Patents by Inventor Charles Hardy

Charles Hardy 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: 11625811
    Abstract: A method includes determining a plurality of features of a first original image of a first product that are expected to be different for one or more products to be produced via manufacturing parameters of a manufacturing process compared to the first product. The method further includes adjusting one or more of the plurality of features of the first original image to generate a first synthetic image. The method further includes providing a plurality of images including the first original image and the first synthetic image to train a machine learning model to generate a trained machine learning model configured to generate output associated with updating the manufacturing parameters of the manufacturing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Abhinav Kumar, Benjamin Schwarz, Charles Hardy
  • Patent number: 11442075
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a ballistic projectile velocity measurement apparatus that senses and records the times in which a projectile travels through two vertical planes represented by two sensor gates which are spaced horizontally from each other. The sensor gates each utilize an LED laser that emits a laser light through a diffuser along a diffusion angle into a plurality of laser light sensors to create a wall of laser light, and the sensor gates register a break in the wall of light when a ballistic projectile obstructs the light received by at least one laser light sensor. The ballistics apparatus then determines the velocity of the projectile based on the distance between the two gates and difference in time between the two plane-breaking events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Inventor: Charles Hardy
  • Patent number: 11227193
    Abstract: A method includes providing attributes of a manufacturing process and an image of a product associated with the manufacturing process to a trained machine learning model. The method further includes obtaining, from the trained machine learning model, predictive data. The method further includes determining, based on the predictive data, image measurements of the image of the product associated with the manufacturing process. Manufacturing parameters of the manufacturing process are to be updated based on the image measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Abhinav Kumar, Benjamin Schwarz, Charles Hardy
  • Publication number: 20210216809
    Abstract: A method includes providing attributes of a manufacturing process and an image of a product associated with the manufacturing process to a trained machine learning model. The method further includes obtaining, from the trained machine learning model, predictive data. The method further includes determining, based on the predictive data, image measurements of the image of the product associated with the manufacturing process. Manufacturing parameters of the manufacturing process are to be updated based on the image measurements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Inventors: Abhinav Kumar, Benjamin Schwarz, Charles Hardy
  • Publication number: 20210217135
    Abstract: A method includes determining a plurality of features of a first original image of a first product that are expected to be different for one or more products to be produced via manufacturing parameters of a manufacturing process compared to the first product. The method further includes adjusting one or more of the plurality of features of the first original image to generate a first synthetic image. The method further includes providing a plurality of images including the first original image and the first synthetic image to train a machine learning model to generate a trained machine learning model configured to generate output associated with updating the manufacturing parameters of the manufacturing process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Inventors: Abhinav Kumar, Benjamin Schwarz, Charles Hardy
  • Patent number: 10963990
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and non-transitory computer readable medium are described for automated image measurement for process development and optimization. A method includes receiving original images including a first original image. Each original image is of a corresponding product associated with a manufacturing process. The method further includes performing, based on process information about the manufacturing process, feature extraction to identify features of the first original image that are expected to change based on manufacturing parameters of the manufacturing process. The method further includes generating a first synthetic image of synthetic images by performing targeted deformation of one or more of the features of the first original image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Abhinav Kumar, Benjamin Schwarz, Charles Hardy
  • Patent number: 10963753
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and non-transitory computer readable medium are described for automated image measurement for process development and optimization. A method includes receiving an image of a product associated with a manufacturing process; determining, using a trained machine learning model, an image classification for the image; selecting, based on the image classification, one or more image processing algorithms for the image; pre-processing the image based on at least one of the one or more image processing algorithms to generate an enhanced image; measuring, using a first image processing algorithm of the one or more image processing algorithms, one or more attributes of the enhanced image to determine image measurements; and reporting the image measurements. The manufacturing parameters of the manufacturing process are to be updated based on the image measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Abhinav Kumar, Benjamin Schwarz, Charles Hardy
  • Publication number: 20210080481
