Patents by Inventor Christopher B. Scherer

Christopher B. Scherer 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: 20240137071
    Abstract: Disclosed are network cable connectors with components such as wireless transceivers, wireless power receivers, displays, and printed circuit with controllers. The disclosed network cable connector may be wirelessly coupled to an external power source. The printed circuit of the cable connector may receive power for the wireless transceiver and/or the display from the external power source. The printed circuit of the cable connector may communicate information about the network cable and/or devices connected thereto via the wireless transceiver to an external device, output the information via the display, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: MERTEK INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher B. SCHERER, Jon SHOLTIS
  • Patent number: 11735871
    Abstract: Disclosed are network cable connectors with components such as switches, displays, and printed circuit with controllers. The disclosed network cable connector may be connected to a power over Ethernet (POE) power sourcing equipment (PSE). The printed circuit of the cable connector may request power for the display from the PSE. The switch of the cable connector may be operated such that at least one component of the printed circuit is disconnected from the PSE when an external powered device (PD) is connected to the cable connector. Disconnecting components of the printed circuit from the PSE may reduce the interference to the power negotiation between the PSE and external PD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: MERTEK INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher B. Scherer, Jon Sholtis
  • Patent number: 11689247
    Abstract: Disclosed are network cable connectors with components such as wireless transceivers, wireless power receivers, displays, and printed circuit with controllers. The disclosed network cable connector may be wirelessly coupled to an external power source. The printed circuit of the cable connector may receive power for the wireless transceiver and/or the display from the external power source. The printed circuit of the cable connector may communicate information about the network cable and/or devices connected thereto via the wireless transceiver to an external device, output the information via the display, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: MERTEK INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher B. Scherer, Jon Sholtis
  • Publication number: 20220416480
    Abstract: Disclosed are network cable system and components thereof and methods for using the network cable system and components. The network cable system includes one or more components, such as panels, cables, connectors, mobile devices, etc. In one aspect, a panel is configured to wirelessly communicate with a mobile device to receive selections for port tracing. Based on a selected port, the panel is configured to cause an indicator corresponding to the selected port to output an indication to enable port tracing. In another aspect, a panel is configured to wirelessly communicate network related information determined by the panel or received at the panel from another networking component to the mobile device to enable remote monitoring, setup, and adjustment of the network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventors: Christopher B. SCHERER, Jon SHOLTIS, James BEAMS
  • Publication number: 20210320462
    Abstract: Disclosed are network cable connectors with components such as switches, displays, and printed circuit with controllers. The disclosed network cable connector may be connected to a power over Ethernet (POE) power sourcing equipment (PSE). The printed circuit of the cable connector may request power for the display from the PSE. The switch of the cable connector may be operated such that at least one component of the printed circuit is disconnected from the PSE when an external powered device (PD) is connected to the cable connector. Disconnecting components of the printed circuit from the PSE may reduce the interference to the power negotiation between the PSE and external PD.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Applicant: MERTEK INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher B. SCHERER, Jon SHOLTIS
  • Publication number: 20210218438
    Abstract: Disclosed are network cable connectors with components such as wireless transceivers, wireless power receivers, displays, and printed circuit with controllers. The disclosed network cable connector may be wirelessly coupled to an external power source. The printed circuit of the cable connector may receive power for the wireless transceiver and/or the display from the external power source. The printed circuit of the cable connector may communicate information about the network cable and/or devices connected thereto via the wireless transceiver to an external device, output the information via the display, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Inventors: Christopher B. SCHERER, Jon SHOLTIS
  • Patent number: 10852361
    Abstract: Disclosed are traceable (e.g., networking) cables and cable components (e.g., telltales, switches, and controllers). The disclosed networking cables may be (e.g., indirectly) connected such that signals may be communicated from one cable to another cable. For example, some such cables are configured such that when a switch of one cable is actuated, a controller connected to the switch sends signals to other controllers of the same cable and controllers of other connected cables to activate, inactivate, and/or change the operating mode of telltale(s) of the same cable and/or of other connected cables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: MERTEK INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Jon Sholtis, Christopher B. Scherer, Braon Mosely
  • Patent number: 10732364
    Abstract: Disclosed are traceable remote-release networking cables with telltales at their ends to facilitate tracing of the cables and their ends, such as, for example, in data rooms that can include hundreds of individual networking cables. Some cables include conductive wire transmission line(s). Other cables include one or more fiber-optic transmission lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: MERTEK INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher B. Scherer, Jon Sholtis
  • Publication number: 20200228166
    Abstract: Disclosed are network cable connectors with components such as wireless transceivers, wireless power receivers, displays, and printed circuit with controllers. The disclosed network cable connector may be wirelessly coupled to an external power source. The printed circuit of the cable connector may receive power for the wireless transceiver and/or the display from the external power source. The printed circuit of the cable connector may communicate information about the network cable and/or devices connected thereto via the wireless transceiver to an external device, output the information via the display, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Inventors: Christopher B. SCHERER, Jon SHOLTIS
