Three-way and four-way switching circuit
Granted: February 10, 2015
Patent Number:
8952575
A three-way or four-way switching circuit for lighting, and the like, is described. One three-way switch is replaced with an electronic switch. Both legs of the switching circuit are powered all the time and current is sensed in the legs to determine when one of the three-way or four-way switches has been switched. This information is used to turn the light on and off.
Cotter spring pin
Granted: August 19, 2014
Patent Number:
8807903
A retainer pin is described for retaining, in one embodiment, a relatively thin blade against a transverse surface. The pin has a transition section which extends through an opening in the blade, a keeper section extending along one side of the blade, and a snap arm and snap end extending along an opposite side of the blade with a snap snapping over the edge of the blade.
Sampling of non-planar display surfaces
Granted: July 1, 2014
Patent Number:
8766998
Sampling in the process of trans-raster distortion correction is described. The distortion parameterization is analyzed to determine the maximum inflation and deflation (magnification and minification) over the image. The maximum inflation is then used to determine the optimal resolution (dimensions in pixels) of the linear-projected image such that it is not undersampled by the output image. The maximum deflation, coupled with the optimal resolution determined in the inflation step, is…
Local search optimization using personal footprints
Granted: April 22, 2014
Patent Number:
8706719
A user's physical location and the time the user is at that location are sampled by an network-enabled mobile computing device at certain intervals, and used to construct a representation of the comparative relevance of the different physical locations where the user lives. This representation is then used then to optimize and prioritize results returned by a local network search operation, informing the user about which search result would be optimal for the user at her intended time…
Automated topology discovery and management for electric meters
Granted: April 15, 2014
Patent Number:
8700754
A method for automated topology discovery and management of meter nodes in a power grid is described. In the discovery mode any of the meter nodes is able to act as a proxy for a data concentrator to sort out the topology, and to determine the best path for communicating between a concentrator and each of the meter nodes.
Compounds and methods of use thereof for assaying lysophospholipase D activity
Granted: August 20, 2013
Patent Number:
8512971
Fluorogenic lysophosphatidic acid derivatives which can be used as substrates in a continuous, fluorogenic assay that can be performed in microtiter plates. The assays permit measuring LysoPLD activity levels in normal events such as pregnancy or disease states such as cancer. In addition, the present invention can be adopted to high throughout screening (HTS) for identification of potential inhibitors of lysoPLD activity.
Staggered laser-etch line graphic system, method and articles of manufacture
Granted: June 11, 2013
Patent Number:
8460566
A staggered laser-etch line graphic system, method, and articles of manufacture are provided. One described method includes the steps of laser engraving a first plurality of lines associated with a first component section of a graphic on a surface of an article; laser engraving a second plurality of lines associated with a second component section of the graphic on the surface of the article; and controlling said laser engraving of the first plurality of lines and said laser engraving of…
Efficient illumination of large three dimensional environments
Granted: May 7, 2013
Patent Number:
8436855
Efficient determination of illumination over large 3D environments, including shadowing, is provided. Illumination, including shadows, is generated using a raster elevation map by a lighting solver. The lighting solver fetches the raster elevation map for an illumination area of interest at the paging rate and produces an illumination map that is applied to terrain and features by a 3D renderer. The lighting solver updates subsets of the illumination map as necessary to reflect changing…
Simple installation of devices on a network
Granted: February 12, 2013
Patent Number:
8374104
One embodiment of the invention employs techniques for the self-installation of network devices using fire-and-forget principles. These devices modify their own network configuration data, but do not modify the network configuration data of other devices. Utilizing fire-and-forget principles, the need for a central database and central authority on the network is not required but may still be used.
