Near Field (i.e., Inductive Or Capacitive Coupling) Patents (Class 455/41.1)
  • Patent number: 11018726
    Abstract: Radio-frequency front-end systems and devices. In some embodiments, a front-end system can include a first mid-band amplifier system configured to amplify transmit and receive signals in a first mid-band. The front-end system can further include a second mid-band amplifier system configured to amplify at least a transmit signal in a second mid-band, such that the front-end system is capable of simultaneous uplink operations in the first mid-band and the second mid-band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: David Richard Pehlke, John Chi-Shuen Leung
  • Patent number: 11011153
    Abstract: An electronic mail server, computer-readable medium and method of delivering an electronic message to a wireless communication device are provided. The wireless communications device comprises a long-range wireless transceiver, a short-range wireless transceiver having a range less than the long-range wireless transceiver, and a display screen. A new text message is received via the long-range wireless transceiver. Based upon a short-range wireless connection being established with another device via the short-range wireless transceiver, the wireless communication device is switched to an audio message mode. An indication that the new text message has been received is displayed on the display screen. The new message is selected and, when in the audio message mode, an audio message comprising speech generated based upon the new text message is output via the short-range wireless transceiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Darrell Reginald May, Alain R. Gagne
  • Patent number: 11011929
    Abstract: Systems and methods for orientation-independent, wireless charging of devices is provided. The methods disclosed herein comprise transmitters operating at different frequencies, which collectively generate a rotating magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Aenrgy, Inc.
    Inventors: Saeed Nejatali, Mohammad Javad Afshar
  • Patent number: 11005534
    Abstract: In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, a near field communication (NFC) device is provided, comprising: a modulator configured to modulate a carrier signal received from an external reader, resulting in a modulated carrier signal; a controller configured to control a transmission of the modulated carrier signal to the external reader; a transmitter driver configured to transmit said modulated carrier signal, said transmitter driver having a variable resistance; wherein the controller is further configured to change said variable resistance during a modulation phase of the NFC device such that a clock synchronization window is widened. In accordance with a second aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding method of operating an NFC device is conceived. In accordance with a third aspect of the present disclosure, a non-transitory machine-readable medium is provided, comprising instructions which, when executed, carry out a method of the kind set forth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Fred George Nunziata, Martin Buchsbaum, Erich Merlin, Adrian Rafael Krenn
  • Patent number: 10997848
    Abstract: A system is provided for determining a hygiene compliance metric which indicates a usage of hygiene equipment. The system includes distributed hygiene equipment arranged to dispense a hygiene consumable and/or to dispose of a hygiene consumable, a tag configured to at least transmit radio signals; positioning equipment arranged to determine information on a position of said tag by at least receiving radio signals from said tag; and a processing entity. The processing entity is configured to receive said information on a position of said tag, to define a zone into which said tag may enter, to define a rule, and to calculate said hygiene compliance metric based on said information on the position, said zone, and said rule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Essity Hygiene and Health Aktiebolag
    Inventor: Hakan Lindstrom
  • Patent number: 10999425
    Abstract: A method of intuitively recognizing and using an integrated identification function by users by additionally displaying variable URI access menus on the existing user screen of the integrated identifier, and this is accomplished through an integrated identifier management system and a service method, which include: address servers for storing, managing and processing URIs (address) mapped to an integrated identifier and related information; a terminal for variably displaying a plurality of URI access menus on an integrated identifier user screen according to an address status (integrated identifier information, URI information, display information, and matching information) registered in the address servers; and a process for processing an integrated identification service through communication between the terminal and the address servers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: PAX S&T CO., LTD
    Inventor: Jaedoo Kim
  • Patent number: 10997380
    Abstract: In an example, radio frequency identification communications is used to pair a wireless device and a host computing system for communications over a non-radio frequency identification communications protocol. The wireless device includes a radio frequency identification reader that extracts pairing information from a radio frequency identification tag of the host computing system. The wireless device may then automatically initiate pairing with the host computing system using the pairing information, without further input from a user of the wireless device. A connection is then established between the wireless device and the host computing system using a non-radio frequency identification wireless communication protocol. The connection facilitates an exchange of data between the wireless device and the host computing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Peter Seiler, Justin Barth, Lauren Domingo
  • Patent number: 10990959
    Abstract: According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, an electronic device may include a housing, a conductive pattern that is arranged within the housing and is formed to generate a magnetic field, a plate that forms at least a part of a first surface of the housing and includes a material that at least partially transmits the magnetic field generated by the conductive pattern, and a communication circuit that is configured to transmit at least one transaction information to an external device by using the conductive pattern. The conductive pattern may include a first end that is electrically connected to the communication circuit, a second end that is electrically connected to the communication circuit, and a coil that is connected between the first end and the second end and includes a plurality of turns that are substantially parallel to a surface of the plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Woo-Sup Lee, Hyun-Ju Hong, Youn-Ju Kim, Jae-Bong Chun, Jung-Sik Park
