Patents Examined by Luke Osborne
  • Patent number: 8798974
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a computer-implemented method for interactive geological interpretation, structural modeling and structural restoration, in which instantaneous feedback is provided to an interpreter. A software module is loaded into and executed by the computer system to implement the method of the invention. The method and system are employed by a technician or scientist, such as an earth scientist, geologist or geophysicist, hereinafter called an “interpreter”. Using the method and system, the interpreter can make skilled qualitative and quantitative appraisals of geologic structures that occur within the upper parts of the earth's crust, including both the current state of such structures and their kinematic development through time. One use of such appraisals is to evaluate resources found in structures within sedimentary basins, including but not limited to oil and gas resources. The method and system can be used to train novice and advanced interpreters to improve their understanding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Inventor: Alan Gordon Nunns
  • Patent number: 8793111
    Abstract: A system for automatically optimizing a Field Development Plan (FDP) for an oil or gas field uses a fast analytic reservoir simulator to dynamically model oil or gas production from the entire reservoir over time in an accurate and rapid manner. An objective function defining a Figure of Merit (FoM) for candidate FDPs is maximized, using an optimization algorithm, to determine an optimized FDP in light of physical, engineering, operational, legal and engineering constraints. The objective function for the Figure of Merit, e.g., net present value (NPV) or total production for a given period of time, relies on a production forecast from the fast analytic reservoir simulator for the entire FDP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Gerhard Tilke, Vijaya Halabe, Raj Banerjee, Tarek M. Habashy, Michael Thambynayagam, Jeffrey Spath, Andrew J. Carnegie, Benoit Couet, William J. Bailey, Michael David Prange
  • Patent number: 8781806
    Abstract: A technique includes identifying a fracture polygon intersecting a voxel of a three-dimensional grid of voxels representing a region of interest of a hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir based on data indicative of a discrete fracture network. The technique includes partitioning the polygon with a regular mesh of points and determining a number of the mesh points inside the voxel and inside the polygon. The technique includes estimating an area of the fracture inside the voxel based at least in part on the determined number of mesh points inside the voxel and inside the polygon. The technique includes determining at least one property of a portion of the hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir, which coincides with the voxel based at least in part on the estimated area of the fracture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Lennert David Den Boer, Colin Michael Sayers
  • Patent number: 8768665
    Abstract: A method and system for modeling and analyzing wafer nanotopography data utilizes a nonlinear contact finite element model. Inputs to the model include lithography chuck parameters and site-based geometry data. Outputs from the model include in-plane distortions and out-of-plane distortions, from which defocus and overlay can be derived.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Sathish Veeraraghavan, Jaydeep Sinha
  • Patent number: 8744829
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a Computer Aided Design (CAD) environment is configured to maintain a model of a system. The CAD environment includes a plurality of predefined transducers, and a graphical user interface configured to permit a user to select one or more of the predefined transducers and connect the selected transducers to portions of the model. The CAD environment further includes a simulation engine to run a simulation of the model. A graphical programming environment is configured to execute a graphical program embodied in a block diagram. The graphical program receives one or more simulated transducer signals from the CAD environment and generates and sends one or more control signals to the CAD environment, to control the simulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Gaudette, Pieter J. Mosterman
  • Patent number: 8731871
    Abstract: A tire mold design method includes determining the values and parameters of various mold components used in a mold and utilizing these mold components in a mold. The parameters of the mold components may vary in length and edge geometry, amongst other things. Additionally, the number of mold components utilized in a mold may vary. Optionally, various mold components may be rotated 180 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
    Inventors: Jon I. Stuckey, John P. Rodak
  • Patent number: 8731877
    Abstract: A new surface impedance model for extraction in lossy two-dimensional (2D) interconnects of rectangular cross-section is presented. The model is derived directly from the volumetric electric field integral equation (EFiE) under the approximation of the unknown volumetric current density as a product of the exponential factor describing the skin-effect and the unknown surface current density on the conductor's periphery. By proper accounting for the coupling between the boundary elements situated on the top and bottom surfaces of conductor with the elements located on the side-walls, the model maintains accuracy from DC to multi-GHz frequencies as well as for conductors with both large and small thickness/width ratios. A generalization of the full-periphery surface impedance model to the three-dimensional electric field integral equation is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Inventors: Vladimir Okhmatovski, Mohammed A. I. Al-Qedra
  • Patent number: 8712743
