Patents by Inventor Charles Ford

Charles Ford 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: 20140262354
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a fire-extinguishing system and method for injecting foamant into a stream of water. The system can include a flow meter determining a flow rate of the stream of water and a foam pump having an inlet coupled to a supply of foamant and an outlet coupled to the stream of water. The system includes a servo motor driving the foam pump. The servo motor includes a sensor used to determine a rotor shaft speed and/or a rotor shaft torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Jonathan Gamble, Ron Flanary, Robert L. Hosfield, Harold McCabe, Martin Piedl, Charles Ford, Troy Anderson
  • Patent number: 8659249
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide methods of controlling a motor, such as a servo motor. One method can include monitoring a current temperature of the motor and a power stage of the motor substantially continuously and substantially in real-time. This method can include determining optimum settings for a first time interval to remove power and the second time interval to provide power in order to deliver maximum output while remaining below the maximum rated temperature of the motor. One method can include pulsing power to the motor for a second time interval after a first time interval has elapsed and tailoring pulse shapes of the power provided to the motor for the second time interval. One method can include calculating a maximum phase current based on the rotor shaft torque for each real-time speed of the motor that correlates to the maximum allowable current draw from the power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Moog Inc.
    Inventors: Ron Flanary, Martin Piedl, Charles Ford, Troy Anderson
  • Patent number: 8297369
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a fire-extinguishing system for injecting foamant into a stream of water. The system can include a flow meter determining a flow rate of the stream of water and a foam pump having an inlet coupled to a supply of foamant and an outlet coupled to the stream of water. The system includes a servo motor driving the foam pump. The servo motor includes a sensor used to determine a rotor shaft speed and/or a rotor shaft torque. A controller can control an operating speed of the servo motor using closed-loop control depending on the flow rate and the rotor shaft speed and/or the rotor shaft torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Sta-Rite Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan Gamble, Ron Flanary, Robert L. Hosfield, Harold McCabe, Martin Piedl, Charles Ford, Troy Anderson
  • Publication number: 20120181964
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide methods of controlling a motor, such as a servo motor. One method can include monitoring a current temperature of the motor and a power stage of the motor substantially continuously and substantially in real-time. This method can include determining optimum settings for a first time interval to remove power and the second time interval to provide power in order to deliver maximum output while remaining below the maximum rated temperature of the motor. One method can include pulsing power to the motor for a second time interval after a first time interval has elapsed and tailoring pulse shapes of the power provided to the motor for the second time interval. One method can include calculating a maximum phase current based on the rotor shaft torque for each real-time speed of the motor that correlates to the maximum allowable current draw from the power supply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Inventors: Ron Flanary, Martin Piedl, Charles Ford, Troy Anderson
  • Patent number: 8183810
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method of operating a motor connected to a power device having a reduced current rating. The motor can include an increased torque constant and/or an increased back electromagnetic force constant in order to decrease a peak current in relation to the reduced current rating of the power device. The method can include increasing a length of time the motor can operate at the peak current without overheating. A phase angle of the motor can be advanced in order to achieve a continuous operating point with the power device having the reduced current rating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Hoffman Enclosures, Inc.
    Inventors: Ron Flanary, Martin Piedl, Charles Ford, Troy Anderson
  • Patent number: 8164293
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide methods of controlling a motor, such as a servo motor. One method can include monitoring a current temperature of the motor and a power stage of the motor substantially continuously and substantially in real-time. This method can include determining optimum settings for a first time interval to remove power and the second time interval to provide power in order to deliver maximum output while remaining below the maximum rated temperature of the motor. One method can include pulsing power to the motor for a second time interval after a first time interval has elapsed and tailoring pulse shapes of the power provided to the motor for the second time interval. One method can include calculating a maximum phase current based on the rotor shaft torque for each real-time speed of the motor that correlates to the maximum allowable current draw from the power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Hoffman Enclosures, Inc.
