Patents by Inventor Sean R. Garner

Sean R. Garner 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: 9985308
    Abstract: Today, energy requiring equipment commonly relies on batteries for power. The excessive weight and size of batteries severely limits their performance. Described herein is a lightweight portable energy system which includes an ultra-high capacity hydrolysable hydride gel cartridge for use in supplying hydrogen gas to hydrogen based energy generators. Hydrolysable hydride reactivity is controlled by tuning the amounts of hydrophilic and hydrophobic content in a polymer gel encapsulant of the cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Gabriel Iftime, Jessica Louis Baker Rivest, Sean R. Garner, Martin J. Sheridan, Saroj Kumar Sahu
  • Patent number: 9846886
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides an energy-asset control system for utilizing an energy asset to provide one of more modes of operation services. The system includes an economic optimizer configured to identify at least one mode of operation opportunity based on current and/or future market conditions; a prognostics module configured to perform a prognostic analysis associated with the mode of operation opportunity for the energy asset using an existing model, and determine a confidence level associated with the prognostic analysis; and an operation controller. The economic optimizer is further to configured to, in response to the prognostics module determining the confidence level exceeding a predetermined threshold, determine an expected profit of the mode of operation opportunity based on outcomes of the prognostic analysis; and optimize, over a predetermined time period, a usage of the energy asset based on the expected profit of the mode of operation opportunity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Daniel H. Greene, Robert S. McHenry, Bhaskar Saha, Sylvia J. Smullin, David E. Schwartz, Sean R. Garner
  • Publication number: 20160365589
    Abstract: Today, energy requiring equipment commonly relies on batteries for power. The excessive weight and size of batteries severely limits their performance. Described herein is a lightweight portable energy system which includes an ultra-high capacity hydrolysable hydride gel cartridge for use in supplying hydrogen gas to hydrogen based energy generators. Hydrolysable hydride reactivity is controlled by tuning the amounts of hydrophilic and hydrophobic content in a polymer gel encapsulant of the cartridge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Inventors: Gabriel Iftime, Jessica Louis Baker Rivest, Sean R. Garner, Martin J. Sheridan, Saroj Kumar Sahu
  • Patent number: 9356603
    Abstract: A thermally tempered glass substrate for transient electronic systems (i.e., including electronic devices that visually disappear when triggered to do so) including two or more fused-together glass structures having different coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) values disposed in an intermixed arrangement manner that generates and stores potential energy in the form of residual, self-equilibrating internal stresses. In alternative embodiments the substrate includes laminated glass sheets, or glass elements (e.g., beads or cylinders) disposed in a glass layer. A trigger device causes an initial fracture in the thermally tempered glass substrate, whereby the fracture energy nearly instantaneously travels throughout the thermally tempered glass substrate, causing the thermally tempered glass substrate to shatter into multiple small (e.g., micron-sized) pieces that are difficult to detect. Patterned fracture features are optionally provided to control the final fractured particle size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Scott J. H. Limb, Gregory L. Whiting, Sean R. Garner
  • Publication number: 20150358021
    Abstract: A thermally tempered glass substrate for transient electronic systems (i.e., including electronic devices that visually disappear when triggered to do so) including two or more fused-together glass structures having different coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) values disposed in an intermixed arrangement manner that generates and stores potential energy in the form of residual, self-equilibrating internal stresses. In alternative embodiments the substrate includes laminated glass sheets, or glass elements (e.g., beads or cylinders) disposed in a glass layer. A trigger device causes an initial fracture in the thermally tempered glass substrate, whereby the fracture energy nearly instantaneously travels throughout the thermally tempered glass substrate, causing the thermally tempered glass substrate to shatter into multiple small (e.g., micron-sized) pieces that are difficult to detect. Patterned fracture features are optionally provided to control the final fractured particle size.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventors: Scott J.H. Limb, Gregory L. Whiting, Sean R. Garner
  • Patent number: 9154138
