Patents by Inventor John A. Wolfe
John A. Wolfe 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: 12595700Abstract: A door is coupled to a door operator assembly that includes a motor operable in a first mode of operation to open the door at a pre-defined speed. The first mode of operation is overridden in response to an output of the motor reaching a minimum threshold due to a force applied to the door. In the second mode of operation, the output of the motor is adjusted to assist manual opening of the door.Type: GrantFiled: January 2, 2024Date of Patent: April 7, 2026Assignee: Schlage Lock Company LLCInventors: John A. Wolfe, Jake E. Meckley
-
Publication number: 20250347166Abstract: A door is coupled to a door operator that includes a motor operable in a predefined power assist mode to open the door from the closed position toward the open position. The assistance provided by the motor is reduced relative to the assistance in the power assist mode in response to the door opening angle being more than a threshold amount, and further in response to a speed of the door exceeding a threshold amount as the door is being opened.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2024Publication date: November 13, 2025Inventor: John A. Wolfe
-
Publication number: 20250257601Abstract: An exemplary method involves operating a door operator coupled to a door. The door operator includes a motor operable to move the door in at least one direction and a controller operable to control the motor. The method generally involves a calibration procedure including: with the door at a first position and the door having an initial speed, initiating, by the controller, measurement of a time duration; in response to the door reaching a target speed different from the initial speed, ceasing, by the controller, measurement of the time duration; and determining, by the controller, a maximum speed based on the time duration. The method further includes performing at least one operation based upon the maximum speed.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 18, 2025Publication date: August 14, 2025Inventor: John A. Wolfe
-
Publication number: 20250215739Abstract: A door is coupled to a door operator assembly that includes a motor operable in a first mode of operation to open the door at a pre-defined speed. The first mode of operation is overridden in response to an output of the motor reaching a minimum threshold due to a force applied to the door. In the second mode of operation, the output of the motor is adjusted to assist manual opening of the door.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 2, 2024Publication date: July 3, 2025Inventors: John A. Wolfe, Jake E. Meckley
-
Publication number: 20250198220Abstract: A retrofit module configured for use with a door closer having a pinion. The retrofit module generally includes a case, an output shaft, a motor, and a control assembly. The output shaft is rotatably mounted in the case, and is configured for rotational coupling with the pinion. The motor is mounted to the case, and is operable to rotate the output shaft in a door-opening direction. The control assembly is mounted to the case, and is configured to operate the motor to drive the output shaft in the door-opening direction in response to an actuating signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2024Publication date: June 19, 2025Inventors: Daniel Langenberg, Jason Fodstad, Adithya Gangadhar Shetty, John A. Wolfe, David V. Toloday
-
Patent number: 12227979Abstract: An exemplary method involves operating a door operator coupled to a door. The door operator includes a motor operable to move the door in at least one direction and a controller operable to control the motor. The method generally involves a calibration procedure including: with the door at a first position and the door having an initial speed, initiating, by the controller, measurement of a time duration; in response to the door reaching a target speed different from the initial speed, ceasing, by the controller, measurement of the time duration; and determining, by the controller, a maximum speed based on the time duration. The method further includes performing at least one operation based upon the maximum speed.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2021Date of Patent: February 18, 2025Assignee: Schlage Lock Company LLCInventor: John A. Wolfe
-
Patent number: 12071803Abstract: A retrofit module configured for use with a door closer having a pinion. The retrofit module generally includes a case, an output shaft, a motor, and a control assembly. The output shaft is rotatably mounted in the case, and is configured for rotational coupling with the pinion. The motor is mounted to the case, and is operable to rotate the output shaft in a door-opening direction. The control assembly is mounted to the case, and is configured to operate the motor to drive the output shaft in the door-opening direction in response to an actuating signal.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2023Date of Patent: August 27, 2024Assignee: Schlage Lock Company LLCInventors: Daniel Langenberg, Jason Fodstad, Adithya Gangadhar Shetty, John A. Wolfe, David V. Toloday
-
Publication number: 20240110431Abstract: A retrofit module configured for use with a door closer having a pinion. The retrofit module generally includes a case, an output shaft, a motor, and a control assembly. The output shaft is rotatably mounted in the case, and is configured for rotational coupling with the pinion. The motor is mounted to the case, and is operable to rotate the output shaft in a door-opening direction. The control assembly is mounted to the case, and is configured to operate the motor to drive the output shaft in the door-opening direction in response to an actuating signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 30, 2023Publication date: April 4, 2024Inventors: Daniel Langenberg, Jason Fodstad, Adithya Gangadhar Shetty, John A. Wolfe, David V. Toloday
-
Patent number: 11661786Abstract: A retrofit module configured for use with a door closer having a pinion. The retrofit module generally includes a case, an output shaft, a motor, and a control assembly. The output shaft is rotatably mounted in the case, and is configured for rotational coupling with the pinion. The motor is mounted to the case, and is operable to rotate the output shaft in a door-opening direction. The control assembly is mounted to the case, and is configured to operate the motor to drive the output shaft in the door-opening direction in response to an actuating signal.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2021Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: Schlage Lock Company LLCInventors: Daniel Langenberg, Jason Fodstad, Adithya Gangadhar Shetty, John A. Wolfe, David V. Toloday
-
