Patents by Inventor Winston G. Walker
Winston G. Walker 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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Publication number: 20100164743Abstract: A motorized window covering includes a motor and a housing that holds the motor and a dc battery. Also, within the housing is a wake-up signal amplifier that is constantly energized and a data signal amplifier that is only energized when a wake-up signal is received. A remote control unit is used to generate and transmit the wake-up signal and a data signal that is use to control the operation of the window covering.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 15, 2010Publication date: July 1, 2010Applicant: Harmonic Design, Inc.Inventors: Douglas R. Domel, Winston G. Walker
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Patent number: 7673667Abstract: A motorized window covering has a motor and a housing that holds the motor and a dc battery. When the motor is energized to move a window covering, a pulse detector counts the motor current pulses to determine the position of the window covering. A user can save a motor current pulse count corresponding to a desired position and then return the desired position from a different position by simply pressing a button on a remote control unit. Further, inaccuracies caused by motor current pulses that were not counted by the pulse detector, e.g., at start up, at shut down, or during coast down, are minimized by error correction logic.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2002Date of Patent: March 9, 2010Assignee: Harmonic Design, Inc.Inventors: Douglas R. Domel, Winston G. Walker
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Patent number: 6850017Abstract: A mini-blind actuator has a motor and a housing that holds the motor and a dc battery. The rotor of the motor is coupled to the baton of the mini-blind for rotating the baton and thereby opening or closing the slats of the mini-blind. Alternatively, the rotor is coupled to the tilt rod of the blind to rotate the tilt rod and thereby open or close the slats of the mini-blind. A control signal generator generates a control signal for completing the electrical circuit between the battery and the motor. The control signal can be generated in response to a predetermined amount of daylight or in response to a user-generated remote command signal. The actuator can be used to rotate the slats of horizontal or vertical blinds, or the sections of a pleated shade. Or, the actuator can be used to rotate the hollow rotatable tube of a roll-up shade.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 1999Date of Patent: February 1, 2005Assignee: Harmonic Design, Inc.Inventors: Douglas R. Domel, Winston G. Walker
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Publication number: 20040217731Abstract: A photoelectric power supply system for motorized window coverings includes a light detector electrically connected to a relatively high dielectric capacitor. In turn, the capacitor is connected to an electric motor, and the capacitor is the primary source of power for the motor. The light detector converts solar energy to electric energy that is used to charge the capacitor. The electric motor utilizes electricity from the capacitor as needed.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2002Publication date: November 4, 2004Inventor: Winston G. Walker
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Patent number: 6812662Abstract: A photoelectric power supply system for motorized window coverings includes a light detector electrically connected to a relatively high dielectric capacitor. In turn, the capacitor is connected to an electric motor, and the capacitor is the primary source of power for the motor. The light detector converts solar energy to electric energy that is used to charge the capacitor. The electric motor utilizes electricity from the capacitor as needed.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2002Date of Patent: November 2, 2004Assignee: Harmonic Design, Inc.Inventor: Winston G. Walker
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Patent number: 6794778Abstract: Small permanent magnets are affixed to the protruding portion of a rotor of a motor that is coupled to gears in a gear enclosure. The rod of a window covering is coupled to the gears such that when the motor is energized by a user command signal, the window covering moves. Small braking magnets are also affixed to the receptacle of the gear enclosure, such that when the motor is deenergized, the magnetic coupling between the magnets of the rotor and those of the gear enclosure brakes the rod from turning under the weight of the window covering.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2003Date of Patent: September 21, 2004Assignee: Harmonic Design, Inc.Inventors: Winston G. Walker, Dave Schmeling, Rich Scharf
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Publication number: 20040040674Abstract: A motorized window covering includes an actuator that is controlled by a remote control unit. The remote control unit emits a blinking visible light beam and an invisible encoded light beam superimposed thereon. The blinking visible light beam allows a user to accurately direct the encoded light beam, which carries the control data, toward the actuator. Consequently, the user can control individual actuators within an array of actuators.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 2, 2003Publication date: March 4, 2004Inventors: Eric W. Hauck, Winston G. Walker
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Publication number: 20030145958Abstract: A motorized window covering has a motor and a housing that holds the motor and a dc battery. When the motor is energized to move a window covering, a pulse detector counts the motor current pulses to determine the position of the window covering. A user can save a motor current pulse count corresponding to a desired position and then return the desired position from a different position by simply pressing a button on a remote control unit. Further, inaccuracies caused by motor current pulses that were not counted by the pulse detector, e.g., at start up, at shut down, or during coast down, are minimized by error correction logic.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 16, 2002Publication date: August 7, 2003Inventors: Douglas R. Domel, Winston G. Walker
