Patents by Inventor Brandon J. Childress

Brandon J. Childress 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).

  • Omnidirectional, electric near-field distance sensing device
    Patent number: 11668807
    Abstract: A sensor system is disclosed for sensing the position of an object. The system can include a power source and a nullification circuit electrically connected to the power source, the nullification circuit including an output voltage. An electrical medium can be integrated into the nullification circuit, the electrical medium producing a standing wave electric field about the electrical medium when power is supplied from the power source to the electrical medium. The nullification circuit is configured such that the output voltage of the nullification circuit is substantially zero when power is supplied to the electrical medium and the object is not within a predetermined minimum distance from the electrical medium, the output voltage of the nullification circuit having a non-zero value when the object is within the predetermined minimum distance from the electrical medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Tennessee Technological University
    Inventors: Charles W. VanNeste, Charles A. Robinson, Brandon J. Childress
  • OMNIDIRECTIONAL, ELECTRIC NEAR-FIELD DISTANCE SENSING DEVICE
    Publication number: 20220299618
    Abstract: A sensor system is disclosed for sensing the position of an object. The system can include a power source and a nullification circuit electrically connected to the power source, the nullification circuit including an output voltage. An electrical medium can be integrated into the nullification circuit, the electrical medium producing a standing wave electric field about the electrical medium when power is supplied from the power source to the electrical medium. The nullification circuit is configured such that the output voltage of the nullification circuit is substantially zero when power is supplied to the electrical medium and the object is not within a predetermined minimum distance from the electrical medium, the output voltage of the nullification circuit having a non-zero value when the object is within the predetermined minimum distance from the electrical medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Inventors: Charles W. VanNeste, Charles A. Robinson, Brandon J. Childress
  • Omnidirectional, electric near-field distance sensing device
    Patent number: 11360200
    Abstract: A sensor system is disclosed for sensing the position of an object. The system can include a power source and a nullification circuit electrically connected to the power source, the nullification circuit including an output voltage. An electrical medium can be integrated into the nullification circuit, the electrical medium producing a standing wave electric field about the electrical medium when power is supplied from the power source to the electrical medium. The nullification circuit is configured such that the output voltage of the nullification circuit is substantially zero when power is supplied to the electrical medium and the object is not within a predetermined minimum distance from the electrical medium, the output voltage of the nullification circuit having a non-zero value when the object is within the predetermined minimum distance from the electrical medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Tennessee Technological University
    Inventors: Charles W. VanNeste, Charles A. Robinson, Brandon J. Childress
  • Omnidirectional, Electric Near-Field Distance Sensing Device
    Publication number: 20200319323
    Abstract: A sensor system is disclosed for sensing the position of an object. The system can include a power source and a nullification circuit electrically connected to the power source, the nullification circuit including an output voltage. An electrical medium can be integrated into the nullification circuit, the electrical medium producing a standing wave electric field about the electrical medium when power is supplied from the power source to the electrical medium. The nullification circuit is configured such that the output voltage of the nullification circuit is substantially zero when power is supplied to the electrical medium and the object is not within a predetermined minimum distance from the electrical medium, the output voltage of the nullification circuit having a non-zero value when the object is within the predetermined minimum distance from the electrical medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventors: Charles W. VanNeste, Charles A. Robinson, Brandon J. Childress