Patents by Inventor Ronald A. Fowler

Ronald A. Fowler 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).

  • Publication number: 20240116252
    Abstract: Assemblies, apparatus, and methods for heat sealing and monitoring are disclosed. A dual heat-sealing system includes a heat seal bar assembly with process monitor that allows to quickly change out heat bands and ensure that the effective length of the heat band matches the width of the seal (of the material being sealed), providing consistent and superior seal quality. A heat seal bar assembly includes multiple heat bars sized to easily match the size of the pouch being sealed. The heat bars are removable and replaceable. The heat bars are provided with at least one memory chip. The memory chip allows for storage and retrieval of information regarding the replaceable heat bar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2022
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Applicant: ARTHREX, INC.
    Inventors: Ronald FOWLER, Stephen SEIPEL, David ALTOMARE, Teresa OBERBRECKLING
  • Patent number: 11688414
    Abstract: Techniques for low power gunshot detection are disclosed. Infrared information is collected using a gunshot sensor device. The infrared information is collected using mid-infrared band sensing to provide motion detection. Additional infrared information is buffered using the gunshot sensor device. The additional infrared information is collected using near-infrared band sensing. The buffering is enabled by the motion detection. Acoustic information is collected using the gunshot sensor device. The collecting acoustic information is enabled by the motion detection. A gunshot is detected using the gunshot sensor device. The detecting is based on the additional infrared information and the acoustic information. The detecting includes monitoring the acoustic information to identify a high-intensity gunshot sound and correlating the high-intensity gunshot sound to the infrared information that was buffered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Shooter Detection Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Thomas Onofrio, Ronald A Fowler, Frank Ray Bachmann
  • Patent number: 11604248
    Abstract: Techniques for low power gunshot sensor testing are disclosed. An acoustic generator and an infrared generator are disposed in a housing. The housing encompasses the acoustic generator and the infrared generator. The housing covers the gunshot sensor. The acoustic generator and the infrared generator are used for testing a gunshot sensor. The infrared generator and the acoustic generator are coupled to an activation circuit. A switch is coupled to the acoustic generator and the infrared generator. The switch provides activation control of the acoustic generator and the infrared generator. The infrared generator includes a light source operating in the near-infrared (NIR) band. The light source operating in the NIR band provides testing for a gunshot muzzle flash sensor. The infrared generator includes a light source operating in the mid-infrared (MIR) band. The light source operating in the MIR band provides testing for a passive infrared (PIR) sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Shooter Detection Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Thomas Onofrio, Ronald A Fowler
  • Patent number: 11417183
    Abstract: Techniques for cable-free indoor gunshot detection are disclosed. Acoustic information is collected within an indoor environment using a gunshot sensor device which uses cable-free communication to a network. The gunshot sensor device is powered by a battery. Infrared information from the muzzle flash of a firearm is collected using the gunshot sensor device. The infrared information is buffered within the gunshot sensor device. The gunshot sensor device is used to monitor the acoustic information and identify a high-intensity gunshot sound. The gunshot sensor device is used to match the high-intensity gunshot sound to the buffered infrared information. The matching includes making a correspondence between the gunshot sound and an infrared event that occurred in time before the gunshot sound. The gunshot sensor device is used to notify the network of a possible gunshot occurrence, based on an analysis of the high-intensity gunshot sound and the infrared event that was matched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Shooter Detection Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Thomas Onofrio, Ronald A Fowler
  • Patent number: 11282358
    Abstract: Techniques for gunshot analysis in an indoor environment are disclosed. A gunshot sensor is placed in the indoor environment. The gunshot sensor includes multiple individual sensors, including, but not limited to, an infrared sensor and an acoustic sensor. A firearm typically emits energy within the infrared spectrum, which is detected by the infrared sensor. A firearm typically further emits an acoustic pressure wave, which is detected by acoustic sensor. The gunshot detector can differentiate between a gunshot and a strobe from a fire alarm, based on information from the infrared sensor and acoustic sensors. The infrared sensor information and the acoustic sensor information are analyzed to determine that a gunshot has occurred in a timeframe between strobe events. The gunshot determination takes place independently of the location of the gunshot sensor. Reverberations and reflections add cumulatively to the collected acoustic and infrared information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Shooter Detection Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Ronald A Fowler, Richard Thomas Onofrio
  • Patent number: 11282353
    Abstract: Gunshot detection within an indoor environment is performed with video analytics. One or more position-independent gunshot sensors are deployed. Infrared and acoustic information is collected within an indoor environment for indoor gunshot detection with video analytics. The infrared information and the acoustic information are analyzed to determine a gunshot occurrence. Video analytics for tracking a suspected shooter of the gunshot is performed, based on the gunshot occurrence, using video that is collected. A person of interest is tagged, as a portion of the video analytics, for the purpose of tracking the person of interest. Video collection from one or more video streams is engaged, based on the detection of the gunshot. The video analytics uses image classifiers. The image classifiers are used to identify a gun type. The suspected shooter is identified based on the video analytics. An audio microphone is activated based on the detecting of the gunshot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Shooter Detection Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Ronald A Fowler, Richard Thomas Onofrio
