Patents by Inventor Michael Courtney

Michael Courtney 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: 9856696
    Abstract: A system includes a window treatment adjacent to a window of a room. At least one motor drive unit is associated with the window treatment, for varying the position of the window treatment. A sensor measures a light level (e.g., an outdoor light level) at the window. A controller provides signals to the motor drive unit to automatically adjust the position of the window treatment so as to control a penetration distance of sunlight into the room when the window treatment is partially opened. The controller is configured to position the window treatment in a bright override position if the measured light level is at least a bright threshold value. The controller is configured to select the bright threshold value from among at least two predetermined values. The selection depends on an angle of incidence between light rays from the sun and a surface normal of the window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Lundy, Brent Protzman, Brian Michael Courtney
  • Publication number: 20170258028
    Abstract: Novel Brassica napus L. var. pabularia (DC.), such as Brassica napus L. var. pabularia (DC.) designated KX-1 is disclosed. In some embodiments, the invention relates to the seeds of Brassica napus L. var. pabularia (DC.) KX-1, to the plants and plant parts of Brassica napus L. var. pabularia (DC.) KX-1, and to methods for producing a Brassica napus L. var. pabularia (DC.) plant by crossing the Brassica napus L. var. pabularia (DC.) KX-1 with itself or another Brassica napus L. var. pabularia (DC.) plant. The invention further relates to methods for producing other Brassica napus L. var. pabularia (DC.) plants derived from the Brassica napus L. var. pabularia (DC.) KX-1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2017
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Inventor: Michael COURTNEY
  • Publication number: 20170154151
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for identifying a relationship between biological elements, said elements optionally having a measurable activity, the method comprising the following steps: defining candidate graphs, each candidate graph being a graph associated with one of the thresholding values from the plurality of thresholding values, for each thresholding value, obtaining a distribution associated by optimization of the distribution into classes of the apices of the graph associated with the relevant thresholding value, the optimization starting with an initial distribution in which with each core is associated a class for obtaining a final distribution in which each apex of a class shares more links with the other apices of the same class than with the apices of another class, selecting an optimum graph from among the plurality of candidate graphs according to at least one criterion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Inventors: Anne-Claire BRUNET, Jean-Michel LOUBES, Jean-Marc AZAIS, Michael COURTNEY
  • Publication number: 20170150585
    Abstract: A load control system may include a load control device for providing power to an electrical load and a control device that may send instructions to the load control device for providing the power to the electrical load. The control device may communicate with the load control device using a link address assigned to the load control device. The load control device may provide power to the electrical load in a manner that causes the electrical load to indicate the link address assigned to the load control device. The link address may be identified by a user or a user device. The identified link address may be associated with a load control device identifier that may identify a physical location of a load control device that is assigned the link address. A user may control a load control device at a physical location by sending instructions via the link address.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Rupesh Gajurel, Sandeep Mudabail Raghuram, Rhodes B. Baker, Brian Michael Courtney
  • Publication number: 20170127639
    Abstract: Novel Brassica rapa var. nipposinica, such as Brassica rapa var. nipposinica designated ORIGAMI is disclosed. In some embodiments, the invention relates to the seeds of Brassica rapa var. nipposinica ORIGAMI, to the plants and plant parts of Brassica rapa var. nipposinica ORIGAMI, and to methods for producing a Brassica rapa var. nipposinica plant by crossing the Brassica rapa var. nipposinica ORIGAMI with itself or another Brassica rapa var. nipposinica plant. The invention further relates to methods for producing other Brassica rapa var. nipposinica plants derived from the Brassica rapa var. nipposinica ORIGAMI.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2016
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventor: Michael COURTNEY
  • Publication number: 20170123390
    Abstract: A load control system may include control devices for controlling power provided to an electrical load. The control devices may include a control-source device and a control-target device. The control-target device may control the power provided to the electrical load based on digital messages received from the control-source device. The control devices may include a load control discovery device capable of sending discovery messages configured to discover control devices within a location. The discovered control devices may be organized by signal strength and may be provided to a network device to enable association of the discovered control devices within a location. The discovery messages may be transmitted within an established discovery range. The discovery range may be adjusted to discover different control devices. Different control devices may be identified as the load control discovery device for discovering different control devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Publication date: May 4, 2017
    Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Kyle Thomas Barco, Bryan Robert Barnes, Erica L. Clymer, Brian Michael Courtney, Jordan H. Crafts, William Bryce Fricke, Galen Edgar Knode, Sanjeev Kumar, Jonathan T. Lenz, Stephen M. Ludwig, Sandeep Mudabail Raghuram, Richard M. Walsh, III
  • Publication number: 20170125875
    Abstract: A wireless control device, such as a system controller for a load control system, may comprise a light-transmissive cover for an antenna that may be illuminated to provide feedback to a user of the load control system. The light-transmissive cover may receive light energy from a light-generating circuit to provide a visible display of the light energy. The wireless control device may be mounted to, for example, a ceiling, and the light-transmissive cover may extend from the wireless control device (e.g., down from the ceiling). The light-transmissive cover may be viewed by a user at large viewing angles and at a distance away from the wireless control device, which may simplify and improve reliability of commissioning of the load control system as well as speed up troubleshooting of the load control system after commissioning is completed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Publication date: May 4, 2017
    Inventors: Brian Michael Courtney, Matthew Philip McDonald
  • Patent number: 9585226
    Abstract: A load control system may include a load control device for providing power to an electrical load and a control device that may send instructions to the load control device for providing the power to the electrical load. The control device may communicate with the load control device using a link address assigned to the load control device. The load control device may provide power to the electrical load in a manner that causes the electrical load to indicate the link address assigned to the load control device. The link address may be identified by a user or a user device. The identified link address may be associated with a load control device identifier that may identify a physical location of a load control device that is assigned the link address. A user may control a load control device at a physical location by sending instructions via the link address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.
    Inventors: Rupesh Gajurel, Sandeep Mudabail Raghuram, Rhodes B. Baker, Brian Michael Courtney
  • Publication number: 20170044612
    Abstract: The present invention concerns methods, in particular in vitro methods, for diagnosing liver fibrosis in a subject suffering from obesity, or for selecting a subject suffering from obesity for liver biopsy or for treatment. The present invention also pertains to methods for screening a probiotic, a prebiotic, a chemical compound or a biological compound suitable for preventing and/or treating liver fibrosis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventors: Michael COURTNEY, Benjamin LELOUVIER, Massimo FEDERICI, Jose Manuel FERNANDEZ-REAL, Sandrine PAÏSSÉ
  • Publication number: 20160047164
    Abstract: A system includes a window treatment adjacent to a window of a room. At least one motor drive unit is associated with the window treatment, for varying the position of the window treatment. A sensor measures a light level (e.g., an outdoor light level) at the window. A controller provides signals to the motor drive unit to automatically adjust the position of the window treatment so as to control a penetration distance of sunlight into the room when the window treatment is partially opened. The controller is configured to position the window treatment in a bright override position if the measured light level is at least a bright threshold value. The controller is configured to select the bright threshold value from among at least two predetermined values. The selection depends on an angle of incidence between light rays from the sun and a surface normal of the window.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Publication date: February 18, 2016
    Inventors: Stephen Lundy, Brent Protzman, Brian Michael Courtney
  • Publication number: 20150295411
    Abstract: A load control system may comprise load control devices for controlling respective electrical loads, and a system controller operable to transmit digital messages including different commands to the load control devices in response to a selection of a preset. The different commands may include a preset command configured to identify preset data in a device database stored at the load control device and/or a multi-output command configured to define the preset data for being stored in the device database. The system controller may decide which of the commands to transmit to the load control devices in response to the selection of the preset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Michael Courtney, Timothy Gill, Sriram Gopalakrishnan, Roshni Ashwin Shah, Vidya Sukumar, Mark S. Taipale, Mark Yorgey
  • Publication number: 20140265863
    Abstract: A load control system may include a load control device for providing power to an electrical load and a control device that may send instructions to the load control device for providing the power to the electrical load. The control device may communicate with the load control device using a link address assigned to the load control device. The load control device may provide power to the electrical load in a manner that causes the electrical load to indicate the link address assigned to the load control device. The link address may be identified by a user or a user device. The identified link address may be associated with a load control device identifier that may identify a physical location of a load control device that is assigned the link address. A user may control a load control device at a physical location by sending instructions via the link address.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.
