Matthew R Reynolds

US Patent:

8334784, Dec 18, 2012

Filed:

Dec 22, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/335045

Inventors:

Shwetak N. Patel - Seattle WA, US
Thomas M. Robertson - Atlanta GA, US
Gregory D. Abowd - Atlanta GA, US
Matthew S. Reynolds - Durham NC, US

Assignee:

Belkin International Inc. - Playa Vista CA

International Classification:

G08B 21/00

US Classification:

340657, 34031011, 340644, 340 1232

Abstract:

Activity sensing in the home has a variety of important applications, including healthcare, entertainment, home automation, energy monitoring and post-occupancy research studies. Many existing systems for detecting occupant activity require large numbers of sensors, invasive vision systems, or extensive installation procedures. Disclosed is an approach that uses a single plug-in sensor to detect a variety of electrical events throughout the home. This sensor detects the electrical noise on residential power lines created by the abrupt switching of electrical devices and the noise created by certain devices while in operation. Machine learning techniques are used to recognize electrically noisy events such as turning on or off a particular light switch, a television set, or an electric stove. The system has been tested to evaluate system performance over time and in different types of houses. Results indicate that various electrical events can be learned and classified with accuracies ranging from 85-90%.

US Patent:

20100288468, Nov 18, 2010

Filed:

May 12, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/778771

Inventors:

Shwetak N. Patel - Seattle WA, US
Matthew S. Reynolds - Durham NC, US
Gregory D. Abowd - Atlanta GA, US

Assignee:

Georgia Tech Research Corporation - Atlanta GA

International Classification:

F24F 7/00
G08B 21/00
B01D 46/42

US Classification:

165 59, 340669, 96421

Abstract:

In some embodiments, a motion detecting device is configured to detect whether one or more movement events have occurred. The motion detecting device can include: (a) a processing module configured to run on a computational unit; and (b) a sensing device having: (1) one or more pressure sensors configured to provide two or more pressure measurements; and (2) a transmitter electrically coupled to the one or more pressure sensors and configured to transmit the two or more pressure measurements to the computational unit. The processing module is configured to use the two or more pressure measurements to determine whether the one or more movement events have occurred. The sensing device can be configured to be placed in at least one of ductwork of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system or an air handler of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system. Other embodiments are disclosed.

US Patent:

20110028093, Feb 3, 2011

Filed:

Jul 28, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/845680

Inventors:

Shwetak N. Patel - Seattle WA, US
Gregory D. Abowd - Atlanta GA, US
Ohad Zeira - Santa Monica CA, US
Ryan Yong Kim - Torrance CA, US
Matthew S. Reynolds - Durham NC, US
Joshua Seal - Marina del Rey CA, US
Vishwajeet Chatterji - Redondo Beach CA, US

International Classification:

H04B 7/00

US Classification:

455 412

Abstract:

Some embodiments teach an apparatus for determining a proximity of one or more first Bluetooth devices. The apparatus can include: (a) at least one Bluetooth base station with (1) a Bluetooth transmitter configured to transmit one or more service discovery requests to the one or more first Bluetooth devices; and (2) a Bluetooth receiver configured to receive one or more responses from the one or more first Bluetooth devices to the one or more service discovery requests; and (b) a computational module configured to run on one or more processors and further configured to determine one or more approximate distances between the at least one Bluetooth base station and the one or more first Bluetooth devices based on the one or more responses from the one or more first Bluetooth devices. Other embodiments are disclosed.

US Patent:

20110282596, Nov 17, 2011

Filed:

May 14, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/780713

Inventors:

Shwetak N. Patel - Seattle WA, US
Sidhant Gupta - Seattle WA, US
Matthew S. Reynolds - Durham NC, US

Assignee:

Belkin International, Inc. - Playa Vista CA

International Classification:

G01F 1/66

US Classification:

702 48

Abstract:

In some embodiments, an apparatus can be configured to detect gas usage. The apparatus can include: (a) a processing module configured to run on a computational unit; and (b) a sensing unit configured to be coupled to a gas regulator, the sensing unit having: (1) at least one acoustic sensor configured to detect two or more acoustic signals produced by the gas regulator and convert the two or more acoustic signals into one or more first data signals; and (2) a transmitter electrically coupled to the at least one acoustic sensor and configured to transmit the one or more first data signals to the computational unit. The processing module is configured to use the one or more first data signals to determine the gas usage. Other embodiments are disclosed.

