Patents by Inventor Christopher Welch

Christopher Welch 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: 20150176989
    Abstract: The embodiments disclosed are directed to systems and methods for determining the inclination of a surface beneath a vehicle. In some embodiments, a method uses an accelerometer to determine a final surface inclination value. The final surface inclination value can then be used to compensate for the acceleration of the vehicle caused by gravity. The method includes receiving accelerometer values from the accelerometer. The method also includes determining surface inclination values based on the accelerometer values. The method further includes storing the surface inclination values. And the method includes applying a digital filter to the stored surface inclination values to determine a final surface inclination value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Applicant: HTI IP, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen Christopher Welch, JAMES RONALD BARFIELD, JR.
  • Publication number: 20150145662
    Abstract: A personal emergency response (PER) device may include an audio sensor that is used to enhance the operation of the PER device. The audio sensor may obtain audio data that can be used to verify whether a fall event that is detected by the PER device is a false positive signal and/or enhance the reliability of a detected fall event. In some implementations, the audio data may be used in the detection of vehicle crashes in which a user of the PER device is involved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: HTI IP, L.L.C.
    Inventors: James Ronald Barfield, Jr, Stephen Christopher Welch
  • Publication number: 20150061863
    Abstract: Techniques described herein relate to the classification of fall events for PER (personal emergency response) devices. In one implementation, data relating to acceleration events that occurred at the PER devices may be received. The data relating to the acceleration events may be associated with indications of whether the acceleration events correspond to fall events of users of the PER devices. A classification model may be trained based on the data relating to the acceleration events and the indications of whether the data relating to the acceleration events corresponds to the fall events. The classification model may be transmitted to at least some of the PER devices to update a previous version of the classification model at the at least some of the PER devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: HTI IP, L.L.C.
    Inventors: James Ronald Barfield, JR., Stephen Christopher Welch
  • Publication number: 20150007632
    Abstract: The axes of an accelerometer, installed in a vehicle at an arbitrary orientation, may be realigned to the coordinate frame of the vehicle. In one implementation, a method may include determining, based on acceleration measurements from the accelerometer that likely corresponds to stopping, a dominant orientation of the accelerometer in relation to gravity, including calculating a first transformation angle and a second transformation angle as parameters to perform coordinate realignment of a coordinate frame of the accelerometer to a coordinate frame of the vehicle. The method may further include identifying, based on the acceleration measurements, an occurrence of acceleration events of the vehicle; determining, based on an analysis of the acceleration events, a third transformation angle; and storing the first, second, and third transformation angles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2013
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Applicant: HTI IP, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Stephen Christopher Welch, James Ronald Barfield, JR.
  • Publication number: 20140214353
    Abstract: A wearable fall-detection device has a variety of sensors, including a pressure sensor, that provide signals for sampling environmental conditions acting on the device. An average of pressure data samples is used to determine a resultant that may indicate an amount of noise in a pressure data signal, and statistical analysis of the noise and the pressure signal average may be used to determine a confidence estimate value that indicates a level of confidence in the amount of noise that a pressure signal is subject to, or includes. The confidence estimate and known fall data, such as change in pressure between a person standing and lying, can create a threshold function that may adapt according to sampled data thus providing a customizable (either statically or dynamically) threshold function for comparing sensor data against rather than comparing data with just a linear threshold function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Inventors: James Ronald Barfield, Stephen Christopher Welch
  • Publication number: 20130026807
    Abstract: A furniture assembly supportable on a floor surface comprising first, second, and third structures. In a first configuration, the first, second, and third structures are detached from each other. In a second configuration, the first structure is detachably attached to the second structure and the first structure is detachably attached to the tertiary structure such that the at least three primary support portions, the at least one first secondary support portion, and the at least one first tertiary support portion engage the floor surface to support the primary base portion, the secondary base portion, and the tertiary base portion in a substantially planar arrangement to define a reclining surface. In a third configuration, the first structure is detachably attached to the second structure and the third structure is detachably attached to the second structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Inventor: Christopher Welch
  • Patent number: 7367629
    Abstract: A seat assembly for use in supporting an occupant in an automotive vehicle is provided, having a seat frame and a suspension material extending between and operatively secured to the seat frame for supporting the occupant of the seat assembly. A plurality of adjustment assemblies operatively couple the suspension material and the seat frame. Each adjustment assembly includes a stationary bracket secured to the seat frame and an adjustable attachment bracket operatively coupled to the stationary bracket. The suspension material is secured between the adjustable attachment bracket and the stationary bracket. The tension in select portions of the suspension material may be selectively adjusted in response to movement of the adjustable attachment bracket relative to the stationary bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Intier Automotive Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Delane Kepler, Christopher Welch, Stephen Becker
  • Publication number: 20080042472
    Abstract: A seat assembly supports an occupant above a floor having a load floor and is stowable within a recess below the floor. The seat assembly includes a seat cushion extending between a seating surface and a bottom surface. A seat back is pivotally coupled to the seat cushion for movement between a seating position and a forwardly folded dump position overlying the seat cushion. A riser mechanism extends between the bottom surface of the seat cushion and the recess for allowing selective movement of the seat assembly between a seating position to support the occupant above the floor and a stowed position disposed within the recess in the floor. The riser mechanism includes a pair of front legs having a lower end pivotally coupled to the recess within the floor and an upper end pivotally coupled to the seat cushion, and a pair of rear legs having a lower end pivotally coupled to the recess within the floor and an upper end pivotally coupled to the seat cushion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2005
    Publication date: February 21, 2008
    Applicant: Intier Automotive Inc.
