Patents by Inventor Ronald Eugene Huebner
Ronald Eugene Huebner 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).
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Patent number: 11579232Abstract: Navigation beacons may be trained to receive signals of opportunity from one or more vehicles, to recognize their own position based on such signals, and to transmit information regarding their own position to one or more other vehicles accordingly. The navigation beacons may be of small size and feature a basic construction including one or more transceivers, power sources and the like, and may communicate via a Bluetooth® Low Energy, Ultra Wideband or long-range low-power wireless standard, or any other standard. The navigation beacons may be installed in any location, preferably being mounted to one or more existing fixed structures or facilities (e.g., transportation structures or facilities), and may operate in active and/or passive modes when learning their positions or servicing position information to one or more remote devices.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2020Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: John Clark Coonley Duksta, Camerin Cole Hahn, Fabian Thomas Hensel, Ronald Eugene Huebner
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Patent number: 10846585Abstract: This disclosure describes RFID tags configured to fracture when heated, such as when exposed to threshold levels of electromagnetic energy. In some instances, the RFID tags include materials that expand when heated for the purpose of stressing metal antenna traces of the RFID tags. When under stress from these expansion materials that bond to the antennas (e.g., thermoplastics), these antennas may fracture, thus lessening the risk that the dangerous arcing will occur from the electromagnetic energy, such as when an item and corresponding tag are placed in a microwave oven.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2019Date of Patent: November 24, 2020Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Kevin E. Keller, Ronald Eugene Huebner, Somasundaram Niranjaya
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Patent number: 10839174Abstract: This disclosure describes a system, method, and apparatus for efficiently tracking inventory using RFID tags (e.g., RFID tags). For example, an RFID tag reader may perform an inventory mode to receive RFID tag identifiers from RFID tags located within a range of an antenna element of the RFID tag reader. Those RFID tag identifiers may be included on an inventory table associated with the antenna element. In a second mode, the RFID tag reader may perform a targeted read. During a targeted read mode, the RFID tag reader, utilizing the antenna element, may issue a request for a selected RFID tag identified in the inventory table to reply to the request.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2018Date of Patent: November 17, 2020Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Ronald Eugene Huebner, Somasundaram Niranjayan, Mark Glen McKinnon
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Patent number: 10725139Abstract: Navigation beacons may be trained to receive signals of opportunity from one or more vehicles, to recognize their own position based on such signals, and to transmit information regarding their own position to one or more other vehicles accordingly. The navigation beacons may be of small size and feature a basic construction including one or more transceivers, power sources and the like, and may communicate via a Bluetooth® Low Energy, Ultra Wideband or long-range low-power wireless standard, or any other standard. The navigation beacons may be installed in any location, preferably being mounted to one or more existing fixed structures or facilities (e.g., transportation structures or facilities), and may operate in active and/or passive modes when learning their positions or servicing position information to one or more remote devices.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2017Date of Patent: July 28, 2020Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: John Clark Coonley Duksta, Camerin Cole Hahn, Fabian Thomas Hensel, Ronald Eugene Huebner
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Patent number: 10599890Abstract: A storage unit includes a support bar for hanging items and an RFID antenna provided within a predefined distance of the support bar. When the items hanging from the support bar are adorned with RFID tags, and the RFID antenna emits electromagnetic fields in a direction of the support bar, RFID signals identifying the items are transmitted from the RFID tags to the RFID antenna, thereby enabling a placement or a removal of an item to be automatically registered, or an accounting of the available items to be automatically performed. The RFID antenna may be a portion of a transmission line that uses shields and/or dielectric materials to shape the electromagnetic fields toward a predefined direction, and the locations of items bearing RFID tags on the support bar may be determined by varying the phase of the emitted radiofrequency and determining strengths of RFID signals when the electromagnetic fields are emitted at varying phases.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2018Date of Patent: March 24, 2020Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Ronald Eugene Huebner, Somasundaram Niranjayan, Camerin Hahn
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Patent number: 10389402Abstract: A frequency hopping communication system uses measured intensity values, such as RSSI (received signal strength indication) values, of RF signals previously received on a particular channel to generate a signal threshold that is tailored for the particular channel and is to be applied to subsequent frequency hopping processes. The signal threshold is used for determining whether a received RF signal is from an actual transmission or is merely background noise.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2017Date of Patent: August 20, 2019Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Justin Joel Krohn, Ronald Eugene Huebner
