Patents by Inventor C. Thomas

C. 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).

  • Publication number: 20110203850
    Abstract: A drill bit includes a bit body having a face on which two different types of cutting elements are disposed, the first type being cutting elements suitable for drilling at least one subterranean formation and the second type being cutting elements suitable for drilling through a casing bit disposed at an end of a casing or liner string and cementing equipment or other components, if such are disposed within the casing or liner string, as well as cement inside as well as exterior to the casing or liner string. The second type of cutting elements exhibits a relatively greater exposure than the first type of cutting elements, so as to engage the interior of the casing bit and, if present, cementing equipment components and cement to drill therethrough, after which the second type of cutting elements quickly wears upon engagement with the subterranean formation material exterior to the casing bit, and the first type of cutting elements continues to drill the subterranean formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Eric E. McClain, John C. Thomas, Sarvesh Tyagi, Jack T. Oldham, Lester I. Clark, William Heuser
  • Patent number: 8003536
    Abstract: A vertical metallic stack, from bottom to top, of an elemental metal liner, a metal nitride liner, a Ti liner, an aluminum portion, and a metal nitride cap, is formed on an underlying metal interconnect structure. The vertical metallic stack is annealed at an elevated temperature to induce formation of a TiAl3 liner by reaction of the Ti liner with the material of the aluminum portion. The material of the TiAl3 liner is resistant to electromigration, thereby providing enhanced electromigration resistance to the vertical metallic stack comprising the elemental metal liner, the metal nitride liner, the TiAl3 liner, the aluminum portion, and the metal nitride cap. The effect of enhanced electromigration resistance may be more prominent in areas in which the metal nitride cap suffers from erosion during processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan D. Chapple-Sokol, Daniel A. Delibac, Zhong-Xiang He, Tom C. Lee, William J. Murphy, Timothy D. Sullivan, David C. Thomas, Daniel S. Vanslette
  • Patent number: 8005993
    Abstract: A system and method of a storage expansion unit for a network attached storage device. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are storage expander systems comprising an enclosure, a communications port (the communication port configured to configured to operate under a communications protocol suitable for operatively accessing long term storage devices), and a port expander circuit within the enclosure and coupled to the communications port (the port expander circuit configured to have a plurality of secondary ports that operate under the communications protocol). The storage expansion system is configured to couple to a network attached storage device over the communications port, and wherein the storage expansion system is configured to facilitate external long-term storage for the network attached storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Fred C. Thomas, Paul Boerger
  • Publication number: 20110198128
    Abstract: A drill bit includes a bit body having a face on which two different types of cutters are disposed, the first type being cutting elements suitable for drilling at least one subterranean formation and the second type being at least one of an abrasive cutting structure and an abrasive cutting element suitable for drilling through a casing shoe, reamer shoe, casing bit, casing or liner string and cementing equipment or other components, as well as cement. Methods of forming earth-boring tools include disposing at least one abrasive cutting structure or element on the earth-boring tool. Methods of drilling with earth-boring tools including drilling with at least one abrasive cutting structure or element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Eric E. McClain, Michael L. Doster, John C. Thomas, Matthew R. Isbell, Jarod DeGeorge, Chad T. Jurica
  • Publication number: 20110191186
    Abstract: A method and system is provided in which a computer system within the Electrical Vehicle periodically connects to a remote database which recommends to the driver to start a charge event based on location and proximity to a charging station, discharge history, power capacity, power cost, time of day, and power generation means (e.g. solar vs. coal), as well as displaying vehicle carbon footprint data and dynamically delivered advertising.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2010
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Inventors: Paul S. Levy, Edward Butler, John C. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20110168448
    Abstract: The drilling of a casing bit and any other equipment in the casing with another casing bit where at least two casing bits of different diameter and having associated casing sections may be assembled to form a drilling assembly for drilling subterranean formations, the at least two casing bits and casing sections are arranged in a telescoping relationship.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Eric E. McClain, John C. Thomas
  • Patent number: 7977053
