Patents by Inventor S. MacDonald

S. MacDonald 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: 10198633
    Abstract: A solar power measurement method is provided. A method may include determining an azimuth of a reference roof edge relative to an orientation of an aerial image of a structure. The method may include capturing at least one spherical image at at least one determined measurement location proximate the structure. Further, the method may include determining a relative azimuth of the reference roof edge from a downward view of a lower hemisphere of the at least one image. In addition, the method may include determining an orientation of an upper hemisphere of the at least one image based on the azimuth of the reference roof edge, the relative azimuth of the reference roof edge, and a known tilt of a roof edge of the structure. Furthermore, the method may include calculating shading conditions for a time period for known sun positions during the time period based on the orientation of the upper hemisphere of the at least one spherical image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Vivint Solar, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger L. Jungerman, Mark Galli, Judd Reed, Willard S. MacDonald
  • Publication number: 20180343195
    Abstract: A system including a gateway is provided. A system may include a router and a gateway. The gateway may be configured for coupling to a remote server via a first communication path including the router and a second communication path including a cellular network. The communication system may further include one or more solar system components communicatively coupled to the gateway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Inventors: Willard S. MacDonald, Roger L. Jungerman
  • Patent number: 10085873
    Abstract: A nasal breathing assist device includes one or two open-ended tubular elements each extending along a central tube axis between a relatively large first end and a relatively small second end, and at least one non-resilient tab extends from the first end toward the second end of the tubular element. In embodiments with two tubular elements, a coupler element extends between the first ends of the tubular elements. Each tubular element may further include a liner-shaped filter having a liner portion extending along a central axis between a relatively large end and a relatively small end, and a filter medium spanning at least one of the relatively large end and the relatively small end. The filter is adapted to snap-fit in the tubular element. The tubular element may further include at least one stiffening element affixed to the tubular element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: SANOSTEC CORP
    Inventors: Ernest Santin, Louise S. MacDonald
  • Publication number: 20180150650
    Abstract: A method of controlling the granting of permissions to selected recipients by owners of data in a system is described. The method includes identifying permissions that an organization has if an invitation from a particular owner of data is accepted by an administrator of the organization, sending electronic communications comprising at least an invitation from each of the owners and corresponding combinations of permissions to the administrator of the organization, and receiving an assignment of each of the owners to one or more organization-defined access groups. The method further includes receiving an assignment of selected staff members to a plurality of roles, and granting particular permissions to the selected staff members for each of the owners according to one or more access groups having a particular owner and the selected staff members, and to the plurality of roles for the particular owner having the selected staff.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Inventors: Kirk L. Saunders, Hamish S. MacDonald, Ryan N. Dickison, Michael Van Bokhoven
  • Publication number: 20180044988
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a ladder guide device. A guide device may include at least one hook configured to couple to a ladder. The guide device may also include at least one surface configured to guide an object over a discontinuity in the ladder as the object moves in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the ladder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Inventors: Mark S. McCall, Kunio Hasebe, Willard S. MacDonald
  • Publication number: 20170331428
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to solar module covers. A device may include a first surface and a second, opposite surface configured to be positioned proximate at least one solar module and contact at least one of a frame of the at least one solar module and a roof. The device may be sufficiently rigid to distribute at least some of an external force applied to the first surface away from a laminate of the at least one solar module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventors: Willard S. MacDonald, Daniel Rapp, Paul Hernday
  • Publication number: 20170273626
    Abstract: The disclosed devices and methods provide one or more sensors associated with a nasal insert to provide data on respiratory health from within a patient's nasal passage. The nasal insert may simply be a vehicle for carrying one or more sensors, or the nasal insert itself may form part of the treatment. For example, the nasal insert may be used to increase airflow through the nasal passages. The nasal insert can contain a bio-sensor that may be affixed to an internal or external surface of the insert, be embedded partially or fully in an internal or external surface of the insert, or may pass through an internal or external wall of the nasal insert. In addition, the insert may include grooves that can be used to attach a sensor to the insert, for example, in place of or in conjunction with a filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventor: Louise S. MacDonald
  • Publication number: 20170273505
    Abstract: A non-electric adapter for cooking food over a plurality of burners to an electric or gas stove comprises: (i) a base frame having a substantially rectangular shape with side handles at opposed ends, a plurality of vertical wire rods, a left and right grate end rod and a forward curved rod for holding a drip tray; (ii) a griddle with a flat upper surface onto which food is placed for cooking, said griddle being slanted between about 7 to 15 degrees from planar when used for cooking and having a flap at each front edge corner for resting on a grate end rod of the base frame; and (iii) a cover lid hinged to a rear edge of the griddle and overlapping its front edge by about 1.5 to 2.5 inches at its maximum width when lowered over the griddle. A method for cooking with this adapter is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventor: George S. MacDonald
  • Publication number: 20170263049
    Abstract: A method of determining solar radiation exposure at a predetermined location is provided. The method may include generating a first two-dimensional (2D) matrix including a plurality of elements, wherein each element of the plurality of elements of the first 2D matrix includes an elevation/azimuth pair representing a light ray extending from the predetermined location to one or more positions in the sky. The method may further include generating a second 2D matrix including a plurality of elements, wherein each index of the second 2D matrix includes an associated elevation/azimuth pair of the first 2D matrix. Each element of the plurality of elements of the second 2D matrix represents an amount of solar radiation to impinge on the predetermined location from a direction of a respective elevation/azimuth pair.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Inventors: Willard S. MacDonald, Robert MacDonald
  • Patent number: 9697644
    Abstract: A method for determining solar access at a position includes: obtaining an image of a horizon that includes a skyline; determining the azimuth orientation and the inclination of the obtained image; and determining solar access based on the skyline within the obtained image, the measured azimuth orientation and inclination of the obtained image, and a position associated with the image of the horizon. Other features and embodiments relating to solar access measurement are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Solmetric Corporation