  • Patent number: 10992021
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention may include packaged device that may be used for reducing cross-talk between neighboring antennas. In an embodiment the packaged device may comprise a first package substrate that is mounted to a printed circuit board (PCB). A plurality of first antennas may also be formed on the first package. Embodiments may also include a second package substrate that is mounted to the PCB, and the second package substrate may include a second plurality of antennas. According to an embodiment, the cross-talk between the first and second plurality of antennas is reduced by forming a guiding structure between the first and second packages. In an embodiment the guiding structure comprises a plurality of fins that define a plurality of pathways between the first antennas and the second antennas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Adel A. Elsherbini, Telesphor Kamgaing, Sasha N. Oster, Georgios C. Dogiamis
  • Patent number: 10979101
    Abstract: A power feeding device includes: a power feeder that wirelessly feeds power to power receivers; a transceiver that communicates with the power receivers; and a controller that controls the power feeder and the transceiver. When the transceiver receives signals from two or more of the power receivers, the controller suspends feeding of power to the power feeder for a predetermined period and resumes feeding of power to the power feeder after the predetermined period. When the transceiver receives signals from only one of the power receivers, the controller continues feeding of power to the power feeder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Takafumi Nakase
  • Patent number: 10978880
    Abstract: A system including a primary coil assembly is provided. The primary coil assembly is configured to operate at a first resonant frequency having a first bandwidth; wherein a difference between the first resonant frequency and a system frequency is at least two times the first bandwidth, where the first resonant frequency is selected such that upon energizing the primary coil assembly at the system frequency, a primary current is induced in the primary coil assembly, which is at least ten times lesser than a system current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Arun Kumar Raghunathan, Somakumar Ramachandrapanicker, Suma Memana Narayana Bhat, Rijin Saseendran, Adnan Kutubuddin Bohori, Dinkar Agrawal
  • Patent number: 10972894
    Abstract: A wireless pairing system includes an emitting terminal and a receiving terminal, the emitting terminal includes an emitting terminal storage unit, a traversal unit, a pairing unit and an emitting terminal wireless transceiver. The receiving terminal includes a receiving terminal storage unit, a detecting unit, a coupling receiver and a receiving terminal wireless transceiver. The emitting terminal transmits matching requests in priority to receiving terminals having been paired in history record. The receiving terminal in priority gets the matching request sent by the emitting terminal having been paired with at last time, thereby pairing cycles can be effectively shortened, and pairing efficiency of the mitting terminal and the receiving terminal can be effectively improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: SHENZHEN MINGZONG TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Zhizhou Jiang
  • Patent number: 10965164
    Abstract: A method of wireless power transmission is provided. The method includes, at a wireless power transmitter, receiving a signal from a receiver device and determining a location of the receiver device based, at least in part, on data included in the signal. The method further includes in response to determining that the location of the receiver device is within a wireless power transmission range of the wireless power transmitter: (I) selecting at least two antennas of the wireless power transmitter's antenna array based, at least in part, on the location of the receiver device, and (II) transmitting, via the at least two antennas of the antenna array, radio frequency power transmission waves that: (i) constructively interfere at the location of the receiver device to produce a focused energy at the location and (ii) destructively interfere around the location of the receiver device to form null-spaces around the focused energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Energous Corporation
    Inventors: Michael A. Leabman, Gregory Scott Brewer
  • Patent number: 10965340
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system for receiving first electromagnetic waves via a transmission medium without utilizing an electrical return path, and inducing second electromagnetic waves at an interface of the transmission medium without the electrical return path. In an embodiment, the first and second electromagnetic waves have a non-optical frequency range. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Robert Bennett, Paul Shala Henry, Farhad Barzegar, Irwin Gerszberg, Donald J. Barnickel, Thomas M. Willis, III
  • Patent number: 10965161
    Abstract: A wireless power receiving apparatus includes a receiving resonator configured to wirelessly receive energy; a resonant converter configured to transfer, to an output end of the wireless power receiving apparatus, energy of an energy storage device connected among a plurality of energy storage devices; and a controller configured to accumulate, alternatingly in the energy storage devices, the energy received, and select the energy storage device to be connected to the resonant converter from the energy storage devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Seungchul Jung, Gyu Hyeong Cho, Sang Joon Kim, JongPal Kim, Se Un Shin, Min Seong Choi, Seok Tae Koh, Yu Jin Yang
  • Patent number: 10956801
    Abstract: A method provides a tamper loop status of a radio-frequency transponder to a reader. The transponder communicates with the reader at a first frequency according to a first communication protocol. The transponder includes a first non-volatile memory for storing a first set of data of the first communication protocol. The first memory includes a user memory having two portions and each portion includes a data item specific to a status of the tamper loop. The method is performed by the transponder after receiving a request according to the first protocol to read the user memory and includes generating a logical view of the user memory, the logical view including only one of the two portions that is selected according to a value of a binary parameter representative of a status of the tamper loop. The method also includes providing the logical view to the reader via the first protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: EM Microelectronic-Marin S.A.
