Patents Assigned to Turbine, Inc.
  • Patent number: 7828657
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for transforming music played by characters, objects and non-player characters in order to produce an enhanced audio experience for players within a massively multiplayer game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Turbine, Inc.
    Inventor: Jason Booth
  • Patent number: 7730725
    Abstract: A splash plate dome assembly for a combustion liner of a turbine engine is disclosed. The splash plate may include an outer periphery having a plurality of corners and an inner periphery defining an aperture and an annular flange. The splash plate may include a plurality of first flow guides extending from the outer periphery to the inner periphery. The splash plate may further include a plurality of second flow guides extending from the outer periphery to a location intermediate the inner periphery and the outer periphery. The splash plate, annular flange, first flow guides, and second flow guides may be integrally formed by casting. The splash plate may be mounted to a combustion dome having a plurality of distributed through holes for forming impingement jets on an upstream face of the splash plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Inc.
    Inventors: Les Faulder, Mario E. Abreu, Ram Srinivasan, Michael A. Lane
  • Publication number: 20100105481
    Abstract: A method for controlling access to a massively multi-player, online role-playing game begins by presenting a web page to a first user. The web page receives a parameter for controlling access of a second user to a massively multi-player, online role-playing game. The received parameter is transmitted to a database server, which stores the received parameter in a database record associated with the second user. A game server receives a connection request from the second user and controls access of the second user to the massively multi-player, online role-playing game using the stored parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2004
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: Turbine, Inc.
    Inventors: Mike Hogan, Eric Austrew, Derek Dupras, Sean Cunningham
  • Patent number: 7703288
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle for a turbine engine is disclosed. The fuel nozzle has a common axis, a body portion disposed about the common axis, a barrel portion located radially outward from the body portion. The fuel nozzle also has at least one swirler vane disposed between the body portion and the barrel portion and a liquid fuel jet disposed within the at least one swirler vane. The at least one swirler vane is configured to radially redirect an axial flow of air. The liquid fuel jet is configured to inject liquid fuel in a radial direction relative to the common axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas John Chipman Rogers
  • Patent number: 7702723
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for efficiently providing content to a client in a massively multiplayer game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Turbine, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher J. Dyl
  • Patent number: 7633176
    Abstract: An electrical power generator is provided which is a direct drive induction generator capable of being directly connected to the power grid for the creation of electrical power. The rotor of the induction generator is located along the outside periphery of the stator and the stator may be provided with a plurality of poles. The number of poles provided on the stator may be adjusted to obtain an optimal rotational speed required to generate power. Using this arrangement, a low cost, efficient, reliable and easy to build wind generator may be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Earth Turbines, Inc.
    Inventor: David C. Blittersdorf
  • Publication number: 20090305778
    Abstract: Updating a run-time version of a game stored on a first location includes causing a first swarm member to store an first version, with first game pieces, on the first location; maintaining a second game version with second pieces, some of which are missing from the first pieces; receiving, from the first swarm member, an upgrade request for the second version; identifying missing pieces; and providing, to the first swarm member, information leading to other swarm members, each of which hosts a missing piece at a second location used for storing a run-time version of the game; causing the first swarm member to retrieve the missing pieces from the second location and store them in at least a portion of the first location, thereby avoiding consumption of additional storage during the update.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2008
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Applicant: Turbine, Inc.
    Inventors: Siu-Man Yu, Christopher J. Dyl, Steven McGarry, John Toomey
  • Publication number: 20080313346
    Abstract: A method for communicating in a distributed game system includes, at a server system, maintaining information associated with a plurality of entities in an environment; and maintaining communication sessions between the server system and a plurality of client systems for exchanging information associated with the entities between the server system and the plurality of client systems. Each such communication session uses a communication protocol that supports both reliable transmission of ordered messages, and transmission and selective discarding of ephemeral messages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Applicant: TURBINE, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Kujawa, Todd Berkebile
  • Patent number: 6860011
    Abstract: A method of attaching an air duct to a recuperator core may include welding a pair of butterpasses along a length of each of a plurality of core portions, connecting the plurality of core portions to one another to form the recuperator core and a pair of butterpasses extending along a length of the recuperator core, and attaching the air duct to the recuperator core along at least a portion of the pair of butterpasses. The method may also include controllably moving a welding torch into the air duct and along substantially the length of the recuperator core and controllably welding each butterpass to the air duct along substantially the length of the recuperator core without adding metal to the weld.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce David Harkins, Jan Szymon Illakowicz
  • Patent number: 6786079
    Abstract: A recuperator core has a plurality of passages sealingly formed therein. In use, a fluid passes through a respective one of the plurality of passages under pressure. The recuperator core must be tested to determine an operational efficiency or leakage within the respective plurality of passages. A pair of sealing mechanisms are positioned at a respective one a pair of ends of the respective one of the plurality of passages. A pressure or a vacuum is pulled across the respective ones of plurality of passages and a rate of leakage or decay rate is monitored to define an operational recuperator core and a failed recuperator core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Inc.
