Patents by Inventor Galen E. Knode
Galen E. Knode 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: 11946316Abstract: A low-power radio-frequency (RF) receiver is characterized by a decreased current consumption over prior art RF receivers, such that the RF receiver may be used in control devices, such as battery-powered motorized window treatments and two-wire dimmer switches. The RF receiver uses an RF sub-sampling technique to check for the RF signals and then put the RF receiver to sleep for a sleep time that is longer than a packet length of a transmitted packet to thus conserve battery power and lengthen the lifetime of the batteries. The RF receiver compares detected RF energy to a detect threshold that may be increased to decrease the sensitivity of the RF receiver and increase the lifetime of the batteries. After detecting that an RF signal is being transmitted, the RF receiver is put to sleep for a snooze time period that is longer than the sleep time and just slightly shorter than the time between two consecutive transmitted packets to further conserve battery power.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2023Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Andrew K. Cooney, Jordan H. Crafts, Stuart W. DeJonge, Galen E. Knode, Jonathan T. Lenz, Justin J. Mierta, Donald R. Mosebrook
-
Publication number: 20230409282Abstract: A scalable, distributed load control system for home automation based on a network of microphones may include control devices (e.g., load control devices) that may include microphones for monitoring the system and communicating audio data to a cloud server for processing. The control devices of the load control system may receive a single voice command and may be configured to choose one of the load control devices to transmit the voice command to the cloud server. The load control devices may be configured to receive a voice command, control a connected load according to the voice command if the voice command is a validated command, and transmit the voice command to a voice service in the cloud if the voice command is not a validated command. The voice service to which the load control devices transmit audio data to may be selectable.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2023Publication date: December 21, 2023Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Rhodes B. Baker, Matthew V. Harte, Jeffrey Karc, Galen E. Knode, John B. Nill, Jaykrishna A. Shukla
-
Patent number: 11797268Abstract: A scalable, distributed load control system for home automation based on a network of microphones may include control devices (e.g., load control devices) that may include microphones for monitoring the system and communicating audio data to a cloud server for processing. The control devices of the load control system may receive a single voice command and may be configured to choose one of the load control devices to transmit the voice command to the cloud server. The load control devices may be configured to receive a voice command, control a connected load according to the voice command if the voice command is a validated command, and transmit the voice command to a voice service in the cloud if the voice command is not a validated command. The voice service to which the load control devices transmit audio data to may be selectable.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2021Date of Patent: October 24, 2023Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Rhodes B. Baker, Matthew V. Harte, Jeffrey Karc, Galen E. Knode, John B. Nill, Jaykrishna A. Shukla
-
Publication number: 20230304355Abstract: A low-power radio-frequency (RF) receiver is characterized by a decreased current consumption over prior art RF receivers, such that the RF receiver may be used in control devices, such as battery-powered motorized window treatments and two-wire dimmer switches. The RF receiver uses an RF sub-sampling technique to check for the RF signals and then put the RF receiver to sleep for a sleep time that is longer than a packet length of a transmitted packet to thus conserve battery power and lengthen the lifetime of the batteries. The RF receiver compares detected RF energy to a detect threshold that may be increased to decrease the sensitivity of the RF receiver and increase the lifetime of the batteries. After detecting that an RF signal is being transmitted, the RF receiver is put to sleep for a snooze time period that is longer than the sleep time and just slightly shorter than the time between two consecutive transmitted packets to further conserve battery power.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2023Publication date: September 28, 2023Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Andrew K. Cooney, Jordan H. Crafts, Stuart W. DeJonge, Galen E. Knode, Jonathan T. Lenz, Justin J. Mierta, Donald R. Mosebrook
-
Patent number: 11753866Abstract: A motorized window treatment provides a low-cost solution for controlling the amount of daylight entering a space through a window. The window treatment includes a covering material, a drive shaft, at least one lift cord rotatably received around the drive shaft and connected to the covering material, and a motor coupled to the drive shaft for raising and lowering the covering material. The window treatment also includes a spring assist unit for assisting the motor by providing a torque that equals the torque provided by the weight on the cords that lift the covering material at a position midway between fully-open and fully-closed positions, which helps to minimize motor usage and conserve battery life if a battery is used to power the motorized window treatment. The window treatment may comprise a photosensor for measuring the amount of daylight outside the window and temperature sensors for measuring the temperatures inside and outside of the window.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2018Date of Patent: September 12, 2023Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Andrew K. Cooney, Jordan H. Crafts, Stuart W. DeJonge, Galen E. Knode, Jonathan T. Lenz, Justin J. Mierta, Donald R. Mosebrook
-
