Accelerometer Patents (Class 702/141)
  • Patent number: 9804764
    Abstract: In a method for displaying information, a portion of a list is displayed on a display area, which includes a plurality of list entries, and the displayed portion of the list is changed by a first operator action of a user, the entries of the list being run through consecutively by the first operator action. By a second operator action multiple list entries are skipped so as to reach a list entry that is not contained in the displayed portion of the list entries that were displayed while performing the second operator action. In a device for displaying information, the above method steps are implementable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AG
    Inventor: Sven Hoehne
  • Patent number: 9767574
    Abstract: The described technology regards an augmented reality system and method for estimating a position of a location of interest relative to the position and orientation of a display, including a retroactive update to a previously rendered estimate of the position of the orientation of the display stored in a rewind buffer. Systems of the described technology include including a plurality of sensors, a processing module or other computation means, and a database. Methods of the described technology use data from the sensor package useful to accurately render graphical user interface information on a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Applied Research Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: Alberico Menozzi
  • Patent number: 9767575
    Abstract: The described technology regards an augmented reality system and method for estimating a position of a location of interest relative to the position and orientation of a display, using a forward buffer to store current and predicted position estimates calculated by the methods of the present invention. Systems of the described technology include including a plurality of sensors, a processing module or other computation means, and a database. Methods of the described technology use data from the sensor package useful to accurately render graphical user interface information on a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Applied Research Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: Alberico Menozzi
  • Patent number: 9734690
    Abstract: Devices and methods of using a personal emergency reporting system device is described. The personal emergency reporting system (PERS) device wakes up based on timing, manual activation or an accelerometer in the PERS device detecting an abnormal condition. The PERS device measures the orientation and correlate and sends statistics to a console. The PERS device determines whether a predetermined threshold has been met to determine whether a fall event has occurred or whether to enter a more active monitoring state. The PERS device also determines whether it is appropriate to transmit an alarm to a central monitoring station via the console and transmits the alarm if desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Nortek Security & Controls LLC
    Inventors: James J Haflinger, Jeffrey Michael Sweeney
  • Patent number: 9733729
    Abstract: The invention discloses an improved method and device for sensing orientation of an object in space in a Working Reference Frame. The device of the invention includes an angular velocity sensor with at least two sensing axes and a linear acceleration sensor with at least three sensing axes. The method used for sensing orientation of the object in space in the Working Reference Frame uses synthetic values of the gravity component of the acceleration of the object. It depends upon the number of sensing axes of the angular velocity sensor and upon the dynamicity of the movement of the object. The dynamicity of the movement of the object is tested to compute the synthetic values which are used. The method and device of the invention allow control of a cursor on a display, independently of the roll imparted to the device by a user, in a seamless manner which is greatly improved over the devices and methods of the prior art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Movea
    Inventors: Grégoire Aujay, Guillaume Aujay
  • Patent number: 9721343
    Abstract: A method and system provide light to project to an operation space so that a received image from the operation space will include, if an object is in the operation space, a bright region due to the reflection of light by the object, and identify a gesture according to the variation of a barycenter position, an average brightness, or an area of the bright region in successive images, for generating a corresponding command. Only simple operation and calculation is required to detect the motion of an object moving in the X, Y, or Z axis of an image, for identifying a gesture represented by the motion of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: PixArt Imaging Inc.
