Patents by Inventor Brian Thomas

Brian Thomas 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: 11234205
    Abstract: A mobile transceiver for asset tracking having route monitoring and method of operation are provided. In one aspect, the method comprises: determining a location of the mobile transceiver using the satellite receiver; determining whether the determined location deviates from a planned route; and sending an alert to an asset tracking service when the determined location deviates from the planned route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Jasmin Mulaosmanovic, Robert Joseph Lombardi, Sergio Javier Berriz, Brian Thomas Wells
  • Patent number: 11213869
    Abstract: A solid waste treatment system includes: a solid-liquid separator module configured to receive mixed solid and liquid waste and separating solid material from the mixed solid and liquid waste; an accumulator and macerator module configured to receive and macerate the solid material from the solid-liquid separator module; a drying module configured to receive and dry the macerated solid material from the accumulator and macerator module; and a combustion module configured to receive and combust the dried macerated solid material from the drying module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Research Triangle Institute
    Inventors: Jeffrey Robert Piascik, Charles David Stokes, Ethan Klem, Brian Rhys Stoner, Christopher Gregory, Nicholas G. Baldasaro, Katelyn Lea Sellgren, David E. Rogers, Brian Grant, Brian Thomas Hawkins, Enzo Cellini
  • Patent number: 11208980
    Abstract: A closed dual-bladder wave energy system that is capable of capturing a continuous supply of energy derived from wave movements for nearshore implementations. Rather than employing an onshore bladder in communication with an offshore bladder, and rather than focusing on capturing more incremental potential energy derived from tidal movement, the system accomplishes continuous captures potential energy from waves via a dual-bladder system employed offshore. Fluid within the system translates between a first offshore bladder and a second offshore bladder based on a pressure differential between a crest and a trough of a wave external to the system. By utilizing compliant bladders, the system is capable of capturing energy even during inclement weather conditions without the risk of faults resulting from strong waves. As such, the system provides for the efficient and effective capture of potential energy from waves in any weather condition and in any water environment that experiences waves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: University of North Florida Board of Trustees
    Inventors: Donald Thomas Resio, Brian Thomas Kopp, Abdallah Walid Mohamed Kamal El Safty
  • Patent number: 11205965
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to calibrate a power converter. An example apparatus includes a comparator including a first input terminal, a second input terminal, and an output terminal, the first input terminal of the comparator configured to be coupled to a filter to receive a filtered feedback signal, the second input terminal of the comparator configured to receive a first voltage signal, and the output terminal of the comparator coupled to a node, an oscillator including an output terminal, and a voltage stepper including a first input terminal, a second input terminal, and an output terminal, the first input terminal of the voltage stepper configured to receive a second voltage signal, the second input terminal of the voltage stepper coupled to the output terminal of the oscillator, and the output terminal of the voltage stepper configured to be coupled to an error amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Stefan Wlodzimierz Wiktor, Brian Thomas Lynch, Luis Gonzales
  • Patent number: 11200609
    Abstract: A system and method for customizing a vehicle for a user from a dealer through a user interface of a mobile device. The system and method may include a vehicle customization application stored on the mobile device. The user interface can be used to select the vehicle from a plurality of vehicles using the vehicle customization application. The vehicle customization application may create a user desires profile for the user of the vehicle customization application and may retrieve all dealer installed option packages for the selected vehicle from a dealer database of the dealer. Based on the user desires profile and the retrieved dealer installed packages, artificial intelligence may be used to generate a list of dealer installed option packages for the user. The user may select dealer installed option packages from the generated list of dealer installed option packages through the user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: James Malcolm Spears, David Anthony Phelps, Brian Thomas Latronico, Teresa A. Mays, Doyle Russell Dennis, Jr., Gary Don Bourn, Kevin W. Thornley
  • Publication number: 20210380122
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling a failover response of an autonomous vehicle are provided. In one example embodiment, a method includes determining, by one or more computing devices on-board an autonomous vehicle, an operational mode of the autonomous vehicle. The autonomous vehicle is configured to operate in at least a first operational mode in which a human driver is present in the autonomous vehicle and a second operational mode in which the human driver is not present in the autonomous vehicle. The method includes detecting a triggering event associated with the autonomous vehicle. The method includes determining actions to be performed by the autonomous vehicle in response to the triggering event based at least in part on the operational mode. The method includes providing one or more control signals to one or more of the systems on-board the autonomous vehicle to perform the one or more actions in response to the triggering event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Morgan D. Jones, Michael John Dacko, Brian Thomas Kirby
  • Patent number: 11193399
    Abstract: A variable camshaft timing (VCT) assembly for controlling angular positions of concentric camshafts. The VCT assembly includes an independent VCT device and a dependent VCT device. The independent VCT device is hydraulically- or electrically-actuated. The independent VCT device is coupled with a first concentric camshaft and has a first component that rotates during phasing movements. The first component has a first set of slots therein. The dependent VCT device is coupled with a second concentric camshaft. The dependent VCT device has a second component that lacks rotation during phasing movements, and has multiple phase lugs. The second component has a second set of slots therein. The phase lugs are received in the first set of slots and are received in the second set of slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: BORGWARNER, INC.