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Publication number: 20030145955Abstract: A motorized window covering includes an actuator that is controlled by a remote control unit. The remote control unit emits a visible light beam and an invisible encoded light beam superimposed thereon. The visible light beam allows a user to accurately direct the encoded light beam, which carries the control data, toward the actuator. Consequently, the user can control individual actuators within an array of actuators.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2002Publication date: August 7, 2003Inventors: Eric W. Hauck, Winston G. Walker
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Publication number: 20030145957Abstract: A motorized window covering has a motor and a housing that holds the motor and a dc battery. When the motor is energized to move a window covering, a pulse detector counts the electrical pulses of the motor to determine the position of the window covering. A user can save a current pulse count corresponding to a desired position and then return the desired position from a different position by simply pressing a button on a remote control unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2002Publication date: August 7, 2003Inventors: Douglas R. Domel, Winston G. Walker
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Publication number: 20030145956Abstract: A motorized window covering includes a motor and a housing that holds the motor and a dc battery. Also, within the housing is a wake-up signal amplifier that is constantly energized and a data signal amplifier that is only energized when a wake-up signal is received. A remote control unit is used to generate and transmit the wake-up signal and a data signal that is use to control the operation of the window covering.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2002Publication date: August 7, 2003Inventors: Douglas R. Domel, Winston G. Walker
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Patent number: 6433498Abstract: A mini-blind actuator has a motor and a housing that holds the motor and a dc battery. The rotor of the motor is coupled to the baton of the mini-blind for rotating the baton and thereby opening or closing the slats of the mini-blind. Alternatively, the rotor is coupled to the tilt rod of the blind to rotate the tilt rod and thereby open or close the slats of the mini-blind. A control signal generator generates a control signal for completing the electrical circuit between the battery and the motor. The control signal can be generated in response to a predetermined amount of daylight or in response to a user-generated remote command signal. The actuator can be used to rotate the slats of horizontal or vertical blinds, or the sections of a pleated shade. Or, the actuator can be used to rotate the hollow rotatable tube of a roll-up shade.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2000Date of Patent: August 13, 2002Assignee: Harmonic Design, Inc.Inventors: Douglas R. Domel, Winston G. Walker
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Patent number: 6060852Abstract: A mini-blind actuator has a motor and a housing that holds the motor and a dc battery. The rotor of the motor is coupled to the baton of the mini-blind for rotating the baton and thereby opening or closing the slats of the mini-blind. Alternatively, the rotor is coupled to the tilt rod of the blind to rotate the tilt rod and thereby open or close the slats of the mini-blind. A control signal generator generates a control signal for completing the electrical circuit between the battery and the motor. The control signal can be generated in response to a predetermined amount of daylight or in response to a user-generated remote command signal. The actuator can be used to rotate the slats of horizontal or vertical blinds, or the sections of a pleated shade. Or, the actuator can be used to rotate the hollow rotatable tube of a roll-up shade.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 1997Date of Patent: May 9, 2000Assignee: Harmonic Design, Inc.Inventors: Douglas R. Domel, Winston G. Walker
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Patent number: 5907227Abstract: A mini-blind actuator has a motor and a housing that holds the motor and a dc battery. The rotor of the motor is coupled to the baton of the mini-blind for rotating the baton and thereby opening or closing the slats of the mini-blind. Alternatively, the rotor is coupled to the tilt rod of the blind to rotate the tilt rod and thereby open or close the slats of the mini-blind. A control signal generator generates a control signal for completing the electrical circuit between the battery and the motor. The control signal can be generated in response to a predetermined amount of daylight or in response to a user-generated remote command signal. The actuator can be used to rotate the slats of horizontal or vertical blinds, or the sections of a pleated shade. Or, the actuator can be used to rotate the hollow rotatable tube of a roll-up shade.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 1997Date of Patent: May 25, 1999Assignee: Harmonic Design, Inc.Inventors: Douglas R. Domel, Winston G. Walker