    Inventors: Willard S. MacDonald, Robert MacDonald
  • Publication number: 20170116460
    Abstract: A solar power measurement method is provided. A method may include determining an azimuth of a reference roof edge relative to an orientation of an aerial image of a structure. The method may include capturing at least one image at at least one determined measurement location proximate the structure. Further, the method may include determining a relative azimuth of the reference roof edge from a downward view of a lower hemisphere of the at least one image. In addition, the method may include determining an orientation of an upper hemisphere of the at least one image based on the azimuth of the reference roof edge, the relative azimuth of the reference roof edge, and a known tilt of a roof edge of the structure. Furthermore, the method may include calculating shading conditions for a time period for known sun positions during the time period based on the orientation of the upper hemisphere of the at least one spherical image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Inventors: Roger L. Jungerman, Mark Galli, Judd Reed, Willard S. MacDonald
  • Publication number: 20170100275
    Abstract: A nasal breathing assist device includes one or two open-ended tubular elements each extending along a central tube axis between a relatively large first end and a relatively small second end, and at least one non-resilient tab extends from the first end toward the second end of the tubular element. In embodiments with two tubular elements, a coupler element extends between the first ends of the tubular elements. Each tubular element may further include a liner-shaped filter having a liner portion extending along a central axis between a relatively large end and a relatively small end, and a filter medium spanning at least one of the relatively large end and the relatively small end. The filter is adapted to snap-fit in the tubular element. The tubular element may further include at least one stiffening element affixed to the tubular element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Inventors: Ernest Santin, Louise S. MacDonald
  • Publication number: 20170077866
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are related to solar module mounting systems. A system may include an adhesion sheet configured to be secured to a roof of a structure via an adhesive. The system may further include at least one clamp configured for securing at least one solar module to the adhesion sheet. Other embodiments are related to methods of attaching one or more solar modules to a structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Inventors: Willard S. MacDonald, Gregory N. Nielson, Roger L. Jungerman
  • Publication number: 20170071777
    Abstract: A nasal insert may include a wall in the shape of a tube, the wall including a first end defining a first orifice and a second end defining a second orifice. The first end may have a diameter, diagonal measurement, or cross-sectional area larger than that of the second end. The first end may define at least one break in the wall, so that the first end incompletely encircles the first orifice. The second end may completely encircle the second orifice.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Inventors: Ernest Santin, Louise S. MacDonald, Scott D. MacDonald
  • Publication number: 20160371544
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to determining at least one attribute of a roof of a structure. A system may include at least one image capture device configured to capture two or more images of a photovoltaic installation site. The system may also include an image processing engine communicatively coupled to the at least one image capture device and configured to receive at least two images from the at least one image capture device and determine at least one attribute of the roof at the installation site based on the at least two received images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: Willard S. MacDonald, Judd Reed, Caleb Austin, Mark McCall, Roger L. Jungerman
  • Publication number: 20160366602
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a methods, devices, and systems communicatively coupling a solar system to a network. A system may include a local router and a solar gateway. The solar gateway may include an interface for coupling to a network via the local router and a long-range module for coupling to the network via at least one other solar gateway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Inventors: Daniel Rapp, Willard S. MacDonald, Roger L. Jungerman
  • Patent number: 9504599
    Abstract: A nasal insert may include a wall in the shape of a tube, the wall including a first end defining a first orifice and a second end defining a second orifice. The first end may have a diameter, diagonal measurement, or cross-sectional area larger than that of the second end. The first end may define at least one break in the wall, so that the first end incompletely encircles the first orifice. The second end may completely encircle the second orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: SANOSTEC CORP
    Inventors: Ernest Santin, Louise S. MacDonald, Scott D. MacDonald
  • Patent number: 9474642
    Abstract: A nasal breathing assist device includes one or two open-ended tubular elements each extending along a central tube axis between a relatively large first end and a relatively small second end, and at least one non-resilient tab extends from the first end toward the second end of the tubular element. In embodiments with two tubular elements, a coupler element extends between the first ends of the tubular elements. Each tubular element may further include a liner-shaped filter having a liner portion extending along a central axis between a relatively large end and a relatively small end, and a filter medium spanning at least one of the relatively large end and the relatively small end. The filter is adapted to snap-fit in the tubular element. The tubular element may further include at least one stiffening element affixed to the tubular element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: SANOSTEC CORP
    Inventors: Ernest Santin, Louise S. MacDonald
  • Publication number: 20160238388
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to photovoltaic installation systems and methods. A method may include determining a maximum number of photovoltaic (PV) modules for positioning on a roof of a structure, and determining one or more regions on the roof for positioning at least the maximum number of PV modules. Further, the method may include submitting a permitting package including the maximum number of PV modules and the one or more regions. In addition, the method may include determining a number of PV modules to be installed on the roof, where in the number of PV modules less than or equal to the maximum number of PV modules. The method may also include installing the number of PV modules within at least one of the one or more regions. The method may also include establishing the as-built characteristics of the PV system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Inventors: Willard S. MacDonald, Randall King, Roger L. Jungerman
  • Publication number: 20160206468
    Abstract: Devices for nasal insertion may include an open-ended tubular element which extends along a central tube axis between a first end and a second end, the first end being larger than the second end, and in which the tubular element includes at least one spiral strut extending from the first end to the second end, and/or a nodule having an internal face, a rounded external face, and a stalk extending from the internal face and terminating in an anchor sufficiently larger than a receptacle in the tubular element and sufficiently deformable as to be pressed through the receptacle to affix the nodule to the tubular clement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2016
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Inventor: Louise S. MacDonald