    Abstract: To provide an intake parameter-calculating device and intake parameter-calculating method for an internal combustion engine, which are capable of accurately calculating intake parameters in a case where an intake throttle valve is provided. The intake parameter-calculating device 1 includes an ECU 2. The ECU 2 calculates an error KTHERRCOR using an error model equation (8) (step 2), and calculates a correction coefficient KTHCOR as the reciprocal of the sum of the error KTHERRCOR and 1 (step 3). The ECU 2 calculates a passing air amount GAIRTH by correcting a basic passing air amount GAIRTHN calculated by an equation (11) using a correction coefficient KTHCOR (step 6). A model parameter A for the error model equation (8) is calculated using equations (14) to (18) by onboard identifying calculation with uniform weighting (steps 48 to 53).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshinori Tsukamoto, Naoki Oie, Masaaki Nagashima
  • Patent number: 8712734
    Abstract: A method for installing industrial components in an environment is provided, in which, with the aid of a computer-assisted design model representing the theoretical layout of the industrial components in the environment, various measuring points of the theoretical positioning of the supports of each component are determined, those theoretical measuring points are codified with values, parameterisable model measuring ranges are parameterized by the codified values, and at least one measuring device is controlled with the aid of the codified values by application of the corresponding range in order to compare the actual positioning points in the environment as a function of theoretical positioning points of the supports of each component. The method is applicable to the installation of the components of the loops of the primary circuits of nuclear power stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Areva NP
    Inventors: Jean-Jacques Barnay, Florent Bonicel
  • Patent number: 8670963
    Abstract: A method for selecting at least one drill bit that includes characterizing an application; checking for at least one drill bit with an equivalent characterization in a data store; when the at least one drill bit with the equivalent characterization exists, selecting the at least one drill bit with the equivalent characterization; and when the at least one drill bit with the equivalent characterization does not exist, recommending at least one drill bit, making an analysis request, analyzing the at least one recommended drill bit based on the analysis request, generating analysis results, and selecting at least one drill bit based on the analysis results is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Smith International, Inc.
    Inventor: Sujian J. Huang
  • Patent number: 8666704
    Abstract: Radio Frequency (RF) coverage models are visualized by displaying three dimensional unity scaled models of antenna performance in a Geographic Information System (GIS), Traditional logarithmic scaled antenna models are converted to linear models and stored as three dimensional representations which are placed and scaled using a GIS to visualize RF coverage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Aruba Networks, Inc.
    Inventor: Clark A. Vitek
  • Patent number: 8655632
    Abstract: Systems and methods perform gridless geological modeling. A system provides an interactive visual model that performs fast modeling of subsurface geological properties without spending processor resources calculating a three-dimensional grid. The system receives structural data, selects points for modeling a property of a subsurface earth volume, and propagates values for the property directly to the points in gridless three-dimensional space. The system then displays the propagated values in an interactive visualization of a structural framework model. The system creates fast interpolation functions and can apply a callback function for acceleration. One technique offloads calculations to a graphics processor or other auxiliary processor for speed. The system provides a myriad of fully interactive volume and dimensional slice probes, with mappable color-coding and a user-selection of rendering styles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Tatiana Moguchaya
  • Patent number: 8645106
    Abstract: A custom-made stem has a shape displaying good fit and fill, reflecting personal characteristics of a femur obtained by computer calculation. A model is made from the femur which does not need much time to calculate in spite of the fact that it complies with the characteristic of shape of the femur, particularly with the personal difference in the curvature thereof, which usually complicates the calculation. Several models are made which can be implanted in a deep hollow by calculating in a reverse course how the stem is pulled out of the deep hollow, to display reliable models to a surgeon. By determining the movement peculiar to the stem of a particular patient, an improved stem is made in a short time which meets the needs of the surgeon. The stem, which is custom-made, can be confirmed beforehand that it agrees with the femur of the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha B.I. TEC
    Inventors: Kojima Kisanuki, Nobuhiko Sugano
  • Patent number: 8645113
    Abstract: A method for evaluating a lightning/HIRF protection effectiveness of a vehicle design is provided. The method is performed using a computer system coupled to a database. The method includes storing in the database design service life goals and critical characteristics for at least one lightning/HIRF protection component. The method also includes storing in the database a potential for degradation of the at least one component. The potential for degradation is based at least partially on a position where the component is to be installed. The method also includes determining continued functionality of the at least one component using the computer system to compare the vehicle design to the stored design service life goals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Gregory J. Sweers
  • Patent number: 8639479
    Abstract: Methods of constructing a virtual model of a gemstone are provided. Aspects of the methods include performing measurements of the gemstone to construct a three-dimensional (3D) model of an exterior surface of the gemstone; identifying one or more visible inclusions within an interior volume of the gemstone; capturing at least one image of the inclusion; using the at least one image to determine relevant optical characteristics of the inclusion; and constructing a 3D virtual model of the inclusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Ideal-Scope Pty. Ltd.
