Patents by Inventor Charles Allan

Charles Allan 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: 8085488
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the likelihood that a hard-disk drive (HDD) will experience an imminent error in operation is provided. The HDD comprises a differential pressure sensor capable of measuring the difference in the pressure between the interior and the exterior of the enclosure. The differential pressure sensor may reside in a breather filter covering an air passage within the enclosure. The HDD also comprises a risk assessment component capable of (a) determining an expression of how likely it is that the HDD will experience an imminent error in operation based, at least in part, upon the difference in pressure measured by the pressure sensor, and (b) communicating the expression to a user of the HDD. The HDD may optionally comprise one or more of an atmospheric pressure sensor, a particle counter, and a chemical vapor sensor which may be used by the risk assessment component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Norbert A. Feliss, Donald Ray Gillis, Ferdinand Hendriks, Charles Allan Brown
  • Publication number: 20110090592
    Abstract: Approaches for integrating an upstream spoiler with a particle filter in a hard-disk drive (HDD). According to an approach, a single part may comprise an upstream spoiler and an opening. The single part has a structure which enables an airborne particle filter to be positioned over or within the opening. The airborne particle filter, which covers the opening, has a curvature that follows the curvature of a shroud. When the upstream spoiler diverts a flow of air, which circulates within the enclosure when the magnetic-recording disk is rotating, from the magnetic-recording head, the upstream spoiler creates an area of relatively greater pressure. Air in the area of greater pressure flows through the airborne particle filter to an area of relatively lesser pressure, thereby removing airborne particles within the enclosure of the HDD. Alternately, the airborne particle filter may be positioned within slits present in the shroud and the upstream spoiler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2009
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Inventors: Ferdinand Hendriks, Charles Allan Brown
  • Publication number: 20110051582
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the likelihood that a hard-disk drive (HDD) will experience an imminent error in operation is provided. The HDD comprises a differential pressure sensor capable of measuring the difference in the pressure between the interior and the exterior of the enclosure. The differential pressure sensor may reside in a breather filter covering an air passage within the enclosure. The HDD also comprises a risk assessment component capable of (a) determining an expression of how likely it is that the HDD will experience an imminent error in operation based, at least in part, upon the difference in pressure measured by the pressure sensor, and (b) communicating the expression to a user of the HDD. The HDD may optionally comprise one or more of an atmospheric pressure sensor, a particle counter, and a chemical vapor sensor which may be used by the risk assessment component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventors: Norbert A Feliss, Donald Ray Gillis, Ferdinand Hendriks, Charles Allan Brown
  • Publication number: 20110051577
    Abstract: Approaches for determining the likelihood that a hard-disk drive (HDD) will experience an imminent error in operation, and preventing the same, using an atmospheric pressure sensor are provided. The HDD comprises an atmospheric pressure sensor capable of determining the altitude at which the HDD is currently located. The HDD also comprises a risk assessment component capable of (a) determining an expression of how likely it is that the HDD will experience an imminent error in operation based, at least in part, upon the current altitude of the HDD, and (b) communicating the expression to a user of the HDD. The HDD may optionally comprise one or more of a particle counter, differential pressure sensor, and a chemical vapor sensor for use by the risk assessment component. If the HDD is above a particular altitude, the Thermal Fly-Height control settings of the heads may be adjusted to reduce risk of error.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventors: Norbert A Feliss, Donald Ray Gillis, Ferdinand Hendriks, Charles Allan Brown
  • Patent number: 6643093
    Abstract: The magnetic surfaces of the magnetoresistive or magnetic tunnel junction and inductive write head and magnetic recording disk of a hard disk drive are protected from corrosion by inserting a vapor phase corrosion inhibitor (VPCI) package into the disk drive for providing additives in the vapor phase of the disk drive enclosure to maintain an equilibrium and renewable adsorbed film of metal passivators on the head and disk surfaces. The VPCI package includes at least one vapor phase corrosion inhibitor (VPCI) embedded in a polymeric matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands, B.V.
