Patents by Inventor W. Richards

W. Richards 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: 10142018
    Abstract: A solid-state lighting fixture includes a first group of solid-state light elements, a second group of solid-state light elements, and a light control module. The first group of solid-state light elements is configured to emit visible light at a first wavelength. The second group of solid-state light elements is configured to emit light at a second wavelength, which is different from the first wavelength. The light control module is configured to modulate the light emitted from the first group of solid-state light elements and modulate the light emitted from the second group of solid-state light elements, respectively, such that the modulation pattern of the emitted light from each one of the first group of solid-state light elements and the second group of solid-state light elements communicates a first subset of data and a second subset of data, respectively, while being undetectable to the human eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles W. Richards, IV
  • Publication number: 20180236291
    Abstract: A manually powered treadmill includes a frame; a plurality of bearings coupled to the frame; a running belt at least partially supported by the plurality of bearings and adapted for rotational movement relative to the frame, the running belt having a running surface, at least a portion of which is curved; a braking system configured to selectively resist the rotational movement of the running belt; and a safety device coupled to the frame, wherein the safety device is structured to substantially prevent rotation of the running belt in a first direction and substantially permit rotation of the running belt in a second direction, opposite the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Applicant: Woodway USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas G. Bayerlein, Vance E. Emons, Nicholas A. Oblamski, Scott D. Hoerig, Matthew J. Zank, Robert L. Zimpel, Joel W. Richards
  • Publication number: 20180236292
    Abstract: A manually operated treadmill is provided that includes a frame having a front end and a rear end positioned opposite the front end; a front shaft rotatably coupled to the frame proximate the front end; a rear shaft rotatably coupled to the frame proximate the rear end; a plurality of bearings coupled to the frame; a running belt supported by the plurality of bearings, wherein the running belt includes a curved running surface; and a safety device coupled to at least one of the front shaft and the rear shaft, wherein the safety device is structured to substantially prevent rotation of at least one of the front shaft and the rear shaft in a first rotational direction while permitting rotation of the at least one of the front shaft and the rear shaft in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Applicant: Woodway USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas G. Bayerlein, Vance E. Emons, Nicholas A. Oblamski, Scott D. Hoerig, Matthew J. Zank, Robert L. Zimpel, Joel W. Richards
  • Patent number: 9990087
    Abstract: A capacitive force sensor characterization system for calibrating a capacitive force sensor included in a personal electronic device. The capacitive force sensor includes a first capacitor plate coupled to a flexible element of the personal electronic device, which is coupled to the device housing, and a second capacitor plate coupled to an internal structural member of the personal electronic device. The internal structural member is not coupled to the housing during the characterization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Peter W. Richards
  • Patent number: 9983715
    Abstract: Systems and methods related to piezoelectric based force sensing in touch devices are presented. One embodiment, for example, may take the form of an apparatus including a touch device having a deformable device stack and a piezoelectric element positioned relative to the deformable device stack such that the piezoelectric element deforms with the deformable stack. Deformation of the piezoelectric element generates a signal having a magnitude discernable as representative of an amount of force applied to the touch device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Sinan Filiz, Brian Q. Huppi, Kai Wang, Peter W. Richards, Vikram Garg
  • Patent number: 9980356
    Abstract: a lighting fixture includes a power input configured to be coupled to a power source, a power output configured to be coupled to an external load and a lighting device, such as a light emitting diode (LED) device, coupled to the power input and configured to provide illumination. The lighting fixture further includes a protection circuit coupled between the power input and the power output and configured to detect a condition of a power source coupled to the power input and to control power transmission between the power input and the power output responsive to the detected condition. The power output may be configured to support daisy-chain connection of the lighting fixture to at least one other lighting fixture, and the protection circuit may be configured to control power transmission to the at least one other lighting fixture responsive to the detected condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: CREE, INC.
