Patents Examined by Jack Keith
  • Patent number: 8077543
    Abstract: A method and apparatus implementing a technique for mitigating noise in seismic data are presented. The technique includes estimating a noise component in a set of multicomponent seismic data representing a recorded wavefield from the relationship at the free surface of an upgoing component and a downgoing component decomposed from the recorded wavefield; and removing the estimated noise component from the seismic data. The noise component can be estimated by decomposing a recorded wavefield into an upgoing component and a downgoing component and isolating a noise component in the recorded wavefield from the relationship of the decomposed upgoing and downgoing components at the free surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Inventors: Dirk-Jan van Manen, Johan Olof Anders Robertsson
  • Patent number: 8072841
    Abstract: A method for generating a synthetic seismogram. In one implementation, a ray tracing may be performed on a subsurface. The ray tracing may generate a plurality of rays. A first seismic wavefront may be reconstructed by triangulating a first plurality of control points that correspond to the plurality of rays. Each control point may represent an end point of a ray at the first seismic wavefront. The plurality of rays may be propagated to a second seismic wavefront. The second seismic wavefront may have a hole associated with at least one missing ray at the second seismic wavefront. A plurality of points on a circle may be defined that correspond to a second plurality of control points defining the hole. The second seismic wavefront may be reconstructed based on the plurality of points on the circle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Toshi Thomas Chang, Luis Canales, Alfonso Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 8068384
    Abstract: A method and system for processing synchronous array seismic data includes acquiring synchronous passive seismic data from a plurality of sensors to obtain synchronized array measurements. A reverse-time data process is applied to the synchronized array measurements to obtain a plurality of dynamic particle parameters associated with subsurface locations. These dynamic particle parameters are stored in a form for display. Maximum values of the dynamic particle parameters may be interpreted as reservoir locations. The dynamic particle parameters may be particle displacement values, particle velocity values, particle acceleration values or particle pressure values. The sensors may be three-component sensors. Zero-phase frequency filtering of different ranges of interest may be applied. The data may be resampled to facilitate efficient data processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Spectraseis AG
    Inventors: Erik Saenger, Brian Steiner, Stefan Schmalholz
  • Patent number: 8068943
    Abstract: A flight control system is provided that includes a reference system and flight control actuators. The reference system includes one or more sets of gyroscopes and accelerometers. At least one set of the gyroscopes and accelerometers are configured to provide a first output of a first set inertial signals for normal mode flight control and second output of a second different set of inertial signals for backup mode flight control. The flight control actuators are configured to be controlled by one of the first set of inertial signals and the second set of inertial signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Manfred, Tom Ryno, Mark E. Wright
  • Patent number: 8068982
    Abstract: An on-vehicle navigation system reliably performs guidance of a necessary exiting authorized section while avoiding the guidance of a needless exiting authorized section on a plural-lane road having a normal lane and a special lane where advancing from the normal lane in a predetermined advancing authorized section and exiting to the normal lane in a predetermined exiting authorized section are authorized. After discriminating whether the vehicle is driving in the special lane of the plural-lane road based on whether a characteristic object has been detected by a characteristic object detecting section, the guidance of an exiting authorized section is avoided in the case where the vehicle deviated from a recommended route including a special lane, and the guidance of an exiting authorized section is performed in the case where the vehicle deviated from a recommended route not including a special lane and drives in a special lane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Alpine Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Takayuki Takada
  • Patent number: 8065067
    Abstract: The present invention refers to systems and to methods for determining at least one parameter relating to a tire-to-road contact and/or a relation between a wheel and a vehicle motion. In particular, the present invention refers to systems and to methods for determining the coefficient of friction between a tire and a road surface. For that purpose, the systems and methods according to the invention use new estimation filtering procedures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignees: Haldex Brake Products AB, Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Jacob Svendenius, Magnus Gaefvert, Fredrik Bruzelius, Johan Hulten
  • Patent number: 8065060
