Hall Labs LLC

Other

Medic, Inc.

Austin Carlson

David R Hall

Emily Brimhall

Jerome Miles

Kevin Rees

Davido Hyer

Terrece Pearman

Clint Cook

Jedediah Knight

Seth J Myer

Mark Madsen

Joe R Fox

Lloyd J Wilson

Jennifer Stevens

Casey Webb

Joseph C Duncan

Corey Webb

Aaron Myer

Devon Mack Lawless

A leveler for a window covering is disclosed. A fixed portion is secured to a headrail of a window casing, and moving portion is secured to the window covering. The moving portion is movable upward and downward relative to the fixed portion to allow for vertical adjustment of one end of the window covering relative to the window casing to straighten the window covering in the window.

Leveler for window covering

An automated sliding window mechanism is disclosed. An automated sliding window mechanism includes a motor attached to a first component of a sliding window and configured to open and close the sliding window, a controller that controls the motor, and at least two air pressure sensors in communication with a processor. If the window is open, based on signals from the air pressure sensors, the processor determines whether a draft is flowing through the window. If the window is closed, based on signals from the air pressure sensor, the processor determines whether a draft would flow through the window if opened. The processor sends a signal to the controller to either open or close the window, depending on whether a user has elected to have a draft flow through the window. In a preferred embodiment, a system is provided with at least two automated windows.

Automated sliding window mechanism with air pressure sensor

An automated sliding panel mechanism is disclosed. An automated sliding panel mechanism includes a motor attached to a first component of a sliding panel that is configured to move the sliding panel between a closed position and an open position. The mechanism also includes a power source and a rack attached to a second component of the sliding panel and including a base with rack teeth extending from a plane thereof. A gear is rotated by the motor and has gear teeth shaped to mesh with the rack teeth. A manual release mechanism is adapted to move the gear along its axis of rotation, from an engaged position, wherein the gear teeth mesh with the rack teeth to a released position, wherein the gear teeth are disengaged from the rack teeth. The manual release mechanism also includes a holding mechanism adapted to hold the gear in the engaged position and in the released position as selected by a user.

Automated sliding panel mechanism with manual release mechanism

A photovoltaic modular system is disclosed. One or more photovoltaic (PV) modules are connected together with embedded parallel wiring that facilitates the sharing of power from a plurality of PV modules to power one or more electrical devices. Control electronics within each individual PV module allows the isolation of PV modules that are shaded or otherwise not productive. No external connecting wiring, or devices are required to make the system functional. All wiring, connectors and electronics are integral and embedded within each individual PV module. The PV modules have adhesive on the back to allow them to be installed without additional mounting hardware. All PV module system components are completely encapsulated together in one modular component.

Photovoltaic modular system

A window covering in accordance with the invention includes a gearbox assembly comprising a controller incorporated into the gearbox, a motor incorporated into the gearbox, and an external sensor is provided to provide external inputs to the controller in the gearbox assembly. The external sensor may include a security sensor, a temperature sensor, a light sensor, an audio sensor, a smoke detector, a carbon monoxide detector, or a humidity sensor. The controller is further configured to relay sensor information to a remote HVAC system or security system.

Consolidated gearbox controller in a window covering with external sensor input

An automated window mechanism with sensor informed calibration is disclosed. An electrically powered actuator moves a window between a closed position and an open position. A current sensor senses the current between a power source and the actuator when the actuator is moving the window. Informed by the current sensor, a processor determines a first endpoint when the window is in the closed position and a second endpoint when the window is in the open position for the window. A controller uses the endpoints to control the actuator to stop in either the first or the second endpoint as desired by a user. Sensors inform the controller, and user input via a mobile device enables both direct user control and programming of the controller.

Automated window mechanism with calibration function

A system for controlling motorized window coverings is described herein. The window coverings each have a processor, a network device and wireless transmitters enabling connection via a network. The network is controlled by one or more mobile devices which receive user input. The mobile devices wirelessly connect to a local area network (LAN) via a hub. One or more hubs are connected via the LAN. The window coverings are networked via a personal area network (PAN). The hubs convert the LAN protocol to the PAN protocol. Sensors send sensor data along with real time weather data to the processor. The processor uses this sensor data to update charts and schedules in memory, then sends commands to the controller based on these updated charts and schedules according to user defined and factory set parameters. The system includes both local and cloud based control.

