Patents by Inventor Dan Reznik
Dan Reznik 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).
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Patent number: 10041700Abstract: A solar power plant includes central receiver modules arranged in a regular pattern. Each central receiver module includes a tower, a central receiver mounted on the tower, and a heliostat array bounded by a polygon. The heliostat array includes heliostats with mirrors for reflecting sunlight to the central receiver. The heliostats are grouped in linear rows and each of the rows is parallel to another row. The locations of the heliostats are staggered between adjacent rows. The power plant also includes a power block for aggregating power from the central receivers and power conduits for transferring power from the central receivers to the power block.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2014Date of Patent: August 7, 2018Assignee: ESOLAR, INC.Inventors: Quoc Pham, Christian Gregory, Michael Slack, Bill Gross, Dan Reznik, Porter Arbogast
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Patent number: 8789523Abstract: Embodiments provide a solar-thermal receiver comprising: (a) a light-absorbing panel comprising: (i) a light-absorbing outer surface; and (ii) an inner volume configured to admit the flow of heat transfer fluid; (b) an inlet configured to receive heat transfer fluid; and (c) an outlet configured to output the heat transfer fluid from the volume under hydrostatic pressure. Embodiments may include vanes and/or other flow-directing and/or flow-impending structural elements.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2010Date of Patent: July 29, 2014Assignee: Esolar, Inc.Inventors: Abraham Kribus, Gregg Luconi, Dan Reznik, William Gross
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Patent number: 8656907Abstract: A solar power plant includes central receiver modules arranged in a regular pattern. Each central receiver module includes a tower, a central receiver mounted on the tower, and a heliostat array bounded by a polygon. The heliostat array includes heliostats with mirrors for reflecting sunlight to the central receiver. The heliostats are grouped in linear rows and each of the rows is parallel to another row. The locations of the heliostats are staggered between adjacent rows. The power plant also includes a power block for aggregating power from the central receivers and power conduits for transferring power from the central receivers to the power block.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2008Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: eSolar, Inc.Inventors: Quoc Pham, Christian Gregory, Michael Slack, Bill Gross, Dan Reznik, Porter Arbogast
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Patent number: 8640689Abstract: Embodiments provide a solar thermal receiver comprising: (a) a first containing member transparent to sunlight; (b) a second containing member comprising an inner surface reflective of sunlight; (c) an inlet proximate to the first containing member that is configured to receive injected heat transfer fluid; and (d) an outlet distal from the first containing member, where the first containing member and the second containing member together form a vessel configured to conduct injected heat transfer fluid from the inlet to the outlet under hydrostatic pressure.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2010Date of Patent: February 4, 2014Assignee: eSolar, Inc.Inventors: Abraham Kribus, Dan Reznik, William Gross
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Patent number: 8153945Abstract: A system (100) for directing incident sun light to a receiver (150) based on an integral imager (116) is disclosed. The system includes an imager (116) mounted to a reflector (112); a tracking controller (226) coupled to the imager; and one or more actuators (114) connected to the reflector and tracking controller. The tracking controller (226) is configured to receive and process image data from the imager (116); determine angular positions of a radiation source and target relative to the mirror normal vector (N) based on the image data; and orient the reflector with the axis bisecting the angular positions of the sun and receiver (150). When the optical axis of the imager is precisely aligned with the vector normal to the reflector, the source and target will be detected as antipodal spots (320, 330) with respect to the center of the imager's field of view, which may be used to effectively track the sun or like object.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2011Date of Patent: April 10, 2012Assignee: Esolar, IncInventors: Kevin Hickerson, Dan Reznik
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Publication number: 20110155119Abstract: A system (100) for directing incident sun light to a receiver (150) based on an integral imager (116) is disclosed. The system includes an imager (116) mounted to a reflector (112); a tracking controller (226) coupled to the imager; and one or more actuators (114) connected to the reflector and tracking controller. The tracking controller (226) is configured to receive and process image data from the imager (116); determine angular positions of a radiation source and target relative to the mirror normal vector (N) based on the image data; and orient the reflector with the axis bisecting the angular positions of the sun and receiver (150). When the optical axis of the imager is precisely aligned with the vector normal to the reflector, the source and target will be detected as antipodal spots (320, 330) with respect to the center of the imager's field of view, which may be used to effectively track the sun or like object.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 11, 2011Publication date: June 30, 2011Inventors: KEVIN HICKERSON, Dan Reznik