    Inventors: Joshua J. Markle, Dao Dinh, Edward Steinke, Charles W. Richards, IV
  • Publication number: 20180133886
    Abstract: A power tool including a housing with two housing halves joined together at a joining line. A motor housed in the housing. A blade holder which is driven by the motor and is configured to hold a blade so as to cut an object with the blade. A blade storage compartment configured to hold the blade when the blade is not in use for cutting. The blade storage compartment is formed by the two housing halves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: Jesse P. HILL, James W. RICHARDS, Drake L. FISHER, Brent A. KUEHNE
  • Patent number: 9964627
    Abstract: A system and method detect direction of movement. The system includes at least two radio frequency identification (RFID) readers arranged in different locations. The RFID readers transmit respective location signals from their locations and receive corresponding response signals from a portable electronic device (PED) when the PED is within range to receive the corresponding location signals, respectively. The system includes a controller configured to determine whether the individual response signals received by the RFID readers respectively satisfy a predetermined condition at a first time and a second time after the first time. The controller is configured to determine a direction of movement of the PED relative to the locations of the RFID readers during the first and second times based on whether the response signals respectively satisfy the predetermined condition at the first and second times, and control operations of the PED based on the determined movement of the PED.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON INC.
    Inventors: John C. Swartz, Anthony Hefner, Charles W. Richards, Gary Jason Myers, Matthias Welsh
  • Publication number: 20180071371
    Abstract: The present invention, provides a method of treating cognitive impairment of Hunter syndrome.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Ann Barbier, Thomas McCauley, Charles W. Richard, III
  • Publication number: 20180064345
    Abstract: Some embodiments relate to a device, method, and/or computer-readable medium storing processor-executable process steps to remove a component of a signal corresponding to ambient light in a photoplethysmographic sensor device, including capturing a first detected light signal representing an ambient light at a first time, causing a light emitter to generate a source light signal driven at a first level, capturing a second detected light signal representing the source light signal after interacting with a user's tissue plus the first detected light signal, generating a first output signal based on the second detected light signal adjusted by the first detected light signal, causing the light emitter to generate a source light signal driven at a second level, capturing a third detected light signal representing the source light signal driven at the second level after interacting with the user's skin plus the first detected light signal, and generating a second output signal based on the third detected light sig
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Inventor: Peter W. Richards
  • Patent number: 9891759
    Abstract: Detecting force and touch using FTIR and capacitive location. FTIR determines applied force by the user's finger within infrared transmit lines on a touch device. A pattern of such lines determine optical coupling with the touch device. Capacitive sensing can determine (A) where the finger actually touches, so the touch device more accurately infers applied force; (B) whether finger touches shadow each other; (C) as a baseline for applied force; or (D) whether attenuated reflection is due to a current optical coupling, or is due to an earlier optical coupling, such as a smudge on the cover glass. If there is attenuated reflection without actual touching, the touch device can reset a baseline for applied force for the area in which that smudge remains. Infrared transmitters and receivers are positioned where they are not visible to a user, such as below a frame or mask for the cover glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Martin P. Grunthaner, Peter W. Richards, Romain A. Teil, Steven P. Hotelling
  • Publication number: 20180028077
    Abstract: Some embodiments relate to a device, method, and/or computer-readable medium storing processor-executable process steps for processing a photoplethysmographic (“PPG”) signal in a monitoring device that monitors a property of blood flow. In some embodiments, the processing includes obtaining a first digital signal representing a detected light signal having a non-pulsatile (e.g., DC) component and a pulsatile component (e.g., AC). An offset control signal is generated from an estimation of the non-pulsatile component and a second digital signal is generated after subtracting the offset control signal from the detected light signal and applying a gain to the subtracted signal. A reconstructed signal is generated that is calculated from the gain and one or more of (i) the first digital signal, and (ii) the second digital signal and the offset control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Anjian WU, Peter W. RICHARDS, Shelten Gee Jao YUEN
  • Patent number: 9866764
    Abstract: A method and apparatus synchronize auto exposure between chromatic pixels and panchromatic pixels in a camera system. A first exposure can be determined for different chromatic pixels that detect different color light. An illumination type of a scene can be detected. An exposure ratio between the chromatic pixels and panchromatic pixels can be ascertained based on the illumination type of the scene. A second exposure can be determined for the panchromatic pixels that detect panchromatic light. The first exposure can be different from the second exposure based on the exposure ratio between the chromatic pixels and the panchromatic pixels with respect to an illumination type of a scene. Then, at least one image of the scene can be captured using the first exposure for the different chromatic pixels and the second exposure for the panchromatic pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventor: By-Her W Richards
  • Patent number: 9851828
    Abstract: A touch sensitive input system for an electronic device includes a deflection sensor configured to generate a deflection signal based on deflection of a control or sensing surface, and a processor in signal communication with the deflection sensor. The processor is operable to generate a deflection or displacement map characterizing displacement of the surface based on the deflection signal, and a force map characterizing force on the surface based on a transformation of the displacement map. The transformation may be based on a generalized inverse of a compliance operator, where the compliance operator relates the displacement map to the force map. The compliance operator is not necessarily square, and does not necessarily have a traditional inverse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Peter W. Richards, Sinan Filiz
  • Patent number: 9841490
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for detecting direction of movement. The system includes at least two radio frequency identification (RFID) readers arranged in different locations. The RFID readers transmit respective location signals from their locations and receive corresponding response signals from a portable electronic device (PED) when the PED is within range to receive the corresponding location signals, respectively. The system includes a controller configured to determine whether the individual response signals received by the RFID readers respectively satisfy a predetermined condition at a first time and a second time subsequent to the first time. The controller is also configured to determine a direction of movement of the portable electronic device relative to the locations of the RFID readers during the first and second times based on whether the response signals respectively satisfy the predetermined condition at the first and second times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON INC.