Low power hub wireless control of motorized window coverings

We disclose a window blind which purifies the surrounding air using electrostatic interactions. The window blind includes slats which may have a strip of positively charged material, a strip of negatively charged material, or both attached to the top of the slat. In some embodiments, the positively charged material and the negatively charged material are attached to alternating slats. In other embodiments, the positively charged material and the negatively charged material are attached to the top of the same slate with a strip of insulating material positioned between them. The window blind may include an air-moving device which moves air past the slats so that dust particles with either a net positive charge or net negative charge may be attracted to the oppositely charged material on the slat. The air-moving device may be a vacuum or a fan. The positively and negatively charged materials may be removeable for cleaning.

Window blinds that collect dust from air using electrostatic charge

An apparatus for installing a window covering is disclosed. A rotational cam member is provided for extending a first piston on one side of a headrail and compressing a second piston on the opposite side of the headrail between a window casing. A lever arm is provided for rotating the rotational cam. Easy installation of a window covering headrail may be achieved as one arm is used to hold the headrail while the other hand is able to actuated the lever arm. Mounting brackets are provided for easy window covering removal after installation.

Easy installation headrail assembly

The invention is a motorized gearbox assembly. The motorized gearbox assembly includes a motor that drives an output shaft. The output shaft actuates a window covering by applying torque to a tilt rod of the window covering. The output shaft extends substantially an entire length of the motorized gearbox assembly. It also has a through-channel that extends substantially an entire length of the output shaft, so that the tilt rod can pass entirely through the motorized gearbox assembly. Because of this, the motorized gearbox assembly can be used for retrofitting blinds. In some embodiments, the motorized gearbox assembly has a diametrically polarized magnet driven by the output shaft, and a position encoder that measures the output shaft's position and number of rotations.

Retrofittable motorized gearbox assembly

The system includes a headrail, which includes a motor, a gearbox, and one or more tiltable slats. At least one slat includes sliding tracks. The system further includes one or more PV cells movably disposed within the sliding tracks. The PV cells slide in move along the tracks with regard to an amount of sunlight incident on the cells. Methods of operating a solar powered window covering are also disclosed. The methods generally include detecting a tilt of at least one window covering slat. The slat includes one or more PV cells disposed in sliding tracks in the slat, and the tilt indicates an amount of sunlight incident on the cells. The methods also include sliding the PV cells in the tracks with regard to the amount of sunlight incident on the cells.

Solar-powered window covering

A motorized window covering switching mechanism is described herein. The switching mechanism includes a deflectable arm and a pull cord. The deflectable arm is connected to a first contact, and the pull cord is connected to the deflectable arm such that, as the pull cord is tugged, the deflectable arm deflects to move the first contact toward a second contact, thereby converting gestures of the pull cord into electrical signals that control a motorized window covering. In some embodiments, cord gestures that deflect the deflectable arm include pull sequences, numbers of pulls, strength of pulls, or combinations thereof. Additionally, in some embodiments, a controller receives the cord gestures and translates the cord gestures into operational commands to control and operate a window covering gearbox assembly.

Pull cord switching mechanism for controlling a window covering

We disclose a window blind that includes a capacitor within each slat. Each plate of the capacitor may be connected to one of two batteries. At least one switch may be placed between each capacitor plate and its adjoining battery. When one switch is open, another switch may be closed thereby sending current to only one plate at a time. The plate that receives the current is negatively charged and the remaining plate is positively charged. The switch that is open may be changed to reverse the charges of the plates. This charge reversal may be actuated through a series of pull cord gestures from a user. By creating an electrical charge on the plates, dust is pulled from the air according to the net charge of the dust particles. The window blind therefore functions as an air purifier as well as a traditional window blind.

Window blinds with capacitor in slats to charge slats and clean the air

In various example embodiments, a low energy electric motor brake is described comprising one or more electronic switches that connect the input wires to an electric motor together, thus shorting out the motor and braking the motor. The electronic switches are separate from the control system, and provide the braking function. This alleviates the motor controllers and other system control units from providing the braking function to the motor. The electronic switches require minimal to no power in order to maintain the brake to the motor. The control unit may be placed in a low power or sleep mode while the electronic switches maintain the brake.

Low energy electric motor brake

The invention is an intelligent headrail for a window covering which includes an extensible end cap which applies force to the adjacent window or door frame to hold the headrail in place. The end cap includes a pressure sensor or a force sensing resistor to detect whether sufficient force is present to safely hold the headrail in place. The headrail may include a controller which is connected to the pressure sensor or a force sensing resistor. The controller may include program code which identifies the safety status of the window covering based on the pressure or force reading. The controller may include a data transmission port which transmits pressure or force readings to an output device. The program code may also send a report to the output device to indicate whether the force or pressure is moderately low or so low that the window covering is in danger of falling.

Growing community of inventors

Provo, UT, United States of America

Austin Carlson