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a ballistic projectile velocity measurement apparatus that senses and records the times in which a projectile travels through two vertical planes represented by two sensor gates which are spaced horizontally from each other. The sensor gates each utilize an LED laser that emits a laser light through a diffuser along a diffusion angle into a plurality of laser light sensors to create a wall of laser light, and the sensor gates register a break in the wall of light when a ballistic projectile obstructs the light received by at least one laser light sensor. The ballistics apparatus then determines the velocity of the projectile based on the distance between the two gates and difference in time between the two plane-breaking events.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Inventor: Charles Hardy
  • Publication number: 20200242395
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and non-transitory computer readable medium are described for automated image measurement for process development and optimization. A method includes receiving an image of a product associated with a manufacturing process; determining, using a trained machine learning model, an image classification for the image; selecting, based on the image classification, one or more image processing algorithms for the image; pre-processing the image based on at least one of the one or more image processing algorithms to generate an enhanced image; measuring, using a first image processing algorithm of the one or more image processing algorithms, one or more attributes of the enhanced image to determine image measurements; and reporting the image measurements. The manufacturing parameters of the manufacturing process are to be updated based on the image measurements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventors: Abhinav Kumar, Benjamin Schwarz, Charles Hardy
  • Publication number: 20200242733
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and non-transitory computer readable medium are described for automated image measurement for process development and optimization. A method includes receiving original images including a first original image. Each original image is of a corresponding product associated with a manufacturing process. The method further includes performing, based on process information about the manufacturing process, feature extraction to identify features of the first original image that are expected to change based on manufacturing parameters of the manufacturing process. The method further includes generating a first synthetic image of synthetic images by performing targeted deformation of one or more of the features of the first original image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventors: Abhinav Kumar, Benjamin Schwarz, Charles Hardy
  • Publication number: 20170319653
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a method of reducing unwanted airway tissue mucus secretion in a mammal and to agents useful for same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of reducing airway tissue mucus hypersecretion in a mammal by downregulating the functional level of activin or upregulating the functional level of follistatin. The method of the present invention is useful, inter alia, in the treatment and/or prophylaxis of conditions characterised by airway tissue mucus dysfunction, such as overproduction of mucus or decreased mucus clearance, and where a reduction in mucus secretion levels would thereby alleviate the condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Applicant: PARANTA BIOSCIENCES LIMITED
    Inventors: Robyn O'Hehir, Charles Hardy, David De Kretser
  • Publication number: 20140303068
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a method of reducing unwanted airway tissue mucus secretion in a mammal and to agents useful for same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of reducing airway tissue mucus hypersecretion in a mammal by downregulating the functional level of activin or upregulating the functional level of follistatin. The method of the present invention is useful, inter alia, in the treatment and/or prophylaxis of conditions characterised by airway tissue mucus dysfunction, such as overproduction of mucus or decreased mucus clearance, and where a reduction in mucus secretion levels would thereby alleviate the condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Inventors: Robyn O'Hehir, Charles Hardy, David De Kretser
  • Patent number: 8721798
    Abstract: Methods for processing substrates in twin chamber processing systems having first and second process chambers and shared processing resources are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method may include providing a substrate to the first process chamber of the twin chamber processing system, wherein the first process chamber has a first processing volume that is independent from a second processing volume of the second process chamber; providing one or more processing resources from the shared processing resources to only the first processing volume of the first process chamber; and performing a process on the substrate in the first process chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: James P. Cruse, Dermot Cantwell, Ming Xu, Charles Hardy, Benjamin Schwarz, Kenneth S. Collins, Andrew Nguyen, Zhifeng Sui, Evans Lee
  • Patent number: 8527081
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for automated validation of semiconductor process steps are provided herein. In some examples, a method for validating a semiconductor process recipe includes: selecting a rule set describing an operating window for a semiconductor process tool; checking parameter values defined by steps in the semiconductor process recipe against limit-checking rules of the rule set to produce first results; determining step types from the steps in the semiconductor process recipe using step definition rules of the rule set to produce second results; checking transitions between the step types against step transition rules of the rule set to produce third results; and generating, using the computer, validation data for use of the semiconductor process recipe with the semiconductor process tool based on the first, the second, and the third results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Hardy, Roger Alan Lindley