    Inventors: Yu-Hao Huang, En-Feng Hsu
  • Patent number: 9706288
    Abstract: Personal listening device (PLD) includes earphone housing having therein (a) inertial sensor to detect motion of PLD and to generate motion signal, (b) pressure sensor to detect compression of portion of PLD and to generate pressure sensor signal, and (c) speaker to receive anti-noise signal and desired audio signal from electronic device, and active noise control (ANC) system to generate anti-noise signal as being one of first or second anti-noise signal. ANC system includes processor, vibration detector to detect vibration of the PLD based on at least one of motion signal or pressure sensor signal, and ANC anti-noise generator to generate first anti-noise signal when vibrations are not detected by vibration detector, and to generate second anti-noise signal when vibrations are detected by vibration detector. Second anti-noise signal is based on detected vibrations. Processor reconfigures ANC system for ANC anti-noise generator to generate second anti-noise signal. Other embodiments are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey Terlizzi
  • Patent number: 9684013
    Abstract: A motion detecting device has: an input section to which acceleration signals, that express accelerations of respective axes of three axes of a three-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system, are respectively inputted; and a motion detecting section that sets each of plural axes, that include two different axes that are selected from among the three axes, as a designated axis in a predetermined order, and outputs a motion detection signal if it is judged that directions of motion, that are detected on the basis of the acceleration signals of the respective axes that were inputted to the input section, are directions of respective designated axes that have been set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: LAPIS SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Junpei Sato
  • Patent number: 9684353
    Abstract: A mode switching method of wearable equipment and the wearable equipment are disclosed. The method comprising: confirming a current mode being a sleep mode, detecting an accumulated time of a motion state, judging whether the accumulated time is greater than a first predetermined time period and switching to a fake sleep mode if it is; and detecting an accumulated footsteps and a sleep state, which by judging whether the accumulated footsteps in a second predetermined time period is greater than a threshold footsteps and switching to the motion state if it is; and judging whether the second predetermined time period is experienced in the sleep state and switching to the sleep mode if it is. The present invention can improve the accuracy, while reducing power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignees: Inventec Appliances (Pudong) Corporation, Inventec Appliances Corp., Inventec Appliances (Nanchang) Corporation
    Inventors: Xiao-Long Xu, Xin Huang
  • Patent number: 9673864
    Abstract: A wireless hierarchical heterogonous pico-net providing communication between smart-phone based analysis and control application and multiplicity of sensors and actuators embedded in the ski equipment is described. The topology of this pico-net comprises two layers of hierarch, where the first layer is configured as a Bluetooth wireless network using a Round-Robin scheduling method and consisting of a single master and up-to seven slaves, and the second layer of the hierarchy is configured as a sub-nets consisting of multiplicity of sensors and actuators and communicating internally using ANT personal area network (PAN) wireless interface, or via a digital wire interface. Such network topology provides deterministic latency of a hierarchy a single-hop Bluetooth network, irrespective of the numbers of sensors and actuators embedded within each sub-net of the second layer of hierarchy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: IPCOMM
    Inventor: Stanislaw Czaja
  • Patent number: 9654932
    Abstract: One or more mobile device movement detection computing devices and methods are disclosed herein based on acceleration data collected from an accelerometer of a mobile device found within an interior of a vehicle. The mobile device movement detection computing devices may identify a likely mobile device movement event based on a change of angle between two three-dimensional acceleration vectors. Where the mobile device movement detection computing devices detect a likely mobile device movement event, sensor data from various sensors of a mobile device are collected and aggregated for a window of time encompassing the mobile device movement event. Data from vehicle sensors and other external systems may also be used. The mobile device movement detection computing devices calculate a risk score based on the aggregates sensor data, and provide feedback to a mobile device or vehicle based on the calculated risk score.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company
    Inventors: Yasir Mukhtar, Varun Nagpal, Jared S. Snyder, Connor Walsh
  • Patent number: 9654951
