Patents by Inventor A. Lee Miller

A. Lee Miller 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: 20240072551
    Abstract: An example energy source for a work machine includes multiple battery cells connectable in parallel to form a battery system having a high pole and a low pole, a load bus to distribute energy from the battery system to the work machine, and a single point of connection between the battery system and the load bus. The single point of connection is a connector including a dual-pole single-throw (DPST) switch. The DPST switch includes a dual-switched circuit path to connect the high pole and the low pole to the load bus, and a single-switched circuit path to provide a switched connection of a high voltage interlock loop (HVIL) circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2022
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Jared J. Brodbeck, Jason Lee Miller
  • Publication number: 20240044595
    Abstract: Systems and methods for an adjustable gas block are described. Systems may include an adjustment subassembly. The adjustment subassembly may include a valve stem end with a front-most portion larger in diameter than the rear-most portion and a boss extending from the forward portion of the valve stem end; a valve ring surrounding the boss of the valve stem end; a valve threaded portion for receiving the boss of the valve stem end and having a threaded portion; and a valve rotator coupled to the valve threaded portion for adjusting the flow of gas. Systems may include a gas block assembly. The gas block assembly may include a gas block through hole; a first duct to direct pressurized gas from a barrel to a plenum; a second duct to direct a regulated volume of gas to a gas operating system; a seat valve to control the regulated volume of gas to the gas operating system; and a gas block threaded portion for coupling to the valve threaded portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Inventors: Robert Stanley Schilling, Jason Lee Miller, Michael R. Llewellyn
  • Publication number: 20240027568
    Abstract: A system includes a plurality of wireless transmitters and a processor configured to: receive, from a mobile device, signal strengths of signals from the wireless transmitters as detected by the mobile device. The processor is also configured to determine a location of the mobile device in a vehicle, based on a distance from the mobile device to each of the wireless transmitters, as indicated by the received signal strengths and store the location of the mobile device as an occupant location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Inventors: Mark A. CUDDIHY, Eric L. REED, Manoharprasad K RAO, Thomas Lee MILLER
  • Patent number: 11877088
    Abstract: A method for enhancing digital imagery. The method comprises receiving a linear, intensity-based image of an environment. A histogram of intensity values is generated for a plurality of pixels within the linear, intensity-based image. Based on the histogram of intensity values, local contrast enhancement is applied to the linear, intensity-based image to generate a contrast enhanced version of the linear, intensity-based image, and artificial colorization is applied to the linear, intensity-based image to generate an artificially colorized version of the linear, intensity-based image. A composite image of the environment is then generated based on at least a portion of the contrast enhanced version of the linear, intensity-based image and at least a portion of the artificially colorized version of the linear, intensity-based image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Raymond Kirk Price, Michael Bleyer, Christopher Douglas Edmonds, Benjamin Brown, Casey Lee Miller
  • Publication number: 20240012059
    Abstract: A battery management system configured to couple to at least one battery module, the battery management system includes a contact configured to couple between the at least one battery module and a machine, a sensor configured to sense an electrical parameter of the at least one battery module, and a control circuit configured to receive an output of the sensor and determine a value of the electrical parameter. The sensor includes an inverting charge pump coupled to receive a positive supply voltage and generate a negative supply voltage, and a differential amplifier coupled to the at least one battery module and supplied by the positive supply voltage and the negative supply voltage, the differential amplifier configured to generate an output representing the electrical parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2022
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Jose D. Miranda, Jason Lee Miller
  • Publication number: 20240006893
