Patents by Inventor Robert C. Hall, Jr.

Robert C. Hall, Jr. 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: 11725838
    Abstract: A building system for a building includes an environmental controller including a controller radio. The environmental controller is configured to communicate a wake-up message. The building system includes an environmental sensor including a wake-up radio and a main radio. The environmental sensor is configured to operate the main radio in a low power state. The environmental sensor is configured to receive the wake-up message from the controller radio via the wake-up radio. The environmental sensor is configured to operate the main radio in a high power state in response to a reception of the wake-up message via the wake-up radio. The environmental sensor is configured to communicate sensor data of the environmental sensor to the controller radio via the main radio in response to the main radio operating in the high power state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Robert C. Hall, Jr., Timothy C. Gamroth, Nicholas J. Schaf
  • Patent number: 11671274
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a building network system for a building. The system includes network devices forming a network for the building. Each of the network devices include a communications processing circuit including an access point configured to communicate with any of the network devices to form the network, and a second processing circuit removably communicably connected to the communications processing circuit. The communications processing circuit and the second processing circuit are configured to operate independently of each other. The access point is a wireless radio configured to wirelessly communicate with the access points of any of the network devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Timothy C. Gamroth, Nicholas J. Schaf, Robert C. Hall, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11561606
    Abstract: A system for reducing power consumption in a wireless network includes a station (e.g., Wi-Fi sensor) and an access point in wireless communication with the station. The station has at least a low-power sleep mode and an active mode. The system can be configured to assign a static Internet Protocol (IP) address to the station and disable re-negotiation of an encryption key while the station is in sleep mode. The system can further be configured to force the station to communicate via 802.11g and to transmit data to a proxy service while in active mode before returning to sleep mode upon receiving a response from the proxy service. Further, an association timeout period associated with the station can be configured to be at least twice as long as a wake-up period associated with the station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Ezra M Imes, Nicholas J. Schaf, Robert C. Hall, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11235187
    Abstract: A method for detecting an event in or around a building. The method includes recording a baseline signal characteristic that characterizes a wireless signal transmitted between devices in or around the building during a baseline time period and recording a second signal characteristic that characterizes the wireless signal during a second time period after the baseline time period. An event in or around the building is detected in response to a determination that the second signal characteristic is abnormal relative to the baseline signal characteristic, the event degrading the wireless signal during the second time period. An alarm is triggered in response to detecting the event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Craig E. Trivelpiece, Robert C. Hall, Jr., Timothy C. Gamroth
  • Publication number: 20200318842
    Abstract: A building system for a building includes an environmental controller including a controller radio. The environmental controller is configured to communicate a wake-up message. The building system includes an environmental sensor including a wake-up radio and a main radio. The environmental sensor is configured to operate the main radio in a low power state. The environmental sensor is configured to receive the wake-up message from the controller radio via the wake-up radio. The environmental sensor is configured to operate the main radio in a high power state in response to a reception of the wake-up message via the wake-up radio. The environmental sensor is configured to communicate sensor data of the environmental sensor to the controller radio via the main radio in response to the main radio operating in the high power state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Robert C. Hall, JR., Timothy C. Gamroth, Nicholas J. Schaf
  • Publication number: 20200228621
    Abstract: A building network system for a building includes network devices forming a network for the building. Each network device includes a communications interface and a processing circuit. The communications interface is configured to communicate with other network devices of the multiple network devices. The processing circuit stores a first profile and a second profile. The first profile includes a first set of configuration settings that cause the network device to operate according to a first network topology when the first profile is active. The second profile includes a second set of configuration settings that cause the network device to operate according to a second network topology when the second profile is active. The processing circuit is configured to transition the network device from operating according to the first network topology to operating according to the second network topology by deactivating the first profile and activating the second profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Inventors: Timothy C. Gamroth, Nicholas J. Schaf, Robert C. Hall, Jr., Xin Zhang
  • Publication number: 20200228367
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a building network system for a building. The system includes network devices forming a network for the building. Each of the network devices include a communications processing circuit including an access point configured to communicate with any of the network devices to form the network, and a second processing circuit removably communicably connected to the communications processing circuit. The communications processing circuit and the second processing circuit are configured to operate independently of each other. The access point is a wireless radio configured to wirelessly communicate with the access points of any of the network devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Timothy C. Gamroth, Nicholas J. Schaf, Robert C. Hall, JR.
