Patents by Inventor Stephen J. Wenner

Stephen J. Wenner 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: 9843947
    Abstract: A wireless edge device is operable in a wireless network and configured to communicate with other wireless devices in the wireless network. The wireless edge device includes a processor configured to receive an input to switch from a low power consumption normal operation mode to a site survey mode, a transceiver configured to (i) transmit data packets periodically or asynchronously to a wireless device of the wireless network, and (ii) receive the data packets returned by the wireless device, and a visual indicator. The processor is further configured to evaluate quality and/or reliability of the received data packets, to provide a signal to the visual indicator indicative of signal strength at the wireless edge device based on the evaluation of quality and/or reliability of the received data packets, and to switch from the site survey mode to the low power consumption normal operation mode after a predetermined time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: KCF Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jacob Joseph Loverich, David R. Kraige, Stephen J. Wenner, Scott David Brown, Richard T. Geiger
  • Patent number: 9453854
    Abstract: A sensor may include a base, an accelerometer rigidly coupled with the base and centered over said base, a circuit arrangement electrically coupled with the accelerometer, and a battery rigidly held in contact with the circuit arrangement and centered over said accelerometer and said base. The base is configured to be secured to a host structure, and the circuit arrangement is configured to receive signals from the accelerometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: KCF TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: David R. Kraige, Jacob J. Loverich, Stephen J. Wenner
  • Patent number: 9419331
    Abstract: An antenna assembly including an antenna, an antenna cable, a bendable structure, a housing interface, a first protection section and a second protection section. The bendable structure is a malleable material that remains in a bent position when bent. The first protection section covers the antenna and provides a weatherproof cover over the antenna. The housing interface mounts to a housing and covers the antenna cable in an area of the antenna cable adapted to enter the housing and the housing interface prior to entrance providing a weatherproof cover over the area of the antenna cable adapted to enter the housing. The second protection section is overmolded over a portion of the housing interface, the antenna cable, the bendable structure and a portion of the first protection. The second protection section is a flexible material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: KCF Technologies, Inc
    Inventors: David R. Kraige, Jacob J. Loverich, Stephen J. Wenner
  • Publication number: 20160205568
    Abstract: A wireless edge device is operable in a wireless network and configured to communicate with other wireless devices in the wireless network. The wireless edge device includes a processor configured to receive an input to switch from a low power consumption normal operation mode to a site survey mode, a transceiver configured to (i) transmit data packets periodically or asynchronously to a wireless device of the wireless network, and (ii) receive the data packets returned by the wireless device, and a visual indicator. The processor is further configured to evaluate quality and/or reliability of the received data packets, to provide a signal to the visual indicator indicative of signal strength at the wireless edge device based on the evaluation of quality and/or reliability of the received data packets, and to switch from the site survey mode to the low power consumption normal operation mode after a predetermined time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Inventors: Jacob Joseph LOVERICH, David R. KRAIGE, Stephen J. WENNER, Scott David BROWN, Richard T. GEIGER
  • Patent number: 9322692
    Abstract: Flow sensor includes a housing having a chamber and a tube extending therefrom. Static and stagnation pressure ports are located along the tube and open in different directions about a periphery. A first conduit fluidly couples the static pressure port to the chamber, and a first pressure sensor senses the fluid pressure in the chamber. A differential pressure sensor has a first port and a second port in the chamber. The first port senses the fluid pressure in the chamber, and a second conduit fluidly couples the stagnation pressure port with the second port. The second port is more exposed to fluid flow through the pipe relative to the first port. Fluid flow rate through the pipe is determinable based on static fluid pressure sensed by the first pressure sensor, differential pressure measured by the differential pressure sensor, density of fluid in the pipe, and diameter of the pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignees: KCF TECHNOLOGIES, INC., PARKER HANNIFIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: David R. Kraige, Jacob J. Loverich, Stephen J. Wenner, Jason T. Dunn, Shawn D. Ellis
  • Publication number: 20160077501
    Abstract: A device comprises a processing unit, a network interface configured to enable communications in a network, and a machine-readable medium that stores instructions executable by the processing unit. The instructions are configured to cause the processing unit to receive, from a controller device in the network, information for operating in one or more states associated with collecting data, and to operate in a first state based on the information. Operating in the first state includes controlling a first sensor coupled to the device for collecting first sensor data at a first sampling rate, executing a first trigger, and determining an output of the first trigger. The output of the first trigger is based on the first sensor data. Based on the output of the first trigger, a determination is made whether to remain in the first state, or switch to a different state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Inventors: Jacob Joseph Loverich, Stephen J. Wenner, Scott David Brown
  • Patent number: 9271170
    Abstract: A source node in a network accesses information associated with a set of available transmission states. The source node selects a first transmission state from the set of available transmission states. The source node evaluates a metric associated with transmitting the data. The source node determines whether the metric is below a threshold value. Based on determining that the metric is below the threshold value, the source node selects a second transmission state from the set of available transmission states, the second transmission state being different from the first transmission state. The source node transmits data using the second transmission state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: KCF Technologies Incorporated
