Patents by Inventor Frank T. HERFORT

Frank T. HERFORT 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: 20240121577
    Abstract: A system includes an article of personal protective equipment (PPE) including a functionality that is selectively configurable using a subscription service. The system further includes a first computing device including a first processor and a second computing device including a second processor. The first processor generates a subscription message including a request to enable the functionality of the article of PPE in response to determining a selection of the functionality. The second processor determines if credentials corresponding to the article of PPE and/or a user associated with the article of PPE are preregistered with the subscription service. The second processor determines a subscription status of the article of PPE corresponding to the functionality. The second processor transmits a configuration message based on the subscription status and preregistration with the subscription service.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Inventors: Abel Gladstone Mangam, Frank T. Herfort, Stefan M. Apelqvist, Johan M. Svensson
  • Publication number: 20230236017
    Abstract: The disclosure describes systems (2) of navigating a hazardous environment (8). The system includes personal protective equipment (PPE) (13) and computing device(s) (32) configured to process sensor data from the PPE (13), generate pose data of an agent (10) based on the processed sensor data, and track the pose data as the agent (10) moves through the hazardous environment (8). The PPE (13) may include an inertial measurement device to generate inertial data and a radar device to generate radar data for detecting a presence or arrangement of objects in a visually obscured environment (8). The PPE (13) may include a thermal image capture device to generate thermal image data for detecting and classifying thermal features of the hazardous environment (8). The PPE (13) may include one or more sensors to detect a fiducial marker (21) in a visually obscured environment (8) for identifying features in the visually obscured environment (8).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2021
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Inventors: Nicholas T. Gabriel, John M. Kruse, Gautam Singh, Brian J. Stankiewicz, Jason L. Aveldson, Glenn E. Casner, Elisa J. Collins, Samuel J. Fahey, Haleh Hagh-Shenas, Frank T. Herfort, Ronald D. Jesme, Steven G. Lucht, Carolyn L. Nye, Adam C. Nyland, Jacob E. Odom, Antonia E. Schaefer, Justin Tungjunyatham
  • Publication number: 20230221123
    Abstract: The disclosure describes systems of navigating a hazardous environment. The system includes personal protective equipment (PPE) and computing device(s) configured to process sensor data from the PPE, generate pose data of an agent based on the processed sensor data, and track the pose data as the agent moves through the hazardous environment. The PPE may include an inertial measurement device to generate inertial data and a radar device to generate radar data for detecting a presence or arrangement of objects in a visually obscured environment. The PPE may include a thermal image capture device to generate thermal image data for detecting and classifying thermal features of the hazardous environment. The PPE may include one or more sensors to detect a fiducial marker in a visually obscured environment for identifying features in the visually obscured environment. In these ways, the systems may more safely navigate the agent through the hazardous environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Inventors: Nicholas T. Gabriel, John M. Kruse, Gautam Singh, Brian J. Stankiewicz, Jason L. Aveldson, Glenn E. Casner, Haleh Hagh-Shenas, Frank T. Herfort, Ronald D. Jesme, Steven G. Lucht, Adam C. Nyland, Jacob E. Odom, Justin Tungjunyatham
  • Publication number: 20220228868
    Abstract: Systems and methods of path-based mapping and routing are provided. Translation information and absolute information of mobile objects in environments are determined based on a fusion of sensing data from a radar and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) including a gyroscope and an accelerometer, from which path-based maps and optimal routes can be generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Inventors: Gautam Singh, John M. Kruse, Ronald D. Jesme, William J. Kelliher, Jr., Jacob E. Odom, Adam C. Nyland, Nicholas T. Gabriel, Jason L. Aveldson, Haleh Hagh-Shenas, Frank T. Herfort, Michael L. Gjere, Rachneet Kaur, Elias Wilken-Resman, Jae Yong Lee, Doug A. Addleman, Glenn E. Casner, James D. Carlson, Justin Tungjunyatham, Karl Battle, Steven G. Lucht
  • Patent number: 11330062