  • Patent number: 10830866
    Abstract: Techniques for gunshot sensor testing are disclosed. An acoustic generator and infrared generator are disposed in a housing. Soundproofing insulation is distributed around and/or within the housing to provide sound deadening which minimizes disturbance to building occupants during testing. The housing is placed in proximity to a gunshot sensor. A trigger device enables multiple modes of triggering both the acoustic generator and infrared generator. The generators stimulate corresponding components of a gunshot sensor. Input from the gunshot sensor components is evaluated to determine an operating condition of the gunshot sensor. The gunshot sensor verifies its operation by communicating with a server. The server further tests mass communication channels by issuing a test message. The test results indicative of the condition of the gunshot sensor are sent to a mobile device for an operator to review.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Shooter Detection Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Thomas Onofrio, Ronald A Fowler
  • Patent number: 10657800
    Abstract: Techniques for gunshot detection in an indoor environment are disclosed. A gunshot sensor is placed in the indoor environment. The gunshot sensor includes multiple individual sensors, including, but not limited to, an acoustic sensor and an infrared sensor. A firearm typically emits energy within the infrared spectrum when fired. This energy is detected by the infrared sensor. A firearm also typically emits an acoustic pressure wave when fired. The acoustic sensor detects the acoustic pressure wave. A strobe from a fire alarm occurring near in time to the gunshot can cause false gunshot detection. The infrared sensor information and the acoustic sensor information are analyzed to determine that a gunshot has occurred. The gunshot determination takes place independently of the location of the gunshot sensor. The strobe occurrence is evaluated to provide gunshot false alert detection. Reverberations are not used in the determination of a gunshot false alert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Shooter Detection Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Ronald A Fowler, Richard Thomas Onofrio
  • Patent number: 10627292
    Abstract: Indoor gunshot detection analysis is performed in the presence of a fire alarm. A gunshot sensor, which includes infrared and acoustic sensors, is used to detect an infrared pulse, whether the pulse originates from a muzzle flash or a fire alarm strobe. The infrared pulse is determined to correspond to a strobe occurrence. An evaluation determines that a gunshot did or did not occur based on the strobe occurrence. In another embodiment, a gunshot is detected while the fire alarm is occurring, where the gunshot occurs at a different time from the strobe occurrence and can be sensed by the acoustic sensor. A fire alarm strobe frequency and duration are determined, and further strobe occurrences are edited. Editing detection edits out a sensing time window by the infrared sensor. When the strobe stops, editing is eliminated, but if the strobe restarts, then editing is resumed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Shooter Detection Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Ronald A Fowler, Richard Thomas Onofrio
  • Patent number: 10586109
    Abstract: Indoor gunshot detection is performed using video analytics. Infrared and acoustic information are collected within an indoor environment using a gunshot sensor. A gunshot is detected, in the indoor environment, based on the infrared and the acoustic information. Video collection is engaged based on the detecting of the gunshot. The video collection is from a video stream. In embodiments, the video stream is a buffered stream. Video analytics are performed for tracking a suspected shooter of the gunshot using the video that is collected. The suspected shooter is identified based on the video analytics. In embodiments, an audio microphone is activated based on the detecting of the gunshot. The suspected shooter is tracked based on the audio microphone. A person of interest is tagged and tracked by an operator of the gunshot detection system. Direction of the gunshot can be determined relative to the gunshot sensor unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Shooter Detection Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Ronald A Fowler, Richard Thomas Onofrio
  • Patent number: 9161151
    Abstract: A vehicle audio system that includes a source of audio signals, which may include both entertainment audio signals and announcement audio signals, speakers for radiating audio signals, and spatial enhancement circuitry comprising circuitry to avoid applying spatial enhancement processing to the announcement audio signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Davis Y. Pan, Shiufun Cheung, Darby Edward Hadley, Ryo Maiguma, Takao Nakayma, Bruce C. Po, Katsumi Tomida, Petr Vicherek, Tobe Z. Barksdale, Ronald A. Fowler
  • Patent number: 9036618
    Abstract: Method and system for providing voice assisted configuration on an IP telephone in a non-DHCP environment includes detecting a data packet including the IP telephone terminal MAC address, transmitting a configuration terminal MAC address in response to detected IP telephone MAC address, and configuring the IP telephone terminal in the non-DHCP layer 2 environment by assigning an IP address, a gateway address, a subnet mask, and additional parameters such as audio and noise level adjustment so that the IP telephone terminal is configured to fully function in the data network. Additional VOIP telephone terminals in the local area network may be configured by the configuration terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Glenn Kosteva, Robert McGurrin, Michael McCormack, Ronald Fowler
  • Patent number: 8792475
