Patents by Inventor James M. Collins

James M. Collins 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: 10294075
    Abstract: A method of operating an elevator system including: receiving an evacuation call from a first evacuation floor; moving an elevator car to the first evacuation floor; opening doors of the elevator car when the elevator car arrives at the first evacuation floor; monitoring, using a sensor system, a remaining capacity of the elevator car; and closing the doors of the elevator car when at least one of a first selected period of time has passed and the remaining capacity is equal to a selected remaining capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: David M. Hughes, James M. Collins, Jannah A. Stanley, Paul A. Stranieri, Ronnie E. Thebeau
  • Patent number: 10227209
    Abstract: A system and method of orchestrating an evacuation operation using an elevator is provided. The method includes displaying that an evacuation request using the elevator is an available option, receiving one or more evacuation requests to use the elevator, and displaying evacuation information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: James M. Collins, Jannah A. Stanley, Paul A. Stranieri, David M. Hughes, Ronnie E. Thebeau
  • Patent number: 10207895
    Abstract: A system and method of balancing elevator car emergency power in an elevator system is provided. The method includes switching a first feeder group of elevator cars from building power provided through a first building power feeder to back-up power provided through a back-up power source, switching a second feeder group of elevator cars from the building power provided through a second building power feeder to the back-up power provided through the back-up power source, selecting, using an elevator controller, at least one elevator car from the first feeder group of elevator cars, selecting, using the elevator controller, at least one elevator car from the second feeder group of elevator cars, and powering the selected elevator cars from the first feeder group and the second feeder group using the back-up power from the back-up power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Robert Henry Lefevre, James M. Collins
  • Patent number: 10011460
    Abstract: A building elevator system is provided having: an elevator system having an elevator car; a control system configured to control the building elevator system and determine evacuation information; and a dynamic display configured to display the evacuation information when an evacuation call is received by the control system. The evacuation information includes at least one of an estimated time of arrival of the elevated car, an evacuee recommendation, a directional map, and directional instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: James M. Collins, Ronnie E. Thebeau, Paul A. Stranieri, Jannah A. Stanley, David M. Hughes
  • Publication number: 20180093859
    Abstract: A method of operating an elevator building system is provided. The method includes: receiving an evacuation call from a first evacuation floor; determining an evacuation zone surrounding the first evacuation floor; determining a number of passengers on each floor within the evacuation zone; determining a number of elevator cars to send to each floor within the evacuation zone in response to the number of passengers on each floor, a capacity of each elevator car, and a location of the floor in reference to the first evacuation floor; and moving an elevator car to a first determined floor within the evacuation zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Inventors: Paul A. Stranieri, Ronnie E. Thebeau, James M. Collins, David M. Hughes, Jannah A. Stanley
  • Publication number: 20180093861
    Abstract: A building elevator system including: a building having multiple floors; an elevator system within the building, the elevator system having an elevator car; a control system configured to control the elevator system, the control system determines an estimated time of arrival of the elevator car at a floor; and a fire alarm system within the building and in operative communication with the control system; wherein the control system transmits the estimated time of arrival of the elevator car to the fire alarm system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Inventors: Paul A. Stranieri, Ronnie E. Thebeau, James M. Collins, David M. Hughes, Jannah A. Stanley
  • Publication number: 20180093856
    Abstract: A method of operating an elevator system including: receiving an evacuation call from a first evacuation floor; moving an elevator car to the first evacuation floor; opening doors of the elevator car when the elevator car arrives at the first evacuation floor; monitoring, using a sensor system, a remaining capacity of the elevator car; and closing the doors of the elevator car when at least one of a first selected period of time has passed and the remaining capacity is equal to a selected remaining capacity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Inventors: David M. Hughes, James M. Collins, Jannah A. Stanley, Paul A. Stranieri, Ronnie E. Thebeau
  • Publication number: 20180093857
    Abstract: A method of operating an elevator system includes: receiving an evacuation call from a first evacuation floor; moving a first compartment of a multi-compartment elevator car to the first evacuation floor; opening a first door of the first compartment when the first compartment arrives at the first evacuation floor; monitoring, using a first sensor system, a remaining capacity within the first compartment; and closing the first door when at least one of a first selected period of time has passed and the remaining capacity within the first compartment is equal to a first selected remaining capacity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Inventors: David M. Hughes, James M. Collins, Jannah A. Stanley, Paul A. Stranieri, Ronnie E. Thebeau
  • Publication number: 20180093854
    Abstract: A building elevator system including: a building having multiple floors; an elevator system within the building, the elevator system having at least one elevator car; a display located on each floor proximate the elevator system, wherein the display is configured to illuminate evacuation information including an estimated time of arrival of the elevator car and an elevator status; and a control system configured to control the building elevator system and determine the evacuation information to illuminate for each display in response to at least one of a location of the elevator car in the building, a floor location of the display, a speed of the elevator car, a remaining capacity of the elevator car, a number of passengers on each floor, and an evacuation priority of the floor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Inventors: Ronnie E. Thebeau, Paul A. Stranieri, James M. Collins, Jannah A. Stanley, David M. Hughes
  • Publication number: 20180093858
    Abstract: A method of operating an elevator system includes: receiving an evacuation call from a first evacuation floor; determining an evacuation zone surrounding the first evacuation floor; determining a number of passengers on each floor within the evacuation zone; determining a set of adjacent floors within the evacuation zone that have a highest combined passenger number, the set of adjacent floors including a first adjacent floor and a second adjacent floor; and moving a multi-compartment elevator car to the set of adjacent floors with the highest combined passenger number, the multi-compartment elevator having a first compartment and a second compartment; wherein the first compartment arrives at the first adjacent floor and the second compartment arrives at the second adjacent floor when the multi-compartment elevator car arrives at the set of adjacent floors with the highest combined passenger number.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Inventors: David M. Hughes, James M. Collins, Jannah A. Stanley, Paul A. Stranieri, Ronnie E. Thebeau
