Patents by Inventor Steven T. Awiszus

Steven T. Awiszus 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: 11260251
    Abstract: A system including a head-mounted device having a face shield; a respirator coupled to or embodied in the head mounted device; a light having a light intensity; a light detector, and a computing device communicatively coupled to the at least one light detector that receive from the light detector data indicting a type and intensity of light, and determine that the light matches a particular type of light and whether it exceeds a threshold, and on the basis of this determination, modifies the intensity of the light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Steven T. Awiszus, Kiran S. Kanukurthy, Eric C. Lobner, Robert J. Quintero, Micayla A. Johnson, Caroline M. Ylitalo, Britton G. Billingsley
  • Patent number: 11263568
    Abstract: In some examples, a system includes an article of hearing protection assigned to a worker, and a portable computing device assigned to the worker; a remote computing device communicatively coupled to the portable computing device, the remote computing device configured to receive sound level data that indicate different sound levels at different, respective locations of a work environment; determine, based on location data received from the portable computing device, an amount of sound received by the worker over a period of time; identify an updated location in the work environment having a sound level that is different from a current location, based at least in part on the article of hearing protection, the amount of sound, and the sound level data that indicates different sound levels at different, respective locations; and generate a notification that instructs the worker to move from the current location to the updated location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Kiran S. Kanukurthy, Steven R. Digre, Darcey L. Holloway, Eric C. Lobner, Ted K. Madison, Philip J. Savoie, Pageen S. Smith, Lauraine L. Wells, Michael G. Wurm, Cameron J. Fackler, James D. Brown, Matthew J. Blackford, Steven T. Awiszus, Elliott H. Berger
  • Publication number: 20220054869
    Abstract: A system includes a negative pressure reusable respirator configured to be worn by a worker and to cover at least a mouth and a nose of the worker, a sensor configured to generate sensor data indicative of a characteristic of air within a work environment, and at least one computing device. The negative pressure reusable respirator includes at least one contaminant capture device configured to remove contaminants from air as the air is drawn through the contaminant capture device when the worker inhales. The at least one contaminant capture device is configured to be removable from the negative pressure reusable respirator. The at least one computing device configured to determine whether the at least one contaminant capture device is due for replacement, and perform one or more actions in response to determining the at least one contaminant capture device is due for replacement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Inventors: David R. Stein, Caroline M. Ylitalo, Craig E. Colton, Steven T. Awiszus, Shane A. Hainey, Richard C. Webb, Scott A. Larson, Andrew W. Long, Daniel B. Taylor
  • Publication number: 20220040507
    Abstract: There is provided a computing device comprising: at least one processor; and a memory comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to: receive data indicative of a gas characteristic in a sealed space formed by a face of the wearer and a negative pressure reusable respirator; determine performance of a respirator seal check by the wearer; determine that the negative pressure reusable respirator is being worn by a wearer; perform one or more actions in response to determining that the respirator is being worn by the wearer and the wearer has not performed a respirator seal check that satisfies one or more safety rules; and alter the one or more actions in response to determining that the negative pressure reusable respirator is being worn by the wearer and the wearer has performed a respirator seal check that satisfies one or more safety rules. There is also provided a system using such computing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Inventors: Andrew W. Long, Richard C. Webb, Steven T. Awiszus, Jessica L.T. Hauge, David R. Stein, Daniel B. Taylor, Jacob P. Vanderheyden, Caroline M. Ylitalo
  • Publication number: 20210398415
    Abstract: In some examples, a system includes a plurality of articles of personal protected equipment (PPE) that are each assigned to a particular worker. The system may also include a data hub that detects an input that initiates a broadcast of diagnostic self-check messages; identifies, in response to the input, each article of PPE of the plurality of articles of PPE; broadcasts, based on identifying each article of PPE, the diagnostic self-check messages to the respective articles of PPE, wherein each article of PPE receives its respective self-check message at its communication component; in response to receiving a set of diagnostic acknowledgement messages from one or more of the plurality of articles of PPE that have performed a diagnostic self-check, determines whether the set of diagnostic acknowledge messages satisfy one or more self-check criteria; and performs one or more operations based on whether the self-check criteria are satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: Kiran S. Kanukurthy, Steven T. Awiszus, Eric C. Lobner, Michael G. Wurm
