Patents by Inventor ALAN HIGHTOWER
ALAN HIGHTOWER 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: 11623464Abstract: A system that combines an integrated circuit, sensors, and a detectable material on a device. The sensors are generally capable of detecting the presence of multiple substrates as well as their orientation relative to each other. In example embodiments, the sensors can also detect the velocity and direction of motion of the detectable material. In an example mode of use, the system is installed in a children's device, such as an interactive book. The detectable material is embedded in each page of the book such that the sensors can determine which page the book is open to the user. The integrated circuit can process the page open information to produce an output, such as a sound from a speaker.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2019Date of Patent: April 11, 2023Assignee: KIDS2, INC.Inventors: Alan Hightower, Jonathan Zufi
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Patent number: 10791848Abstract: Sensory outputs are synchronized to input tempos for providing soothing and other effects for children and other persons. In example embodiments, juvenile products such as rockers and swings have motors that are controlled to produce an oscillatory motion with an adaptive tempo that is synchronized to rhythmic inputs such as a parent's heartbeat. In other example embodiments, juvenile products such as music players are controlled to output signals to play songs via speakers with an adaptive tempo that is synchronized to rhythmic inputs such as an infant's respiratory rate.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2019Date of Patent: October 6, 2020Assignee: KIDS2, INC.Inventors: Jonathan Zufi, Scott Wells, Alan Hightower
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Publication number: 20190357697Abstract: Sensory outputs are synchronized to input tempos for providing soothing and other effects for children and other persons. In example embodiments, juvenile products such as rockers and swings have motors that are controlled to produce an oscillatory motion with an adaptive tempo that is synchronized to rhythmic inputs such as a parent's heartbeat. In other example embodiments, juvenile products such as music players are controlled to output signals to play songs via speakers with an adaptive tempo that is synchronized to rhythmic inputs such as an infant's respiratory rate.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2019Publication date: November 28, 2019Applicant: KIDS II, INC.Inventors: Jonathan ZUFI, Scott WELLS, Alan HIGHTOWER
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Patent number: 9780895Abstract: A radio tuning method for a vehicle includes sensing that the vehicle is traveling out of a first broadcast range of a first radio station that a radio of the vehicle is currently tuned to. The first radio station broadcasts first content. A second radio station is identified having a second broadcast range that the vehicle will be in when the vehicle is no longer in the first broadcast range. The identifying includes determining that the second radio station broadcasts second content that is substantially similar to the first content broadcasted by the first radio station. A user of the vehicle is provided with an option to switch tuning of the radio from the first radio station to the second radio station.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2016Date of Patent: October 3, 2017Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America, division of Panasonic Corporation of North AmericaInventors: Eric Williams, Alan Hightower
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Publication number: 20170093511Abstract: A radio tuning method for a vehicle includes sensing that the vehicle is traveling out of a first broadcast range of a first radio station that a radio of the vehicle is currently tuned to. The first radio station broadcasts first content. A second radio station is identified having a second broadcast range that the vehicle will be in when the vehicle is no longer in the first broadcast range. The identifying includes determining that the second radio station broadcasts second content that is substantially similar to the first content broadcasted by the first radio station. A user of the vehicle is provided with an option to switch tuning of the radio from the first radio station to the second radio station.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2016Publication date: March 30, 2017Inventors: ERIC WILLIAMS, ALAN HIGHTOWER
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Patent number: 9548829Abstract: A radio tuning method for a vehicle includes sensing that the vehicle is traveling out of a first broadcast range of a first radio station that a radio of the vehicle is currently tuned to. The first radio station broadcasts first content. A second radio station is identified having a second broadcast range that the vehicle will be in when the vehicle is no longer in the first broadcast range. The identifying includes determining that the second radio station broadcasts second content that is substantially similar to the first content broadcasted by the first radio station. A user of the vehicle is provided with an option to switch tuning of the radio from the first radio station to the second radio station.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2016Date of Patent: January 17, 2017Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America, Division of Panasonic Corporation of North AmericaInventors: Eric Williams, Alan Hightower
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Publication number: 20160182173Abstract: A method of operating a vehicle radio system includes the following automatic, computer-implemented steps. A radio is tuned to a first radio station of a particular genre. It is determined that a received signal strength from the first radio station is becoming weaker. Other candidate radio stations of the particular genre are scanned for. Respective broadcast locations of the candidate radio stations are ascertained. One of the candidate radio stations is selected to switch tuning to. The selecting is based upon the ascertained broadcast locations of the candidate radio stations and a planned route of the vehicle received from a navigation system.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2015Publication date: June 23, 2016Inventors: ERIC WILLIAMS, ALAN HIGHTOWER
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Publication number: 20160173213Abstract: A radio tuning method for a vehicle includes sensing that the vehicle is traveling out of a first broadcast range of a first radio station that a radio of the vehicle is currently tuned to. The first radio station broadcasts first content. A second radio station is identified having a second broadcast range that the vehicle will be in when the vehicle is no longer in the first broadcast range. The identifying includes determining that the second radio station broadcasts second content that is substantially similar to the first content broadcasted by the first radio station. A user of the vehicle is provided with an option to switch tuning of the radio from the first radio station to the second radio station.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 23, 2016Publication date: June 16, 2016Inventors: ERIC WILLIAMS, ALAN HIGHTOWER
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Patent number: 9306688Abstract: A radio tuning method for a vehicle includes sensing that the vehicle is traveling out of a first broadcast range of a first radio station that a radio of the vehicle is currently tuned to. The first radio station broadcasts first content. A second radio station is identified having a second broadcast range that the vehicle will be in when the vehicle is no longer in the first broadcast range. The identifying includes determining that the second radio station broadcasts second content that is substantially similar to the first content broadcasted by the first radio station. A user of the vehicle is provided with an option to switch tuning of the radio from the first radio station to the second radio station.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2014Date of Patent: April 5, 2016Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America, Division of Panasonic Corporation of North AmericaInventors: Eric Williams, Alan Hightower
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Publication number: 20150229420Abstract: A radio tuning method for a vehicle includes sensing that the vehicle is traveling out of a first broadcast range of a first radio station that a radio of the vehicle is currently tuned to. The first radio station broadcasts first content. A second radio station is identified having a second broadcast range that the vehicle will be in when the vehicle is no longer in the first broadcast range. The identifying includes determining that the second radio station broadcasts second content that is substantially similar to the first content broadcasted by the first radio station. A user of the vehicle is provided with an option to switch tuning of the radio from the first radio station to the second radio station.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 11, 2014Publication date: August 13, 2015Applicant: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America, Division of Panasonic Corporation of North AmericaInventors: ERIC WILLIAMS, ALAN HIGHTOWER