Patents by Inventor Phillip Norton

Phillip Norton 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: 7973674
    Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of a vehicle-to-vehicle traffic queue information communication system, a traffic queue information communication device, and method. The system and method embodiments incorporate the use of multiple vehicles. Each vehicle is equipped with a traffic queue information communication device. Each traffic queue information communication device can be used to determine if its corresponding vehicle has entered or exited a queue in a single lane of traffic. When the vehicle is in a queue, the device can communicate with the immediately adjacent vehicles in front and behind. Specifically, it can receive data from the preceding vehicle in the queue and use the received data to determine its position in the queue as well as the estimated time it will take to travel through the queue. Revised data can then be transmitted by the device to the next vehicle in the queue for making the same determinations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David R. Bell, Christopher S. Bygrave, Phillip Norton
  • Publication number: 20100045488
    Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of a vehicle-to-vehicle traffic queue information communication system, a traffic queue information communication device, and method. The system and method embodiments incorporate the use of multiple vehicles. Each vehicle is equipped with a traffic queue information communication device. Each traffic queue information communication device can be used to determine if its corresponding vehicle has entered or exited a queue in a single lane of traffic. When the vehicle is in a queue, the device can communicate with the immediately adjacent vehicles in front and behind. Specifically, it can receive data from the preceding vehicle in the queue and use the received data to determine its position in the queue as well as the estimated time it will take to travel through the queue. Revised data can then be transmitted by the device to the next vehicle in the queue for making the same determinations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2008
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David R. Bell, Christopher S. Bygrave, Phillip Norton
  • Patent number: 7515065
    Abstract: The present disclosure is a method for alerting road users to the presence of an emergency vehicle. The method for alerting road user to the presence of an emergency vehicle may include receiving a short range signal, the signal including information regarding an emergency vehicle, decoding the signal, notifying a user, and transmitting the information regarding an emergency vehicle via a short range wireless signal. Each vehicle may include a short range wireless signal transceiver which could create a daisy chain distribution mechanism to distribute the information regarding an emergency vehicle to a first vehicle than to a second vehicle quickly and efficiently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Chris Bygrave, Oliver Dineen, Phillip Norton, David R. Bell
  • Publication number: 20040070460
    Abstract: A microwave oscillator comprises a semiconductor oscillating element, e.g. a Gunn diode (3) mounted at least partially within a dielectric substrate (1). The oscillating element is arranged, in use, to generate power at a predetermined fundamental frequency and at an harmonic frequency. The oscillator further comprises a circuit pattern (4) on the substrate arranged to transmit the power generated at the harmonic frequency to an output (10) whilst holding transmission of the power at the fundamental frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2003
    Publication date: April 15, 2004
    Inventor: Phillip Norton