Patents by Inventor Thomas E. Lawson

Thomas E. Lawson 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: 20090189581
    Abstract: The present invention provides a voltage regulator/power converter capable of bidirectional power propagation, fitted with controls capable of raising and lowering voltages with unprecedented speed and accuracy. The bidirectional capability allows energy stored in capacitors to be returned to system power sources. In one embodiment of the invention power is supplied from a power source (on a first port of the power converter) to the load (on a second port of the power converter) through the converter and then, when load voltage is reduced or turned off, energy in the load capacitance is returned from to the power source. In an alternative embodiment energy from load capacitance is stored or used by a device on a third port of the power converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Inventors: Thomas E. Lawson, William H. Morong
  • Patent number: 7492221
    Abstract: A feedback control loop around a gain element controls the output signal of said gain element responsive to an input or reference signal, and is additionally responsive to a non-linear feedback signal. The feedback loop of this invention comprises computation means for exponentiating a signal representing the output of the gain element to generate said non-linear feedback signal. The control loop of invention provides exceptional transient response when used for driving reactive loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Lawson Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas E. Lawson, William H. Morong
  • Publication number: 20080055940
    Abstract: The invention provides a power converter and method for controlling same, comprising a plurality of switch elements, an inductive reactor, and at least two ports for the movement of electrical energy. Any energy-moving port may be made unipolar, bidirectional, bipolar, or bidirectionally bipolar. Ports may be equipped with sensing circuitry to allow the converter output to be controlled responsively to an input signal. The invention may be configured to be used in many ways, for example, as a power-supply, as an amplifier, or as a frequency converter. The invention may comprise energy predictive calculating means to obtain excellent transient response to line and load variations. The invention may also include a switch to create a low impedance path around the inductor to allow current to recirculate through the inductor when it is not needed at any of the ports.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2007
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Applicant: LAWSON LABS, INC.
    Inventors: Thomas E. Lawson, William H. Morong
  • Patent number: 6821211
    Abstract: A swing analysis system includes a housing having an upper surface and a ball support mounted to the upper surface. A first array of optical sensors is mounted in the upper surface on a first side of the ball support, and a second array of optical sensors is mounted in the upper surface on a second side of the ball support, opposite the first array of sensors. A third array of optical sensors in mounted in the upper surface, with the sensors positioned around the ball support. A controller is coupled to each sensor of the three arrays of sensors for receiving output signals therefrom. The controller monitors the output signals for change in state events and creates data files containing a sequence of events with associated timestamps. The computer is programmed to use the data files to calculate swing path angle, club head speed, club head angle, club head lateral alignment with respect to the ball support, and club head height of an implement (e.g., a golf club) swung over the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: GolfTech
    Inventors: Leslie B. Otten, Gregory Scott Mills, Thomas E. Lawson, Bruce E. Perry
  • Publication number: 20030054898
    Abstract: A swing analysis system includes a housing having an upper surface and a ball support mounted to the upper surface. A first array of optical sensors is mounted in the upper surface on a first side of the ball support, and a second array of optical sensors is mounted in the upper surface on a second side of the ball support, opposite the first array of sensors. A third array of optical sensors in mounted in the upper surface, with the sensors positioned around the ball support. A controller is coupled to each sensor of the three arrays of sensors for receiving output signals therefrom. The controller monitors the output signals for change in state events and creates data files containing a sequence of events with associated timestamps. The computer is programmed to use the data files to calculate swing path angle, club head speed, club head angle, club head lateral alignment with respect to the ball support, and club head height of an implement (e.g., a golf club) swung over the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Publication date: March 20, 2003
    Inventors: Leslie B. Otten, Gregory Scott Mills, Thomas E. Lawson, Bruce E. Perry
  • Patent number: 4085024
    Abstract: The electrode assembly of a galvanic cell for detecting and measuring small amounts of oxygen absorbed by the assembly is a symmetrical sandwich mounted on an anode plate or blade and including contiguous with the blade on each side thereof a porous anode carrying an anode material such as cadmium covered with a sheet of non-reticulated, porous, non-conductive, electrolyte retentive material wrapped around the blade, a cathode conductor strip wrapped around the sheet of electrolyte retentive material, a sheet of porous cathode material, such as graphite cloth wrapped around that and secured in place and the assembly is immersed in electrolyte, electrically charged and sealed inside an oxygen-free envelope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1976
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1978
    Assignee: Lexington Instrument Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas E. Lawson
  • Patent number: 4042465
    Abstract: An electrical system for automatically measuring, computing and indicating the oxygen content in a sample of fluid, using a galvanic cell that absorbs and consumes the oxygen from the sample, produces controlled current pulses of given duration that are conducted by the cell as necessary to maintain the cell voltage constant and these pulses are counted during controlled intervals and the count is displayed as a representation of the oxygen content of the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1976
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1977
    Assignee: Lexington Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: William H. Morong, III, Thomas E. Lawson