System and method for selecting repeaters
Granted: December 25, 2012
Patent Number:
8340572
A method is described for selecting repeaters comprising: transmitting a first signal from a first node to a second node; measuring signal strength of the first signal at the second node; transmitting a second signal from the second node to the first node; measuring signal strength of the second signal at the first node; and selecting the second node as a repeater based on the signal strength of the first signal and/or the signal strength of the second signal. Another embodiment of the…
Location based wireless collaborative environment with a visual user interface
Granted: October 2, 2012
Patent Number:
8280405
A wireless networked device incorporating a display, a video camera and a geo-location system receives geo-located data messages from a server system. Messages can be viewed by panning the device, revealing the message's real world location as icons and text overlaid on top of the camera input on the display. The user can reply to the message from her location, add data to an existing message at its original location, send new messages to other users of the system or place a message at a…
Method and apparatus for an electric meter
Granted: July 10, 2012
Patent Number:
8219334
An improved meter and its operation is described. The meter can be a part of a larger automated meter reading process that allows for remote reading of the meter though power line communication. Using a microcomputer core, the meter processes incoming analog data and can calculate several relevant data values need by utility providers. The meter can also be used to monitor and detect tampering dry connect/voltage free devices, such as gas and water meters, connected to the meter.
Sensor and display-independent quantitative per-pixel stimulation system
Granted: June 19, 2012
Patent Number:
8203503
Sensor independent display characterization system spectrally characterizes a display system to measure radiant power emitted by the display system that displays a video image to a trainee pilot during sensor stimulation. A sensor spectral response for each wavelength produced by the stimulated sensor is determined. A stimulated luminance for each color level of the displayed image or for a range of color levels is computed. A color look up table that maps computed stimulated luminance…
Three-way and four-way switching circuit
Granted: September 20, 2011
Patent Number:
8022577
A three-way or four-way switching circuit for lighting, and the like, is described. One three-way switch is replaced with an electronic switch. Both legs of the switching circuit are powered all the time and current is sensed in the legs to determine when one of the three-way or four-way switches has been switched. This information is used to turn the light on and off.
Interactive advertising with an automated viewing reward system
Granted: August 23, 2011
Patent Number:
8005713
Programming is provided to a user. The programming includes content that the user wishes to play, and may also contain advertising. More specifically, the user controls various aspects of the advertising and earns value in return for agreeing to or allowing certain advertising actions. For example, in one embodiment, the programming contains blocks of advertising that separate blocks of streaming content, similar to current television advertising. The user pays a subscription fee for the…
Compounds and methods of use thereof for assaying lysophospholipase D activity
Granted: August 2, 2011
Patent Number:
7989663
Fluorogenic lysophosphatidic acid derivatives which can be used as substrates in a continuous, fluorogenic assay that can be performed in microtiter plates. The assays permit measuring LysoPLD activity levels in normal events such as pregnancy or disease states such as cancer. In addition, the present invention can be adopted to high throughout screening (HTS) for identification of potential inhibitors of lysoPLD activity.
Receiver particularly for a meter-bus
Granted: July 5, 2011
Patent Number:
7973561
A receiver particularly suited for an M-BUS is described. During transmission, the receiver is disabled. After each transmission, nodes and states in the receiver are set to prepare the receiver to receive a signal. Once data is sensed, a feedback loop clips the input signal to the receiver to limit the swing of the input signal. The line of the power supply at the lower potential is modulated, rather than modulating the line at the higher potential, for the transmission of data.
Communications transformer
Granted: June 28, 2011
Patent Number:
7969270
A communications transformer in which the primary and secondary windings are each divided into equal halves is disclosed. One primary and one secondary half winding is disposed about one section of a magnetic core, while the other halves are disposed about a second, parallel section. Voltages in the primary half windings and secondary half windings caused by stray magnetic fields are subtracted.
Power supply particularly for a meter-bus
Granted: February 15, 2011
Patent Number:
7889471
A power supply providing current interruption based on the energy from the supply over a sliding window of time is disclosed. The output current from the supply is periodically reestablished.
System method for selecting repeaters
Granted: September 14, 2010
Patent Number:
7796942
A method is described for selecting repeaters comprising: transmitting a first signal from a first node to a second node; measuring signal strength of the first signal at the second node; transmitting a second signal from the second node to the first node; measuring signal strength of the second signal at the first node; and selecting the second node as a repeater based on the signal strength of the first signal and/or the signal strength of the second signal. Another embodiment of the…
