Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100007097 | Resilient High Pressure Metal-to-Metal Seal and Method - A high pressure metal-to-metal seal utilizes an expandable metal seal element able to withstand caustic fluids, high pressure, and high temperature. The metal-to-metal seal assembly is resilient for repeatable sealing and comprises an energizing metal ring and a metal sealing ring. Engagement of these two rings expands surfaces of the metal sealing ring to create inner and/or outer metal-to-metal seals. | 01-14-2010 |
20100012326 | LIGHTWEIGHT AND COMPACT SUBSEA INTERVENTION PACKAGE AND METHOD - The present invention discloses apparatus and methods for a lightweight subsea intervention package that may be installed using vessels with a smaller lifting capacity than semi-submersible platforms so that the subsea intervention package can be transported, installed, and removed from a subsea well in less time and with less cost. In one embodiment, the present invention comprises a lower riser package for controlling the subsea well which utilizes two hydraulically activated gate valves. An emergency disconnect package is secured to the lower riser package utilizing a disconnect mechanism. The emergency disconnect package is operable to seal the bottom of a riser if the disconnect mechanism is activated to thereby minimize environmental leakage of fluid from the riser. | 01-21-2010 |
20150014568 | Gate Valve with Seat Assembly - The present invention provides a gate valve assembly having a valve body with a channel extending from a distal end to a proximal end, a gate configured to be moved from a first position to a second position, the second position being when the gate is positioned in the channel of the valve body between the distal end and the proximal end of the valve body. A seat insert is also provided to be threaded into a pocked of the valve body and a seat is configured to be positioned within the seat insert. A seal is adapted within a groove of the seat insert positioned between the valve body and the seat insert, wherein the seal is a fixed static seal providing no gaps and/or spaces between the seal insert and the valve body allowing no debris to corrupt the seals. | 01-15-2015 |
20150076378 | Actuator - A valve actuator assembly having an actuator housing coupled to a bonnet and a housing lid. A hydraulic cylinder is positioned within the actuator housing and directly coupled to the bonnet. A piston is positioned within the hydraulic cylinder and coupled to a spring lifter assembly and a spring is positioned within the actuator housing and having a first end and a second end, the first end being coupled to a lower surface of the housing lid, and the second end being coupled to the spring lifter assembly. An operating stem is coupled to the piston and positioned in a channel extending through the bonnet to a valve body assembly. | 03-19-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110043700 | Method and Apparatus for Analog Graphics Sample Clock Frequency Offset Detection and Verification - A method and apparatus for an analog-to-digital video signal converter. The converter is controlled by a clock with controllable frequency and phase for sampling an analog signal. A circuit corrects the clock frequency using a period of a columnar frame differences as a function of columnar location. The sampling clock frequency is changed by an amount dependent on the period of the columnar differences. A second measure of the difference between successive frames is computed for a sequence of clock phases. The frequency of the clock is verified using a characteristic of the second measure. The characteristic can be the ratio of the maximum to the minimum of the second measure over selected clock phases. Other characteristics can be used such as a difference of a maximum and a minimum measure. | 02-24-2011 |
20150330688 | COMPRESSOR OPERATION MANAGEMENT IN AIR CONDITIONERS - In various implementations, compressor operation in an air conditioner may be managed by maintaining oil viscosity, a temperature differential, compressor sump temperature, and/or suction pressure. Properties of the air conditioner or portions thereof, such as the compressor, may be determined. To manage compressor operations, operation(s) of the air conditioner may be adjusted based on one or more of the determined properties. | 11-19-2015 |
20150330690 | SENSOR FAILURE ERROR HANDLING - An HVAC system includes a plurality of sensors, a tandem compressor, and a controller. The tandem compressor comprises a first and second compressor, each comprising a crankcase heater. The controller determines that one of the sensors has failed, and in response, initiates the first and second crankcase heaters and transmits an alert indicating that one of the sensors has failed. Further, the controller may disable threshold logic such that the first and second compressors are controlled independently of a determination whether the tandem compressor is operating outside of a threshold range. The controller operates the first and second compressors according to a safe mode, wherein first on or off settings of the compressors are determined based on a first required load operation of the tandem compressor. The first required load operation is determined from a first temperature demand of a structure associated with the HVAC system. | 11-19-2015 |
