected electronic, and a monitor control unit that is configured to receive sensor data from the one or more sensors, determine usage data that reflects a level of usage of the one or more connected electronic devices, receive occupancy data that reflects an occupancy level of the property, train a predictive model that is configured to determine a likely occupancy level of the property, receive, at a current time and from the one or more sensors, current sensor data, determine, at the current time, current usage data that reflects a current level of usage of the one or more connected electronic devices, apply the current usage data and the current sensor data to the predictive model, determine a likely current occupancy level of the property, determine that the likely current occupancy level of the property is unexpected, and perform an action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Alarm.com Incorporated
    Inventor: Matthew Daniel Correnti
  • Patent number: 9766602
    Abstract: A system, and computer usable program product for managing a local environment using data traffic information are provided in the illustrative embodiments. According to the invention, an data traffic on a data network associated with the local environment is monitored at a networking device. The local environment includes one or more devices. A device from the one or more devices is controllable using the data network. A condition in the local environment is inferred from the data traffic. An action to cause a change in the local environment is determined. A command corresponding to the action is sent to a subset of devices in the set of devices in the local environment to perform the action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nicholas J. Noecker, Jr., Julio E. Ruano, Javier R. Torres, Paul S. Williamson
  • Patent number: 8884759
    Abstract: Provided are methodologies to properly assess and manage operational risks at operations sites, e.g., a manufacturing, production or processing facility, such as a refinery, chemical plant, fluid-catalytic-cracking units, or nuclear energy plant, or a biological or waste management facility, airport or even financial institutions, or at any facility in which operations are often accompanied by risk associated with many high-probability, low-consequence events, often resulting in near-misses. In some operations, processes are monitored by alarms, but the invention operates on either process data or alarm data. The methods are based upon measurement of one or more variables, and/or utilization and management of the concept of “hidden process near-miss(es)” to identify a change or escalation, if any, in probability of occurrence of an adverse incident. The methodologies combine a plurality of subsets (also useful independently) of dynamically calculated leading risk indicators for dynamic risk management.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Near-Miss Management, LLC
    Inventors: Ulku G. Oktem, Ankur Pariyani
  • Patent number: 8749363
    Abstract: The invention is directed to systems, methods and computer program products for presenting visual information in an automobile. An exemplary system includes a receiving station that receives a mobile device; and a display unit that presents, to a driver or a passenger in the automobile, visual information in response to one or more instructions input to the mobile device. The display unit of the system is separate from the mobile device's display. In some embodiments, the display is a mirror, while, in other embodiments, the display is an electronic display. In some embodiments, the receiving station has the ability to receive mobile devices of a plurality of types.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Mobile Communications AB
    Inventors: Takefumi Masuda, Tetsuya Okuda, Chandrashekar Subba
  • Patent number: 8704648
    Abstract: A handheld communication device having a reconfigurable keyfield and a display screen upon which characters are displayed. A plurality of actuable input keys makeup the keyfield, and each has at least one character associated therewith and an engageable top surface for actuation. A microprocessor is configured to receive data indicative of an actuated input key and to output data indicative of an associated character determined to correspond to the indicated input key. At least one of the plurality of actuable input keys is mounted to the handheld communication device by an adjustable interconnection configurable between at least first and second operating orientations. In the first operating orientation, the engageable top surface of the at least one input key faces a first direction and in the second operating orientation the engageable top surface of the at least one input key faces a second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Norman Ladouceur, Jason T. Griffin, Roman Rak
  • Patent number: 8610601
    Abstract: A kitchen exhaust hood assembly having a fire suppression system with built-in redundancy and monitoring capabilities is presented. The fire suppression system includes one or more fire suppression devices associated with the kitchen hood for extinguishing a fire within the vicinity of the exhaust hood. The fire suppression devices can be triggered by a series of manual actuators or fire sensors. A switching circuit including a plurality of switches operatively connected to the manual actuators or fire sensors triggers the fire suppression devices by enabling either a first or second actuating circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Captive-Aire Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: William E. Glaub, William Brian Griffin
  • Patent number: 8525705
    Abstract: A solid rocket motor having a liner surrounding a propellant includes an array of transmitter elements and receiver elements disposed within the liner. Transmitter electronics provide the transmitter elements with a transmit signal and receiver electronics receive the outputs of the receiver elements. The outputs are analyzed to determine any defects in the propellant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Craig Michael Lopatin