    Inventors: Robert Keefover, Brian Thomas Kenyon
  • Patent number: 11187572
    Abstract: A load suspension and weighing system for a removable reservoir unit of a portable dialysis machine includes a centrally located flexure assembly. The flexure assembly includes magnets and a number of flexure rings which allow for movement of the magnets about a fixed circuit board. Sensors in the circuit board sense changes in the magnetic field as the magnets move in relation to the circuit board. The magnetic field changes produce a voltage output which is used by a processor to generate weight calculations. The top of the flexure assembly is attached to the interior of the dialysis machine. The entirety of the reservoir unit is suspended by a first internal frame that is attached to the bottom of the flexure assembly. Having a single flexure assembly positioned above the reservoir unit provides more accurate weight measurements while also preventing damage to the assembly from water spillage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Barry Neil Fulkerson, Joe Fazio, Alec Huang, Brian Thomas Kelly, Tam Nolan, Mark Smith
  • Patent number: 11184269
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for collecting route-based traffic metrics in a service-oriented system are disclosed. A first service in a service-oriented system receives an inbound request from a second service. From the inbound request, the first service extracts, a route identifier representing an upstream route including the second service. The first service stores the route identifier and a counter representing a number of inbound requests with the route identifier that have been received by the first service over a current window of time. The first service sends, to a traffic metric collection system, a metric message comprising the route identifier and the counter. Traffic metric data is determined by the traffic metric collection system using the metric message from the first service and one or more additional metric messages from one or more additional services. The traffic metric data indicates one or more flows of requests through the services.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Darin Silva Nee, Brian Thomas Smith, Sergei Rutenberg, Anton Vladilenovich Goldberg
  • Patent number: 11174831
    Abstract: A wave energy collection and conversion system that uses a compliant capture mechanism to enable the collection of wave energy over extensive distances without introducing damaging forces onto the collection structure. The system includes a flexible membrane in contact with or submerged under water, a plurality of power generation devices positioned on a sea floor, and lines that connect the flexible membrane to the power generation devices. The power generation devices each include a self-reeling mechanism and a turbine. As wave energy pushes the flexible membrane, the lines are reeled into and out of the corresponding power generation device(s). Rotation of the shaft, in turn, rotates a gear and rotator of the turbine, thus harnessing energy derived from the wave motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: University of North Florida Board of Trustees
    Inventors: Donald Thomas Resio, Abdallah Walid Mohamed Kamal El Safty, Michelle Ann Vieira, Ashley Norton, Brian Thomas Kopp, William R. Dally
  • Patent number: 11170873
    Abstract: Displaying a comparison of genotypic information between relatives is disclosed, including receiving an indication that a first individual is a grandparent, receiving an indication that a second individual is a grandchild of the first individual, comparing the genotypic information of the first individual and the second individual and calculating a similarity score, and displaying an indication of the similarity score graphically using colors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: 23andMe, Inc.