20150338133 | TANDEM COMPRESSOR DISCHARGE PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE CONTROL LOGIC - An HVAC system, comprising a plurality of sensors, a tandem compressor comprising a first compressor and a second compressor, and a controller communicatively coupled to the plurality of sensors and the tandem compressor. The controller may determine a first interruption of power to the tandem compressor and identify a sensor corresponding to the first interruption of power. The controller is further operable to determine that the first interruption of power was caused at least in part by the refrigerant associated with the first compressor exceeding a tolerance condition. The controller may also reconfigure the tandem compressor, wherein on or off settings of the first compressor and the second compressor are determined based on a required load operation of the tandem compressor and the determination that the first interruption of power was caused at least in part by the refrigerant associated with the first compressor exceeding the tolerance condition. | 11-26-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100324813 | ACCURACY ASSESSMENT FOR LOCATION ESTIMATION SYSTEMS - Assessing the accuracy of location estimation systems. A mobile computing device provides location information including a device location (e.g., via GPS) and one or more wireless network beacons accessible by the computing device at the device location. The wireless network beacons accessible by the computing device are compared to stored post information including a plurality of beacon lists. An estimated device location is determined based on the comparison. The estimated device location is compared to the known device location. A difference between the estimated device location and the received device location is determined based on the comparison. An analysis of the determined difference is performed to generate accuracy maps and other insight into the relationship between accuracy and geographic area for the location estimation systems. | 12-23-2010 |
20110087685 | LOCATION-BASED SERVICE MIDDLEWARE - A middleware system is provided that is situated between the user applications and the various content databases that are to be searched in order to simplify the creation of user applications for mobile devices that use location-based services that employ ontology-based search systems. The middleware system exposes one or more services to the user application. For example, a service exposes a service that allows the user to annotate and/or tag known semantic locations. As another example, a service provides a list of suggested semantic POIs to user applications in response to user queries. The suggested semantic POIs are selected based on a user's location and possibly context-dependent information. The suggested semantic POIs also may be based on user-dependent information obtained from a user-profile or the like and the suggested semantic locations that are provided to the user applications may be ranked and presented in an order beginning with those semantic locations that may be of greatest interest. | 04-14-2011 |
20110205125 | INFERRING BEACON POSITIONS BASED ON SPATIAL RELATIONSHIPS - Estimating positions of beacons based on spatial relationships among neighboring beacons. Beacon reference data defining positions of beacons is stored from beacon fingerprints observed by devices (e.g., enabled with global positioning system receivers). For a received beacon fingerprint having at least one beacon for which the beacon reference data is missing (e.g., from a device without a GPS receiver), beacons in the received beacon fingerprint for which beacon reference data is available are identified. Based on these identified beacons, the missing beacon reference data is calculated. In some embodiments, a set of spatially diverse beacons is selected from the identified beacons prior to calculating the beacon reference data. | 08-25-2011 |
20150199380 | DISCOVERY OF VIEWSHEDS AND VANTAGE POINTS BY MINING GEO-TAGGED DATA - Architecture that obtains and utilizes collections of geographically-tagged data to discover optimal vantage points for viewsheds of entities of interest such as physical entities and conceptual entities such as landmarks, sunset, skyline, etc. The disclosed architecture discloses the utilization of at least geo-tagged image data to discover relationships between a combination of concrete entities and/or abstract concepts, and techniques for surfacing such relationships to users. The data can be crowd-sourced geo-tagged image data that are mined from social content and which can be observed or experienced from a certain location/area. | 07-16-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100046371 | FEEDBACK-BASED ONLINE NETWORK CODING - A method, apparatus and computer program product for feedback-based online network coding is presented. In one embodiment, a transmitting node determines a linear combination of packets to transmit from a transmit queue. The transmitting node transmits the linear combination of packets. The transmitting node determines whether a packet can be removed from the transmit queue, wherein when a determination is made that a packet can be removed from the transmit queue then removing the packet from the transmit queue, and when a determination is made that a packet cannot be removed from the transmit queue then refraining from removing the packet from the transmit queue. | 02-25-2010 |
