Patents by Inventor Jack C. Rains

Jack C. Rains 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: 10630385
    Abstract: A device uses gated retro-reflectors to transmit uplink data in a visible light communication (VLC) system. The gated retro-reflector includes a retro-reflector and a gating shutter between the retro-reflector and a VLC light source. A light sensor receives VLC data at regular intervals in which a light pulse received during one of the intervals represents a first downloaded symbol and absence of a light pulse during another one of the intervals represents a second downloaded symbol. A controller controls the gating shutter to send uplink data from the device responsive to each received VLC light pulse. The controller opens the gating shutter during the reception of a VLC light pulse to upload a first uploaded symbol and closes the gating shutter during the reception of a VLC light pulse to upload a second uploaded symbol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: ABL IP HOLDING LLC
    Inventors: Jack C. Rains, David P. Ramer
  • Publication number: 20200120779
    Abstract: An example of a lighting system includes intelligent lighting devices, each of which includes a light source, a communication interface and a processor coupled to control the light source. In such a system, at least one of the lighting devices includes a user input sensor to detect user activity related to user inputs without requiring physical contact of the user; and at least one of the lighting devices includes an output component to provide information output to the user. One or more of the processors in the intelligent lighting devices are further configured to process user inputs detected by the user input sensor, control lighting and control output to a user via the output component so as to implement an interactive user interface for the system, for example, to facilitate user control of lighting operations of the system and/or to act as a user interface portal for other services.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Inventors: Januk AGGARWAL, Jason ROGERS, Jack C. RAINS, JR., David P. RAMER
  • Publication number: 20200110464
    Abstract: A system including a controllable device configured to provide a premises related service in an area of a premises. The system includes an electroencephalography (EEG) device configured to be positioned with respect to a head of a user and process signals detected in real-time. The system also includes a processor in communication with the EEG device, a memory accessible by the processor and instructions stored in the memory for execution by the processor. A data is stored in the memory that associates each of a plurality of predetermined sets of signals from the brain detected via the EEG device with at least one control instruction. The execution of the instructions configures the processor to using the stored data, analyze the real-time detected signals to determine that the real-time detected signals correspond to one of the plurality of predetermined set of signals associated with the one control instruction and generate a control data signal based on the one control instruction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Inventors: David P. Ramer, Jack C. Rains, JR., Youssef F. Baker, Niels G. Eegholm, Daniel M. Megginson, Jenish S. Kastee
  • Patent number: 10591355
    Abstract: Disclosed are examples of hyperspectral imager-equipped lighting devices that provide general illumination supplied by artificial or natural light, and that also detect environmental conditions in the environment around the lighting device. The hyperspectral imager detects light within a contiguous spectral band from the environment in the vicinity of the lighting device. In response, the hyperspectral imager generates image data representative of the spectral intensity of one or more subsets of a continuous spectrum of wavelengths of the detected light. A controller may analyze the image data generated by the hyperspectral imager and may initiate action to control operation of the light source or building management products based on an environmental condition detected by the analysis of the generated image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: ABL IP HOLDING LLC
    Inventors: David P. Ramer, Jack C. Rains, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20200068684
    Abstract: Examples of lighting equipment provide services to and on behalf of a biomechatronically enhanced organism and/or a biomechatronic component of the organism. Such services include charging, communications, location-related services, control, optimization, client-server functions and distributed processing functionality. The biomechatronically enhanced organism and/or biomechatronic component utilize such services provided by and/or via the lighting equipment to enable, enhance or otherwise influence operation of the organism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: David P. RAMER, Jack C. Rains, JR., Januk Aggarwal
  • Patent number: 10551921
    Abstract: A system including a controllable device configured to provide a premises related service in an area of a premises. The system includes an electroencephalography (EEG) device configured to be positioned with respect to a head of a user and process signals detected in real-time. The system also includes a processor in communication with the EEG device, a memory accessible by the processor and instructions stored in the memory for execution by the processor. A data is stored in the memory that associates each of a plurality of predetermined sets of signals from the brain detected via the EEG device with at least one control instruction. The execution of the instructions configures the processor to using the stored data, analyze the real-time detected signals to determine that the real-time detected signals correspond to one of the plurality of predetermined set of signals associated with the one control instruction and generate a control data signal based on the one control instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: ABL IP HOLDING LLC
    Inventors: David P. Ramer, Jack C. Rains, Jr., Youssef F. Baker, Niels G. Eegholm, Daniel M. Megginson, Jenish S. Kastee
  • Patent number: 10547936
    Abstract: The examples relate to implementations of apparatuses, such as lighting devices, and a system that uses a speech-based user interface to provide speech-based navigation services. The speech-based user interface provides navigation instructions that direct a person to the location of an item within a premises. The person interacts with a speech-based apparatus to receive the navigation instructions as speech-based directions through the premises from a specified location to the item location, or as static navigation instructions enabling the person to navigate from the specified location to the item location. A directional microphone and a controllable speaker receive audio inputs from and output audio outputs to a specified location or subarea of the premises to a person using the speech-based user interface. The audio outputs are directed to the person in the subarea of the premises, and have a higher amplitude within the subarea than outside the subarea of the premises.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: ABL IP HOLDING LLC
