Patents by Inventor Hoa V. Phan

Hoa V. Phan 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: 9390847
    Abstract: A system and method may include energizing one or more of a plurality of electromagnets contained within and fixedly distributed about a first region of a structure and de-energizing other of the electromagnets to attract a substance contained and movable within a second region of the structure to the energized electromagnets and change the center of gravity of the structure. The structure may be disposed on a surface or within a liquid, where energizing and de-energizing of the electromagnets causes the structure to move about the surface or within the liquid in a desired fashion. The substance may be a magnetic or magnetizable substance. Energizing and de-energizing the electromagnets may be performed by a controller responsive to a signal received from a sensor or transceiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY
    Inventors: Nghia X. Tran, Hoa V. Phan, Anhtuan T. Ton
  • Patent number: 9043124
    Abstract: A system for controlling a plurality of vehicles can include at least one communications bus and a plurality of RFID detection tags that can be fixed to the communications bus equidistant from each other to define a plurality of RFID regions. Each vehicle within an RFID region can further include an RFID reader for receiving information from, and transmitting information to, the RFID tags. As the vehicle enters the RFID region for a particular RFID tag, the position of the vehicle (within the RFID region) can be communicated to the communications bus. A traffic control unit can be connected to the communications bus, and monitor can be in communication with a plurality of remotely controlled traffic control assets, such as stop signs, yield signs, traffic cones. After receiving position information on the vehicle, the monitor can selectively activate the traffic devices remotely to control vehicle traffic flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: The United States of America, as Represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Nghia X. Tran, Michael Bruch, Richard Adams, Hoa V. Phan
  • Patent number: 8648837
    Abstract: A data transfer device comprising: a body; a tip coupled to the body, wherein the tip has a dielectric constant value suitable for interacting with a capacitive touch screen of a separate device; a control unit mounted to the body; and an electronic switch mounted to the body and operatively coupled to the control unit, wherein the switch is disposed to connect the tip to a ground source when the switch is in a closed configuration and to break the connection between the tip and the ground source when the switch is in an open configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Nghia X. Tran, Hoa V. Phan, Sunny J. Fugate, Michael H. Bruch
  • Patent number: 8246462
    Abstract: A Hall-effect system for providing inputs into a processor includes at least one magnet for establishing a magnetic field, a remote sensor unit and a receive station. The magnet is sized and adapted to be worn on a user's finger, while the remote sensor unit is adapted to be worn on a user's thumb. The remote sensor unit includes a Hall-effect sensor that senses changes in the magnetic field due to the motion of the magnet relative to the Hall-effect sensor. The Hall-effect sensor detects the magnetic field changes, and the remote sensor unit generates a sensor output corresponding to the magnetic field changes. The receive station is connected to the processor. The receive station receives the output from the remote sensor unit and converts the sensor output into an input for the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Nghia Tran, Michael R. Blackburn, Hoa V. Phan