Patents by Inventor Thomas J. Rollins

Thomas J. Rollins 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: 7088256
    Abstract: A portable electronic device (100) comprises an attached device (190,195), a vibrator (175), and a processor (105) coupled between the attached device (190, 195) and the vibrator (175). The processor (105) is adapted to detect the attached device (190, 195), determine an identification for the attached device (190,195), associate a drive voltage with the identification, and drive the vibrator (175) using the drive voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter S. Opela, Thomas J. Rollins, Yun Yee Wong
  • Patent number: 5307508
    Abstract: A shock isolator (30) is provided within the housing (38) of a selective call receiver to substantially increase the natural frequency of vibration of the housing (38) and the printed circuit boards (54, 56) within the housing. The shock isolator (30) is a body of elastomeric material, preferably butyl rubber, which has component receiving apertures (32) molded therein for receiving the components (46, 48, 50) on the printed circuit board while at the same time contacting the printed circuit board. The butyl rubber has a damping of at least 25% (preferably 50%) and a Durometer of between 50 and 70 type A (preferably 60).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1994
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Rollins, Charles W. Mooney, Irving H. Holden
  • Patent number: 5172092
    Abstract: A selective call receiver includes a vibrator (206) for generating alerts. The vibrator (206) includes a housing (402), a flexible member (2) within the housing (402) and coupled thereto, and a moving member (404) coupled to the flexible member (2) for movement about an equilibrium position, the moving member (404) including a permanent magnet (410). An actuator includes an electromagnet (412) for causing the permanent magnet (410) and the moving member (404) to move at a first frequency for generating an audible alert and at a second frequency for generating a sub-audible or tactile alert. The movement at the second frequency is substantially transferred to the housing (402) for generating the sub-audible or tactile alert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1992
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Tuan K. Nguyen, Thomas J. Rollins, Harold Holden, Charles W. Mooney
  • Patent number: 5109176
    Abstract: Two or more crystal filter blanks are mounted together in such a manner so as to minimize the printed circuit board surface area occupied by their aggregate footprint and to minimize the vibratory and oscillatory interference among the cyrstal filters. Mounting devices are coupled to a first nonvibratory node and a second nonvibratory node of the crystal blanks to minimize vibrational and oscillatory interference between the crystal filters. Insulating material is disposed between the crystal blanks for electrically insulating and physically separating the crystal blanks from each other to additionally minimize electrical and vibrational interference between the crystal blanks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1992
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Tuan K. Nguyen, Thomas J. Rollins, Charles W. Snyder, Charles W. Mooney
  • Patent number: 4949221
    Abstract: An encased electronic component comprises a casing (10) for protecting the component while exposing electrodes (or terminations) thereof for soldering. The casing includes an aperture for allowing air internal of the casing to exhaust upon heating during soldering so as to oppose the ingress of foreign material into the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 14, 1990
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Rollins, Charles W. Mooney, James I. Jaffee
  • Patent number: 4931765
    Abstract: A housing for an alerting system within a selective call radio receiver exhibits substantial space saving characteristics by incorporating both a low profile vibrator motor for silent alerting and a tone generator for audio alerting. The housing comprises a rigid material defining first and second chambers adjacent and separated by a common wall of the housing, the first chamber containing the low profile vibrating motor, the second chamber containing the tone generator, the housing defining a first port therein for omitting an audio tone from the second chamber and at least one other port therein for providing power to the low profile vibrating motor and the tone generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1990
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Rollins, Charles W. Mooney, Tuan K. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 4864276
    Abstract: A low-profile motor arrangement for accomodation in a low-volume electronic device such as a radio pager. The motor is designed to provide a vibrating action for silent alerting that does not require any additional add-on parts, but effects the required vibrator action by a designed-in unbalance in the rotating internal parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 5, 1989
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Tribbey, Charles W. Mooney, Thomas J. Rollins
  • Patent number: 4754423
    Abstract: This is a selector circuit for an electronic device such as a pager that has a plurality of functions with each of the functions having a plurality of levels. First and second switches are provided for selecting the functions and levels. A controller such as a microprocessor is responsive to the first and second switches for selecting the functions and levels. The functions are selected by first actuating the first switch and then actuating the second switch while the first switch is maintained actuated. Levels of selected functions are selected by first actuating the second switch and then actuating the first switch while the second switch is maintained actuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1988
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas J. Rollins
  • Patent number: 3939417
    Abstract: A control console including a transceiver, a plurality of terminal stations positioned at spaced apart locations remote from the console and each including a transceiver connected to the console by RF or a wire line, and a plurality of call boxes positioned at spaced apart locations adjacent to each terminal station and including a transceiver in communication with the terminal station. When the hand set of a call box is lifted from the cradle a tone is transmitted through the adjacent terminal station to the console which then keys on all terminal station transmitters to indicate a busy line at other call boxes and to provide a ringing signal at the call box being used. Subsequent to transmission of the tone, a signal indicative of the address of the box and the condition of predetermined portions of the box is automatically transmitted to the console. When the console operator answers, full duplex communication is provided between the call box and the console.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1973
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1976
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary A. Cannalte, Richard J. Crouse, Richard D. Koenig, Thomas J. Rollins, Donald L. Walker
  • Patent number: D322464
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1991
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Scheid, Joseph E. Laviana, Thomas J. Rollins