Patents by Inventor Christopher R. Graunke

Christopher R. Graunke 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: 11641121
    Abstract: A system is provided comprising: a materials handling vehicle; a wearable remote control device comprising: a wireless communication system including a wireless transmitter; and a rechargeable power source; a receiver at the vehicle for receiving transmissions from the wireless transmitter; a controller at the vehicle that is communicably coupled to the receiver, the controller being responsive to receipt of the transmissions from the remote control device; and a charging station at the vehicle. The charging station may charge the rechargeable power source of the wearable remote control device. The charging station may comprise a visual indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Trisha M. Luthman, Vern I. Woodruff, III, Jamison S. Frady, Steven R. Pulskamp, Christopher R. Graunke, Michael Corbett
  • Publication number: 20230102298
    Abstract: A system is provided comprising: a materials handling vehicle; a wearable remote control device comprising: a wireless communication system including a wireless transmitter; and a rechargeable power source; a receiver at the vehicle for receiving transmissions from the wireless transmitter; a controller at the vehicle that is communicably coupled to the receiver, the controller being responsive to receipt of the transmissions from the remote control device; and a charging station at the vehicle. The charging station may charge the rechargeable power source of the wearable remote control device. The charging station may comprise a visual indicator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Inventors: Trisha M. Luthman, Vern I. Woodruff, III, Jamison S. Frady, Steven R. Pulskamp, Christopher R. Graunke, Michael Corbett
  • Publication number: 20220269264
    Abstract: A method is provided for wireless communication between a wireless remote control device comprising a peripheral device and a controller on a materials handling vehicle comprising a central device. The method may comprise: polling via a plurality of connection event requests, by the central device, communicated with the peripheral device with which the central device is paired, the peripheral device comprising one or more activatable switches. Based on the status of one or more activatable switches, the peripheral device sending reply messages to at least a portion of the plurality of connection requests in accordance with at least one communication operating mode of the peripheral device, wherein each reply message is indicative of the status of the one or more activatable switches. Calculating, by the central device, a number of missed messages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Michael J. Corbett, Christopher R. Graunke, Jamison S. Frady, Trisha M. Luthman, Justin Bennett, Mike Ciholas, Sarah Dory, Herb Hollinger, Casey Richardson, Josh Woody
  • Publication number: 20220269262
    Abstract: A method is provided for Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication between a remote control device comprising a peripheral BLE device and a controller on a materials handling vehicle comprising a central BLE device. The method comprises: polling via a plurality of connection requests, by the central BLE device, communicated with the peripheral BLE device with which the central BLE device is paired. The peripheral BLE device comprising one or more activatable switches. Based on the status of the one or more activatable switches, the peripheral BLE device sending reply messages to at least a portion of the plurality of connection requests in accordance with at least one of a first or a second communication operating mode. When operating in the first communication operating mode, the peripheral BLE device replies to only a portion of the plurality of connection requests, wherein each reply message is indicative of the status of the one or more activatable switches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Michael J. Corbett, Christopher R. Graunke, Jamison S. Frady, Trisha M. Luthman, Justin Bennett, Mike Ciholas, Sarah Dory, Herb Hollinger, Casey Richardson, Josh Woody
  • Publication number: 20220048748
    Abstract: Testing operational characteristics of a remote control device associated with a materials handling vehicle can include waiting for receipt of a first input indicative that a first button of the remote control device has been pressed, wherein the first button comprises a travel button of the remote control device. The testing may further comprise waiting for receipt, subsequent to receiving the first input, of a second input indicative that at least a second button of the remote control device has been pressed, wherein the second button relates to a first auxiliary vehicle function. The testing still further comprises determining whether or not a predetermined button pressing sequence is successful based at least in part on receiving or not receiving the first and second inputs; and optionally driving a display on the vehicle to provide a visual indication that the button pressing sequence is successful or not successful based on the determination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2021
    Publication date: February 17, 2022
    Inventors: Michael J. Corbett, Christopher R. Graunke, Jamison S. Frady, Trisha M. Luthman
  • Publication number: 20210336461
    Abstract: A system is provided comprising: a materials handling vehicle; a wearable remote control device comprising: a wireless communication system including a wireless transmitter; and a rechargeable power source; a receiver at the vehicle for receiving transmissions from the wireless transmitter; a controller at the vehicle that is communicably coupled to the receiver, the controller being responsive to receipt of the transmissions from the remote control device; and a charging station at the vehicle. The charging station may charge the rechargeable power source of the wearable remote control device. The charging station may comprise a visual indicator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventors: Trisha M. Luthman, Vern I. Woodruff, III, Jamison S. Frady, Steven R. Pulskamp, Christopher R. Graunke, Michael Corbett
  • Patent number: 7602207
    Abstract: A Quantum-dot Cellular Automata (QCA) device having normal QCA cells laid out in a planar structure such that there are a set of input lines, that may be columns, and a set of orthogonal, output lines, that may be rows. The device has clocking regions that control the flow of binary signals through the device. The input columns are driven by a separate input signal, and all the cells of each column align to match their input signal. These input columns then serve as drivers for output rows that act as serial shift registers under the control of clock signals applied to sub-sections of the rows. In this way, a copy of the contents of each of the input signals propagates along each of the output rows to an output cell. The output cells of each output row may be assigned their own, latching clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: The Lutheran University Association, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Douglas Tougaw, Jeffrey D. Will, Christopher R. Graunke, David I. Wheeler
  • Publication number: 20090108873
    Abstract: A Quantum-dot Cellular Automata (QCA) device having normal QCA cells laid out in a planar structure such that there are a set of input lines, that may be columns, and a set of orthogonal, output lines, that may be rows. The device has clocking regions that control the flow of binary signals through the device. The input columns are driven by a separate input signal, and all the cells of each column align to match their input signal. These input columns then serve as drivers for output rows that act as serial shift registers under the control of clock signals applied to sub-sections of the rows. In this way, a copy of the contents of each of the input signals propagates along each of the output rows to an output cell. The output cells of each output row may be assigned their own, latching clock signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2006
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Inventors: Paul Douglas Tougaw, Jeffrey D. Will, Christopher R. Graunke