Patents by Inventor Brian A. Johnson

Brian A. Johnson 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).

  • Floatless pulsed wave guide liquid level measurement
    Patent number: 10054476
    Abstract: A waveguide arrangement may include a tank defining a chamber for holding a liquid; and a pulsed waveguide (PWG) disposed at least partially within the chamber, the PWG comprising: an inner cylinder, the inner cylinder being grounded. The waveguide may also include an electrically conductive coil wrapped around the inner cylinder, wherein the pulsed waveguide is arranged to generate a first delay between a first initial pulse and a first reflected pulse when an upper surface of the liquid is at a first level, and to generate a second delay between a second initial pulse and a second reflected pulse when the upper surface of the liquid is a second level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: LITTELFUSE, INC.
    Inventors: Brian Johnson, Efrem Fesshaie, Rimantas Misevicius
  • User centric service and content curation through in-flight entertainment system
    Publication number: 20180234707
    Abstract: A controller device in communication with service delivery devices of an aircraft in-flight entertainment (IFE) system receives objective information associated with an aircraft comprising the aircraft IFE system. The controller device also receives subjective passenger information associated with a passenger of the aircraft. A service is determined to deliver to the passenger during a flight on the aircraft based on the received objective and subjective passenger information. A service delivery device is identified among the service delivery devices of the aircraft that is associated with a seat assigned to the passenger or determined to be operated by the passenger. The controller controls delivery of the determined service to the identified service delivery device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2018
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventors: Steven James Pujia, Brian Johnson, Thomas Moeller, Thomas Kleist
  • Temperature monitoring device for workflow monitoring system
    Patent number: 9970822
    Abstract: A host device and temperature monitoring device (TMD) integrated assembly that can automatically collect temperature data and interface with a workflow management system. The TMD is provided in a portable housing and incorporates one or more temperature sensors, such as a physical probe, infrared sensor, or RFID transceiver, along with an interface for communicating via a wired connection with a host device that has been programmed with temperature management tasks. The TMD may be used to automatically collect temperatures and provide the data to the host for monitoring and tracking as part of a comprehensive workflow management system that includes food safety monitoring and compliance programs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: PAR TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Rahi Roshandel, Brian Johnson, William Denale, Bernard Baker
  • ZERO SEQUENCE SENSING APPARATUS AND METHOD
    Publication number: 20180067172
    Abstract: Zero sequence current sensors for single-phase and multiphase power systems are disclosed. In one implementation, a zero sequence current sensor is positioned between conductors associated with a single-phase power system or a multiphase power system. The current sensor may be shaped to accommodate maintaining a substantially equal distance between the conductors associated with the single-phase power system or the multiphase power system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Applicant: Littelfuse, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel R. Gilman, Kip M. Larson, Brian Johnson
  • NON-ARCING FUSE
    Publication number: 20180068820
    Abstract: An arc-mitigating fuse including a tubular fuse body, a first endcap covering a first end of the fuse body and a second endcap covering a second end of the fuse body, a fusible element disposed within the fuse body and extending between the first endcap and the second endcap to provide an electrically conductive pathway therebetween, and an arc-mitigating element disposed within the fuse body and held in a compressed state between the first endcap and the second endcap, the arc-mitigating element adapted to extend to an uncompressed state upon separation of the fusible element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Applicant: Littelfuse, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Johnson
  • Tilt mechanism for a display monitor
    Patent number: 9890896
    Abstract: The present invention provides a tilt mechanism for a POS monitor. The tilt mechanism permits the monitor to be selectively tilted at various angles ranging between a stowed or flat position and an entirely upright position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Par Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Bernard Baker, Kurt Knolle, Bernard S. Riedman, Brian Johnson
  • RECONSTRUCTION OF SYSTEM DEFINITIONAL AND STATE INFORMATION
    Publication number: 20180039545
    Abstract: A determination is made as to whether one of a system definition file data set and a catalog data set is unavailable for orderly restart of an information system. The system definition file data set provides resource definition information for the information system and the catalog data set provides resource state information for the information system. A determination is made that the other of the system definition file data set and the catalog data set is available. The unavailable one of the system definition file data set and the catalog data set is reconstructed by rebuilding the system resource definition and state information used by the unavailable one of the system definition file data set and the catalog data set using system resource information within the other available one of the system definition file data set and the catalog data set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Publication date: February 8, 2018
    Inventors: Brian Johnson, Mark W. T. Todd, Andrew Wright
  • Apparatus and method for detecting leakage from a composition-containing pouch
    Patent number: 9869604
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for detecting leakage from a composition-containing pouch during the high-speed manufacturing process. The apparatus comprises: a platen comprising a pouch cavity and a plurality of platen edges adjacent to the cavity; an image capturing unit; an image processing unit; and ultraviolet-light emitting source. The composition itself comprises a fluorescent whitening compound. The ultra-violet emitting light source is arranged to illuminate the cavity and plurality of platen edges. The image capturing unit is arranged to capture an image of the illuminated cavity and plurality of platen edges. The image capturing unit is communicably attached to the image processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Suzanne Khalaf, Stefan Meskens, Kerry Brian Johnson, Leon Byrd, Jr.
