Patents by Inventor Brian E. Bartlett
Brian E. Bartlett 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).
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Patent number: 11236989Abstract: A production system for measuring product thickness in tortilla and tortilla chip production includes a production line, including a cooker/grinder, a sheeter/cutter, and a conveyor belt; and a displacement measurement unit, including a processor, non-transitory memory, an input/output component, a laser sensor for measuring vertical displacement of the conveyor belt and objects thereon, a laser controller, and a displacement calculator. Also disclosed is a method for thickness measurement, including capturing samples, calculating a vertical displacement probability density function, and calculating average product thickness.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2021Date of Patent: February 1, 2022Assignee: Premier Innovations, LLCInventors: Brian E. Bartlett, Douglas W. Cotton
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Patent number: 11178878Abstract: A heat controlled oven system includes a plurality of oven levels, including an oven belt and gas burners; a gas flow network, including a gas supply line, a variable flow control valve, and on/off flow control valves; and a heat control unit, including a processor, a non-transitory memory, and input/output component, a heat modeler, a heat manager, a feedback controller, and a valve controller, such that the heat control unit is configured to calculate an estimated heat demand to adjust to a temperature set point, based on a heat model of the at least one oven level, and further calculates an optimized heat demand using a control loop feedback algorithm. Also disclosed is a method of heat calculation for an oven, including defining a heat model, calculating and optimizing the estimated heat demand, calculating and setting a variable valve position for the gas burners.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2019Date of Patent: November 23, 2021Assignee: Premier Innovations, LLCInventors: Brian E. Bartlett, Douglas W. Cotton
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Publication number: 20210164773Abstract: A production system for measuring product thickness in tortilla and tortilla chip production includes a production line, including a cooker/grinder, a sheeter/cutter, and a conveyor belt; and a displacement measurement unit, including a processor, non-transitory memory, an input/output component, a laser sensor for measuring vertical displacement of the conveyor belt and objects thereon, a laser controller, and a displacement calculator. Also disclosed is a method for thickness measurement, including capturing samples, calculating a vertical displacement probability density function, and calculating average product thickness.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2021Publication date: June 3, 2021Inventors: Brian E. Bartlett, Douglas W. Cotton
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Patent number: 10928186Abstract: A production system for measuring product thickness in tortilla and tortilla chip production includes a production line, including a cooker/grinder, a sheeter/cutter, and a conveyor belt; and a displacement measurement unit, including a processor, non-transitory memory, an input/output component, a laser sensor for measuring vertical displacement of the conveyor belt and objects thereon, a laser controller, and a displacement calculator. Also disclosed is a method for thickness measurement, including capturing samples, calculating a vertical displacement probability density function, and calculating average product thickness.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2019Date of Patent: February 23, 2021Assignee: PREMIER INNOVATIONS, LLCInventors: Brian E. Bartlett, Douglas W. Cotton
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Patent number: 10893679Abstract: A production system for moisture and texture detection and control in tortilla and tortilla chip production includes a production line, including a cooker/grinder, a sheeter/cutter, an oven, an equalizer, a fryer, and a cooler/packaging machine; and a production control unit, including a processor, non-transitory memory, an input/output component, a moisture controller, a temperature controller, a belt speed controller, a masa moisture sensor, a chip moisture sensor, laser sensors for measuring surface texture of baked and fried chips, a laser controller, a texture classifier, a feedback controller. Also disclosed is a method for production control, including controlling moisture content, measuring masa moisture, controlling oven, measuring baked surfaces, measuring fried surfaces, classifying baked surfaces, classifying fried surfaces, optimizing oven temperature, optimizing oven belt speed, storing and characterizing historical records.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2018Date of Patent: January 19, 2021Assignee: PREMIER INNOVATIONS, LLCInventor: Brian E. Bartlett
