Patents by Inventor Mark Covaro

Mark Covaro 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: 9583979
    Abstract: A system comprises a fixture and a controller that is configured to power the fixture from an alternating current (AC) source and a direct current (DC) source. The controller is configured to automatically switch from powering the fixture from the DC source to powering the fixture from the AC source in response to a time of day. Related systems, methods and computer program products are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Redwood Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Covaro, Dave Leonard
  • Publication number: 20150069837
    Abstract: A system comprises a fixture and a controller that is configured to power the fixture from an alternating current (AC) source and a direct current (DC) source. The controller is configured to automatically switch from powering the fixture from the DC source to powering the fixture from the AC source in response to a time of day. Related systems, methods and computer program products are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Mark Covaro, Dave Leonard
  • Patent number: 8890663
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a circuit coupled to a line, where the circuit may power a device, and where the power is transmitted to the device over the line as a pulse-width modulated signal. The circuit may set a duty cycle of the pulse-width modulated signal in order to transmit a determined power level to the device. The apparatus may vary a frequency of the pulse-width modulated signal to transmit data to the device while the duty cycle of the pulse-width modulated signal is fixed in order to continue to transmit the determined power level to the device. A variation in the frequency of the pulse-width modulated signal may be detectable by the device and represents at least a portion of the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Redwood Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Covaro, Dave Leonard
  • Patent number: 8890679
    Abstract: A power device may include channels coupled to conductors in lines, where each one of the channels is coupled to a different one of the lines than the other channels and where the channels deliver direct current power signals over the conductors to the load devices. Each one of the load devices may be powered by a different one of the direct current power signals. The power device may include a power communicator that communicates with the load devices over the conductors that propagate the direct current power signals. The power communicator may determine a target power level for the load devices based on the communication over the conductors. The load device may adjust an amount of power in the direct current power signals in order to match the target power level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Redwood Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Covaro, Dave Leonard
  • Patent number: 8860324
    Abstract: A system and method for commissioning a lighting system is provided in which signals from light sensors are filtered in order to determine whether light is received from light fixtures in the lighting system or from external light sources. Alternatively or in addition, signals from light sensors may be filtered to determine the amount of light from external light sources. By filtering the signals from the light sensors, an identification of which light fixtures are colocated with which light sensors may be made even in the presence of light received from external light sources or light from multiple light fixtures in the lighting system. Physical locations of light fixtures and/or sensors may be determined based on detecting the amount of light received from external light sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Redwood Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan M. Barrilleaux, Mark Covaro
  • Patent number: 8809788
    Abstract: A system to detect occupants is provided. The system may rotate the field of views of multiple sensors in order to scan an area. The system may scan the area multiple times. The system may determine the number of occupants in the area based on a comparison of a scan of the area with a scan of the area when the area is determined to be unoccupied. The system may determine the number of occupants in the area based on a maximum number of occupants detected by any of the sensors. The system may also determine a location of an object or an occupant from scans of the area obtained from multiple sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Redwood Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Covaro
  • Patent number: 8729835
    Abstract: A lighting system for areal illumination is disclosed which may include a remote driver and a plurality of fixtures including luminaires. The luminaires may include a light source whose output light level can be adjusted, a light sensor co-located therewith adapted to measure light received from adjacent fixtures. The remote driver may provide power for the light sources of the luminaires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Redwood Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Henig, David Fowler, Jeremy Stieglitz, David Leonard, Mark Covaro
  • Patent number: 8710772
    Abstract: A lighting system for areal illumination is disclosed which includes a remote driver and a plurality of fixtures including luminaires, control devices, and/or standalone sensors. The luminaires include a light source whose output light level can be adjusted, a light sensor co-located therewith adapted to measure light received from adjacent fixtures, and a microcontroller capable of transmitting the output of the light sensor over wires to the remote driver. The remote driver is capable of bidirectional communication with the luminaires and provides independently controllable power for the light sources of the luminaires. A movable orb region containing luminaires can also be defined and the light levels of individual luminaires can be set according to their location within the orb region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Redwood Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Henig, David Fowler, Jeremy Stieglitz, David Leonard, Mark Covaro
  • Patent number: 8706271
    Abstract: A system may communicate between a display device and a lighting system using light generated by the display device and a light sensor in the lighting system. A computing device and a building control system may communication over a wireless link. The building control system may determine that the computing device is co-located with a fixture in the building control system based on whether communication over the wireless link between the computing device and the building control system is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Redwood Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Covaro, David Leonard
  • Publication number: 20140088904
    Abstract: A system may be provided for limiting false detections of occupancy caused by air flow. The system may include control unit and sensors that detect motion in one or more areas, where the control unit and the sensors are connected by a network. The control unit may determine that the area or areas are unoccupied, and autotune parameters of the sensors so that the sensors indicate that the area or areas are unoccupied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: REDWOOD SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventor: Mark Covaro
  • Patent number: 8662734
    Abstract: A flexible multi-line conductor and multiple luminaire connectors may be provided. Each one of the luminaire connectors may be coupled to a corresponding luminaire and the flexible multi-line conductor. Each of the luminaire connectors may be moveable relative to each other. The flexible multi-line conductor may bend in response to movement of any of the luminaire connectors relative to each other. The flexible multi-line conductor may include multiple conductors. Each one of the luminaire connectors may couple a corresponding one of the luminaires to a different set of the conductors than the other luminaire connectors couple to the other luminaires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Redwood Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Covaro
