Patents by Inventor Allan S. MacKinnon

Allan S. MacKinnon 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).

  • Publication number: 20080275966
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for the simple, managed delivery of content to communication devices over a wireless network. The interoperation of a client component and a server, either a gateway server or a hosted server, allows for the delivery of content to wireless communication devices in a “push” fashion, i.e., independent of the actions of the end user, in contrast to traditional “pull” media, where an end user is required to request desired content, such as a webpage. Delivery criteria allow for the conditional delivery of content to end users, and access criteria control which content providers communicate with which groups of end users.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Inventor: Allan S. MacKinnon
  • Patent number: 4530056
    Abstract: An Automated Guided Vehicle System (AGVS) in which vehicles follow a guidepath defined by wires carrying electrical signals with selected routing between stations along the path. The vehicle has on-board a plurality of sensors operative independently or dependently of the wire for obtaining a plurality of guidance signals. The guidepath has digitally coded patterns which are read by sensors on-board the vehicle and converted into digital signals used by an on-board microcomputer for controlling the guidance modality including the selection of guidance signals from the sensors, and routing for accurate and reliable travel between the selected stations along the guidepath despite interruptions or abnormalities in the guidepath or the need for the vehicles to execute special maneuvers independent of the guidewire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1985
    Assignee: Modular Automation Corp.
    Inventors: Allan S. MacKinnon, Donald J. Willemsen, David T. Hamilton