  • Patent number: 8521235
    Abstract: An address book sharing system includes a vehicle, a short-range enabled in-vehicle telematics unit embedded in the vehicle, and a short-range enabled wireless device. The short-range enabled wireless device is configured to be paired with the short-range enabled in-vehicle telematics unit when positioned in the vehicle, and to download an address book to the short-range enabled in-vehicle telematics unit in response to an address book request trigger generated by the short-range enabled in-vehicle telematics unit. Methods for non-verbally adding address book contents using the address book sharing system are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: General Motors LLC
    Inventors: Timothy R. Nixon, Gregory B. Stewart
  • Patent number: 8482436
    Abstract: Drag experienced by a vehicle traveling through an environmental media, such as air or water, may be modified by one or more energy beams which may increase or decrease drag. Environmental media may be adjusted by microwave, chemical, ultrasonic, acoustic (including subsonic, sonic, or ultrasonic), or electromagnetic energy. One or more energy beams may be directed toward a transition region between turbulent and laminar flow, at the leading edge of a laminar flow, or in the direction of a crosswind.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: P Tech, LLC.
    Inventor: Peter M. Bonutti
  • Patent number: 8416101
    Abstract: An air conditioner and a method for controlling an air conditioner are provided. The air conditioner includes an air-conditioning device that air-conditions an indoor space, a lighting device that illuminates the indoor space, an input device that receives signals to operate the air-conditioning device and for selecting a sleep mode, and a controller that controls the lighting device and the air-conditioning device. When the input device receives the signal for selecting the sleep mode, the lighting device is controlled to sequentially perform a sleep entry operation in which the indoor space is illuminated to have a predetermined luminance and color temperature for a predetermined time, a sleep operation in which the indoor space is illuminated to have a predetermined luminance and color temperature until a wakeup time, and a wakeup operation in which the indoor space is illuminated to have a predetermined luminance and color temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Ju Youn Lee, Baik Young Chung, Jae Dong Jang
  • Patent number: 8390446
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for on-line measurement and forecasting of a species concentration while a reaction is taking place, based on the measurement of the electrical conductivity of the reacting volume, and using such measurement to evaluate a first mathematical function relating such value to the concentration of the species in the reacting volume. The evaluation of the first mathematical function requires as inputs: electrical conductivity trajectory, time elapsed, and other significant process variables; it generates as outputs the estimated actual species concentration and at least one forecasted concentration value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Fundacion Universidad del Norte
    Inventors: Marco E. Sanjuan, Jaime R. Garcia, Jose D. Posada, Pedro J. Villalba
  • Patent number: 8237592
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for providing a policy based radio frequency identification service. The system for providing the policy based radio frequency identification service includes a policy vocabulary managing device for generating and managing policy vocabulary based on a policy vocabulary writer's control input, a policy performing resource managing device for generating and managing resource information for performing a radio frequency identification service policy based on a resource designator's control input, a policy rule managing device for generating and managing a policy rule sentence based on a policy user's control input, and a policy rule performing device for performing a radio frequency identification service policy by using a policy rule sentence input based on a policy user's control input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Hyochan Bang, Jae Gak Hwang, Cheol Sig Pyo, Hyung Jin Ahn, Kwang Hoon Kim
  • Patent number: 8179288
    Abstract: An automatic system is provided for alerting ground personnel as to the existence of a threat to commercial aircraft in which the threat is determined by a classified system, but in which the local area network employed by the military missile warning is isolated from an unclassified local network coupled to the aircraft's transponder which transmits the threat existence and status to ground personnel. The barrier to transmitting classified information involves both filtering between the classified LAN and unclassified LAN, the use of only discrete signaling lines in the classified LAN isolated by opto-electronics to provide physical separation between the two local area networks, and communications formatting which precludes the transmission of classified information across the barrier between the classified local area network and the unclassified local area network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventors: Arnold Kravitz, Jason Stockwell, Edward Zablocki, George Clemence
  • Patent number: 7990287
    Abstract: Drag experienced by a vehicle travelling through an environmental media, such as air, is actively modulated by an energy beam which may either increase or decrease the drag. The energy beam may provide either a chemical, acoustic, or electromagnetic energy at a transition region between turbulent and laminar flow or at the leading edge of a laminar flow, or in the direction of a crosswind, in order to facilitate the respective increase or decrease in drag. An energy beam may be directed in a rearwards direction, relative to a direction of travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: P Tech, LLC.
