Patents Assigned to Next Future, LLC
  • Publication number: 20160086034
    Abstract: A method and apparatus to read an analog dial utility meter including a plurality of analog dials, where each dial includes a rotating dial indicator is provided. The apparatus is configured to analyze a digital image of the analog dial utility meter to determine a value of each dial of the utility meter. The method comprises receiving a digital image of the analog dial utility meter, and performing one or more processing and analysis steps to determine a meter reading of the utility meter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Applicant: Next Future, LLC
    Inventors: James L. KENNEDY, Thomas BAIRD
  • Publication number: 20140286580
    Abstract: A method and apparatus to read an analog dial utility meter including a plurality of analog dials, where each dial includes a rotating dial indicator is provided. The apparatus is configured to analyze a digital image of the analog dial utility meter to determine a value of each dial of the utility meter. The method comprises receiving a digital image of the analog dial utility meter, and performing one or more processing and analysis steps to determine a meter reading of the utility meter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: NEXT FUTURE, LLC
    Inventors: James L. KENNEDY, Thomas BAIRD
  • Patent number: 8786706
    Abstract: A method and apparatus to read an analog dial utility meter including a plurality of analog dials, where each dial includes a rotating dial indicator is provided. The apparatus is configured to analyze a digital image of the analog dial utility meter to determine a value of each dial of the utility meter. The method comprises receiving a digital image of the analog dial utility meter, and performing one or more processing and analysis steps to determine a meter reading of the utility meter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Next Future, LLC
    Inventors: James L. Kennedy, Thomas Baird
  • Patent number: 8662006
    Abstract: An after-market dishwasher stats indicator has a housing and an indicator member slidable therein. The housing has left and right end openings and a rear aspect or wall to be held at the dishwasher door front and a top wall extending obliquely therefrom with a viewing window such that indicia on the indicator member is viewable through the viewing window by a user standing astride the dishwasher. The member has first and second different indicia thereon, one indicative of a clean status of the dishwasher and the other indicative of a dirty or ready to be loaded status of the dishwasher. The different indicia are separately viewable through the viewing window depending on the position of the member, such that when the rear aspect is held to the dishwasher door front, the selected indicia is viewable to a user standing astride the dishwasher door front.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Next Future, LLC
    Inventors: Charles R. Patzer, James L. Kennedy, Ellen M. Brown
  • Publication number: 20140041573
    Abstract: An after-market dishwasher stats indicator has a housing and an indicator member slidable therein. The housing has left and right end openings and a rear aspect or wall to be held at the dishwasher door front and a top wall extending obliquely therefrom with a viewing window such that indicia on the indicator member is viewable through the viewing window by a user standing astride the dishwasher. The member has first and second different indicia thereon, one indicative of a clean status of the dishwasher and the other indicative of a dirty or ready to be loaded status of the dishwasher. The different indicia are separately viewable through the viewing window depending on the position of the member, such that when the rear aspect is held to the dishwasher door front, the selected indicia is viewable to a user standing astride the dishwasher door front.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: NEXT FUTURE, LLC
    Inventors: Charles R. Patzer, James L. Kennedy, Ellen M. Brown
  • Publication number: 20130050498
    Abstract: A method and apparatus to read an analog dial utility meter including a plurality of analog dials, where each dial includes a rotating dial indicator is provided. The apparatus is configured to analyze a digital image of the analog dial utility meter to determine a value of each dial of the utility meter. The method comprises receiving a digital image of the analog dial utility meter, and performing one or more processing and analysis steps to determine a meter reading of the utility meter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: NEXT FUTURE, LLC
    Inventors: James L. Kennedy, Thomas Baird
  • Patent number: D664387
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Next Future, LLC
    Inventor: James Kennedy
  • Patent number: D701914
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Next Future, LLC
    Inventors: Charles R. Patzer, James L. Kennedy, Ellen M. Brown