Patents by Inventor D. Thomas

D. 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).

  • Patent number: 11814026
    Abstract: A compression wheel chock system is disclosed. The system is comprised of two, triangular-shaped devices having longitudinal channels and a lanyard. An object of the apparatus is to enhance wheel chocking by preventing a wheel from moving both fore and aft while chocked. During installation, the lanyard is fed through a channel in each chock and is drawn tight by the user. As the lanyard is tightened it compresses the chocks around the wheel while at the same time compressing the channels and securing the lanyard therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Inventors: Joel A Nichols, Josh D Thomas, Connor Digan
  • Patent number: 11811490
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for inband telemetry for a virtual transponder are disclosed. A disclosed method for inband telemetry for a virtual transponder comprises transmitting, by a payload antenna on a vehicle, a payload signal to a hosted receiving antenna. The method further comprises transmitting, by the payload antenna, a hosted telemetry signal to the hosted receiving antenna. In one or more embodiments, the hosted telemetry signal and the payload signal are transmitted on the same frequency band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Kristina Miller, Eric Anden, Robert J. Winig, Dimitri D. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20230346378
    Abstract: A surgical robotic system for use in a minimally invasive surgical procedure includes a trocar for facilitating passage of a surgical instrument into a body cavity, and a reloading module configured to couple to a head of the trocar. The reloading module defines a channel that is coaxial with a channel of the trocar and includes a cartridge storing a plurality of surgical implants. The reloading module allows for an expedited loading of the surgical implants thereof onto an end effector of a surgical instrument.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventors: Gregory W. Fischvogt, Kevin S. Sniffin, Jonathan D. Thomas
  • Patent number: 11794690
    Abstract: A vehicle seatbelt monitoring system for monitoring seatbelts of a plurality of seats comprising: i) a buckle sensor for each seat configured to determine whether a seatbelt is buckled into a buckle attachment of each seat; ii) a seatbelt webbing payout sensor for each seat configured to determine an amount of seatbelt webbing that is unwound from a seatbelt retractor associated with each seat; and iii) a seatbelt monitor control module coupled to the buckle sensor and the seatbelt webbing payout sensor and configured to receive buckle state data from the buckle sensor for each seat and seatbelt payout data from the seatbelt webbing payout sensor for each seat. The seatbelt monitor control module is further configured to determine if a first seatbelt is unbuckled or not properly worn and, if so, to determine if a second seatbelt is buckled or properly worn when the first seatbelt is unbuckled or not properly worn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Scott D. Thomas
  • Patent number: 11769686
    Abstract: A single-substrate electroless (EL) plating apparatus including a workpiece chuck that is rotatable about rotation axis and inclinable about an axis of inclination. The chuck inclination may be controlled to a non-zero inclination angle during a dispense of plating solution to improve uniformity in the surface wetting and/or plating solution residence time across the a surface of a workpiece supported by the chuck. The angle of inclination may be only a few degrees off-level with the plating solution dispensed from a nozzle that scans over a high-side of the chuck along a radius of the workpiece while the chuck rotates. The angle of inclination may be actively controlled during dispense of the plating solution. The inclination angle may be larger at commencement of the plating solution dispense than at cessation of the dispense.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Harinath Reddy, Harsono S. Simka, Christopher D. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20230278472
    Abstract: A knee bolster assembly for a vehicle seat includes a knee bolster moveably mounted in proximity to the vehicle seat, the knee bolster selectively moveable between a first position, wherein a passenger is able to enter and exit the vehicle seat, and a second position, wherein the knee bolster is positioned directly in front of a seating surface of the vehicle seat, such that legs of a passenger seated within the vehicle seat are positioned between the seating surface of the vehicle seat and the knee bolster, the knee bolster adapted to prevent an occupant of the vehicle seat from sliding forward off the vehicle seat and restrict any hyper-extending of their lower legs due to forward inertia, and an energy absorbing device adapted to absorb energy when knees or legs of a passenger within the vehicle seat impact the knee bolster.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventors: Scott D. Thomas, Chin-hsu Lin, George H. Baker
