Patents by Inventor William Alan Saperstein
William Alan Saperstein 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).
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Patent number: 11901751Abstract: An indexed sequence of bits in a buffer is allocated for tracking a battery charging state. The indexed sequence of bits has a first number of bits. A battery voltage of a rechargeable battery is sampled at a sampling rate. For each sampled battery voltage, the battery voltage is compared with a voltage threshold. A next bit position in the indexed sequence of bits is identified. In accordance with a determination that a comparison result is true, a predefined first value is added to the next bit position. A second number of bits that are filled with the predefined first value is determined. A ratio between the second number and the first number is also determined. In accordance with a determination that the ratio exceeds a threshold step-down ratio, a battery charge voltage is stepped down. The rechargeable battery is charged to a step-down voltage.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2021Date of Patent: February 13, 2024Assignee: Google LLCInventors: Michael Jonathon Chen, William Alan Saperstein, James Robert Lim, David Wang
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Patent number: 11802713Abstract: A device may include a rectifier circuit providing a rectified DC signal, a rechargeable energy-storage element, and a power-management integrated circuit (PMIC). The PMIC may include a charging circuit for the rechargeable energy-storage element; a current-sensing circuit that measures a current provided by the rectified DC signal; a programmable current limit; a voltage-sensing circuit that measures a voltage on the rechargeable energy-storage element; and a controller that regulates the current provided to a DC output of the PMIC. the DC output of the PMIC may be regulated based at least in part on the current provided by the rectified DC signal; the programmable current limit; and the voltage on the rechargeable energy-storage element. The DC output of the PMIC may provide energy to a plurality of other energy-consuming subsystems on the device and to the charging circuit for the rechargeable energy-storage element.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2022Date of Patent: October 31, 2023Assignee: Google LLCInventors: Daniel Adam Warren, Eric Marschalkowski, William Alan Saperstein
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Publication number: 20220285957Abstract: Techniques to detect faults in a battery with at least two parallel battery cells. In some examples, a cell may fail or become disconnected. The circuitry of this disclosure may determine whether a battery pack has a fault by measuring battery parameters at the positive and negative terminals. When the circuitry detects a fault, the circuitry may adjust the charge rate so that the charge does not exceed the maximum charge rate of any single cell of the battery pack. In some examples, the circuitry may shut off the charge current to the battery pack to ensure that the charge rate does not exceed the maximum charge rate of any single cell. To avoid false positive fault detection, the circuitry of this disclosure may verify the detected fault and the parameters of the charging cycle before reducing the charging current.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2021Publication date: September 8, 2022Inventors: James Robert Lim, Michael Jonathon Chen, Mitchell Aaron Jones, William Alan Saperstein, David Wang
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Publication number: 20220268860Abstract: An electronic device including a mounting device configured to couple to a surface, a head removably coupled to the mounting device and including a housing, a magnet attached to the mounting device, and a sensor disposed within the housing. The sensor detects a magnetic field associated with the magnet when the head is in a first position relative to the mounting device and detects the magnetic field associated with the magnet when the head is in a second position relative to the mounting device, the second position being different than the first position.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2020Publication date: August 25, 2022Applicant: Google LLCInventors: Aditya Shailesh Ghadiali, William Alan Saperstein
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Publication number: 20220239134Abstract: An indexed sequence of bits in a buffer is allocated for tracking a battery charging state. The indexed sequence of bits has a first number of bits. A battery voltage of a rechargeable battery is sampled at a sampling rate. For each sampled battery voltage, the battery voltage is compared with a voltage threshold. A next bit position in the indexed sequence of bits is identified. In accordance with a determination that a comparison result is true, a predefined first value is added to the next bit position. A second number of bits that are filled with the predefined first value is determined. A ratio between the second number and the first number is also determined. In accordance with a determination that the ratio exceeds a threshold step-down ratio, a battery charge voltage is stepped down. The rechargeable battery is charged to a step-down voltage.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2021Publication date: July 28, 2022Inventors: Michael Jonathon Chen, William Alan Saperstein, James Robert Lim, David Wang
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Publication number: 20220149655Abstract: A device may include a rectifier circuit providing a rectified DC signal, a rechargeable energy-storage element, and a power-management integrated circuit (PMIC). The PMIC may include a charging circuit for the rechargeable energy-storage element; a current-sensing circuit that measures a current provided by the rectified DC signal; a programmable current limit; a voltage-sensing circuit that measures a voltage on the rechargeable energy-storage element; and a controller that regulates the current provided to a DC output of the PMIC. the DC output of the PMIC may be regulated based at least in part on the current provided by the rectified DC signal; the programmable current limit; and the voltage on the rechargeable energy-storage element. The DC output of the PMIC may provide energy to a plurality of other energy-consuming subsystems on the device and to the charging circuit for the rechargeable energy-storage element.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2022Publication date: May 12, 2022Applicant: Google LLCInventors: Daniel Adam Warren, Eric Marschalkowski, William Alan Saperstein