    Inventors: Charles W. Bucey, Timothy A. Booth, Steven W. Clayton, Robert M. Jones
  • Patent number: 6769479
    Abstract: A primary surface recuperator is made from a plurality of components, one of such components being a primary surface sheets. The primary surface sheet is used to transfers heat from a donor fluid to a recipient fluid. A first sheet portion of the primary surface sheet has a pair of sides and has a preestablished thermal deformation characteristic including a resistance to high temperature deformation and a high temperature resistance to corrosion. A second sheet portion has a pair of sides and has a preestablished thermal deformation characteristic being less than the resistance to high temperature deformation and the high temperature resistance to corrosion of the first sheet portion. The first sheet and the second sheet are attached at a respective one of the pair of sides of the first sheet portion and the second sheet portion forming an axis. The axis is positioned at an angle to the pair of sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Inc
    Inventors: Michael D. Fitzpatrick, John P. Montague
  • Patent number: 6701609
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a cell of a recuperator wherein the cell includes a plurality of primary surface sheets, a plurality of spacer bars and a pair of guide vanes. A fixture has a top portion and a bottom portion. The top portion is pivotably movable between an open or loading position and a closed or welding position. A plurality of the spacer bars, plurality of primary surface sheets and a pair of guide vanes are positioned in the fixture in a preestablished relationship and are fixedly attached one to another by a tack welding machine. A controller operative controls the tack welding machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Inc
    Inventors: Charles W. Bucey, Michael S. Nowak, Bruce D. Harkins
  • Patent number: 6691410
    Abstract: An inspection fixture and line is used to accurately determine the geometry and dimensional accuracy of a circular recuperator core. With the fixture and line inspection of a length, an inner diameter and an outer diameter of the circular recuperator core are completed. The method of using the fixture and the line further insures the concentricity of a donor inlet duct and a donor outlet duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Inc
    Inventors: Charles W. Bucey, Gregory D. Gleason
  • Patent number: 6687979
    Abstract: A system is disclosed to manufacture a recuperator core. The core is made up of a plurality of cells and an inner sealing member. A manufacturing system has an input end, an assembly station having a lower or inner chucking portion and an upper portion, and a welding station. The lower or inner chucking portion is movable between a lower position and an upper position and has a retracted position and an expanded position. The upper portion is movable between a loading position and a clamping position and is rotatable between a first position and a second position. The welding station performs a tack welding operation and a lineal welding operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Inc
    Inventors: Charles W. Bucey, Robert M. Jones, Steven W. Clayton, Chad L. Miars, Douglas R. Ervin
  • Patent number: 6684502
    Abstract: A method for aligning a circular core. The method has a work station which defines an inner chucking portion being movable between a lower position and an upper position and a retracted position and an expanded position. The work station defines an upper portion being movable between a first position and a second position and a loading position and a clamping position. The clamping position has a plurality of positions. The circular core being aligned during at least a portion of the plurality of positions. And, the work station having a welding station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Inc
    Inventors: Douglas R. Ervin, Leonard Holman, Robert M. Jones
  • Patent number: 6669914
    Abstract: Internal combustion engines produce a number of emissions including oxides of nitrogen, NOx. One manner of reducing NOx production used in gas turbine engines is through the use of catalytic reactors. Catalytic reactors reduce the ignition temperatures required for complete combustion of a fuel air mixture. However, high temperatures present in catalytic reactors cause sintering of the substrate, vaporization of the catalyst, and sintering of catalyst and metal substrate. The present invention is directed at controlling the temperature of a catalytic reactor in an internal combustion engine. An exothermic catalyst coats a first side of a substrate in the catalytic reactor. An endothermic catalyst coats a second side of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Inc
    Inventors: Chaur S. Wen, Peter B. Roberts
  • Patent number: 6668446
    Abstract: An assembly line for economically and efficiently assembling a core into a recuperator. The assembly line has an inlet end, an assembly station, a welding station, a control station and an outlet end. The inlet end has a plurality of the cores to be used for assembly thereat. The core is positioned within the assembly station and an assembly fixture locates a ducting structure in a preestablished relationship to the core. The control station using a plurality of sensors sends an input to a controller and the welding station performs a weld fixedly securing the ducting structure to the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Inc
    Inventors: Charles W. Bucey, Steven W. Clayton, Douglas R. Ervin, Robert M. Jones, Chad Miars
  • Patent number: 6615471
    Abstract: A fin folding machine has a base, a pair of vertical side support members extending from the base. A top support member is spaced from the base and is attached to the pair of vertical side support members. The base, pair of vertical side support members, and the top support member defining an opening therebetween. A plurality of tools are movably positioned within the opening. A bar has a plurality of sensors positioned therein abut a plurality of sides. The sensors send corresponding signals to a controller which monitors the position of the plurality of tools relative to a preestablished position. And, the plurality of tools are moved to the preestablished position. The sensors monitor the preestablished position of a depth and taper of a plurality of deep serpentine upper grooves and a plurality of deep serpentine lower grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Inc
    Inventors: Gary D. Cape, Douglas R. Ervin
  • Patent number: 6611076
    Abstract: Tooth tips, which fit over teeth and distal ends of fingers formed between slots in laminated disks making up a portion of a stator in a generator, facilitate slipping stator windings into the slots from a central opening in the laminated disks; cooperate with wedges to affix stator windings in the slots; and provide a slot gap between adjacent tooth tips, which is substantially smaller than the width of the slots, to reduce slot harmonics and improve performance of the generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Inc.
    Inventors: John R. Lindbery, Kourosh Mehrayin
  • Patent number: 6520002
    Abstract: A cell of a recuperator has a passage therein having a first end and a second end. In use a fluid passes through the passage under pressure. The cell must be tested to determine an operational efficiency or leakage within the passage. A pair of sealing mechanisms is positioned at a respective one of the first end and the second end of the passage. A vacuum is pulled across the passage and a rate of leakage is monitored to define an operational cell and a failed cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Inc
    Inventors: Charles W. Bucey, Bruce D. Harkins, Michael S. Nowak