    Inventor: Peter M. Bonutti
  • Patent number: 7924174
    Abstract: System for controlling a lighting level of a lamp in a multi-zone environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company
    Inventor: Ranjit Devanesan Gananathan
  • Patent number: 7898439
    Abstract: A bicycle rental system and automated station that may be integrated with an automobile parking payment and management system. Users may pay for parking and/or rent and pickup bicycles at the station. The station has a meter, bicycle docks, and power plant. Transaction formalities for parking payment and rental may be handled at the meter. The bicycle docks each are adapted to secure a bicycle. The power plant uses a solar panel to collect power and stores it in energy storage device. Low-power operation may be achieved by placing some electronics in a low-power mode. Each bicycle dock may have a trigger mechanism that when activated powers on associated electronics. The bicycle docks may be divided among a number of bicycle modules. The bicycle modules provide flexibility and modularity so that the number of bicycle docks at a station may be changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Inventors: Isabelle Bettez, Jean-Sebastien Bettez
  • Patent number: 7839271
    Abstract: The invention concerns a driving aid system for supplying data to a vehicle running on an infrastructure, and comprising a magnetic marking formed on the infrastructure and adapted to encode data addressed to the vehicle, the data being modifiable, and a detection device comprising a plurality of magnetic sensors onboard the vehicle for detecting a total magnetic field including the magnetic field generated by the magnetic marking and for producing signals representing the total magnetic field, and a processing unit adapted to process the representative signals, and to determine a first distance between the vehicle and the magnetic marking, and to decode the data encoded on the magnetic marking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignees: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique -CNRS-, Universite Piere & Marie Curie
    Inventors: Stephane Hole, Daniele Fournier, Celine Filloy-Corbrion
  • Patent number: 7830277
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing and displaying information generated with a bar code and stored within a mobile communication terminal for easy recognition is provided. The method of providing intrinsic information in a mobile communication terminal includes verifying whether intrinsic information about the mobile communication terminal is stored; and displaying the intrinsic information on a screen when the intrinsic information is stored. Therefore, when a user wants to verify information for a mobile communication terminal, information about the terminal is displayed on a screen with a bar code, so that it is easy to verify and recognize the information about the terminal. Further, even if the mobile communication terminal is turned off, information about the terminal stored in the RFID tag is read by an RFID reader, so that it is easy to verify and recognize the information about the terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Moon Heui Lee
  • Patent number: 7817039
    Abstract: Systems, methods and computer program products, implementing techniques for automatic data acquisition and the real-time display of automatically acquired data. A system implementing the techniques includes one or more automatic data acquisition devices that emit data; and a data integration system that receives data from the automatic data acquisition devices and processes the data. The data integration system includes a display system for displaying the data to a user. The display system is operable to generate a graphical display and to update the graphical display automatically and only when new data from the automatic data acquisition devices is available. The display system is operable to update only affected parts of the graphical display but not necessarily the entire display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: SAP Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Christof Bornhoevd, Rama Gurram, Brian S. Mo
  • Patent number: 7755519
    Abstract: A vehicle traveling through an environmental media such as air experiences drag. The drag is actively modulated by energy beams which may either increase or decrease the drag. The energy beams may provide either a chemical, acoustic or electromagnetic energy at a transition region between turbulent and laminar flows or at the leading edge of a laminar flow or in the direction of a crosswind in order to facilitate the respective increase or decrease in drag. Where the energy beams are acoustic or ultrasonic, some or all of the beams may be used to generate an audible signal, in a directional manner, outside the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: P Tech, LLC.
