Patents by Inventor Billy Lee Weaver

Billy Lee Weaver 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: 9201556
    Abstract: Methods and devices for determining the location of a touch implement relative to a touch locating sensing device involve developing touch signals at a touch sensor in response to a touch implement on or near the touch surface. Data associated with the touch signals is fitted to a predefined curve. The predefined curve is preferably defined by a charged sphere near a conducting plane, the charged sphere representative of an end of the touch implement and the conducting plane representative of the touch surface. A location of the touch implement is determined relative to the touch surface using the predefined curve to which the data is fitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: M. Benton Free, Bernard O. Geaghan, Karl P. Hauck, Billy Lee Weaver
  • Patent number: 8773366
    Abstract: A touch sensitive apparatus having a plurality of drive electrodes and a plurality of receive electrodes, the drive electrodes and receive electrodes capacitively coupled to each other. A touch measurement circuit configured to identify touch events on the touch sensitive device by comparing a first time period to a second time period. The first time period can be, for example, representative of a length of time a periodic receive signal carried by a receive electrode is above or below a threshold voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Brock A. Hable, Billy Lee Weaver
  • Publication number: 20110115717
    Abstract: A touch sensitive apparatus having a plurality of drive electrodes and a plurality of receive electrodes, the drive electrodes and receive electrodes capacitively coupled to each other. A touch measurement circuit configured to identify touch events on the touch sensitive device by comparing a first time period to a second time period. The first time period can be, for example, representative of a length of time a periodic receive signal carried by a receive electrode is above or below a threshold voltage level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2009
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Inventors: Brock A. Hable, Billy Lee Weaver
  • Patent number: 7916501
    Abstract: An energy transfer apparatus with a magnetic shield is configured to magnetically couple energy from a fixed location to a mobile or moveable device within a field-activated space of the energy transfer apparatus. Apparatuses include a location sensing surface and a drive coil arranged in relation to a periphery of the location sensing surface. A magnetic shield plate is disposed below the location sensing surface and the drive coil. The shield plate includes a number of radially oriented slots originating at, and distributed about, a periphery of the shield plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: M. Benton Free, Bernard O. Geaghan, Karl P. Hauck, Albert H. Libbey, Billy Lee Weaver
  • Patent number: 7787259
    Abstract: An energy transfer apparatus with a magnetic shield is configured to magnetically couple energy from a fixed location to a mobile or moveable device within a field-activated space of the energy transfer apparatus. Apparatuses include a location sensing surface and a drive coil arranged in relation to a periphery of the location sensing surface. A magnetic shield plate is disposed below the location sensing surface and the drive coil. The shield plate includes a number of radially oriented slots originating at, and distributed about, a periphery of the shield plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: M. Benton Free, Bernard O. Geaghan, Karl P. Hauck, Albert H. Libbey, Billy Lee Weaver
  • Publication number: 20100188832
    Abstract: An energy transfer apparatus with a magnetic shield is configured to magnetically couple energy from a fixed location to a mobile or moveable device within a field-activated space of the energy transfer apparatus. Apparatuses include a location sensing surface and a drive coil arranged in relation to a periphery of the location sensing surface. A magnetic shield plate is disposed below the location sensing surface and the drive coil. The shield plate includes a number of radially oriented slots originating at, and distributed about, a periphery of the shield plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2010
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Inventors: M. Benton Free, Bernard O. Geaghan, Karl P. Hauck, Albert H. Libbey, Billy Lee Weaver
  • Publication number: 20080158848
    Abstract: An energy transfer apparatus with a magnetic shield is configured to magnetically couple energy from a fixed location to a mobile or moveable device within a field-activated space of the energy transfer apparatus. Apparatuses include a location sensing surface and a drive coil arranged in relation to a periphery of the location sensing surface. A magnetic shield plate is disposed below the location sensing surface and the drive coil. The shield plate includes a number of radially oriented slots originating at, and distributed about, a periphery of the shield plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Inventors: M. Benton Free, Bernard O. Geaghan, Karl P. Hauck, Albert H. Libbey, Billy Lee Weaver
  • Publication number: 20080106520
    Abstract: Methods and devices for determining the location of a touch implement relative to a touch locating sensing device involve developing touch signals at a touch sensor in response to a touch implement on or near the touch surface. Data associated with the touch signals is fitted to a predefined curve. The predefined curve is preferably defined by a charged sphere near a conducting plane, the charged sphere representative of an end of the touch implement and the conducting plane representative of the touch surface. A location of the touch implement is determined relative to the touch surface using the predefined curve to which the data is fitted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2006
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Inventors: M. Benton Free, Bernard O. Geaghan, Karl P. Hauck, Billy Lee Weaver
  • Patent number: 6302136
    Abstract: Steam valve wherein at least one of the valve plug mating surface or valve seat mating surface has a metal nitride and/or carbide coating thereon. Preferably, the metal nitride and/or carbide coating is on both mating surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Billy Lee Weaver, Michael R. Woiak, Timothy N. Booth
  • Patent number: 5670253
    Abstract: A composite ceramic wafer including a beta silicon carbide layer. The composite ceramic wafer is useful for making thin film magnetic heads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1997
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Raymond C. Chiu, Robert G. Smith, Billy Lee Weaver