Patents by Inventor Charles Whitmer

Charles Whitmer 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: 20240122080
    Abstract: A superconductor device includes a high superconductivity transition temperature enhanced from the raw material transition temperature. The superconductor device includes a matrix material and a core material. The enhancing matrix material and the core material together create a system of strongly coupled carriers. A plurality of low-dimensional conductive features can be embedded in the matrix. The low-dimensional conductive features (e.g., nanowires or nanoparticles) can be conductors or superconductors. An interaction between electrons of the low-dimensional conductive features and the enhancing matrix material can promote excitations that increase a superconductivity transition temperature of the superconductor device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2023
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Inventors: Philipp Braeuninger-Weimer, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Conor L. Myhrvold, Cameron Myhrvold, Clarence T. Tegreene, Roderick A. Hyde, Lowell L. Wood, JR., Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Victoria Y.H. Wood, David R. Smith, John Brian Pendry, Charles Whitmer, William Henry Mangione-Smith, Brian C. Holloway, Stuart A. Wolf, Vladimir Z. Kresin
  • Patent number: 11785866
    Abstract: A superconductor device includes a high superconductivity transition temperature enhanced from the raw material transition temperature. The superconductor device includes a matrix material and a core material. The enhancing matrix material and the core material together create a system of strongly coupled carriers. A plurality of low-dimensional conductive features can be embedded in the matrix. The low-dimensional conductive features (e.g., nanowires or nanoparticles) can be conductors or superconductors. An interaction between electrons of the low-dimensional conductive features and the enhancing matrix material can promote excitations that increase a superconductivity transition temperature of the superconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Inventors: Philipp Braeuninger-Weimer, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Conor L. Myhrvold, Cameron Myhrvold, Clarence T. Tegreene, Roderick A. Hyde, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Victoria Y. H. Wood, David R. Smith, John Brian Pendry, Charles Whitmer, William Henry Mangione-Smith, Brian C. Holloway, Stuart A. Wolf, Vladimir Z. Kresin
  • Publication number: 20220367070
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include nuclear fission reactor cores, nuclear fission reactors, methods of operating a nuclear fission reactor, and methods of managing excess reactivity in a nuclear fission reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Inventors: Charles E. Ahlfeld, Thomas M. Burke, Tyler S. Ellis, John R. Gilleland, Jonatan Hejzlar, Pavel Hejzlar, Roderick A. Hyde, David G. McAlees, Jon D. McWhirter, Ashok Odedra, Robert C. Petroski, Nicholas W. Touran, Joshua C. Walter, Kevan D. Weaver, Thomas A. Weaver, Charles Whitmer, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., George B. Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 11482344
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include nuclear fission reactor cores, nuclear fission reactors, methods of operating a nuclear fission reactor, and methods of managing excess reactivity in a nuclear fission reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: TERRAPOWER, LLC
    Inventors: Charles E. Ahlfeld, Thomas M. Burke, Tyler S. Ellis, John Rogers Gilleland, Jonatan Hejzlar, Pavel Hejzlar, Roderick A. Hyde, David G. McAlees, Jon D. McWhirter, Ashok Odedra, Robert C. Petroski, Nicholas W. Touran, Joshua C. Walter, Kevan D. Weaver, Thomas Allan Weaver, Charles Whitmer, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., George B. Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 11364380
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a nerve stimulation system includes a headset and an earpiece which includes two or more ear-contacting elements, for example an ear canal insert, and a concha insert. Ear-contacting elements may be mounted onto an earpiece housing have projecting mounting structures, which provide mechanical and electrical connection between ear-contacting elements and housing through various materials and configurations. In an embodiment, a nerve stimulation system includes a neural stimulation subsystem including neural stimulation device control circuitry for use in combination with a personal computing device to control a neural stimulation device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Elwha LLC
    Inventors: Eleanor V. Goodall, Roderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Jordin T. Kare, Eric C. Leuthardt, Mark A. Malamud, Stephen L. Malaska, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Tim F. Ramsey, Brittany Scheid, Katherine E. Sharadin, Elizabeth A. Sweeney, Clarence T. Tegreene, Charles Whitmer, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Victoria Y. H. Wood
  • Patent number: 11157665
