Patents by Inventor Charles W. Staats, Jr.

Charles W. Staats, Jr. 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: 4566008
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for a circuit which is connected in series between the call signal output of a vehicle detector and the call signal input of a traffic controller is disclosed. Under normal operating conditions the invention acts as a signal buffer and input of the invention will be applied to the input of the traffic controller when call signal inputs are continuously present or not present for preestablished times, then test procedures are implemented. During a test or failure condition of the vehicle detector, the detector output signal will be disconnected from the controller. The invention also provides a circuit which is connected between the loop and the loop input of the vehicle detector. The circuit along with the accompanying method is designed to modify the input impedance to the vehicle detector to apply a test or "forced" call signal to the vehicle detector input when a call signal input is not received after a predetermined period of time, a fault condition is established.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 21, 1986
    Assignee: Solid State Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Avery W. Powers, Guy L. Cates, Charles W. Staats, Jr., Jarrell W. Mullies
  • Patent number: 4383240
    Abstract: A recorder of the states of a traffic control system which stores and visually displays the current operational state of the system. The current states of the command signals produced by the traffic controller of the system and the current states of energization of each traffic signal light, after a predetermined delay, are stored in a bistable device. The occurrence of an error, conflicting or improper timing of the energization of the traffic lights of the system or of the command signals controlling the energization of such lights are sensed by a conflict monitor. Upon the occurrence of an error, the bistable devices are latched, i.e. prevented from thereafter changing state. The state of each bistable device is visually displayed as of the occurrence of an error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1983
    Assignee: Solid State Devices
    Inventor: Charles W. Staats, Jr.