    Inventor: Peter M. Bonutti
  • Publication number: 20100097242
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for providing a policy based radio frequency identification service The system for providing the policy based radio frequency identification service includes a policy vocabulary managing device for generating and managing policy vocabulary based on a policy vocabulary writer's control input, a policy performing resource managing device for generating and managing resource information for performing a radio frequency identification service policy based on a resource designator's control input, a policy rule managing device for generating and managing a policy rule sentence based on a policy user's control input, and a policy rule performing device for performing a radio frequency identification service policy by using a policy rule sentence input based on a policy user's control input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Applicant: ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Hyochan BANG, Jae Gak Hwang, Cheol Sig Pyo, Hyung Jin Ahn, Kwang Hoon Kim
  • Patent number: 7696897
    Abstract: The prior art in this field had a display portion of electronic paper at a part of a shelf and showed a problem that the display portion and the goods were hardly co-related to each other in response to the arrangement of the goods. In view of the foregoing, plural images arranged in response to the number of stages of the shelves to be displayed are irradiated with a light source after each of the images is corrected in correspondence with the optical path length ranging from the light source to the end of each of the shelves, each of the images is guided to the end of each of the shelves by plural reflector members and then the images are displayed at the ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Youichi Horii, Tadaaki Ishikawa, Takeshi Hoshino, Isshu Nakajima, Yukinobu Maruyama
  • Publication number: 20100073202
    Abstract: A portable Internet appliance is disclosed herein, that is capable of accessing any content, at any time, from any place and interacting with anything, wherein anything is comprising of one or more of the following: a processor module, a memory module, a sensor module, a radio module, a camera module, a battery module, a biosensor module, a biomarker and an algorithm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Inventor: Mohammad A. Mazed
  • Patent number: 7589647
    Abstract: A portable computing device antenna identification system comprises an antenna configured to be disposed in the portable computing device, the antenna having a sensor connector uniquely configured to transmit a signal indicative of an identity of the antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Steven S. Homer, Paul J. Doczy, Timothy Neill, Paul N. Walker
  • Patent number: 7471211
    Abstract: A hand-held electronic celestial object-locating device assists in identifying a celestial object or directing a user to a desired celestial object. The device is useful for locating or identifying any celestial object including stars, constellations, planets, comets, asteroids, artificial satellites, and deep sky objects to name a few. The device utilizes sensors for 3-axis magnetic field and 3-axis gravitational field detection. The device utilizes a processor and an electronic database to perform the required calculations. The device's database may be updated through access to the Internet through which the updates may be purchased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Yamcon, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Lemp, III
  • Patent number: 7450030
    Abstract: A telematics service in a motor vehicle is provided by a mobile radio link between a telematics controller in the motor vehicle and an external telematics center. The telematics center is provided with data which identifies the motor vehicle from a first database and with data which identifies the mobile radio link from a second database. The the telematics center uses the data that has been provided to produce the authorization automatically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Thomas Ringel, Martin Schilke, Tim Schluesener
  • Patent number: 7358863
    Abstract: A large side vandal and weather resistant sign, capable of displaying images from several components, including a video cassette with tapes or video disc and other component parts for broadcasting command directions and to provide information. The sign system, with a front and back side and a left and right side is securely enclosed with a top side and a bottom side. The frame's materials include aluminum steel, and vandal and weather resistant plastics for the left and right sides and plastic sheets coverings for the front and back side door panels. In the event of a power outage, batteries are provided to ensure power for the system; it also remain constant in providing power for the sidewinder gun devices, sensors, receivers, timers and other devices which include surveillance camera, transmitters and relay devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Inventor: Marrell Haney
  • Patent number: 7352282