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Publication number: 20200318947Abstract: A production system for measuring product thickness in tortilla and tortilla chip production includes a production line, including a cooker/grinder, a sheeter/cutter, and a conveyor belt; and a displacement measurement unit, including a processor, non-transitory memory, an input/output component, a laser sensor for measuring vertical displacement of the conveyor belt and objects thereon, a laser controller, and a displacement calculator. Also disclosed is a method for thickness measurement, including capturing samples, calculating a vertical displacement probability density function, and calculating average product thickness.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2019Publication date: October 8, 2020Inventors: Brian E. Bartlett, Douglas W. Cotton
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Publication number: 20190191717Abstract: A heat controlled oven system includes a plurality of oven levels, including an oven belt and gas burners; a gas flow network, including a gas supply line, a variable flow control valve, and on/off flow control valves; and a heat control unit, including a processor, a non-transitory memory, and input/output component, a heat modeler, a heat manager, a feedback controller, and a valve controller, such that the heat control unit is configured to calculate an estimated heat demand to adjust to a temperature set point, based on a heat model of the at least one oven level, and further calculates an optimized heat demand using a control loop feedback algorithm. Also disclosed is a method of heat calculation for an oven, including defining a heat model, calculating and optimizing the estimated heat demand, calculating and setting a variable valve position for the gas burners.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2019Publication date: June 27, 2019Inventors: Brian E. Bartlett, Douglas W. Cotton
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Patent number: 10244766Abstract: A heat controlled oven system includes a plurality of oven levels, including an oven belt and gas burners; a gas flow network, including a gas supply line, a variable flow control valve, and on/off flow control valves; and a heat control unit, including a processor, a non-transitory memory, and input/output component, a heat modeler, a heat manager, a feedback controller, and a valve controller, such that the heat control unit is configured to calculate an estimated heat demand to adjust to a temperature set point, based on a heat model of the at least one oven level, and further calculates an optimized heat demand using a control loop feedback algorithm. Also disclosed is a method of heat calculation for an oven, including defining a heat model, calculating and optimizing the estimated heat demand, calculating and setting a variable valve position for the gas burners.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2015Date of Patent: April 2, 2019Inventors: Brian E. Bartlett, Douglas W. Cotton
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Patent number: 10238131Abstract: A baking production system for control of preservative concentration during production of baked products includes a preservative control system, including a preservative control unit, a flow control valve, a flow meter, first and second conductive probes, first and second acidity sensors, a metering pump, a water mixer, a temperature sensor, a moisture sensor, which is configured to mix the water with the preservative solution, thereby creating a water preservative mixture; and a production line, including a dough mixer, which is configured to receive a baking mixture and mix the baking mixture with the water preservative mixture, thereby creating a dough. Also disclosed is a method for preservative concentration control, including calculating water preservative concentration, optimizing preservative solution flow, calculating dough preservative concentration, and optimizing source water flow.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2016Date of Patent: March 26, 2019Inventors: Brian E. Bartlett, Douglas W. Cotton
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Publication number: 20180303103Abstract: A production system for moisture and texture detection and control in tortilla and tortilla chip production includes a production line, including a cooker/grinder, a sheeter/cutter, an oven, an equalizer, a fryer, and a cooler/packaging machine; and a production control unit, including a processor, non-transitory memory, an input/output component, a moisture controller, a temperature controller, a belt speed controller, a masa moisture sensor, a chip moisture sensor, laser sensors for measuring surface texture of baked and fried chips, a laser controller, a texture classifier, a feedback controller. Also disclosed is a method for production control, including controlling moisture content, measuring masa moisture, controlling oven, measuring baked surfaces, measuring fried surfaces, classifying baked surfaces, classifying fried surfaces, optimizing oven temperature, optimizing oven belt speed, storing and characterizing historical records.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2018Publication date: October 25, 2018Inventor: Brian E. Bartlett
