Patents by Inventor Robert A. Lester

Robert A. Lester 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: 9447654
    Abstract: A downhole circulating valve includes a generally tubular outer housing having a generally axially extending internal passageway. At least one generally longitudinally extending circulating passageway is formed through at least a portion of the housing. At least one exterior port and at least one interior port are in fluid communication with the circulating passageway. At least one seal plug is disposed within the circulating passageway. The seal plug has a first position relative to the housing wherein the seal plug is remote from the exterior port and the interior port, thereby allowing fluid flow between the exterior port and the interior port through the circulating passageway. The seal plug has a second position relative to the housing wherein the seal plug is between the exterior port and the interior port and wherein the seal plug forms at least one metal-to-metal seal with the circulating passageway, thereby preventing fluid flow between the exterior port and the interior port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: James Dan Vick, Jr., Jimmie Robert Williamson, Robert Lester Thurman, Russell Irving Bayh, III
  • Publication number: 20160251283
    Abstract: The preparation of chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as pentachloropropanes, such as 1,1,1,2,3-pentachloropropane, from tetrachloropropanes, such as 1,1,1,3-tetrachloropropane, in the presence of a polyvalent antimony compound that includes a pentavalent antimony compound, such as antimony pentachloride, is described. Also described are methods for preparing optionally chlorinated alkenes, such as, tetrachloropropenes, from chlorinated alkanes, such as pentachloropropanes, in the presence of polyvalent antimony compound that includes a pentavalent antimony compound, as well as methods for recovering polyvalent antimony compounds from such processes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Inventors: Scott A. Sherwood, Stephen Robert Lester
  • Patent number: 9366192
    Abstract: A hazardous gas detection system includes a first and second plurality of air sampling ports in fluid communication with an exhaust duct of a gas turbine enclosure. The first and second plurality of air sampling ports is fluidly connected to a first and second outlet orifice respectfully. A primary sensor is in fluid communication with the first outlet orifice and a secondary sensor is in fluid communication with the second outlet orifice. The primary and secondary sensors generate signals indicative of hazardous gas concentrations in first and second aggregated exhaust air samples. A computing device monitors the hazardous gas concentrations, monitors functionality of the primary and secondary sensors and generates a command signal indicating an operating mode for the gas turbine based on at least one of the hazardous gas concentrations in the first and second aggregated exhaust air samples and the functionality of the primary and secondary sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Douglas Scott Byrd, Robert Lester Brooks, Antoine Hochar, Christophe Vasinis
  • Patent number: 9289758
    Abstract: The preparation of chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as pentachloropropanes, such as 1,1,1,2,3-pentachloropropane, from tetrachloropropanes, such as 1,1,1,3-tetrachloropropane, in the presence of a polyvalent antimony compound that includes a pentavalent antimony compound, such as antimony pentachloride, is described. Also described are methods for preparing optionally chlorinated alkenes, such as, tetrachloropropenes, from chlorinated alkanes, such as pentachloropropanes, in the presence of polyvalent antimony compound that includes a pentavalent antimony compound, as well as methods for recovering polyvalent antimony compounds from such processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: AXIALL OHIO, INC.
    Inventors: Scott A. Sherwood, Stephen Robert Lester
  • Patent number: 9255048
    Abstract: The preparation of chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as pentachloropropanes, such as 1,1,1,2,3-pentachloropropane, from tetrachloropropanes, such as 1,1,1,3-tetrachloropropane, in the presence of a polyvalent antimony compound that includes a pentavalent antimony compound, such as antimony pentachloride, is described. Also described are methods for preparing optionally chlorinated alkenes, such as, tetrachloropropenes, from chlorinated alkanes, such as pentachloropropanes, in the presence of ferric chloride and a polyvalent antimony compound that includes a pentavalent antimony compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: AXIALL OHIO, INC.