    Abstract: An automatic distress alarming method includes that: A. a distress alarm automatically sends out a sound and light alarming signal; B. the distress alarm automatically sends a distress signal and a GPS signal to a mobile phone; C. the distress alarm sends out the distress signal and the GPS signal by a manual operation; D. a disconnected distress alarm sends out the distress signal and the GPS signal. And its system includes a microprocessor U1, a driving chip U2, a wireless transmitting module U3, a switching circuit of an angular rate sensor, a GPS circuit, a storage device, a reset button, a manual operation alarming switch, a manual operation communicating switch and a disconnecting alarming button.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Inventors: Lai Ming Wu, Chui Ha Kung, Michael Tong Chang, Ka Ho Cheung, Heung Kai Chan, Choi Lam Cheung, Hon Wai Chan
  • Patent number: 9648478
    Abstract: A wearable device for detecting a user state is disclosed. The wearable device includes an accelerometer for measuring an acceleration of a user, a magnetometer for measuring a magnetic field associated with the user's change of orientation, a microphone for receiving audio, a memory for storing the audio, and at least one processor communicatively connected to the accelerometer, the magnetometer, the microphone, and the memory. The processor is identified to declare a measured acceleration as a suspected user state, and to categorize the suspected user state based on the stored audio as one of an activity of daily life (ADL), a confirmed user state, or an inconclusive event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Nortek Security & Control LLC
    Inventors: Ram David Adva Fish, Henry Messenger, Leonid Baryudin, Soroush Salehian Dardashti, Evgenia Goldshtein
  • Patent number: 9631956
    Abstract: Methods and systems for calibrating sensors on a computing device are described herein. In an example implementation, a computing device may perform a method to calibrate one or more sensors, which may include receiving an indication that a sensor has been calibrated. The computing device may further receive independent observations of a motion of a device from the calibrated sensor and a potentially non-calibrated sensor. The device may determine as independent estimation of motion based on the movement of the device corresponding to the outputs of the respective sensors. Based on whether or not the estimation of motion as provided by the potentially non-calibrated sensor is within a threshold variance of the estimation of motion as provided by the calibrated sensor, the computing device may provide instructions to adjust parameters of the non-calibrated sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Patrick Mihelich, Renzo De Nardi, Ivan Dryanovski
  • Patent number: 9613197
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method and a system for authenticating a user. In one embodiment, one or more input and target data samples extracted from a plurality of physiological and movement signals of the user are processed to train one or more regression models. In real time authentication, the input and target data samples are extracted from the plurality of physiological and activity signals and mapped with trained regression models to determine a regression error. Based on the regression error, an appropriate authentication signal is then generated and transmitted to the user. Using dynamically selected multiple input and target data samples for user authentication increases the accuracy of authentication, thereby reducing possibilities of invalid authentication. Further, the power consumed by the sensors and computation load is reduced by dynamically powering up and powering down of the one or more sensors based on their usage during the authentication process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: WIPRO LIMITED
    Inventors: Vinod Pathangay, Satish Prasad Rath
  • Patent number: 9595130
    Abstract: Virtual model navigation methods and apparatus are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Chief Architect Inc.
    Inventors: Greg Wells, Chris Tenbrink, Carl Wieland
  • Patent number: 9582109
    Abstract: A method for detecting noise of a touch panel and performing signal control is provided, where the method may determine how many cycles of frame data are influenced by noise, may determine whether the frame data is influenced by noise by determining whether a number of cycles influenced by noise is greater than a first threshold value or not, and may determine whether a number of continuous frame data determined to be influenced by noise is greater than a second threshold value to generate a determination result. Finally, the method may determine whether to adjust a frequency of the transmitting signals according to the determination result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: HIMAX TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Li-Lin Liu, Chung-Wen Chang, Shen-Feng Tai, Jui-Min Liu
  • Patent number: 9584236
    Abstract: An automatic content recognition system that includes a user device for the purpose of capturing audio and generating an audio signature. The user device may be a smartphone or tablet. The system is also capable of determining whether a user device is in motion and refraining from audio monitoring and/or generating audio signatures when the user device is in motion. Motion may also be used to reduce the frequency of audio monitoring and/or signature generation. The system may have a database within the user device or the user device may communicate with a server having a database that contains reference audio signatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Alphonso Inc.
