Patents by Inventor William P. Alberth, Jr.

William P. Alberth, 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: 11455883
    Abstract: An article of clothing can include a clothing body adapted to be worn by a user. The article of clothing can include a pocket assembly formed as part of the clothing body. The pocket assembly can include an inner panel disposed as a part of the pocket assembly. The inner panel can include an electrically conductive material. The pocket assembly can also include an outer panel disposed as a part of the pocket assembly that is farther than the inner panel from a user wearing the article of clothing. The article of clothing can include an RFID tag coupled to the clothing body. The RFID tag can store radio-frequency shielding information regarding the electrically conductive material of the article of clothing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Inventors: William P. Alberth, Jr., John Cipolla
  • Patent number: 11441799
    Abstract: A building system comprising one or more memory devices storing instructions that, are executed by one or more processors. The instructions include retrieving one or more instructions for installing a thermostat with heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment and causing a user interface to display the one or more instructions. The instructions further include receiving one or more confirmation indications of the one or more instructions being performed successfully by a user and causing the user interface to display an interface including one or more indication that the one or more instructions were performed successfully by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Joseph R. Ribbich, Nicholas S. Van Derven, William P. Alberth, Jr., Alan S. Schwegler, Corey A. Poquette, Michael J. Ajax
  • Patent number: 11277893
    Abstract: A thermostat for a building includes a light emitting diode (LED) system including one or more LEDs configured to emit light to illuminate a floor area beneath the thermostat. The thermostat incorporates an occupancy sensor to sense the approach of a user based on changes in conditions in proximity to the thermostat and detect an ambient light level. The thermostat includes a processing circuit configured to receive data outputs from the occupancy sensor, determine whether the data outputs indicate the approach of a user, cause the one or more LEDs to emit the light towards the floor in response to an indication that a user is approaching the thermostat based on occupancy sensor data correlated with occupancy conditions, and record and store LED activations and deactivations for later retrieval as historic data. The one or more LEDs may be configured as an illumination module removably attachable to the thermostat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Sudhi Sinha, Joseph R. Ribbich, Michael L. Ribbich, Charles J. Gaidish, John P. Cipolla, Damon B. Smith, John R. Taylor, Jr., John M. Reiszl, William P. Alberth, Jr., Kurt Joseph Mease
  • Publication number: 20210383679
    Abstract: An article of clothing can include a clothing body adapted to be worn by a user. The article of clothing can include a pocket assembly formed as part of the clothing body. The pocket assembly can include an inner panel disposed as a part of the pocket assembly. The inner panel can include an electrically conductive material. The pocket assembly can also include an outer panel disposed as a part of the pocket assembly that is farther than the inner panel from a user wearing the article of clothing. The article of clothing can include an RFID tag coupled to the clothing body. The RFID tag can store radio-frequency shielding information regarding the electrically conductive material of the article of clothing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: William P. Alberth, JR., John Cipolla
  • Patent number: 11132595
    Abstract: An apparatus can include a plurality of antennas. The apparatus can include a first transceiver coupled to the plurality of antennas. The apparatus can include a second transceiver. The second transceiver can be an RFID transceiver. The apparatus can include a controller coupled to the first transceiver and coupled to the RFID transceiver. The controller can detect the presence of an RFID tag. The controller can retrieve, in response to detecting the presence of the RFID tag, information corresponding to the RFID tag. The information can include radio-frequency shielding information regarding electrically conductive material of an article of clothing. The controller can adjust the first transceiver based on the information retrieved corresponding to the RFID tag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Inventors: William P. Alberth, Jr., John Cipolla
  • Publication number: 20210287311
    Abstract: A thermostat for a building space includes a communications interface, an electronic display, and a processing circuit. The communications interface is configured to receive service provider information via a network connection. The electronic display includes a user interface configured to display the service provider information. The processing circuit is configured to determine when to display the service provider information on the electronic display by monitoring thermostat events.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Inventors: Jedidiah O. Bentz, Brian D. Rigg, Theresa N. Gillette, Tom R. Tasker, Tyler McCune, John W. Uerkvitz, Shaun B. Atchison, Daniel S. Middleton, Aneek Muhammad Noor, William P. Alberth, JR., Joseph R. Ribbich
  • Patent number: 11080800
    Abstract: A thermostat for a building space includes a communications interface, an electronic display, and a processing circuit. The communications interface is configured to receive service provider information via a network connection. The electronic display includes a user interface configured to display the service provider information. The processing circuit is configured to determine when to display the service provider information on the electronic display by monitoring thermostat events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Jedidiah O. Bentz, Brian D. Rigg, Theresa N. Gillette, Tom R. Tasker, Tyler McCune, John W. Uerkvitz, Shaun B. Atchison, Daniel S. Middleton, Aneek Muhammad Noor, William P. Alberth, Jr., Joseph R. Ribbich
