Patents by Inventor Valerie G. Dugan

Valerie G. Dugan 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: 11778562
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a method of reducing power consumption by a mobile telephone includes (1) providing a mobile telephone including a processor, an antenna, and a memory having computer program code; and (2) employing the processor of the mobile telephone and computer program code to (a) determine if the mobile telephone is in a vehicle; and (b) in response to the mobile telephone being in a vehicle, initiate a reduced power sequence in which the mobile telephone repeatedly turns off transmission by the antenna of the mobile telephone for a first time period and turns on transmission by the antenna of the mobile telephone for a second time period. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Dugan Patents, LLC
    Inventors: Brian M. Dugan, Valerie G. Dugan
  • Publication number: 20220183602
    Abstract: In a first aspect, a method of controlling an appliance is provided that includes (1) employing a wearable monitor to detect a biometric parameter of a user; (2) communicating biometric parameter information from the wearable monitor toluet a mobile telephone of the user; (3) determining if the biometric parameter information indicates that a value of the biometric parameter has crossed a predetermined threshold; and (4) if the value of the biometric parameter has crossed the predetermined threshold, employing the mobile telephone to direct an appliance to change between a first operating condition and a second operating condition. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: Brian M. Dugan, Valerie G. Dugan
  • Patent number: 11284825
    Abstract: In a first aspect, a method of controlling an appliance is provided that includes (1) employing a wearable monitor to detect a biometric parameter of a user; (2) communicating biometric parameter information from the wearable monitor to a mobile telephone of the user; (3) determining if the biometric parameter information indicates that a value of the biometric parameter has crossed a predetermined threshold; and (4) if the value of the biometric parameter has crossed the predetermined threshold, employing the mobile telephone to direct an appliance to change between a first operating condition and a second operating condition. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Dugan Patents, LLC
    Inventors: Brian M. Dugan, Valerie G. Dugan
  • Publication number: 20220070787
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a method of reducing power consumption by a mobile telephone includes (1) providing a mobile telephone including a processor, an antenna, and a memory having computer program code; and (2) employing the processor of the mobile telephone and computer program code to (a) determine if the mobile telephone is in a vehicle; and (b) in response to the mobile telephone being in a vehicle, initiate a reduced power sequence in which the mobile telephone repeatedly turns off transmission by the antenna of the mobile telephone for a first time period and turns on transmission by the antenna of the mobile telephone for a second time period. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Brian M. Dugan, Valerie G. Dugan
  • Patent number: 11202262
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a method of reducing power consumption by a mobile telephone includes (1) providing a mobile telephone including a processor, an antenna, and a memory having computer program code; and (2) employing the processor of the mobile telephone and computer program code to (a) determine if the mobile telephone is in a vehicle; and (b) in response to the mobile telephone being in a vehicle, initiate a reduced power sequence in which the mobile telephone repeatedly turns off transmission by the antenna of the mobile telephone for a first time period and turns on transmission by the antenna of the mobile telephone for a second time period. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Dugan Patents, LLC
    Inventors: Brian M. Dugan, Valerie G. Dugan
  • Publication number: 20190208472
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a method of reducing power consumption by a mobile telephone includes (1) providing a mobile telephone including a processor, an antenna, and a memory having computer program code; and (2) employing the processor of the mobile telephone and computer program code to (a) determine if the mobile telephone is in a vehicle; and (b) in response to the mobile telephone being in a vehicle, initiate a reduced power sequence in which the mobile telephone repeatedly turns off transmission by the antenna of the mobile telephone for a first time period and turns on transmission by the antenna of the mobile telephone for a second time period. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2018
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Inventors: Brian M. Dugan, Valerie G. Dugan
  • Patent number: 10080518
    Abstract: In a first aspect, a method is provided for determining a level of wakefulness of a driver of a vehicle using a mobile telephone. The method includes (a) employing a wearable monitor to detect a biometric parameter of a user while the user is driving a vehicle; (b) communicating biometric parameter information from the wearable monitor to a mobile telephone of the user while the user is driving the vehicle; (c) employing the mobile telephone to obtain a level of wakefulness of the user while the user is driving the vehicle, the level of wakefulness of the user being determined based on biometric parameter information received from the wearable monitor; and (d) if the level of wakefulness determined for the user is below a predetermined level of wakefulness, employing the mobile telephone to attempt to increase the level of wakefulness of the user. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Inventors: Brian M. Dugan, Valerie G. Dugan
