Patents by Inventor James Hollister

James Hollister 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).

  • Publication number: 20140316587
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the disclosure, a processor is configured to detect a location of a mobile device associated with a site and detect at least one geofence operably associated with the site. The processor is further configured to detect a manual input condition provided at a network device disposed at the site, detect the mobile device being disposed away from the site based on the location of the mobile device relative to the at least one geofence, and initiate a text message to the mobile device indicating the manual input condition in response to the mobile device being disposed away from the site. The processor is further configured to detect an altered operating condition received from the mobile device in response to the text message, and alter the manual input condition of the network device at the site using the altered operating condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: ALLURE ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Kevin R. Imes, James Hollister
  • Patent number: 8855794
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the disclosure, a provisioning system for a network includes a first device associated with a site. The first device includes an RFID reader associated therewith. The system also includes a second device including a device identifier associated therewith. The device identifier includes information about the second device to assist in joining it to the network. The RFID reader is configured to read the device identifier on the second device to obtain information about the second device. Based on the information about the second device it can then be joined to the network by the first device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Allure Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin R. Imes, James Hollister, John Cottrell
  • Patent number: 8855830
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the disclosure, a home energy management system and method includes a network device disposed at a residence and a wireless home energy network capable of establishing communication with the network device. A server is disposed remotely from the residence and capable of generating a control action report to control the network devices. A controller is located at the residence and in communication with the server and configured to establish the wireless home energy network; initiate a plurality of operating status requests of the network device; receive device data in response to at least one of the operating status requests; generate a site report including the device data; initiate a communication of the site report to the remote server; and detect an availability of the control action report at the remote server in conjunction with the communication of the site report.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Allure Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin R. Imes, James Hollister
  • Publication number: 20140297766
    Abstract: An environment management system includes a communication platform disposed remote from a site, and at least one client associated with the site. The communication platform includes at least one external XMPP server communicatively coupled with the at least one client via an instant message communication stream, and the at least one external XMPP server is configured to utilize an Extensible Message Presence Protocol (XMPP) standard to communicate with and alter an operating condition of said at least one client at the site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: ALLURE ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Kevin R. Imes, James Hollister, Colby White
  • Publication number: 20140258386
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the disclosure, an energy management system and method includes a method of altering an operating condition of a device located at a site. The method includes the steps of establishing communication with at least one device located at the site and acquiring device data from the device. Subsequently, the device data is communicated to a server disposed remotely from the site and an availability of a control action data is detected at the remote server in conjunction with the communication of the device data. The system includes a processor operable to initiate establishing communication with the at least one device and initiate acquiring device data. A communication interface is operable to communicate the device data to the remote server and detect an availability of the control action data at the remote server in conjunction with the communication of the device data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Inventors: Kevin Imes, James Hollister
  • Publication number: 20140191848
    Abstract: A system includes a network device that is disposed at a site and configured to communicate with a wireless network. A controller is disposed at the site and is in communication with the wireless network, and a passive device is disposed at the site and includes a unique identifier disposed thereon. The system further includes a mobile device associated with the site and which includes a communication chip. The communication chip is configured to read the unique identifier when the mobile device is placed in close proximity to the passive device, and a mobile application disposed on the mobile device is configured to transmit the unique identifier to the controller for use in controlling the network device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: ALLURE ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Kevin R. Imes, James Hollister
  • Publication number: 20140128001
    Abstract: A system includes a Bluetooth wireless network configured to enable altering an operating condition of a network device to manage energy use at a site. The system also includes a controller configured to detect a mobile device establishing or losing a wireless connection with the Bluetooth enabled wireless network, and then alter an operating condition at the site in response to detecting the mobile device establishing the Bluetooth enabled wireless connection and alter an operating condition at the site in response to detecting the mobile device losing the Bluetooth enabled wireless connection. A method includes detecting a mobile device establishing or losing a wireless connection with a Bluetooth enabled wireless network, and then altering an operating condition of a site in response to detecting the mobile device establishing the wireless connection and altering an operating condition of the site in response to detecting the mobile device losing the wireless connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: ALLURE ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Kevin R. Imes, James Hollister