  • Publication number: 20210307965
    Abstract: A system including a head-mounted device having a face shield; a respirator coupled to or embodied in the head mounted device; a light having a light intensity; a light detector, and a computing device communicatively coupled to the at least one light detector that receive from the light detector data indicting a type and intensity of light, and determine that the light matches a particular type of light and whether it exceeds a threshold, and on the basis of this determination, modifies the intensity of the light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Inventors: Steven T. Awiszus, Kiran S. Kanukurthy, Eric C. Lobner, Robert J. Quintero, Micayla A. Johnson, Caroline M. Ylitalo, Britton G. Billingsley
  • Patent number: 11127277
    Abstract: In some examples, a system includes a plurality of articles of personal protected equipment (PPE) that are each assigned to a particular worker. The system may also include a data hub that detects an input that initiates a broadcast of diagnostic self-check messages; identifies, in response to the input, each article of PPE of the plurality of articles of PPE; broadcasts, based on identifying each article of PPE, the diagnostic self-check messages to the respective articles of PPE, wherein each article of PPE receives its respective self-check message at its communication component; in response to receiving a set of diagnostic acknowledgement messages from one or more of the plurality of articles of PPE that have performed a diagnostic self-check, determines whether the set of diagnostic acknowledge messages satisfy one or more self-check criteria; and performs one or more operations based on whether the self-check criteria are satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Kiran S. Kanukurthy, Steven T. Awiszus, Eric C. Lobner, Michael G. Wurm
  • Publication number: 20210264761
    Abstract: In some examples, a system includes: an article of personal protective equipment (PPE) that includes a communication component; a computing device communicatively coupled to the article of PPE, wherein the computing device: receives context data that is based on one or more of the article of PPE, a work environment for the article of PPE, or a worker assigned to the article of PPE; selects, based at least in part on the context data, a set of programmable safety rules that are contextually associated with the at least one article of PPE; sends the programmable safety rules to one or more of the article of PPE or a data hub communicatively coupled to the article of PPE; and wherein the programmable safety rules are configured at the article of PPE or the data hub to perform one or more operations based at least in part on PPE data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Inventors: Kiran S. Kanukurthy, Steven T. Awiszus, Eric C. Lobner, MIchael G. Wurm, Kenneth J. Gamberini
  • Publication number: 20210248505
    Abstract: In some examples, a system includes an article of personal protective equipment (PPE) comprising one or more sensors, the one or more sensors configured to generate usage data that is indicative of an operation of the article of PPE; and at least one computing device comprising a memory and one or more computer processors that: receive the usage data that is indicative of the operation of the article of PPE; apply the usage data to a safety learning model that predicts a likelihood of an occurrence of a safety event associated with the article of PPE based at least in part on previously generated usage data that corresponds to the safety event; and perform, based at least in part on predicting the likelihood of the occurrence of the safety event, at least one operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Inventors: Steven T. Awiszus, Kiran S. Kanukurthy, Eric C. Lobner, Robert J. Quintero, Micayla A. Johnson, Madeleine Filloux
  • Publication number: 20210216940
    Abstract: In one example, a system includes one or more personal protective equipment (PPE) devices each configured to be worn by a worker, the PPE devices each including one or more sensors that generate activity data indicative of activities of workers operating within one or more work environments. The system also includes a computing device, the computing device configured to: identify, based at least on the activity data, a plurality of clusters of one or more entities, wherein each entity of the entities is associated with one or more of the workers; and output an indication of a difference between performance by a target entity with respect to safety events and performance by the cluster that includes the target entity with respect to safety events.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Inventors: Nicholas A. Asendorf, Saber Taghvaeeyan, Ronald D. Jesme, Justin M. Johnson, Robert W. Shannon, Robert D. Lorentz, Andrew H. Tilstra, Eric C. Lobner, Steven T. Awiszus, Glenn E. Casner, Kiran S. Kanukurthy
