Patents by Inventor Nicholas J. Schaf
Nicholas J. Schaf 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).
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Patent number: 11725838Abstract: A building system for a building includes an environmental controller including a controller radio. The environmental controller is configured to communicate a wake-up message. The building system includes an environmental sensor including a wake-up radio and a main radio. The environmental sensor is configured to operate the main radio in a low power state. The environmental sensor is configured to receive the wake-up message from the controller radio via the wake-up radio. The environmental sensor is configured to operate the main radio in a high power state in response to a reception of the wake-up message via the wake-up radio. The environmental sensor is configured to communicate sensor data of the environmental sensor to the controller radio via the main radio in response to the main radio operating in the high power state.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2020Date of Patent: August 15, 2023Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLPInventors: Robert C. Hall, Jr., Timothy C. Gamroth, Nicholas J. Schaf
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Patent number: 11671274Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a building network system for a building. The system includes network devices forming a network for the building. Each of the network devices include a communications processing circuit including an access point configured to communicate with any of the network devices to form the network, and a second processing circuit removably communicably connected to the communications processing circuit. The communications processing circuit and the second processing circuit are configured to operate independently of each other. The access point is a wireless radio configured to wirelessly communicate with the access points of any of the network devices.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2019Date of Patent: June 6, 2023Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLPInventors: Timothy C. Gamroth, Nicholas J. Schaf, Robert C. Hall, Jr.
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Patent number: 11604443Abstract: A system for distributed device management includes a group of devices. Each device in the group of devices communicate with one or more other devices in the group of devices over one or more network channels, and each device in the group of devices includes a processing circuit. The processing circuit of each device in the group of devices manages one or more devices in the group of devices, authorizes a new device to join the group of devices, and synchronizes data with the new device and with one or more devices in the group of devices over the one or more network channels.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2019Date of Patent: March 14, 2023Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLPInventors: Jeremy P. Hannon, Nicholas J. Schaf, Leyla Mousavi, Scott G. Ambelang, Xin Zhang
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Patent number: 11561606Abstract: A system for reducing power consumption in a wireless network includes a station (e.g., Wi-Fi sensor) and an access point in wireless communication with the station. The station has at least a low-power sleep mode and an active mode. The system can be configured to assign a static Internet Protocol (IP) address to the station and disable re-negotiation of an encryption key while the station is in sleep mode. The system can further be configured to force the station to communicate via 802.11g and to transmit data to a proxy service while in active mode before returning to sleep mode upon receiving a response from the proxy service. Further, an association timeout period associated with the station can be configured to be at least twice as long as a wake-up period associated with the station.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2018Date of Patent: January 24, 2023Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLPInventors: Ezra M Imes, Nicholas J. Schaf, Robert C. Hall, Jr.
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Patent number: 10880107Abstract: A temporary building network system for forming a temporary network for a building includes a first network device and a second network device. The first network devices includes an energy storage device configured to power the first network device using stored energy, a wireless radio configured to communicate with the second network device, and an indicator device configured to indicate a wireless radio connection strength to a user. The first network device includes a processing circuit configured to cause the wireless radio to communicate with the second network device via the temporary network, determine the wireless radio connection strength for the wireless connection between the first network device and the second network device based on a communication with the second network device via the temporary network, and cause the indicator device to indicate the determined wireless radio connection strength to the user.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2018Date of Patent: December 29, 2020Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventors: Timothy C. Gamroth, Nicholas J. Schaf, Joseph Piccolo, III
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Publication number: 20200318842Abstract: A building system for a building includes an environmental controller including a controller radio. The environmental controller is configured to communicate a wake-up message. The building system includes an environmental sensor including a wake-up radio and a main radio. The environmental sensor is configured to operate the main radio in a low power state. The environmental sensor is configured to receive the wake-up message from the controller radio via the wake-up radio. The environmental sensor is configured to operate the main radio in a high power state in response to a reception of the wake-up message via the wake-up radio. The environmental sensor is configured to communicate sensor data of the environmental sensor to the controller radio via the main radio in response to the main radio operating in the high power state.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2020Publication date: October 8, 2020Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventors: Robert C. Hall, JR., Timothy C. Gamroth, Nicholas J. Schaf
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Patent number: 10735976Abstract: A wireless mesh network survey tool is provided. The tool includes a user interface and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to access a scaled floorplan of a building site, and identify a receiver device location on the scaled floorplan. The processing circuit is further configured to instruct a user to position a transmitter device at a number of test locations to determine a signal strength at each of the test locations. The processing circuit is also configured to determine a device count for a proposed mesh network based on the signal strength at each of the test locations. The device count includes a number of repeater devices. The processing circuit is further configured to display the proposed mesh network to the user via the user interface. The proposed mesh network includes recommended locations for the repeater devices on the scaled floorplan.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2018Date of Patent: August 4, 2020Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventors: Daniel R. Rumler, Nicholas J. Schaf, Kim K. Weller, Jeremy P. Hannon, Milan Mitra, Anchal K. Swarnkar
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Publication number: 20200228621Abstract: A building network system for a building includes network devices forming a network for the building. Each network device includes a communications interface and a processing circuit. The communications interface is configured to communicate with other network devices of the multiple network devices. The processing circuit stores a first profile and a second profile. The first profile includes a first set of configuration settings that cause the network device to operate according to a first network topology when the first profile is active. The second profile includes a second set of configuration settings that cause the network device to operate according to a second network topology when the second profile is active. The processing circuit is configured to transition the network device from operating according to the first network topology to operating according to the second network topology by deactivating the first profile and activating the second profile.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2020Publication date: July 16, 2020Inventors: Timothy C. Gamroth, Nicholas J. Schaf, Robert C. Hall, Jr., Xin Zhang
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Publication number: 20200228367Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a building network system for a building. The system includes network devices forming a network for the building. Each of the network devices include a communications processing circuit including an access point configured to communicate with any of the network devices to form the network, and a second processing circuit removably communicably connected to the communications processing circuit. The communications processing circuit and the second processing circuit are configured to operate independently of each other. The access point is a wireless radio configured to wirelessly communicate with the access points of any of the network devices.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 11, 2019Publication date: July 16, 2020Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventors: Timothy C. Gamroth, Nicholas J. Schaf, Robert C. Hall, JR.