    Inventors: Carl Holdampf, Arnold Wickham, Christopher Welch
  • Publication number: 20080036258
    Abstract: A seat frame assembly is provided for compactly folding a motor vehicle seat. The seat frame assembly includes at least one side frame member. An actuator is operatively coupled to the side frame member. An elongated control arm includes a first end pivotally coupled to the side frame member and an opposite distal end. A control link includes one end pivotally coupled to the side frame member and an opposing end operatively coupled to the distal end of the control arm. A seat cushion linkage assembly is operably coupled between one of the control arm and control link and the actuator for moving each of the control arm and control link between a stowed position generally parallel with and adjacent to the side frame member and a support position spaced from the side frame member in response to actuation of the actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2005
    Publication date: February 14, 2008
    Applicant: Intier Automotive Inc.
    Inventors: Carl Holdampf, Arnold Wickham, Christopher Welch
  • Publication number: 20070054941
    Abstract: A purification method in the preparation of a substituted 8-arylquinoline, wherein the aryl group at the 8-position contains a substituent substituted-alkenyl group, utilizes a polystyrene-based sulfonylhydrazine reactive resin to remove an aldehyde impurity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2003
    Publication date: March 8, 2007
    Inventors: Mirlinda Biba, Paul Collins, Christopher Welch, David Conlon, Antoinette Drahus
  • Publication number: 20070010655
    Abstract: This invention relates to a novel stationary phase of Formula I and a method for purifying a peptide or lipopeptide in liquid chromatography using select stationary phases, including the stationary phases of Formula I to improve the resolution and/or productivity of the purification. This chromatographic method can be used for either an analytical or preparative scale purification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2004
    Publication date: January 11, 2007
    Inventors: Firoz Antia, Russell Boyd, Jimmy DaSilva, Kent Golden, Joseph NtiGyabaah, Christopher Welch
  • Publication number: 20060214487
    Abstract: A seat frame assembly is provided for compactly folding a motor vehicle seat. The seat frame assembly includes a pair of spaced apart and parallel side frame members defining a vertical plane, and a lower cross member extending between the pair of side frame members. An actuator is pivotally secured to one of the pair of side frame members. A linkage assembly includes first and second link members, which are pivotally secured to one another. The first link member extends between the actuator and the second link member. A control arm is fixedly secured to the second link member and pivotally secured to the lower cross member. When the actuator is pivoted, the control arm moves between a support position extending away from the side frame members and a stowed position co-planar with the side frame members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2004
    Publication date: September 28, 2006
    Inventors: Carl Holdampf, Arnold Wickham, Christopher Welch
  • Patent number: 7108323
    Abstract: A seat assembly for use in an automotive vehicle comprising a seat cushion and a eat back pivotally coupled to the seat cushion for movement between a generally upright seating position and a fold flat position resting against the seat cushion. A side bolster panel is pivotally coupled to lateral opposing sides of each of the seat cushion and seat back and operable between a flexed position facing the toward the center of the seat cushion and the seat back and a relaxed position generally flush with the seat cushion and the seat back. A cam mechanism is operatively coupled to the each side bolster panel for automatically releasing the side bolster panels from the flexed position to the relaxed position in response to pivotal movement of the seat back from the seating position to the fold flat position to provide a low profile folded seat assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Intier Automotive Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Welch, Ben Delphia, Jeffrey I. Pontiatowski
  • Publication number: 20060175874
    Abstract: A seat assembly for use in an automotive vehicle comprising a seat cushion and a eat back pivotally coupled to the seat cushion for movement between a generally upright seating position and a fold flat position resting against the seat cushion. A side bolster panel is pivotally coupled to lateral opposing sides of each of the seat cushion and seat back and operable between a flexed position facing the toward the center of the seat cushion and the seat back and a relaxed position generally flush with the seat cushion and the seat back. A cam mechanism is operatively coupled to the each side bolster panel for automatically releasing the side bolster panels from the flexed position to the relaxed position in response to pivotal movement of the seat back from the seating position to the fold flat position to provide a low profile folded seat assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2002