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Patent number: 7906750Abstract: A system (100) for directing incident sun light to a receiver (150) based on an integral imager (116) is disclosed. The system includes an imager (116) mounted to a reflector (112); a tracking controller (226) coupled to the imager; and one or more actuators (114) connected to the reflector and tracking controller. The tracking controller (226) is configured to receive and process image data from the imager (116); determine angular positions of a radiation source and target relative to the mirror normal vector (N) based on the image data; and orient the reflector with the axis bisecting the angular positions of the sun and receiver (150). When the optical axis of the imager is precisely aligned with the vector normal to the reflector, the source and target will be detected as antipodal spots (320, 330) with respect to the center of the imager's field of view, which may be used to effectively track the sun or like object.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2008Date of Patent: March 15, 2011Assignee: Esolar, Inc.Inventors: Kevin Hickerson, Dan Reznik
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Publication number: 20110000478Abstract: Systems and methods for a heliostat directing incident sun light to a receiver based on an estimate or predicted receiver location and an imaged sun locationType: ApplicationFiled: July 2, 2009Publication date: January 6, 2011Inventor: DAN REZNIK
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Patent number: 7757947Abstract: A contents-aware storage bin includes a transportable bin unit adapted for placement within a storage bin rack. An RFID reader unit is in contact with the bin unit. An RFID antenna is connected to the RFID reader unit and is in contact with the bin unit.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2007Date of Patent: July 20, 2010Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Dan Reznik, Michael Faschinger
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Publication number: 20090241939Abstract: Solar receivers and particularly to solar receivers having one or more cavities and optionally having absorptivity/reflectivity patterns on surfaces and methods of reflective material application.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 20, 2009Publication date: October 1, 2009Inventors: Andrew Heap, Steven Schell, Seyed A. Ebrahimi-Sabet, Gregg Luconi, Quoc Pham, Adam Azarchs, Dan Reznik, Porter Arbogast, Craig Tyner
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Publication number: 20090133685Abstract: A solar power plant includes central receiver modules arranged in a regular pattern. Each central receiver module includes a tower, a central receiver mounted on the tower, and a heliostat array bounded by a polygon. The heliostat array includes heliostats with mirrors for reflecting sunlight to the central receiver. The heliostats are grouped in linear rows and each of the rows is parallel to another row. The locations of the heliostats are staggered between adjacent rows. The power plant also includes a power block for aggregating power from the central receivers and power conduits for transferring power from the central receivers to the power block.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2008Publication date: May 28, 2009Inventors: Quoc Pham, Christian Gregory, Michael Slack, Bill Gross, Dan Reznik, Porter Arbogast
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Publication number: 20080236568Abstract: A system (100) for directing incident sun light to a receiver (150) based on an integral imager (116) is disclosed. The system includes an imager (116) mounted to a reflector (112); a tracking controller (226) coupled to the imager; and one or more actuators (114) connected to the reflector and tracking controller. The tracking controller (226) is configured to receive and process image data from the imager (116); determine angular positions of a radiation source and target relative to the mirror normal vector (N) based on the image data; and orient the reflector with the axis bisecting the angular positions of the sun and receiver (150). When the optical axis of the imager is precisely aligned with the vector normal to the reflector, the source and target will be detected as antipodal spots (320, 330) with respect to the center of the imager's field of view, which may be used to effectively track the sun or like object.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2008Publication date: October 2, 2008Inventors: Kevin Hickerson, Dan Reznik
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Publication number: 20070246328Abstract: An article merge unit (14) includes a first conveyor for conveying articles (24, 26) in a first stream having a first speed, a second conveyor (32, 34) having a plurality of lateral pushers (46), and a third conveyor (36). The first conveyor conveys the articles in the first stream to the second conveyors where the lateral pushers selectively diverting the articles across the second conveyor to the third conveyor. A control controls the conveying speed of the third conveyor and selectively actuates the lateral pushers to push a selected article from the first and second streams to the third conveyor wherein articles conveyed on the third conveyor are conveyed in a take-away stream having no side-by-side articles and the take-away stream has a greater speed than the first speed.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2005Publication date: October 25, 2007Applicant: SIEMENS CORPORATE RESEARCH INC.Inventor: Dan Reznik