    Abstract: A communication system includes a power line, a plurality of PLC networks connected to the power line in common, and an electronic control unit for controlling an electric equipment, connected to the power line between the PLC networks. The electronic control unit includes a bypass capacitor that attenuates a communication signal transmitting over the power line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Yo Yanagida, Naoyuki Shiraishi, Atsushi Kawamura, Terumitsu Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 7292144
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for use with a railroad dragging equipment detecting (DED) system that detects objects hanging from and dragged beneath a train as the train travels along rails of a railroad track. A generator supplies a first signal and is coupled to a magnetic amplifier coil to form a magnetically variable impedance circuit. The magnetic amplifier coil is responsive to the first signal to create a circuit impedance in series with a detection circuit. A magnet is mechanically connected to the cam/follower system and is positioned near the magnetic amplifier core for varying a circuit impedance of the detection circuit. A detection circuit generates a second signal as a function of variations in circuit impedance. A controller is responsive to the second signal for activating an alarm when the magnet moves relative to the magnetic amplifier coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Forrest Henry Ballinger
  • Patent number: 7250862
    Abstract: Systems, methods and computer program products, implementing techniques for automatic data acquisition and the real-time display of automatically acquired data. A system implementing the techniques includes one or more automatic data acquisition devices that emit data; and a data integration system that receives data from the automatic data acquisition devices and processes the data. The data integration system includes a display system for displaying the data to a user. The display system is operable to generate a graphical display and to update the graphical display automatically and only when new data from the automatic data acquisition devices is available. The display system is operable to update only affected parts of the graphical display but not necessarily the entire display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: Sap Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Christof Bornhoevd, Rama Gurram, Brian S. Mo
  • Patent number: 7224170
    Abstract: A method and system for detecting whether an antenna is property connected to a distributed antenna network. The current drawn by the antenna is measured and compared against an expected current draw or reference level. The measured level of current drawn by the antenna is indicative of whether the antenna is properly connected or is disconnected. The comparison results may be used as the basis for creating a status message, which is then communicated to a central monitoring unit for each antenna. The central monitoring unit may generate appropriate alarms in response to a status message indicating a fault condition at a particular antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: P. G. Electronics
    Inventors: Gerald Graham, Paul Liber
  • Patent number: 7193532
    Abstract: A law enforcement officer involved in a traffic stop is provided with a compact disc containing data and a software program which permits the officer to obtain information regarding possible hiding places in a vehicle that has been stopped. The information involves locations as well as methods and instructions for accessing the hiding places. The information is available in a central data base that can be accessed by a computer in the officer's car and can be updated as needed by manufacturers as well as other officers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Inventor: Michael T. Goldstein
  • Patent number: 7154401
    Abstract: There is provided a method for assessing the integrity of grip of a stone in a jewellery setting having plural gripping claws to grip said stone, the method comprising heating the stone; measuring conductive transfer of heat from the stone to each of said plural gripping claws; and comparing said conductive heat transfer to said each gripping claw, wherein a marked difference in conductive heat transfer to any of the gripping claws indicates a lack of integrity of grip. Suitable apparatus is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
  • Patent number: 7098812
    Abstract: An operator identifying device for a vehicle with an operating section located between driver's and non-driver's seats includes a photographing section and an image processing section. The photographing section is configured to obtain image data of a prescribed region encompassing the operating section and at least one of hands of a driver and a non-driver when the at least one of the hands is extended toward the operating section. The image processing section is configured to process the image data to determine whether at least one of the driver and the non-driver is an operator of the operating section. Moreover, an onboard apparatus is provided with the operator identifying device, an operating section and a control section. The control section is configured to control an operation of the onboard apparatus based on an operator identification result of the operator identifying device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masaki Hirota
  • Patent number: 7068180