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Publication number: 20200159312Abstract: A system for reducing power consumption in a wireless network includes a station (e.g., Wi-Fi sensor) and an access point in wireless communication with the station. The station has at least a low-power sleep mode and an active mode. The system can be configured to assign a static Internet Protocol (IP) address to the station and disable re-negotiation of an encryption key while the station is in sleep mode. The system can further be configured to force the station to communicate via 802.11g and to transmit data to a proxy service while in active mode before returning to sleep mode upon receiving a response from the proxy service. Further, an association timeout period associated with the station can be configured to be at least twice as long as a wake-up period associated with the station.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2018Publication date: May 21, 2020Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventors: Ezra M. Imes, Nicholas J. Schaf, Robert C. Hall, JR.
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Publication number: 20200149771Abstract: A thermostat gateway device includes one or more circuits configured to receive a control input from a user device or from a sensor device via a first frequency band of a local wireless network, generate a control signal for the HVAC equipment using the control input, and provide the control signal to the HVAC equipment via a second frequency band of the local wireless network to affect operation of the HVAC equipment.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 8, 2019Publication date: May 14, 2020Inventors: Vineet Sinha, Yingchun Xu, Patrick W. Mulcahy, August Lu, Bing Mao, Karl F. Reichenberger, Nathan Zimmerman, Nicholas J. Schaf, Robert C. Hall, JR.
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Publication number: 20200064797Abstract: A system for distributed device management includes a group of devices. Each device in the group of devices communicate with one or more other devices in the group of devices over one or more network channels, and each device in the group of devices includes a processing circuit. The processing circuit of each device in the group of devices manages one or more devices in the group of devices, authorizes a new device to join the group of devices, and synchronizes data with the new device and with one or more devices in the group of devices over the one or more network channels.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2019Publication date: February 27, 2020Inventors: Jeremy P. Hannon, Nicholas J. Schaf, Leyla Mousavi, Scott G. Ambelang, Xin Zhang
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Publication number: 20180316513Abstract: A temporary building network system for forming a temporary network for a building includes a first network device and a second network device. The first network devices includes an energy storage device configured to power the first network device using stored energy, a wireless radio configured to communicate with the second network device, and an indicator device configured to indicate a wireless radio connection strength to a user. The first network device includes a processing circuit configured to cause the wireless radio to communicate with the second network device via the temporary network, determine the wireless radio connection strength for the wireless connection between the first network device and the second network device based on a communication with the second network device via the temporary network, and cause the indicator device to indicate the determined wireless radio connection strength to the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2018Publication date: November 1, 2018Inventors: Timothy C. Gamroth, Nicholas J. Schaf, Joseph Piccolo, III
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Publication number: 20180317095Abstract: A wireless mesh network survey tool is provided. The tool includes a user interface and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to access a scaled floorplan of a building site, and identify a receiver device location on the scaled floorplan. The processing circuit is further configured to instruct a user to position a transmitter device at a number of test locations to determine a signal strength at each of the test locations. The processing circuit is also configured to determine a device count for a proposed mesh network based on the signal strength at each of the test locations. The device count includes a number of repeater devices. The processing circuit is further configured to display the proposed mesh network to the user via the user interface. The proposed mesh network includes recommended locations for the repeater devices on the scaled floorplan.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 1, 2018Publication date: November 1, 2018Inventors: Daniel R. Rumler, Nicholas J. Schaf, Kim K. Weller, Jeremy P. Hannon, Milan Mitra, Anchal K. Swarnkar