    Inventors: Linda Avey, Oleksiy Khomenko, Brian Thomas Naughton, Serge Saxonov, Anne Wojcicki, Alexander Wong
  • Patent number: 11168949
    Abstract: A substantially planar heat exchanger for regulating the temperature of objects using a fluid coolant includes a bottom plate, a top plate, a fin insert sealed therebetween and a coolant inlet and outlet. The fin insert may include a plurality of substantially flattened omega-shaped or teardrop-shaped fins, which enhances the transfer of heat from the top and/or bottom plates into the fin insert. The omega-shaped fin inserts enhance the contact surface area between the plates and the insert to improve thermal migration therebetween. The fin insert may be constructed, for example, by forming convolutions in a sheet of metal, and compressing the convolutions laterally inwardly and vertically inwardly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Senior UK Limited
    Inventors: Thomas Carney, Ryan Thomas Collins, Brian Thomas Costello, Palemon Santiago Herrera, John Joseph Feidt, III
  • Patent number: 11162726
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a sensor disposed in a conduit on a suction side of a compressor, wherein the conduit is configured to convey a fluid and a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor. The controller includes a processor and a memory, the memory is configured to store instructions to be performed by the processor, and the controller is configured to receive one or more indications from the sensor of an amount of power consumed by an active sensor component, determine a presence of liquid in the fluid based at least on the one or more indications, and control a device based on the presence of liquid in the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Brian Thomas Gallus, Curtis C. Crane, Justin P. Kauffman
  • Publication number: 20210313013
    Abstract: Determining relative relationships of people who share a common ancestor within at least a threshold number of generations includes: receiving recombinable deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequence information of a first user and recombinable DNA sequence information of a plurality of users; processing, using one or more computer processors, the recombinable DNA sequence information of the plurality of users in parallel; determining, based at least in part on a result of processing the recombinable DNA information of the plurality of users in parallel, a predicted degree of relationship between the first user and a user among the plurality of users, the predicted degree of relative relationship corresponding to a number of generations within which the first user and the second user share a common ancestor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Inventors: Lawrence Hon, Serge Saxonov, Brian Thomas Naughton, Joanna Louise Mountain, Anne Wojcicki, Linda Avey
  • Patent number: 11137294
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to detect a failed thermocouple. A temperature in a gas path of a gas turbine engine may be measured, where the temperature is based on a signal generated by a thermocouple during a startup of the gas turbine engine and/or during an idle period that immediately follows the startup, and the thermocouple protrudes into the gas path. A failure of the thermocouple may be detected if the temperature is determined to be less than a threshold temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brian Thomas Spangler, John V. Watkin, Timothy C. Keeney, Neil James Dunaway
  • Publication number: 20210299823
    Abstract: A ratcheting pliers device for extracting a fastener from a substrate includes a first arm, which is pivotally engaged to a second arm to define a pair of jaws and a pair of handles. Each jaw has a cutout for insertion of a head of a fastener. A ratchet bar, which is pivotally engaged to the first arm, has a plurality of first teeth extending from its upper surface. A biaser engaged to the first arm and the ratchet bar is positioned to pivot the ratchet bar into engagement with a second tooth that is coupled to the second arm. The second tooth sequentially engages the first teeth as the first arm and the second arm are motivated to a proximate orientation, concurrently with the jaws being motivated to a closed configuration. The jaws are prevented from opening while a user pulls on the handles to extract the fastener.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventor: Brian Thomas
  • Publication number: 20210282576
    Abstract: A comfortable inflatable pillow, manufactured to be affordably priced, designed to withstand the weather challenges associated with beaches, and other outdoor settings, by utilizing soft fabric that wicks away water and sheds sand, that has an attached pouch that can be filled with sand, or other weighted objects, to prevent the pillow from being blown around in windy conditions, that contains an internal pocket that can accommodate a tailor-made cooling and heating gel pack for hot or cold external temperatures, and that provides an optional incline position for added comfort when reading or surveying the landscape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2021
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Inventor: Brian Thomas Kirk
  • Publication number: 20210288170
    Abstract: A transistor having: a semiconductor; a first electrode in contact with the semiconductor; a second electrode in contact with the semiconductor; and a control electrode, disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, for controlling a flow of carriers in a channel in the semiconductor between. the first electrode and the second electrode. A first electric field is produced in the channel in response to an electrical voltage applied between the first electrode and the second electrode. A field plate, comprising a resistive material, is disposed over the channel. A voltage source is connected across portions of the resistive field plate material for producing second electric field across such portions of the resistor, such second electric field being coupled into the channel to modify one or more peaks of the first electric field in the channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Applicant: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Brian Thomas Appleton, Jr., Casey Alan Howsare
  • Patent number: 11119994
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for record-by-record live migration using segmentation are disclosed. Migration of a data set comprises, for a record in a segment being migrated, storing a first status indicating that the record is offline in a source data store. An instance of the record is stored in the destination data store, and a second status is stored to indicate that the record is online in the destination. The record is deleted from the source after the second status is stored. During the migration, a read request for the record is received and determined to be associated with the segment being migrated. A response to the read request is generated that comprises an authoritative instance of the record. The instance of the record in the destination is determined to represent the authoritative instance based (at least in part) on the first status and the second status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jacob Shannan Carr, Stanislav Pavlovskii, Brian Thomas Kachmarck, Kanika Kalra, Amit Chhabra, Chaiwat Shuetrakoonpaiboon, Chen Zhou, Jazarine Jamal, Muhammad Usman, Syed Sajid Nizami, Gracjan Polak, Asad Khan Durrani, Ryan Preston Gantt
  • Patent number: 11120825
    Abstract: Illustrative systems and methods disclosed herein may change or modify a seek during mid-seek for various reasons and may set seek speeds for various seeks to less than the maximum possible seek speed to, for example, facilitate seek target change or modifications mid-seek. For instance, the seek speeds for lower priority commands or commands at risk for deprioritization may be set to speeds less than the maximum possible seek speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Raye A. Sosseh, Brian Thomas Edgar, Josiah Natan Wernow, Paul Michael Wiggins