    Abstract: Disclosed are an articulated hydraulic machine supporting, control system and control method for same. The articulated hydraulic machine has an end effector for performing useful work. The control system is capable of controlling the end effector for automated movement along a preselected trajectory. The control system has a position error correction system to correct discrepancies between an actual end effector trajectory and a desired end effector trajectory. The correction system can employ one or more absolute position signals provided by one or more acceleration sensors supported by one or more movable machine elements. Good trajectory positioning and repeatability can be obtained. A two-joystick controller system is enabled, which can in some cases facilitate the operator's task and enhance their work quality and productivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: The Board of Regents of the University and Community College System on Behalf of the University of Nevada
    Inventor: George Danko
  • Patent number: 8064287
    Abstract: A method for mapping a property of a subsurface reservoir includes determining a value of at least one reservoir property from measurements obtained from a well drilled through the reservoir. A relationship is determined between the at least one property of the reservoir and at least one seismic attribute and at least one electromagnetic survey attribute at a geodetic position of the well. A value of the at least one reservoir property is determined at at least one other geodetic position from a value of the at least one seismic attribute, a value of the at least one electromagnetic survey attribute at the at least one other geodetic position, and from the determined relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Rock Solid Images, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Harris, Lucy MacGregor
  • Patent number: 8064288
    Abstract: A method for seismic event mapping includes adaptively velocity filtering seismic signals recorded at selected positions. The velocity filtered signals are transformed into a domain of possible spatial positions of a source of seismic events. An origin in spatial position and time of at least one seismic event is determined from space and time distribution of at least one attribute of the transformed seismic data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Microseismic, Inc.
    Inventors: Chuntao Liang, Michael P. Thornton, Peter Morton
  • Patent number: 8055421
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to minimize any sensation of inadequate firmness and large changes in deceleration rate with respect to a change in a brake operation force when the force exceeds a boost limit point. A first correlation S1 when a brake operation force increases and a second correlation S2 after hysteresis is applied at the time of a decrease in the brake operation force are taken as relationships between a brake operation force F and a wheel cylinder pressure PWC in a state wherein an assist hydraulic pressure PA is not applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshio Masuda, Masayuki Naito, Hiroaki Niino
  • Patent number: 8055442
    Abstract: A method of determining a display position for road name data including selecting a link representing a road segment with an initial road name display position from stored map data. An angle of the selected link is calculated, and calculating an angle of the selected link, a display reference position is identified to display the road name. Updated road name display position information including the determined display reference position is stored relative to the link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Young In Kim
  • Patent number: 8054711
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for use in seismic prospecting are disclosed. The method includes: attenuating coherent noise in a seismic data set generated from a sweep signal; and correlating the coherent noise-attenuated seismic data set to the sweep signal. The apparatus includes a program storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computing device perform the method and a computer programmed to perform the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventor: Andreas W. Laake
  • Patent number: 8054933
    Abstract: An injection system designed to deliver a chemical solution into a reactor through feedwater system taps during normal operating condition of a power reactor is disclosed. The process of delivery is via positive displacement pumps. Injection of chemical is in a concentrated solution form, which is internally diluted by the system prior to discharging from the skid. The injection system minimizes chemical loss due to deposition on the transit line, enables a higher concentrated solution to be used as the injectant, eliminates the time consuming laborious process of chemical dilution, raises chemical solution to the pressure required for injection, prevents solid precipitations out of solution at the injection pump head through the use of a flush solution, and deposits fresh chemical on new crack surfaces that develop during a power reactor start-up, shutdown and operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC
    Inventors: Luong Cam Tran, Thomas P. Diaz, Samson Hettiarachchi, Paul Y. Shu, David P. Siegwarth
  • Patent number: 8050856