  • Publication number: 20140058568
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the disclosure, a method of managing a site in a mobile environment, which includes detecting an availability of a thermostat wherein the thermostat has an operating condition; detecting a location of a mobile device associated with the site; providing a proximity control selector within a user interface of the mobile device to manage a proximity detection module disposed on the thermostat, wherein the proximity control selector has an enabled setting of the proximity detection module and a disabled setting of the proximity detection module; enabling the proximity detection module in response to the enabled setting of the proximity control selector to allow for the modification of the operating condition of the thermostat based on the detected location of the mobile device relative to the site; and disabling the proximity detection module in response to the disabled setting of the proximity control selector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Inventors: Kevin R. Imes, James Hollister
  • Patent number: 8626344
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the disclosure, an energy management apparatus for a home energy management system and method includes a processor operable to manage energy use at a site. The processor is configured to convert an incoming message received from a wireless energy network into XML enabled output data and format an outgoing message to be output to the wireless energy network using XML enabled input data. A communication interface is configured to enable access to a communication device having access to the wireless energy network, wherein the communication interface is further configured to detect the outgoing message formatted by the processor to be output using the wireless energy network; configure the outgoing message to a message bus format, detect the incoming message received from the wireless energy network, and convert the incoming message from the message bus format to access the incoming network device data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Allure Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin R. Imes, James Hollister
  • Publication number: 20130332000
    Abstract: A demand response system includes a mobile application of a mobile device that is configured to initiate altering an operating condition of a network device disposed at a site using location based services. A demand response application interface module is configured to enable access between a utility company and the network device to communicate energy management information therebetween. The network device is configured to be remotely altered by each of the demand response application interface module and the mobile application separately based on the location based services and the energy management information. A method of managing a demand response system includes detecting a user being disposed away from a site, detecting energy management information from a utility company associated with the site, and initiating a reduction in energy use at the site in response to the relative location of the user and the energy management information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Inventors: Kevin R. Imes, James Hollister
  • Publication number: 20130325190
    Abstract: A method of managing at least one network device at a site includes providing a web-based control selector to manage a detection module to control the at least one network device at the site. The method includes enabling the detection module in response to an enabled setting of the web-based control selector, and initiating a change in an operating condition of the at least one network device at the site in response to the enabled detection module and based on a detected presence of a user at the site. The method proceeds by disabling the detection module in response to the disabled web-based control selector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Inventors: Kevin R. Imes, James Hollister, John F. Cottrell
  • Patent number: 8600564
    Abstract: A method of managing a site includes monitoring an activation of a proximity detection function of a plurality of sites, with each site having a first zone as a home zone and a second zone having a boundary that is away from the first zone. The method proceeds by displaying an indicator within a web-based GUI enabling each user of each site to activate and deactivate use of the proximity detection function. Each site can include multiple users associated with each respective site. The method proceeds by detecting the multiple users as being home or away using the proximity detection function and then altering an operating condition of a network device located at at least one of the plurality of sites in response to a last user of the multiple users leaving the first zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Allure Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin R. Imes, James Hollister, John F. Cottrell
  • Publication number: 20130318217
    Abstract: A system includes a network device installed at a site, the network device including an operating condition configured to be altered by an input initiated external to the site. The system also includes at least one multi-user configurable geographical boundary capable of being established about the site to alter the operating condition in response to a location based information of a user relative to the site and the geographical boundary. A method of managing a site includes detecting a network device installed at a site, the network device having an operating condition configured to be altered by an input initiated external to the site. The method also includes enabling configuration of at least one multi-user configurable geographical boundary capable of being established about the site to alter the operating condition in response to a location based information of a user relative to the site and the geographical boundary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Inventors: Kevin R. Imes, James Hollister, John F. Cottrell
  • Publication number: 20130318444