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Patent number: 5883480Abstract: A mini-blind actuator has a motor and a housing that holds the motor and a dc battery. The rotor of the motor is coupled to the baton of the mini-blind for rotating the baton and thereby opening or closing the slats of the mini-blind. Alternatively, the rotor is coupled to the tilt rod of the blind to rotate the tilt rod and thereby open or close the slats of the mini-blind. A control signal generator generates a control signal for completing the electrical circuit between the battery and the motor in which reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean "one and only one" unless explicitly so stated in the claim, but rather "one or more". The control signal can be generated in response to a predetermined amount of daylight or in response to a user-generated remote command signal. The actuator can be used to rotate the slats of horizontal or vertical blinds, or the sections of a pleated shade. Or, the actuator can be used to rotate the hollow rotatable tube of a roll-up shade.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 1998Date of Patent: March 16, 1999Assignee: Harmonic Desing, Inc.Inventors: Douglas R. Domel, Winston G. Walker
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Patent number: 5729103Abstract: A mini-blind actuator has a motor and a housing that holds the motor and a dc battery. The rotor of the motor is coupled to the baton of the mini-blind for rotating the baton and thereby opening or closing the slats of the mini-blind. Alternatively, the rotor is coupled to the tilt rod of the blind to rotate the tilt rod and thereby open or close the slats of the mini-blind. A control signal generator generates a control signal for completing the electrical circuit between the battery and the motor. The control signal can be generated in response to a predetermined amount of daylight or in response to a user-generated remote command signal. The actuator can be used to rotate the slats of horizontal or vertical blinds, or the sections of a pleated shade. Or, the actuator can be used to rotate the hollow rotatable tube of a roll-up shade.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 1995Date of Patent: March 17, 1998Assignee: Harmonic Design, Inc.Inventors: Douglas R. Domel, Winston G. Walker
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Patent number: 5714855Abstract: A mini-blind actuator has a motor and a housing that holds the motor and a dc battery. The rotor of the motor is coupled to the baton of the mini-blind for rotating the baton and thereby opening or closing the slats of the mini-blind. Alternatively, the rotor is coupled to the tilt rod of the blind to rotate the tilt rod and thereby open or close the slats of the mini-blind. A control signal generator generates a control signal for completing the electrical circuit between the battery and the motor. The control signal can be generated in response to a predetermined amount of daylight or in response to a user-generated remote command signal. The actuator can be used to rotate the slats of horizontal or vertical blinds, or the sections of a pleated shade. Or, the actuator can be used to rotate the hollow rotatable tube of a roll-up shade.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 1996Date of Patent: February 3, 1998Assignee: Harmonic Design, Inc.Inventors: Douglas R. Domel, Winston G. Walker
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Patent number: 5698958Abstract: A mini-blind actuator has a motor and a housing that holds the motor and a dc battery. The rotor of the motor is coupled to the baton of the mini-blind for rotating the baton and thereby opening or closing the slats of the mini-blind. Alternatively, the rotor is coupled to the tilt rod of the blind to rotate the tilt rod and thereby open or close the slats of the mini-blind. A control signal generator generates a control signal for completing the electrical circuit between the battery and the motor. The control signal can be generated in response to a predetermined amount of daylight or in response to a user-generated remote command signal. The actuator can be used to rotate the slats of horizontal or vertical blinds, or the sections of a pleated shade. Or, the actuator can be used to rotate the hollow rotatable tube of a roll-up shade.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 1995Date of Patent: December 16, 1997Assignee: Harmonic Design, Inc.Inventors: Douglas R. Domel, Winston G. Walker
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Patent number: 5517094Abstract: A mini-blind actuator has a motor and a housing that holds the motor and a dc battery. The rotor of the motor is coupled to the baton of the mini-blind for rotating the baton and thereby opening or closing the slats of the mini-blind. Alternatively, the rotor is coupled to the tilt rod of the blind to rotate the tilt rod and thereby open or close the slats of the mini-blind. A control signal generator generates a control signal for completing the electrical circuit between the battery and the motor. The control signal can be generated in response to a predetermined amount of daylight or in response to a user-generated remote command signal.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 1994Date of Patent: May 14, 1996Assignee: Harmonic Design, Inc.Inventors: Douglas R. Domel, Winston G. Walker
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Patent number: 5495153Abstract: A mini-blind actuator has a motor and a housing that holds the motor and a dc battery. The rotor of the motor is coupled to the baton of the mini-blind for rotating the baton and thereby opening or closing the slats of the mini-blind. Alternatively, the rotor is coupled to the tilt rod of the blind to rotate the tilt rod and thereby open or close the slats of the mini-blind. A control signal generator generates a control signal for completing the electrical circuit between the battery and the motor. The control signal can be generated in response to a predetermined amount of daylight or in response to a user-generated remote command signal. The actuator can be used to rotate the slats of horizontal or vertical blinds, or the sections of a pleated shade.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 1994Date of Patent: February 27, 1996Assignee: Harmonic Design, Inc.Inventors: Douglas R. Domel, Winston G. Walker