Patents by Inventor Charles R. Mahoney

Charles R. Mahoney 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: 10250256
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein provide for an improved system and method of identifying objects using capacitive sensing technology. Embodiments provide for a sensing array including a plurality of capacitive sensor pads, as well as a microcontroller configured to detect and identify the plurality of objects. Embodiments further provide for encoding each of the plurality of objects with a unique ternary code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Horizon Group USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles R. Mahoney, Stephen Weiss
  • Patent number: 10128837
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein provide for an improved system and method of identifying objects using capacitive sensing technology. Embodiments provide for a sensing array including a plurality of capacitive sensor pads, as well as a microcontroller configured to detect and identify the plurality of objects. Embodiments further provide for encoding each of the plurality of objects with a unique ternary code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Horizon Group USA, INC
    Inventors: Charles R. Mahoney, Stephen Weiss
  • Patent number: 8029330
    Abstract: A remote control unit is electrically connected to a toy only by a two conductor cord. An electronic control unit located within the toy includes a signal generator and a controller for receiving the output signals and controlling at least two actions of the toy by detecting predetermined period variations in the received output signals, a first action enabled by a first predetermined period variation and a second action enabled by a second predetermined period variation. The remote control unit is electrically connected to the signal generator only by the cord and includes a switch array having at least a first switch in parallel with a second switch so that when the first switch is closed to cause the first predetermined period variation and when the second switch is closed to cause the second predetermined period variation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander L. Baytman, Albert J. Ferrigno, Charles R. Mahoney, Konstantin Degtyarev
  • Patent number: 7120257
    Abstract: A control circuit for an amusement device includes a sound detector, a band-pass filter, a peak integrator and a controller. The sound detector is configured to detect audible sound signals. The band-pass filter is electrically coupled to the sound detector. The band-pass filter is configured to extract sound signals in a predetermined audible frequency range and to output a corresponding filtered signal. The peak integrator is electrically coupled to the band-pass filter. The peak integrator is configured to receive the filtered signal, to average peaks of the filtered signal and to output a trigger signal based on a predetermined range of the averaged filter signal. The controller is electrically coupled to the peak integrator. The controller is configured to receive the trigger signal and to provide a control output in response to the trigger signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles R. Mahoney
  • Publication number: 20040141620
    Abstract: A control circuit for an amusement device includes a sound detector, a band-pass filter, a peak integrator and a controller. The sound detector is configured to detect audible sound signals. The band-pass filter is electrically coupled to the sound detector. The band-pass filter is configured to extract sound signals in a predetermined audible frequency range and to output a corresponding filtered signal. The peak integrator is electrically coupled to the band-pass filter. The peak integrator is configured to receive the filtered signal, to average peaks of the filtered signal and to output a trigger signal based on a predetermined range of the averaged filter signal. The controller is electrically coupled to the peak integrator. The controller is configured to receive the trigger signal and to provide a control output in response to the trigger signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2003
    Publication date: July 22, 2004
    Applicant: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles R. Mahoney
  • Patent number: 6705919
    Abstract: An electronic amusement device includes a housing having an outer side presented to a consumer using the device; an electronic timer in the housing and a controller. The timer is configured to track time to an end of an extended time period having a length of at least a plurality of weeks and preset in the device before the device is released to the consumer. The timer is further configured to output a signal at the end of the extended period to the controller. The controller is configured to perform at least one task in an initial mode of operation available to the consumer using the device and to respond to the signal from the timer to enable, for a first time, the performance of at least one new additional mode of operation the controller did not perform before receipt of the timer signal or to disable a mode of operation it had performed or to exchange a new mode of operation for a previously performed mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin G. Curran, Charles R. Mahoney
  • Publication number: 20030129922
    Abstract: An electronic amusement device includes a housing having an outer side presented to a consumer using the device; an electronic timer in the housing and a controller. The timer is configured to track time to an end of an extended time period having a length of at least a plurality of weeks and preset in the device before the device is released to the consumer. The timer is further configured to output a signal at the end of the extended period to the controller. The controller is configured to perform at least one task in an initial mode of operation available to the consumer using the device and to respond to the signal from the timer to enable, for a first time, the performance of at least one new additional mode of operation the controller did not perform before receipt of the timer signal or to disable a mode of operation it had performed or to exchange a new mode of operation for a previously performed mode of operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2002
    Publication date: July 10, 2003
    Inventors: Kevin G. Curran, Charles R. Mahoney