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Publication number: 20070221727Abstract: A method of determining whether a product is within a useable shelf life includes obtaining a first set of data associated with the product, wherein the first set of data includes a first timestamp and a first assessed quality, obtaining a second set of data associated with the product, wherein the second set of data includes a second timestamp and environmental history data, computing a second assessed quality using the first and second timestamps and the environmental history data, and determining whether the product is within the useable shelf life using the second assessed quality.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2007Publication date: September 27, 2007Applicant: SIEMENS CORPORATE RESEARCH, INC.Inventor: Dan Reznik
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Publication number: 20070215700Abstract: A contents-aware storage bin includes a transportable bin unit adapted for placement within a storage bin rack. An RFID reader unit is in contact with the bin unit. An REID antenna is connected to the RFID reader unit and is in contact with the bin unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2007Publication date: September 20, 2007Applicant: SIEMENS CORPORATE RESEARCH, INC.Inventors: Dan Reznik, Michael Faschinger
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Patent number: 7243777Abstract: A method and apparatus for sorting or pre-sorting objects contains a system of conveyors and crossover diverters incorporating the topology of an omega network. The sorter interconnects a series of perfect shuffle networks, interleaved with banks of crossover switches. Collision avoidance is implemented by controlling flow on accumulator conveyors entering the crossover switches. Extra banks of crossover switches may be added to provide redundancy and load-balancing capabilities to the system.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2005Date of Patent: July 17, 2007Assignee: Siemens Corporate Research, Inc.Inventors: Dan Reznik, Christoph Holst, Ricardo N. Schiesser, Frank W. Veit
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Publication number: 20060202832Abstract: A floor mat for tracking and monitoring an individual comprises: an antenna, the antenna for forming an RFID reading zone; and a storage compartment, the storage compartment comprising: an RFID reader, the reader for driving the antenna and receiving information from an RFID tag; a microcontroller, the microcontroller for receiving the information received by the reader from the tag; a wireless networking module, the wireless networking module for establishing a wireless link with a neighboring mat or a computer and transmitting the information collected by the microcontroller; and a power supply, the power supply for providing power to the reader, microcontroller and wireless networking module.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 21, 2006Publication date: September 14, 2006Inventors: Dan Reznik, Yan Lu
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Publication number: 20060178774Abstract: A system and method for package sortation are provided, where package identification and sortation occur simultaneously on the same package manipulation area, and identification and continuous tracking of items are performed on a bulk stream, the system including an input conveyor, at least one lateral motion device disposed relative to the input conveyor, and at least one extraction zone disposed relative to the lateral motion devices; and the method including receiving bulk items, identifying the bulk items, conveying the bulk items, tracking the bulk items, and sorting the bulk items while they are still in bulk by means of a manipulation array under algorithmic control.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 6, 2006Publication date: August 10, 2006Inventor: Dan Reznik
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Publication number: 20060151288Abstract: A method and apparatus for sorting or pre-sorting objects contains a system of conveyors and crossover diverters incorporating the topology of an omega network. The sorter interconnects a series of perfect shuffle networks, interleaved with banks of crossover switches. Collision avoidance is implemented by controlling flow on accumulator conveyors entering the crossover switches. Extra banks of crossover switches may be added to provide redundancy and load-balancing capabilities to the system.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2005Publication date: July 13, 2006Inventors: Dan Reznik, Christoph Holst, Ricardo Schiesser, Frank Veit
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Patent number: 7036653Abstract: A load manipulation system includes a plurality of cells arranged to form a generally planar load manipulation surface. Each cell has at least one actuator coupled to an upper surface which forms the load manipulation surface. The actuator is operable to vibrate the upper surface of the cell within a plane of the load manipulation surface. The system further includes a controller operable to receive input from a sensor and send commands to the actuators to manipulate loads on the load manipulation surface.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2002Date of Patent: May 2, 2006Assignee: Siemens Technology-To-Business Center LLCInventors: Dan Reznik, Florian Hormann