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Patent number: 11264833Abstract: A device may include a rectifier circuit providing a rectified DC signal, a rechargeable energy-storage element, and a power-management integrated circuit (PMIC). The PMIC may include a charging circuit for the rechargeable energy-storage element; a current-sensing circuit that measures a current provided by the rectified DC signal; a programmable current limit; a voltage-sensing circuit that measures a voltage on the rechargeable energy-storage element; and a controller that regulates the current provided to a DC output of the PMIC. the DC output of the PMIC may be regulated based at least in part on the current provided by the rectified DC signal; the programmable current limit; and the voltage on the rechargeable energy-storage element. The DC output of the PMIC may provide energy to a plurality of other energy-consuming subsystems on the device and to the charging circuit for the rechargeable energy-storage element.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2020Date of Patent: March 1, 2022Assignee: Google LLCInventors: Daniel Adam Warren, Eric Marschalkowski, William Alan Saperstein
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Publication number: 20210021153Abstract: A device may include a rectifier circuit providing a rectified DC signal, a rechargeable energy-storage element, and a power-management integrated circuit (PMIC). The PMIC may include a charging circuit for the rechargeable energy-storage element; a current-sensing circuit that measures a current provided by the rectified DC signal; a programmable current limit; a voltage-sensing circuit that measures a voltage on the rechargeable energy-storage element; and a controller that regulates the current provided to a DC output of the PMIC. the DC output of the PMIC may be regulated based at least in part on the current provided by the rectified DC signal; the programmable current limit; and the voltage on the rechargeable energy-storage element. The DC output of the PMIC may provide energy to a plurality of other energy-consuming subsystems on the device and to the charging circuit for the rechargeable energy-storage element.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2020Publication date: January 21, 2021Applicant: Google LLCInventors: Daniel Adam Warren, Eric Marschalkowski, William Alan Saperstein
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Patent number: 10819148Abstract: A smart-home device may include an energy-storage element that stores energy that is harvested from an environmental system and a solid state relay (SSR) switching integrated circuit (IC). The SSR switching IC may include switching elements that operate in a first state and a second state. The IC may also include a control circuit that causes the switching elements to operate in the first state to activate a function of the environmental system until the energy-storage element has dropped below a threshold. The control circuit may also cause the switching elements to operate in the second state and harvest energy from the environmental system, determine that a first time has elapsed since the switching elements began operating in the second state, and cause the one or more switching elements to again operate in the first state.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2017Date of Patent: October 27, 2020Assignee: Google LLCInventors: Daniel Adam Warren, Eric Marschalkowski, William Alan Saperstein
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Patent number: 10461581Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for aiding in charging an electronic device using a charging case. The charging case includes a conductive contact and may connect to a conductive contact of the electronic device while still allowing user access to the main connector port of the electronic device. The charging case includes a power module that may receive power from an external power source. The power module may include an inductive coupling coil, photovoltaic cells, or a power cable port. Circuitry within the charging case may control and transmit power from the power module to the electronic device through the conductive contacts. The charging case may include a battery. The charging case may also include a data module for receiving data from an external data source, and the case circuitry may process and transmit data from the data module to the electronic device through the conductive contacts.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2017Date of Patent: October 29, 2019Assignee: Nook Digital, LLCInventors: David Christopher Klawon, William Alan Saperstein, Jason Cinge Wong
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Publication number: 20190056131Abstract: A smart-home device may include an energy-storage element that stores energy that is harvested from an environmental system and a solid state relay (SSR) switching integrated circuit (IC). The SSR switching IC may include switching elements that operate in a first state and a second state. The IC may also include a control circuit that causes the switching elements to operate in the first state to activate a function of the environmental system until the energy-storage element has dropped below a threshold. The control circuit may also cause the switching elements to operate in the second state and harvest energy from the environmental system, determine that a first time has elapsed since the switching elements began operating in the second state, and cause the one or more switching elements to again operate in the first state.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 18, 2017Publication date: February 21, 2019Applicant: Google Inc.Inventors: Daniel Adam Warren, Eric Marschalkowski, William Alan Saperstein
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Publication number: 20180069423Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for aiding in charging an electronic device using a charging case. The charging case includes a conductive contact and may connect to a conductive contact of the electronic device while still allowing user access to the main connector port of the electronic device. The charging case includes a power module that may receive power from an external power source. The power module may include an inductive coupling coil, photovoltaic cells, or a power cable port. Circuitry within the charging case may control and transmit power from the power module to the electronic device through the conductive contacts. The charging case may include a battery. The charging case may also include a data module for receiving data from an external data source, and the case circuitry may process and transmit data from the data module to the electronic device through the conductive contacts.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2017Publication date: March 8, 2018Applicant: Nook Digital, LLCInventors: David Christopher Klawon, William Alan Saperstein, Jason Cinge Wong
