Patents by Inventor Philip Raymond Schaefer

Philip Raymond Schaefer 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: 11917394
    Abstract: A system for rotating sound or selective listening to sound provides for the ability of the apparent direction of sound sources in a listening environment to remain in consistent orientations in space despite rotations of the microphones used to capture the sound and despite rotations of the head of the listener, even when wearing headphones. Modules are provided in the system to distinguish the sound sources and their apparent directions, as well as to optionally rotate the sound sources in response to detected rotations of the listener's head and/or detected rotations of the microphones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Vortant Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Philip Raymond Schaefer
  • Patent number: 11914042
    Abstract: A system shines a series of light stripes across an area. A target object passes through the area and light is reflected to the system from the light stripes as it passes through. Based on the timing of the received light from each of the light stripes, the system calculates the position and velocity of the target object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Vortant Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Philip Raymond Schaefer
  • Patent number: 11852493
    Abstract: A system provides feedback to a user to guide the user to point a part of the body at a target of interest. An angle sensor senses the angle in which the part of the user's body is pointing, such as the head or the hand. The system computes the angle to a target and compares to the angle in which the part of the user's body is pointing and the feedback indicates to the user how to point more closely to the direction of the target. Additional sensors allow the system to update the angle to the target as the position of the user changes. A walking sensor is disclosed to accurately measure the position of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Vortant Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Philip Raymond Schaefer
  • Patent number: 11589181
    Abstract: A system for rotating sound or selective listening to sound provides for the ability of the apparent direction of sound sources in a listening environment to remain in consistent orientations in space despite rotations of the microphones used to capture the sound and despite rotations of the head of the listener, even when wearing headphones. Modules are provided in the system to distinguish the sound sources and their apparent directions, as well as to optionally rotate the sound sources in response to detected rotations of the listener's head and/or detected rotations of the microphones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Inventor: Philip Raymond Schaefer
  • Patent number: 11169268
    Abstract: A system shines a series of light stripes across an area. A target object passes through the area and light is reflected to the system from the light stripes as it passes through. Based on the timing of the received light from each of the light stripes, the system calculates the position and velocity of the target object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Inventor: Philip Raymond Schaefer
  • Patent number: 11047693
    Abstract: A system provides feedback to a user to guide the user to point a part of the body at a target of interest. An angle sensor senses the angle in which the part of the user's body is pointing, such as the head or the hand. The system computes the angle to a target and compares to the angle in which the part of the user's body is pointing and the feedback indicates to the user how to point more closely to the direction of the target. Additional sensors allow the system to update the angle to the target as the position of the user changes. A walking sensor is disclosed to accurately measure the position of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Inventor: Philip Raymond Schaefer
  • Publication number: 20200221243
    Abstract: A system for rotating sound provides for the ability of the apparent direction of sound sources in a listening environment to remain in consistent orientations in space despite rotations of the microphones used to capture the sound and despite rotations of the head of the listener, even when wearing headphones. Modules are provided in the system to distinguish the sound sources and their apparent directions, as well as to rotate the sound sources in response to detected rotations of the listener's head and/or detected rotations of the microphones.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2019
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventor: Philip Raymond Schaefer
  • Patent number: 10545026
    Abstract: A method provides navigation assistance to a user by tracking the user's position. By detecting similar features, the accuracy of the position measurement of the user is improved, making use of a priori frequencies that various feature types exist in the area. The method provides techniques for planning a route using the tracking information and is able to explore previously-untraveled paths in response to a setting in the search process. The navigation information can be saved or retrieved from a database so that users may share the data obtained during navigating an unfamiliar area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Inventor: Philip Raymond Schaefer
  • Patent number: 10251012
    Abstract: A system for rotating sound provides for the ability of the apparent direction of sound sources in a listening environment to remain in consistent orientations in space despite rotations of the microphones used to capture the sound and despite rotations of the head of the listener, even when wearing headphones. Modules are provided in the system to distinguish the sound sources and their apparent directions, as well as to rotate the sound sources in response to detected rotations of the listener's head and/or detected rotations of the microphones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Inventor: Philip Raymond Schaefer
  • Patent number: 10113877
    Abstract: A system provides feedback to a user to guide the user to point a part of the body at a target of interest. An angle sensor senses the angle in which the part of the user's body is pointing, such as the head or the hand. The system computes the angle to a target and compares to the angle in which the part of the user's body is pointing and the feedback indicates to the user how to point more closely to the direction of the target. Additional sensors allow the system to update the angle to the target as the position of the user changes. A walking sensor is disclosed to accurately measure the position of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Inventor: Philip Raymond Schaefer
  • Publication number: 20170353812
    Abstract: A system for rotating sound provides for the ability of the apparent direction of sound sources in a listening environment to remain in consistent orientations in space despite rotations of the microphones used to capture the sound and despite rotations of the head of the listener, even when wearing headphones. Modules are provided in the system to distinguish the sound sources and their apparent directions, as well as to rotate the sound sources in response to detected rotations of the listener's head and/or detected rotations of the microphones.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventor: Philip Raymond Schaefer
  • Patent number: 9367127
    Abstract: A control system enables a user to control an electronic device by moving parts of the face, including the eyes. Optical emitters and optical detectors are used to reflect light from the relevant parts of the user's face. Pattern matching or approximation of a pointing location are used to define the control input to the electronic device based on the user's motions. Visual feedback is optionally provided to the user during the controller's actions. Additional sensor elements are optionally provided to improve performance of the system. Hardware and software elements are combined to provide for the specified control actions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Inventor: Philip Raymond Schaefer
  • Patent number: 8723790
    Abstract: A control system enables a user to control an electronic device by moving parts of the face, including the eyes. Optical emitters and optical detectors are used to reflect light from the relevant parts of the user's face. Pattern matching or approximation of a pointing location are used to define the control input to the electronic device based on the user's motions. Visual feedback is optionally provided to the user during the controller's actions. Additional sensor elements are optionally provided to improve performance of the system. Hardware and software elements are combined to provide for the specified control actions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Inventor: Philip Raymond Schaefer
  • Patent number: 8160311
    Abstract: A control system enables a user to control an electronic device by moving parts of the face, including the eyes. Optical emitters and optical detectors are used to reflect light from the relevant parts of the user's face. Pattern matching or approximation of a pointing location are used to define the control input to the electronic device based on the user's motions. Visual feedback is optionally provided to the user during the controller's actions. Additional sensor elements are optionally provided to improve performance of the system. Hardware and software elements are combined to provide for the specified control actions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Inventor: Philip Raymond Schaefer
  • Publication number: 20040008124
    Abstract: An imaging system includes one or more pairs of transmitter conductors and one or more pairs of receiver conductors. One or more input electrical signals are applied to the transmitter electrical signals and coupled to a body to be imaged. One or more output signals are received by the receiver conductor pairs. The one or more output signals are analyzed to generate an image of the body based on the effect of the body on the one or more applied input electrical signals as evidenced in the received one or more output signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2003
    Publication date: January 15, 2004
    Inventors: Philip Raymond Schaefer, William Donald Timmons