  • Publication number: 20130241699
    Abstract: A system for tracking rack-mount devices may be provided that may include a light fixture and a communication module. The light fixture may include one or more RFID readers and/or one or more antennas configured to read an RFID tag coupled to a rack-mount device. The rack-mount device may be mounted in any mounting position of a modular equipment rack. The communication module may cause a device identifier to be transmitted to a power device that powers the light fixture. The device identifier may identify the rack-mount device determined to be mounted in the modular equipment rack based on any of the RFID readers and/or any of the antennas reading the RFID tag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: REDWOOD SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Mark Covaro, Dave Leonard
  • Publication number: 20130229268
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a circuit coupled to a line, where the circuit may power a device, and where the power is transmitted to the device over the line as a pulse-width modulated signal. The circuit may set a duty cycle of the pulse-width modulated signal in order to transmit a determined power level to the device. The apparatus may vary a frequency of the pulse-width modulated signal to transmit data to the device while the duty cycle of the pulse-width modulated signal is fixed in order to continue to transmit the determined power level to the device. A variation in the frequency of the pulse-width modulated signal may be detectable by the device and represents at least a portion of the data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2013
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: Redwood Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Covaro, Dave Leonard
  • Publication number: 20130155392
    Abstract: A system and method for commissioning a lighting system is provided in which signals from light sensors are filtered in order to determine whether light is received from light fixtures in the lighting system or from external light sources. Alternatively or in addition, signals from light sensors may be filtered to determine the amount of light from external light sources. By filtering the signals from the light sensors, an identification of which light fixtures are colocated with which light sensors may be made even in the presence of light received from external light sources or light from multiple light fixtures in the lighting system. Physical locations of light fixtures and/or sensors may be determined based on detecting the amount of light received from external light sources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: REDWOOD SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Jonathan M. Barrilleaux, Mark Covaro
  • Publication number: 20130107245
    Abstract: A system to detect occupants is provided. The system may rotate the field of views of multiple sensors in order to scan an area. The system may scan the area multiple times. The system may determine the number of occupants in the area based on a comparison of a scan of the area with a scan of the area when the area is determined to be unoccupied. The system may determine the number of occupants in the area based on a maximum number of occupants detected by any of the sensors. The system may also determine a location of an object or an occupant from scans of the area obtained from multiple sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: REDWOOD SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventor: Mark Covaro
  • Patent number: 8427300
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a circuit coupled to a line, where the circuit may power a device, and where the power is transmitted to the device over the line as a pulse-width modulated signal. The circuit may set a duty cycle of the pulse-width modulated signal in order to transmit a determined power level to the device. The apparatus may vary a frequency of the pulse-width modulated signal to transmit data to the device while the duty cycle of the pulse-width modulated signal is fixed in order to continue to transmit the determined power level to the device. A variation in the frequency of the pulse-width modulated signal may be detectable by the device and represents at least a portion of the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Redwood Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Covaro, Dave Leonard
  • Patent number: 8415900
    Abstract: A system for auto-commissioning a light fixture may position the light fixture based on sensor data received from at least one sensor. In order to focus the light fixture on a target location, the system may vary the position of the light fixture and determine a position of the light fixture where the light level received by the photosensor reaches a determined light level. The system may adjust a light characteristic of light emitted by the light fixture so that the color of light received by the photosensor at the target location matches a target light characteristic, such as color or intensity. The system may determine a focus position and a light characteristic for multiple target locations. The system may auto-commission multiple light fixtures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Redwood Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Covaro, Nathanael A. Ramella
  • Patent number: 8390441
    Abstract: A power device may include channels coupled to conductors in lines, where each one of the channels is coupled to a different one of the lines than the other channels and where the channels deliver direct current power signals over the conductors to the load devices. Each one of the load devices may be powered by a different one of the direct current power signals. The power device may include a power communicator that communicates with the load devices over the conductors that propagate the direct current power signals. The power communicator may determine a target power level for the load devices based on the communication over the conductors. The load device may adjust an amount of power in the direct current power signals in order to match the target power level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Redwood Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Covaro, Dave Leonard
  • Patent number: 8381981
    Abstract: A lighting system is disclosed wherein each fixture in the lighting system includes a permanently attached radio frequency identification (RFID) tag. Each fixture also includes either a matching hardwired identification chip or an RFID reader capable of reading the RFID tag. The tags can be used for commissioning the lighting system by reading the tags with a portable reader and assigning or removing fixtures from groups. The tags can also be used for other tasks requiring identification and tracking of specific fixtures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Redwood Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: David Fowler, Mark Covaro
  • Publication number: 20120303173
    Abstract: A power device may include channels coupled to conductors in lines, where each one of the channels is coupled to a different one of the lines than the other channels and where the channels deliver direct current power signals over the conductors to the load devices. Each one of the load devices may be powered by a different one of the direct current power signals. The power device may include a power communicator that communicates with the load devices over the conductors that propagate the direct current power signals. The power communicator may determine a target power level for the load devices based on the communication over the conductors. The load device may adjust an amount of power in the direct current power signals in order to match the target power level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: REDWOOD SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Mark Covaro, Dave Leonard