Patents by Inventor C. Bruce Clark

C. Bruce Clark 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).

  • Publication number: 20100213928
    Abstract: A piston rod position sensing system includes a cylinder and a piston rod arranged in the cylinder for movement with respect thereto. A magnetically hard layer is formed on the piston rod to provide a recording medium. A magnetic pattern is recorded in the magnetically hard layer. The magnetic pattern includes tracks recorded in the magnetically hard layer lengthwise of the piston rod. Each track comprises magnetically written regions used to identify a current position of the piston rod. The sensing system also includes a plurality of magnetic field sensors in greater number than the plurality of tracks. Each magnetic field sensor senses the magnetically written regions of one or more of the tracks while the piston rod is moving with respect to the cylinder and generates signals used for detecting rotation of the piston rod in response to the sensed magnetically written regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2010
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Applicant: SRI INTERNATIONAL
    Inventors: Thomas P. Low, C. Bruce Clark, Ronald E. Pelrine, Joseph S. Eckerle, Chris Smith, Glovanni Zangarl
  • Patent number: 7737685
    Abstract: Described is a piston rod position-sensing system having a cylinder and piston rod arranged in the cylinder for movement with respect thereto. A magnetically hard layer is formed on the piston rod to provide a recording medium. The magnetically hard layer is made of a cobalt-phosphorous (Co—P)-based alloy. A magnetic pattern is recorded in the magnetically hard layer. A magnetic field sensor located in the cylinder senses the recorded magnetic pattern while the piston rod is moving with respect to the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: SRI International
    Inventors: Thomas P. Low, C. Bruce Clark, Ronald E. Pelrine, Joseph S. Eckerle, Chris Smith, Giovanni Zangari
  • Publication number: 20080143324
    Abstract: Described is a piston rod position-sensing system having a cylinder and piston rod arranged in the cylinder for movement with respect thereto. A magnetically hard layer is formed on the piston rod to provide a recording medium. The magnetically hard layer is made of a cobalt-phosphorous (Co—P)-based alloy. A magnetic pattern is recorded in the magnetically hard layer. A magnetic field sensor located in the cylinder senses the recorded magnetic pattern while the piston rod is moving with respect to the cylinder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2007
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicant: SRI INTERNATIONAL
    Inventors: Thomas P. Low, C. Bruce Clark, Ronald E. Pelrine, Joseph S. Eckerle, Chris Smith, Giovanni Zangari
  • Patent number: 7307418
    Abstract: Described are system for recording piston rod position information in a magnetic layer on the piston rod. A piston rod has a magnetically hard layer formed thereon to provide a recording medium. A magnetic pattern is recorded in the magnetically hard layer. A magnetic field sensor disposed adjacent to the piston rod senses the recorded magnetic pattern while the piston rod is moving and generates signals in response to the magnetic pattern that are used to determine a position of the piston rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: SRI International
    Inventors: Thomas P. Low, C. Bruce Clark, Ronald E. Pelrine, Joseph S. Eckerle, Chris Smith
  • Patent number: 7034527
    Abstract: Described are systems of recording piston rod position information in a magnetic layer on the piston rod. A piston rod moving with respect to a cylinder has a magnetically hard layer formed thereon to provide a recording medium. A magnetic pattern is recorded in the magnetically hard layer. A magnetic field sensor senses the recorded magnetic pattern while the piston rod is moving with respect to the cylinder and generates signals in response to the magnetic pattern that are used to determine an instantaneous position of the piston rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: SRI International
    Inventors: Thomas P. Low, C. Bruce Clark, Ronald E. Pelrine, Joseph S. Eckerle, Chris Smith
  • Patent number: 6989669
    Abstract: Described are a system and method of recording piston rod position information in a magnetic layer on the piston rod. A piston rod moving with respect to a cylinder has a magnetically hard layer formed thereon to provide a recording medium. A magnetic pattern is recorded in the magnetically hard layer. A magnetic field sensor senses the recorded magnetic pattern while the piston rod is moving with respect to the cylinder and generates signals in response to the magnetic pattern that are used to determine an instantaneous position of the piston rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: SRI International
    Inventors: Thomas P. Low, C. Bruce Clark, Ronald E. Pelrine, Joseph S. Eckerle, Chris Smith
  • Publication number: 20040222788
    Abstract: Described are a system and method of recording piston rod position information in a magnetic layer on the piston rod. A piston rod moving with respect to a cylinder has a magnetically hard layer formed thereon to provide a recording medium. A magnetic pattern is recorded in the magnetically hard layer. A magnetic field sensor senses the recorded magnetic pattern while the piston rod is moving with respect to the cylinder and generates signals in response to the magnetic pattern that are used to determine an instantaneous position of the piston rod.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2004
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Applicant: SRI International
    Inventors: Thomas P. Low, C. Bruce Clark, Ronald E. Pelrine, Joseph S. Eckerle, Chris Smith