    Inventors: Lampros Kalampoukas, Ashish Chordia, Raghu Srinivas Kodige
  • Patent number: 9560488
    Abstract: A BAN system includes multiple terminal apparatuses connected by wireless communication, where a terminal apparatus of the multiple terminal apparatuses is configured to identify in which direction acceleration has changed, the direction being identified based on a measurement result of a sensor of the terminal apparatus, the sensor being configured to measure acceleration; and to refer to information that specifies corresponding to places where the plurality of terminal apparatuses is to be attached to a body, directions in which acceleration changes when the body performs a given behavior, and determines based on the identified direction, a place where the terminal apparatus is attached to the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Toshihiro Kunitake, Hiroki Akano, Yuki Iwamasa, Eiji Matsumoto, Ichirou Ida, Tatsuya Kikuzuki, Kazumi Kasai, Teruhisa Ninomiya
  • Patent number: 9547095
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a MEMS-based rotation sensor for use in seismic data acquisition and sensor units having same. The MEMS-based rotation sensor includes a substrate, an anchor disposed on the substrate and a proof mass coupled to the anchor via a plurality of flexural springs. The proof mass has a first electrode coupled to and extending therefrom. A second electrode is fixed to the substrate, and one of the first and second electrodes is configured to receive an actuation signal, and another of the first and second electrodes is configured to generate an electrical signal having an amplitude corresponding with a degree of angular movement of the first electrode relative to the second electrode. The MEMS-based rotation sensor further includes closed loop circuitry configured to receive the electrical signal and provide the actuation signal. Related methods for using the MEMS-based rotation sensor in seismic data acquisition are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventors: Maxime Projetti, Olivier Vancauwenberghe, Nicolas Goujon, Hans Paulson
  • Patent number: 9541571
    Abstract: A state detecting device includes an acquisition unit which acquires an x-axis component, a y-axis component and a z-axis component of an acceleration signal from an acceleration sensor, and an arithmetic unit which performs arithmetic processing. The arithmetic unit calculates a coordinate transformation matrix for finding an acceleration component in horizontal direction, from an average value of the x-axis component, an average value of the y-axis component and an average value of the z-axis component acquired by the acquisition unit, and discriminates between a first state where a person is in a first type of vehicle and a second state where the person is in a second type of vehicle that is different from the first type, based on the coordinate transformation matrix that is calculated and a first indicator value obtained from the x-axis component, the y-axis component and the z-axis component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Norihisa Hagiwara
  • Patent number: 9536560
    Abstract: Systems, devices, apparatuses, components, methods, and techniques for cadence determination and media content selection are provided. An example media-playback device comprises a media-output device that plays media content items, a cadence-acquiring device, and a cadence-based media content selection engine. The cadence-acquiring device includes an accelerometer and a cadence-determination engine configured to determine a cadence based on acceleration data captured by the accelerometer. The cadence-based media content selection engine is configured to identify a media content item based on the cadence determined by the cadence-determining engine and cause the media-output device to playback the identified media content item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Spotify AB
    Inventors: Tristan Jehan, Sten Garmark, Dariusz Dziuk, Rahul Sen, Owen Smith, Lars Christian Olofsson, Nikolaos Toumpelis
  • Patent number: 9497703
    Abstract: According to various embodiments, a radio communication device may be provided. The radio communication device may include: a memory circuit configured to store data to be broadcasted; a communication circuit configured to establish a wireless connection with a first further radio communication device; and a transmitter configured to at least one of broadcast signals based on the stored data or transmit a signal based on the stored data to the first further radio communication device using the communication circuit; wherein the communication circuit is configured to receive information from the first further radio communication device based on a signal broadcasted by a second further radio communication device, free from the communication circuit receiving the signal from the second further radio communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: RAZER (ASIA-PACIFIC) PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Min-Liang Tan, Sze Wei Joel Hong, Kah Yong Lee, Chee Oei Chan
  • Patent number: 9470619