  • Publication number: 20180086598
    Abstract: A method of operating a building elevator system including: controlling a first elevator system and a second elevator system, floor coverage of the first elevator system overlapping floor coverage of the second elevator system at a least one transfer floor; receiving an evacuation call from an evacuation floor; detecting when a first elevator car of the first elevator system is dispatched to the transfer floor; and dispatching a second elevator car of the second elevator system to the transfer floor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventors: Ronnie E. Thebeau, James M. Collins, Jannah A. Stanley, Paul A. Stranieri, David M. Hughes
  • Publication number: 20180086596
    Abstract: A building elevator system is provided having: an elevator system having an elevator car; a control system configured to control the building elevator system and determine evacuation information; and a dynamic display configured to display the evacuation information when an evacuation call is received by the control system. The evacuation information includes at least one of an estimated time of arrival of the elevated car, an evacuee recommendation, a directional map, and directional instructions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventors: James M. Collins, Ronnie E. Thebeau, Paul A. Stranieri, Jannah A. Stanley, David M. Hughes
  • Publication number: 20180057312
    Abstract: An elevator system includes at least one elevator car movable between a plurality of landings. The elevator system is operable in an occupant evacuation operation mode. In the occupant evacuation operation mode, at least one safe room is associated with at least one of the plurality of landings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2016
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Inventors: Ronnie E. Thebeau, Jannah A. Stanley, David M. Hughes, James M. Collins, Paul A. Stranieri
  • Publication number: 20170313547
    Abstract: A system and method of balancing elevator car emergency power in an elevator system is provided. The method includes switching a first feeder group of elevator cars from building power provided through a first building power feeder to back-up power provided through a back-up power source, switching a second feeder group of elevator cars from the building power provided through a second building power feeder to the back-up power provided through the back-up power source, selecting, using an elevator controller, at least one elevator car from the first feeder group of elevator cars, selecting, using the elevator controller, at least one elevator car from the second feeder group of elevator cars, and powering the selected elevator cars from the first feeder group and the second feeder group using the back-up power from the back-up power source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Inventors: Robert Henry Lefevre, James M. Collins
  • Publication number: 20170291796
    Abstract: A system and method of orchestrating an evacuation operation using an elevator is provided. The method includes displaying that an evacuation request using the elevator is an available option, receiving one or more evacuation requests to use the elevator, and displaying evacuation information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2016
    Publication date: October 12, 2017
    Inventors: James M. Collins, Jannah A. Stanley, Paul A. Stranieri, David M. Hughes, Ronnie E. Thebeau
  • Patent number: 9290359
    Abstract: A method for controlling a fixture (122) includes receiving a message from a controller (102), determining whether the message includes an address associated with the fixture (122), retrieving an identifier of the controller (102) from the message responsive to determining that the message includes an address not associated with the fixture (122), determining whether the fixture (122) includes a fixture channel (204) controlled by the controller (102), and resetting a timer (203) associated with the fixture channel (204) controlled by the controller (102) responsive to determining that the fixture (122) includes the fixture channel (204) controlled by the controller (102).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Jason R. Armistead, James M. Collins, Dang V. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 9051166
    Abstract: A fountain-style carbonated soft drink dispenser includes a housing adapted to attach to a beverage container, an actuator for selectively opening a fluid conduit, and one or more long tubes that vary a pressure drop across the dispensing assembly and convey fluid. The resistance through the tube(s) is decreased as the pressure within the container decreases so as to maintain a substantially constant flow rate throughout dispensing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: PepsiCo, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick J. Finlay, James M. Collins, Andrzej Skoskiewicz, Kenneth A. Ritsher
  • Publication number: 20130068567
    Abstract: A method for controlling a fixture (122) includes receiving a message from a controller (102), determining whether the message includes an address associated with the fixture (122), retrieving an identifier of the controller (102) from the message responsive to determining that the message includes an address not associated with the fixture (122), determining whether the fixture (122) includes a fixture channel (204) controlled by the controller (102), and resetting a timer (203) associated with the fixture channel (204) controlled by the controller (102) responsive to determining that the fixture (122) includes the fixture channel (204) controlled by the controller (102).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Inventors: Jason R. Armistead, James M. Collins, Dang V. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 8276792
    Abstract: A dispenser includes a dispenser body which defines a flow passage, a valve assembly, and an actuator. The valve assembly is disposed in the flow passage and includes a first valve member and a second valve member. An actuator is coupled to the valve assembly. When the actuator is manipulated through a first range of motion, only the first of the two valve members is displaced, and when the actuator is manipulated through a second range of motion, both the first and second valve members are displaced in unison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: PepsiCo, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick J Finlay, Kenneth A Ritsher, James M Collins
  • Publication number: 20120132670
    Abstract: A fountain-style carbonated soft drink dispenser includes a housing adapted to attach to a beverage container, an actuator for selectively opening a fluid conduit, and one or more long tubes that vary a pressure drop across the dispensing assembly and convey fluid. The resistance through the tube(s) is decreased as the pressure within the container decreases so as to maintain a substantially constant flow rate throughout dispensing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: PEPSICO, INC.
    Inventors: Patrick J. Finlay, Kenneth A. Ritsher, James M. Collins, Andrzej Skoskiewicz