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Patent number: 10028513Abstract: A production system for moisture and texture detection and control in tortilla and tortilla chip production includes a production line, including a cooker/grinder, a sheeter/cutter, an oven, an equalizer, a fryer, and a cooler/packaging machine; and a production control unit, including a processor, non-transitory memory, an input/output component, a moisture controller, a temperature controller, a belt speed controller, a masa moisture sensor, a chip moisture sensor, laser sensors for measuring surface texture of baked and fried chips, a laser controller, a texture classifier, a feedback controller. Also disclosed is a method for production control, including controlling moisture content, measuring masa moisture, controlling oven, measuring baked surfaces, measuring fried surfaces, classifying baked surfaces, classifying fried surfaces, optimizing oven temperature, optimizing oven belt speed, storing and characterizing historical records.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2016Date of Patent: July 24, 2018Inventor: Brian E. Bartlett
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Publication number: 20180035696Abstract: A baking production system for control of preservative concentration during production of baked products includes a preservative control system, including a preservative control unit, a flow control valve, a flow meter, first and second conductive probes, first and second acidity sensors, a metering pump, a water mixer, a temperature sensor, a moisture sensor, which is configured to mix the water with the preservative solution, thereby creating a water preservative mixture; and a production line, including a dough mixer, which is configured to receive a baking mixture and mix the baking mixture with the water preservative mixture, thereby creating a dough. Also disclosed is a method for preservative concentration control, including calculating water preservative concentration, optimizing preservative solution flow, calculating dough preservative concentration, and optimizing source water flow.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2016Publication date: February 8, 2018Inventors: Brian E. Bartlett, Douglas W. Cotton
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Publication number: 20170251679Abstract: A production system for moisture and texture detection and control in tortilla and tortilla chip production includes a production line, including a cooker/grinder, a sheeter/cutter, an oven, an equalizer, a fryer, and a cooler/packaging machine; and a production control unit, including a processor, non-transitory memory, an input/output component, a moisture controller, a temperature controller, a belt speed controller, a masa moisture sensor, a chip moisture sensor, laser sensors for measuring surface texture of baked and fried chips, a laser controller, a texture classifier, a feedback controller. Also disclosed is a method for production control, including controlling moisture content, measuring masa moisture, controlling oven, measuring baked surfaces, measuring fried surfaces, classifying baked surfaces, classifying fried surfaces, optimizing oven temperature, optimizing oven belt speed, storing and characterizing historical records.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2016Publication date: September 7, 2017Inventor: Brian E. Bartlett
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Publication number: 20170164624Abstract: A heat controlled oven system includes a plurality of oven levels, including an oven belt and gas burners; a gas flow network, including a gas supply line, a variable flow control valve, and on/off flow control valves; and a heat control unit, including a processor, a non-transitory memory, and input/output component, a heat modeler, a heat manager, a feedback controller, and a valve controller, such that the heat control unit is configured to calculate an estimated heat demand to adjust to a temperature set point, based on a heat model of the at least one oven level, and further calculates an optimized heat demand using a control loop feedback algorithm. Also disclosed is a method of heat calculation for an oven, including defining a heat model, calculating and optimizing the estimated heat demand, calculating and setting a variable valve position for the gas burners.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2015Publication date: June 15, 2017Inventors: Brian E. Bartlett, Douglas W. Cotton
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Patent number: 4578145Abstract: A significant problem in making monocrystalline ternary semiconductor compound material, for example cadmium mercury telluride, is to produce useful quantities of the material which have electrical properties within a narrow band of values, and this depends on the material having a composition within a narrow range. Monocrystalline cadmium mercury telluride may be made by preparing a melt of the material, quenching this melt so as to produce a polycrystalline ingot 16, sealing the ingot 16 in an ampoule 13, and then forming a molten zone 20 at one end of the ingot 16 and passing this molten zone through the ingot 16 so as to form monocrystalline cadmium mercury telluride 21. The length of the molten zone 20 is from 25 to 40% of the length of the ingot 16.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 1982Date of Patent: March 25, 1986Assignee: U.S. Philips CorporationInventors: Brian E. Bartlett, James E. Harris, John G. Wilkes