US Patent:

20120068692, Mar 22, 2012

Filed:

Jul 1, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/175770

Inventors:

Shwetak N. Patel - Seattle WA, US
Sidhant Gupta - Seattle WA, US
Matthew S. Reynolds - Durham NC, US
Karthik Yogeeswaran - Santa Monica CA, US

Assignee:

Belkin International, Inc. - Playa Vista CA

International Classification:

G01R 35/04

US Classification:

324202

Abstract:

Some embodiments can concern a method of using a power consumption measurement device. The power consumption measurement device can be mechanically coupled to a surface of a circuit breaker box overlying at least part of one or more main electrical supply conductors for an electrical power infrastructure of a structure. The method can include: determining one or more first magnetic field readings from the one or more main electrical supply conductors using one or more sensors in the power consumption measurement device; after determining the one or more first magnetic field readings, electrically coupling a first calibration load to the electrical power infrastructure; while the first calibration load remains electrically coupled to the electrical power infrastructure, determining one or more second magnetic field readings from the one or more main electrical supply conductors using the one or more sensors in the power consumption measurement device; calibrating the power consumption measurement device using at least in part the one or more first magnetic field readings and the one or more second magnetic field readings, after calibrating the power consumption measurement device, determining one or more third magnetic field readings from the one or more main electrical supply conductors using the one or more sensors in the power consumption measurement device; and determining an electrical power used by the electrical power infrastructure of the structure using at least the one or more third magnetic field readings and the one or more calibration coefficients. Calibrating the power consumption measurement device can include determining one or more first calibration coefficients for the power consumption measurement device using at least in part the one or more first magnetic field readings and the one or more second magnetic field readings. Other embodiments are disclosed.

US Patent:

20130179124, Jul 11, 2013

Filed:

Apr 26, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/392313

Inventors:

Shwetak N. Patel - Seattle WA, US
Matthew S. Reynolds - Durham NC, US
Sidhant Gupta - Seattle WA, US
Karthik Yogeeswaran - Santa Monica CA, US

International Classification:

G01R 19/00

US Classification:

702190

Abstract:

Some embodiments can concern an apparatus configured to detect an electrical state of one or more electrical devices. The one or more electrical devices are coupled to an electrical power infrastructure and generate one or more high-frequency electrical signals on the electrical power infrastructure. The apparatus can include: (a) a processing module configured to run on a processor of a computational unit; and (b) a sensing device configured to be coupled to an electrical outlet. The sensing device can have: (a) a data acquisition receiver configured to receive the one or more high-frequency electrical signals via the electrical outlet and convert the one or more high-frequency electrical signals into one or more first data signals when the sensing device is coupled to the electrical outlet. The electrical outlet can be electrically coupled to the electrical power infrastructure. The sensing device is in communication with the computational unit. The processing module is further configured to identify the electrical state of the one or more electrical devices at least in part using the one or more first data signals. The high-frequency electrical signals comprise electrical signals in the ten kilohertz to three megahertz range. Other embodiments are disclosed.

US Patent:

20140070940, Mar 13, 2014

Filed:

Sep 11, 2013

Appl. No.:

14/024388

Inventors:

Gabriel A. Cohn - Sammamish WA, US
Matthew S. Reynolds - Durham NC, US

Assignee:

University of Washington through its Center for Commercialization - Seattle WA

International Classification:

G08B 29/02

US Classification:

340506

Abstract:

Apparatuses, sensor nodes, systems and methods for modulating and transmitting sensor data wirelessly to an existing power line network are described. An apparatus may include a microcontroller having an oscillator and an input/output buffer. The microcontroller may process an electrical signal and the input/output buffer may drive a digital signal. The apparatus may include a transmitter utilizing the oscillator and the input/output buffer of the microcontroller. The transmitter may include a resonator coupled to the oscillator and modulation circuitry coupled to the oscillator and resonator. The resonator may modulate a frequency of the oscillator responsive to a modulation signal based on the processed electrical signal. The transmitter may further include an antenna coupled to the input/output buffer of the microcontroller for transmission of the data, and a resonant tank coupled to an output of the input/output buffer to provide an analog signal to the antenna.

US Patent:

20140072060, Mar 13, 2014

Filed:

Sep 11, 2013

Appl. No.:

14/024401

Inventors:

Gabriel A. Cohn - Sammamish WA, US
Matthew S. Reynolds - Durham NC, US

Assignee:

University of Washington through its Center for Commercialization - Seattle WA

International Classification:

H04B 3/54

US Classification:

375257

Abstract:

Apparatuses, receivers, systems and methods for receiving data via a power line infrastructure. An exemplary apparatus includes a base station configured to receive a signal from a power line of a structure by coupling to the power line through an electrical outlet. The base station may include an impedance matching circuit configured to match an impedance of the power line of the structure, and a receiver coupled to the impedance matching circuit. The receiver may be configured to demodulate the signal received from the power line of the structure, convert the demodulated signal into a digital signal, and provide the digital signal to a decoder.