    Inventors: Juergen Riedel, Paul Muller, Goran Stojanovic, Jan Bicak
  • Patent number: 10958463
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and processor-readable storage media for pairing multiple devices into a designated group for a communication session are provided herein. An example computer-implemented method includes processing, via a first processing device, information input by a user in connection with a request to pair the first processing device to one or more additional processing devices, wherein the information comprises a number of additional processing devices to which the first processing device is attempting to pair; implementing, via the first processing device, a pairing algorithm which comprises searching for additional processing devices, in accordance with temporal values associated with the input of the first processing device, that carried out a request to pair to the same number of additional processing devices as the first processing device; and configuring the first processing device to a pairing mode configuration upon successful completion of the pairing algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Lynq Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Abhishek Vishwakarma, Justin Lange, John M. De Cristofaro, Thomas Mwakibinga, Shane Wicks
  • Patent number: 10959187
    Abstract: A wireless communication apparatus includes a wireless communicator and a controller. The wireless communicator is configured to wirelessly communicate with other wireless communication apparatuses. The controller is configured to control the wireless communicator to broadcast transmission information, and when the wireless communicator receives a request corresponding on the transmission information from at least one of the other wireless communication apparatuses having received the transmission information during the broadcasting of the transmission information, control the wireless communicator to change transmission power of the transmission information to the other wireless communication apparatuses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Takahashi, Takahiro Tomida, Tsutomu Terazaki
  • Patent number: 10958094
    Abstract: An electronic device and a method for controlling the operation of the electronic device are provided. The electronic device includes a wireless power reception circuit, a wireless communication circuit, and a processor configured to control to receive first identity information through a first in-band communication channel using the wireless power reception circuit, establish a first out-of-band communication channel based on the first identity information while the first in-band communication channel is established, receive second identity information through a second in-band communication channel while the first out-of-band communication channel is established, disconnect, when the first out-of-band communication channel is established while the second in-band communication channel is established, the first out-of-band communication channel, and establish a second out-of-band communication channel automatically based on the second identity information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Byungyeol Choi, Seho Park, Yusu Kim, Kyungmin Park, Wooram Lee, Juhyang Lee, Yongsang Yun, Chihyun Cho
  • Patent number: 10943415
    Abstract: A system and method for a door system is disclosed. The system produces an inductive power transfer signal and modulates the inductive power transfer signal. The system also encodes data within the modulated inductive power transfer signal and transmits the signal at a door frame of a door. At the door, the system receives the modulated inductive power transfer signal and extracts data from the received signal, and transduces the received signal into a door power signal. The system also supports secure data transfer by encrypting the encoded data at the door frame and decrypting the extracted data at the door. As a result, the modulated inductive power transfer signal between the door frame and the door provides a secure wireless data transfer channel for configuring components at the door and/or displaying data at the door, while also providing power to components at the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Murdo Jamie Scott McLeod, Walter A. Martin
  • Patent number: 10945210
    Abstract: In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, a control system for a radio frequency (RF) communication device is provided, the system comprising: a communication controller configured to control an RF communication of the RF communication device; a detector configured to detect the presence of an external communication device and to initiate a wake-up of the communication controller in dependence on said presence; wherein the detector is configured to detect said presence by detecting a first load on an RF interface of the RF communication device, said first load resulting from a first transmitted RF pulse; and wherein the detector is configured to initiate said wake-up if a difference between the first load and a reference load is above a high threshold, and to perform a presence verification if the difference between the first load and the reference load is between a low threshold and the high threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Markus Wobak, Marc Lambert, Ulrich Neffe
  • Patent number: 10938107
    Abstract: A circuit for driving an antenna of near field communication (NFC) device, includes: a first variable resistor coupled to a first terminal of the antenna via a first capacitor; a second variable resistor coupled to a second terminal of the antenna via a second capacitor; and a control circuit configured to cause the first variable resistor and the second variable resistor to each have a selected one of a first resistance level, a second resistance level, and a third resistance level based on an operating phase of the circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (ROUSSET) SAS
    Inventor: Nicolas Cordier
  • Patent number: 10928266