Publication number: 20230031967Abstract: An exemplary method involves operating a door operator coupled to a door. The door operator includes a motor operable to move the door in at least one direction and a controller operable to control the motor. The method generally involves a calibration procedure including: with the door at a first position and the door having an initial speed, initiating, by the controller, measurement of a time duration; in response to the door reaching a target speed different from the initial speed, ceasing, by the controller, measurement of the time duration; and determining, by the controller, a maximum speed based on the time duration. The method further includes performing at least one operation based upon the maximum speed.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2021Publication date: February 2, 2023Inventor: John A. Wolfe
-
Publication number: 20210372191Abstract: A retrofit module configured for use with a door closer having a pinion. The retrofit module generally includes a case, an output shaft, a motor, and a control assembly. The output shaft is rotatably mounted in the case, and is configured for rotational coupling with the pinion. The motor is mounted to the case, and is operable to rotate the output shaft in a door-opening direction. The control assembly is mounted to the case, and is configured to operate the motor to drive the output shaft in the door-opening direction in response to an actuating signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 8, 2021Publication date: December 2, 2021Inventors: Daniel Langenberg, Jason Fodstad, Adithya Gangadhar Shetty, John A. Wolfe, David V. Toloday
-
Patent number: 10790766Abstract: A dynamic energy harvesting and variable harvesting force system is disclosed. A boost converter increases a motor voltage as a motor current associated with the motor voltage propagates through the boost converter thereby generating a boost voltage associated with the changing motor current. A power storage device stores energy harvested by the boost converter when the boost voltage exceeds an energy storage threshold. A controller dynamically adjusts a harvesting force applied by the motor so that the harvesting force is relative to the force applied to the motor. The controller also dynamically adjusts the harvested energy stored by the power storage device by adjusting the charging of the power storage device, ensuring that the boost voltage threshold is maintained. The boost voltage when maintained within the boost voltage threshold enables the power storage device to store the harvested energy without impacting the harvesting force applied by the motor.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2019Date of Patent: September 29, 2020Assignee: Schlage Lock Company LLCInventors: John A. Wolfe, Daniel Langenberg, Michael Stock
-
Publication number: 20200007054Abstract: A dynamic energy harvesting and variable harvesting force system is disclosed. A boost converter increases a motor voltage as a motor current associated with the motor voltage propagates through the boost converter thereby generating a boost voltage associated with the changing motor current. A power storage device stores energy harvested by the boost converter when the boost voltage exceeds an energy storage threshold. A controller dynamically adjusts a harvesting force applied by the motor so that the harvesting force is relative to the force applied to the motor. The controller also dynamically adjusts the harvested energy stored by the power storage device by adjusting the charging of the power storage device, ensuring that the boost voltage threshold is maintained. The boost voltage when maintained within the boost voltage threshold enables the power storage device to store the harvested energy without impacting the harvesting force applied by the motor.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2019Publication date: January 2, 2020Inventors: John A. Wolfe, Daniel Langenberg, Michael Stock
-
Patent number: 10348221Abstract: A dynamic energy harvesting and variable harvesting force system is disclosed. A boost converter increases a motor voltage as a motor current associated with the motor voltage propagates through the boost converter thereby generating a boost voltage associated with the changing motor current. A power storage device stores energy harvested by the boost converter when the boost voltage exceeds an energy storage threshold. A controller dynamically adjusts a harvesting force applied by the motor so that the harvesting force is relative to the force applied to the motor. The controller also dynamically adjusts the harvested energy stored by the power storage device by adjusting the charging of the power storage device, ensuring that the boost voltage threshold is maintained. The boost voltage when maintained within the boost voltage threshold enables the power storage device to store the harvested energy without impacting the harvesting force applied by the motor.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2018Date of Patent: July 9, 2019Assignee: Schlage Lock Company LLCInventors: John A. Wolfe, Daniel Langenberg, Michael Stock
-
Patent number: 5638055Abstract: Communication units organized into user groups are divided into user groups that distinguish whether a member of the user group may or may not interrupt active calls. Communications will not be interrupted (303) by units that are not allowed to interrupt active calls. Communications are interrupted (304) only by units that are allowed to interrupt active calls.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 1992Date of Patent: June 10, 1997Assignee: Motorola, Inc.Inventors: Daniel J. McDonald, John A. Wolfe, Herbert R. Wolf
-
Patent number: 5491835Abstract: In a multi-site communication system (100), audience continuity of an established communication group call can be maintained by a central controller (116) in the following manner. Upon initial establishment of the call, the central controller (116) allocates a communication resource (105-108) of each site in a first set of sites (101-104) to the communication group and establishes an audience list of active communication units (111-115). The audience list is continually updated with information on newly transmitting communication units and relocation information of communication units already in the list throughout the group call. When the group call ends, the audience list is maintained for a predetermined period of time. If during this predetermined period of time, a subsequent group call is requested for the same communication group, the group call can be re-established based on the information contained in the audience list.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 1994Date of Patent: February 13, 1996Assignee: Motorola, Inc.Inventors: Michael D. Sasuta, John A. Wolfe