  • Publication number: 20200188718
    Abstract: A method for detecting an event in or around a building. The method includes recording a baseline signal characteristic that characterizes a wireless signal transmitted between devices in or around the building during a baseline time period and recording a second signal characteristic that characterizes the wireless signal during a second time period after the baseline time period. An event in or around the building is detected in response to a determination that the second signal characteristic is abnormal relative to the baseline signal characteristic, the event degrading the wireless signal during the second time period. An alarm is triggered in response to detecting the event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventors: Craig E. Trivelpiece, Robert C. Hall, Jr., Timothy C. Gamroth
  • Patent number: 10661109
    Abstract: A method for detecting an event in or around a building. The method includes recording a baseline signal characteristic that characterizes a wireless signal transmitted between devices in or around the building during a baseline time period and recording a second signal characteristic that characterizes the wireless signal during a second time period after the baseline time period. An event in or around the building is detected in response to a determination that the second signal characteristic is abnormal relative to the baseline signal characteristic, the event degrading the wireless signal during the second time period. An alarm is triggered in response to detecting the event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Craig E. Trivelpiece, Robert C. Hall, Jr., Timothy C. Gamroth
  • Publication number: 20200159312
    Abstract: A system for reducing power consumption in a wireless network includes a station (e.g., Wi-Fi sensor) and an access point in wireless communication with the station. The station has at least a low-power sleep mode and an active mode. The system can be configured to assign a static Internet Protocol (IP) address to the station and disable re-negotiation of an encryption key while the station is in sleep mode. The system can further be configured to force the station to communicate via 802.11g and to transmit data to a proxy service while in active mode before returning to sleep mode upon receiving a response from the proxy service. Further, an association timeout period associated with the station can be configured to be at least twice as long as a wake-up period associated with the station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Ezra M. Imes, Nicholas J. Schaf, Robert C. Hall, JR.
  • Publication number: 20200149771
    Abstract: A thermostat gateway device includes one or more circuits configured to receive a control input from a user device or from a sensor device via a first frequency band of a local wireless network, generate a control signal for the HVAC equipment using the control input, and provide the control signal to the HVAC equipment via a second frequency band of the local wireless network to affect operation of the HVAC equipment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventors: Vineet Sinha, Yingchun Xu, Patrick W. Mulcahy, August Lu, Bing Mao, Karl F. Reichenberger, Nathan Zimmerman, Nicholas J. Schaf, Robert C. Hall, JR.
  • Publication number: 20200054909
    Abstract: A method for detecting an event in or around a building. The method includes recording a baseline signal characteristic that characterizes a wireless signal transmitted between devices in or around the building during a baseline time period and recording a second signal characteristic that characterizes the wireless signal during a second time period after the baseline time period. An event in or around the building is detected in response to a determination that the second signal characteristic is abnormal relative to the baseline signal characteristic, the event degrading the wireless signal during the second time period. An alarm is triggered in response to detecting the event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Publication date: February 20, 2020
    Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Craig E. Trivelpiece, Robert C. Hall, JR., Timothy C. Gamroth
  • Patent number: 10441832
    Abstract: A fire detection and suppression system includes a wireless mesh network and a controller. The wireless mesh network includes of a plurality of wireless mesh nodes distributed throughout the building. The wireless mesh nodes transmit and receive wireless signals during a baseline time period and record a baseline set of signal characteristics and transmit and receive the wireless signals during a second time period after the baseline time period and record a second set of signal characteristics. The controller is configured to determine that the second set of signal characteristics are abnormal relative to the baseline set of signal characteristics as a result of a fire within the building degrading the wireless signals during the second time period. A fire is detected by the controller based on these signals and corrective action is initiated in response to detecting the fire within the building.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Craig E. Trivelpiece, Robert C. Hall, Jr., Timothy C. Gamroth