Patents by Inventor Dana A. Christensen
Dana A. Christensen 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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Publication number: 20230075015Abstract: Coating compositions or paint having a pigment blended with a polymer system including one or more latex polymers, wherein the polymer system contains an alkali-soluble resin having an acid value and molecular weight and provided in a preferably desired amount to demonstrate optimal performance characteristics of washability, stain resistance or scrubability without negatively impacting block resistance, especially when neutralized with a low-volatility base.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2022Publication date: March 9, 2023Inventors: Dana CHRISTENSEN, Tyler BELL, Robert Sandoval, Mary Jane HIBBEN, Michael WILDMAN
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Patent number: 11459480Abstract: Coating compositions or paint having a pigment blended with a polymer system including one or more latex polymers, wherein the polymer system contains an alkali-soluble resin having an acid value and molecular weight and provided in a preferably desired amount to demonstrate optimal performance characteristics of washability, stain resistance or scrubability without negatively impacting block resistance, especially when neutralized with a low-volatility base.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2018Date of Patent: October 4, 2022Inventors: Dana Christensen, Tyler Bell, Robert Sandoval, Mary Jane Hibben, Michael Wildman
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Publication number: 20200354603Abstract: Coating compositions or paint having a pigment blended with a polymer system including one or more latex polymers, wherein the polymer system contains an alkali-soluble resin having an acid value and molecular weight and provided in a preferably desired amount to demonstrate optimal performance characteristics of washability, stain resistance or scrubability without negatively impacting block resistance, especially when neutralized with a low-volatility base.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2018Publication date: November 12, 2020Inventors: Dana Christensen, Tyler Bell, Robert Sandoval, Mary Jane Hibben, Michael Wildman
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Patent number: 5956250Abstract: A system and method for controlling the navigation of surface based vehicle uses a route that is obtained by manually driving the vehicle over the route to collect data defining the absolute position of the vehicle at various positions along the route. The collected data is smoothed to provide a consistent route to be followed. The smoothed data is subsequently used to automatically guide the vehicle over the route.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 1995Date of Patent: September 21, 1999Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Adam J. Gudat, Dong Hun Shin, William L. Whittaker, Karl W. Kleimenhagen, Richard G. Clow, Sanjiv J. Singh, Dana A. Christensen, Carl A. Kemner, Walter J. Bradbury, Craig L. Koehrsen, Christos T. Kyrtsos, Norman K. Lay, Joel L. Peterson, Larry E. Schmidt, Darrell E. Stafford, Louis J. Weinbeck, Lonnie J. Devier
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Patent number: 5838562Abstract: A system (400) for positioning and navigating an autonomous vehicle (310) allows the vehicle (310) to travel between locations. Position information (432) is derived from global positioning system satellites (200, 202, 204, and 206) or other sources (624) when the satellites (200, 202, 204, and 206) are not in the view of the vehicle (310). Navigation of the vehicle (310) is obtained using the position information (432), route information (414), obstacle detection and avoidance data (416), and on board vehicle data (908 and 910).Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 1995Date of Patent: November 17, 1998Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Adam J. Gudat, Walter J. Bradbury, Dana A. Christensen, Carl A. Kemner, Craig L. Koehrsen, Christos T. Kyrtsos, Norman K. Lay, Joel L. Peterson, Larry E. Schmidt, Darrell E. Stafford, Louis J. Weinbeck, Lonnie J. Devier, Prithvi N. Rao, Gary K. Shaffer, Wenfan Shi, Dong Hun Shin, James W. Sennott, William L. Whittaker, Jay H. West, Karl W. Kleimenhagen, Richard G. Clow, Baoxin Wu, Sanjiv J. Singh
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Patent number: 5648901Abstract: A system for generating a path allows a vehicle to traverse a predetermined route. The system stores route data for the predetermined route. The route data identifies a series of contiguous path segments that form the predetermined route. The route data also identifies a series of nodes located at the beginning and the end of the predetermined route and between adjacent path segments. Each path segment represents a series of postures along the predetermined route. Each posture identifies a position, a heading, and a curvature for the vehicle at a particular point along the predetermined route. The system stores the path segments and nodes as compressed path data. In one embodiment, the compressed path data is a function that is continuous in posture, i.e., continuous in position, heading and curvature. The system retrieves the compressed path data and generates a series of postures from the retrieved compressed path data to allow the vehicle to traverse the predetermined route.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 1995Date of Patent: July 15, 1997Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Adam J. Gudat, Dong Hun Shin, William L. Whittaker, Karl W. Kleimenhagen, Sanjiv J. Singh, Dana A. Christensen, Carl A. Kemner, Walter J. Bradbury, Craig L. Koehrsen, Christos T. Kyrtsos, Norman K. Lay, Joel L. Peterson, Larry E. Schmidt, Darrell E. Stafford, Louis J. Weinbeck, Lonnie J. Devier
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Patent number: 5646843Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling a surface-based vehicle provides three operational modes: a manual operation, a tele-operation, and an autonomous operation. In manual operation, an operator directly manipulates vehicle controls on the vehicle. In tele-operation, the operator controls the vehicle from a remote position. In autonomous operation, the vehicle controls itself based on its position and a predetermined path. The apparatus and method of the present invention provides an orderly transition between manual operation, tele-operation, and autonomous operation of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 1995Date of Patent: July 8, 1997Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Adam J. Gudat, Karl W. Kleimenhagen, Dana A. Christensen, Carl A. Kemner, Walter J. Bradbury, Craig L. Koehrsen, Christos T. Kyrtsos, Norman K. Lay, Joel L. Peterson, Larry E. Schmidt, Darrell E. Stafford, Louis J. Weinbeck
