Patents by Inventor Dean M. Vieau

Dean M. Vieau 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: 20190353621
    Abstract: A crack detecting system includes a tool movable along a conduit or structure and having at least one sensing device for sensing cracks in a wall of the conduit or structure. The sensing device includes a fluid emitter and the fluid emitter includes at least one orifice configured to emit fluid. In response to the orifice emitting fluid, the emitted fluid excites the conduit or structure and the sensing device senses a response from the excitation of the conduit or structure. A processor is operable to process the response sensed by the sensing device and responsive to the processing, the processor determines flaws present at the wall of the conduit or structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: David S. Smith, Dean M. Vieau, Douglas W. Spencer
  • Patent number: 10444194
    Abstract: A material property determining system operable to determine properties of a conduit. The material property determining system includes a tool movable along a conduit and having at least one sensing device for sensing at least one property of the conduit. A processor is operable to process outputs of the at least one sensing device. Responsive to processing of the outputs by the processor, the processor correlates the processed outputs to determine the type of material of the conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: QUANTA ASSOCIATES, L.P.
    Inventors: Bruce I. Girrell, Dean M. Vieau, Johana M. Chirinos, Douglas W. Spencer, Trenton M. Bruce, Jabin D. Reinhold
  • Patent number: 10364665
    Abstract: A stress mapping system and method is operable to determine and map stresses along a conduit. The system includes a tool movable along a conduit and having at least one sensing device for sensing characteristics of the conduit, and a processor operable to process an output of the at least one sensing device. Responsive to processing of the output by the processor, the processor is operable to determine stresses at a surface of the conduit. Responsive to the processing of the output of the at least one sensing device, and responsive to a determination of a location or position of the tool along the conduit, the system generates a map of determined stresses along the conduit. The map of determined stresses provides a visual representation of the stresses determined at and along the surface of the conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: QUANTA ASSOCIATES, L.P.
    Inventors: Bruce I. Girrell, Dean M. Vieau, Johana M. Chirinos, Douglas W. Spencer
  • Publication number: 20190086370
    Abstract: A crack detecting system includes a tool movable along a conduit or structure and having at least one sensing device for sensing cracks in a wall of the conduit or structure. The system includes an exciter that excites the structure chaotically. The sensing device senses the material response from the exciter. A processor is operable to process response signals of the at least one sensing device. The processor analyzes the sensed response signals employing at least one methodology, wherein the at least one methodology includes a classical statistical methodology selected from the group consisting of standard deviation, skew, and kurtosis to detect cracks at wall of the conduit or structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventors: Dean M. Vieau, Bruce I. Girrell, Johana M. Chirinos, Douglas W. Spencer
  • Publication number: 20180231507
    Abstract: A crack detecting system includes a tool movable along a conduit or structure and having at least one sensing device for sensing cracks in a wall of the conduit or structure. The tool includes at least one component that includes a metamaterial. The system includes an emitting source that has at least one transducer. A processor is operable to process an output of the at least one sensing device. The processor responsively determines cracks present at the wall of the conduit or structure via the processed output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventors: Dean M. Vieau, Bruce I. Girrell, Johana M. Chirinos, Douglas W. Spencer
  • Publication number: 20180179885
    Abstract: A crack detecting system operable to detect cracks along a conduit or structure includes a tool movable along a conduit or structure and having at least one sensing device for sensing cracks in a wall of the conduit or structure, and a processor operable to process an output of the at least one sensing device. Responsive to processing of the output by the processor, the processor is operable to determine cracks at the wall of the conduit or structure. The at least one sensing device employs excitation in the form of a high current continuous or pulse wave that is applied to a magneto-mechanical impedance transducer/sensor coil to generate a mechanical wave in the conduit or structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Inventors: Dean M. Vieau, Bruce I. Girrell, Johana M. Chirinos, Douglas W. Spencer
  • Publication number: 20180149622
    Abstract: A crack detecting system operable to detect cracks along a conduit or structure includes a tool movable along a conduit or structure and having at least one sensing device for sensing cracks in a wall of the conduit or structure. A processor is operable to process an output of the at least one sensing device. Responsive to processing of the output by the processor, the processor is operable to determine the presence of cracks at the wall of the conduit or structure. The at least one sensing device includes or provides a vibroacoustic modulation technique.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Inventors: Dean M. Vieau, Bruce I. Girrell, Johana M. Chirinos, Douglas W. Spencer
  • Publication number: 20180023384
    Abstract: A stress mapping system and method is operable to determine and map stresses along a conduit. The system includes a tool movable along a conduit and having at least one sensing device for sensing characteristics of the conduit, and a processor operable to process an output of the at least one sensing device. Responsive to processing of the output by the processor, the processor is operable to determine stresses at a surface of the conduit. Responsive to the processing of the output of the at least one sensing device, and responsive to a determination of a location or position of the tool along the conduit, the system generates a map of determined stresses along the conduit. The map of determined stresses provides a visual representation of the stresses determined at and along the surface of the conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: Bruce I. Girrell, Dean M. Vieau, Johana M. Chirinos, Douglas W. Spencer
  • Publication number: 20170307500
    Abstract: A material property determining system operable to determine properties of a conduit. The material property determining system includes a tool movable along a conduit and having at least one sensing device for sensing at least one property of the conduit. A processor is operable to process outputs of the at least one sensing device. Responsive to processing of the outputs by the processor, the processor correlates the processed outputs to determine the type of material of the conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Inventors: Bruce I. Girrell, Dean M. Vieau, Johana M. Chirinos, Douglas W. Spencer, Trenton M. Bruce, Jabin D. Reinhold
  • Publication number: 20120268288
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for delivering communication and/or power downhole. The apparatus may include an information network configured to use a multi-drop deterministic protocol. The method may include delivering information over the information network. The method may include delivering power over the information network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Daniel M. Cousin, Paul A. Lowson, David L. Jacobs, Randall Perrin, Edwin C. Scholl, Jerry Miller, Dean M. Vieau