    Inventors: Ron Flanary, Martin Piedl, Charles Ford, Troy Anderson
  • Patent number: 8057693
    Abstract: Described herein are compositions and methods for imparting liquid repellency and dry soil resistance to fibers. The compositions are composed of (a) a silsesquioxane, (b) a wax, (c) a surfactant, and (b) water. Also disclosed are kits comprising (a) a first aqueous composition comprising a silsesquioxane and a first surfactant and (b) a second aqueous composition comprising a wax and a second surfactant. Finally, fibers and articles treated with the compositions and methods described herein are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Arrowstar, LLC
    Inventors: Geary Charles Ford, James K. Calhoun, Jr., James R. Bartley
  • Publication number: 20110056708
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a fire-extinguishing system for injecting foamant into a stream of water. The system can include a flow meter determining a flow rate of the stream of water and a foam pump having an inlet coupled to a supply of foamant and an outlet coupled to the stream of water. The system includes a servo motor driving the foam pump. The servo motor includes a sensor used to determine a rotor shaft speed and/or a rotor shaft torque. A controller can control an operating speed of the servo motor using closed-loop control depending on the flow rate and the rotor shaft speed and/or the rotor shaft torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Inventors: Jonathan Gamble, Ron Flanary, Robert L. Hosfield, Harold McCabe, Martin Piedl, Charles Ford, Troy Anderson
  • Publication number: 20110056710
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a fire-extinguishing system and method for injecting foamant into a stream of water. The system can include a flow meter determining a flow rate of the stream of water and a foam pump having an inlet coupled to a supply of foamant and an outlet coupled to the stream of water. The system includes a servo motor driving the foam pump. The servo motor includes a sensor used to determine a rotor shaft speed and/or a rotor shaft torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Inventors: Jonathan Gamble, Ron Flanary, Robert L. Hosfield, Harold McCabe, Martin Piedl, Charles Ford, Troy Anderson
  • Publication number: 20110056707
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a fire-extinguishing system and method for injecting foamant into a stream of water. The system can include a flow meter determining a flow rate of the stream of water and a foam pump having an inlet coupled to a supply of foamant and an outlet coupled to the stream of water. The system includes a servo motor driving the foam pump. The servo motor includes a sensor used to determine a rotor shaft speed and/or a rotor shaft torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Inventors: Jonathan Gamble, Ron Flanary, Robert L. Hosfield, Harold McCabe, Martin Piedl, Charles Ford, Troy Anderson
  • Publication number: 20110057590
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method of operating a motor connected to a power device having a reduced current rating. The motor can include an increased torque constant and/or an increased back electromagnetic force constant in order to decrease a peak current in relation to the reduced current rating of the power device. The method can include increasing a length of time the motor can operate at the peak current without overheating. A phase angle of the motor can be advanced in order to achieve a continuous operating point with the power device having the reduced current rating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Inventors: Ron Flanary, Martin Piedl, Charles Ford, Troy Anderson
  • Publication number: 20110057595
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide methods of controlling a motor, such as a servo motor. One method can include monitoring a current temperature of the motor and a power stage of the motor substantially continuously and substantially in real-time. This method can include determining optimum settings for a first time interval to remove power and the second time interval to provide power in order to deliver maximum output while remaining below the maximum rated temperature of the motor. One method can include pulsing power to the motor for a second time interval after a first time interval has elapsed and tailoring pulse shapes of the power provided to the motor for the second time interval. One method can include calculating a maximum phase current based on the rotor shaft torque for each real-time speed of the motor that correlates to the maximum allowable current draw from the power supply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Inventors: Ron Flanary, Martin Piedl, Charles Ford, Troy Anderson
  • Publication number: 20080040204
    Abstract: A method for generating a sales volume forecast includes receiving user input specifying a hypothetical asking price and a future date and accessing, for each of multiple past time periods, historical data reflecting a sales volume for an item over the past time period and a corresponding price difference between an asking price and a coinciding market price for the item, the price difference also being associated with the past time period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Publication date: February 14, 2008
