Patents by Inventor William G. Gardner

William G. Gardner 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: 20140016793
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention allow participants in a networked virtual world to converse naturally as in a real-life situation. Each participant can hear “nearby” participants localized according to their positions in the virtual world, desirably with reverberation and environmental audio effects derived from properties of the virtual world.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Inventor: William G. Gardner
  • Publication number: 20130292585
    Abstract: This invention provides for a removable/replaceable, wavelength-transforming sleeve/sheath to be placed around a primary UV radiation source that emits a primary UV wavelength spectral distribution; such that at least a portion of the sleeve/sheath transforms at least a portion of the primary UV wavelength spectral distribution to a different secondary wavelength spectral distribution. Additionally, the sleeve/sheath may help to prevent breakage of the primary UV radiation source and to contain the broken pieces in the event of breakage. In some embodiments, a portion of the sleeve/sheath may be coupled with a UV reflective surface to direct radiation in a preferred direction. Individual sleeves/sheaths may have various patterns of wavelength-transforming materials that emit one or more secondary wavelength spectral distributions and the sleeve/sheath may also have one or more sections that allow transmission of the primary UV wavelength spectral distribution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2013
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Inventor: William G. Gardner
  • Patent number: 8558203
    Abstract: This invention provides for a removable/replaceable, wavelength-transforming sleeve/sheath to be placed around a primary UV radiation source that emits a primary UV wavelength spectral distribution; such that at least a portion of the sleeve/sheath transforms at least a portion of the primary UV wavelength spectral distribution to a different secondary wavelength spectral distribution. Additionally, the sleeve/sheath may help to prevent breakage of the primary UV radiation source and to contain the broken pieces in the event of breakage. In some embodiments, a portion of the sleeve/sheath may be coupled with a UV reflective surface to direct radiation in a preferred direction. Individual sleeves/sheaths may have various patterns of wavelength-transforming materials that emit one or more secondary wavelength spectral distributions and the sleeve/sheath may also have one or more sections that allow transmission of the primary UV wavelength spectral distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Inventor: William G Gardner
  • Patent number: 8559646
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention allow participants in a networked virtual world to converse naturally as in a real-life situation. Each participant can hear “nearby” participants localized according to their positions in the virtual world, desirably with reverberation and environmental audio effects derived from properties of the virtual world.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Inventor: William G. Gardner
  • Patent number: 8378324
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method, in a handheld portable multi purpose device, for producing multiple and variable wavelength distributions of UV radiation, or visible radiation, comprising a primary UV radiation source, and a system of wavelength transforming (WT) materials that allows selecting at will between UV A, UV B, UV C radiation (individual selections or various combinations,) and visible radiation, whereby the apparatus provides for UV sterilization of food, fluid, air, fluids, and surfaces; while also providing a means to emit visible light. Additionally, an apparatus and method, in a handheld portable multi purpose device, for enabling production and emission of UV radiation selectable between UV A, UV B, UV C radiation (individual selections or various combinations,) and visible radiation in a small form factor device embodied in a handheld portable flashlight, or lamp, type device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Inventor: William G. Gardner, III
  • Publication number: 20110154822
    Abstract: Heat engines suitable for large-scale or micro-scale fabrication supply power from a power turbine. The power turbine is driven in part by an ejector in which a working fluid is utilized as a motive flow. Fuel utilized for combustion may also be utilized as a phase-changing working fluid and as the motive flow driving the ejector. Heat exchangers particularly suitable for micro-scale implementation are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Inventors: Jonathan M. Protz, William G. Gardner, Justin W. Jaworski, Andrew P. Camacho, Hardy S. Shen, David J. Fields, Stefan Oliver Pelekies
  • Publication number: 20100320405
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method, in a handheld portable multi purpose device, for producing multiple and variable wavelength distributions of UV radiation, or visible radiation, comprising a primary UV radiation source, and a system of wavelength transforming (WT) materials that allows selecting at will between UV A, UV B, UV C radiation (individual selections or various combinations,) and visible radiation, whereby the apparatus provides for UV sterilization of food, fluid, air, fluids, and surfaces; while also providing a means to emit visible light. Additionally, an apparatus and method, in a handheld portable multi purpose device, for enabling production and emission of UV radiation selectable between UV A, UV B, UV C radiation (individual selections or various combinations,) and visible radiation in a small form factor device embodied in a handheld portable flashlight, or lamp, type device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2010
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Inventor: William G. Gardner, III
  • Patent number: 7781751
    Abstract: This invention provides a small form factor apparatus for selectively producing one or more of a plurality of wavelength distributions of radiation, comprising a UV Light Emitting Diode (LED) as the primary UV LED radiation source and one or more wavelength transforming (WT) materials separated from the primary UV LED radiation source, that in response to irradiation by the primary UV LED radiation source, produce transformed radiation having a wavelength distribution that is different from the wavelength distribution of the primary UV LED radiation source. None, one, or more than one of the various WT materials may be selected by the user, to allow either the primary UV radiation, or the transformed radiation, or both simultaneously, to be to be emitted from the apparatus in a preferred direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Inventor: William G. Gardner