    Inventors: Charles Allan Brown, Richard Anthony DiPietro, Thomas Edward Karis, Herman Russell Wendt, Run-Han Wang
  • Publication number: 20030142438
    Abstract: The magnetic surfaces of the magnetoresistive or magnetic tunnel junction and inductive write head and magnetic recording disk of a hard disk drive are protected from corrosion by inserting a vapor phase corrosion inhibitor (VPCI) package into the disk drive for providing additives in the vapor phase of the disk drive enclosure to maintain an equilibrium and renewable adsorbed film of metal passivators on the head and disk surfaces. The VPCI package includes at least one vapor phase corrosion inhibitor (VPCI) embedded in a polymeric matrix.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Inventors: Charles Allan Brown, Richard Anthony DiPietro, Thomas Edward Karis, Herman Russell Wendt, Run-Han Wang
  • Patent number: 6567814
    Abstract: A computer-based method and apparatus for knowledge discovery from databases. The disclosed method involves the user creation of a project plan comprising a plurality of operational components adapted to cooperatively extract desired information from a database. In one embodiment, the project plan is created within a graphical user interface and consists of objects representing the various functional components of the overall plan interconnected by links representing the flow of data from the data source to a data sink. Data visualization components may be inserted essentially anywhere in the project plan. One or more data links in the project plan may be designated as caching links which maintain copies of the data flowing across them, such that the cached data is available to other components in the project plan. In one embodiment, compression technology is applied to reduce the overall size of the database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: thinkAnalytics Ltd
    Inventors: John Duncan Bankier, Charles Allan Beck, Andrew Craig Brind, David John Brown, Kristy Irene Brown, John Dominic Burns, Peter James Docherty, John Michael Gilchrist, Timothy Simon Jones, Gordon McIntyre, Alan John Ryman, William Wallace
  • Publication number: 20020169737
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to knowledge management systems, and more particularly, to a computer-based knowledge management system. In the present description, a knowledge management is described which provides a visual representation of an organization wherein the individuals in the organization are linked to one another through knowledge artefacts. By use of the knowledge artefacts to link individuals, the knowledge management system of the present invention provides for an improved method for visualization of the knowledge exchanges that take place in an organization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2002
    Publication date: November 14, 2002
    Inventors: Charles Allan Armstrong, Valdis Edgars Krebs
  • Patent number: 6407926
    Abstract: A pair of circuit boards, or electrically insulative panel members on which the circuit boards are mounted, have side edges which slide into aligned longitudinally extending slots in a pair of facing, spaced apart cantilevered free sections of a pair of planar legs of a bracket secured to a panel in an electric power equipment enclosure. A terminal portion of one free section diverges outward to form a camming surface against which a complimentary camming surface on a rearward edge of a tab on the associated side edge of the panel member bears to spread the free section apart until the tab passes into the slot and the terminal portion snaps over the tab and engages a latching surface on the forward edge of the tab to latch the panel member to the bracket. The panel member is released by lifting the diverging terminal portion of the one free section to clear the latching surface and sliding the panel member out of the slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Dale Walker, Reid Kimel Hartman, Charles Richard Mummert, Charles Allan Morse, Irving Albert Gibbs, Rolando Fulgencio Martinez
  • Patent number: 6200624
    Abstract: This invention is directed to the use of triglycerides containing fatty ester moieties that include arachidonic acid (AA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in enteral nutritionals or nutritional supplements. These triglycerides are derived from lipid mixtures which have high levels of sterols and phosphorous. A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises an infant or enteral nutritional, or nutritional supplement, that comprises a lipid source derived from egg yolk. The lipid source derived from egg yolk is prepared by transesterification or hydrolysis, subjecting the mixture to distillation, and esterification with glycerin to result in a triglyceride containing the desired fatty acids of AA and DHA and little or no sterols and phosphorus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Abbott Laboratories
    Inventors: Terrence Bruce Mazer, Robert Alan Miller, Charles Allan McCombs, Scott Donald Barnicki, James Cecil Phillips, Charles Edwan Sumner, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6103943
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the synthesis of 3-buten-1-ol by contacting 3,4-epoxy-1-butene and formic acid with a homogeneous catalyst solution comprising a palladium(0) compound, a tertiary phosphine and a trialkylamine dissolved in tetrahydrofuran.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventor: Charles Allan McCombs
  • Patent number: 6051169
