Patents by Inventor John Broughton

John Broughton 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: 20240117262
    Abstract: Fuel oil compositions, and methods for blending such fuel oil compositions, to enhance initial compatibility and longer term stability when such fuel oil compositions are blended to meet IMO 2020 low sulfur fuel oil requirements (ISO 8217). In one or more embodiments, asphaltenic resid base stocks are blended with high aromatic slurry oil to facilitate initial compatibility such that low sulfur cutter stocks, e.g., vacuum gas oil and/or cycle oil, may be further blended therein to cut sulfur content while maintaining longer term stability. These fuel oil compositions are economically advantageous when used as marine low sulfur fuel oils because greater concentrations of high viscosity resids are present in the final blend.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2023
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Inventors: Richard L. Eller, Peg Broughton, V. Elijah Mullins, John R. Weber, Jeffrey A. Sexton
  • Patent number: 11702817
    Abstract: A method for changing an orientation of a machine at a worksite includes controlling, by a controller, a movement of the machine from a first position to a second position along a first route; controlling, by the controller, a movement of the machine from the second position to a third position along a second route; and controlling, by the controller, a movement of the machine from the third position towards the first position along a third route, Each of the first route, the second route, and the third route define respective apexes and combinedly define a region therebetween. One or more of the apexes are directed inwards into the region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Underground Mining Pty. Ltd.
    Inventors: Pradeep Kumar P H, Peter John Broughton, Arun Anandan
  • Publication number: 20210115647
    Abstract: A method for changing an orientation of a machine at a worksite includes controlling, by a controller, a movement of the machine from a first position to a second position along a first route; controlling, by the controller, a movement of the machine from the second position to a third position along a second route; and controlling, by the controller, a movement of the machine from the third position towards the first position along a third route. Each of the first route, the second route, and the third route define respective apexes and combinedly define a region therebetween. One or more of the apexes are directed inwards into the region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Applicant: Caterpillar Underground Mining Pty. Ltd.
    Inventors: Pradeep Kumar P H, Peter John Broughton, Arun Anandan
  • Publication number: 20210010234
    Abstract: A method for operating an underground loader is disclosed. The method includes detecting, by a controller, a first position of the underground loader within a worksite. The method also includes determining, by the controller, a location of a dumping pit within the worksite. Further, the method includes determining, by the controller, a route for the underground loader to tram from the first position to the location of the dumping pit. Furthermore, the method includes controlling, by the controller, a movement of the underground loader along the route up to the location of the dumping pit. The method also includes moving, by the controller, an implement assembly of the underground loader based on a profile of a terrain along the route and a height of an embankment defined at an edge of the dumping pit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Applicant: Caterpillar Underground Mining Pty. Ltd.
    Inventors: Pradeep KUMAR P.H., Peter John Broughton, Joshua Gerri! Bynon
  • Patent number: 10884314
    Abstract: A switchable reflective colour filter is provided for use in a display device. The switchable reflective colour filter includes a plurality of sub-pixel regions of at least two colour types, each including a layer of phase change material which is switchable between a first state and a second state, the first and second states being two solid but structurally distinct states having different optical properties. Each sub-pixel region further includes two electrode layers, a mirror layer, and a spacer layer or air gap. The phase change material layer in each sub-pixel region is positioned between the two electrode layers, and separated from the mirror layer by the spacer layer or air gap. The switchable reflective colour filter may be incorporated into a display device including a pixelated switchable absorber. A luminance of coloured light reflected from any of the sub-pixel regions is controllably attenuated by the pixelated switchable absorber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Benjamin John Broughton, Diego Gallardo, Edward David Heywood-Lonsdale, Hywel Hopkin
  • Patent number: 10591767
    Abstract: A display device in which ambient light reflections, for example, from IPS or FFS type displays are reduced by a circular polariser (e.g., linear polariser combined with external quarter waveplate) to make the light circular polarized, as it traverses the multiple reflective layers between the polariser and LC layer, and then an internal quarter waveplate converts the light back to linear polarisation before it enters the LC, so the display can operate as normal, while the circular polariser absorbs unwanted reflections of ambient light from within the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nathan James Smith, Hywel Hopkin, Kiyoshi Minoura, Akira Sakai, Benjamin John Broughton
  • Patent number: 10203412
    Abstract: A method for determining a position of a machine is disclosed. The method may include determining, using a Lidar unit on the machine, input data associated with distances between the Lidar unit and respective light-reflective points in the worksite. The method may also include comparing the input data with comparison data. The comparison data may have reference data sets indicative of distances between reference positions and the respective light-reflective points in the worksite. The reference positions may have a fixed location in the worksite. The method may further include determining the position of the machine as the reference position corresponding to a reference data set that correlates with the input data set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: David William Smith, Peter John Broughton