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Patent number: 10268945Abstract: This disclosure describes RFID tags configured to fracture when heated, such as when exposed to threshold levels of electromagnetic energy. In some instances, the RFID tags include materials that expand when heated for the purpose of stressing metal antenna traces of the RFID tags. When under stress from these expansion materials that bond to the antennas (e.g., thermoplastics), these antennas may fracture, thus lessening the risk that the dangerous arcing will occur from the electromagnetic energy, such as when an item and corresponding tag are placed in a microwave oven.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2015Date of Patent: April 23, 2019Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Kevin E. Keller, Ronald Eugene Huebner, Somasundaram Niranjaya
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Patent number: 10262172Abstract: A storage unit includes a support bar for hanging items and an RFID antenna provided within a predefined distance of the support bar. When the items hanging from the support bar are adorned with RFID tags, and the RFID antenna emits electromagnetic fields in a direction of the support bar. RFID signals identifying the items are transmitted from the RFID tags to the RFID antenna, thereby enabling a placement or a removal of an item to be automatically registered, or an accounting of the available items to be automatically performed. The RFID antenna may be a portion of a transmission line that uses shields and/or dielectric materials to shape the electromagnetic fields toward a predefined direction, and the locations of items bearing RFID tags on the support bar may be determined by varying the phase of the emitted radiofrequency and determining strengths of RFID signals when the electromagnetic fields are emitted at varying phases.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2015Date of Patent: April 16, 2019Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Somasundaram Niranjayan, Camerin Hahn, Ronald Eugene Huebner
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Patent number: 10140483Abstract: This disclosure describes the ability to efficiently track inventory using RFID tags (e.g., RFID tags). For example, an inventory shelf located within a materials handling facility may include a series of antenna elements arranged in rows embedded into the shelf that are coupled with an RFID reader. The antenna elements are configured to establish electromagnetic fields oriented along shelf rows. The fields can be used to read RFID tags included or attached to inventory items placed on the shelf row.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2014Date of Patent: November 27, 2018Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Ronald Eugene Huebner, Somasundaram Niranjayan, Mark Glen McKinnon
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Patent number: 10089505Abstract: A storage unit includes a support bar for hanging items and an RFID antenna provided within a predefined distance of the support bar. When the items hanging from the support bar are adorned with RFID tags, and the RFID antenna emits electromagnetic fields in a direction of the support bar, RFID signals identifying the items are transmitted from the RFID tags to the RFID antenna, thereby enabling a placement or a removal of an item to be automatically registered, or an accounting of the available items to be automatically performed. The RFID antenna may be a portion of a transmission line that uses shields and/or dielectric materials to shape the electromagnetic fields toward a predefined direction, and the locations of items bearing RFID tags on the support bar may be determined by varying the phase of the emitted radiofrequency and determining strengths of RFID signals when the electromagnetic fields are emitted at varying phases.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2015Date of Patent: October 2, 2018Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Ronald Eugene Huebner, Somasundaram Niranjayan, Camerin Hahn
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Patent number: 10037509Abstract: Described is a system and method for efficiently tracking inventory using RFID tags (e.g., RFID tags). For example, an RFID tag reader may perform an inventory mode to receive RFID tag identifiers from RFID tags located within a range of an antenna element of the RFID tag reader. Those RFID tag identifiers may be included on an inventory table associated with the antenna element. In a second mode, the RFID tag reader may perform a targeted read. During a targeted read mode, the RFID tag reader, utilizing the antenna element, may issue a request for a selected RFID tag identified in the inventory table to reply to the request.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2014Date of Patent: July 31, 2018Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Ronald Eugene Huebner, Somasundaram Niranjayan, Dilip Kumar
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Patent number: 10037449Abstract: A storage unit includes a support bar for hanging items and an RFID antenna provided within a predefined distance of the support bar. When the items hanging from the support bar are adorned with RFID tags, and the RFID antenna emits electromagnetic fields in a direction of the support bar, RFID signals identifying the items are transmitted from the RFID tags to the RFID antenna, thereby enabling a placement or a removal of an item to be automatically registered, or an accounting of the available items to be automatically performed. The RFID antenna may be a portion of a transmission line that uses shields and/or dielectric materials to shape the electromagnetic fields toward a predefined direction, and the locations of items bearing RFID tags on the support bar may be determined by varying the phase of the emitted radiofrequency and determining strengths of RFID signals when the electromagnetic fields are emitted at varying phases.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2015Date of Patent: July 31, 2018Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Camerin Hahn, Somasundaram Niranjayan, Ronald Eugene Huebner