    Inventors: Jacob Joseph Loverich, Stephen J. Wenner, Scott David Brown
  • Publication number: 20150276441
    Abstract: A flow sensor may include a housing including a body portion and a tube extending from the body portion. The body portion includes a chamber. A first, static pressure port and a second, stagnation pressure port are located along the tube. The first and second ports open in different directions about a periphery of the tube. A first, static pressure conduit fluidly couples the first, static pressure port of the tube to the chamber, and a first pressure sensor is configured to sense the fluid pressure in the chamber. A second, differential pressure sensor has a first port and a second port in the chamber. The first port of the second pressure sensor is configured to sense the fluid pressure in the chamber, and a second, stagnation pressure conduit fluidly couples the second, stagnation pressure port of the tube with the second port of the second pressure sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventors: David R. Kraige, Jacob J. Loverich, Stephen J. Wenner, Jason T. Dunn, Shawn D. Ellis
  • Publication number: 20150241463
    Abstract: A sensor may include a base, an accelerometer rigidly coupled with the base and centered over said base, a circuit arrangement electrically coupled with the accelerometer, and a battery rigidly held in contact with the circuit arrangement and centered over said accelerometer and said base. The base is configured to be secured to a host structure, and the circuit arrangement is configured to receive signals from the accelerometer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Applicant: KCF TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: David R. Kraige, Jacob J. Loverich, Stephen J. Wenner
  • Patent number: 9106160
    Abstract: An energy harvesting device utilizing a monolithic, mesoscale, single-degree-of-freedom inertial based resonator in which the support structure, beam-spring, and proof mass are a single component without joints, bonds, or fasteners. Frequency tuning features include holes in the proof mass in which mass can be added to change the devices resonance frequency as well as levers which add curvature to the beam-spring system and adjust system stiffness. Robustness is increase by designing the resonator to exhibit nonlinear behavior such that its power density is maximized for low vibration amplitudes and minimized for high amplitudes. The device structural resonance modes are designed to be much higher than the resonators proof mass-spring resonance frequency. Electromechanical transducers are used to convert the resonators mechanical energy to electrical energy. Electrical circuitry is included to extract and condition the electrical charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: KCF TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Jacob J. Loverich, Richard T. Geiger, Stephen J. Wenner
  • Patent number: 8793081
    Abstract: A improved method of monitoring a structure by mounting a sensor within a cavity of the structure to measure at least one of strain experienced by the structure and vibration experience by the structure. Mounting a wireless communication unit mounted within the structure and connecting the wireless communication unit to the sensor to receive data from the sensor and transmit the data to a receiver outside the structure. Mounting a power supply within the structure and connecting the power supply to the sensor and the wireless communication unit to supply necessary electrical power to the sensor and the communication unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: KCF Technologies Inc
    Inventors: Jacob Loverich, Stephen J. Wenner, Jeremy E. Frank
  • Publication number: 20140184024
    Abstract: An energy harvesting device utilizing a monolithic, mesoscale, single-degree-of-freedom inertial based resonator in which the support structure, beam-spring, and proof mass are a single component without joints, bonds, or fasteners. Frequency tuning features include holes in the proof mass in which mass can be added to change the devices resonance frequency as well as levers which add curvature to the beam-spring system and adjust system stiffness. Robustness is increase by designing the resonator to exhibit nonlinear behavior such that its power density is maximized for low vibration amplitudes and minimized for high amplitudes. The device structural resonance modes are designed to be much higher than the resonators proof mass-spring resonance frequency. Electromechanical transducers are used to convert the resonators mechanical energy to electrical energy. Electrical circuitry is included to extract and condition the electrical charge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: KCF TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Jacob J. LOVERICH, Richard T. Geiger, Stephen J. Wenner
  • Publication number: 20140182378
    Abstract: A sensor may include a base, a resonator centered over the base, and an accelerometer disposed in a base of the resonator. The resonator may be configured to harvest energy from vibratory motion of a host device and includes a slot disposed on a center rectangular plane of the sensor. The sensor may include a circuit arrangement disposed on the accelerometer and in the slot on the center rectangular plane of the sensor. A piezoelectric element may be mounted on the resonator and electrically coupled with the circuit arrangement. The piezoelectric element may be configured to convert vibratory energy of the resonator to electrical energy. An optional antenna may be coupled with the circuit arrangement and configured to wirelessly transmit data from the sensor to a receiving station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: KCF TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Jacob J. LOVERICH, Stephen J. WENNER, Scott D. BROWN
  • Patent number: 8635916
    Abstract: An internal structural monitoring system for a structure that includes a sensor mounted within the structure to measure at least one of strain experienced by the structure and vibration experience by the structure. It includes a first system support mounted and second system support mounted in the structure, where the first system and the second system support are mounted in the structure such that the sensor is between the first system support and the second system support to hold the sensor in position so that the sensor senses at least one of strain and vibration. It includes a wireless communication unit mounted within the structure, the wireless communication unit connected to the sensor to receive data from the sensor and transmit the data to a receiver outside the structure. It includes a power supply mounted within the structure to supply necessary electrical power to the sensor and the communication unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Inventors: Jacob Loverich, Stephen J. Wenner, Jeremy E. Frank