  • Reconstruction of system definitional and state information
    Patent number: 9836353
    Abstract: A determination is made as to whether one of a system definition file data set and a catalog data set is unavailable for orderly restart of an information system. The system definition file data set provides resource definition information for the information system and the catalog data set provides resource state information for the information system. A determination is made that the other of the system definition file data set and the catalog data set is available. The unavailable one of the system definition file data set and the catalog data set is reconstructed by rebuilding the system resource definition and state information used by the unavailable one of the system definition file data set and the catalog data set using system resource information within the other available one of the system definition file data set and the catalog data set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brian Johnson, Mark W. T. Todd, Andrew Wright
  • Seat belt buckle
    Patent number: 9821762
    Abstract: A thick film polymer membrane switch can be positioned within a seat belt buckle. The switch can detect if the seat belt buckle is fastened or unfastened. In one approach, an apparatus includes a housing having a cavity, an insertion member moveable within the cavity, a connector positioned within the cavity, and a switch positioned within the cavity, wherein movement of the insertion member causes the connector to connect or disconnect from the switch. In some approaches, the switch includes a first conductive element formed adjacent a first layer of flexible film, and a second conductive element formed adjacent a second layer of flexible film, wherein the first and second layers of flexible film are separated by a gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Littelfuse, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Johnson, Samuel Fuller
  • Extended stroke position sensor
    Patent number: 9752896
    Abstract: A position sensing system including a waveguide positioned adjacent to a quantity of soft or semi-soft magnetic material is described. A magnet, movable relative to the waveguide and magnetic material, closely positioned to the magnetic material and configured to generate a local magnetic field sufficient to locally saturate the magnetic material. The saturated magnetic material operates to change the characteristic impedance of the waveguide at the point of saturation, which causes signals to be reflected at the point of impedance discontinuity. A signal generator for communicating a first signal to the waveguide and a signal receiver for receiving the first signal and/or the reflected signal and a position sensing processor or circuit for determining the position of the waveguide relative to the magnet based on the first signal and the reflected signal are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: LITTELFUSE, INC.
    Inventor: Brian Johnson
  • INFORMATION TERMINAL, INFORMATION PRESENTATION METHOD FOR AN INFORMATION TERMINAL, AND INFORMATION PRESENTATION PROGRAM
    Publication number: 20170199881
    Abstract: [Object] To enable a user to simply and easily confirm update information of a plurality of pieces of content data handled by a plurality of various application programs without any troublesome operation. [Solving Means] A plurality of update information display cards (51) are aligned and displayed on a display screen (50). The update information display cards (51) displayed on the display screen (50) are associated with different pieces of content data, and update information of the content data is individually arranged on the corresponding update information display card (51). Moreover, the update information display cards (51) on which the update information of the different types of content data are arranged are aligned and displayed on the display screen (50) in a chronological order of the updates of the content data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Applicants: SONY MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS INC., SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: George ARRIOLA, Kichiro KUROZUMI, Takahiro KAWAGUCHI, Jorge FURUYA, Brian JOHNSON, Takashi KAWAKAMI, Masatoshi INAGAWA, Takamasa KURAMITSU, Takahiro OKADA, Hironobu AOKI, Seigo IWASAKI, Yoshimitsu FUNABASHI, Takashi HASEGAWA, Erica KATO, Tetsuya TAKAHASHI, Makoto KAMIYA
  • Tilt Mechanism for a Display Monitor
    Publication number: 20170191604
    Abstract: The present invention provides a tilt mechanism for a POS monitor. The tilt mechanism permits the monitor to be selectively tilted at various angles ranging between a stowed or flat position and an entirely upright position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Applicant: Par Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Bernard Baker, Kurt Knolle, Bernard S. Riedman, Brian Johnson
  • CONVERSION OF NITROGEN DIOXIDE (NO2) TO NITRIC OXIDE (NO)
    Publication number: 20170182471
