Patents Represented by Attorney Christopher J. Harnett
  • Patent number: 5864184
    Abstract: Interface circuitry for facilitating the installation of a control device is presented. One embodiment includes an interface circuit with first and second terminals that can be coupled interchangeably to a load and the utility hot of an AC power source, thus eliminating the time-consuming requirement that a particular wire be coupled to a particular terminal. The interface circuit also limits the amount of current supplied to the control device during periods of low current demand, thus reducing current and power consumption. An additional feature further facilitates installation of a control device when that device is being installed in a metallic electrical enclosure that is itself coupled to utility return. The device's return terminal is automatically coupled to the power source's utility return upon mounting of the control device in the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: Brian Page Platner
    Inventors: Brian Page Platner, Philip Howland Mudge, Keith Kendell Platner
  • Patent number: 5701117
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an occupancy detector device that is capable of regulating the on/off status of electrical appliances, such as lights, depending on the presence of people in a given monitored area. The occupancy detector of the present invention relies on the combined functioning of a passive infrared sensor and a sound sensor. Signals from the passive infrared sensor or the sound sensor operate to maintain the electrical appliances in the on state. If no signals are received from these sensors after a predetermined time interval, the off state of the electrical appliances is initiated. Following the initiation of the off state there may be a predetermined grace period during which a sound signal can reinitiate the on state of the electrical appliance. If no sound signal is received during that grace period, only a signal from the passive infrared sensor can subsequently reinitiate the on state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Assignee: Brian Page Platner
    Inventors: Brian Page Platner, Philip Howland Mudge
  • Patent number: 5270315
    Abstract: There is provided novel 2-substituted-4-substituted-1,3-dioxolanes which are particularly useful as antiviral agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1993
    Assignee: BioChem Pharma Inc.
    Inventors: Bernard Belleau, Dilip Dixit, Nghe Nguyen-Ba