    Abstract: A driving circuit to control/drive a contactor using a high-side driver integrated into the battery pack controller. The driver circuit may electrically isolate the controller pins of the battery pack controller (which interface the contactors) from the low-voltage digital processing core of the battery pack controller. The driver circuit may provide techniques to diagnose a fault by monitoring the voltage at the output of the driver as compared to the reference voltage. The driver circuit may include an electronic switch, such as a field-effect transistor, that is configured on the high side of the contactor to control voltage from an energy source to the contactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2022
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Lee Boggs, Jason Lee Miller
  • Publication number: 20230364828
    Abstract: A manufacturing system includes a tape advancing through the manufacturing system and a station of the manufacturing system. The tape includes a first portion having grains of an inorganic material bound by an organic binder. The station of the manufacturing system receives the first portion of the tape and prepares the tape for sintering by chemically changing the organic binder and/or removing the organic binder from the first portion of the tape, leaving the grains of the inorganic material, to form a second portion of the tape and, at least in part, prepare the tape for sintering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2023
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Inventors: Michael Edward Badding, William Joseph Bouton, Lanrik Wayne Kester, Thomas Dale Ketcham, Andrew Peter Kittleson, Dale Charles Marshall, Gary Edward Merz, Eric Lee Miller, Emmanuel Chima Okpara, Conor James Walsh
  • Publication number: 20230369658
    Abstract: A battery system for a machine includes one or more battery module cell bus bars, one or more terminal bus bars, an interconnect system, and a battery module circuit. The one or more terminal bus bars include a coupling configured to couple the battery system to one or more components of the machine. The interconnect system couples the one or more battery module cells to the one or more terminal bus bars. The battery module circuit is coupled to one or more portions of the interconnect system. The battery module circuit includes one or more thermistors positioned at least partially overlapping with the one or more terminal bus bars.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2022
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Jared J. BRODBECK, Jason Lee MILLER
  • Publication number: 20230365423
    Abstract: A process of forming a sintered article includes heating a green portion of a tape of polycrystalline ceramic and/or minerals in organic binder at a binder removal zone to a temperature sufficient to pyrolyze the binder; horizontally conveying the portion of tape with organic binder removed from the binder removal zone to a sintering zone; and sintering polycrystalline ceramic and/or minerals of the portion of tape at the sintering zone, wherein the tape simultaneously extends through the removal and sintering zones.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2023
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Inventors: Micheal Edward Badding, William Joseph Bouton, Douglas Edward Brackley, Lanrik Wayne Kester, Thomas Dale Ketcham, Eric Lee Miller, Cameron Wayne Tanner, James William Zimmermann
  • Patent number: 11815614
    Abstract: A system includes a plurality of wireless transmitters and a processor configured to: receive, from a mobile device, signal strengths of signals from the wireless transmitters as detected by the mobile device. The processor is also configured to determine a location of the mobile device in a vehicle, based on a distance from the mobile device to each of the wireless transmitters, as indicated by the received signal strengths and store the location of the mobile device as an occupant location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mark A. Cuddihy, Eric L. Reed, Manoharprasad K Rao, Thomas Lee Miller
  • Patent number: 11815192
    Abstract: In some implementations, an apparatus comprises a pipe, a stud that is forge-welded to the pipe, creating a forge-welded stud, a bracket that is operably coupled to the forge-welded stud, and a ladder support operably coupled to the bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Forge Tech, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Lee Miller, Daniel J. Rybicki, Mathew A. Rybicki, Lawrence J. Povse, Kenneth R. Vejr, Andre S. Todd, John M. Griffin
  • Publication number: 20230348647
    Abstract: Antimicrobial polymer composite materials are disclosed that are suitable for making oral devices used in dental applications, such as denture bases. Acrylic resin composite materials comprising antimicrobial polymers and antimicrobial fillers provide reduction in common oral microorganisms after long-term aging, with reduced release rate of antimicrobial agents from the composite material. Antimicrobial polymers are prepared from compositions comprising acrylate and/or methacrylate monomers and polymerizable quaternary ammonium silicon-containing compounds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Applicant: James R. Glidewell Dental Ceramics, Inc.