    Abstract: The technology described herein provides methods and systems for powertrain optimization and improved fuel economy including multiple displacement engine modeling and control optimization, automotive powertrain matching for fuel economy, cycle-based automotive shift and lock-up scheduling for fuel economy, and engine performance requirements based on vehicle attributes and drive cycle characteristics. Also provided is a reverse tractive road load demand simulation algorithm used to propagate a reverse tractive road load demand and a corresponding component torque and speed, derived from a vehicle speed trace, in a reverse direction through a powertrain system. Also provided is a dynamic optimization algorithm. The dynamic programming algorithm is applied to a matrix of fuel flow rates to find the optimal control path that maximizes the powertrain efficiency over a cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Chrysler Group LLC
    Inventors: Mark J. Duty, Melody Papke
  • Patent number: 8050139
    Abstract: A technique facilitates the production of acoustic pulses used in marine seismic surveys. A source array system comprises a plurality of acoustic sources suspended from a float in a plurality of layers positioned at different vertical levels. A bridle is coupled to the plurality of layers to enable towing of the source array system. The bridle is constructed and connected in a manner such that the arrangement of acoustic sources substantially retains its nominal shape during towing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventor: Are Johan Berstad
  • Patent number: 8050863
    Abstract: A navigation and control system including a sensor configured to locate objects in a predetermined field of view from a vehicle. The sensor has an emitter configured to repeatedly scan a beam into a two-dimensional sector of a plane defined with respect to a first predetermined axis of the vehicle, and a detector configured to detect a reflection of the emitted beam from one of the objects. The sensor includes a panning mechanism configured to pan the plane in which the beam is scanned about a second predetermined axis to produce a three dimensional field of view. The navigation and control system includes a processor configured to determine the existence and location of the objects in the three dimensional field of view based on a position of the vehicle and a time between an emittance of the beam and a reception of the reflection of the emitted beam from one of the objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Gray & Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Gerard Trepagnier, Jorge Emilio Nagel, Powell McVay Kinney, Matthew Taylor Dooner, Bruce Mackie Wilson, Carl Reimers Schneider, Jr., Keith Brian Goeller
  • Patent number: 8050378
    Abstract: In a spent fuel pool of a nuclear power plant, there is provided a system for aligning a nuclear fuel bundle and handling selected fuel rods within the fuel bundle. The bundle includes water rods, full-length and part-length fuel rods extending through a plurality of fuel spacers provided between top and bottom ends of the bundle, each spacer having a plurality of cells accommodating corresponding fuel and water rods. The system includes a bundle alignment system for aligning the fuel rods and water rods, a rod grapple tool to extract selected part-length rods from the bundle, and a fuel rod guide block slidable onto the top end of the bundle for protecting an uppermost fuel spacer of the bundle, and for aligning fuel rods within individual cells of all the fuel spacers in the fuel bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David P. Ketcham, Vernon John Fullerton, David Grey Smith, Rex Gormen Robinson, Gerald A. Luciano
  • Patent number: 8046126
    Abstract: The start control is repeatedly performed for an oil pump that pressure feeds the flow of oil in a motor cooling system. This control is repeated for every specified rise in motor temperature (e.g., every 10° C.) from an initial starting temperature. This arrangement increases the potential for a successful start-up of the oil pump even when the oil has a high viscosity due to a relatively low outside air temperature. In the event of a failed start-up of the oil pump by repeated starting, the start control determines an abnormality exists in the oil pump or its power supply if an outside air temperature is greater than a reference temperature. This arrangement effectively eliminates incorrect detection of an abnormality in the oil pump or its power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin Aw Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiji Yanagida, Tetsuhiro Tsuchie
  • Patent number: 8046146
    Abstract: A method is provided for adaptively determining an anti-lock braking strategy that includes monitoring a distance differential of at least one target in proximity to a driven vehicle. An anti-lock braking strategy is determined as a function of the distance differential. The anti-locking braking strategy is applied as a function of the distance differential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Kelsey-Hayes Company
    Inventors: Douglas Charles Osborn, James Andrew Techentin, Jong Wook Lee
  • Patent number: 8045673
    Abstract: Example embodiments are directed to core spray sparger T-box repairs, specifically, to universal core spray sparger T-box weldless clamps having remote-friendly operation and methods of using universal core spray sparger T-box weldless clamps. Example embodiment clamps may be secured without welding to a variety of upper and lower sparger T-box configurations. Example embodiment clamps may be configured to simultaneously engage a sparger T-box in multiple dimensions to allow a universal fit. Further, example embodiment clamps may be accessed, installed, or removed by interacting only with a front side of the example embodiment clamps, thus potentially reducing difficulty and cost in remote access repairs to example clamps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Grant C Jensen