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a mobile device and a method of changing the centroid thereof. The mobile device includes a device body, having a processor disposed therein; and a centroid changing device, including a guide rail disposed on the device body, a weight assembly slidably disposed on the guide rail, and a driving device coupled to the weight assembly, wherein the processor is electrically coupled to the driving device, and controls the weight assembly to slide along the guide rail via the driving device, to change the centroid of the device body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignees: Beijing BOE Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd., BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuanjie Lu
  • Patent number: 10916364
    Abstract: A tunable inductor arrangement includes a first winding part connected at one end to a first input of the inductor arrangement, a second winding part connected at one end to the other end of the first winding part, a third winding part connected at one end to a second input of the inductor arrangement, and a fourth winding part connected at one end to the other end of the third winding part. For tuning, the inductor arrangement includes a switch arrangement switchable between a first setting series-connecting the first and third winding parts between the inputs, and a second setting series-connecting the first, second, fourth and third winding parts between the inputs. The first and third winding parts are arranged on a chip or substrate with essentially common magnetic fields, and the second and fourth winding parts are arranged to cancel electro-magnetic coupling with the first and third winding parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
    Inventor: Thomas Mattsson
  • Patent number: 10917930
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media for reliable communication between a source device, and two or more sink devices. In one aspect, a sink device closest in proximity to the source device can establish a wireless data transfer with the source device. In another aspect, the sink device having the more favorable radio channel conditions can establish a wireless data transfer with the source device. In some aspects, the sink devices can forward audio data received from the source device over a secondary communication link. The audio data can be forwarded to the other sink device automatically, or upon request from the other sink device. The secondary communication link can be implemented as a magnetic communication link, or as a Bluetooth communication link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Paul John Morris, Paul Dominic Hiscock
  • Patent number: 10917136
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system for exchanging electrical signals and guided electromagnetic waves between customer premises equipment and service provider equipment to provide uplink and/or downlink communication services. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Martin Birk, Paul Shala Henry
  • Patent number: 10911101
    Abstract: Various embodiments are directed to dynamically and temporarily adjusting power to an NFC reader of a computing device from a first power level to a second power level based on a feedback mechanism between a contactless card and the computing device. The contactless card may provide a message containing a checksum. The computing device may receive the message and calculate a checksum based on the received message. By comparing these two checksums, it may be determined whether the entire message has been correctly received. If not, the power to the NFC reader may be temporarily increased to allow better communication between the contactless card and the computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Capital One Services, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey Rule, Rajko Ilincic
  • Patent number: 10911103
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a portable electronic device for facilitating a proximity based interaction with a short range communication enabled object. Further, the portable electronic device may include a transceiver configured for transmitting a transmitted short range communication signal and receiving a received short range communication signal. Further, the portable electronic device may include a processor communicatively coupled to the transceiver, configured for detecting a proximity based event based on receiving the received short range communication signal from the short range communication enabled object, analyzing the received short range communication signal based on the detecting of the proximity based event, determining a second object identifier associated with the short range communication enabled object based on the analyzing, and performing a predetermined action based on the second object identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: International Forte Group LLC
    Inventors: Patrick L Carter, Laura M Rangel, Julie E Sternberg
  • Patent number: 10911955
    Abstract: A method of acquiring access rights to conditional access content. The method comprises receiving an access right on a first terminal through a first communication channel; storing said access right in said first terminal; sending a request for said conditional access content to a content provider, said request containing at least an identifier of an account to which said first terminal is associated, an identifier of the requested content and a piece of information concerning said access right; verifying, by said content provider, the authenticity of said access right using said piece of information concerning the access right; and when there has been a successful verification, marking said access right as used, and sending said conditional access content to at least one terminal linked to said account. The first terminal using near field communication technology (NFC) during at least one transfer of said access rights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: NAGRAVISION S.A.