  • Patent number: 10185034
    Abstract: A method for determining a position of a machine in a worksite is disclosed. The method may include determining, using a Lidar unit on the machine, input data. The input data may be associated with distances between the Lidar unit and respective light-reflective points in the worksite. The method may also include transmitting a radio-frequency communication between a first signal device at a known location within the worksite and a second signal device located on the machine. Further, the method may include determining position data for the machine based on at least the radio frequency communication. The method may also include determining a position of the machine based on the position data and the input data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: David William Smith, Peter John Broughton
  • Patent number: 10152812
    Abstract: A display device includes control electronics and a pixellated liquid crystal (LC) panel. The control electronics receives inputs of main image data for a main image and side image data for a side image. The control electronics outputs combined image data combining the main and side images such that an on-axis viewer perceives from the combined image the main image, and an off-axis viewer perceives from the combined image the side image. The output image data comprises data values chosen from a set of available output data values for the pixels selected from multiple sets of available data values depending on at least on the side image data. For a pixel currently being processed, the output data value is chosen from the selected set of available output data values for which a resulting luminance value is closest to a target luminance value for the current pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Edward Heywood-Lonsdale, Benjamin John Broughton, Nathan James Smith, Kenji Maeda, Fumitaka Seki, Paul Antony Gass
  • Patent number: 10121445
    Abstract: An active matrix LCD display of the multi-pixel drive (MPD) type, in which a pixel comprises a plurality of sub-pixels with each sub-pixel of a pixel being associated with a respective storage capacitor address lines so that the voltage applied across an individual sub-pixel depends on both the signal voltage and the voltage applied to the associated storage capacitor address line, is driven such that the relationship between at least a first one of the capacitor line voltages and a second one of the capacitor line in a first display refresh period of the frame is different to the relationship between the first of the capacitor line voltages and the second of the capacitor line voltages in a second display refresh period of the frame. This allows the root-mean-square (RMS) voltage applied over the frame across a first of the sub-pixels to be controlled at least partially independently of the RMS voltage applied over the frame across a second of the sub-pixels, thereby providing increased resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Paul Antony Gass, Benjamin John Broughton, Emma Jayne Walton, Christopher James Brown
  • Publication number: 20180114505
    Abstract: A method of processing image data for display by a display panel of a display device comprises receiving image pixel data representing an image. In a first mode, the method performs a first mapping of the image pixel data to drive signals, each drive signal for driving a respective pixel or group of pixels of the display panel. The first mapping is arranged to produce an on-axis luminance pattern which is dependent mainly on the image pixel data and an off-axis luminance pattern which is wholly or substantially independent of the image pixel data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Publication date: April 26, 2018
    Inventors: Edward David HEYWOOD-LONSDALE, Benjamin John BROUGHTON, Nathan James SMITH
  • Patent number: 9947257
    Abstract: A color display includes multiple composite pixels, each composite pixel including sub-pixels of more than one color type. Sub-pixels of at least one of the color types are provided with differing luminance capability in different composite pixels. Each composite pixel may include red, green and blue sub-pixels having different luminance capability in different composite pixels. The differing luminance capability may be achieved by providing sub-pixels of at least one of the color types of differing relative area. An image data processing unit (IDPU) receives input image data of a standard format, and modifies the input image data into output image data for display to account for a discrepancy between the luminance capability based on the differing luminance capability or differing size of each sub-pixel, and a luminance capability as expected based on the input image data. The IDPU then outputs the output image data to control the composite pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Benjamin John Broughton, Nathan James Smith, Edward Heywood-Lonsdale
  • Publication number: 20180017840
    Abstract: A switchable reflective colour filter is provided for use in a display device. The switchable reflective colour filter includes a plurality of sub-pixel regions of at least two colour types, each including a layer of phase change material which is switchable between a first state and a second state, the first and second states being two solid but structurally distinct states having different optical properties. Each sub-pixel region further includes two electrode layers, a mirror layer, and a spacer layer or air gap. The phase change material layer in each sub-pixel region is positioned between the two electrode layers, and separated from the mirror layer by the spacer layer or air gap. The switchable reflective colour filter may be incorporated into a display device including a pixelated switchable absorber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Inventors: Benjamin John BROUGHTON, Diego GALLARDO, Edward David HEYWOOD-LONSDALE, Hywel HOPKIN
  • Publication number: 20170116766