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Patent number: 9819216Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for aiding in charging an electronic device using a charging case. The charging case includes a conductive contact and may connect to a conductive contact of the electronic device while still allowing user access to the main connector port of the electronic device. The charging case includes a power module that may receive power from an external power source. The power module may include an inductive coupling coil, photovoltaic cells, or a power cable port. Circuitry within the charging case may control and transmit power from the power module to the electronic device through the conductive contacts. The charging case may include a battery. The charging case may also include a data module for receiving data from an external data source, and the case circuitry may process and transmit data from the data module to the electronic device through the conductive contacts.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2016Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: Nook Digital, LLCInventors: David Christopher Klawon, William Alan Saperstein, Jason Cinge Wong
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Patent number: 9733127Abstract: A system is disclosed for determining the size and location of an object in a monitored area. The system includes a passive infrared sensor (PIR) configured to detect infrared radiation in a monitored area, a lens system including a plurality of lenslets, the plurality of lenslets encoded to create a mask area within the monitored area, a reflective element configured to focus the infrared radiation in the monitored area onto the PIR sensor, and a processor. The processor is configured to detect a moving object in the monitored area, initiate the movement of the reflective element, generating an object signature over time as the reflective element is moved, and the size and location of the object is determined based on the object signature.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2016Date of Patent: August 15, 2017Assignee: Google Inc.Inventors: Aveek Ravishekhar Purohit, William Alan Saperstein
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Publication number: 20170205288Abstract: A system is disclosed for determining the size and location of an object in a monitored area. The system includes a passive infrared sensor (PIR) configured to detect infrared radiation in a monitored area, a lens system including a plurality of lenslets, the plurality of lenslets encoded to create a mask area within the monitored area, a reflective element configured to focus the infrared radiation in the monitored area onto the PIR sensor, and a processor. The processor is configured to detect a moving object in the monitored area, initiate the movement of the reflective element, generating an object signature over time as the reflective element is moved, and the size and location of the object is determined based on the object signature.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2016Publication date: July 20, 2017Inventors: Aveek Ravishekhar Purohit, William Alan Saperstein
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Publication number: 20160141910Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for aiding in charging an electronic device using a charging case. The charging case includes a conductive contact and may connect to a conductive contact of the electronic device while still allowing user access to the main connector port of the electronic device. The charging case includes a power module that may receive power from an external power source. The power module may include an inductive coupling coil, photovoltaic cells, or a power cable port. Circuitry within the charging case may control and transmit power from the power module to the electronic device through the conductive contacts. The charging case may include a battery. The charging case may also include a data module for receiving data from an external data source, and the case circuitry may process and transmit data from the data module to the electronic device through the conductive contacts.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2016Publication date: May 19, 2016Applicant: Nook Digital, LLCInventors: David Christopher Klawon, William Alan Saperstein, Jason Cinge Wong
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Publication number: 20140233770Abstract: Techniques for audio control for an electronic device are discussed. The audio control for speaker channel configuration facilitates supporting proper audio stereo sound based at least in part on an orientation of the electronic device.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 20, 2013Publication date: August 21, 2014Inventors: Giancarlo Anthony Giustina, William Alan Saperstein
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Publication number: 20140233742Abstract: The electronic device has audio control for speaker channel based at least in part on an orientation and number of speakers of the electronic device.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 20, 2013Publication date: August 21, 2014Applicant: barnesandnoble.com llcInventors: Giancarlo Anthony Giustina, William Alan Saperstein
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Publication number: 20140233771Abstract: Techniques for audio control for an electronic device are discussed. The audio control for front and rear speaker channel configuration facilitates supporting proper audio stereo sound based at least in part on an orientation of the electronic device.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 20, 2013Publication date: August 21, 2014Inventors: Giancarlo Anthony Giustina, William Alan Saperstein
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Publication number: 20140021909Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for aiding in charging an electronic device using a charging case. The charging case includes a conductive contact and may connect to a conductive contact of the electronic device while still allowing user access to the main connector port of the electronic device. The charging case includes a power module that may receive power from an external power source. The power module may include an inductive coupling coil, photovoltaic cells, or a power cable port. Circuitry within the charging case may control and transmit power from the power module to the electronic device through the conductive contacts. The charging case may include a battery. The charging case may also include a data module for receiving data from an external data source, and the case circuitry may process and transmit data from the data module to the electronic device through the conductive contacts.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2013Publication date: January 23, 2014Inventors: David Christopher Klawon, William Alan Saperstein, Jason Cinge Wong