Publication number: 20230253941Abstract: Described herein is an audio device with a microphone which may adapt the audio output volume of a speaker by either increasing or decreasing output volume based on an audio input volume from a user and a distance from the user to the audio device. The audio device may also adapt its output volume to lower the audio output based on detecting one or more interruptions including occupancy and acoustic sounds.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2023Publication date: August 10, 2023Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventor: Galen E. Knode
-
Patent number: 11658632Abstract: Described herein is an audio device with a microphone which may adapt the audio output volume of a speaker by either increasing or decreasing output volume based on an audio input volume from a user and a distance from the user to the audio device. The audio device may also adapt its output volume to lower the audio output based on detecting one or more interruptions including occupancy and acoustic sounds.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2022Date of Patent: May 23, 2023Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventor: Galen E. Knode
-
Publication number: 20230046132Abstract: Devices that record data from a space, such as audio or video devices having microphones and/or cameras, may have a privacy mode which allows a user to temporarily prevent the device from recoding audio or video of the space. The privacy mode may be a privacy cover, button, airgap, or other mechanism to obfuscate the acoustic or video signal, or to remove power and/or communication from the camera, microphone, control circuit, or to the entire device itself. Additionally, the privacy mode may be remotely enabled for multiple devices in a space.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2022Publication date: February 16, 2023Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Rhodes B. Baker, Jeffrey Karc, Galen E. Knode, Robert C. Newman, Jr., John B. Nill
-
Patent number: 11490248Abstract: Devices that record data from a space, such as audio or video devices having microphones and/or cameras, may have a privacy mode which allows a user to temporarily prevent the device from recoding audio or video of the space. The privacy mode may be a privacy cover, button, airgap, or other mechanism to obfuscate the acoustic or video signal, or to remove power and/or communication from the camera, microphone, control circuit, or to the entire device itself. Additionally, the privacy mode may be remotely enabled for multiple devices in a space.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2018Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Rhodes B. Baker, Jeffrey Karc, Galen E. Knode, Robert C. Newman, Jr., John B. Nill
-
Publication number: 20220224300Abstract: Described herein is an audio device with a microphone which may adapt the audio output volume of a speaker by either increasing or decreasing output volume based on an audio input volume from a user and a distance from the user to the audio device. The audio device may also adapt its output volume to lower the audio output based on detecting one or more interruptions including occupancy and acoustic sounds.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2022Publication date: July 14, 2022Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventor: Galen E. Knode
-
Publication number: 20220210896Abstract: A wall-mounted assembly may include one or more host devices which receive line voltage and generate low voltage power on one or more contacts for powering one or more modular devices. The one or more modular devices may be installed adjacent to the host device and may share a faceplate with the host device, such as a standard decorator faceplate. The modular devices may receive power from the host device via a power bus between the host device and the one or more modular devices. Further, the power bus may include a communication bus for communication between the host device and the modular devices. The faceplate may be a smart faceplate, which may include circuitry, such as a battery backup, occupancy sensing, a charging dock for a mobile phone, etc.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2022Publication date: June 30, 2022Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Jeffrey Karc, Galen E. Knode, Rhodes B. Baker
-
Publication number: 20220113936Abstract: A scalable, distributed load control system for home automation based on a network of microphones may include control devices (e.g., load control devices) that may include microphones for monitoring the system and communicating audio data to a cloud server for processing. The control devices of the load control system may receive a single voice command and may be configured to choose one of the load control devices to transmit the voice command to the cloud server. The load control devices may be configured to receive a voice command, control a connected load according to the voice command if the voice command is a validated command, and transmit the voice command to a voice service in the cloud if the voice command is not a validated command. The voice service to which the load control devices transmit audio data to may be selectable.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 23, 2021Publication date: April 14, 2022Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Rhodes B. Baker, Matthew V. Harte, Jeffrey Karc, Galen E. Knode, John B. Nill, Jaykrishna A. Shukla
-
Publication number: 20220104069Abstract: A wireless device may receive packets according to a protocol, such as Bluetooth, and may rapidly react to receive an interfering RF packet instead of dropping the first RF packet and the interfering RF packet, to decrease message delay due to collisions in high device density environments. When a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) difference between the interfering RF packet and the first RF packet exceeds a threshold, the device may detect the interfering packet and resync a portion of its circuitry to lock on to and receive the interfering packet. The wireless receiver may detect the interfering RF packet by detecting one or more of: a specific resync byte sequence, an increase in RSSI, or a phase shift. Additionally, a wireless device may add the specific resync byte sequence to an RF packet of a standard protocol.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2021Publication date: March 31, 2022Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Ankit Bhutani, Richard S. Camden, Galen E. Knode