    Abstract: A display device includes control electronics and a pixellated liquid crystal (LC) panel. The control electronics receives inputs of main image data for a main image and side image data for a side image. The control electronics outputs combined image data combining the main and side images such that an on-axis viewer perceives from the combined image the main image, and an off-axis viewer perceives from the combined image the side image. The output image data comprises data values chosen from a set of available output data values for the pixels selected from multiple sets of available data values depending on at least on the side image data. For a pixel currently being processed, the output data value is chosen from the selected set of available output data values for which a resulting luminance value is closest to a target luminance value for the current pixel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Inventors: Edward Heywood-Lonsdale, Benjamin John Broughton, Nathan James Smith, Kenji Maeda, Fumitaka Seki, Paul Antony Gass
  • Patent number: 9596458
    Abstract: A switchable imaging device (1) has a first mode of operation in which the device performs an imaging function and a second mode of operation different from the first mode, for example a non-imaging mode. In the first mode of operation the device comprises at least one first region that performs a lensing action and at least one second region that at least partially absorbs light passing through the or each second region. The switchable imaging device (1) may be disposed in path of light through an image display panel (4). This provides a display that may be operable in either a directional display mode such as an autostereoscopic 3D display mode or a 2-D display mode, by controlling the switchable imaging device to be in its first mode or its second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nathan James Smith, Alexander Zawadzki, Benjamin John Broughton, Alexandra Baum
  • Publication number: 20170031206
    Abstract: A display device in which ambient light reflections, for example, from IPS or FFS type displays are reduced by a circular polariser (e.g., linear polariser combined with external quarter waveplate) to make the light circular polarized, as it traverses the multiple reflective layers between the polariser and LC layer, and then an internal quarter waveplate converts the light back to linear polarisation before it enters the LC, so the display can operate as normal, while the circular polariser absorbs unwanted reflections of ambient light from within the display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Inventors: Nathan James SMITH, Hywel HOPKIN, Kiyoshi MINOURA, Akira SAKAI, Benjamin John BROUGHTON
  • Publication number: 20170025053
    Abstract: A color display includes multiple composite pixels, each composite pixel including sub-pixels of more than one color type. Sub-pixels of at least one of the color types are provided with differing luminance capability in different composite pixels. Each composite pixel may include red, green and blue sub-pixels having different luminance capability in different composite pixels. The differing luminance capability may be achieved by providing sub-pixels of at least one of the color types of differing relative area. An image data processing unit (IDPU) receives input image data of a standard format, and modifies the input image data into output image data for display to account for a discrepancy between the luminance capability based on the differing luminance capability or differing size of each sub-pixel, and a luminance capability as expected based on the input image data. The IPDU then outputs the output image data to control the composite pixels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Publication date: January 26, 2017
    Inventors: Benjamin John Broughton, Nathan James Smith, Edward Heywood-Lonsdale
  • Publication number: 20160231426
    Abstract: A method for determining a position of a machine in a worksite is disclosed. The method may include determining, using a Lidar unit on the machine, input data. The input data may be associated with distances between the Lidar unit and respective light-reflective points in the worksite. The method may also include transmitting a radio-frequency communication between a first signal device at a known location within the worksite and a second signal device located on the machine. Further, the method may include determining position data for the machine based on at least the radio frequency communication. The method may also include determining a position of the machine based on the position data and the input data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: David William SMITH, Peter John BROUGHTON
  • Publication number: 20160223673
    Abstract: A method for determining a position of a machine is disclosed. The method may include determining, using a Lidar unit on the machine, input data associated with distances between the Lidar unit and respective light-reflective points in the worksite. The method may also include comparing the input data with comparison data. The comparison data may have reference data sets indicative of distances between reference positions and the respective light-reflective points in the worksite. The reference positions may have a fixed location in the worksite. The method may further include determining the position of the machine as the reference position corresponding to a reference data set that correlates with the input data set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: David William SMITH, Peter John BROUGHTON
  • Patent number: 9402073
    Abstract: A display device includes control electronics and a pixilated liquid crystal (LC) panel. The control electronics receives inputs of main image data for a main image and side image data for a side image. The control electronics outputs combined image data combining the main and side images such that an on-axis viewer perceives from the combined image the main image, and an off-axis viewer perceives from the combined image the side image. The output image data comprises data values chosen from a set of available output data values for the pixels selected from multiple sets of available data values depending on at least on the side image data. For a pixel currently being processed, the output data value is chosen from the selected set of available output data values for which a resulting luminance value is closest to a target luminance value for the current pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Benjamin John Broughton, Kenji Maeda, Tatsuo Watanabe