    Inventor: Sergey Borisovich Sivovolenko
  • Patent number: 8639490
    Abstract: A trace associated with an abstraction of a target device is utilized to guide an execution of the target device to be substantially similar to the trace. An execution of the target device determines a non-deterministic decision based on a probability function. The probability function is configured to increase the likelihood that the execution will be substantially similar to the abstracted trace. Cross-entropy method may be utilized to guide the execution of the target device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hana Chockler, Sharon Keidar-Barner
  • Patent number: 8635051
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a hydraulic simulation model corresponding to a real-world hydraulic network is loaded in a hydraulic modeling and simulation application executing on a computer system. The hydraulic simulation model represents leakages as pressure dependent emitter flow at selected nodes (leakage nodes). Optimization criteria include a specified maximum of possible leakage nodes. A genetic algorithm (GA) generates trial solutions for an optimization, each trial solution representing locations for leakage nodes and corresponding emitter coefficients. A hydraulic analysis is performed for the trial solutions to generated model-simulated results. The model-simulated results are compared to field-observed data for the real-world hydraulic network to generate goodness-of-fit values. The process is repeated until a particular goodness-of-fit value is achieved or a maximum number of iterations is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Bentley Systems, Incorporated
    Inventors: Zheng Yi Wu, Paul Sage, Thomas M. Walski, Wayne R. Hartell, Kristopher L. Culin
  • Patent number: 8630823
    Abstract: A feature parameter candidate generation apparatus has a storage unit that stores the values of feature parameters extracted from each of samples, an index value calculation unit that calculates an index value, which is obtained by normalizing the number of the kinds of the values of feature parameters by the number of the samples, for each of the feature parameters, an evaluation object selection unit that selects combinations of feature parameters which are objects to be evaluated, an evaluation unit that evaluates whether the uniformity of a frequency distribution of index values of the individual feature parameters for combinations of feature parameters selected as the objects to be evaluated satisfies a predetermined criterion, and a candidate determination unit that determines, as feature parameter candidates to be given to the model generation device, a combination of feature parameters that is evaluated to satisfy the predetermined criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Omron Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Yoneda, Hiroshi Nakajima, Naoki Tsuchiya, Hiroshi Tasaki
  • Patent number: 8630829
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a Computer Aided Design (CAD) environment is configured to maintain a model of a system. The CAD environment includes a plurality of predefined transducers, and a graphical user interface configured to permit a user to select one or more of the predefined transducers and connect the selected transducers to portions of the model. The CAD environment further includes a simulation engine to run a simulation of the model. A graphical programming environment is configured to execute a graphical program embodied in a block diagram. The graphical program receives one or more simulated transducer signals from the CAD environment and generates and sends one or more control signals to the CAD environment, to control the simulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Gaudette, Pieter J. Mosterman
  • Patent number: 8620633
    Abstract: A method is provided for predicting a value of a first variable based on values of a plurality of additional variables, values of a plurality of first coefficients, and values of a plurality of second coefficients. The method is usable in, for example, predicting by-products of a process based on values of variables relating to operation of the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Inventor: Brian G. Swanson