    Inventors: Pierre Sarda, Philippe Stransky, Bertrand Wendling
  • Patent number: 10903696
    Abstract: The rectifying device converts high-frequency power input from an input terminal into direct current power and outputs the direct current power from an output terminal. The rectifying device includes a rectifier that converts the high-frequency power into the direct current power, and an impedance changer having one end connected to a connection point of the rectifier and the output terminal and the other end to which reference voltage is applied such that impedance varies while having a negative correlation with respect to an absolute value of voltage of the direct current power. When the absolute value of the voltage of the direct current power is greater than a predetermined value that is lower than reverse withstand voltage of the rectifying element included in the rectifier, the impedance of the impedance changer as viewed from the rectifier is a value regarded as corresponding to a short circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Tanaka, Jun Shimokawatoko, Masaomi Tsuru, Atsushi Yamamoto, Yukihiro Homma
  • Patent number: 10897693
    Abstract: Methods and systems for using near field communication (NFC) protocol and logic to calibrate welding operations and systems are described. Further, methods and systems for using NFC logic and tags are described for networking, calibrating and linking components that comprise welding systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Lincoln Global, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward Hillen, Michael Volzer, Nick Trinnes
  • Patent number: 10890941
    Abstract: A headset for experiencing an augmented and/or a virtual reality environment may include a housing defining an interior cavity, with optical components received in the interior cavity of the housing. A front face may be rotatably coupled to a front portion of the housing to selectively enclose the interior of the housing. A computing device including a display may be received in a slot defined between the front portion of the housing and the front face. A face pad may be removably coupled to the housing, opposite the front face, so as to enclose the optical components in the housing. A user may view an augmented/virtual reality environment displayed on the display through the optical components received in the housing. An adjustable head strap assembly may adjustably position the headset on the head of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Hayes S. Raffle, Andrew Nartker, Sandeep Waraich, Phan Thao Benno Dang, Gerald Kirk McGinty, Jr., Albert Lee, Byeong Seon Oh, Dan Odell, Eric Allan MacIntosh, Erik Hubert Dolly Goossens, Michael Simonian, Maaike Evers, Xinda Hu, Xiaohui Tao, Ronghui Zhu
  • Patent number: 10891846
    Abstract: There is provided an information processing device that enables recognition that there is a sensor from which a state of a user is likely to be acquired from a circumference, the information processing device including: an acquiring unit configured to acquire information relating to a sensor which is likely to acquire a state of a user on the basis of notification information for allowing recognition of existence of a sensor located around the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masanori Katsu
  • Patent number: 10892798
    Abstract: A communication device includes a first processing unit that detects a target and receives a first command for activating an interface upon a detection of the target. The communication device also includes a second processing unit that exchanges data with the target through the first processing unit. Further, the communication device includes an interface between the first processing unit and the second processing unit. The first processing unit selects a predetermined interface level from among a plurality of interface levels based on the first command and exchanges data with the second processing unit based on the predetermined interface level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Katsuyuki Teruyama
  • Patent number: 10887398
    Abstract: Disclosed in some examples are methods, systems, and machine readable mediums that provide for the configuration and provisioning of computing devices. In particular, computing devices with limited user interfaces, such as some IoT devices. The functionality of the IoT devices is thus improved to allow for more efficient, more secure, and faster configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Ernie F. Brickell, Jesse R. Walker
  • Patent number: 10873367
    Abstract: In some implementations, a near field communication (NFC) device may determine whether the NFC device is to perform a wireless transaction in a powered mode or an unpowered mode, and may selectively perform the wireless transaction in the powered mode or the unpowered mode based on determining whether the NFC device is to perform the wireless transaction in the powered mode or the unpowered mode. The wireless transaction may be performed using power from a power source internal to the NFC device when the wireless transaction is performed in the powered mode. The wireless transaction may be performed without using power from the power source internal to the NFC device when the wireless transaction is performed in the unpowered mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Capital One Services, LLC
    Inventors: Adam Koeppel, Tyler Locke, Kevin Kelly, Robert Perry, James Zarakas
  • Patent number: 10868447
