Patents by Inventor Ross Werner

Ross Werner 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: 11961377
    Abstract: Example implementations include a method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium comprising monitoring, by a control panel, an ambient noise via one or more microphones in the control panel. The implementations further include determining, by the control panel, whether the ambient noise includes an acoustic signature associated with a security event. In some implementations, the security event may comprise a glass break event. In some implementations, the acoustic signature may comprise a first sound followed by subsequent sounds. The first sound may comprise a thump sound, and the subsequent sounds may comprise crashing sounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Ross Werner, David Pulling, Anand Sastry, David Laone
  • Publication number: 20240038042
    Abstract: Example implementations include a method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium comprising first broadcasting, by at least one primary speaker of a control panel, a first sound toward a front or a side of the control panel; and second broadcasting, concurrently with the first broadcasting, by a removable back speaker that is removably attachable to a back side of the control panel, a second sound toward the back side of the control panel. In some aspects, the removable back speaker is configured as a stand for placing the control panel on a flat surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2023
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventor: Ross WERNER
  • Patent number: 11783686
    Abstract: Example implementations include a method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium comprising first broadcasting, by at least one primary speaker of a control panel, a first sound toward a front or a side of the control panel; and second broadcasting, concurrently with the first broadcasting, by a removable back speaker that is removably attachable to a back side of the control panel, a second sound toward the back side of the control panel. In some aspects, the removable back speaker is configured as a stand for placing the control panel on a flat surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventor: Ross Werner
  • Patent number: 11727776
    Abstract: Example implementations include a method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium comprising executing a diagnostic tool locally at a control panel; and providing, by the diagnostic tool, via a display of the control panel, information related to a signal strength of a connection between the control panel and at least one device configured to communicate with the control panel over the connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Ross Werner, David Laone, Dan Labove
  • Publication number: 20230230468
    Abstract: Example implementations include a smoke detector comprising a smoke chamber; an LED that generates light in the smoke chamber; a photodetector configured to detect whether a threshold amount of light is scattered by smoke particles in the smoke chamber; and one or more self-testing components configured to re-direct the light from the LED toward the photodetector for self-testing the LED and the photodetector. Some further implementations include one or more masking self-test components configured external to the smoke chamber to direct light from outside the smoke chamber into the smoke chamber and toward the photodetector for determining whether the smoke detector has been masked. Some further example implementations include a method comprising controlling one or more self-testing components of a smoke detector to re-direct at least a portion of light from an LED toward a photodetector; and determining whether the photodetector causes an alarm trigger in response to the controlling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Publication date: July 20, 2023
    Inventor: Ross WERNER
  • Publication number: 20230152868
    Abstract: Example implementations include a method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium comprising downloading, from a backend server of a security/automation system of a premises, to a reset or replacement control panel of the security/automation system, backed-up device information of one or more devices in the security/automation system; and resuming operation of the one or more devices in the security/automation system, using the backed-up device information downloaded to the reset or replacement control panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2021
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Inventors: Andy HU, David LAONE, Ross WERNER, Heather J. SHOOK
  • Publication number: 20230068422
    Abstract: Example implementations include a method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium comprising receiving, by a control panel of a security or automation system of a premises, an indication of an update in a configuration of a router that is configured to support an Internet protocol “IP” network at the premises; and updating the configuration of the router by the control panel in response to receiving the indication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: Anand SASTRY, Ross WERNER, David PULLING
  • Publication number: 20230029604
    Abstract: Example implementations include a method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium comprising receiving, by a multi-capability device from a control panel, a message configured according to a protocol that defines a packet format configurable to indicate each queried capability of the multi-capability device; transmitting, responsive to the message querying a single capability of the multi-capability device, a second message from the multi-capability device to the control panel, wherein the second message includes a packet configured according to the packet format to include a state or data value for the single capability of the device; and transmitting, responsive to the message querying at least two capabilities of the multi-capability device, a third message from the multi-capability device to the control panel, wherein the third message includes a packet configured according to the packet format to include one state or data value for each one of the at least two capabilities of the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Inventors: Heather SHOOK, Andy HU, Ross WERNER, David LAONE
  • Publication number: 20220272793
    Abstract: Example implementations include a method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium comprising first broadcasting, by at least one primary speaker of a control panel, a first sound toward a front or a side of the control panel; and second broadcasting, concurrently with the first broadcasting, by a removable back speaker that is removably attachable to a back side of the control panel, a second sound toward the back side of the control panel. In some aspects, the removable back speaker is configured as a stand for placing the control panel on a flat surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventor: Ross WERNER
  • Publication number: 20220272792