  • Publication number: 20200150157
    Abstract: Traceable cables (e.g., networking cables, power cables, etc.). Some embodiments include a traceable power cable with a battery (e.g., that may be rechargeable from current from an external power source to which the power cable is electrically connected). Some embodiments include a traceable networking cable configured to draw power from power-over-Ethernet (POE) power sourcing equipment (PSE) even if the networking cable is not connected to a separate powered device (PD).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventors: Christopher B. Scherer, Jon Sholtis
  • Publication number: 20200026008
    Abstract: Disclosed are traceable remote-release networking cables with telltales at their ends to facilitate tracing of the cables and their ends, such as, for example, in data rooms that can include hundreds of individual networking cables. Some cables include conductive wire transmission line(s). Other cables include one or more fiber-optic transmission lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Inventors: Christopher B. SCHERER, Jon SHOLTIS
  • Patent number: 10481183
    Abstract: Traceable cables (e.g., networking cables, power cables, etc.). Some embodiments include a traceable power cable with a battery (e.g., that may be rechargeable from current from an external power source to which the power cable is electrically connected). Some embodiments include a traceable networking cable configured to draw power from power-over-Ethernet (POE) power sourcing equipment (PSE) even if the networking cable is not connected to a separate powered device (PD).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: MERTEK INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher B. Scherer, Jon Sholtis
  • Publication number: 20190257873
    Abstract: Disclosed are traceable (e.g., networking) cables and cable components (e.g., telltales, switches, and controllers). The disclosed networking cables may be (e.g., indirectly) connected such that signals may be communicated from one cable to another cable. For example, some such cables are configured such that when a switch of one cable is actuated, a controller connected to the switch sends signals to other controllers of the same cable and controllers of other connected cables to activate, inactivate, and/or change the operating mode of telltale(s) of the same cable and/or of other connected cables.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Inventors: Jon SHOLTIS, Christopher B. SCHERER, Braon MOSELY
  • Publication number: 20190094273
    Abstract: Traceable cables (e.g., networking cables, power cables, etc.). Some embodiments include a traceable power cable with a battery (e.g., that may be rechargeable from current from an external power source to which the power cable is electrically connected). Some embodiments include a traceable networking cable configured to draw power from power-over-Ethernet (POE) power sourcing equipment (PSE) even if the networking cable is not connected to a separate powered device (PD).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Christopher B. Scherer, Jon Sholtis
  • Patent number: 10215935
    Abstract: Disclosed are traceable remote-release networking cables with telltales at their ends to facilitate tracing of the cables and their ends, such as, for example, in data rooms that can include hundreds of individual networking cables. Some cables include conductive wire transmission line(s). Other cables include one or more fiber-optic transmission lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: MERTEK INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher B. Scherer, Jon Sholtis
  • Publication number: 20180284364
    Abstract: Disclosed are traceable remote-release networking cables with telltales at their ends to facilitate tracing of the cables and their ends, such as, for example, in data rooms that can include hundreds of individual networking cables. Some cables include conductive wire transmission line(s). Other cables include one or more fiber-optic transmission lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Christopher B. SCHERER, Jon SHOLTIS
  • Patent number: 10050389
    Abstract: Disclosed are field-terminable traceable (e.g., networking) cables and cable components (e.g., field-applicable connection hoods), as well as related kits and methods. For example, in one embodiment of a field-applicable connection hood for a networking cable, the connection hood comprises: a connector or plug configured to be coupled to a port or outlet; two conductive tabs each configured to be coupled without, soldering to a tracer wire to enable electrical communication between the tracer wire and the conductive tab; an electrically activated telltale; and a switch configured to be actuated to enable electrical communication between the two conductive tabs and the telltale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: MERTEK INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher B. Scherer, Jon Sholtis
  • Patent number: 9952258
    Abstract: Traceable cables (e.g., networking cables, power cables, etc.). Some embodiments include a traceable power cable with a battery (e.g., that may be rechargeable from current from an external power source to which the power cable is electrically connected). Some embodiments include a traceable networking cable configured to draw power from power-over-Ethernet (POE) power sourcing equipment (PSE) even if the networking cable is not connected to a separate powered device (PD).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: MERTEK INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher B. Scherer, Jon Sholtis
  • Patent number: 9810859
    Abstract: Disclosed are traceable remote-release networking cables with telltales at their ends to facilitate tracing of the cables and their ends, such as, for example, in data rooms that can include hundreds of individual networking cables. Some cables include conductive wire transmission line(s). Other cables include one or more fiber-optic transmission lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: MERTEK INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher B. Scherer, Jon Sholtis
  • Publication number: 20160209604
    Abstract: Disclosed are traceable remote-release networking cables with telltales at their ends to facilitate tracing of the cables and their ends, such as, for example, in data rooms that can include hundreds of individual networking cables. Some cables include conductive wire transmission line(s). Other cables include one or more fiber-optic transmission lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Inventors: Christopher B. SCHERER, Jon SHOLTIS