    Abstract: A personal protection equipment (PPE) system with a remote user interface comprises an article of PPE including an active wireless communication device for transmitting a signal and a controller for managing settings on the article of PPE; and a communication hub including a user interface, an electronic connection to a PPE management software, and a wireless communication device. When the wireless communication device of the communication hub detects that the article of PPE is in proximity to the communication hub, the hub displays information on the user interface. The user interface displays settings for the article of PPE, and the settings can be adjusted by a user through interaction with the user interface. The wireless communication device of the communication hub transmits information related to the adjusted settings to the wireless communication device of the article of PPE; and the controller adjusts the settings on the article of PPE.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Michael Bahners, Robert Bialluch, Nadine E. Brueckmann, Frank T. Herfort, Kiran S. Kanukurthy, Markus Gunther Wilfried Lierse
  • Publication number: 20210250407
    Abstract: A personal protection equipment (PPE) system with a remote user interface comprises an article of PPE including an active wireless communication device for transmitting a signal and a controller for managing settings on the article of PPE; and a communication hub including a user interface, an electronic connection to a PPE management software, and a wireless communication device. When the wireless communication device of the communication hub detects that the article of PPE is in proximity to the communication hub, the hub displays information on the user interface. The user interface displays settings for the article of PPE, and the settings can be adjusted by a user through interaction with the user interface. The wireless communication device of the communication hub transmits information related to the adjusted settings to the wireless communication device of the article of PPE; and the controller adjusts the settings on the article of PPE.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Inventors: Michael BAHNERS, Robert BIALLUCH, Nadine E. BRUECKMANN, Frank T. HERFORT, Kiran S. KANUKURTHY, Markus Gunther Wilfried LIERSE
  • Patent number: 11025725
    Abstract: A personal protection equipment (PPE) system with a remote user interface comprises an article of PPE including an active wireless communication device for transmitting a signal and a controller for managing settings on the article of PPE; and a communication hub including a user interface, an electronic connection to a PPE management software, and a wireless communication device. When the wireless communication device of the communication hub detects that the article of PPE is in proximity to the communication hub, the hub displays information on the user interface. The user interface displays settings for the article of PPE, and the settings can be adjusted by a user through interaction with the user interface. The wireless communication device of the communication hub transmits information related to the adjusted settings to the wireless communication device of the article of PPE; and the controller adjusts the settings on the article of PPE.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael Bahners, Robert Bialluch, Nadine E. Brueckmann, Frank T. Herfort, Kiran S. Kanukurthy, Markus Gunther Wilfried Lierse
  • Publication number: 20190064750
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes an article of PPE. The device includes a first sensor that detects whether the article of PPE is being worn by a user, a processing module and a communications module. The processing module includes a clock that measures the length of time that the article of PPE is being worn by the user, and memory for storage of usage data, wherein usage data includes the length of time the article of PPE has been worn by the user. The communications module is for wirelessly transmitting stored usage data to a device separate from the article of PPE.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Applicant: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Steven T. AWISZUS, Michael BAHNERS, Robert BIALLUCH, Nadine E. BRUECKMANN, Frank T. HERFORT, Kiran S. KANUKURTHY, Markus Gunther Wilfried LIERSE, Eric C. LOBNER, Hugh Gerard Henry Tracey MURPHY, Michael H. STALDER
  • Publication number: 20180295188
    Abstract: A personal protection equipment (PPE) system with a remote user interface comprises an article of PPE including an active wireless communication device for transmitting a signal and a controller for managing settings on the article of PPE; and a communication hub including a user interface, an electronic connection to a PPE management software, and a wireless communication device. When the wireless communication device of the communication hub detects that the article of PPE is in proximity to the communication hub, the hub displays information on the user interface. The user interface displays settings for the article of PPE, and the settings can be adjusted by a user through interaction with the user interface. The wireless communication device of the communication hub transmits information related to the adjusted settings to the wireless communication device of the article of PPE; and the controller adjusts the settings on the article of PPE.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Inventors: Michael BAHNERS, Robert BIALLUCH, Nadine E. BRUECKMANN, Frank T. HERFORT, Kiran S. KANUKURTHY, Markus Gunther Wilfried LIERSE