Patents by Inventor Ronald E. Garnett

Ronald E. Garnett 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: 6307464
    Abstract: In a receiver circuit module (22) having a microcontroller (U1), an output line (FILTER_LED) connectable to a source circuit module (20) is also used as an input. A switch (SW2) disposed in the source circuit module is closed to change the wave form which is read by the microcontroller as an input signal to drive a 5V signal to the gate of a solid state switch (Q1) turning it on to thereby energize an output device in the source circuit module via the same output line (FILTER_LED). By means of the dual function of the output line the control can notify a user of an HVAC system, for example, of system problems with a blinking light and/or an audible alarm as well as serving to notify the user at a remote location that selected maintenance is due, such as a need to change filters without additional control lines. The source circuit module can be mounted near the thermostat of the HVAC system or on the central heating and cooling unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Mark E. Miller, Timothy L. Anderson, Ronald E. Garnett
  • Patent number: 6222333
    Abstract: A low cost, microprocessor (U1) based motor controller (10) for driving a half-wave, multiple speed, reversible, DC brushless motor (30) directly from standard AC 50/60 Hz power. A large number of different speed and rotation direction combinations may be chosen before or after the motor is installed using configuration resistors (Rcol1, Rrow1). SIDACs (TS2, TS3) each serially connected to a diode (D6, D5) are connected across respective coils (COIL—1, COIL—2) to clamp the flyback energy in the windings to a few volts when triggered and allow Vemf to float when not triggered. The control adjusts the relative phase timing of commutation during start-up and during running to enhance efficiency. Locked rotor protection is provided by limiting start-up time to a selected period which is followed by a selected cool-off time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Ronald E. Garnett, Mitchell R. Rowlette
  • Patent number: 5902099
    Abstract: An electric control is shown adapted for use with gas furnaces which controls fan motors, ignition controls and a gas valve based on inputs from a room thermostat, limit switches, a flame probe, a flame roll-out probe, and a condensate sensor. A roll-out detection circuit utilizing flame rectification includes a multidirectional roll-out probe 16 coupled to a microcontroller (U2) through an inverter (U3) to provide both fault both protection and fault identification. A condensate sensor (20) in the form of a conductive condensate sensor member is also coupled to the microcontroller (U2) through an inverter (U3) to detect the presence of condensate build-up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Mitchell R. Rowlette, Ronald E. Garnett, Mark A. Eifler
  • Patent number: 5806440
    Abstract: A gas fired furnace system (10) has a controller (14) controlling the supply of gas through a gas valve (12) and air for combustion by means of an induced air draft fan (28), ignition of the gas by means of ignitor (22), the delivery of heated air from a heat exchanger (20) by means of an air blower (34) in response to signals from a thermostat (42). A selected constant flow of air for combustion is provided by controlling the speed of the motor driving the induced motor fan (28) despite changes which may occur in back pressure. Induced draft fan motor parameters proportional to motor torque and motor speed are read on an ongoing basis and inputted to controller (14) which computes a desired voltage and compares that with referenced data stored in the controller memory and makes corrections to the speed of the induced draft fan motor to maintain the constant air flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Mitchell R. Rowlette, Youn H. Ting, Walter H. Bailey, Ronald E. Garnett
  • Patent number: 5720231
    Abstract: A gas fired furnace system (10) has a controller (14) controlling the supply of gas through a gas valve (12) and air for combustion by means of an induced air draft fan (28), ignition of the gas by means of ignitor (22), the delivery of heated air from a heat exchanger (20) by means of an air blower (34) in response to signals from a thermostat (42). A selected constant flow of air for combustion is provided by controlling the speed of the motor driving the induced motor fan (28) despite changes which may occur in back pressure. Induced draft fan motor parameters proportional to motor torque and motor speed are read on an ongoing basis and inputted to controller (14) which computes a desired voltage and compares that with referenced data stored in the controller memory and makes corrections to the speed of the induced draft fan motor to maintain the constant air flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1998
    Assignee: Texas Instrument Incorporated
    Inventors: Mitchell R. Rowlette, Youn H. Ting, Walter H. Bailey, Ronald E. Garnett
  • Patent number: 5655709
    Abstract: A temperature control system is shown in which a thermostat circuit is combined with a power supply to produce a higher anticipator current for a W1 signal while reducing power consumption and heat generation of the circuit. A first relay power signal is provided by an unbalanced bridge rectifier (D1, D2, D3, D4, D7, D8) while current drawn through the anticipator resistor (AR1) by means of an additional bridge rectifier circuit (D7, D8, D9, D10) is merged with the first relay power signal. In a second embodiment, an unbalanced bridge rectifier (D1, D4, D7, D2, D3, D8) has an output connected to a first stage relay power signal line as well as to second and third relay power signal lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Ronald E. Garnett, Walter H. Bailey
  • Patent number: 5524556
    Abstract: A gas fired furnace system (10) has a controller (14) controlling the supply of gas through a gas valve (12) and air for combustion by means of an induced air draft fan (28), ignition of the gas by means of ignitor (22), the delivery of heated air from a heat exchanger (20) by means of an air blower (34) in response to signals from a thermostat (42). A selected constant flow of air for combustion is provided by controlling the speed of the motor driving the induced motor fan (28) despite changes which may occur in back pressure. Induced draft fan motor parameters proportional to motor torque and motor speed are read on an ongoing basis and inputted to controller (14) which computes a desired voltage and compares that with referenced data stored in the controller memory and makes corrections to the speed of the induced draft fan motor to maintain the constant air flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Mitchell R. Rowlette, Youn H. Ting, Walter H. Bailey, Ronald E. Garnett