    Abstract: Intrinsically calibrated friction mensuration device has a drive unit with controllable motive member, configured to receive a controllable propulsion force, and to apply tractive force by a Class 1 lever to a weighted test piece. A force engine couples to the motive member, and applies the controllable propulsion force. The device includes a controller imposing a propulsion control signal actuating the force engine to produce the propulsion force. A force sensor joins drive unit and test piece, producing a force signal responsive to a sensed force between drive unit and test piece. The sensed force includes hydroplaning SCOF and hydroplaning DCOF. A method includes applying an increasing tractive force to a test piece at rest; measuring the tractive force; identifying the maximum tractive force applied at incipient motion; identifying the transition between the resting test piece and incipient motion; determining the hydroplaning SCOF; continuing motion; and determining the hydroplaning DCOF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Inventor: Fred M. Johnson
  • Patent number: 9452331
    Abstract: A fitting method of a shaft of a golf club for selecting a shaft matching a golfer based on a swing of the golfer. The method includes the steps of obtaining measurement values from a sensor attached to a grip of a golf club; determining address, top, and impact of a swing from the measurement values; and selecting a shaft that matches a golfer through a usage of the swing characteristic amounts and values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignees: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD., SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kousuke Okazaki, Masahiko Ueda, Masatoshi Kato
  • Patent number: 9455998
    Abstract: The systems, methods and apparatuses described herein provide an apparatus configured for preventing relay attacks on a communication link between the apparatus and a communication partner. The apparatus may comprise a communication port, a timer and a processor. The processor may be configured to generate a request, transmit the request through the communication link using the communication port and start counting time using the timer, receive a response via the communication port and stop the timer, receive authentication data via the communication port, authenticate the authentication data, compare the counted time with a predefined threshold, compare a first field within the request with a second field within the response and determine whether there is a relay attack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: OLogN Technologies AG
    Inventors: Dmytro Ivanchykhin, Sergey Ignatchenko
  • Patent number: 9452318
    Abstract: A portable exercise apparatus for use by a user performing push-ups includes: a detection device; and a suspension member adapted to suspend the detection device from the user. When the detection device is suspended from the user by the suspension member, the apparatus is operative to indicate execution of a compliant push-up by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: East Carolina University
    Inventors: David Anthony Rowe, Matthew Thomas Mahar
  • Patent number: 9454234
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method and apparatus for triggering an instruction, methods and systems for obtaining user information, a terminal, and a server. The instruction triggering method includes: detecting a shaking operation of a mobile terminal; and triggering a preset input instruction according to the detected shaking operation. The user information obtaining method includes: when a mobile terminal detects a shaking operation, the mobile terminal sending a user information obtaining request to a server; and the mobile terminal receiving user information of a matching user returned according to the user information by the server. Another user information obtaining method includes: after a server receives a user information obtaining request triggered by a shaking operation of a mobile terminal, obtaining a user who matches the user information obtaining request and sending user information of the matching user to the mobile terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Xiaolong Zhang, Guanchu Wu, Yongbo Xie, Lei Huang
  • Patent number: 9453902
    Abstract: Embodiments of techniques and systems for dead-zone-location detection in wireless systems are described. In embodiments, a wireless device may be configured to receive radio signals and provide indicators that convey signal strength of received radio signals. The received radio signals are considered degraded when signal strength of the received radio signals is below a threshold level. The wireless device may also be configured to determine which dead zone the wireless device is currently located, in response to a determination that receipt of radio signals is degraded. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Xiaoyong Jacky Pan, Justin Lipman, Robert A. Colby
  • Patent number: 9448250
    Abstract: Motion sensors of a mobile device mounted to a vehicle are used to detect a mount angle of the mobile device. The motion sensors are used to determine whether the vehicle is accelerating or de-accelerating, whether the vehicle is turning and whether the mount angle of the mobile device is rotating. The mount angle of the mobile device is obtained from data output from the motion sensors and can be used to correct a compass heading. Data from the motion sensors that are obtained while the vehicle is turning or the mobile device is rotating are not used to obtain the mount angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Hung A. Pham, Martin M. Menzel, Sunny Kai Pang Chow, Xiaoyuan Tu
  • Patent number: 9417705