    Abstract: A nitric oxide delivery system, which includes a gas bottle having nitrogen dioxide in air, converts nitrogen dioxide to nitric oxide and employs a surface-active material, such as silica gel, coated with an aqueous solution of antioxidant, such as ascorbic acid. A nitric oxide delivery system may be used to generate therapeutic gas including nitric oxide for use in delivering the therapeutic gas to a mammal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Applicant: GENO LLC
    Inventors: David H. Fine, David R. Rounbehler, Gregory Vasquez, Brian Johnson
  • METHOD OF APPLYING AN ABRASION RESISTANT FINISH ONTO A PULTRUSION SUBSTRATE
    Publication number: 20170165709
    Abstract: A lineal product includes a substrate having an outer surface, a thermoplastic base layer applied to the outer surface, and a second thermoplastic layer applied over at least a portion of the base layer, the second layer having a hardness of at least 1 H pencil hardness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Inventors: John Jambois, Jay Mosbrucker, Aaron H. Johnson, Heather Goulet, Brian Johnson
  • Method for validating equivalent data structures
    Patent number: 9672018
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to a method, system, and computer program product for validating a data structure, comprising: responsive to identifying a data structure in a first programming language, identifying an equivalent data structure in a second programming language; comparing a data definition of the data structure with a data definition of the equivalent data structure; determining an incompatibility between a compared data definition of the data structure and a compared data definition of the equivalent data structure; and responsive to determining an incompatibility, identifying a rule defining an action to be taken in order to correct the incompatibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: International business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David John Harman, Brian Johnson, Alan Clive Robinson, Andrew Wright
  • GAMING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING A PLURALITY OF CHANCES OF WINNING A PROGRESSIVE AWARD
    Publication number: 20170132876
    Abstract: The gaming system disclosed herein provides a player one or more chances or opportunities to win the same progressive award. In these embodiments, the gaming system provides the player one or more opportunities to win a progressive award in association with a first game sequence. If the player does not win the progressive award in association with the first game sequence, the gaming system determines whether to provide the player any additional chances or opportunities to win the same progressive award in a second game sequence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventors: Craig M. Schaefer, Christopher B. Drake, Brian A. Johnson, Victoria A. Fuller, Cameron A. Filipour, William Jay Foster, Dirk Geere, Misty Ann Johnson, Joseph Louis Masinter, II, Vincent Paul Smith
  • Seatbelt tension sensor plate
    Patent number: 9592781
    Abstract: A plate type tension sensor having apertures, a spring structure, and a gap are provided. The spring structure allows the apertures to move relative to each other as tension is applied to a seat belt to which the plate is attached. The movement changes the width of the gap. The tension applied to a vehicle restraint system may be determined based on the gap width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: LITTELFUSE, INC.
    Inventors: Brian Johnson, Samuel Fuller, Zulqarnain Khan
  • APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DETECTING LEAKAGE FROM A COMPOSITION-CONTAINING POUCH
    Publication number: 20170030797
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for detecting leakage from a composition-containing pouch during the high-speed manufacturing process. The apparatus comprises: a platen comprising a pouch cavity and a plurality of platen edges adjacent to the cavity; an image capturing unit; an image processing unit; and ultraviolet-light emitting source. The composition itself comprises a fluorescent whitening compound. The ultra-violet emitting light source is arranged to illuminate the cavity and plurality of platen edges. The image capturing unit is arranged to capture an image of the illuminated cavity and plurality of platen edges. The image capturing unit is communicably attached to the image processing unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Inventors: Suzanne KHALAF, Stefan MESKENS, Kerry Brian JOHNSON, Leon BYRD, JR.
  • Gaming system and method for providing a plurality of chances of winning a progressive award
    Patent number: 9558629
    Abstract: The gaming system disclosed herein provides a player one or more chances or opportunities to win the same progressive award. In these embodiments, the gaming system provides the player one or more opportunities to win a progressive award in association with a first game sequence. If the player does not win the progressive award in association with the first game sequence, the gaming system determines whether to provide the player any additional chances or opportunities to win the same progressive award in a second game sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Craig M. Schaefer, Christopher B. Drake, Brian A. Johnson, Victoria A. Fuller, Cameron A. Filipour, William Jay Foster, Dirk Geere, Misty Ann Johnson, Joseph Louis Masinter, II, Vincent Paul Smith