    Inventors: Charles Ford, Wei Cao
  • Publication number: 20070279261
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for lossless run-length data encoding is disclosed. In the first stage of the method, an input data sequence is transformed without increasing its volume in order to obtain long sequences of identical digits. In the second stage, every such sequence is replaced with a unique shorter sequence. The compressed data is decoded performing corresponding inverse operations. The method is very efficient for compression of some classes of digital images with long sequences of the same number, such as graphics, texts, signatures, and fingerprints.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2006
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Inventors: Vladimir Todorov, Roumen Kountchev, Mariofanna Milanova, Roumiana Kountcheva, Charles Ford
  • Publication number: 20070111001
    Abstract: A fiber mat of improved tensile strength and a process of making same is disclosed. The fiber mat comprises: fibers; a resinous fiber binder; and a binder modifier comprising a dibasic unsaturated acid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Publication date: May 17, 2007
    Inventors: William Bittle, Betty Roberts, Charles Ford, Emily Tenney
  • Publication number: 20070014428
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for digital watermarking of multimedia signals. The input multimedia signal is represented using an inverse difference pyramid decomposition. Spectrum coefficients may be calculated for each level of the pyramid using a new kind of complex Hadamard transform, the matrix of which is distinguished from the known ones by the fact that only one-fourth of its coefficients are complex numbers. The phases of a previously selected part of the low-frequency coefficients are modified with the watermark data, limiting the angles of the phase changes in a gap of several degrees only. After an inverse complex Hadamard Transform, the values of the coefficients from all pyramid levels are summed up and the result is the watermarked signal. The watermark can contain multiple independent levels for each level of the pyramid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2005
    Publication date: January 18, 2007
    Inventors: Roumen Kountchev, Vladimir Todorov, Roumiana Kountcheva, Mariofanna Milanova, Charles Ford
  • Publication number: 20040173609
    Abstract: Protective casing (10) for electrical equipment which is to be deployed in a hazardous environment comprises a main body portion (12, 14) and one or more protective cages each comprising at least one annulus (20A) surrounding the main body portion and attached thereto by two or more spoke members (20). The invention provides casing which conforms to applicable standards whilst being simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2004
    Publication date: September 9, 2004
    Applicant: QinetiQ Limited
    Inventors: Alex James Duke, Matthew Stone, Peter George Shaw, David Charles Ford, Julian David Apsey
  • Patent number: 6756970
    Abstract: The invention provides a liquid crystal, TFT display with driver lines folded around a light pipe and a digitizer. The digitizer has grid routing lines folded around a shield where the shield is connected to a shield of the computer system electronics. The display drivers and grid controller are mounted inward of an edge of the display. The glass layers surrounding the beads can have different thicknesses and composition while the liquid crystal surrounding the beads can be at a pressure less than atmospheric pressure. A surface of the display provides pen/pencil on paper feel as a digitizer pen is moved across the surface via hardness coatings and surface topography.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Leroy Bertrand Keely, Jr., Daniel E. Evanicky, Charles Ford Alexander
  • Publication number: 20020063694
    Abstract: The invention provides a liquid crystal, TFT display with driver lines folded around a light pipe and a digitizer. The digitizer has grid routing lines folded around a shield where the shield is connected to a shield of the computer system electronics. The display drivers and grid controller are mounted inward of an edge of the display. The glass layers surrounding the beads can have different thicknesses and composition while the liquid crystal surrounding the beads can be at a pressure less than atmospheric pressure. A surface of the display provides pen/pencil on paper feel as a digitizer pen is moved across the surface via hardness coatings and surface topography.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 1998
    Publication date: May 30, 2002
    Inventors: LEROY BERTRAND KEELY, JR., DANIEL E. EVANICKY, CHARLES FORD ALEXANDER
  • Patent number: D715363
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: NPD Partnership Ltd
    Inventor: Maxwell Charles Ford