  • Patent number: 9687188
    Abstract: In a first aspect, a method is provided that includes (1) detecting a presence of mobile telephone proximate a vehicle; (2) establishing communication between the mobile telephone and the vehicle; (3) determining an operating status of the vehicle; and (4) changing the mobile telephone to or from a restricted mode of operation based upon the determined operating status of the vehicle. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Inventors: Brian M. Dugan, Valerie G. Dugan
  • Publication number: 20140364751
    Abstract: In a first aspect, a method of tracking stress on a mobile telephone includes (a) employing a wearable monitor to detect a biometric parameter of a user; (b) communicating biometric parameter information from the wearable monitor to a mobile telephone of the user; and (c) employing the mobile telephone to: (i) obtain a current stress level of the user, the current stress level being determined based on biometric parameter information received from the wearable monitor; (ii) obtain a preferred stress level for the user; and (iii) display stress level information of the user on a display of the mobile telephone, the displayed stress level information including a comparison of the current stress level and the preferred stress level of the user. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Brian M. Dugan, Valerie G. Dugan
  • Publication number: 20140364752
    Abstract: In a first aspect, a method is provided for determining a level of wakefulness of a driver of a vehicle using a mobile telephone. The method includes (a) employing a wearable monitor to detect a biometric parameter of a user while the user is driving a vehicle; (b) communicating biometric parameter information from the wearable monitor to a mobile telephone of the user while the user is driving the vehicle; (c) employing the mobile telephone to obtain a level of wakefulness of the user while the user is driving the vehicle, the level of wakefulness of the user being determined based on biometric parameter information received from the wearable monitor; and (d) if the level of wakefulness determined for the user is below a predetermined level of wakefulness, employing the mobile telephone to attempt to increase the level of wakefulness of the user. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Brian M. Dugan, Valerie G. Dugan
  • Publication number: 20140330144
    Abstract: In a first aspect, a method of controlling an appliance is provided that includes (1) employing a wearable monitor to detect a biometric parameter of a user; (2) communicating biometric parameter information from the wearable monitor to a mobile telephone of the user; (3) determining if the biometric parameter information indicates that a value of the biometric parameter has crossed a predetermined threshold; and (4) if the value of the biometric parameter has crossed the predetermined threshold, employing the mobile telephone to direct an appliance to change between a first operating condition and a second operating condition. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Inventors: Brian M. Dugan, Valerie G. Dugan
  • Publication number: 20140287737
    Abstract: In a first aspect, a method is provided that includes (1) detecting a presence of mobile telephone proximate a vehicle; (2) establishing communication between the mobile telephone and the vehicle; (3) determining an operating status of the vehicle; and (4) changing the mobile telephone to or from a restricted mode of operation based upon the determined operating status of the vehicle. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Inventors: Brian M. Dugan, Valerie G. Dugan
  • Patent number: 8781568
    Abstract: In a first aspect, a heart rate monitoring system is provided that includes (1) a heart rate monitor adapted to wirelessly transmit a signal indicative of a heart rate of a user; and (2) a user device adapted to receive the signal from the heart rate monitor, process the signal, and determine sleep information for the user from the heart rate. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Inventors: Brian M. Dugan, Valerie G. Dugan
  • Publication number: 20020143600
    Abstract: In a first aspect, a server is provided that is adapted to schedule appointments over the INTERNET. The server includes an interface adapted to send and to receive information regarding at least one appointment over the INTERNET; and a processor coupled to the interface, the processor comprising computer program code adapted to schedule at least one appointment in response to information received via the interface. Numerous other embodiments are provided, as are computer program products for carrying out these and other aspects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2002
    Publication date: October 3, 2002
    Inventor: Valerie G. Dugan
  • Publication number: 20020022896
    Abstract: In a first aspect, a system is provided for queuing people that are to use a bathroom. The system includes (1) a controller; (2) a monitoring device coupled to the controller and adapted to monitor occupancy of a bathroom; and (3) computer program code operative with the controller. The computer code is operative with the controller so as to allow the controller to (1) receive a request to use the bathroom from a user; (2) enter the user in a bathroom queue; and (3) notify the user when the user should proceed to the bathroom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2001
    Publication date: February 21, 2002
    Inventor: Valerie G. Dugan