    Abstract: A motion detection device includes: an acceleration detection unit, a separating unit, a gravity axis determination unit, and a motion detection unit. The acceleration detection unit detects acceleration components of each axis of a three-dimensional rectangular coordinate system of acceleration acting on the acceleration detection unit and outputs sets of acceleration component data. The separating unit separates the outputted sets of acceleration component data into stationary components and motion components. The gravity axis determination unit determines an axis whose separated stationary component is the largest to be a gravity axis. The motion detection unit detects, if an axis corresponding to a largest motion component showing a largest value of the separated motion components is an axis other than the determined gravity axis, a motion axis of the acceleration detection unit on the basis of the largest motion component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: LAPIS Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazunori Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 9403078
    Abstract: Golf clubs according to at least some example aspects of this disclosure may include a golf club head and a shaft configured to engage with the golf club head which includes a grip engaged with the shaft. Further, the golf club may include a monitoring device, which includes a sensor and a transmitter. Additionally, the monitoring device may be configured to determine data related to the characteristics of a golf swing. Further, the monitoring device may be configured to transmit the data related to the characteristics of a golf swing to a remote computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua M. Boggs, Philip J. Hatton, Brian Kammerer, Jeffrey A. Hadden, Gregory S. Kramer, Douglas A. Thornton, Sherry L. Jones, James H. Lua, Daniel F. Wisniewski
  • Patent number: 9390612
    Abstract: A personal emergency response (PER) device may include an audio sensor that is used to enhance the operation of the PER device. The audio sensor may obtain audio data that can be used to verify whether a fall event that is detected by the PER device is a false positive signal and/or enhance the reliability of a detected fall event. In some implementations, the audio data may be used in the detection of vehicle crashes in which a user of the PER device is involved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Verizon Telematics, Inc.
    Inventors: James Ronald Barfield, Jr., Stephen Christopher Welch
  • Patent number: 9389112
    Abstract: A method for detecting the filling level in a motor vehicle. A device for ascertaining the tank filling level value of moving vehicles, including at least one tank, at least one filling level sensor, at least one control unit and at least one pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Deutz AG
    Inventor: Gonzalo Medina-Sanchez
  • Patent number: 9389638
    Abstract: A device for detecting a carrying case, and methods there for, are provided. The device includes: an orientation sensor; a near field communication (NFC) reader; and, a processor configured to place the device in a carrying case mode when an orientation of the device is within a given angular range as determined using the orientation sensor, and the NFC reader detects an NFC tag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
    Inventors: Ahmed Abdelsamie, Marc Elis Meunier, Omar George Joseph Barake, Steven Anthony Lill, Guowei Zhang
  • Patent number: 9370690
    Abstract: A mobile telephone device includes a control unit that determines that a state is a state of walking or a movement state different from the state of walking, based on acceleration. In a case in which the control unit determines that a state is the movement state different from the state of walking, if a state immediately before determining the movement state different from the state of walking is the state of walking, the control unit makes the determination valid. As an example, the movement state different from the state of walking is a state of moving on a bicycle or a state of moving by transportation other than the bicycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigeki Tanabe, Hideki Morita
  • Patent number: 9357948
    Abstract: A method determining values of parameters representing a movement of an entity represented by an articulated chain, by a sensor assembly including at least one sensor for a parameter representing an orientation of a first segment of the articulated chain, the method including: reception of an orientation value measured and supplied by the orientation sensor; estimation of a value of at least one first parameter representing a movement of the first segment by processing the orientation value; and, based on a predetermined movement model of the articulated chain, as a time change model, including at least one relationship of time dependency between the at least one first parameter and at least one other parameter representing a movement of another segment of the articulated chain: estimation of a value of the at least one other parameter by application of the time change model to the estimated value of the at least one first parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignees: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES, MOVEA
    Inventors: Joe Youssef, Christelle Godin, Suzanne Lesecq
  • Patent number: 9272199
    Abstract: A system, method and apparatus for training a swing movement of a club includes storing a desired swing data in a measuring device, capturing a training swing data in the measuring device, comparing the training swing data to the desired swing data to determine a set of differential data, outputting a signal to a user corresponding to the set of differential data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Applejack 199 L.P.