    Abstract: Illustrative embodiments provide for the operation and simulation of the operation of fission reactors, including the movement of materials within reactors. Illustrative embodiments and aspects include, without limitation, nuclear fission reactors and reactor modules, including modular nuclear fission reactors and reactor modules, nuclear fission deflagration wave reactors and reactor modules, modular nuclear fission deflagration wave reactors and modules, methods of operating nuclear reactors and modules including the aforementioned, methods of simulating operating nuclear reactors and modules including the aforementioned, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: TERRAPOWER, LLC
    Inventors: Jesse R. Cheatham, III, Robert C. Petroski, Nicholas W. Touran, Charles Whitmer
  • Patent number: 10875525
    Abstract: Techniques for ability enhancement are described. In some embodiments, devices and systems located in a transportation network share threat information with one another, in order to enhance a user's ability to operate or function in a transportation-related context. In one embodiment, a process in a vehicle receives threat information from a remote device, the threat information based on information about objects or conditions proximate to the remote device. The process then determines that the threat information is relevant to the safe operation of the vehicle. Then, the process modifies operation of the vehicle based on the threat information, such as by presenting a message to the operator of the vehicle and/or controlling the vehicle itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
    Inventors: Richard T. Lord, Robert W. Lord, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Clarence T. Tegreene, Roderick A. Hyde, Lowell L. Wood, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Victoria Y. H. Wood, Charles Whitmer, Paramvir Bahl, Douglas C. Burger, Ranveer Chandra, William H. Gates, III, Pablos Holman, Jordin T. Kare, Craig J. Mundie, Tim Paek, Desney S. Tan, Lin Zhong, Matthew G. Dyor
  • Patent number: 10839965
    Abstract: A nuclear fission reactor, flow control assembly, methods therefor and a flow control assembly system. The flow control assembly is coupled to a nuclear fission module capable of producing a traveling burn wave at a location relative to the nuclear fission module. The flow control assembly controls flow of a fluid in response to the location relative to the nuclear fission module. The flow control assembly comprises a flow regulator subassembly configured to be operated according to an operating parameter associated with the nuclear fission module. In addition, the flow regulator subassembly is reconfigurable according to a predetermined input to the flow regulator subassembly. Moreover, the flow control assembly comprises a carriage subassembly coupled to the flow regulator subassembly for adjusting the flow regulator subassembly to vary fluid flow into the nuclear fission module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: TERRAPOWER, LLC
    Inventors: Charles E. Ahlfeld, Roderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, David G. McAlees, Jon D. McWhirter, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Ashok Odedra, Clarence T. Tegreene, Thomas A. Weaver, Charles Whitmer, Victoria Y. H. Wood, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., George B. Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 10785832
    Abstract: Various methods for sensing and/or heating that utilize nanostructures or carbon structures, such as nanotubes, nanotube meshes, or graphene sheets, are disclosed. In some methods, at least a pair of contacts are electrically coupled with a given nanostructure or carbon structure to sense a change or to pass a current for heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Elwha LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth G. Caldeira, Peter L. Hagelstein, Roderick A. Hyde, Edward K. Y. Jung, Jordin T. Kare, Nathan P. Myhrvold, David Schurig, Clarence T. Tegreene, Thomas Allan Weaver, Charles Whitmer, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10772507
    Abstract: Breast monitoring systems are described including a breast sensor device having a substrate fabricated to substantially conform to one or more breasts of a subject, dynamically bendable optical fibers, and a connector; a light source configured to operably couple with the optical fibers through the connector; a photodetector configured to operably couple with the optical fibers through the connector and positioned to detect light transmission through the optical fibers; a reporting device; and a microcontroller including a microprocessor and circuitry, the circuitry including input circuitry configured to receive a first set of signals and at least one second set of signals from the photodetector; calculation circuitry configured to calculate a curvature delta value based on a comparison of the first and at least one second set of signals, and calculate a breast volume delta value from the calculated curvature delta value; and reporting circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Elwha LLC
