Patents by Inventor Richard L. Pratt

Richard L. Pratt 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: 20220277860
    Abstract: Systems and methods for managing communications within a healthcare facility are provided. An audio communication channel is provisioned between a clinician video conferencing unit and a pillow speaker. A video communication channel is provisioned between the clinician video conferencing unit and a room-mounted video conferencing unit. The pillow speaker and room-mounted video conferencing unit are both located inside a room at the healthcare facility while the clinician video conferencing unit is located outside of the room, such as in the hallway, at a nurse's station, or external to the facility. The audio communication channel and the video communication channel are concurrently maintained during a contactless video conference session.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2022
    Publication date: September 1, 2022
    Inventor: Richard L. Pratt
  • Patent number: 11363238
    Abstract: Systems and methods for managing communications within a healthcare facility are provided. An audio communication channel is provisioned between a clinician video conferencing unit and a pillow speaker. A video communication channel is provisioned between the clinician video conferencing unit and a room-mounted video conferencing unit. The pillow speaker and room-mounted video conferencing unit are both located inside a room at the healthcare facility while the clinician video conferencing unit is located outside of the room, such as in the hallway, at a nurse's station, or external to the facility. The audio communication channel and the video communication channel are concurrently maintained during a contactless video conference session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Healthcare Information, LLC
    Inventor: Richard L. Pratt
  • Patent number: 6599095
    Abstract: A pump off control method comprises detecting the speed of the induction motor and an instantaneous value of secondary current of the induction motor. Down stroke time in every cycle of the pump jack is detected. An average value of instantaneous values of the secondary current of the induction motor in the down stroke time in said every cycle is calculated. An average value reference of the secondary current of the induction motor to be compared with calculated average value of the instantaneous values of the secondary current of the induction motor is set. The calculated average value of the instantaneous values of the secondary current is compared with the average value reference after the down stroke end in each cycle. An occurence of pump off is detected if the calculated average value of the instantaneous values is greater than the average value reference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Noriyuki Takada, Takayuki Yamakawa, Hidetoshi Ryu, Tetsuo Kawano, Koji Kawamoto, Toshio Miyano, Richard L. Pratt, Brian Mackinnon
  • Patent number: 5938052
    Abstract: An object of this invention is to provide a high performance and low cost crane rope steadying control method and apparatus for which mechanical or optical swing angle detecting means are not necessary.The invention provides a rope steadying control method for a crane or the like having a trolley driving apparatus for causing a load suspended by a rope of a crane or the like to travel, wherein swinging of a load suspended by a rope is stopped by calculating a swing load signal I.sub.2W * proportional to the rope swing angle and the load by computationally estimating a motor torque estimate signal .tau..sub.M * not including load torque fluctuations caused by swinging of the rope on the basis of gain coefficients and equivalent time constants of the control system and the drive system, and comparing this estimate signal .tau..sub.M * with an actual load torque .tau..sub.M and negatively feeding back to a trolley speed command N.sub.S of the trolley driving apparatus (1) a speed signal N.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1999
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Toshio Miyano, Takayuki Yamakawa, Tetsuo Kawano, Richard L. Pratt, Frederick C. Lach
  • Patent number: 5027049
    Abstract: A motor control method is disclosed in which a drive motor is connected to an adjustable frequency power supply in which the frequency of the power supplied to the motor can be selectively varied. While the motor is running at a constant speed as determined by the frequency of the power supplied to the motor, the value of the current being supplied to the motor by the power supply is sensed and an actual current signal representative of said actual current value is produced. A reference current signal which is representative of a selected maximum current value and thereby a maximum load at which the motor speed may be increased is also provided. The actual current signal is compared with the reference current signal and if the former is less than or equal to the latter, an output signal is provided. In response to the output signal resulting from the comparison, the value of the actual frequency of the power supplied to the motor is increased to a preselected value so that the motor speed also increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1991
    Assignees: Harnischfeger Corporation, Yaskawa Electric Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Richard L. Pratt, Craig D. Dewey
  • Patent number: 4953053
    Abstract: A hoist for raising and lowering objects with an apparatus for detecting mechanical overload of the hoist. The system provides a hoist having an alternating current motor connected to an alternating current power supply. The level of current of the power supplied to the motor is compared to a level of power indicative of a mechanical overload condition. If the current signal representative of the actual motor current level equals or exceeds the mechanical overload reference current then an overload output signal is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1990
    Assignees: Harnischfeger Corporation, Yaskawa Electric Mfg. Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Richard L. Pratt
  • Patent number: 4486744
    Abstract: A device for indicating the flow of gases includes a vertically extending conduit section in which is disposed a ball. The ball seats on a lower seat at zero or minimum gas flow, and on an upper seat at maximum sensed gas flow. The upper seat is configured to permit essentially unrestricted gas flow when the ball is seated on it.Electrical means are associated with either the bottom seat and/or the top seat and co-acts with the ball to sense either minimum gas flow or maximum gas flow, and generate a signal responsive thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1982
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1984
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard L. Pratt, Francis J. Thornton
  • Patent number: D589778
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Healthcare Information, LLC
    Inventor: Richard L. Pratt