  • Publication number: 20210210202
    Abstract: In some examples, a system includes an article of personal protective equipment (PPE) that includes a communication component; an industrial controller device that is configured to control an industrial device and includes a communication component; and a computing device communicatively coupled to the article of PPE and the industrial controller device, wherein the computing device is configured to: receive PPE data from the article of PPE and industrial controller data from the industrial controller device; determine, based at least in part on a set of the PPE data that temporally corresponds to a set of the industrial controller data, an occurrence of a safety event; and perform, based at least in part on the determination of the safety event, at least one operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Inventors: Steven T. Awiszus, Michael G. Wurm, David R. Stein, Johannes P.M. Kusters
  • Patent number: 11039652
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes a retrofit sensor module for use with a protective head top with a helmet and a visor. The sensor module includes a sensor housing and an attachment mechanism. The sensor housing encloses a head presence sensor to sense when the protective head top is being worn. The sensor housing also encloses a position sensor to sense the position of the visor relative to the helmet. The retrofit sensor module further comprises an attachment mechanism secured to the housing. The attachment mechanism mates with a first hinge component of a hinge assembly in the protective head top to removably install the sensor module into the protective head top, wherein the hinge assembly allows the visor to move relative to the helmet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Marc A. Egeland, Steven T. Awiszus, Charles P. Jents, Benjamin A. Johnson, Kiran S. Kanukurthy, James E. Nash, Milo G. Oien-Rochat
  • Patent number: 11030873
    Abstract: In some examples, a system includes: an article of personal protective equipment (PPE) that includes a communication component; a computing device communicatively coupled to the article of PPE, wherein the computing device: receives context data that is based on one or more of the article of PPE, a work environment for the article of PPE, or a worker assigned to the article of PPE; selects, based at least in part on the context data, a set of programmable safety rules that are contextually associated with the at least one article of PPE; sends the programmable safety rules to one or more of the article of PPE or a data hub communicatively coupled to the article of PPE; and wherein the programmable safety rules are configured at the article of PPE or the data hub to perform one or more operations based at least in part on PPE data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Kiran S. Kanukurthy, Steven T. Awiszus, Eric C. Lobner, Michael G. Wurm, Kenneth J. Gamberini
  • Patent number: 11023818
    Abstract: In some examples, a system includes an article of personal protective equipment (PPE) comprising one or more sensors, the one or more sensors configured to generate usage data that is indicative of an operation of the article of PPE; and at least one computing device comprising a memory and one or more computer processors that: receive the usage data that is indicative of the operation of the article of PPE; apply the usage data to a safety learning model that predicts a likelihood of an occurrence of a safety event associated with the article of PPE based at least in part on previously generated usage data that corresponds to the safety event; and perform, based at least in part on predicting the likelihood of the occurrence of the safety event, at least one operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Steven T. Awiszus, Kiran S. Kanukurthy, Eric C. Lobner, Robert J. Quintero, Micayla A. Johnson, Madeleine Filloux
  • Patent number: 10997543
    Abstract: In one example, a system includes one or more personal protective equipment (PPE) devices each configured to be worn by a worker, the PPE devices each including one or more sensors that generate activity data indicative of activities of workers operating within one or more work environments. The system also includes a computing device, the computing device configured to: identify, based at least on the activity data, a plurality of clusters of one or more entities, wherein each entity of the entities is associated with one or more of the workers; and output an indication of a difference between performance by a target entity with respect to safety events and performance by the cluster that includes the target entity with respect to safety events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Nicholas A. Asendorf, Saber Taghvaeeyan, Ronald D. Jesme, Justin M. Johnson, Robert W. Shannon, Robert D. Lorentz, Andrew H. Tilstra, Eric C. Lobner, Steven T. Awiszus, Glenn E. Casner, Kiran S. Kanukurthy