20100118702 | METHODS AND APPARATUS SUPPORTING ADAPTIVE DECENTRALIZED TRAFFIC SCHEDULING INCLUDING A DYNAMIC TRANSMITTER YIELDING THRESHOLD - Methods and apparatus relating to scheduling of air link resources, e.g., traffic segments, in a wireless communications system are described. Various described methods and apparatus are well suited to wireless peer to peer networks in which traffic scheduling is decentralized, e.g. an ad hoc peer to peer network. An individual wireless terminal corresponding to a peer to peer connection which desires to transmit traffic signals make transmitter yielding decisions on a traffic slot by traffic slot basis. The transmitter yielding decision, in some embodiments, includes comparing a link quality estimate corresponding to a higher priority link intending to use the same traffic segment concurrently, to a dynamically generated transmitter yielding threshold. The dynamically generated transmitter yielding threshold is determined based on at least one of: quality of service information corresponding to its own link and historical link quality information corresponding to the higher priority link. | 05-13-2010 |
20100118733 | METHODS AND APPARATUS SUPPORTING ADAPTIVE DECENTRALIZED TRAFFIC SCHEDULING FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS - Methods and apparatus relating to scheduling of air link resources, e.g., traffic segments, in wireless communications are described. Various described methods and apparatus are well suited to wireless peer to peer networks in which traffic scheduling is decentralized, e.g. an ad hoc peer to peer network. A first wireless terminal receives a transmission request and quality of service information from a second wireless terminal corresponding to a connection. The first wireless terminal decides not to receiver yield, determines a request response transmission power level as a function of the received quality of service information, and transmits, at the determined power level, a generated request response signal. By controllably adjusting the transmission power level of a request response, transmitter yielding decisions of lower priority links are impacted, since lower priority links measure and use received power level information corresponding to request responses of higher priority links in their transmitter yielding decisions. | 05-13-2010 |
20100118761 | METHODS AND APPARATUS SUPPORTING ADAPTIVE DECENTRALIZED TRAFFIC SCHEDULING INCLUDING A DYNAMIC RECEIVER YIELDING THRESHOLD - Methods and apparatus relating to scheduling of air link resources, e.g., traffic segments, in a wireless communications system are described. Various described methods and apparatus are well suited to wireless peer to peer networks in which traffic scheduling is decentralized, e.g. an ad hoc peer to peer network. An individual wireless terminal corresponding to a peer to peer connection which desires to communicate traffic signals makes a receiver yielding decision. The receiver yielding decision, in some embodiments, includes comparing a link quality estimate corresponding to its own link, to a dynamically generated receiver yielding threshold. The dynamically generated receiver yielding threshold is determined based on at least one of: quality of service information corresponding to its own link and historical link quality information corresponding to its own link. | 05-13-2010 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110202836 | TYPING ASSISTANCE FOR EDITING - Apparatus and methods are disclosed for providing feedback and guidance to touch screen device users to improve the text entry user experience and performance. According to one embodiment, a method comprises receiving a text entry, receiving input on a touch screen in the form of a first single touch input located over a word of previously entered text, and presenting the user with one or more suggestion candidates indicated possible replacement words related to the selected word. The user can then select one of the suggestion candidates using a second single touch input to replace the selected word with a word associated with the selected suggestion candidate. | 08-18-2011 |
20110202876 | USER-CENTRIC SOFT KEYBOARD PREDICTIVE TECHNOLOGIES - An apparatus and method are disclosed for providing feedback and guidance to touch screen device users to improve text entry user experience and performance by generating input history data including character probabilities, word probabilities, and touch models. According to one embodiment, a method comprises receiving first input data, automatically learning user tendencies based on the first input data to generate input history data, receiving second input data, and generating auto-corrections or suggestion candidates for one or more words of the second input data based on the input history data. The user can then select one of the suggestion candidates to replace a selected word with the selected suggestion candidate. | 08-18-2011 |
