Patents by Inventor Dennis A. Mitchell

Dennis A. Mitchell 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: 7031132
    Abstract: A device and method for diagnosing shorts and fault conditions in electrical circuits such as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) control circuits. The device includes a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) member to protect the electrical circuit from overcurrent conditions during diagnosis. The device also includes a light emitting diode (LED) and resistor electrically connected in parallel across the PTC member. An overcurrent condition causes the resistance of the PTC member to rise dramatically, creating a potential difference across the PTC member and lighting the LED. The invention also includes a method for locating a short in an HVAC control circuit using the short locating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Inventor: Dennis A. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 5964719
    Abstract: A portable biofeedback apparatus and method for simultaneously gathering information regarding more than one type of musculoskeletal stress. The apparatus has at least two different types of user-selectable sensors for converting different kinds of musculoskeletal activities into electrical signals. An analog-to-digital converter samples the electrical signals at predetermined rates. A memory receives and stores the digital signals. A processor centrally controls the collection, sampling, display and transmittal of the digital data. Magnitudes of the digital signals are simultaneously and in real-time graphically portrayed as a function of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: Ergonomic Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: Kevin J. Costello, Chandra Nair, Cynthia Roth, Dennis A. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 5785666
    Abstract: A portable biofeedback apparatus and method for simultaneously gathering information regarding more than one type of musculoskeletal stress. The apparatus has at least two different types of user-selectable sensors for converting different kinds of musculoskeletal activities into electrical signals. An analog-to-digital converter samples the electrical signals at predetermined rates. A memory receives and stores the digital signals. A processor centrally controls the collection, sampling, display and transmittal of the digital data. Magnitudes of the digital signals are simultaneously and in real-time graphically portrayed as a function of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1998
    Assignee: Ergonomic Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin J. Costello, Chandra Nair, Cynthia Roth, Dennis A. Mitchell