    Inventors: Vernon J. Nagel, Jenish S. Kastee, Jack C. Rains, Jr., Nathaniel W. Hixon, Youssef F. Baker, Daniel M. Megginson, Sean P. White, Niels G. Eegholm
  • Patent number: 10535236
    Abstract: A lighting device or an apparatus for use with a light source has one or more sensors, intelligence in the form of programmed processors and communication capabilities. Each sensor is configured to monitor one or more conditions external to a lighting device not directly related to operational performance of the respective lighting device. Programming provides a standardized interface to enable processing of sensed conditions from sensors of different types.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: ABL IP HOLDING LLC
    Inventors: David P. Ramer, Jack C. Rains, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20200011733
    Abstract: A spectrometer-equipped lighting device detects substances in an environment around the device. A fiber detector is optically coupled to receive light from a light source. The fiber detector has a bare area from which emanates an evanescent wave of light surrounding an exterior of the fiber detector to interact with the environment in which the fiber detector is exposed. The spectrometer, optically coupled to an opposite end of the fiber detector, detects the light output and in response, generates signals representative of the spectral power distribution of the light of the evanescent wave that has interacted with the surrounding environment. A controller analyzes the spectrometer generated signals and initiates action based on the analysis of the generated signals or outputs a report indicating an environmental condition detected by the spectrometer-equipped device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Inventors: David P. RAMER, Jack C. RAINS, JR.
  • Patent number: 10531541
    Abstract: An example of a lighting system includes intelligent lighting devices, each of which includes a light source, a communication interface and a processor coupled to control the light source. In such a system, at least one of the lighting devices includes a user input sensor to detect user activity related to user inputs without requiring physical contact of the user; and at least one of the lighting devices includes an output component to provide information output to the user. One or more of the processors in the intelligent lighting devices are further configured to process user inputs detected by the user input sensor, control lighting and control output to a user via the output component so as to implement an interactive user interface for the system, for example, to facilitate user control of lighting operations of the system and/or to act as a user interface portal for other services.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: ABL IP HOLDING LLC
    Inventors: Januk Aggarwal, Jason W. Rogers, Jack C. Rains, Jr., David P. Ramer
  • Patent number: 10506685
    Abstract: Examples of lighting equipment provide services to and on behalf of a biomechatronically enhanced organism and/or a biomechatronic component of the organism. Such services include charging, communications, location-related services, control, optimization, client-server functions and distributed processing functionality. The biomechatronically enhanced organism and/or biomechatronic component utilize such services provided by and/or via the lighting equipment to enable, enhance or otherwise influence operation of the organism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: ABL IP HOLDING LLC
    Inventors: David P. Ramer, Jack C. Rains, Jr., Januk Aggarwal
  • Patent number: 10497337
    Abstract: An example of a virtual luminaire store allows a user to select an image or the like for a luminaire appearance and a set of performance parameters related to a virtual luminaire. Based on the user selection, a configuration information file is obtained and transmitted to a software configurable lighting device. The software configurable lighting device receives the transmitted file, stores the transmitted file and generates illumination in accordance with the configuration information from the file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: ABL IP HOLDING LLC
    Inventors: Jack C. Rains, Jr., Mark A. Black, David P. Ramer, Rashmi Kumar Raj, Hampton Boone Maher
  • Publication number: 20190360686
    Abstract: Disclosed are examples of luminaires that provide light for general illumination and detect toxins in air via a biosensor. In the examples, a luminaire may include a light source configured to illuminate a space, a biosensor configured to detect toxins in the air, and an air circulation system. The light source may be configured to illuminate a space in which the luminaire is located with general illumination light. The biosensor may include an air permeable membrane, a substrate, and a microorganism that responds to the presence of a toxin in the air that comes in contact with the microorganism. A sensor may detect the response by the microorganism of the presence of the toxin, and output a signal indicating the presence of the toxin based on the detected response. A processor coupled to the luminaire may receive the outputted sensor signal and output a report of the toxin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2018
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Inventors: Kathryn Margaret PENDO, David P. RAMER, Jack C. RAINS, JR., Min-Hao Michael LU, James Benton FRENCH
  • Publication number: 20190364650
    Abstract: A lighting system utilizes intelligent system elements, such as lighting devices, user interfaces for lighting control or the like and possibly sensors. The system also has a data communication network. Some number of the intelligent lighting system elements, including at least two of the lighting devices, also support wireless communication with non-lighting-system devices at the premises. Each such element has a communication interface system configured to provide a short range, low power wireless data communication link for use by non-lighting-system devices at the premises in proximity to the respective intelligent system element. Also, in such an element, the processor is configured to control communications via the communication interface system so as to provide access to the data network and through the data network to the wide area network outside the premises for non-lighting related communications of the non-lighting-system devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Inventors: Januk AGGARWAL, Jason ROGERS, Jack C. RAINS, JR., David P. RAMER
