Patents by Inventor Brian Michael Collins

Brian Michael Collins 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: 11381077
    Abstract: A clamp circuit including a power dissipation circuit having at least one transistor and a resistor which dissipates power from the surge across the resistor and the transistor by turning on the at least one transistor and forming a voltage divider between a source impedance and the resistor thereof disposed in series with a channel of the transistor; and the resistor holding a portion of transient pulse seen by the load to a low voltage and adding of the low voltage to a threshold voltage of the transistor; and a sub-circuit which tests a functionality of the power dissipation circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: GE Aviation Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Eric John Hoekstra, Brian Michael Collins
  • Publication number: 20200112168
    Abstract: There are provided circuits and methods for surge protection. For example, there is provided a clamp circuit for protecting a load against a surge. The clamp circuit can include a power dissipation circuit including at least one transistor and a resistor. The clamp circuit can further include a voltage sensitive device configured to cause a voltage limit across the load when the surge occurs. The power dissipation circuit can be configured to turn on the at least one transistor to dissipate power across one of the resistor and the at least one transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Applicant: GE Aviation Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Eric John Hoekstra, Brian Michael Collins
  • Patent number: 10431974
    Abstract: There are provided circuits and methods for surge protection. For example, there is provided a clamp circuit for protecting a load against a surge. The clamp circuit can include a power dissipation circuit including at least one transistor and a resistor. The clamp circuit can further include a voltage sensitive device configured to cause a voltage limit across the load when the surge occurs. The power dissipation circuit can be configured to turn on the at least one transistor to dissipate power across one of the resistor and the at least one transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: GE Aviation Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Eric John Hoekstra, Brian Michael Collins
  • Publication number: 20180054053
    Abstract: There are provided circuits and methods for surge protection. For example, there is provided a clamp circuit for protecting a load against a surge. The clamp circuit can include a power dissipation circuit including at least one transistor and a resistor. The clamp circuit can further include a voltage sensitive device configured to cause a voltage limit across the load when the surge occurs. The power dissipation circuit can be configured to turn on the at least one transistor to dissipate power across one of the resistor and the at least one transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Inventors: Eric John Hoekstra, Brian Michael Collins
  • Patent number: 6278463
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for processing digital image data representing first and second images I1 and I2 with overlapping image content to produce digital image data representing a composite image I3 spanning the overlap region O. The method comprises processing image data which corresponds to the overlap region in the first and second images I1 and I2 such that the proportions of first image data and second image data contributing to the overlap region O in the composite image I3 vary along the length L of the overlap region O. Preferred methods include defining a non-straight line J extending along the length of the overlap region O, and performing said processing by reference to said non-straight line J such that the ratio of the proportions of first and second image data contributing to the overlap region O varies for different sections S of the overlap region O along the length L thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sydney George Chapman, Brian Michael Collins