    Inventors: Uwe Richter, Xiping Huo, Ann Koo, Nikolai Maltsev, Louis Lau, John Groot
  • Patent number: 9261980
    Abstract: The invention applies to a pointing device of a mobile element, for example a cursor, on a plane surface. The pointing device comprises a first sensor for measuring the angular rates of the device and a second sensor of the linear accelerations along three dimensions of said device. Preferably, the first sensor is a two-axis or three-axis gyrometer and the second sensor is a three-axis accelerometer. The invention makes it possible to render the movements of the mobile element in the surface of the orientation in which the pointing device is held by its user. This result is achieved by global resolution of the angles of torsion by combining the measurements of the first and second sensors either within an extended Kalman filter or by application of an optimization criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignees: MOVEA, COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Cindy Bassompiere, Yanis Caritu, Bruno Flament, Andrea Vassilev
  • Patent number: 9261602
    Abstract: A method for determining a location change based on contextual data is disclosed. The method may include gathering contextual data from ambient sensors of a device. The method may include determining a probability value that the device has changed location. The method may include comparing the probability value with a predetermined value. The method may include determining whether the location has changed based on the comparison of the probability value with the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Ulf R. Hanebutte
  • Patent number: 9261381
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided that allow steps to be counted in multiple pedometer modes. For example, a pedometer application on an electronic device can count steps in an ambient mode of operation and a session mode of operation. By maintaining separate counters for each pedometer mode and continuously monitoring the desired mode of operation, the pedometer application can accurately count the number of steps during a certain time period. In response to detecting a change in the desired mode, the pedometer application can seamlessly switch to the corresponding mode counter. In some embodiments, the pedometer application can display graphical representations of historical step information for one or more pedometer modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Benjamin A. Rottler, Jorge S. Fino, Anton M. Davydov, Prashanth Ramachandran, Allen P. Haughay, Jr., Policarpo B. Wood
  • Patent number: 9257054
    Abstract: A method for monitoring a ball used for an athletic activity includes detecting movement of the ball at a first time, using a sensor module coupled to the ball, determining that the movement of the ball corresponds to a predetermined activation movement, entering an active state of the sensor module in response to the determination that the movement of the ball corresponds to the predetermined activation movement, and detecting movement of the ball at a second time, using the sensor module in the active state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: ADIDAS AG
    Inventors: Aurel Coza, Christian Dibenedetto, Jeffrey Allen
  • Patent number: 9255942
    Abstract: A mobile terminal includes a first fixed-interval timer that counts a first interval; a second fixed-interval timer that counts a second interval longer than the first interval; a motion acceleration detection unit that obtains a first period of acceleration data from an acceleration sensor at the first interval and detects motion acceleration based on the first period of acceleration data; a walking state detection unit that, when the motion acceleration is detected based on the first period of acceleration data, obtains a second period of acceleration data, which is longer than the first period, from the acceleration sensor and detects a walking state or a non-walking state based on the second period of acceleration data; and a continuous walking determining unit that determines that continuous walking is detected when the walking state is detected a predetermined number of times or more within the second interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: NTT DOCOMO, INC.