  • Patent number: 8496756
    Abstract: Methods for processing substrates in twin chamber processing systems having first and second process chambers and shared processing resources are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method may include flowing a process gas from a shared gas panel to a processing volume of the first process chamber and to a processing volume of the second process chamber; forming a first plasma in the first processing volume to process the first substrate and a second plasma to process the second substrate; monitoring the first processing volume and the second processing volume to determine if a process endpoint is reached in either volume; and either terminating the first and second plasma simultaneously when a first endpoint is reached; or terminating the first plasma when a first endpoint is reached in the first processing volume while continuing to provide the second plasma in the second processing volume until a second endpoint is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: James P. Cruse, Dermot Cantwell, Ming Xu, Charles Hardy, Benjamin Schwarz, Kenneth S. Collins, Andrew Nguyen, Zhifeng Sui, Evans Lee
  • Patent number: 8473247
    Abstract: Methods for monitoring processing equipment are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for monitoring processing equipment when in an idle state for a period of idle time may include selecting a test from a list of a plurality of tests to perform on the processing equipment when the processing equipment is in the idle state, wherein the test has a total run time; starting the selected test; comparing a remaining idle time of the period of idle time to a remaining run time of the total run time as the selected test is performed; and determining whether to end the selected test prior to completing the total run time in response to the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: James P. Cruse, Dermot Cantwell, Michael R. Rice, Thorsten Kril, Charles Hardy
  • Patent number: 8097088
    Abstract: Methods for processing substrates in dual chamber processing systems comprising first and second process chambers that share resources may include performing a first internal chamber clean in each of the first process chamber and the second process chamber; and subsequently processing a substrate in one of the first process chamber or the second process chamber by: providing a substrate to one of the first process chamber or the second process chamber; providing a process gas to the first process chamber and the second process chamber; forming a plasma in only the one of the first process chamber or the second process chamber having the substrate contained therein; and providing an inert gas to the first process chamber and the second process chamber via one or more channels formed in a surface of respective substrate supports disposed in the first process chamber and the second process chamber while processing the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Eu Jin Lim, Adauto Diaz, Jr., Benjamin Schwarz, James P. Cruse, Charles Hardy
  • Patent number: 8092707
    Abstract: The disclosure pertains to compositions and methods for modifying or refining the surface of a wafer suited for semiconductor fabrication. The compositions include working liquids useful in modifying a surface of a wafer suited for fabrication of a semiconductor device. In some embodiments, the working liquids are aqueous solutions of initial components substantially free of loose abrasive particles, the components including water, a surfactant, and a pH buffer exhibiting at least one pKa greater than 7. In certain embodiments, the pH buffer includes a basic pH adjusting agent and an acidic complexing agent, and the working liquid exhibits a pH from about 7 to about 12. In further embodiments, the disclosure provides a fixed abrasive article comprising a surfactant suitable for modifying the surface of a wafer, and a method of making the fixed abrasive article. Additional embodiments describe methods that may be used to modify a wafer surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: L. Charles Hardy, Heather K. Kranz, Thomas E. Wood, David A. Kaisaki, John J. Gagliardi, John C. Clark, Patricia M. Savu, Philip G. Clark
  • Publication number: 20110266256
    Abstract: Methods for processing substrates in twin chamber processing systems having first and second process chambers and shared processing resources are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method may include providing a substrate to the first process chamber of the twin chamber processing system, wherein the first process chamber has a first processing volume that is independent from a second processing volume of the second process chamber; providing one or more processing resources from the shared processing resources to only the first processing volume of the first process chamber; and performing a process on the substrate in the first process chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: James P. Cruse, Dermot Cantwell, Ming Xu, Charles Hardy, Benjamin Schwarz, Kenneth S. Collins, Andrew Nguyen, Zhifeng Sui, Evans Lee
  • Publication number: 20100028420
    Abstract: A composition for encapsulation and controlled release comprises a water-insoluble matrix comprising a host molecule that is non-covalently crosslinked by multi-valent cations, that is non-polymeric, that has more than one carboxy functional group, that has at least partial aromatic or heteroaromatic character, and that comprises at least one pterin or 5-substituted pterin moiety. The composition can further comprise a guest molecule (for example, a drug) that can be encapsulated within the matrix and subsequently released.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Applicant: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: L. Charles Hardy