  • Publication number: 20210052427
    Abstract: A system including a head-mounted device having a face shield; a respirator coupled to or embodied in the head mounted device; a light having a light intensity; a light detector, and a computing device communicatively coupled to the at least one light detector that receive from the light detector data indicting a type and intensity of light, and determine that the light matches a particular type of light and whether it exceeds a threshold, and on the basis of this determination, modifies the intensity of the light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Inventors: Steven T. Awiszus, Kiran S. Kanukurthy, Eric C. Lobner, Robert J. Quintero, Micayla A. Johnson, Caroline M. Ylitalo, Britton G. Billingsley
  • Patent number: 10849790
    Abstract: A system (2000) comprising a head-mounted device (2010); at least one position sensor coupled to the head-mounted device; at least one light-filtering shield (2012) coupled to the at least one position sensor; at least one light detector (2019); and at least one computing device (2017) configured to receive, from the light detector, an indication that an intensity of light detected by the light detector exceeds an exposure threshold; determine, from the at least one position sensor, that the light-filtering shield is not positioned at the face of a worker to filter light with the intensity that exceeds the exposure threshold; and generate, in response to the determination that the light-filtering shield is not positioned at the face of a worker wearing the head-mounted device to filter light with the intensity that exceeds the exposure threshold, an indication for output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Steven T. Awiszus, Kiran S. Kanukurthy, Eric C. Lobner, Robert J. Quintero, Micayla A. Johnson, Caroline M. Ylitalo, Britton G. Billingsley
  • Publication number: 20200334970
    Abstract: In some examples, a system includes a plurality of articles of personal protected equipment (PPE) that are each assigned to a particular worker. The system may also include a data hub that detects an input that initiates a broadcast of diagnostic self-check messages; identifies, in response to the input, each article of PPE of the plurality of articles of PPE; broadcasts, based on identifying each article of PPE, the diagnostic self-check messages to the respective articles of PPE, wherein each article of PPE receives its respective self-check message at its communication component; in response to receiving a set of diagnostic acknowledgement messages from one or more of the plurality of articles of PPE that have performed a diagnostic self-check, determines whether the set of diagnostic acknowledge messages satisfy one or more self-check criteria; and performs one or more operations based on whether the self-check criteria are satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2020
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Inventors: Kiran S. Kanukurthy, Steven T. Awiszus, Eric C. Lobner, Michael G. Wurm
  • Publication number: 20200279116
    Abstract: In general, techniques are described for a personal protective equipment (PPE) management system (PPEMS) that uses images of optical patterns embodied on articles of personal protective equipment (PPEs) to identify safety conditions that correspond to usage of the PPEs. In one example, an article of personal protective equipment (PPE) includes a first optical pattern embodied on a surface of the article of PPE; a second optical pattern embodied on the surface of the article of PPE, wherein a spatial relation between the first optical pattern and the second optical pattern is indicative of an operational status of the article of PPE.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Inventors: Caroline M. Ylitalo, Kui Chen-Ho, Paul L. Acito, Tien Yi T.H. Whiting, James B. Snyder, Travis L. Potts, James W. Howard, James L.C. Werness, Jr., Suman K. Patel, Charles A. Shaklee, Katja Hansen, Glenn E. Casner, Kiran S. Kanukurthy, Steven T. Awiszus, Neeraj Sharma
  • Patent number: 10741052
    Abstract: In some examples, a system includes a plurality of articles of personal protected equipment (PPE) that are each assigned to a particular worker. The system may also include a data hub that detects an input that initiates a broadcast of diagnostic self-check messages; identifies, in response to the input, each article of PPE of the plurality of articles of PPE; broadcasts, based on identifying each article of PPE, the diagnostic self-check messages to the respective articles of PPE, wherein each article of PPE receives its respective self-check message at its communication component; in response to receiving a set of diagnostic acknowledgement messages from one or more of the plurality of articles of PPE that have performed a diagnostic self-check, determines whether the set of diagnostic acknowledge messages satisfy one or more self-check criteria; and performs one or more operations based on whether the self-check criteria are satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Kiran S. Kanukurthy, Steven T. Awiszus, Eric C. Lobner, Michael G. Wurm