    Inventors: Scott A. Sherwood, Stephen Robert Lester
  • Patent number: 9238957
    Abstract: A downhole injection apparatus having a sleeve disposed in a tubular housing. The sleeve and housing define an annular orifice through which steam flows prior to injection into the wellbore. Water condensate collects at the orifice or restriction proximate the orifice and is mixed with or entrained into the flow of steam. The sleeve preferably has a plurality of generally radial ports such that steam flows from interior the sleeve to the annulus. Preferably the injection ports and sleeve ports are angled to reduce or eliminate radical changes in direction of the steam flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services
    Inventor: Robert Lester Thurman
  • Publication number: 20150285044
    Abstract: A method for flow manipulation within a porous volume. Steps include inducing a sequence of fluid flows between fluid sources and fluid sinks disposed at at least three spaced locations in or around a porous volume, the fluid flows being induced by providing fluid at one or more of the sources and extracting fluid at one or more of the sinks. Successive fluid flows in the sequence are induced at predetermined times and oriented in different directional orientations between different sources and sinks, the successive fluid flows define different flow volumes which at least partially intersect one another, and the successive fluid flows are selected to induce cross-directional flows to mix one or more fluids in the porous volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Publication date: October 8, 2015
    Applicant: COMMONWEALTH SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH ORGANISATION
    Inventors: Guy Parker METCALFE, Daniel Robert LESTER, Michael George TREFRY, Klaus REGENAUER-LIEB
  • Patent number: 9142268
    Abstract: Dual-voltage domain memory buffers, and related systems and methods are disclosed. To reduce area needed for voltage level shifters for voltage level shifting, latch banks are provided in a voltage domain of memory buffer read circuitry, separate from the voltage domain of a write data input to the latch banks. A write data input voltage level shifter is disposed between the write data input and the latch banks to voltage level shift write data on the write data input to the voltage domain of the latch banks. In this manner, voltage level shifters are not required to voltage level shill the latch bank outputs, because the latch banks are in the voltage domain of the memory buffer read circuitry. In this manner, semiconductor area that would otherwise be needed for the voltage level shifters to voltage level shift latch bank outputs is not required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Jentsung Lin, Paul D. Bassett, Manojkumar Pyla, Robert A. Lester, Christopher E. Koob
  • Publication number: 20150226128
    Abstract: A hazardous gas detection system includes a first and second plurality of air sampling ports in fluid communication with an exhaust duct of a gas turbine enclosure. The first and second plurality of air sampling ports is fluidly connected to a first and second outlet orifice respectfully. A primary sensor is in fluid communication with the first outlet orifice and a secondary sensor is in fluid communication with the second outlet orifice. The primary and secondary sensors generate signals indicative of hazardous gas concentrations in first and second aggregated exhaust air samples. A computing device monitors the hazardous gas concentrations, monitors functionality of the primary and secondary sensors and generates a command signal indicating an operating mode for the gas turbine based on at least one of the hazardous gas concentrations in the first and second aggregated exhaust air samples and the functionality of the primary and secondary sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Douglas Scott Byrd, Robert Lester Brooks, Antoine Hochar, Christophe Vasinis
  • Publication number: 20150226048
    Abstract: A downhole injection apparatus having a sleeve disposed in a tubular housing. The sleeve and housing define an annular orifice through which steam flows prior to injection into the wellbore. Water condensate collects at the orifice or restriction proximate the orifice and is mixed with or entrained into the flow of steam. The sleeve preferably has a plurality of generally radial ports such that steam flows from interior the sleeve to the annulus. Preferably the injection ports and sleeve ports are angled to reduce or eliminate radical changes in direction of the steam flow. The injection sleeve is preferably removable and replaceable with other similar sleeves allowing easy assembly on-site and selection of annulus and annular orifice dimensions by the operator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventor: Robert Lester Thurman
  • Publication number: 20150226129
    Abstract: A method for detecting hazardous gas concentration from an exhaust duct of a gas turbine enclosure includes aggregating multiple exhaust air samples collected via a first and a second plurality of sampling ports disposed within the exhaust duct to provide first and second aggregated exhaust air samples to primary and secondary sensors disposed outside of the exhaust duct. The method further includes sensing hazardous gas concentrations within the first and second aggregated exhaust air samples, where the primary and secondary sensors communicate signals that are indicative of the hazardous gas concentrations and functionality of the primary and secondary sensors to a computing device. The method further includes monitoring the hazardous gas concentrations within the first and second aggregated exhaust air samples with respect to a percentage of a lower explosive limit and monitoring the functionality of the primary and secondary sensors via the computing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Douglas Scott Byrd, Robert Lester Brooks, Joseph Robert Law, Christian Solacolu
  • Patent number: 9103284
    Abstract: An approach for utilizing fuel gas to purge a dormant fuel gas circuit is disclosed. In one aspect, there is a fuel gas supply that supplies fuel to fuel gas circuits. Gas control valves, each coupled to one of the fuel gas circuits control the flow of fuel gas thereto from the fuel gas supply. A fuel purge system selectively purges fuel gas circuits from the fuel gas circuits that are dormant with fuel gas from the fuel gas supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Dean Matthew Erickson, Robert Lester Brooks, Douglas Scott Byrd, Joseph Robert Law
  • Patent number: 9079414
