Patents by Inventor Alexander DIETZ

Alexander DIETZ 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: 11499841
    Abstract: An example position determining apparatus, includes a power source, position sensors, and a controller. The position sensors are each selectively powered by the power source and configured to provide a respective sensor reading indicating a proximity of a tracked object. The controller is configured to receive respective sensor readings from the position sensors and identify a position sensor that provided an extremum sensor reading. Based on the sensor readings, the controller selectively cause powering of certain position sensors and prevents powering of other position sensors. The position sensor that provided the extremum sensor reading is one of the powered position sensors. A position output based on the sensor readings is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Osprey Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Rodney L. Houfburg, Dale Brady, Steven John Rathjen, Alexander Dietz
  • Publication number: 20200326209
    Abstract: An example position determining apparatus, includes a power source, position sensors, and a controller. The position sensors are each selectively powered by the power source and configured to provide a respective sensor reading indicating a proximity of a tracked object. The controller is configured to receive respective sensor readings from the position sensors and identify a position sensor that provided an extremum sensor reading. Based on the sensor readings, the controller selectively cause powering of certain position sensors and prevents powering of other position sensors. The position sensor that provided the extremum sensor reading is one of the powered position sensors. A position output based on the sensor readings is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Publication date: October 15, 2020
    Inventors: Rodney L. HOUFBURG, Dale BRADY, Steven John RATHJEN, Alexander DIETZ
  • Patent number: 5897389
    Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes a shorting circuit arrangement. The assembly includes a first connector having a dielectric housing mounting at least a pair of adjacent terminals. A pair of conductive shorting members are mounted in the housing of the first connector. Each shorting member includes a contact portion in engagement with a respective one of the terminals and a shorting portion in engagement with the shorting portion of the other shorting member, thereby establishing an electrical shorting circuit between the terminals. A second connector includes a dielectric extending portion received between the shorting portions of the shorting members when the connectors are mated, thereby electrically separating the shorting members and opening the electrical shorting circuit between the terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Holger Alexander Dietz, Benno Otto Reis