Patents by Inventor Virginia N. MacDonald

Virginia N. 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: 8544288
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for enhancing dehumidification of a conditioned space, while optimizing the effectiveness of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) devices that are present in the HVAC system. After the system compressor is shut off, the actual space humidity is compared to the desired humidity. If the actual humidity is very close to or lower than the desired level the indoor blower (air handler) is allowed to continue running. However, if the actual humidity is greater than the desired level by a specified amount, the blower is forced off for a period of time proportional to the difference between the actual and desired humidity. At the next compressor activation, the blower is allowed to run as normal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Lennox Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventor: Virginia N. MacDonald
  • Patent number: 7706493
    Abstract: The present invention is an improvement to previously known systems for controller area networks and the method of communicating across such networks. The system and method introduces interpolated time markers to provide higher resolution bit container, for communicating data bits across the data bus of a three-wire controller area network. The interpolated time markers allow devices on a controller area network to effectively double tie amount of bandwidth available for communication and can in some cases even further increase the bandwidth beyond a factor of two.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Virginia N. MacDonald, Joe R. Powell
  • Publication number: 20080112492
    Abstract: The present invention is an improvement to previously known systems for controller area networks and the method of communicating across such networks. The system and method introduces interpolated time markers to provide higher resolution bit container, for communicating data bits across the data bus of a three-wire controller area network. The interpolated time markers allow devices on a controller area network to effectively double tie amount of bandwidth available for communication and can in some cases even further increase the bandwidth beyond a factor of two.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Inventors: Virginia N. MacDonald, Joe R. Powell
  • Publication number: 20080078842
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for enhancing dehumidification of a conditioned space, while optimizing the effectiveness of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) devices that are present in the HVAC system. After the system compressor is shut off, the actual space humidity is compared to the desired humidity. If the actual humidity is very close to or lower than the desired level the indoor blower (air handler) is allowed to continue running. However, if the actual humidity is greater than the desired level by a specified amount, the blower is forced off for a period of time proportional to the difference between the actual and desired humidity. At the next compressor activation, the blower is allowed to run as normal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: Lennox Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventor: Virginia N. MacDonald
  • Patent number: 6614916
    Abstract: A machine vision system and associated triggering method utilizes images acquired by a video camera to trigger the video camera to acquire an image feature of interest. The video camera continuously acquires images of an object using a portion of the total field of view of the video camera. The acquired images are compared to a signature image. In response to determining that one or more of the acquired images matches the signature, the video camera is triggered to acquire a full-frame image which contains the feature of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Bell & Howell Mail and Messaging Technologies Company
    Inventor: Virginia N. MacDonald
  • Publication number: 20020106107
    Abstract: A machine vision system and associated triggering method utilizes images acquired by a video camera to trigger the video camera to acquire an image feature of interest. The video camera continuously acquires images of an object using a portion of the total field of view of the video camera. The acquired images are compared to a signature image. In response to determining that one or more of the acquired images matches the signature, the video camera is triggered to acquire a full-frame image which contains the feature of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2001
    Publication date: August 8, 2002
    Inventor: Virginia N. MacDonald
  • Patent number: 5600733
    Abstract: A novel method for locating eye point features on patterns or objects whose size varies between the reference object and the find object includes generating a set of reference vectors that define the location of the reference eye point. The set of vectors is modified and separated equidistant from each other. A centroid of the object area is calculated. When a fixed object is to be located, an area of certainty is established which contains a plurality of candidate eye points one of which is the proper find eye point of the object to be located. Sets of find vectors are generated for each candidate eye point which are compared with the set vectors for the reference eye point. Centroids of the find objects having the best comparison are calculated and compared with the centroid of the reference object. The candidate eye point having a best vector correlation match and the best centroid comparison is selected as the eye point of the find object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1997
    Assignee: Kulicke and Soffa Investments, Inc
    Inventors: Virginia N. MacDonald, Don A. Tran
  • Patent number: 5008657
    Abstract: A video display (38) provides a visual representation of a video signal over a matrix of pixels (40). Each pixel comprises a picture element (64) operable to radiate responsive to an externally applied voltage determined by the video signal. To prevent the intensity of a selected picture element (64) from being dependent upon the threshold potentials of the switching elements connecting the externally applied voltage to the picture elements (64), feedback lines (46) are provided to sense the voltage at the picture element (64). The voltage at the picture element (64) is adjusted until it equals the desired voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1991
    Assignee: Varo, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles M Hanson, Virginia N. MacDonald
  • Patent number: 4831410
    Abstract: A flash exposure photocopier provides a mechanism for automatically controlling photoreceptor exposure levels to compensate for the effects of documents having backgrounds of different densities. A photosensor and lens assembly is located within a flash housing in a position whereby a large portion of the document is imaged by the lens onto the surface of a chip having a plurality of individual photosensors contained thereon. The outputs of each photosensor are integrated and applied to a comparator set at a particular reference level. The comparator output controls the duration of the flash source so as to quench lamp operation when an input level is reached corresponding to the particular reference level set. The integrated photosensor outputs are also summed and a signal representing their average value is compared to the signal which triggers the comparator. The ratio of these signals is used to identify documents with high area coverage and hence high toner usage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1989
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Jerry F. Adams, Michael D. Borton, Fred F. Hubble, III, James P. Martin, Ralph A. Shoemaker, Alan J. Werner, Virginia N. MacDonald