    Inventors: Eleanor V. Goodall, Roderick A. Hyde, Wayne R. Kindsvogel, Elizabeth A. Sweeney, Charles Whitmer
  • Publication number: 20200245922
    Abstract: Breast monitoring systems and methods are described including a flexible substrate fabricated to substantially conform to one or more breasts of a subject; dynamically bendable optical fibers associated with the flexible substrate; a light source operably coupled to the optical fibers; a photodetector positioned to detect light reception from the optical fibers; a reporting device; and a microcontroller including a microprocessor and circuitry, wherein the circuitry includes input circuitry configured to receive a first set of signals and at least one second set of signals from the photodetector; calculation circuitry configured to calculate a curvature delta value based on a comparison of the received first and at least one second set of signals, and calculate a breast volume delta value from the calculated curvature delta value; and reporting circuitry configured to transmit a signal to the reporting device based on the calculated breast volume delta value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Inventors: Eleanor V. Goodall, Roderick A. Hyde, Wayne R. Kindsvogel, Elizabeth A. Sweeney, Charles Whitmer
  • Patent number: 10716727
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate to a garment system including at least one muscle or at least one joint activity sensor, and at least one actuator that operates responsive to sensing feedback from the at least one muscle or the at least one joint activity sensor to cause a flexible compression garment to selectively compress against or selectively relieve compression against at least one body part of a subject. Embodiments disclosed herein also relate to methods of using such garment systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: ELWHA LLC
    Inventors: Jesse R. Cheatham, III, Roderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Jordin T. Kare, Eric C. Leuthardt, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Elizabeth A. Sweeney, Clarence T. Tegreene, Charles Whitmer, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Victoria Y. H. Wood
  • Publication number: 20200178848
    Abstract: Systems are described for monitoring extremities for injury or damage following a physical impact. A device embodiment includes, but is not limited to, a deformable substrate; a sensor assembly coupled to the deformable substrate, the sensor assembly configured to generate one or more sense signals based on detection of a physical impact to a body portion and based on detection of a physiological parameter; circuitry operably coupled to the sensor assembly and configured to receive the one or more sense signals based on detection of the physical impact and to determine whether the physical impact exceeds a threshold impact value, the circuitry configured to instruct the sensor assembly to detect one or more physiological parameters of the body portion when the physical impact exceeds the threshold impact value; and a reporting device operably coupled to the circuitry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventors: Roderick A. Hyde, Jordin T. Kare, Eric C. Leuthardt, Mark A. Malamud, Tony S. Pan, Elizabeth A. Sweeney, Clarence T. Tegreene, Charles Whitmer, Lowell L. Wood, JR.
  • Patent number: 10667742
    Abstract: Breast monitoring systems and methods are described including a flexible substrate fabricated to substantially conform to one or more breasts of a subject; dynamically bendable optical fibers associated with the flexible substrate; a light source operably coupled to the optical fibers; a photodetector positioned to detect light reception from the optical fibers; a reporting device; and a microcontroller including a microprocessor and circuitry, wherein the circuitry includes input circuitry configured to receive a first set of signals and at least one second set of signals from the photodetector; calculation circuitry configured to calculate a curvature delta value based on a comparison of the received first and at least one second set of signals, and calculate a breast volume delta value from the calculated curvature delta value; and reporting circuitry configured to transmit a signal to the reporting device based on the calculated breast volume delta value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Elwha LLC
    Inventors: Eleanor V. Goodall, Roderick A. Hyde, Wayne R. Kindsvogel, Elizabeth A. Sweeney, Charles Whitmer
  • Patent number: 10668305
    Abstract: Garment systems including a flexible compression garment, at least one sensor, and at least one therapeutic stimulation delivery device operable responsive to sensing feedback from the at least one sensor, effective to provide therapeutic radiation to a body part of a subject. Methods of using such garment systems are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: ELWHA LLC
    Inventors: Jesse R. Cheatham, III, Roderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Jordin T. Kare, Eric C. Leuthardt, Max N. Mankin, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Tony S. Pan, Robert C. Petroski, Elizabeth A. Sweeney, Clarence T. Tegreene, Nicholas W. Touran, Yaroslav A. Urzhumov, Charles Whitmer, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Victoria Y. H. Wood