    Inventors: Maggie Xiaoxia Liu, Bharathy Thaiyalan, Reid Baker, Nicole Lee Miller
  • Publication number: 20230335814
    Abstract: A monitoring circuit for a battery system of a work machine includes a system controller configured to operate in a low power mode when the battery system is inactive, a sensing circuit element configured to produce an electrical sensor signal representative of an environmental parameter of the battery system, and a wakeup circuit configured to generate a controller activation signal when the sensor signal indicates that the environmental parameter is outside of a specified operating range. The system controller is configured to initiate a controller boot operation in response to the controller activation signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2022
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Lee Boggs, Jason Lee Miller
  • Patent number: 11788808
    Abstract: Systems and methods for an adjustable gas block are described. Systems may include an adjustment subassembly. The adjustment subassembly may include a valve stem end with a front-most portion larger in diameter than the rear-most portion and a boss extending from the forward portion of the valve stem end; a valve ring surrounding the boss of the valve stem end; a valve threaded portion for receiving the boss of the valve stem end and having a threaded portion; and a valve rotator coupled to the valve threaded portion for adjusting the flow of gas. Systems may include a gas block assembly. The gas block assembly may include a gas block through hole; a first duct to direct pressurized gas from a barrel to a plenum; a second duct to direct a regulated volume of gas to a gas operating system; a seat valve to control the regulated volume of gas to the gas operating system; and a gas block threaded portion for coupling to the valve threaded portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: LWRC International LLC
    Inventors: Robert Stanley Schilling, Jason Lee Miller, Michael R. Llewellyn
  • Publication number: 20230307701
    Abstract: A cathode configured for a solid-state battery includes a body having grains of inorganic material sintered to one another, wherein the grains comprise lithium. A thickness of the body is from 3 ?m to 100 ?m. The first major surface and the second major surface have an unpolished granular profile such that the profile includes grains protruding outward from the respective major surface with a height of at least 25 nm and no more than 150 ?m relative to recessed portions of the respective major surface at boundaries between the respective grains.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2023
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Inventors: Michael Edward Badding, Jacqueline Leslie Brown, Jennifer Anella Heine, Thomas Dale Ketcham, Gary Edward Merz, Eric Lee Miller, Zhen Song, Cameron Wayne Tanner, Conor James Walsh
  • Patent number: 11765475
    Abstract: A system for obtaining dark current images includes one or more processors and one or more hardware storage devices storing instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to configure the system to perform various acts. The acts include obtaining a first image frame, generating a first low-pass filtered image by applying a low-pass filter to the first image frame, and generating a first estimated dark current image by subtracting the first low-pass filtered image from the first image frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Raymond Kirk Price, Michael Bleyer, Christopher Douglas Edmonds, Casey Lee Miller
  • Patent number: 11745385
    Abstract: A manufacturing system includes a tape advancing through the manufacturing system and a station of the manufacturing system. The tape includes a first portion having grains of an inorganic material bound by an organic binder. The station of the manufacturing system receives the first portion of the tape and prepares the tape for sintering by chemically changing the organic binder and/or removing the organic binder from the first portion of the tape, leaving the grains of the inorganic material, to form a second portion of the tape and, at least in part, prepare the tape for sintering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Michael Edward Badding, William Joseph Bouton, Lanrik Wayne Kester, Thomas Dale Ketcham, Andrew Peter Kittleson, Dale Charles Marshall, Gary Edward Merz, Eric Lee Miller, Emmanuel Chima Okpara, Conor James Walsh
  • Patent number: 11750119
    Abstract: Power supply hold-up time is increased using regenerative braking. A power line disturbance (“PLD”) event is detected in a power supply unit. One or more fan motors associated with the power supply unit may be signaled to provide regenerative braking based on identifying the PLD event, where the one or more fan motors transition from a motor operating mode to a regenerative braking mode. The regenerative braking may be applied to the one or more fan motors associated with the power supply unit, where a hold-up time is extended to prevent shut down of the power supply unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael Lee Miller, Bret P. Elison
  • Patent number: 11750079
    Abstract: A VRM system comprises a first output group that comprises a first primary converter. The VRM system also comprises a second output group that comprises a second primary converter. The VRM system also comprises a first VRM output and a second VRM output. The VRM system comprises an adaptable spare converter. The VRM system comprises a first switch and a second switch. Closing the first switch connects the adaptable spare converter with the first VRM output. Closing the second switch connects the adaptable spare converter with the second VRM output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Lee Miller, Eric B. Swenson
  • Patent number: 11746022
    Abstract: A process of forming a sintered article includes heating a green portion of a tape of polycrystalline ceramic and/or minerals in organic binder at a binder removal zone to a temperature sufficient to pyrolyze the binder; horizontally conveying the portion of tape with organic binder removed from the binder removal zone to a sintering zone; and sintering polycrystalline ceramic and/or minerals of the portion of tape at the sintering zone, wherein the tape simultaneously extends through the removal and sintering zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Michael Edward Badding, William Joseph Bouton, Douglas Edward Brackley, Lanrik Wayne Kester, Thomas Dale Ketcham, Eric Lee Miller, Cameron Wayne Tanner, James William Zimmermann