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and kits for the rapid exponential amplification of nucleic acid molecules using a padlock probe. The present invention improves upon the existing methods for amplifying padlock probes by eliminating or delaying the appearance of artifact products that cause false positive results, and also increase the sensitivity and speed of the assay. Further provided are nucleic acid amplification primers containing non-informative base analogs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Virco BVBA
    Inventor: David C. Thomas
  • Patent number: 7973148
    Abstract: Methods and constructs for genetic manipulation of one or more of shrimp, shellfish, mollusks, and fish are disclosed. The nucleic acid construct includes a promoter and an internal ribosome entry site of an insect picomavirus, such as a cricket paralysis-like picomavirus. One or more open reading frames can be operably associated with one or both of the promoter and the internal ribosome entry site, and one or more proteins or protein subunits can be expressed upon introduction of the construct into a host cell, such as into a shrimp. Method for producing immortalized crustacean cell lines using enhancer elements derived from shrimp and/or shrimp viruses are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Advanced Bionutrition Corporation
    Inventors: Arun K. Dhar, F. C. Thomas Allnutt
  • Patent number: 7954570
    Abstract: A drill bit includes a bit body having a face on which two different types of cutting elements are disposed, the first type being cutting elements suitable for drilling at least one subterranean formation and the second type being cutting elements suitable for drilling through a casing bit disposed at an end of a casing or liner string and cementing equipment or other components, if such are disposed within the casing or liner string, as well as cement inside as well as exterior to the casing or liner string. The second type of cutting elements exhibits a relatively greater exposure than the first type of cutting elements, so as to engage the interior of the casing bit and, if present, cementing equipment components and cement to drill therethrough, after which the second type of cutting elements quickly wears upon engagement with the subterranean formation material exterior to the casing bit, and the first type of cutting elements continues to drill the subterranean formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Eric E. McClain, John C. Thomas, Sarvesh Tyagi, Jack T. Oldham, Lester I. Clark, William Heuser
  • Patent number: 7954571
    Abstract: A drill bit includes a bit body having a face on which two different types of cutters are disposed, the first type being cutting elements suitable for drilling at least one subterranean formation and the second type being at least one of an abrasive cutting structure and an abrasive cutting element suitable for drilling through a casing shoe, reamer shoe, casing bit, casing or liner string and cementing equipment or other components, as well as cement. Methods of forming earth-boring tools are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Eric E. McClain, Michael L. Doster, John C. Thomas, Matthew R. Isbell, Jarod DeGeorge, Chad T. Jurica
  • Publication number: 20110131206
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for presenting search results with indication of relative position of search terms. According to one aspect of the invention, search results are displayed for a search query comprising a plurality of search terms. A search query is received, for example, from a user and at least one document satisfying the search query is obtained. The disclosed method determines a relative position of at least two of the search terms in the document and at least a portion of the document is presented with an indication of the relative position of the at least two search terms in the document. The relative position is indicated using a predefined character to indicate one or more intervening elements between the at least two search terms. A relevance ranking can optionally be presented that is based on the relative position of the at least two search terms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Peter K. Malkin, John C. Thomas, JR.
  • Patent number: 7945426
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method of optimizing at least one of a design, production and testing process in a mass manufacturing process includes steps of: collecting error data relating to a product; classifying the error data into categories of symptoms; mapping the symptom to a revealing condition of the product; mapping the revealing condition to a test type; mapping a scope of a fix to phases of error injection mapping; and recommending modifications to an end user for at least one of the design, production, delivery, and testing process based on the scope of the fix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy J. Kostyk, Theresa C. Kratschmer, Jeff R. Layton, Peter Kenneth Malkin, Stephen G. Perun, Kenneth L. Pyra, Padmanabhan Santhanam, John C. Thomas, Scott W. Weller
  • Patent number: 7939710
    Abstract: Most microalgae are obligate photoautotrophs and their growth is strictly dependent on the generation of photosynthetically-derived energy. In this study it is shown that the microalga Phaeodaclylurn tricornutum can be engineered to import glucose and grow in the dark through the introduction of genes encoding glucose transporters. Both the human and Chlorella kessleri glucose transporters facilitated the uptake of glucose by P. tricornutum, allowing the cells to metabolize exogenous organic carbon and thrive, independent of light. This is the first successful trophic conversion of an obligate photoautotroph through metabolic engineering, and it demonstrates that methods of cell nourishment can be fundamentally altered with the introduction of a single gene. Since strains transformed with the glucose transport genes are able to grow non-photosynthetically, they can be exploited for the analysis of photosynthetic processes through mutant generation and characterization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Martek Biosciences Corporation