    Abstract: A hand-held electronic celestial object-locating device assists in identifying a celestial object or directing a user to a desired celestial object. The device is useful for locating or identifying any celestial object including stars, constellations, planets, comets, asteroids, artificial satellites, and deep sky objects to name a few. The device utilizes sensors for 3-axis magnetic field and 3-axis gravitational field detection. The device utilizes a processor and an electronic database to perform the required calculations. The device's database may be updated through access to the Internet through which the updates may be purchased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Yamcon, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Lemp, III
  • Patent number: 7012525
    Abstract: A plurality of socks each has a closed end, an open end and an intermediate extent there between. Each sock has an elastomeric pad. The pads each have an upper face in secure contact to the intermediate extent. The pads each have a lower face with projections in rows and columns integrally formed with the pad for traction purposes. The socks are designated “one size fits all” and are arranged in pairs. A plurality of containers containing pairs of socks of a common size are to be selected by a passenger to be screened for security purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Inventor: Diane Ghioto
  • Patent number: 6995691
    Abstract: Environmental sensors and other bodies, together with associated lead wires, are mounted to a oxidizable substrate for high temperature applications by means of a reacted borosilicate mixture (RBM) that secures the body relative to the substrate via of an oxide interface formed between the RBM and substrate during a high temperature reaction process. An oxide interface is also formed with oxidizable bodies to provide further mounting strength. The RBM is a B2O3—SiO2 mixture, with the B2O3 portion a function of the reaction temperature and desired bonding strength and viscosity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Heetronix
    Inventor: James D. Parsons
  • Patent number: 6992599
    Abstract: A terminal adapter connects a terminal to a computer local area network capable of identifying any of several terminal types by detecting the presence of a particular identifier electronic circuit specific to one type, even though the terminal does not include any such identifier circuit as standard. The terminal adapter includes first connectors for inserting the adapter between two sections of a connection between the terminal and the network and an identifier circuit specific to one type of terminal that the network is able to detect. The identifier circuit is connected to at least two conductors of a network side section of the connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Alcatel
    Inventors: Gérard Vergnaud, Giovanni Dortu
  • Patent number: 6985069
    Abstract: A remote control for controlling consumer electronic devices and/or PC's. The remote control including a progress/status indicator for indicating the status of a download process or the status of an e-wallet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: George Marmaropoulos
  • Patent number: 6965326
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for automated configuration of an electronic module within a vehicle. A first vehicle identification number stored in the electronic module is determined and a second vehicle identification number stored in the vehicle is determined. The first vehicle identification number from the electronic module and the second vehicle identification number from the vehicle are compared and the electronic module is configured based on the comparison. A computer usable medium with suitable computer program code is employed to configure an electronic module within a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas A. Allison
  • Patent number: 6958710
    Abstract: Systems, methods and devices for gathering data concerning exposure of predetermined survey participants to billboards are provided. A portable transmitter is arranged to transmit a signal containing survey participant data, and a receiver located proximately to the billboard serves to receive the signal transmitted by the transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: Arbitron Inc.
    Inventors: Jack K. Zhang, Jack C. Crystal, James M. Jensen
  • Patent number: 6868331
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for outputting traffic information in a motor vehicle. In order to present the driver with traffic information in such a way that he can adapt his driving behaviour and/or his selection of a route for his journey to the respective current traffic situation in time, there is a provision that traffic messages are stored together with the respective position of the route section to which they relate. The positions of the traffic messages are then compared with the respective position of a motor vehicle in which the traffic information is to be output in order to detect the distances between the respective position of the traffic messages and the position of this motor vehicle. The traffic messages are then output sorted according to distances, starting with the smallest distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones, Ltd.