  • Patent number: 10969131
    Abstract: A thermostat for a building includes a halo light emitting diode (LED) system including one or more LEDs configured to emit light and a halo diffuser structured around at least a portion of an outer edge of the thermostat. The halo diffuser is configured to diffuse the emitted light of the one or more LEDs around at least the portion of the outer edge of the thermostat. The thermostat includes a processing circuit configured to receive one or more data streams, determine whether the one or more data streams indicate a building emergency condition, and operate the one or more LEDs of the halo LED system to indicate the building emergency condition to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Sudhi Sinha, Joseph R Ribbich, Michael L Ribbich, Charles J. Gaidish, John P. Cipolla, Damon B. Smith, John R. Taylor, Jr., John M. Reiszl, William P. Alberth, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10666761
    Abstract: The various implementations described herein include methods and systems for collecting media associated with a mobile device. In one aspect, a method is performed at a computing system. The method comprises receiving and storing, without user interaction, video and audio data captured during a predefined time period by a plurality of distributed video devices configured to monitor one or more vicinities, and mobile device presence information from which presence of mobile devices in vicinity of the video devices can be determined throughout the predefined time period. The method further comprises receiving from a requestor a request to identify from the captured video and audio data a first subset associated with a first person. The request includes first information of a mobile device associated with the first person. In response to the request, the first subset based on the mobile device presence information is identified and transmitted to the requestor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC
    Inventor: William P. Alberth, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20200158365
    Abstract: A thermostat for a building includes a halo light emitting diode (LED) system including one or more LEDs configured to emit light and a halo diffuser structured around at least a portion of an outer edge of the thermostat. The halo diffuser is configured to diffuse the emitted light of the one or more LEDs around at least the portion of the outer edge of the thermostat. The thermostat includes a processing circuit configured to receive one or more data streams, determine whether the one or more data streams indicate a building emergency condition, and operate the one or more LEDs of the halo LED system to indicate the building emergency condition to a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Sudhi Sinha, Joseph R Ribbich, Michael L Ribbich, Charles J. Gaidish, John P. Cipolla, Damon B. Smith, John R. Taylor, JR., John M. Reiszl, William P. Alberth, JR.
  • Patent number: 10655881
    Abstract: A thermostat for a building includes a halo light emitting diode (LED) system including one or more LEDs configured to emit light and a halo diffuser structured around at least a portion of an outer edge of the thermostat. The halo diffuser is configured to diffuse the emitted light of the one or more LEDs around at least the portion of the outer edge of the thermostat. The thermostat includes a processing circuit configured to receive one or more data streams, determine whether the one or more data streams indicate a building emergency condition, and operate the one or more LEDs of the halo LED system to indicate the building emergency condition to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Sudhi Sinha, Joseph R Ribbich, Michael L Ribbich, Charles J. Gaidish, John P. Cipolla, Damon B. Smith, John R. Taylor, Jr., John M. Reiszl, William P. Alberth, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10648690
    Abstract: A multi-function thermostat for a building space includes a user interface capable of visually representing an event schedule. The thermostat is configured to receive a request to modify an event schedule associated with the multi-function thermostat. The thermostat is configured to receive a puncturing event with a time interval that conflicts with a time interval associated with an existing event. The thermostat is configured to store information associated with the puncturing event in a memory. The thermostat is configured to modify the time interval associated with the existing event. The thermostat is configured to add the puncturing event in the event schedule. The thermostat is configured to add an adjustment event in the event schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventor: William P. Alberth, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20200128646
    Abstract: A thermostat for a building includes a light emitting diode (LED) system including one or more LEDs configured to emit light to illuminate a floor area beneath the thermostat. The thermostat incorporates an occupancy sensor to sense the approach of a user based on changes in conditions in proximity to the thermostat and detect an ambient light level. The thermostat includes a processing circuit configured to receive data outputs from the occupancy sensor, determine whether the data outputs indicate the approach of a user, cause the one or more LEDs to emit the light towards the floor in response to an indication that a user is approaching the thermostat based on occupancy sensor data correlated with occupancy conditions, and record and store LED activations and deactivations for later retrieval as historic data. The one or more LEDs may be configured as an illumination module removably attachable to the thermostat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Inventors: Sudhi Sinha, Joseph R. Ribbich, Michael L. Ribbich, Charles J. Gaidish, John P. Cipolla, Damon B. Smith, John R. Taylor, JR., John M. Reiszl, William P. Alberth, JR., Kurt Joseph Mease
  • Patent number: 10627123