20130339283 | STRING PREDICTION - In a mobile device, the text entered by users is analyzed to determine a set of responses commonly entered by users into text applications such as SMS applications in response to received messages. This set of responses is used to provide suggested responses to a user for a currently received message in a soft input panel based on the text of the currently received message. The suggested responses are provided before any characters are provided by the user. After the user provides one or more characters, the suggested responses in the soft input panel are updated. The number of suggested responses displayed to the user in the soft input panel is limited to a total confidence value to reduce user distraction and to allow for easier selection. An undo feature for inadvertent selections of suggested responses is also provided. | 12-19-2013 |
20140032206 | GENERATING STRING PREDICTIONS USING CONTEXTS - In a mobile device, a context is determined for the mobile device. The context is determined based on a variety of characteristics of the mobile device environment including, for example, the current application being used, any contacts that a user of the mobile device is interacting with or having a conversation with, the current date and/or time, a current topic of the conversation, a current style of the conversation, etc. Based on a set of strings associated with the determined context and user generated text, one or more string predictions are generated for the user generated text. The string predictions may be presented to the user as suggested completions of the user generated text. | 01-30-2014 |
20140267045 | Adaptive Language Models for Text Predictions - Adaptive language models for text predictions are described herein. In one or more implementations, text prediction candidates corresponding to detected text characters are generated according to an adaptive language model. The adaptive language model may be configured to include multiple individual language model dictionaries having respective scoring data that is combined together to rank and select prediction candidates for different interaction scenarios. In addition to a pre-defined general population dictionary, the dictionaries may include a personalized dictionary and/or interaction-specific dictionaries that are learned by monitoring a user's typing activity to adapt predictions to the user's style. Combined probabilities for predictions are then computed as a weighted combination of individual probabilities from multiple dictionaries of the adaptive language model. In an implementation, dictionaries corresponding to multiple different languages may be combined to produce multi-lingual predictions. | 09-18-2014 |
20140278349 | Language Model Dictionaries for Text Predictions - Techniques are described to generate text prediction candidates corresponding to detected text characters according to an adaptive language model that includes multiple individual language model dictionaries. Respective scoring data from the dictionaries is combined to select prediction candidates in different interaction scenarios. In an implementation, dictionaries corresponding to multiple different languages are combined to produce multi-lingual predictions. Predictions for different languages may be weighted proportionally according to relative usage by a user. Weights used to combine contributions from multiple dictionaries may also depend upon factors such as how recently a word is used, number of times used, and so forth. Further, the dictionaries may include interaction-specific dictionaries that are learned by monitoring a user's typing activity to adapt predictions to corresponding usage scenarios. Interaction-specific dictionaries may be applied selectively for predictions in respective usage scenarios, including interaction with a particular application, application type, person, contact group, or location. | 09-18-2014 |
20140310213 | USER-CENTRIC SOFT KEYBOARD PREDICTIVE TECHNOLOGIES - An apparatus and method are disclosed for providing feedback and guidance to touch screen device users to improve text entry user experience and performance by generating input history data including character probabilities, word probabilities, and touch models. According to one embodiment, a method comprises receiving first input data, automatically learning user tendencies based on the first input data to generate input history data, receiving second input data, and generating auto-corrections or suggestion candidates for one or more words of the second input data based on the input history data. The user can then select one of the suggestion candidates to replace a selected word with the selected suggestion candidate. | 10-16-2014 |
20140359434 | PROVIDING OUT-OF-DICTIONARY INDICATORS FOR SHAPE WRITING - Disclosed herein are representative embodiments of tools and techniques for providing out-of-dictionary indicators for shape writing. According to one exemplary technique, a first shape-writing shape is received by a touchscreen and a failed recognition event is determined to have occurred for the first shape-writing shape. Also, a second shape-writing shape is received by the touchscreen and a failed recognition event is determined to have occurred for the second shape-writing shape. The first shape-writing shape is compared to the second shape-writing shape. Additionally, at least one out-of-dictionary indicator is provided based on the comparing of the first shape-writing shape to the second shape-writing shape. | 12-04-2014 |