  • Patent number: 11744172
    Abstract: A clean out system of a header for an agricultural vehicle including at least one cover having a plurality of perforations and at least one actuating member connected to the at least one cover. The at least one actuating member is configured for moving the at least one cover between a first position to completely cover at least one cutout of the frame of the header for blocking the unwanted material from exiting the header, a second position to at least partially uncover the at least one cutout for permitting the unwanted material to pass through the at least one cutout, and a third position to align at least one perforation of the plurality of perforations with the at least one cutout for permitting the unwanted material to pass through the at least one cutout and the at least one perforation of the plurality of perforations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Blaine R. Noll, Jeffrey D. Thomas, Benjamin Kemmerer
  • Patent number: 11726053
    Abstract: An apparatus configured to perform non-destructive, electrical measurements on a plant stalk to detect and quantify internal damage is disclosed. This apparatus includes features to minimize misalignments that can negatively affect the precision and/or accuracy of the electrical measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Brigham Young University
    Inventors: Mavrik D. Thomas, Douglas D. Cook, Brian Anthony Mazzeo
  • Patent number: 11708090
    Abstract: Vehicle behavioral monitoring includes determining a measure of distraction of the operator of a target vehicle, characterizing the type or category of distraction, determining level of risk that the target vehicle poses, and invoking various responses including host vehicle notifications and evasive actions and external notification and information sharing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Simon J. Trask, Scott D. Thomas, Joseph R. Abrash, Tracy Gonzalez, Dustin Knapp, Kaleb R. Lepak, Eva Rousseau
  • Publication number: 20230217894
    Abstract: Systems and devices in accordance with embodiments provide one or more tags for use with horses and/or riders, to provide readily-visible and accessible horse or rider information. For example, a horse tag is configured to be semi-permanently affixed to a portion of a mane and includes one or more strips of fluorescent material and/or a reflective, recognizable symbol indicating information about the horse is available.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2022
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Inventors: Nancy J. Thomas, Alan D. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20230183326
    Abstract: A polymeric scaffold useful for conjugating with a protein based recognition-molecule (PBRM) to form a PBRM-polymer-drug conjugate is described herein. The scaffold includes one or more terminal maleimido groups. Also disclosed is a PBRM-polymer-drug conjugate prepared from the scaffold. Compositions comprising the conjugates, methods of their preparation, and methods of treating various disorders with the conjugates or their compositions are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2022
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Inventors: Roger A. Smith, Nitin K. Damle, Aleksandr V. Yurkovetskiy, Mao Yin, Timothy B. Lowinger, Joshua D. Thomas, Cheri A. Stevenson, Venu R. Gurijala
  • Patent number: 11653599
    Abstract: A cleaning system of a header for an agricultural vehicle. The header includes a frame with a floor having at least one cutout therein. The cleaning system includes at least one door, an elongated member operably connected to the at least one door, and at least one actuator connected to the elongated member. The elongated member is rotatable by the at least one actuator to slide the at least one door between a first position for covering the at least one cutout and a second position for at least partially uncovering the at least one cutout and allowing an unwanted material to pass through the at least one cutout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Blaine R. Noll, Jeffrey D. Thomas, Benjamin Kemmerer
  • Patent number: 11656221
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods for identifying compounds that cause structural changes in a protein bound to an actin filament. The methods include the use of cells that include two actin-binding proteins, each labeled with a chromophore, and exposing the cells to a test compound. The method further includes detecting a change in fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between the chromophores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
    Inventors: Adam William Avery, Thomas S. Hays, David D. Thomas, Michael E. Fealey, Robyn T. Rebbeck
  • Publication number: 20230156315