    Inventor: Makoto Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9239215
    Abstract: A method is provided for improving athletic performance in a sport in which participants employ a projectile during competition. The method includes training for the sport with a sensing system included in the projectile, where flight characteristics of the projectile remain substantially unchanged with the sensing system included in the projectile relative to the flight characteristics of the projectile as used in competition without the sensing system. The method also includes evaluating at least one flight characteristic measured by the sensing system when the projectile is employed with the sensing system, and if the act of evaluating finds that adjusting at least one physical characteristic of the projectile may assist in improving the participant's performance, changing the at least one physical characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Full Flight Technology, LLC
    Inventor: Robert V. Donahoe
  • Patent number: 9200923
    Abstract: A pedometer for determining the length of a route traveled on foot includes an acceleration sensor for ascertaining a number of steps as well as a pressure sensor for ascertaining a change in geographic elevation, and an evaluation unit being configured to adapt the step length to the measured average elevation change per step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Gerhard Lammel, Daniel Schifferdecker
  • Patent number: 9195269
    Abstract: A roll compensation system for an electronic device, a method of mitigating impact of an electronic device and an impact-resistant mobile device incorporating the system or the method. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) a plurality of sensors operable to detect orientation and motion of the electronic device, (2) a controller configured to detect a fall based on the motion and determine a mitigating roll based on the orientation and the motion and (3) a compensator operable to carry out the mitigating roll thereby reducing the probability of a catastrophic impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Nvidia Corporation
    Inventor: Daniel Rohrer
  • Patent number: 9173596
    Abstract: A movement assessment apparatus configured to provide biofeedback to a user regarding one or more bodily movements executed by the user is disclosed herein. The movement assessment apparatus generally includes a sensing device comprising one or more sensors, a data processing device operatively coupled to the sensing device, and a sensory output device operatively coupled to the data processing device. The data processing device is configured to determine a movement path and/or velocity profile of the body portion of the user using one or more signals from the one or more sensors, to compare the movement path and/or the velocity profile determined for the body portion of the user to a respective baseline movement path and/or velocity profile, and to determine how closely the movement path and/or the velocity profile determined for the body portion of the user conforms to the respective baseline movement path and/or baseline velocity profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Bertec Limited
    Inventors: Necip Berme, Jan Jakub Ober
  • Patent number: 9151622
    Abstract: A method of estimating a moving direction of a user of an apparatus is provided. The method includes obtaining change information of acceleration according to motions of the user from an acceleration sensor mounted in an apparatus for estimating the moving direction of the user, calculating a reaction vector of force applied to a ground surface by feet of the user based on the change information of the acceleration, calculating an included angle between the moving direction of the user based on the reaction vector and an axis of a geomagnetic sensor that is included in the apparatus and detects change information of a magnetic field according to a position of the user, and determining the moving direction of the user based on a moving direction measurement value of the geomagnetic sensor mounted in the apparatus and the included angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Seoul National University R&DB Foundation
    Inventors: Seung-hyuck Shin, Chan-gook Park, Jae-myeon Lee, Hyun-su Hong
  • Patent number: 9146605
    Abstract: A processor for an activity monitor for a user has a reduced power mode in which it does not process data samples from an accelerometer. A wake up circuit or logic evaluates an output from the accelerometer and determines whether the output exceeds a threshold, indicating a threshold amount of activity of the user. If the threshold is exceeded, the wake up circuit or logic causes the processor to enter an active mode. The processor evaluates samples of the accelerometer in an evaluation period and decides whether to continue in the active mode or return to the reduced power mode. If the user is deemed to be sufficiently active, the processor continues in the active mode. In another aspect, the threshold can be set based on an activity level of the user before the reduced power mode or sensor data such as ambient light level or skin temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: SALUTRON, INC.
    Inventors: Yong Jin Lee, Eddy Hui, Kaiping Chen
  • Patent number: 9140717
    Abstract: An apparatus for analyzing free flight of a body including an inertial measurement unit having at least one accelerometer continuously measuring three orthogonal axes of acceleration and outputting data representative thereof and a processing unit operably receiving the data and determining three components of an angular velocity of the body during free flight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: The Regents of The University of Michigan
    Inventors: Noel Perkins, Kevin King, Ryan Doss