20140365878 | SHAPE WRITING INK TRACE PREDICTION - Disclosed herein are representative embodiments of tools and techniques for providing one or more ink-trace predictions for shape writing. According to one exemplary technique, a portion of a shape-writing shape is received by a touchscreen. Based on the portion of the shape-writing shape, an ink trace is displayed. Also, predicted text is determined. The ink trace corresponding to a first portion of the predicted text. Additionally, an ink-trace prediction is provided connecting the ink trace to at least one or more keyboard keys corresponding to one or more characters of a second portion of the predicted text. | 12-11-2014 |
20150142705 | STRING PREDICTION - In a mobile device, the text entered by users is analyzed to determine a set of responses commonly entered by users into text applications such as SMS applications in response to received messages. This set of responses is used to provide suggested responses to a user for a currently received message in a soft input panel based on the text of the currently received message. The suggested responses are provided before any characters are provided by the user. After the user provides one or more characters, the suggested responses in the soft input panel are updated. The number of suggested responses displayed to the user in the soft input panel is limited to a total confidence value to reduce user distraction and to allow for easier selection. An undo feature for inadvertent selections of suggested responses is also provided. | 05-21-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090261958 | LOW COST, AUTOMATIC COLLISION NOTIFICATION SYSTEM AND METHOD OF USING THE SAME - The present invention is directed to a low cost, automatic, vehicle collision notification system and method of initiation a low cost automatic vehicle collision notification. The system comprises an electronic controller with a buffer memory wherein resides information related to vehicle direction, speed, and restraint conditions; at least one vehicle crash sensor electronically connected to said electronic controller to produce data signals indicative of a vehicular crash at least one vehicle speed sensor electronically connected to said electronic controller to produce data signals indicative of actual vehicle speed and a cellular telephone chip electronically connected to said electronic controller the chip may be configured to automatically communicate directly with a PSAP/911 emergency call center as a native, local, high priority call when a vehicle crash is detected by the electronic control unit. The cellular chip may be capable of transmitting information from the electronic control unit buffer directly to a PSAP/911 emergency call center to facilitate the dispatch of assistance to the vehicle. The method includes operating a vehicle with an electronic controller receiving data signals indicative of vehicle speed, vehicle direction, restraint condition and storing it on rewritable memory in a buffer determining whether said vehicle is in a crash situation activating the cellular chip and placing a 911 telephone call and, initiating communication with said 911 emergency center and transferring information in said buffer to said 911 emergency center as a high priority call. | 10-22-2009 |
20110068565 | INFLATABLE SEAT BELT SYSTEM - An inflatable member is inflated by compressed gas that flows through the latch and hollow tubular tongue of a seat belt anchor. The inflatable member is retained in an uninflated condition in a split two layer belt. The latch is pivotally secured to a conduit that receives compressed inflation gas from a cylinder that is provided with a diffuser. | 03-24-2011 |
20120306237 | HOOD LATCH AND STRIKER SYSTEM FOR PEDESTRIAN PROTECTION - A system for releasing and lifting an automobile hood includes a sensor located proximate a front location of an automobile that detects impact with an object. Also included is a hood having a striker pin operably connected to the hood for engaging a rotatable latch, wherein such engagement places the hood in the secured position. Further included is a releasing mechanism operably connected to one of the striker and the latch for lifting a front region of the hood in response to a signal from the sensor. | 12-06-2012 |
20130001004 | VEHICLE HOOD STRUCTURE FOR PEDESTRIAN BODY IMPACT PROTECTION - Embodiments of the present invention relate to pedestrian head impact protection. In operation, during a pedestrian impact event with a vehicle, a pedestrian protection deployable hood apparatus configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention causes displacement of the hood at its hinge-carrying portion for enhancing clearance an underside of the hood and a topmost surface of under-hood components. Such embodiments of the present invention contribute to providing for pedestrian head impact protection in a manner that can be implemented with a variety of hood mounting arrangements, that is effective in its results, and that is simple to package in an under-hood environment. | 01-03-2013 |
