Patents by Inventor Alan Howell

Alan Howell 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).

  • Patent number: 8925928
    Abstract: A mechanical seal has a stationary face and rotating assembly adjacent to the stationary face. The rotating assembly includes an upper bellows ring, a lower bellows ring and a runner between the lower bellows ring and the stationary face. A bellows extends between the upper bellows ring and the lower bellows ring. In preferred embodiments, the bellows is constructed from a perfluoroalkoxy polymer and is secured within the upper bellows ring and the lower bellows ring by a selected locking mechanism. The locking mechanism may include the use of crimp rings configured for a press fit engagement within the upper and lower bellows rings. Alternatively, the locking mechanism may employ locking rings configured for threaded engagement with the upper and lower bellows rings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: GE Oil & Gas ESP, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Alan Howell, Brian Paul Reeves, Chengbao Wang, Charles Collins
  • Patent number: 8856647
    Abstract: A request is received for a rendered document corresponding to a document. The document is retrieved from a storage device. The document is transformed into the rendered document. One or more server font files associated with the rendered document are generated. The rendered document and the server font files are stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Gareth Alan Howell, Zhenjun Zhu, Jie Tang
  • Publication number: 20140152197
    Abstract: A method of operating an acceleration system comprises injecting charged particles into an RF accelerator, providing RF power to the accelerator, and accelerating the injected charged particles. The accelerated charged particles may impact a target to generate radiation. The RF power is based, at least in part, on past performance of the system, to compensate, at least partially, for dose and/or energy instability. A controller may provide a compensated control voltage (“CCV”) to an electric power source based on the past performance, to provide compensated electric power to the RF source. A decreasing CCV, such as an exponentially decreasing CCV, may be provided to the electric power source during beam on time periods. The CCV to be provided may be increased, such as exponentially increased toward a maximum value, during beam off time periods. The controller may be configured by a compensation circuit and/or software. Systems are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Gongyin CHEN, Kenneth Todd Romriell, David Alan Howell
  • Publication number: 20140147301
    Abstract: A seal section for use in a downhole submersible pumping system includes a housing and a seal bag located within the housing. The seal bag includes a substrate having a plurality of substrate surfaces and a metal coating layer on at least one of the plurality of substrate surfaces. The substrate can optionally be configured as a cylindrical form that includes an interior surface and an exterior surface. In particularly preferred embodiments, the substrate is seamless and fabricated from an extruded fluoropolymer. The metal coating layer preferably comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, stainless steel, nickel, chrome, silver and gold. The metalized seal bag exhibits increased durability and decreased permeability to liquids and gases at elevated temperatures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: GE OIL & GAS ESP, INC.
    Inventors: Brian Paul Reeves, Chengbao Wang, Steven Alan Howell
  • Publication number: 20140147307
    Abstract: A method for applying a metalized polymer film to a seal bag for use in a downhole submersible pumping system includes the steps of applying a metal layer to a polymer layer, applying an adhesive layer to the polymer layer, and rolling the adhesive layer onto a substrate of the seal bag. The method may also include the steps of rotating a first roller, which is located above the polymer layer of the metalized polymer film, and rotating a second roller, which is located on an interior surface of the substrate of the seal bag, in the opposite direction of the first roller. Also disclosed is a downhole pumping system that incorporates a seal bag manufactured from these techniques.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: GE OIL & GAS ESP, INC.
    Inventors: Brian Paul Reeves, Chengbao Wang, Steven Alan Howell
  • Publication number: 20140147302
    Abstract: A mechanical seal has a stationary face and rotating assembly adjacent to the stationary face. The rotating assembly includes an upper bellows ring, a lower bellows ring and a runner between the lower bellows ring and the stationary face. A bellows extends between the upper bellows ring and the lower bellows ring. In preferred embodiments, the bellows is constructed from a perfluoroalkoxy polymer and is secured within the upper bellows ring and the lower bellows ring by a selected locking mechanism. The locking mechanism may include the use of crimp rings configured for a press fit engagement within the upper and lower bellows rings. Alternatively, the locking mechanism may employ locking rings configured for threaded engagement with the upper and lower bellows rings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: GE OIL & GAS ESP, INC.
    Inventors: Steven Alan Howell, Brian Paul Reeves, Chengbao Wang, Charles Collins
  • Patent number: 8690551
    Abstract: A seal section for use in a downhole submersible pumping system includes a modular seal bag assembly having a first end cap, a second end cap and a plurality of seal bags connected between the first and second end caps. Each of the first and second end caps includes a plurality of nozzles and each of the plurality of seal bags is connected to a unique pair of nozzles on the first and second end caps. The modular seal bag assembly further includes a shaft tube connected between the first and second end caps. In a second preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a seal section that includes a single seal bag connected between two opposing end caps. The seal bag is preferably seamless and fabricated from a fluoropolymer, such as perfluoroalkoxy (PFA).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Inventors: Arcady Royzen, Alan Howell, Joseph W. Elder
  • Publication number: 20130240199
    Abstract: A downhole pumping system includes a motor, a pump driven by the motor and a seal section positioned between the pump and the motor. The seal section preferably includes a first seal bag assembly, a second seal bag assembly and an interconnect module connected between the first seal bag assembly and the second seal bag assembly. The interconnect module includes a plenum, at least one fluid exchange passage connected to the plenum, and a shaft seal assembly. The shaft seal assembly is configured to divert fluid from the plenum into the at least one fluid exchange passage. In another aspect, a first group of interconnect modules within the seal section each includes a shaft seal assembly oriented in a first direction and a second group of the interconnect modules each includes a shaft seal assembly oriented in a second direction to selectively apply an axial force on the shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: GE OIL & GAS ESP, INC.