    Abstract: A thermostat for a building space includes a communication interface and a processing circuit. The communications interface is configured to communicate with one or more user devices and a master device. The processing circuit is configured to determine a master temperature setpoint based on input received from the master device via the communications interface and determine a non-master temperature setpoint based on input received from the one or more user devices via the communications interface. The processing circuit is configured to select one of the master temperature setpoint and the non-master temperature setpoint based on an operating mode of the thermostat. Based on the selected temperature setpoint, the processing circuit is configured to generate and provide control signals for building equipment. The control signals cause the building equipment to control an ambient temperature of the building space to the selected setpoint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventor: William P. Alberth, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20200098065
    Abstract: A thermostat for a building space includes a communications interface, an electronic display, and a processing circuit. The communications interface is configured to receive service provider information via a network connection. The electronic display includes a user interface configured to display the service provider information. The processing circuit is configured to determine when to display the service provider information on the electronic display by monitoring thermostat events.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Publication date: March 26, 2020
    Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: JEDIDIAH O. BENTZ, BRIAN D. RIGG, THERESA N. GILLETTE, TOM R. TASKER, TYLER MCCUNE, JOHN W. UERKVITZ, SHAUN B. ATCHISON, DANIEL S. MIDDLETON, ANEEK MUHAMMAD NOOR, WILLIAM P. ALBERTH, JR., JOSEPH R. RIBBICH
  • Patent number: 10559045
    Abstract: A thermostat for a building space. The thermostat includes a communications interface and a processing circuit. The communications interface is configured to engage in bidirectional communications with heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) equipment and to receive an indication of a current heating or cooling load from the HVAC equipment. The processing circuit is configured to determine an occupancy of the building space based on the indication of the current heating or cooling load received from the HVAC equipment. The processing circuit is further configured to operate the HVAC equipment based on the determined occupancy of the building space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Jedidiah O. Bentz, Brian D. Rigg, Theresa N. Gillette, Tom R. Tasker, Tyler McCune, John W. Uerkvitz, Shaun B. Atchison, Daniel S. Middleton, Aneek Muhammad Noor, William P. Alberth, Jr., Joseph R. Ribbich
  • Publication number: 20200041154
    Abstract: A building system comprising one or more memory devices storing instructions that, are executed by one or more processors. The instructions include retrieving one or more instructions for installing a thermostat with heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment and causing a user interface to display the one or more instructions. The instructions further include receiving one or more confirmation indications of the one or more instructions being performed successfully by a user and causing the user interface to display an interface including one or more indication that the one or more instructions were performed successfully by the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Joseph R. Ribbich, Nicholas S. Van Derven, William P. Alberth, JR., Alan S. Schwegler, Corey A. Poquette, Michael J. Ajax
  • Patent number: 10546472
    Abstract: A first thermostat of a building includes a communications interface configured to communicate with at least one of a second thermostat or a network server, a user interface configured to display information to a user and receive input from the user, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to generate building navigation direction data for user navigation through the building, cause the user interface to display a first building navigation direction based on the generated building navigation direction data, and cause, via the communications interface, the second thermostat to display a second building navigation direction on a second display of the second thermostat based on the generated building navigation direction data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: William P. Alberth, Jr., Karl F. Reichenberger, Sudhi Sinha, Joseph R. Ribbich, Michael L. Ribbich, Charles J. Gaidish, John P. Cipolla
  • Patent number: 10510127
    Abstract: A thermostat for a building space includes a communications interface, an electronic display, and a processing circuit. The communications interface is configured to receive service provider information via a network connection. The electronic display includes a user interface configured to display the service provider information. The processing circuit is configured to determine when to display the service provider information on the electronic display by monitoring thermostat events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Jedidiah O. Bentz, Brian D. Rigg, Theresa N. Gillette, Tom R. Tasker, Tyler McCune, John W. Uerkvitz, Shaun B. Atchison, Daniel S. Middleton, Aneek Muhammad Noor, William P. Alberth, Jr., Joseph R. Ribbich
  • Patent number: 10462409
    Abstract: A media collection system (102) uses media collection devices (107) to record media in the vicinity of a mobile device (104). A method (300) for collecting media associated with a user of a mobile device (104) includes the mobile device detecting (304) a broadcast signal from a communication node of the media collection system (102) at a radio interface of the mobile device. Then the mobile device requests (308) a media collection service of the media collection system. In response, the mobile device receives (314) an access identifier from the media collection system. The access identifier can be used to access media collected by the media collection system. The mobile device can then cease a self-collection activity while in the vicinity of the media collection system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: GOOGLE TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventor: William P. Alberth, Jr.