    Inventors: Rupesh Gajurel, Sandeep Mudabail Raghuram, Rhodes B. Baker, Brian Michael Courtney
  • Patent number: 8786236
    Abstract: A load control system provides for automatically controlling a position of a motorized window treatment to control the amount of sunlight entering a space of a building through a window located in a façade of the building in order to control a sunlight penetration distance within the space and minimize occupant distractions. The load control system automatically generates a timeclock schedule having a number of timeclock events for controlling the position of the motorized window treatment during the present day. A user is able to select a desired maximum sunlight penetration distance for the space and a minimum time period that may occur between any two consecutive timeclock events. In addition, a maximum number of movements that may occur during the timeclock schedule may also be entered. The load control system uses these inputs to determine event times and corresponding positions of the motorized window treatment for each timeclock event of the timeclock schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Walter S. Zaharchuk, Brian Michael Courtney, William Bryce Fricke, William H. Howe, Timothy S. Majewski, Joel S. Spira
  • Patent number: 8779905
    Abstract: The method of the present invention allows a first wireless control device that is operable to communicate on a predetermined one of a plurality of channels to establish communication with a second wireless control device that may be communicating on any of the plurality of channels. A beacon message is first transmitted repeatedly by the wireless control device on the predetermined channel. The second wireless control device listens for the beacon message for a predetermined amount of time on each of the plurality of channels. When the second control device receives the beacon message on the predetermined channel, the second control device begins communicating on the predetermined channel. The second wireless device may begin listening for the beacon message in response to powering up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Michael Courtney, Lawrence R. Carmen, Jr., Justin Mierta, Daniel Curtis Raneri
  • Publication number: 20140159419
    Abstract: A flexible panel member coupled to and along a bottom end of a side skirt panel of a trailer side skirt system includes (i) a first panel section defining a first side, a second side opposite the first side of the second panel section and an inner surface therebetween and (ii) a second panel section defining a first side, a second side opposite the first side of the second panel section and an inner surface therebetween. A connector of the flexible panel member is engaged with the first and second panel sections. The first and second panel sections are configured to move relative to each other and the connector is configured to slide relative to at least one of the first and second the second panel sections when the first and second panel sections move relative to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Inventors: Leonard W. Baker, James B. Brown, Michael Courtney
  • Publication number: 20140156079
    Abstract: A method comprises measuring a light intensity at a window; determining if the light intensity exceeds a cloudy-day threshold; operating in a sunlight penetration limiting mode to control the motorized window treatment to control the sunlight penetration distance in the space; enabling the sunlight penetration limiting mode if the light intensity is greater than the cloudy-day threshold; and disabling the sunlight penetration limiting mode if the total lighting intensity is less than the cloudy-day threshold. The cloudy-day threshold is maintained at a constant threshold if a calculated solar elevation angle is greater than a predetermined solar elevation angle, and the cloudy-day threshold varies with time if the calculated solar elevation angle is less than the predetermined solar elevation angle. The cloudy-day threshold is a function of the calculated solar elevation angle if the calculated solar elevation angle is less than the predetermined solar elevation angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Inventors: Brian Michael Courtney, Timothy Gill, Shilpa Sarode
  • Patent number: 8713697
    Abstract: An apparatus for storing event information relating to operation of an HVAC system includes: (a) at least one memory controller coupled with the HVAC system for receiving the event information; and (b) at least one memory unit coupled with the at least one memory controller. A first memory unit of the at least one memory unit is configured for receiving first selected information of the event information for accessing by at least one of a first party and a second party. A second memory unit of the at least one memory unit is configured for receiving second selected information of the event information for accessing by the second party.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Lennox Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Courtney, Wojciech Grohman, Peter Hrejsa
  • Patent number: 8600559
    Abstract: The disclosure provides an HVAC data processing and communication network and a method of manufacturing the same. In an embodiment, the network includes a sensor and a local controller. The sensor is configured to detect a fault condition associated with operation of a demand unit. The local controller, associated with the demand unit, is configured to receive sensor data from the sensor and to communicate the sensor data over the network. A network controller is configured to receive the sensor data via the communication network and to generate an alert in the event that the sensor data indicates the fault condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Wojciech Grohman, Darko Hadzidedic, Kamala Kodihally Nanjundeshaiah, Michael Courtney
  • Patent number: D780128
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Bollinger, Jr., Angelo Caruso, Brian Michael Courtney, Elliot G. Jacoby, Jason C. Killo, Brad Michael Kreschollek, Matthew Philip McDonald
  • Patent number: D780129
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Bollinger, Jr., Angelo Caruso, Brian Michael Courtney, Elliot G. Jacoby, Jason C. Killo, Brad Michael Kreschollek, Matthew Philip McDonald