    Inventor: Thomas Hanebrink
  • Patent number: 6853316
    Abstract: An industrial Ethernet switching hub includes a casing in which a plurality of industrial Ethernet connector assemblies are mounted. Each Connector assembly includes a rigid connector receptacle sealed to the casing and receiving an Ethernet connector. The casing of each connector assembly has an externally threaded extension for receiving a mating Ethernet connector. A quick disconnect power connector is also mounted to the casing and a switch IC controller is embedded in the casing for data signal routing among the Ethernet connectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Woodhead Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian D. Payson, Mark E. Fillion, Robert Neagle, Brad Woodman
  • Patent number: 6844822
    Abstract: A hand-held electronic celestial object-locating device assists in identifying a celestial object or directing a user to a desired celestial object. The device is useful for locating or identifying any celestial object including stars, constellations, planets, comets, asteroids, artificial satellites, and deep sky objects to name a few. The device utilizes sensors for 3-axis magnetic field and 3-axis gravitational field detection. The device utilizes a processor and an electronic database to perform the required calculations. The device's database may be updated through access to the Internet through which the updates may be purchased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Yamcon, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Lemp, III
  • Patent number: 6842123
    Abstract: A switch assembly (1) comprises a push-button section (52) and a push-button body (53) as an operation transmitting member, an LED box (54) and a contact-making contact (56) as a direct functioning member, and a communication-function incorporating contact (communications contact) (55) as an information input/output functioning member, as permitting these components to be connected with each other. Therefore, the switch assembly can respond to an operation given to the push-button body (52) by causing the contact-making contact (56) to provide an output for switching between a conductive state and a non-conductive state and by causing the communications contact (55) to output an information signal to a network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Idec Izumi Corporation
    Inventors: Toshihiro Fujita, Akito Okamoto, Hideyuki Kitayama, Hiroyuki Ohta, Atsushi Matsumoto, Masaaki Fujii, Masatake Yamano, Eitoku Tabuse, Norio Asa
  • Patent number: 6801140
    Abstract: System and method for wearable electronic devices and smart clothing that includes integrating an electronic circuit into one or more fastening devices on an article of clothing. One or more electronic devices integrated with or attached to the clothing are controlled or monitored based on a position of the fastening device where the position relates to how much the fastening device is fastened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Jani Mäntyjärvi, Jyrki Hoisko, Juha Kaario, Jyrki Kimmel
  • Patent number: 6771190
    Abstract: A signaling device for disabled persons uses a pneumatic system comprised of a special cushion, an air bleed to ambient, and a sensitive air-pressure sensor. The cushion may also serve as a head, limb, or body support. The cushion is foam-filled and self-inflating, and is capable of supporting static loads without the need for its being pressurized. A user initiates the generation of a signal by bumping the cushion, as for example with a backwards jerk of their head or a sideways kick of a limb. The resulting momentary surge in system pressure is sensed by the air-pressure switch, which is set to trip at 1/1000 of an atmosphere. The momentary closing of the contacts of the pressure switch are used to signal other assistive appliances, such as computer software for generating text.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Inventor: Gary Gordon
  • Patent number: 6608569
    Abstract: A computerized tomography system includes a stationary section (A) and a rotating section electrically linked by at least one interconnecting slip ring (D). On one side the slip ring (D) is configured as a series of electrically conductive segments (20A-20H) separated by non-conductive interruptions (22A-22H). On the other side a like number of transmitters (26A-26H) is in selective electrical contact with the conductive segments (20) depending on a position of the rotating frame. Also included is a de-multiplexer (40) which takes image data from the plurality of receivers (RxA-RxH) and rearranges the image data in a determined sequence. Also shown is an angular encoder (46) for providing angular displacement signals (44) to the de-multiplexer (40) for assistance in reconstructing the data channels (30) in the determined sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics, N.V.
    Inventors: Mark D. Herold, Theodore A. Resnick