Patents by Inventor William S. Richie, Jr.
William S. Richie, Jr. 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: 8861166Abstract: An ionization system for a predefined area includes a plurality of emitter modules spaced around the area, a system controller for individually addressing and monitoring the emitter modules and communication lines for electrically connecting the plurality of emitter modules with the system controller. Each emitter module has an individual address and including at least one electrical ionizer.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2011Date of Patent: October 14, 2014Assignee: Illinois Tool Works, Inc.Inventors: William S. Richie, Jr., Richard D. Rodrigo, Philip R. Hall
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Publication number: 20120092804Abstract: An ionization system for a predefined area includes a plurality of emitter modules spaced around the area, a system controller for individually addressing and monitoring the emitter modules and communication lines for electrically connecting the plurality of emitter modules with the system controller. Each emitter module has an individual address and including at least one electrical ionizer.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 11, 2011Publication date: April 19, 2012Applicant: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: William S. Richie, JR., Richard D. Rodrigo, Philip R. Hall
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Patent number: 7391599Abstract: An ionization system for a predefined area includes a plurality of emitter modules spaced around the area, a system controller for individually addressing and monitoring the emitter modules and communication lines for electrically connecting the plurality of emitter modules with the system controller. Each emitter module has an individual address and including at least one electrical ionizer.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2006Date of Patent: June 24, 2008Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: William S. Richie, Jr., Richard D. Rodrigo, Philip R. Hall
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Patent number: 7161788Abstract: An ionization system for a predefined area includes a plurality of emitter modules spaced around the area, a system controller for individually addressing and monitoring the emitter modules and communication lines for electrically connecting the plurality of emitter modules with the system controller. Each emitter module has an individual address and including at least one electrical ionizer.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2003Date of Patent: January 9, 2007Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: William S. Richie, Jr., Richard D. Rodrigo, Philip R. Hall
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Patent number: 7081818Abstract: A tracking system uses RFID (radio frequency identification) tag technology to facilitate the identification and tracking of items in an environment through a technique known as shadowing. As an object or target moves within a pre-described detection zone with communicating antenna and RFID sensors, the object or target blocks the line of sight between respective antenna and sensors, preventing electromagnetic coupling between the sensor and the antenna and thus casting an electromagnetic shadow along the line of sight. One approach of this invention uses this shadow technique to perform functions such as theft (shrink) deterrence/detection; tracking the motion of objects through an environment by monitoring the shadow; and correlation analysis of people shadows to tagged items (e.g., merchandise, articles) to foster marketing and merchandizing effectiveness.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2004Date of Patent: July 25, 2006Assignee: Checkpoint Systems, Inc.Inventors: Eric Eckstein, Gary T. Mazoki, William S. Richie, Jr.
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Patent number: 6717414Abstract: A monitor apparatus and corresponding method of monitoring high voltage alternating current in the emitter and reference circuits of ionizers. The monitor is capacitively coupled to the emitter and reference circuits to detect faults without affecting the ionizer operation. Faults are displayed on a light emitting diode display. In an alternative embodiment, faults may be indicated by output signals. The output signals are used to automatically adjust the ionizer operation.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2001Date of Patent: April 6, 2004Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: Richard D. Rodrigo, William S. Richie, Jr.
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Patent number: 6643113Abstract: A method of balancing positive and negative ion output in an electrical ionizer having positive and negative ion emitters and positive and negative high voltage power supplies associated with the respective positive and negative ion emitters includes automatically adjusting at least one of the positive and negative high voltage power supplies by ramping up or ramping down the at least one of the positive and negative power supplies at a predetermined rate. Another method of balancing positive and negative ion output in an electrical ionizer having positive and negative ion emitters and positive and negative high voltage power supplies associated with the respective positive and negative ion emitters includes automatically adjusting at least one of the positive and negative high voltage power supplies by ramping up the at least one of the positive and negative power supplies at a predetermined rate upon initiation of the operation of the electrical ionizer.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2002Date of Patent: November 4, 2003Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: William S. Richie, Jr., Richard D. Rodrigo, Philip R. Hall
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Patent number: 6507473Abstract: A room ionization system includes a plurality of emitter modules, each including an electrical ionizer. The emitter modules are spaced around the room and are connected in a daisy-chain manner to a system controller. Each emitter module has an individual address for allowing the system controller or a remote control transmitter to individually address and control each emitter module. Electrical lines containing both power and communication lines connect the plurality of emitter modules with the system controller. Each emitter module stores a balance reference value and an ion output current reference value for use by automatic balance control and automatic ion output current control circuitry.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2001Date of Patent: January 14, 2003Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: William S. Richie, Jr., Richard D. Rodrigo, Philip R. Hall
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Patent number: 6417581Abstract: Circuitry is provided in a device to automatically change the relative position of the electrical lines which enter the device upon detection of a miswired condition. More specifically, the circuitry allows the device to function normally even if an installer accidentally inverts (i.e., flips or reverses) the wiring connections when attaching connectors to a communication/power line of the device. In this manner, the installer does not need to rewire the lines.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2001Date of Patent: July 9, 2002Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: Philip R. Hall, William S. Richie, Jr.
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Patent number: 6271756Abstract: A security tag detection and localization system for detecting a resonant security tag in a security zone comprising a Plurality of detection zones, and generating an alarm signal localizing the resonant security tag to a detection zone. The system includes an antenna array for radiating interrogation signals and receiving response signals. The antenna array forms the upper boundary, the lower boundary or both the upper and lower boundaries of a security zone and extends horizontally across the width and length of the security zone. The antenna array comprises at least two antennas. The antennas forming the upper and lower boundaries are disposed side-by-side in a single horizontal plane with each antenna being electromagnetically coupled to one of the detection zones.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 1999Date of Patent: August 7, 2001Assignee: Checkpoint Systems, Inc.Inventors: John E. Davies, Jr., Eric A. Eckstein, Edwin H. Hopton, Jr., William S. Richie, Jr.
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Patent number: 6252756Abstract: A room ionization system includes a plurality of emitter modules, each including an electrical ionizer. The emitter modules are spaced around the room and are connected in a daisy-chain manner to a system controller. Each emitter module has an individual address for allowing the system controller or a remote control transmitter to individually address and control each emitter module. Electrical lines containing both power and communication lines connect the plurality of emitter modules with the system controller. Each emitter module stores a balance reference value and an ion output current reference value for use by automatic balance control and automatic ion output current control circuitry.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 1999Date of Patent: June 26, 2001Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: William S. Richie, Jr., Richard D. Rodrigo, Philip R. Hall