20130082484 | Vehicle Roof Brace - A roof support for a vehicle is provided containing a first side roof rail; a transverse roof bow fixed to and extending from the first side roof rail; and a first brace fixed to the first side roof rail at a forward point on the first side roof rail, wherein the first brace extends to the transverse roof bow and is fixed to a first aft point on the transverse roof bow, thereby advantageously defining a first angle between the first side roof rail and the first brace. The roof support may further include a second side roof rail opposite the first side roof rail such that the roof bow laterally extends from the first side roof rail to the second side roof rail. A second brace may be fixed to the second side roof rail at a forward point thereof, whereby the second brace also extends to the roof bow and is fixed to a second aft point thereof, thereby defining a second angle between the second side roof rail and the second brace. | 04-04-2013 |
20130238197 | SUB-FRAME DETACHMENT THROUGH EXPLODING BOLTS - A sub-frame in a vehicle includes a sensor, which is configured to sense an occurrence of a vehicular crash. By being connected to the sensor, a controller is adapted to receive a signal from the sensor. The controller further functions to process the signal and provide an output to at least one fastener, the fastener configured to fasten the sub-frame to the vehicle's underbody. The fastener includes at least one chamber filled with an explosive charge, where the explosive charge is configured to explode and detach the sub-frame from the vehicle's underbody, upon receiving the output. | 09-12-2013 |
20140034407 | HOOD LATCH AND STRIKER SYSTEM FOR PEDESTRIAN PROTECTION - A system for releasing and lifting an automobile hood includes a sensor located proximate a front location of an automobile that detects impact with an object. Also included is a hood having a striker pin operably connected to the hood for engaging a rotatable latch, wherein such engagement places the hood in the secured position. Further included is a releasing mechanism operably connected to one of the striker and the latch for lifting a front region of the hood in response to a signal from the sensor. | 02-06-2014 |
20140147717 | Protective Vehicle Battery Cage and Method of Making a Battery Cage - A cage assembly is provided to protect a battery pack in a vehicle. The cage assembly includes a top sub-assembly and a bottom sub-assembly that are secured together to protect the battery pack. U-shaped frames and base frames are connected together by tubular members. | 05-29-2014 |
20140159386 | HOOD LATCH RELEASE SYSTEM - A hood latch release system for a vehicle. The hood latch release system may have a cable and a linkage. Deflection of the cable may actuate the linkage to unlatch the hood latch. | 06-12-2014 |
20140335368 | Method Of Fabricating Roll-Bonded Expanded Load-Bearing Aluminum Laminate Structural Elements For Vehicle - A laminate includes two pieces of metallic material bonded together at a plurality of regularly spaced-apart bonded regions. The laminate is formable during processing into a variety of vehicle structural elements. | 11-13-2014 |
20140338996 | VEHICLE UNDERBODY STRUCTURE - A vehicle underbody structure includes a pair of longitudinal rails. A tunnel is spaced between the longitudinal rails. A number of nonintrusive support members span between the tunnel and the longitudinal rails. The support members have a hoop shape that surrounds an enclosed area. The hoop shape of the nonintrusive support members is adapted to deform into the enclosed area for preventing a side impact force from damaging the tunnel. | 11-20-2014 |
20150158448 | THIN PLATE STRUCTURAL SUPPORT FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE ARMREST - A motor vehicle door and armrest assembly using a thin plate that is vertically strong while laterally collapsible. The plate is comprised of a matrix of intersecting parallel struts forming four sided cells having a first set of opposing acute angles and a second set of opposing obtuse angles. The obtuse angles span a direction normal to the motor vehicle door and allow the plate to more easily limit force transmission from a side impact force. The struts are coupled to a frame, the coupling struts variable in cross sectional area to further determine the lateral stiffness of the plate. | 06-11-2015 |
20150232054 | Method of Assembling and Packing an Automotive Airbag - A method of assembling an airbag for a seatbelt restraint such that the deflated airbag lays flat when it is stacked and secured to a webbing of the seatbelt. The airbag is assembled from a plurality of material strips. The strips are edge joint welded together so that the joints lay flat between the individual strips comprising the airbag. | 08-20-2015 |
20150353144 | Aluminum Alloy Vehicle Structural Component Defining An Out-Of-Plane Aperture - An aluminum alloy vehicle structural component defining an out-of-plane aperture with its main portion. A recessed portion is inset from the main portion having a bed sub-portion out-of-plane with the main portion that defines the aperture. The recessed portion also provides a strain hardened sub-portion, or stiffened ring of material, around the aperture. When the main portion is subjected to in-plane tension due to bending, the strain primarily concentrates along the strain hardened sub-portion (the stiffened ring) and by-passes the aperture. As a result the perimeter of the aperture undergoes less straining than if the aperture was in-plane with the main portion. The out-of-plane aperture, the bed sub-portion surrounding the aperture, and the strain hardened sub-portion surrounding the bed sub-portion may improve the overall structural robustness of the aluminum alloy structural component when subjected to in-plane tension. | 12-10-2015 |