Patents by Inventor Duane E. Cummings

Duane E. Cummings 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: 9488728
    Abstract: A depth display device for use with a flasher type fish finder system including a primary unit and a transducer assembly. The depth display device includes an enclosure, a microcontroller, a display panel, a transducer port, and an interface cable. The transducer port is configured for connection with the transducer assembly cable. The interface cable terminates at a connector configured for connection with a receptacle of the primary unit. During use, the display device establishes an electrical connection between the primary unit and the transducer cable such that drive signals generated by the primary unit are delivered to the transducer assembly, and return signals generated by the transducer are delivered to the primary unit. The microcontroller samples the transmitter and return signals to determine a depth of a body of water, and operates the display panel to display the determined depth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Vexilar, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven E. Baumann, Duane E. Cummings
  • Publication number: 20140153370
    Abstract: A depth display device for use with a flasher type fish finder system including a primary unit and a transducer assembly. The depth display device includes an enclosure, a microcontroller, a display panel, a transducer port, and an interface cable. The transducer port is configured for connection with the transducer assembly cable. The interface cable terminates at a connector configured for connection with a receptacle of the primary unit. During use, the display device establishes an electrical connection between the primary unit and the transducer cable such that drive signals generated by the primary unit are delivered to the transducer assembly, and return signals generated by the transducer are delivered to the primary unit. The microcontroller samples the transmitter and return signals to determine a depth of a body of water, and operates the display panel to display the determined depth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: Vexilar, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven E. Baumann, Duane E. Cummings
  • Publication number: 20100097891
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a sonar system may include one or more of the following features: (a) a microcontroller electronically coupled to a receiver, (b) a transmitter electronically coupled to the microcontroller and the receiver, (c) a transducer electronically coupled the transmitter and the receiver, the transmit frequency of the transmitter being auto tuned to a best echo frequency of the transducer, (d) a display electronically coupled to the microcontroller, and (e) a keyboard electronically coupled to the microcontroller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Applicant: NATURE VISION INC.
    Inventor: Duane E. Cummings
  • Patent number: 7495997
    Abstract: A light pipe device for fish sonar that displays information such as depth and density of detected objects. The device includes a motor with a rotary shaft, a shaft position sensor, a light conducting pipe fixed to the rotary shaft opposite the luminous tip of the pipe, a light source, and a front panel. Using this device, when a controller detects an object the controller causes the light source to turn on and off as the luminous tip revolves beneath the front panel. Light is transferred to the tip and front panel to indicate information regarding the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Nature Vision, Inc.
    Inventor: Duane E. Cummings
  • Publication number: 20080291121
    Abstract: A low cost, low power consuming display for a solid state depth locator is provided. The display has no moving parts yet provides a real-time output indicative of the depth, size and density of targets in a body of water using colored LCDs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Inventor: Duane E. Cummings
  • Publication number: 20080000138
    Abstract: A fishing rod is electronically enhanced to improve sensitivity and transmit to the user information related to conditions below the water surface in at or near real time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2006
    Publication date: January 3, 2008
    Inventor: Duane E. Cummings
  • Patent number: 6819629
    Abstract: The present invention separates noise from actual return echoes of ultrasonic sound waves generated by the transducer of a sonar type fish finder by comparing the timing of generated ultrasonic pulses and received signals and disregarding signals when such timing does not match.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: MarCum Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Duane E. Cummings, Raphael J. Marzean, Paul W. Thorne
  • Publication number: 20040202048
    Abstract: The present invention separates noise from actual return echoes of ultrasonic sound waves generated by the transducer of a sonar type fish finder by comparing the timing of generated ultrasonic pulses and received signals and disregarding signals when such timing does not match.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2003
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Inventors: Duane E. Cummings, Raphael J. Marzean, Paul W. Thorne
  • Patent number: 6768701
    Abstract: A flasher-type fish finder is provided with a zoom feature that allows the user to select an area of interest within a body of water and then display representations of the objects located within that area of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Inventors: Duane E. Cummings, Raphael J. Marzean, Paul W. Thorne
  • Patent number: 5459479
    Abstract: A solid state depth locator comprises an LCD display having a plurality of LCD segments for providing a real time output indicative of the depth of targets in a body of water. A drive circuit drives each segment of the plurality of LCD segments. A transducer, transmitter and receiver operate together to provide a real time data signal to the drive circuit for driving each segment of the plurality of LCD segments, the real time data signal having a time period and being representative of the presence of targets in the body of water. A clock provides a clock signal to the drive circuit for clocking the real time data signal serially into the LCD drivers. The clock signal has a plurality of clock pulses within the time period of the real time data signal corresponding to the number of LCD segments. A grey scale circuit is provided for varying the intensity of each segment of the LCD display in relation to the strength of the real time data signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1995
    Assignee: Marcum Enterprises Incorporated
    Inventor: Duane E. Cummings
  • Patent number: D394405
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1998
    Assignee: MarCum Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Duane E. Cummings, Raphael J. Marzean, Gregory R. Johnson
  • Patent number: D400450
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: MarCum Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Duane E. Cummings, Raphael J. Marzean, Gregory R. Johnson