    Inventors: Alan Howell, Chengbao Wang, Brian Reeves
  • Patent number: 8419387
    Abstract: A submersible pumping system includes a pump assembly, a motor and a seal section positioned between the pump assembly and the motor. The seal section includes a clean fluid circulation system, a contaminated fluid circulation system and at least one bag seal assembly. The bag seal assembly includes an upper mounting block, a lower mounting block and a bag seal extending over the upper mounting block and lower mounting block and providing a path for the clean fluid circulation system. The bag seal assembly further includes a mounting plate connected to the upper mounting block that limits the axial travel of the bag seal on the upper mounting block. The bag seal assembly optionally includes a breather tube connected to the mounting plate and extending along the exterior of the bag seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Inventors: Randy Karbs, Michael Barnes, Alan Howell, Arcady Royzen
  • Patent number: 8347208
    Abstract: Portions of content are transformed into portions of rendered content. While the portions of the content are being transformed into portions of the rendered content, each discrete portion of the rendered content can be provided to the application program after that portion is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Gareth Alan Howell, Matthew James Ruhlen, Brendyn O'Dell-Alexander, Nicholas Allen Robarge, Zhenjun Zhu, Sugandha SudeshKumar Kapoor, Kiran Akella Venkata, Juraj Gottweis
  • Publication number: 20120331377
    Abstract: Portions of content are transformed into portions of rendered content. While the portions of the content are being transformed into portions of the rendered content, each discrete portion of the rendered content can be provided to the application program after that portion is completed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gareth Alan Howell, Matthew James Ruhlen, Brendyn O'Dell-Alexander, Nicholas Allen Robarge, Zhenjun Zhu, Sugandha SudeshKumar Kapoor, Kiran Akella Venkata, Juraj Gottweis
  • Patent number: 8246328
    Abstract: A seal section for use with a downhole pumping system includes a rotatable shaft, a seal section head and a mechanical seal chamber inside the seal section head. The mechanical seal chamber is bounded by a floor and a wall. The mechanical seal chamber includes a trench disposed in the floor that is configured to entrap solid particles in the mechanical seal chamber at a distance spaced apart from the mechanical seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: GE Oil & Gas ESP, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Howell, Michael Barnes, Randy Karbs, Arcady Royzen
  • Publication number: 20110222589
    Abstract: A method of monitoring at least one beam of a satellite, the at least one beam being directed at a body around which the satellite orbits, the method comprising monitoring the at least one beam using a monitoring satellite which orbits around the body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2010
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: Inmarsat Global Limited
    Inventors: William Alan Howell, Antonio Franchi, Brian Garstang
  • Patent number: 7801409
    Abstract: Described herein is a technology for facilitating playback of video segments (with transforms applied therein) which can be both glitch-free and realtime.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Gareth Alan Howell, Olivier Colle, Rebecca C. Weiss
  • Publication number: 20100229086
    Abstract: Portions of content are transformed into portions of rendered content. While the portions of the content are being transformed into portions of the rendered content, each discrete portion of the rendered content can be provided to the application program after that portion is completed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Gareth Alan Howell, Matthew James Ruhlen, Brendyn O'Dell-Alexander, Nicholas Allen Robarge, Zhenjun Zhu, Sugandha SudeshKumar Kapoor, Kiran Akella Venkata, Juraj Gottweis
  • Publication number: 20100218086
    Abstract: A request is received for a rendered document corresponding to a document. The document is retrieved from a storage device. The document is transformed into the rendered document. One or more server font files associated with the rendered document are generated. The rendered document and the server font files are stored.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Gareth Alan Howell, Zhenjun Zhu, Jie Tang
  • Patent number: 7733962
    Abstract: Systems and methods for processing input media in a computing device are described. In one aspect, a reconstructed frame is cached according to a set of criteria. A request to scrub to a predictive frame of input media is received. Responsive to receiving the request, the predictive frame is decoded starting with the reconstructed frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Rebecca C. Weiss, Geoffrey T. Dunbar, Niranjan S. Nayak, Sohail Baig Mohammed, Thomas W. Holcomb, Chih-lung Bruce Lin, Olivier Colle, Gareth Alan Howell
  • Patent number: 7640552
    Abstract: Providing resiliency to a multimedia application. A list of filters associated with the multimedia application is identified. It is determined if one or more filters of the identified list of filters are suitable for the multimedia application. The one or more filters are disabled if the one or more filters are determined to be unsuitable for the multimedia application. The one or more filters of the list of filters may also be presented to a user of the multimedia application as a function of suitability of each of the list of filters for the multimedia application. The user is allowed to manage the presented one or more filters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Kristen Miller, Brian James Walker, Gareth Alan Howell, Ian Cameron Mercer
  • Patent number: 7624795
    Abstract: Disclosed is a submersible pumping system that includes a motor, a production pump and a seal section disposed between the motor and the production pump. The pumping system further comprises an auxiliary pump disposed below the motor and an auxiliary adapter connected between the motor and the auxiliary pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Wood Group ESP, Inc.
    Inventors: Yasser Khan Bangash, Alan Howell
  • Patent number: 7564974
    Abstract: Methods and systems enable content authors to achieve frame-accurate editing and, in at least some embodiments, reduce the amount of content that needs to be decompressed in order to operate on the frames. Some embodiments ensure that bit rate integrity is preserved so that bit rate conditions associated with streaming environments are preserved. Various embodiments intelligently determine which content portions should be decompressed, processed, and recompressed and which content portions should not be decompressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Alexandre V. Grigorovitch, Chih-lung Bruce Lin, Gareth Alan Howell, Mei L. Wilson, Niranjan S. Nayak, Olivier Colle, Randolph B Oakley, Blake Bender, Tony M. Antoun