Patents by Inventor Steven A. Cousins

Steven A. Cousins 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: 7822503
    Abstract: System, methods, and apparatuses are provided for energy management in store or dispense equipment for food and/or beverages. Such store or dispense equipment may allow for food and/or beverages to be heated, cooled, or maintained near the ambient temperature, or a combination thereof. Demand data may be retrieved from the store or dispense equipment. Demand data may include sales, usage, and/or occupancy information for the respective vending machines, appliances, coolers, dispensers, and other store or dispense equipment. This demand data may then analyzed to determine whether there are demand patterns such that there are opportunities for energy conservation or energy management. If there are opportunities for energy conservation or energy management, an instruction set may be prepared, where the instruction set is based at least in part on this analyzed data. The instruction set is loaded onto the store or dispense equipment, which operates in accordance with the instruction set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
    Inventors: Stephen D. Merwarth, Steven A. Cousins
  • Publication number: 20080077275
    Abstract: The present invention provides systems, methods, and apparatuses for energy management in store or dispense equipment for food and/or beverages. Such store or dispense equipment may allow for food and/or beverages to be heated, cooled, or maintained near the ambient temperature, or a combination thereof. The store or dispense equipment may include vending machines, appliances, coolers, dispensers such as food dispensers and beverage dispensers (e.g., fountain drink dispenser), and other like electrical equipment. Demand data may be retrieved from the vending machine, appliance, cooler, dispenser, or other store or dispense equipment. Demand data may include sales, usage, and/or occupancy information for the respective vending machines, appliances, coolers, dispensers, and other store or dispense equipment. This demand data may then analyzed to determine whether there are demand patterns such that there are opportunities for energy conservation or energy management.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Applicant: THE COCA-COLA COMPANY
    Inventors: Stephen D. Merwarth, Steven A. Cousins