  • Publication number: 20190358584
    Abstract: Disclosed are examples of luminaires that provide light for general illumination and treat air via a biofilter. In the examples, a luminaire may include a light source configured to illuminate a space, a biofilter configured to treat air, and an air circulation system. The light source may be configured to illuminate a space in which the luminaire is located with general illumination light. The biofilter may include an air permeable membrane, a substrate, and a microorganism that treats air that comes in contact with the microorganism. The air circulation system is configured to draw air into contact with the biofilter and output air treated by contact with the biofilter into at least a portion of the space illuminated by the light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2018
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Inventors: Kathryn Margaret PENDO, David P. RAMER, Jack C. RAINS, JR., Min-Hao Michael LU, James Benton FRENCH
  • Patent number: 10491417
    Abstract: A lighting device utilizes physical or virtual separation of elements within the lighting device to isolate a first portion of data for delivery to a first data network from a second portion of data for delivery to a second data network. The first portion of data relates to a first signal generated responsive to a first sensed condition. The second portion of data may relate to the first signal or to a second signal generated responsive to the first sensed condition or a second sensed condition. The lighting device utilizes a first communication interface to deliver the first portion of data to the first data network and a second communication interface to deliver the second portion of data to the second data network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: ABL IP HOLDLING LLC
    Inventors: Hampton Maher, Jack C. Rains, Jr., David P. Ramer
  • Patent number: 10470278
    Abstract: A lighting system utilizes intelligent system elements, such as lighting devices, user interfaces for lighting control or the like and possibly sensors. The system also has a data communication network. Some number of the intelligent lighting system elements, including at least two of the lighting devices, also support communication with non-lighting-system devices at the premises. Each such element has a communication interface system configured to provide a data communication link for use by non-lighting-system devices at the premises in proximity to the respective intelligent system element. Also, in such an element, the processor is configured to control communications via the communication interface system so as to provide access to the data network and through the data network to the wide area network outside the premises for non-lighting related communications of the non-lighting-system devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: ABL IP HOLDING LLC
    Inventors: Januk Aggarwal, Jason Rogers, Jack C. Rains, Jr., David P. Ramer
  • Patent number: 10458844
    Abstract: A spectrometer-equipped lighting device detects substances in an environment around the device. A fiber detector is optically coupled to receive light from a light source. The fiber detector has a bare area from which emanates an evanescent wave of light surrounding an exterior of the fiber detector to interact with the environment in which the fiber detector is exposed. The spectrometer, optically coupled to an opposite end of the fiber detector, detects the light output and in response, generates signals representative of the spectral power distribution of the light of the evanescent wave that has interacted with the surrounding environment. A controller analyzes the spectrometer generated signals and initiates action based on the analysis of the generated signals or outputs a report indicating an environmental condition detected by the spectrometer-equipped device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: ABL IP HOLDING LLC
    Inventors: David P. Ramer, Jack C. Rains, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20190290211
    Abstract: A system including an electroencephalography (EEG) device configured to be positioned on a head of a user and process detected EEG signals. The system also includes a processor in communication with the EEG device, a memory accessible by the processor and instructions stored in the memory for execution by the processor to generate, based on a control instruction, a control data signal, for control of an operation of a controllable device configured to provide a premises related service in an area of a premises. In the training phase, execution of the instructions configures the processor to determine whether or not that the control operation of the control data signal is consistent with the detected EEG signals based on a trusted input from the user, and upon determination that the control operation is consistent with the detected EEG signals, store, in the memory, recognition data characterizing the detected EEG signals as a predetermined set of signals in association with the control instruction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventors: David P. Ramer, Jack C. Rains, JR., Youssef F. Baker, Niels G. Eegholm, Daniel M. Megginson, Jenish S. Kastee
  • Publication number: 20190294244
    Abstract: A system including a controllable device configured to provide a premises related service in an area of a premises. The system includes an electroencephalography (EEG) device configured to be positioned with respect to a head of a user and process signals detected in real-time. The system also includes a processor in communication with the EEG device, a memory accessible by the processor and instructions stored in the memory for execution by the processor. A data is stored in the memory that associates each of a plurality of predetermined sets of signals from the brain detected via the EEG device with at least one control instruction. The execution of the instructions configures the processor to using the stored data, analyze the real-time detected signals to determine that the real-time detected signals correspond to one of the plurality of predetermined set of signals associated with the one control instruction and generate a control data signal based on the one control instruction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventors: David P. Ramer, Jack C. Rains, JR., Youssef F. Baker, Niels G. Eegholm, Daniel M. Megginson, Jeni sh S. Kastee