Patents by Inventor Fred Katz

Fred Katz 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: 7796052
    Abstract: A security device which is a hand held portable remote device such as a key fob that allows a user to interact with a security system using a single button. The security system functions such as arming, disarming, panic, garage door open, lamp on/off, and lamp dimming control will be displayed by the security device as control options and will be selected by a user using a forward, backward, left or right tilting motion and depressing the power on/select button. Once a control option has been selected, the security device will transmit the control option to the security system. The security device has a portable housing, a wireless communication port for interface with a security system, a display panel, an accelerometer device, and processing circuitry. The accelerometer device is used to determine the tilt of the security device and provide a control signal related to the tilt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Fred Katz
  • Patent number: 7528717
    Abstract: A tamper detection mechanism in a sensor device comprising a body and a mounting base. The sensor device includes a substantially central resilient element/plunger attached to the mounting base. The body houses a printed circuit board includes a surface for mating to the resilient element to create a circuit. The mounting base may be removably affixed to a structure such as a wall or ceiling. When the mounting base is screwed into the structure and the body is coupled to the mounting base, the plunger is compressed and exerts a continuous pressure on the printed circuit board surface to complete the tamper circuit. If the sensor device is uncoupled and/or removed from the structure, the circuit is opened and a tamper indication signal is produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Faycal Benjelloun, Wen-Hua Hsu, Fred Katz
  • Patent number: 7362221
    Abstract: The present invention is a hand held portable remote such as a key fob that allows a user to interact with the security system using a flat panel touch-pad. The touch-pad input allows a user to rapidly select and control a large number of security functions, such as Arm, Disarm, Panic, garage door open, lamp on/off, and lamp dimming control, etc. The security device comprises a housing, a wireless communication port for interface with the security system, a touch-pad input device, and processing circuitry. In order to operate the security device, the user generates a user input by creating a contact motion on the touch-pad input device with a fingertip. The contact motion may consist of a swiping motion, a tapping, or a circular motion. In order to distinguish the contact motion clearly, when the fingertip contact comprises a wider than normal contact, it causes the processing circuitry to not generate an output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Fred Katz
  • Publication number: 20070290845
    Abstract: A tamper detection mechanism in a sensor device comprising a body and a mounting base. The sensor device includes a substantially central resilient element/plunger attached to the mounting base. The body houses a printed circuit board includes a surface for mating to the resilient element to create a circuit. The mounting base may be removably affixed to a structure such as a wall or ceiling. When the mounting base is screwed into the structure and the body is coupled to the mounting base, the plunger is compressed and exerts a continuous pressure on the printed circuit board surface to complete the tamper circuit. If the sensor device is uncoupled and/or removed from the structure, the circuit is opened and a tamper indication signal is produced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2006
    Publication date: December 20, 2007
    Inventors: Faycal Benjelloun, Wen-Hua Hsu, Fred Katz
  • Publication number: 20070229301
    Abstract: A security device which is a hand held portable remote device such as a key fob that allows a user to interact with a security system using a single button. The security system functions such as arming, disarming, panic, garage door open, lamp on/off, and lamp dimming control will be displayed by the security device as control options and will be selected by a user using a forward, backward, left or right tilting motion and depressing the power on/select button. Once a control option has been selected, the security device will transmit the control option to the security system. The security device has a portable housing, a wireless communication port for interface with a security system, a display panel, an accelerometer device, and processing circuitry. The accelerometer device is used to determine the tilt of the security device and provide a control signal related to the tilt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2006
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Inventor: Fred Katz
  • Publication number: 20070103433
    Abstract: The present invention is a hand held portable remote such as a key fob that allows a user to interact with the security system using a flat panel touch-pad. The touch-pad input allows a user to rapidly select and control a large number of security functions, such as Arm, Disarm, Panic, garage door open, lamp on/off, and lamp dimming control, etc. The security device comprises a housing, a wireless communication port for interface with the security system, a touch-pad input device, and processing circuitry. In order to operate the security device, the user generates a user input by creating a contact motion on the touch-pad input device with a fingertip. The contact motion may consist of a swiping motion, a tapping, or a circular motion. In order to distinguish the contact motion clearly, when the fingertip contact comprises a wider than normal contact, it causes the processing circuitry to not generate an output signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2005
    Publication date: May 10, 2007
    Inventor: Fred Katz
  • Patent number: 7119678
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for the wireless light sensor input to a security system, wherein the light sensed by the light sensor is used to determine the activation and deactivation state of the security system. The system and method determine a light level threshold value and obtaining a light level value. Further, the obtained light level value is compared to a light level threshold value in order to determine if the present light level value is greater than or less than the light level threshold value, and finally, a signal is transmitted to a remote device in response to the comparison of the light level value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventor: Fred Katz
  • Patent number: 7091850
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for the deactivation of an alarm system situated within a home or business environment by the use of a sound-activated wireless key device. This present invention describes a wireless key that “hears” a pulsing, warning tone, identifies the tone and automatically sends out a signal to disarm the alarm system thus allowing for the automatic hands-free deactivation of the alarm system. The invention comprises “listening” circuitry that is able to identify the sound of the audio warning, even when the invention is located within clothing or a handbag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventor: Fred Katz
  • Publication number: 20050264415
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for the wireless light sensor input to a security system, wherein the light sensed by the light sensor is used to determine the activation and deactivation state of the security system. The system and method determine a light level threshold value and obtaining a light level value. Further, the obtained light level value is compared to a light level threshold value in order to determine if the present light level value is greater than or less than the light level threshold value, and finally, a signal is transmitted to a remote device in response to the comparison of the light level value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2004
    Publication date: December 1, 2005
    Applicant: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventor: Fred Katz
  • Publication number: 20050264411
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for the deactivation of an alarm system situated within a home or business environment by the use of a sound-activated wireless key device. This present invention describes a wireless key that “hears” a pulsing, warning tone, identifies the tone and automatically sends out a signal to disarm the alarm system thus allowing for the automatic hands-free deactivation of the alarm system. The invention comprises “listening” circuitry that is able to identify the sound of the audio warning, even when the invention is located within clothing or a handbag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2004
    Publication date: December 1, 2005
    Applicant: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventor: Fred Katz
  • Patent number: 6188318
    Abstract: A dual-sensing intrusion detection device for detecting an intruder comprising a PIR sensor and a microwave sensor. The device comprises PIR processing means and microwave processing means, means for summing the processed PIR signal with the processed microwave signal to generate a summed signal, and means for comparing the summed signal to a sum threshold value to determine if an alarm condition exists. The sum threshold value is selected for optimal discrimination between a human intruder and an animal presence. An additional feature of the intrusion detection device is the generation of a PIR difference signal. This feature allows the device to compensate for the limited bandwidth of the PIR sensor and to be more sensitive to a human intruder. The processing of the sensor signals includes an integration technique that sums the amplitude values of the signal and causes the sum to decay at a slow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Pittway Corp.
    Inventors: Fred Katz, Eugene Marder