    Abstract: A stressed substrate for transient electronic systems (i.e., electronic systems that visually disappear when triggered to do so) that includes one or more stress-engineered layers that store potential energy in the form of a significant internal stress. An associated trigger mechanism is also provided that, when triggered, causes an initial fracture in the stressed substrate, whereby the fracture energy nearly instantaneously travels throughout the stressed substrate, causing the stressed substrate to shatter into multiple small (e.g., micron-sized) pieces that are difficult to detect. The internal stress is incorporated into the stressed substrate through strategies similar to glass tempering (for example through heat or chemical treatment), or by depositing thin-film layers with large amounts of stress. Patterned fracture features are optionally provided to control the final fractured particle size. Electronic systems built on the substrate are entirely destroyed and dispersed during the transience event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Scott J. H. Limb, Gregory L. Whiting, Sean R. Garner, JengPing Lu, Dirk DeBruyker
  • Publication number: 20150127425
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides an energy-asset control system for utilizing an energy asset to provide one of more modes of operation services. The system includes an economic optimizer configured to identify at least one mode of operation opportunity based on current and/or future market conditions; a prognostics module configured to perform a prognostic analysis associated with the mode of operation opportunity for the energy asset using an existing model, and determine a confidence level associated with the prognostic analysis; and an operation controller. The economic optimizer is further to configured to, in response to the prognostics module determining the confidence level exceeding a predetermined threshold, determine an expected profit of the mode of operation opportunity based on outcomes of the prognostic analysis; and optimize, over a predetermined time period, a usage of the energy asset based on the expected profit of the mode of operation opportunity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Daniel H. Greene, Robert S. McHenry, Bhaskar Saha, Sylvia J. Smullin, David E. Schwartz, Sean R. Garner
  • Publication number: 20150102852
    Abstract: A stressed substrate for transient electronic systems (i.e., electronic systems that visually disappear when triggered to do so) that includes one or more stress-engineered layers that store potential energy in the form of a significant internal stress. An associated trigger mechanism is also provided that, when triggered, causes an initial fracture in the stressed substrate, whereby the fracture energy nearly instantaneously travels throughout the stressed substrate, causing the stressed substrate to shatter into multiple small (e.g., micron-sized) pieces that are difficult to detect. The internal stress is incorporated into the stressed substrate through strategies similar to glass tempering (for example through heat or chemical treatment), or by depositing thin-film layers with large amounts of stress. Patterned fracture features are optionally provided to control the final fractured particle size. Electronic systems built on the substrate are entirely destroyed and dispersed during the transience event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Applicant: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Scott J. H. Limb, Gregory L. Whiting, Sean R. Garner, JengPing Lu, Dirk DeBruyker
  • Patent number: RE47570
    Abstract: A stressed substrate for transient electronic systems (i.e., electronic systems that visually disappear when triggered to do so) that includes one or more stress-engineered layers that store potential energy in the form of a significant internal stress. An associated trigger mechanism is also provided that, when triggered, causes an initial fracture in the stressed substrate, whereby the fracture energy nearly instantaneously travels throughout the stressed substrate, causing the stressed substrate to shatter into multiple small (e.g., micron-sized) pieces that are difficult to detect. The internal stress is incorporated into the stressed substrate through strategies similar to glass tempering (for example through heat or chemical treatment), or by depositing thin-film layers with large amounts of stress. Patterned fracture features are optionally provided to control the final fractured particle size. Electronic systems built on the substrate are entirely destroyed and dispersed during the transience event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Scott J. H. Limb, Gregory L. Whiting, Sean R. Garner, JengPing Lu, Dirk De Bruyker
  • Patent number: RE49059
    Abstract: A stressed substrate for transient electronic systems (i.e., electronic systems that visually disappear when triggered to do so) that includes one or more stress-engineered layers that store potential energy in the form of a significant internal stress. An associated trigger mechanism is also provided that, when triggered, causes an initial fracture in the stressed substrate, whereby the fracture energy nearly instantaneously travels throughout the stressed substrate, causing the stressed substrate to shatter into multiple small (e.g., micron-sized) pieces that are difficult to detect. The internal stress is incorporated into the stressed substrate through strategies similar to glass tempering (for example through heat or chemical treatment), or by depositing thin-film layers with large amounts of stress. Patterned fracture features are optionally provided to control the final fractured particle size. Electronic systems built on the substrate are entirely destroyed and dispersed during the transience event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Scott J. H. Limb, Gregory L. Whiting, Sean R. Garner, JengPing Lu, Dirk De Bruyker