    Abstract: Example implementations include a method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium comprising receiving, by a processor of at least one sensor device, a signal from a sensor element of the at least one sensor device, wherein the sensor element is configured to sense a physical phenomenon, wherein the signal is indicative of the physical phenomenon as sensed by the sensor element; determining, by the processor of the at least one sensor device, whether a level of the signal is indicative of an alarm condition; and using a cellular radio of the at least one sensor device to send a notification directly to a cloud system in response to the level of the signal being indicative of the alarm condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Ross WERNER, Anand SASTRY, Walter WALLACH, David PULLING, Bala Kishore GARRE, Padmabushan Reddy PATLOLA
  • Publication number: 20220270472
    Abstract: Example implementations include a method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium comprising monitoring, by a control panel, an ambient noise via one or more microphones in the control panel. The implementations further include determining, by the control panel, whether the ambient noise is indicative of a security event. In some non-limiting implementations, the control panel may be configured to detect events based on various noise detection models, such as continued noise level above a threshold, noise associated with multiple short sharp impacts (e.g., an intruder trying to kick down a door), gunshot detection, voice recognition to identify a request for assistance (e.g., a person asking for help), glass break detection, or detection of a particular standardized pattern of beeps such as the temporal-three pattern of a smoke detector going off (according to ISO 8201 and ANSI/ASA S3.41 Temporal Pattern), the temporal-four pattern of a carbon monoxide detector going off, etc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Ross WERNER, David PULLING, Anand SASTRY, David LAONE
  • Publication number: 20220271850
    Abstract: Example implementations include a method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium comprising executing a diagnostic tool locally at a control panel; and providing, by the diagnostic tool, via a display of the control panel, information related to a signal strength of a connection between the control panel and at least one device configured to communicate with the control panel over the connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Ross WERNER, David LAONE, Dan LABOVE
  • Publication number: 20220269768
    Abstract: Example implementations include a method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium comprising determining, by a processor of a control panel, that a security event has happened, wherein the security event is associated with a user identification or authentication; capturing one or more still images or videos by at least one camera in the control panel subsequent and in response to determining that the security event has happened; and using the one or more still images or videos to perform facial recognition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Ross WERNER, Anand SASTRY, Padmabushan Reddy PATLOLA, Bala Kishore GARRE, Amarnath VUNDHYALA
  • Publication number: 20220270456
    Abstract: Example implementations include a method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium comprising determining, by a processor of a control panel, that a security event has happened; and capturing still images or videos by a camera in the control panel subsequent to determining that the security event has happened. In some implementations, the camera is a forward-facing camera. In some implementations, determining that the security event has happened comprises detecting a motion using the camera in the control panel. In some implementations, determining that the security event has happened comprises receiving a signal indicative of activation of a door switch of a door located next to the control panel. In some implementations, the security event is associated with one or more Bluetooth devices being in range, and determining that the security event has happened comprises using a Bluetooth radio in the control panel to detect the Bluetooth devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Ross Werner, Anand Sastry, Padmabushan Reddy Patlola, Bala Kishore Garre, Gunjan Gupta
  • Publication number: 20220268602
    Abstract: Example implementations include a method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium comprising measuring a capacitance value between two measurement points in a capacitive sensing sensor of a door/window displacement detector, wherein the capacitance value between the two measurement points changes based on a proximity of the two measurement points to a door/window; and determining an open/close status of the door/window based on the capacitance value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventor: Ross WERNER
  • Publication number: 20220270453
    Abstract: Example implementations include a method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium comprising monitoring, by a control panel, an ambient noise via one or more microphones in the control panel. The implementations further include determining, by the control panel, whether the ambient noise includes an acoustic signature associated with a security event. In some implementations, the security event may comprise a glass break event. In some implementations, the acoustic signature may comprise a first sound followed by subsequent sounds. The first sound may comprise a thump sound, and the subsequent sounds may comprise crashing sounds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2021
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Ross Werner, David Pulling, Anand Sastry, David Laone
  • Patent number: 5557302
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for displaying video data on a computer display. Video data is digitized at a video rate and displayed at a different (higher) rate. The digitized video data is provided to the computer memory along with the computer-generated display data. Thus, the video data is part of the windowing environment and can be manipulated like any other window on the display screen. The video data can be arbitrarily sized and is not limited by the input format. The video input is provided to the computer system as a video stream. Next, the video data is resampled and converted from, e.g., the NTSC standard 640.times.480 array into an N.times.M array where N is less than or equal to 640, and M is less than or equal to 480. The video data is then selectively stored in the computer memory with the computer display data by referencing a bit map in the computer memory, producing a region of pixel data that is fully compatible with other windows in the windowing environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1996
    Assignee: NeXT, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Levinthal, Ross Werner, J. Lane Molpus
  • Patent number: 5184124
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for a processor or other system device to map processor words to an associated random access memory. In one case, processor words are mapped directly to RAM with no modification. In another case, 32-bit pixels (eight bits each of red, green, blue and alpha) are converted to or from 16-bit pixels (four bits each of red, green, blue and alpha) using an ordered dithering technique. The ordered dithering technique spatially distributes the information that would otherwise be lost by truncation. This is accomplished by replacing exact pixel values with their pseudo-random average. This reduces the required pixel storage requirements by half, while maintaining a higher image quality than would be achieved by truncation alone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1993
    Assignee: Next Computer, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Lane Molpus, Adam Levinthal, Ross Werner