-
Patent number: 11239811Abstract: Described herein is an audio device with a microphone which may adapt the audio output volume of a speaker by either increasing or decreasing output volume based on an audio input volume from a user and a distance from the user to the audio device. The audio device may also adapt its output volume to lower the audio output based on detecting one or more interruptions including occupancy and acoustic sounds.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2020Date of Patent: February 1, 2022Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventor: Galen E Knode
-
Patent number: 11234162Abstract: A wireless device may receive packets according to a protocol, such as Bluetooth, and may rapidly react to receive an interfering RF packet instead of dropping the first RF packet and the interfering RF packet, to decrease message delay due to collisions in high device density environments. When a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) difference between the interfering RF packet and the first RF packet exceeds a threshold, the device may detect the interfering packet and resync a portion of its circuitry to lock on to and receive the interfering packet. The wireless receiver may detect the interfering RF packet by detecting one or more of: a specific resync byte sequence, an increase in RSSI, or a phase shift. Additionally, a wireless device may add the specific resync byte sequence to an RF packet of a standard protocol.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2020Date of Patent: January 25, 2022Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Ankit Bhutani, Richard S. Camden, Galen E. Knode
-
Patent number: 11224112Abstract: A wall-mounted assembly may include one or more host devices which receive line voltage and generate low voltage power on one or more contacts for powering one or more modular devices. The one or more modular devices may be installed adjacent to the host device and may share a faceplate with the host device, such as a standard decorator faceplate. The modular devices may receive power from the host device via a power bus between the host device and the one or more modular devices. Further, the power bus may include a communication bus for communication between the host device and the modular devices. The faceplate may be a smart faceplate, which may include circuitry, such as a battery backup, occupancy sensing, a charging dock for a mobile phone, etc.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2019Date of Patent: January 11, 2022Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Jeffrey Karc, Galen E. Knode, Rhodes B. Baker
-
Patent number: 11216246Abstract: A scalable, distributed load control system for home automation based on a network of microphones may include control devices (e.g., load control devices) that may include microphones for monitoring the system and communicating audio data to a cloud server for processing. The control devices of the load control system may receive a single voice command and may be configured to choose one of the load control devices to transmit the voice command to the cloud server. The load control devices may be configured to receive a voice command, control a connected load according to the voice command if the voice command is a validated command, and transmit the voice command to a voice service in the cloud if the voice command is not a validated command. The voice service to which the load control devices transmit audio data to may be selectable.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2020Date of Patent: January 4, 2022Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Rhodes B. Baker, Matthew V. Harte, Jeffrey Karc, Galen E. Knode, John B. Nill, Jaykrishna A. Shukla
-
Publication number: 20210400470Abstract: Devices that record data from a space, such as audio or video devices having microphones and/or cameras, may have a privacy mode which allows a user to temporarily prevent the device from recoding audio or video of the space. The privacy mode may be a privacy cover, button, airgap, or other mechanism to obfuscate the acoustic or video signal, or to remove power and/or communication from the camera, microphone, control circuit, or to the entire device itself. Additionally, the privacy mode may be remotely enabled for multiple devices in a space.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 14, 2018Publication date: December 23, 2021Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Rhodes B. Baker, Jeffrey Karc, Galen E. Knode, Robert C. Newman, JR., John B. Nill
-
Publication number: 20210022037Abstract: A wireless device may receive packets according to a protocol, such as Bluetooth, and may rapidly react to receive an interfering RF packet instead of dropping the first RF packet and the interfering RF packet, to decrease message delay due to collisions in high device density environments. When a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) difference between the interfering RF packet and the first RF packet exceeds a threshold, the device may detect the interfering packet and resync a portion of its circuitry to lock on to and receive the interfering packet. The wireless receiver may detect the interfering RF packet by detecting one or more of: a specific resync byte sequence, an increase in RSSI, or a phase shift. Additionally, a wireless device may add the specific resync byte sequence to an RF packet of a standard protocol.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2020Publication date: January 21, 2021Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Ankit Bhutani, Richard S. Camden, Galen E. Knode
-
Publication number: 20200412315Abstract: Described herein is an audio device with a microphone which may adapt the audio output volume of a speaker by either increasing or decreasing output volume based on an audio input volume from a user and a distance from the user to the audio device. The audio device may also adapt its output volume to lower the audio output based on detecting one or more interruptions including occupancy and acoustic sounds.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2020Publication date: December 31, 2020Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Galen E. Knode, Chris Dimberg