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for determining the misalignment and mutual coupling between the transmitter coil and receiver coil, with or without an intermediate relay resonator coil, of a wireless power charging system are provided. The determination can be made without using any direct measurement from the receiver circuit. The technic involves exciting the transmitter coil of the wireless power charging system at several frequencies with equal or different input voltage/current, such that the number of equivalent circuit equations is at least equal to the number of unknown terms in the equations. The methods use the knowledge of only the input voltage and the input current of the transmitter coil. This means that the mutual inductance or magnetic coupling coefficient between the transmitter and receiver coils can be determined based on the information obtained from the transmitter circuit and there is no need for any wireless communication from or direct measurements of the receiver circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG
    Inventors: Deyan Lin, Shu Yuen Ron Hui
  • Patent number: 10867296
    Abstract: A first client obtains a transfer value, generates a value transfer code based on account information and the transfer value, and enables a near field communication channel to transmit the value transfer code to the second client. The second client obtains the value transfer code transmitted from the first client through the near field communication channel, verifies the value transfer code, and in response to the value transfer code passing the verification, transmits the value transfer code to the server and the server carries out the value transfer according to the value transfer code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Tencent Technology (Shenzhen) Company Limited
    Inventor: Chaolin Jin
  • Patent number: 10862569
    Abstract: A wireless communication interface and a driving method thereof are provided. The wireless communication interface includes a substrate, a plurality of active antennas, a plurality of passive antennas, and a sensing driving circuit. The active antennas are disposed on the substrate for receiving a radio frequency signal. The passive antennas are disposed on the substrate for resonating the RF signals of the adjacent active antennas in response to a control signal. The sensing driving circuit is coupled to the active antennas and the passive antennas for providing the radio frequency signal and the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Au Optronics Corporation
    Inventors: Chia-Hua Hu, Chi-Hung Lu, Jen-Lang Tung
  • Patent number: 10861004
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include methods, systems, and computer-readable media configured to, for example, provide payment tokens for conducting transactions, as well as reprovisioning tokens, on wearable devices without Bluetooth® or other network connectivity beyond NFC radio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Capital One Services, LLC
    Inventors: Lawrence Douglas, Paul Moreton
  • Patent number: 10859285
    Abstract: A control adapter for fastening on a HVAC device includes a wireless communication interface for communicating control signals between a remote control device and the control adapter. A wireless near-field communication interface communicates control signals between the control adapter and the HVAC device. A control circuit converts the control signals received from the wireless communications interface into the control signals of the wireless near-field communication interface and converts the control signals received from the wireless near-field communication interface into control signals of the wireless communication interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: BELIMO HOLDING AG
    Inventors: Silvio Grogg, Marc Steiner
  • Patent number: 10852416
    Abstract: An in-store interaction and location system is provided. At least one RF backscatter transmitter, hosted on a device, is configured to emit a RF signal on a frequency. A set of passive RF backscatter tags, each associated with a respective one of a plurality of products in a given store area, is configured to reflect and frequency shift the RF signal to a different frequency. At least one RF backscatter receiver, hosted on another device, is configured to read the plurality of products on the different frequency by detecting a distributed ambient backscatter signal generated by a reflection and frequency shifting of the RF signal by the passive RF backscatter tag. At least one of the device and the other device is configured to maintain an inventory and a location of the plurality of products in the given store area and provide the inventory and location to a user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Inventors: Karthikeyan Sundaresan, Eugene Chai, Sampath Rangarajan
  • Patent number: 10853458
    Abstract: A source device being associated with an account uses playback of a media content item to cause a target device to become associated with the account. The target device enters an association mode and records a portion of the playing content. The target device provides the recording to a server that identifies the song (e.g., using a music fingerprint service) and uses the identification of the song to find the account that caused playback of the identified song. With the account identified, the server provides credentials of the account to target system. The target device accesses content or services using the account. As confirmation of receiving the credentials, the server causes playback of the content to transition to from the source device to the target device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: SPOTIFY AB
    Inventors: Richard Mitic, Göran Edling
  • Patent number: 10856033
    Abstract: A user terminal apparatus is provided. The user terminal apparatus includes a communication interface unit which receives user interface (UI) information data regarding a UI screen corresponding to at least one application displayed on an external apparatus in communication with the external apparatus, a storage unit which stores a UI information conversion format, an information conversion unit which converts the received UI information data using the UI information conversion format, a display unit which displays a UI screen, and a control unit which controls the information conversion unit to convert the UI information data received by the communication interface unit using the UI information conversion format and display on the display unit the UI screen corresponding to the converted UI information data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Doh-hyeong Lee