  • Patent number: 7485883
    Abstract: An apparatus for selectively producing one or more of a plurality of wavelength distributions of radiation. The apparatus comprises a primary UV radiation source and one or more wavelength transforming materials separated from the primary UV radiation source, that in response to irradiation by the primary UV radiation source, produce transformed radiation having a wavelength distribution that is different from the wavelength distribution of the primary UV radiation source. None, one, or more than one of the various WT materials can be selected by the apparatus, to allow the primary UV radiation, any individual transformed radiation, or any combination of the various radiations to be to be emitted from the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Inventor: William G. Gardner, III
  • Publication number: 20080290301
    Abstract: This invention provides a small form factor apparatus for selectively producing one or more of a plurality of wavelength distributions of radiation, comprising a UV Light Emitting Diode (LED) as the primary UV LED radiation source and one or more wavelength transforming (WT) materials separated from the primary UV LED radiation source, that in response to irradiation by the primary UV LED radiation source, produce transformed radiation having a wavelength distribution that is different from the wavelength distribution of the primary UV LED radiation source. None, one, or more than one of the various WT materials may be selected by the user, to allow either the primary UV radiation, or the transformed radiation, or both simultaneously, to be to be emitted from the apparatus in a preferred direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2008
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Inventor: William G. Gardner
  • Publication number: 20080144794
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention allow participants in a networked virtual world to converse naturally as in a real-life situation. Each participant can hear “nearby” participants localized according to their positions in the virtual world, desirably with reverberation and environmental audio effects derived from properties of the virtual world.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Inventor: William G. Gardner
  • Patent number: 7148497
    Abstract: A variable wavelength ultraviolet lamp. An apparatus for selectively producing one or more of a plurality of wavelength distributions of light is provided, comprising a primary light source having a primary wavelength distribution, at least one wavelength-transforming material that, in response to illumination by the primary light source produces secondary light having a wavelength distribution different from the primary light wavelength distribution, the wavelength-transforming material being disposed on a substrate external to the primary light source, and a wavelength-transforming material selection mechanism for placing at least a portion of one or more selected wavelength-transforming materials in front of the primary light source, in a selected preferred direction of light emission from the apparatus, such that the selected wavelength-transforming materials emit from the apparatus light having a wavelength distribution different from the primary light wavelength distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Inventor: William G. Gardner
  • Patent number: 6243476
    Abstract: A system for generating loudspeaker-ready binaural signals comprises a tracking system for detecting the position and, preferably, the angle of rotation of a listener's head; and means, responsive to the head-tracking means, for generating the binaural signal. The system may also include a crosstalk canceller responsive to the tracking system, and which adds to the binaural signal a crosstalk cancellation signal based on the position (and/or the rotation angle) of the listener's head. The invention may also address the high-frequency components not generally affected by the crosstalk canceller by considering these frequencies in terms of power (rather than phase). By implementing the compensation in terms of power levels rather than phase adjustments, the invention avoids the shortcomings heretofore encountered in attempting to cancel high-frequency crosstalk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventor: William G. Gardner
  • Patent number: 5427278
    Abstract: An applicator for eradicating or removing transparent or translucent emphasizing inks, particularly from a paper surface, wherein the emphasizing ink has been used over permanent ink or a printed surface to emphasize such surface or a writing thereon. The applicator comprises a container, a liquid bleaching or oxidizing agent in the container for the emphasizing ink and means on one end of the container, such as a felt tip, roller, pressurized spray nozzle or hand pump, to apply a thin film of the ink removing agent to the emphasizing ink and to effect the eradication or removal thereof without substantially affecting the underlying ink or printed material which has been emphasized. In another embodiment of the invention, a dispenser of a neutralizing agent is also provided to abate the effects of excess bleaching or neutralizing agents on the surface being treated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1995
    Inventor: William G. Gardner, III
  • Patent number: 5324131
    Abstract: An applicator for eradicating or removing transparent or translucent emphasizing inks, particularly from a paper surface, wherein the emphasizing ink has been used over permanent ink or a printed surface to emphasize such surface or an area and which applicator comprises a container, a liquid bleaching agent in the container for the emphasizing ink and means on one end of the container, such as a felt tip or roller, to apply a thin film of the liquid bleaching agent to the emphasizing ink and to effect the eradication or removal thereof without substantially affecting the removal or eradication of the underlying ink or printed material which has been emphasized. A method of eradicating transparent ink markings from a surface, such as a paper surface, which method comprises applying a liquid bleaching agent over the ink marked portion of the surface to be eradicated to chemically bleach and eradicate the ink material so marked without substantially affecting any printed ink or print on the underlying surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1994
    Inventor: William G. Gardner, III
  • Patent number: 5122107
    Abstract: A harness to be worn during situp exercises, the benefit being that it provides a non-moving portion to support the head. The cross strap behind the head which constitutes this non-moving portion is mounted on straps held about eye level by the hands during situps, wound partially around the upper torso, and attached in front of the body to a belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1992
    Inventor: William G. Gardner