  • Patent number: 10629338
    Abstract: Described embodiments include a system, method, and apparatus. The apparatus includes a magnetic substrate at least partially covered by a first negative-permittivity layer comprising a first plasmonic outer surface. The apparatus includes a plasmonic nanoparticle having a magnetic element at least partially covered by a second negative-permittivity layer comprising a second plasmonic outer surface. The apparatus includes a dielectric-filled gap between the first plasmonic outer surface and the second outer surface. The first plasmonic outer surface, the dielectric-filled gap, and the second plasmonic outer surface are configured to support one or more mutually coupled plasmonic excitations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Elwha LLC
    Inventors: Gleb M. Akselrod, Roderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Jordin T. Kare, Maiken H. Mikkelsen, Tony S. Pan, David R. Smith, Clarence T. Tegreene, Yaroslav A. Urzhumov, Charles Whitmer, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Victoria Y. H. Wood
  • Patent number: 10609270
    Abstract: Computationally implemented methods and systems include acquiring a request for particular image data that is part of a scene, transmitting the request for the particular image data to an image sensor array that includes more than one image sensor and that is configured to capture the scene that is larger than the requested particular image data, receiving only the particular image data from the image sensor array, and transmitting the received particular image data to at least one requestor. In addition to the foregoing, other aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: The Invention Science Fund II, LLC
    Inventors: Ehren Brav, Russell Hannigan, Roderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y Ishikawa, 3ric Johanson, Jordin T. Kare, Tony S Pan, Phillip Rutschman, Clarence T. Tegreene, Charles Whitmer, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Victoria Y. H. Wood
  • Patent number: 10589105
    Abstract: Systems and related methods for controlling delivery of a stimulus to a pinna of a subject with a stimulator worn on the pinna are described. A wearable stimulation device includes a mechanical, electrical, or other type of stimulator secured to a pinna of a subject. A personal computing device in communication with the wearable stimulation device controls delivery of stimuli and other aspects of operation of the device. In some aspects recommendations regarding neural stimuli and other stimuli or experiences to be delivered in association with the neural stimuli are provided via a computing system in communication with the personal computing device or the wearable stimulation device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: The Invention Science Fund II, LLC
    Inventors: Roderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Jordin T. Kare, Eric C. Leuthardt, Mark A. Malamud, Stephen L. Malaska, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Elizabeth A. Sweeney, Clarence T. Tegreene, Charles Whitmer, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Victoria Y. H. Wood
  • Patent number: 10520373
    Abstract: Various sensors and arrays of sensors that utilize nanostructures or carbon structures, such as nanotubes, nanotube meshes, or graphene sheets, are disclosed. In some arrangements, at least a pair of contacts are electrically coupled with a given nanostructure or carbon structure to sense a change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Elwha LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth G. Caldeira, Peter L. Hagelstein, Roderick A. Hyde, Edward K. Y. Jung, Jordin T. Kare, Nathan P. Myhrvold, John Brian Pendry, David Schurig, Clarence T. Tegreene, Thomas Allan Weaver, Charles Whitmer, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10512420
    Abstract: Systems are described for monitoring extremities for injury or damage following a physical impact. A device embodiment includes, but is not limited to, a deformable substrate; a sensor assembly coupled to the deformable substrate, the sensor assembly configured to generate one or more sense signals based on detection of a physical impact to a body portion and based on detection of a physiological parameter; circuitry operably coupled to the sensor assembly and configured to receive the one or more sense signals based on detection of the physical impact and to determine whether the physical impact exceeds a threshold impact value, the circuitry configured to instruct the sensor assembly to detect one or more physiological parameters of the body portion when the physical impact exceeds the threshold impact value; and a reporting device operably coupled to the circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: ELWHA LLC
    Inventors: Roderick A. Hyde, Jordin T. Kare, Eric C. Leuthardt, Mark A. Malamud, Tony S. Pan, Elizabeth A. Sweeney, Clarence T. Tegreene, Charles Whitmer, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.