    Abstract: A method of degassing a disk drive component including heating the drive component to a temperature ranging from about 70.degree. C. to 250.degree. C.; subjecting the drive component to vacuum pressure during heating, the vacuum pressure having a first pressure and a second pressure; and monitoring the vacuum pressure to determine the level of degassing of the disk drive component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Charles Allan Brown, John Martin Burns, Holavanahally Seshachar Nagaraj, James Joseph O'Neill, Muhammad Inayet Ullah, Leo Volpe, Herman Russell Wendt
  • Patent number: 5883273
    Abstract: Fatty acid esters such as those containing arachidonic acid (AA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) derived from lipid mixtures are prepared with reduced levels of sterols and phosphorus. A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises extracting lipids from egg with methanol; separating lipids including sterols from insoluble egg components; submitting the methanolic solution of lipids to transesterification and subsequent neutralization to convert the lipids to methyl esters of said free fatty acids together with sterols; separating the said sterols and esters from an aqueous phase including phosphorus compounds formed in the transesterification; subjecting the said fatty acid esters and sterols to distillation to separate sterols from the fatty acid esters; and subjecting the said esters to transesterification in the presence of glycerol to produce triglycerides of said esters thereof including that of AA and DHA wherein the resulting triglycerides contain reduced quantities of sterols and phosphorus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Assignee: Abbott Laboratories
    Inventors: Robert Alan Miller, Terrence Bruce Mazer, Charles Allan McCombs
  • Patent number: 5844151
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting and measuring organic materials present on components used in magnetic storage systems, such as an actuator coil. The component is heated on a hot plate, and a concave lens with a low surface energy coating is placed over the component. The contaminants volatilize and condense on the glass lens. The condensate is collected in solvent. The solvent is evaporated and the size of the residue is measured. A determination can be made whether the component is suitable for used in a magnetic storage system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Charles Allan Brown, Ronald Louis Herbold, Andrew Marian Homola, Heidi Lee Merkins, Herman Russell Wendt
  • Patent number: 5661618
    Abstract: The invention relates to an improved high performance magnetic recording device. The recording device comprises a magnetic recording disk, a slider having a transducer for reading or writing data on the disk, a motor operable to rotate the disk at speeds greater than 7000 RPM and an actuator connected to the slider to move the slider across the disk. The trailing surface of the slider is coated with a low surface energy film to prevent build up of droplets of liquid contaminants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1997
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Charles Allan Brown, Mark Stephen Crowder, Donald R. Gillis, Andrew Marian Homola, Vedantham Raman, George William Tyndall, III
  • Patent number: 4052414
    Abstract: Cis isomers of compounds represented by the formula ##STR1## are prepared by electromagnetic irradiation (about 2800 to 3500 angstroms wavelength) of their respective trans isomers. The cis isomers of the compounds of this invention are of the class of compounds known to exhibit anabolic and estrogenic activity and may be employed as animal growth promoting agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1975
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1977
    Assignee: IMC Chemical Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles Allan Peters
  • Patent number: 4035601
    Abstract: Envisages the use of a format of serial digital signalling in which each data word comprises a predetermined number of bytes formed by bits of substantially uniform duration and in which each byte comprises a "start" bit of a first binary significance (e.g. 0) a "stop" bit having a second binary significance (e.g. 1) and an identical plurality of "data" bits immediately succeeding said "start" bit and in which the final byte of the data-word is characterized in that it has an additional bit having said first binary significance 0 interposed between last "data" bit and the "stop" bit thereof. The reading of that bit immediately succeeding the last "data" bit of each byte of each data-word of a transmission produce a so-called synchronizing pulse-sequence comprising bits of said second significance for all bytes except that last and a bit of said first significance for the last byte.A response circuit is provided normally to maintain byte-to-byte synchronization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1975
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1977
    Assignee: Plessey Handel und Investments A.G.
    Inventor: Charles Allan Isaacs
  • Patent number: 3997568
    Abstract: (10'R)-Zearalanone is prepared from (10'S)-zearalenone by opening the lactone ring of the zearalenone in an alkaline medium to provide a hydroxy acid, esterifying the hydroxy acid to provide a hydroxy ester, tosylating the hydroxy ester, reacting the tosyl ester with a tetraalkyl ammonium alkyl ester to invert the (S) structure to the (R) structure, and reforming and hydrogenating the lactone to provide (10'R)-zearalanone. (10'R)-Zearalanone, when present in admixture with (10'S)-zearalanone, enhances the uterotropic activity of the latter compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1974
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1976
    Assignee: Commercial Solvents Corporation
    Inventors: Charles Allan Peters, Richard Nelson Hurd