    Abstract: Example techniques are disclosed for altering trail camera settings when deployed. For example, settings relating to triggering functionality, time lapse functionality, image resolution, motion sensor sensitivity, flash intensity, and other camera functions can be altered. The settings can be altered based on environmental conditions such as weather and ambient noise. The settings can also be altered based on trail camera conditions such as available battery capacity or image storage capacity. The trail camera settings can also be altered based on images obtained by the trail camera, with or without analyzing content of the images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2022
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Inventors: Joseph F. Hlatky, Steven D. Thomas
  • Patent number: 11638760
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to antibody-drug conjugates comprising pyrrolo[2, 1-c][1, 4]benzodiazepine (PBD) drug moieties. The present disclosure also relates to methods of using these conjugates, e.g., as therapeutics and/or diagnostics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Mersana Therapeutics, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua D. Thomas, Brian D. Jones, Timothy B. Lowinger, Shuyi Tang, Mao Yin, Aleksandr V. Yurkovetskiy
  • Patent number: 11634049
    Abstract: A child restraint seat sensing device for a vehicle including a structural element at least partially defining a volume, wherein the structural element is located in a vehicle passenger seat between a seat base and seat back or is located behind the vehicle passenger seat, a stationary anchor in the vehicle, wherein the stationary anchor is located within the volume defined by the structural element, and a sensor mounted to the structural element, wherein the sensor is configured to detect whether a child restraint seat connector is attached to the stationary anchor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Scott D. Thomas, Tricia E. Morrow, Dorel M. Sala, Eugene J. Lau, Suzanne L. Johansson, Orhan Demirovic
  • Patent number: 11603060
    Abstract: A system includes a seat belt routing module and a user interface device (UID) control module. The seat belt routing module is configured to: determine a routing of a seat belt relative to an occupant in a vehicle seat based on input from a webbing payout sensor; and determine the seat belt routing based on an input from an in-cabin sensor. The in-cabin sensor includes at least one of a camera, an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a radar sensor, and a lidar sensor. The UID control module is configured to control a user interface device to indicate that the seat belt is being worn improperly when: the seat belt routing determined using at least one of the webbing payout sensor and the in-cabin sensor is improper; and the seat belt routing determined using the webbing payout sensor corresponds to the seat belt routing determined using the in-cabin sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Scott D. Thomas, Michael Baltaxe, Kobi Nistel
  • Patent number: 11592546
    Abstract: An airborne radar system and signal interpretation approach that detects slow moving ground targets using angle and Doppler of Keystone formatting process, and is referred to as Angle-Doppler Keystone Formatting (ADK). ADK collapses the clutter ridge to a constant Doppler or to a constant angle, thereby transforming a clutter ridge in angle-Doppler space into a horizontal line of constant Doppler or a vertical line of constant angle. Clutter may then be filtered more effectively, such as by using multiple beams as the source of STAP training data or by using multiple Doppler bins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: SRC, Inc.
    Inventors: Harvey K. Schuman, Daniel D. Thomas, Jr., Jason M. Steeger, Lun Z. Chen
  • Publication number: 20230059452
    Abstract: An airborne radar system and signal interpretation approach that detects slow moving ground targets using angle and Doppler of Keystone formatting process, and is referred to as Angle-Doppler Keystone Formatting (ADK). ADK collapses the clutter ridge to a constant Doppler or to a constant angle, thereby transforming a clutter ridge in angle-Doppler space into a horizontal line of constant Doppler or a vertical line of constant angle. Clutter may then be filtered more effectively, such as by using multiple beams as the source of STAP training data or by using multiple Doppler bins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Applicant: SYRACUSE RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Harvey K. Schuman, Daniel D. Thomas, JR., Jason M. Steeger, Lun Z. Chen
  • Patent number: 11564368
    Abstract: The soybean variety 60305812 is disclosed. The invention relates to seeds, plants, plant cells, plant tissue, harvested products and soybean lint as well as to hybrid soybean plants and seeds obtained by repeatedly crossing plants of variety 60305812 with other plants. The invention also relates to plants and varieties produced by the method of essential derivation from plants of 60305812 and to plants of 60305812 reproduced by vegetative methods, including but not limited to tissue culture of regenerable cells or tissue from 60305812.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: BASF AGRICULTURAL SOLUTIONS SEED US LLC
    Inventors: Innan Cervantes Martinez, James D. Thomas