    Publication date: August 10, 2006
    Inventors: Christopher Welch, Ben Delphia, Jeffrey Pontiatowski
  • Patent number: 7000968
    Abstract: A rear seat assembly movable between a use configuration and a stowed configuration within a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle. The rear seat assembly includes a seat cushion having a front portion and a rear portion, a seat back disposed adjacent to the rear portion of the seat cushion, and a translator coupled to the seat back. The translator moves the seat back between the use configuration and the stowed configuration in which the seat back is adjacent to a rear lift gate of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Intier Automotive Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Welch, Ben Sung Chang, Colin G. Neale
  • Patent number: 6981731
    Abstract: A rear seat assembly (12) movable between a use configuration and a stowed configuration within a passenger compartment (10) of a motor vehicle. The rear seat assembly (12) includes a seat cushion (24) having a front portion and a rear portion, a seat back (26) disposed adjacent to the rear portion of the seat cushion, and a translator coupled to the seat back. The translator (58) moves the seat back between the use configuration and the stowed configuration in which the seat back is adjacent to a rear lift gate (22) of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Intier Automotive Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Welch, Ben Sung Chang, Colin G. Neale
  • Publication number: 20050242652
    Abstract: A seat assembly for use in supporting an occupant in an automotive vehicle is provided, having a seat frame and a suspension material extending between and operatively secured to the seat frame for supporting the occupant of the seat assembly. A plurality of adjustment assemblies operatively couple the suspension material and the seat frame. Each adjustment assembly includes a stationary bracket secured to the seat frame and an adjustable attachment bracket operatively coupled to the stationary bracket. The suspension material is secured between the adjustable attachment bracket and the stationary bracket. The tension in select portions of the suspension material may be selectively adjusted in response to movement of the adjustable attachment bracket relative to the stationary bracket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2003
    Publication date: November 3, 2005
    Inventors: Brian Kepler, Christopher Welch, Stephen Becker
  • Publication number: 20050200151
    Abstract: A rear seat assembly movable between a use configuration and a stowed configuration within a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle. The rear seat assembly includes a seat cushion having a front portion and a rear portion, a seat back disposed adjacent to the rear portion of the seat cushion, and a translator coupled to the seat back. The translator moves the seat back between the use configuration and the stowed configuration in which the seat back is adjacent to a rear lift gate of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2005
    Publication date: September 15, 2005
    Inventors: Christopher Welch, Ben Chang, Colin Neale
  • Publication number: 20040222657
    Abstract: A rear seat assembly (12) movable between a use configuration and a stowed configuration within a passenger compartment (10) of a motor vehicle. The rear seat assembly (12) includes a seat cushion (24) having a front portion and a rear portion, a seat back (26) disposed adjacent to the rear portion of the seat cushion, and a translator coupled to the seat back. The translator (58) moves the seat back between the use configuration and the stowed configuration in which the seat back is adjacent to a rear lift gate (22) of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2004
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Inventors: Christopher Welch, Ben Sung Chang, Colin G. Neale
  • Patent number: 5380873
    Abstract: A coupling agent useful in conducting immunoassays, particularly assays for B12, is disclosed. The coupling agent has the formula ##STR1## Z and Z' can be the same or different and each is ##STR2## k, m and n are integers from 1 to 10, X is an alkylene group, a cycloalkylene group, an alkylcycloalkylene group, a bivalent aromatic group, or an aminoalkylene group, R and R' can be the same or different, and each is a substituted or unsubstituted aminoalkylene group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms or a cycloalkylene or alkylcycloalkylene group having from 5 to 20 carbon atoms. Z and Z' are the same except that they can be the same or different when both are ##STR3## A method for purifying an aqueous intrinsic factor solution which contains R-protein is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1995
    Assignee: Abbott Laboratories
    Inventors: Christopher Bieniarz, Christopher Welch