Patents by Inventor Derek Lee Howard

Derek Lee Howard 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).

  • Patent number: 10442315
    Abstract: A roller coaster with a vehicle rolling under gravity along a track defining a ride path. The vehicle includes a chassis coupled to the track to roll on one or more surfaces of the track, and the vehicle includes a passenger compartment mounted on the chassis. The coaster also includes a compartment positioning mechanism that operates to move, such as with yaw, the passenger compartment between a first position in a passenger load/unload section of the ride path and one or more differing positions in the gravity-based ride section of the ride path. The coaster includes a power supply assembly with a charging element mounted on the track. The power supply assembly includes an onboard energy storage mounted on the vehicle that is charged by the charging element. The onboard energy storage powers the compartment positioning mechanism to move the passenger compartment between the first and second positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Derek Lee Howard, Peyton B. Buhler
  • Patent number: 10155171
    Abstract: A track-based swing ride system providing passengers a unique swinging ride experience. The ride system includes a ride track that supports a moving bogie coupled to the ride track that includes a drive assembly driving the bogie along a ride path defined by the ride track. The ride apparatus includes a pendulum arm pivotally coupled at a first end to the bogie, whereby the pendulum arm is suspended below the ride track and moves along the ride path with the bogie. The ride apparatus includes a passenger vehicle coupled to a second end of the pendulum arm opposite the first end of the pendulum arm. To provide the swinging sensation, the ride apparatus includes a roll driver rotating, concurrently with the drive assembly of the bogie, the pendulum arm about a roll axis extending through the first end of the pendulum arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: David W. Crawford, Derek Lee Howard
  • Publication number: 20180297486
    Abstract: A roller coaster with a vehicle rolling under gravity along a track defining a ride path. The vehicle includes a chassis coupled to the track to roll on one or more surfaces of the track, and the vehicle includes a passenger compartment mounted on the chassis. The coaster also includes a compartment positioning mechanism that operates to move, such as with yaw, the passenger compartment between a first position in a passenger load/unload section of the ride path and one or more differing positions in the gravity-based ride section of the ride path. The coaster includes a power supply assembly with a charging element mounted on the track. The power supply assembly includes an onboard energy storage mounted on the vehicle that is charged by the charging element. The onboard energy storage powers the compartment positioning mechanism to move the passenger compartment between the first and second positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Publication date: October 18, 2018
    Inventors: DEREK LEE HOWARD, PEYTON B. BUHLER
  • Publication number: 20170282085
    Abstract: A track-based swing ride system providing passengers a unique swinging ride experience. The ride system includes a ride track that supports a moving bogie coupled to the ride track that includes a drive assembly driving the bogie along a ride path defined by the ride track. The ride apparatus includes a pendulum arm pivotally coupled at a first end to the bogie, whereby the pendulum arm is suspended below the ride track and moves along the ride path with the bogie. The ride apparatus includes a passenger vehicle coupled to a second end of the pendulum arm opposite the first end of the pendulum arm. To provide the swinging sensation, the ride apparatus includes a roll driver rotating, concurrently with the drive assembly of the bogie, the pendulum arm about a roll axis extending through the first end of the pendulum arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: DAVID W. CRAWFORD, DEREK LEE HOWARD
  • Patent number: 9744930
    Abstract: A vehicle for use in an amusement park ride with upright passenger seating. The vehicle includes a vehicle body and a seat assembly including a seat pan provided in the vehicle body between a front end and a rear end of the vehicle body. The vehicle further includes a passenger restraint system with: (a) a lap bar assembly; (b) a lap bar mount pivotally supporting the lap bar assembly within the vehicle body to pivot about a lap bar rotation axis passing between the seat pan and the front end of the vehicle body; (c) a side leg shield; and (d) a shield articulating assembly concurrently pivoting the side leg shield about a shield rotation axis from an open to a closed position with a pivoting of the lap bar assembly about the lap bar rotation axis from a disengage to an engaged position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Derek Lee Howard
  • Publication number: 20160114750
    Abstract: A vehicle for use in an amusement park ride with upright passenger seating. The vehicle includes a vehicle body and a seat assembly including a seat pan provided in the vehicle body between a front end and a rear end of the vehicle body. The vehicle further includes a passenger restraint system with: (a) a lap bar assembly; (b) a lap bar mount pivotally supporting the lap bar assembly within the vehicle body to pivot about a lap bar rotation axis passing between the seat pan and the front end of the vehicle body; (c) a side leg shield; and (d) a shield articulating assembly concurrently pivoting the side leg shield about a shield rotation axis from an open to a closed position with a pivoting of the lap bar assembly about the lap bar rotation axis from a disengage to an engaged position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2015
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Inventor: DEREK LEE HOWARD
  • Patent number: 8527795
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer usable program product for improving processor performance during power supply failure are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A throttled condition of a processor is detected in a data processing system. A voltage of the electrical power being provided to the processor is reduced. The processor is un-throttled. Additionally, a frequency of electrical power being provided to the processor may also be reduced. A determination is made whether a condition that caused the throttling has been corrected. In response to the condition having been corrected, the frequency is returned to normal frequency and the voltage is returned to normal voltage. The reducing the frequency operation and reducing the voltage operation may each be performed by distinct components communicating over a data network external to the data processing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Derek Lee Howard, Martha Ann Broyles, Peter Adam Wendling, Raymond J Harrington, Todd Jon Rosedahl
  • Patent number: 8132513
    Abstract: An amusement park ride with one or more evacuation zones. The ride includes a track with a rail defining a ride path. The ride path includes at least one evacuation zone along a first length of the track at a first height and a non-evacuation zone along a second length of the track with one or more portions at a second height greater than the first height. The track is sloped in the non-evacuation zone toward the evacuation zone. The ride includes a vehicle supported on the rail via roller elements such as load bearing wheels. The ride includes a drive assembly that provides a driving force to selectively move the vehicle along the ride path. The drive assembly is adapted to automatically disengage from the vehicle upon loss of power. The vehicle is free rolling upon loss of power to travel to the evacuation zone based on gravity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: David W. Crawford, Edward A. Nemeth, Derek Lee Howard
  • Publication number: 20110061558
    Abstract: An amusement park ride with one or more evacuation zones. The ride includes a track with a rail defining a ride path. The ride path includes at least one evacuation zone along a first length of the track at a first height and a non-evacuation zone along a second length of the track with one or more portions at a second height greater than the first height. The track is sloped in the non-evacuation zone toward the evacuation zone. The ride includes a vehicle supported on the rail via roller elements such as load bearing wheels. The ride includes a drive assembly that provides a driving force to selectively move the vehicle along the ride path. The drive assembly is adapted to automatically disengage from the vehicle upon loss of power. The vehicle is free rolling upon loss of power to travel to the evacuation zone based on gravity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: David W. Crawford, Edward A. Nemeth, Derek Lee Howard
  • Publication number: 20100083007
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer usable program product for improving processor performance during power supply failure are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A throttled condition of a processor is detected in a data processing system. A voltage of the electrical power being provided to the processor is reduced. The processor is un-throttled. Additionally, a frequency of electrical power being provided to the processor may also be reduced. A determination is made whether a condition that caused the throttling has been corrected. In response to the condition having been corrected, the frequency is returned to normal frequency and the voltage is returned to normal voltage. The reducing the frequency operation and reducing the voltage operation may each be performed by distinct components communicating over a data network external to the data processing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Derek Lee Howard, Martha Ann Broyles, Peter Adam Wendling, Raymond J. Harrington, Todd Jon Rosedahl