    Abstract: Method and system for providing pass through web configuration on an IP telephone comprising the steps of establishing a data communication path in a data network, detecting a configuration parameter in the data communication path, extracting and also additionally, storing the detected configuration parameter, and performing a configuration procedure of an IP telephone associated with the configuration parameter operatively coupled to the data network is disclosed. The configuration parameter may include an Internet Protocol (IP) address, a key value pair associated with an IP address, or a valid communication address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Glenn Kosteva, Robert McGurrin, Michael McCormack, Ronald Fowler
  • Patent number: 8767974
    Abstract: Comfort noise, such as can be used in voice communications can be generated using methods in the frequency domain and/or in the time domain. In various embodiments, a comfort noise spectrum can be generated in the frequency domain as the product of a background noise sample and a random noise sample. In other embodiments, the comfort noise can be generated directly in the time domain as the convolution of a background noise sample and a random noise sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Youhong Lu, Ronald Fowler, Robert McGurrin, Jenny Q. Jin
  • Publication number: 20130246658
    Abstract: A method and system for selecting a data compression technique for data transfer through a data network is provided. During call setup, information is gathered from the network infrastructure by receiving feedback from smart network devices, reviewing calls logs, or by accessing a network topology database, and the information can then be used to select a desired compression technique. During a call, a media terminating end device or a call control server will monitor call connection performance specific to the data transfer pathway used for the call connection, and may adjust the data compression to conform with the performance that the connection is providing at any given moment. Performance parameters such as delay, jitter, and compression ratios can be measured in real-time for a call to determine if a change in compression is deemed beneficial. In this manner, the compression method can be chosen based on real time network performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Anoop Tripathi, Ronald A. Fowler, James Scott Hiscock
  • Patent number: 8327026
    Abstract: A method and system for selecting a data compression technique for data transfer through a data network is provided. During call setup, information is gathered from the network infrastructure by receiving feedback from smart network devices, reviewing calls logs, or by accessing a network topology database, and the information can then be used to select a desired compression technique. During a call, a media terminating end device or a call control server will monitor call connection performance specific to the data transfer pathway used for the call connection, and may adjust the data compression to conform with the performance that the connection is providing at any given moment. Performance parameters such as delay, jitter, and compression ratios can be measured in real-time for a call to determine if a change in compression is deemed beneficial. In this manner, the compression method can be chosen based on real time network performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Anoop Tripathi, Ronald A. Fowler, James Hiscock
  • Publication number: 20120275272
    Abstract: A wearable shooter localization system including a microphone array, processor, and output device for determining information about a gunshot. The microphone array may be worn by on the upper arm of the user. A second array, which may operate cooperatively or independently from the first array, may be worn on the other arm. The microphone array is sensitive to the acoustic effects of gunfire and provides a set of electrical signals to the processing unit, which identifies the origin of the fire. The system may include orientation and/or motion detection sensors, which the processor may use to either initially compute a direction to the origin of a projectile in a frame of reference meaningful to a wearer of the system or to subsequently update that direction as the wearer moves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: RAYTHEON BBN TECHNOLOGIES CORP.
    Inventors: Richard Mullen, Richard Ciosek, Ronald A. Fowler, Robert McGurrin, Matthew Daily
  • Publication number: 20120230534
    Abstract: A vehicle audio system that includes a source of audio signals, which may include both entertainment audio signals and announcement audio signals, speakers for radiating audio signals, and spatial enhancement circuitry comprising circuitry to avoid applying spatial enhancement processing to the announcement audio signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Inventors: Davis Y. Pan, Shiufun Cheung, Darby Edward Hadley, Ryo Maiguma, Takao Nakayma, Bruce C. Po, Katsumi Tomida, Petr Vicherek, Tobe Z. Barksdale, Ronald A. Fowler
  • Publication number: 20120182834
    Abstract: A wearable shooter localization system including a microphone array, processor, and output device for determining information about a gunshot. The microphone array may be worn by on the upper arm of the user. A second array, which may operate cooperatively or independently from the first array, may be worn on the other arm. The microphone array is sensitive to the acoustic effects of gunfire and provides a set of electrical signals to the processing unit, which identifies the origin of the fire. The system may include orientation and/or motion detection sensors, which the processor may use to either initially compute a direction to the origin of a projectile in a frame of reference meaningful to a wearer of the system or to subsequently update that direction as the wearer moves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2009
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: BBN Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: Richard Mullen, Richard Ciosek, Ronald A. Fowler, Robert McGurrin, Matthew Daily
  • Publication number: 20090060208
    Abstract: A vehicle audio system that includes a source of audio signals, which may include both entertainment audio signals and announcement audio signals, speakers for radiating audio signals, and spatial enhancement circuitry comprising circuitry to avoid applying spatial enhancement processing to the announcement audio signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2007
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Inventors: Davis Y. Pan, Shiufun Cheung, Darby Edward Hadley, Ryo Maiguma, Takao Nakayama, Bruce C. Po, Katsumi Tomida, Petr Vicherek, Tobe Z. Barksdale, Ronald A. Fowler