    Inventors: John C. Swartz, Anthony Hefner, Charles W. Richards, IV, Gary Jason Myers, Matthias Welsh
  • Patent number: 9813635
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for auto exposure value detection for High Dynamic Range (HDR) Imaging. An image can be captured as a captured image at a capture exposure. The exposure of a current iteration of the image can be changed by at least a fraction of an exposure value. A changed exposure image can be captured at the changed exposure value. A difference between an exposure data metric of the current iteration of the changed exposure image and an exposure data metric of a previous iteration of the image can be ascertained. The difference between the exposure data metric of the current iteration of the changed exposure image and the exposure data metric of the previous iteration of the image can be compared to a difference threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventor: By-Her W Richards
  • Publication number: 20170311825
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a data processing method comprises obtaining one or more first photoplethysmography (PPG) signals based on one or more first light sources that are configured to emit light having a first light wavelength corresponding to a green light wavelength; obtaining one or more second PPG signals based on one or more second light sources that are configured to emit light having a second light wavelength corresponding to a red light wavelength, one or more of the first light sources and one or more of the second light sources being co-located; generating an estimated heart rate value based on one or more of the first PPG signals and the second PPG signals; and causing the estimated heart rate value to be displayed via a user interface on a client device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Inventors: KEVIN PU WEEKLY, SUBRAMANIAM VENKATRAMAN, ANDREW LARSEN AXLEY, DANIEL J. FRESCHL, PETER W. RICHARDS, CHRIS H. SARANTOS
  • Publication number: 20170302908
    Abstract: A method and apparatus provide user interaction for virtual measurement using a depth camera system. According to a possible embodiment, an image of a scene can be displayed on a display of the apparatus. A first frame of the scene can be captured using a first camera on an apparatus. A second frame of the scene can be captured using a second camera on the apparatus. A depth map can be generated based on the first frame and the second frame. A user input can be received that generates at least a human generated segment for measurement on the displayed scene. A measurement overlay can be generated based on the user input and the depth map. The measurement overlay can indicate a measurement in the scene. The measurement overlay can be displayed on a frame of the scene on the display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Inventor: By-Her W. Richards
  • Publication number: 20170302910
    Abstract: A method and apparatus merge depth maps in a depth camera system. According to a possible embodiment, a first image of a scene can be received. The first image can include first image coordinates. A second image of the scene can be received. A third image of the scene can be received. An x-axis depth map of the first image coordinates can be generated based on the first and second images. A y-axis depth map of the first image coordinates can be generated based on the first and third images. The y-axis can be perpendicular to the x-axis. Edge detection can be performed on the first image to detect edges in the first image. A confidence score map can be generated for each depth map. A higher confidence score on the confidence score map of the x-axis depth map can be set for a pixel on an edge at an angle closer to the y-axis than the x-axis for the pixel on the x-axis depth map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Inventor: By-Her W. Richards
  • Patent number: 9775548
    Abstract: Blood oxygenation sensors including high-aspect-ratio photodetector elements are discussed herein. Such high-aspect-ratio photodetector elements may provide improved signal-strength-to-power-consumption performance for blood oxygenation sensors incorporating such photodetector elements as compared with blood oxygenation sensors incorporating, for example, square photodetector elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Fitbit, Inc.
    Inventors: Chris H. Sarantos, Peter W. Richards