    Inventors: Kirk Emil Apt, F. C. Thomas Allnutt, David J. Kyle, James Casey Lippmeier
  • Publication number: 20110099111
    Abstract: A method and system provided for a single-action with which the customer places an order and receives goods by the single action of connecting an electrical vehicle (EV) to a charging station according to the business terms associated with this invention, the affiliated organizations that purchase or support the operation of the invention participate in a business “franchise” operation whereby all affiliated organizations increase their revenues as the volume of EV charging events increases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2009
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Inventors: Paul S. Levy, Edward Butler, John C. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20110099144
    Abstract: A method and system is provided in which an electric automotive charging station connects to the host computer system using un-dedicated network resource contained within the electric vehicle to be charged enabling un-supervised (non-networked) deployment of said charging stations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2009
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Inventors: Paul S. Levy, Edward Butler, John C. Thomas
  • Patent number: 7932056
    Abstract: A crustacean or rotifer is infected with a recombinant infectious virus that expresses a protein exogenous to the virus. The genome of the crustacean or rotifer itself remains unaltered. Crustacean, rotifer, insect, or viral promoters drive the transcription of a gene inserted into the recombinant virus genome, and the virus replicates in the crustacean or rotifer cell cytoplasm. The infected crustacean or rotifer can be provided directly to humans or non-human animals, or, following production and harvest of the crustaceans or rotifers, purified recombinant protein or polypeptide can be provided. Large quantities of biopharmaceuticals can be produced rapidly and inexpensively using this production system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Advanced Bionutrition
    Inventors: Ruth Barratt, F. C. Thomas Allnutt, Robert Bullis, David J. Kyle
  • Publication number: 20110086418
    Abstract: An oxygen sensor comprising an oxygen sensing compound and configured to substantially mitigate leaching of the oxygen sensing compound from the oxygen sensor to an outer surface thereof is provided. The oxygen sensor may comprise one or more layers. A first portion of the oxygen sensor is configured to be permeable to gas and comprises an oxygen sensing material. A second portion is disposed with or on the first portion and is configured to be permeable to gas and substantially impermeable to the oxygen sensing material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: National Institute of Standards and Technology, U.S. Department of Commerce
    Inventors: Samuel P. Forry, Peter C. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20110073795
    Abstract: A fire extinguishing composition is provided that is suitable for use as a fire extinguishing agent in fire suppression, particularly in off-road vehicles exposed to low ambient temperature environments. The fire extinguishing composition includes an aqueous solution of potassium formate. In an embodiment, the fire extinguishing composition includes an aqueous solution of potassium formate and an aqueous film forming foam. In an embodiment, the fire extinguishing composition is an aqueous solution including an aqueous film forming foam, potassium formate and potassium acetate in water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: Kidde-Fenwal Inc.
    Inventors: Stephanie C. Thomas, Chad Powell, Anne C. Regina
  • Patent number: 7900703
    Abstract: A reaming tool includes a tubular body having a nose portion with a concave center. A plurality of blades defining junk slots therebetween extend axially behind the nose portion and taper outwardly from the exterior of the tubular body. Rotationally leading edges of the blades carry a plurality of cutting elements from the axially leading ends. Selected surfaces and edges of the blades bear tungsten carbide, which may comprise crushed tungsten carbide. The shell of the nose is configured to ensure drillout from the centerline thereof toward the side wall of the tubular body. A method of drilling out a reaming tool is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Lester I. Clark, John C. Thomas, Jeffrey B. Lund, Eric E. McClain
  • Patent number: 7895982
    Abstract: A method of refurbishing a camshaft (100) having at least one defective portion (202, 206) includes removing material from the at least one defective portion (202, 206) to create a neck region (302). An alignment feature (402) is introduced in the neck region (302) according to a previous orientation of the defective portion (202, 206). A blank (508) is installed around the neck region (302) and oriented with the alignment feature (402).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Jarrod David Moss, Adam Ostein, Curtis Graham, Patrick W. Savage, Jr., Trent A. Simpson, Benjamin C. Thomas