Patents by Inventor Alexander Schoenen

Alexander Schoenen has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10791259
    Abstract: The various embodiments described herein include methods, devices, and systems for repurposing IR transmitters. In one aspect, a method is performed at a first electronic device with a camera, one or more IR transmitters, one or more processors, and memory coupled to the one or more processors. The method includes operating the first electronic device in a first mode, the first mode including illuminating an environment proximate the first electronic device via at least one of the one or more IR transmitters to generate an image, via the camera, of at least a portion of the environment. The method further includes operating the first electronic device in a second mode, the second mode including communicating information to a second electronic device via at least one of the one or more IR transmitters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Alexander Schoenen, Brian Conner, Orville Buenaventura
  • Patent number: 10473338
    Abstract: In a method for superimposed conveyance of data and electrical power, a first switch can cycle to convey the electric power and data from a first device. Binary digits of the data from the first device can be represented by transitions, of a voltage at a node of a second device, between a first voltage and a second voltage. A second switch can cycle to convey data from the second device. Binary digits of the data from the second device can be represented by transitions, of a current through a component of the first device, between being less than a threshold and being greater than the threshold. A voltage regulator of the second device can provide, in response to the voltage at the node being within a range of voltages that includes the first voltage and the second voltage, the electrical power to one or more components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Hui-Fang Lai, Alexander Schoenen, Victor Liu, HungYang Lee, Michael John Mitchell, Taw Lim
  • Patent number: 10209688
    Abstract: A thermostat may include a plurality of heat-generating components; a plurality of first temperature sensors, each of the plurality of first temperature sensors being disposed next to a corresponding one of the plurality of heat-generating components; a second temperature sensor that is disposed away from the plurality of heat-generating components; and a memory device storing a coefficient matrix. The thermostat may also include one or more processors that combine a plurality of inputs to calculate an ambient temperature for an enclosure in which the thermostat is installed, the plurality of inputs including readings from the plurality of first temperature sensors, readings from the second temperature sensor, and the coefficient matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: John Stefanski, Vivek Goyal, Orville Buenaventura, Alexander Schoenen, Mark Stefanski
  • Publication number: 20170261214
    Abstract: In a method for superimposed conveyance of data and electrical power, a first switch can cycle to convey the electric power and data from a first device. Binary digits of the data from the first device can be represented by transitions, of a voltage at a node of a second device, between a first voltage and a second voltage. A second switch can cycle to convey data from the second device. Binary digits of the data from the second device can be represented by transitions, of a current through a component of the first device, between being less than a threshold and being greater than the threshold. A voltage regulator of the second device can provide, in response to the voltage at the node being within a range of voltages that includes the first voltage and the second voltage, the electrical power to one or more components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Inventors: Hui-Fang Lai, Alexander Schoenen, Victor Liu, HungYang Lee, Michael John Mitchell, Taw Lim
  • Patent number: 9606552
    Abstract: A thermostat may include a proximity sensor and a temperature sensor. The thermostat may also include a sensor mount assembly containing the proximity sensor, the temperature sensor, and a first alignment feature. The thermostat may additionally include a lens assembly having a first area, a second area, and a second alignment feature, where the second area includes a Fresnel lens, and the first area is thinner than the second area. The thermostat may further include a front cover where the outward-facing surface of the lens assembly is shaped to continuously conform to a curvature of the front cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: John Stefanski, Marcus Albonico, Orville Buenaventura, Vivek Goyal, Alexander Schoenen, Giancarlo Giustina, Anurag Gupta
  • Publication number: 20170059190
    Abstract: A thermostat may include a plurality of heat-generating components; a plurality of first temperature sensors, each of the plurality of first temperature sensors being disposed next to a corresponding one of the plurality of heat-generating components; a second temperature sensor that is disposed away from the plurality of heat-generating components; and a memory device storing a coefficient matrix. The thermostat may also include one or more processors that combine a plurality of inputs to calculate an ambient temperature for an enclosure in which the thermostat is installed, the plurality of inputs including readings from the plurality of first temperature sensors, readings from the second temperature sensor, and the coefficient matrix.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventors: John Stefanski, Vivek Goyal, Orville Buenaventura, Alexander Schoenen, Mark Stefanski
  • Publication number: 20170060150
    Abstract: A thermostat may include a proximity sensor and a temperature sensor. The thermostat may also include a sensor mount assembly containing the proximity sensor, the temperature sensor, and a first alignment feature. The thermostat may additionally include a lens assembly having a first area, a second area, and a second alignment feature, where the second area includes a Fresnel lens, and the first area is thinner than the second area. The thermostat may further include a front cover where the outward-facing surface of the lens assembly is shaped to continuously conform to a curvature of the front cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Applicant: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventors: John Stefanski, Marcus Albonico, Orville Buenaventura, Vivek Goyal, Alexander Schoenen, Giancarlo Giustina, Anurag Gupta
  • Publication number: 20170041524
    Abstract: The various embodiments described herein include methods, devices, and systems for repurposing IR transmitters. In one aspect, a method is performed at a first electronic device with a camera, one or more IR transmitters, one or more processors, and memory coupled to the one or more processors. The method includes operating the first electronic device in a first mode, the first mode including illuminating an environment proximate the first electronic device via at least one of the one or more IR transmitters to generate an image, via the camera, of at least a portion of the environment. The method further includes operating the first electronic device in a second mode, the second mode including communicating information to a second electronic device via at least one of the one or more IR transmitters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Inventors: Alexander Schoenen, Brian Conner, Orville Buenaventura
  • Publication number: 20160349797
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to apparatuses, systems, and methods for implementing a touch interface on a wearable computing device. Described herein is a wearable computing device comprising a printed circuit board (PCB), a housing configured to be attached to a user, enclosed over the PCB, and including a display surface, a plurality of electronic components disposed on the PCB and including a plurality of display components to generate display data visible through the display surface of the housing, and a user input touch interface at least partially overlapping the display surface of the housing. The user touch interface includes an array of capacitive touch sensitive electrode elements disposed on the PCB, wherein at least some of the electrode elements are interspersed on the PCB between two or more of the display components, and sensing circuitry configured to detect changes in the array of capacitive touch sensitive electrode elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventors: Vikram Malhotra, Alexander Schoenen