  • Patent number: 10852414
    Abstract: An in-home inventory and location system is provided. At least one RF backscatter transmitter, hosted on a device, is configured to emit a RF signal on a frequency. A set of passive RF backscatter tags, each associated with a respective one of a plurality of products in a given area, is configured to reflect and frequency shift the RF signal to a different frequency. At least one RF backscatter receiver, hosted on another device, is configured to read the products on the different frequency by detecting a distributed ambient backscatter signal generated by a reflection and frequency shifting of the RF signal by the passive RF backscatter tag. At least one of the device hosting the at least one RF backscatter transmitter and the other device hosting the at least one RF backscatter receiver is configured to maintain an inventory and location of the products in the given area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Inventors: Karthikeyan Sundaresan, Eugene Chai, Sampath Rangarajan
  • Patent number: 10852415
    Abstract: A navigation assistance system is provided. At least one RF backscatter transmitter, hosted on a device, is configured to emit a RF signal on a frequency. A set of passive RF backscatter tags, each associated with a respective one of a plurality of navigation markers in a given venue, is configured to reflect the RF signal and frequency shift the RF signal to a different frequency. At least one RF backscatter receiver is configured to read the navigation markers on the different frequency by detecting a distributed ambient backscatter signal generated by a reflection and frequency shifting of the RF signal by the passive RF backscatter tag. At least one of the device hosting the at least one RF backscatter transmitter and the other device hosting the at least one RF backscatter receiver is configured to maintain an inventory of locations of the navigation markers in the given venue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Inventors: Karthikeyan Sundaresan, Eugene Chai, Sampath Rangarajan
  • Patent number: 10852413
    Abstract: A product tagging system is provided. The product tagging system includes at least one RF backscatter transmitter configured to emit a Radio Frequency (RF) signal on a frequency. The product tagging system further includes a passive RF backscatter tag associated with a product and configured to reflect and frequency shift the RF signal to a different frequency. The product tagging system also includes at least one RF backscatter receiver configured to read the product on the different frequency by detecting a distributed ambient backscatter signal generated by a reflection and frequency shifting of the RF signal by the passive RF backscatter tag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Inventors: Karthikeyan Sundaresan, Eugene Chai, Sampath Rangarajan
  • Patent number: 10845424
    Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for diagnosing a failure of an electromagnetic-inductive power supply apparatus, which diagnoses whether a power-generation CT has failed by comparing the values detected in a sensor CT and the power-generation CT, thereby preventing the generating efficiency from being reduced. The disclosed apparatus for diagnosing the failure of the electromagnetic-inductive power supply apparatus detects detection values of a power-generation CT and a sensor CT, converts detection values into converted value by scaling detection values, and diagnoses whether the current transformer has failed and whether the power-outage has occurred based on converted values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: AMOSENSE CO., LTD
    Inventors: Won-San Na, Jin-Pyo Park, Jung-Hyun Choi
  • Patent number: 10848008
    Abstract: The disclosure disclosed herein provides a wireless power transmission device that wirelessly transmits power to electronic equipment coupled to a seat regardless of a position of the seat. According to an embodiment of the disclosure disclosed herein, a wireless power transmission device includes a power receiving unit coupled to a lower portion of a seat, and a power transmitting unit spaced apart from and below the power receiving unit, in which the power receiving unit is spaced apart from the power transmitting unit and slides into a moving direction of the seat, and the power receiving unit wirelessly receives power from the power transmitting unit and supplies power to electronic equipment installed in the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Inventors: Chan Ki Cho, Hyun Chul Woo
  • Patent number: 10848009
    Abstract: The rectifying device converts high-frequency power input from an input terminal into direct current power and outputs the direct current power from an output terminal. The rectifying device includes a rectifier that converts the high-frequency power into the direct current power, and an impedance changer having one end connected to a connection point of the rectifier and the output terminal and the other end to which reference voltage is applied such that impedance varies while having a negative correlation with respect to an absolute value of voltage of the direct current power. When the absolute value of the voltage of the direct current power is greater than a predetermined value that is lower than reverse withstand voltage of the rectifying element included in the rectifier, the impedance of the impedance changer as viewed from the rectifier is a value regarded as corresponding to a short circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Tanaka, Jun Shimokawatoko, Masaomi Tsuru, Atsushi Yamamoto, Yukihiro Homma