    Abstract: A method includes presenting a set location setting within a graphical user interface (GUI) of a mobile device, and then detecting a selection of the set-location setting. The method proceeds by detecting at least one on-site network in communication with the mobile device in response to the selection of the set location setting, identifying a network name associated with the at least one on-site network, and associating the network name of the on-site network with an on-site zone of a site associated with the mobile device. The method then proceeds by altering an operating condition of a network device located at the site in response to a location of the mobile device relative to the on-site zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Inventors: Kevin R. Imes, James Hollister, John F. Cottrell
  • Patent number: 8571518
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the disclosure, a method of managing a site in a mobile environment, which includes detecting an availability of a thermostat wherein the thermostat has an operating condition; detecting a location of a mobile device associated with the site; providing a proximity control selector within a user interface of the mobile device to manage a proximity detection module disposed on the thermostat, wherein the proximity control selector has an enabled setting of the proximity detection module and a disabled setting of the proximity detection module; enabling the proximity detection module in response to the enabled setting of the proximity control selector to allow for the modification of the operating condition of the thermostat based on the detected location of the mobile device relative to the site; and disabling the proximity detection module in response to the disabled setting of the proximity control selector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Allure Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin R. Imes, James Hollister
  • Publication number: 20130238160
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus includes a processor operable to manage energy use at a site wherein the processor is configured to detect a user interaction with the apparatus and create a personalized schedule automatically in response to the user interaction. The apparatus can also include a first profile accessible to the processor, wherein the first profile includes a first personalized schedule, and a second profile accessible to the processor, wherein the second profile is different from the first profile and includes a second personalized schedule. In addition, the processor can be configured to determine when to use the first profile or the second profile, initiate an outgoing message using the first or second personalized schedule, and update the first or second profile in response to a user interaction with an interface of the apparatus during use of the first or second personalized schedule.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Inventors: Kevin R. Imes, James Hollister
  • Publication number: 20130227126
    Abstract: A method of managing a site in a mobile environment including detecting an availability of at least one network device having an operating condition at a site. First and second boundaries of the site having respective first and second boundaries, which are different, are detected. A plurality of zones including an on-site zone having an area within the first boundary, a first zone including an area beyond the first boundary and within the second boundary, and a second zone including an area beyond the second boundary are each detected. A predetermined operating condition of the at least one network device at the site is implemented in response to detecting a relative location of the mobile device with respect to the on-site zone, the first zone and the second zone. An on-site operating condition corresponding to the on-site zone is implemented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Inventors: Kevin R. Imes, James Hollister, John F. Cottrell
  • Publication number: 20130212262
    Abstract: A gateway includes a processor operable to manage energy use at a site. The processor is configured to receive network device data from a long range communication network, wherein the network device data is initiated from at least one of a mobile device or a cloud service to alter an operating condition of a network device located at a site. The processor is also configured to detect an availability of the network device connected to a second network configured as a local network, and format the network device data to a message bus format configured to be output to a communication device configured to access the second network. The processor is further configured to receive response data from the network device formatted to be communicated using the second network, and translate the received response data to another format capable of being output over the long range communication network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Inventors: Kevin R. Imes, James Hollister
  • Patent number: 8509954
    Abstract: A system and method migrating virtualized environments is disclosed. According to an aspect of the disclosure, a home energy management system and method includes a database configured to store site report data received from a plurality of residential sites using a wireless home energy network at each site. Each residential site includes a thermostat accessible to the wireless home energy network. A processor is operably coupled to the database and configured to access the site report data and detect a current temperature set-point of the thermostat at a first residential site; detect a first seasonal profile of the thermostat; detect a current operating mode of a HVAC system operably coupled to the thermostat; and determine a thermostat schedule of the thermostat using the first seasonal profile and the current operating mode of the HVAC system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Allure Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin R. Imes, James Hollister
  • Patent number: 8504180
    Abstract: A method includes presenting a set location setting capable of being selected by a user within a graphical user interface (GUI) of a mobile device. The method proceeds by detecting on-site location information of the mobile device in response to a selection of the set location setting and detecting at least one on-site 802.11 based network in communication with the mobile device in response to a selection of the set location setting. The method proceeds by identifying an on-site IP address associated with the at least one on-site 802.11 based network, and then associating both the on-site location information and the on-site IP address with an on-site zone of a site associated with the mobile device. The method proceeds by altering an operating condition of a network device located at the site in response to a location of the mobile device relative to the on-site zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Allure Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin R. Imes, James Hollister, John Frederick Cottrell