    Abstract: The invention provides a method and system for determining fluid levels in an inkjet printer. A non-contact sensor array is provided external to the container in which the levels are to be determined and each sensor in the array is sequentially switched into a sensing circuit until a change in capacitance is noted. The sensing circuit is preferably a frequency oscillation circuit whose frequency is defined by circuit capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Domino Printing Sciences PLC
    Inventors: Andrew Robert Lester, Adeyinka Opaleye, Matthew Henry Freeman
  • Patent number: 9062541
    Abstract: Described embodiments relate to methods, systems and infrastructure for flow manipulation within a porous volume. Some embodiments relate to a method of subsurface flow manipulation, comprising: providing fluid at a first subsurface location adjacent to or in a subsurface volume through which the fluid is to pass; providing first suction at a second subsurface location adjacent to or in the subsurface volume to extract fluid from the subsurface volume, the second subsurface location being located across at least part of the subsurface volume from the first subsurface location; providing fluid at a third subsurface location spaced from the first subsurface location and adjacent to or in the subsurface volume; and providing second suction at the first, second or a fourth subsurface location adjacent to the subsurface volume to extract fluid from the subsurface volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: COMMONWEALTH SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH ORGANISATION
    Inventors: Guy Parker Metcalfe, Daniel Robert Lester, Michael George Trefry, Klaus Regenauer-Lieb
  • Publication number: 20150045591
    Abstract: The preparation of chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as pentachloropropanes, such as 1,1,1,2,3-pentachloropropane, from tetrachloropropanes, such as 1,1,1,3-tetrachloropropane, in the presence of a polyvalent antimony compound that includes a pentavalent antimony compound, such as antimony pentachloride, is described. Also described are methods for preparing optionally chlorinated alkenes, such as, tetrachloropropenes, from chlorinated alkanes, such as pentachloropropanes, in the presence of polyvalent antimony compound that includes a pentavalent antimony compound, as well as methods for recovering polyvalent antimony compounds from such processes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Scott A. Sherwood, Stephen Robert Lester
  • Publication number: 20150031925
    Abstract: The preparation of chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as pentachloropropanes, such as 1,1,1,2,3-pentachloropropane, from tetrachloropropanes, such as 1,1,1,3-tetrachloropropane, in the presence of a polyvalent antimony compound that includes a pentavalent antimony compound, such as antimony pentachloride, is described. Also described are methods for preparing optionally chlorinated alkenes, such as, tetrachloropropenes, from chlorinated alkanes, such as pentachloropropanes, in the presence of ferric chloride and a polyvalent antimony compound that includes a pentavalent antimony compound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: Scott A. Sherwood, Stephen Robert Lester
  • Patent number: 8889930
    Abstract: The preparation of chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as pentachloropropanes, such as 1,1,1,2,3-pentachloropropane, from tetrachloropropanes, such as 1,1,1,3-tetrachloropropane, in the presence of a polyvalent antimony compound that includes a pentavalent antimony compound, such as antimony pentachloride, is described. Also described are methods for preparing optionally chlorinated alkenes, such as, tetrachloropropenes, from chlorinated alkanes, such as pentachloropropanes, in the presence of ferric chloride and a polyvalent antimony compound that includes a pentavalent antimony compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Axiall Ohio, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott A. Sherwood, Stephen Robert Lester
  • Patent number: 8880958
    Abstract: Systems and method for embedded trace macrocell (ETM) devices configured to dynamically interleave architecture/program tracing with microarchitecture/hardware tracing. An ETM device includes logic to enable interleaved program tracing and hardware state sampling. A core interface is configured to receive program trace and hardware state information of a microprocessor and a combining module is configured to interleave the program trace and hardware state information. A packet generation module may be configured to packetize the program trace and hardware state information into packets at operational speeds of the microprocessor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Suresh K. Venkumahanti, Prasanna Kumar Balasundaram, Robert A. Lester
  • Publication number: 20140206911
    Abstract: The preparation of chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as pentachloropropanes, such as 1,1,1,2,3-pentachloropropane, from tetrachloropropanes, such as 1,1,1,3-tetrachloropropane, in the presence of a polyvalent antimony compound that includes a pentavalent antimony compound, such as antimony pentachloride, is described. Also described are methods for preparing optionally chlorinated alkenes, such as, tetrachloropropenes, from chlorinated alkanes, such as pentachloropropanes, in the presence of ferric chloride and a polyvalent antimony compound that includes a pentavalent antimony compound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: Axiall Ohio, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott A. Sherwood, Stephen Robert Lester
  • Patent number: 8636059
    Abstract: A downhole circulating valve includes a generally tubular outer housing having a generally axially extending internal passageway. At least one generally longitudinally extending circulating passageway is formed through at least a portion of the housing. At least one exterior port and at least one interior port are in fluid communication with the circulating passageway. At least one seal plug is disposed within the circulating passageway. The seal plug has a first position relative to the housing wherein the seal plug is remote from the exterior port and the interior port, thereby allowing fluid flow between the exterior port and the interior port through the circulating passageway. The seal plug has a second position relative to the housing wherein the seal plug is between the exterior port and the interior port and wherein the seal plug forms at least one metal-to-metal seal with the circulating passageway, thereby preventing fluid flow between the exterior port and the interior port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: James Dan Vick, Jr., Jimmie Robert Williamson, Robert Lester Thurman, Russell Irving Bayh, III