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Patent number: 5646845Abstract: A system and method for controlling an autonomously navigated vehicle uses a vehicle manager to control vehicle subsystems and to respond to commands from either a vehicle navigation system or a remote control panel. The vehicle manager controls vehicle subsystems including a speed control subsystem, a steering control subsystem, an auxiliary control subsystem, and a monitor subsystem. The speed control subsystem controls the speed of the vehicle in response to a speed command from the vehicle manager. The steering control subsystem controls the steering angle of the vehicle in response to a steering command from the vehicle manager. The auxiliary control subsystem controls auxiliary functions of the vehicle in response to an auxiliary command from the vehicle manager. The monitor subsystem monitors the status of each of the other subsystems and provides the status to the vehicle manager.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 1995Date of Patent: July 8, 1997Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Adam J. Gudat, William L. Whittaker, Karl W. Kleimenhagen, Dana A. Christensen, Carl A. Kemner, Walter J. Bradbury, Craig L. Koehrsen, Christos T. Kyrtsos, Joel L. Peterson, Larry E. Schmidt, Darrell E. Stafford, Louis J. Weinbeck
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Patent number: 5629855Abstract: Systems and methods allow for the accurate determination of the terrestrial position of an autonomous vehicle in real time. A first position estimate of the vehicle 102 is derived from satellites of a global positioning system and/or a pseudolite(s). The pseudolite(s) may be used exclusively when the satellites are not in the view of the vehicle. A second position estimate is derived from an inertial reference unit and/or a vehicle odometer. The first and second position estimates are combined and filtered using novel techniques to derive a more accurate third position estimate of the vehicle's position. Accordingly, accurate autonomous navigation of the vehicle can be effectuated using the third position estimate.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 1995Date of Patent: May 13, 1997Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Christos T. Kyrtsos, James W. Sennott, Adam J. Gudat, Dana A. Christensen, Douglas W. Friedrich, Darrell E. Stafford
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Patent number: 5615116Abstract: An apparatus and method for navigating a vehicle along a predetermined route use route data and path data to define the predetermined route. The route data represents one or more contiguous path segments between adjacent nodes along the predetermined route. The path data includes postures of the vehicle along each of the path segments. The postures define the desired position, heading, curvature and speed of vehicle at various locations along the path segments. The apparatus and method use the posture information to generate and track a path thereby allowing the vehicle to navigate along the predetermined route.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 1995Date of Patent: March 25, 1997Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Adam J. Gudat, Prithvi N. Rao, Gary K. Shaffer, WenFan Shi, Dong H. Shin, William L. Whittaker, Karl W. Kleimenhagen, Jay H. West, Richard G. Clow, Sanjiv J. Singh, Dana A. Christensen, Carl A. Kemner, Walter J. Bradbury, Craig L. Koehrsen, Christos T. Kyrtsos, Norman K. Lay, Joel L. Peterson, Larry E. Schmidt, Darrell E. Stafford, Louis J. Weinbeck, Lonnie J. Devier
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Patent number: 5610815Abstract: A system (400) for positioning and navigating an autonomous vehicle (310) allows the vehicle (310) to travel between locations. Position information (432) is derived from global positioning system satellites (200, 202, 204, and 206) or other sources (624) when the satellites (200, 202, 204, and 206) are not in the view of the vehicle (310). Navigation of the vehicle (310) is obtained using the position information (432), route information (414), obstacle detection and avoidance data (416), and on board vehicle data (908 and 910).Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 1990Date of Patent: March 11, 1997Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Adam J. Gudat, Walter J. Bradbury, Dana A. Christensen, Richard G. Clow, Lonnie J. Devier, Carl A. Kemner, Karl W. Kleimenhagen, Craig L. Koehrsen, Christos T. Kyrtsos, Norman K. Lay, Joel L. Peterson, Prithvi N. Rao, Larry E. Schmidt, James W. Sennott, Gary K. Shaffer, Wenfan Shi, Dong H. Shin, Sanjiv J. Singh, Darrell E. Stafford, Louis J. Weinbeck, Jay H. West, William L. Whittaker, Baoxin Wu
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Patent number: 5555503Abstract: A vehicle position determination system and method provide accurate vehicle positioning using a global positioning system. Spatial bias techniques are used to improve positioning accuracy while the vehicle is in the midst of a relatively linear path and is not approaching a drastically nonlinear path. The use of spatial bias techniques is suspended while the vehicle is approaching or in a drastically nonlinear path.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 1993Date of Patent: September 10, 1996Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Christos T. Kyrtsos, Adam J. Gudat, Dana A. Christensen, Douglas W. Friedrich, Darrell E. Stafford
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Patent number: 5548516Abstract: A system (400) for positioning and navigating an autonomous vehicle (310) allows the vehicle (310) to travel between locations. Position information (432) is derived from global positioning system satellites (200, 202, 204, and 206) or other sources (624) when the satellites (200, 202, 204, and 206) are not in the view of the vehicle (310). Navigation of the vehicle (310) is obtained using the position information (432), route information (414), obstacle detection and avoidance data (416), and on board vehicle data (908 and 910).Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 1995Date of Patent: August 20, 1996Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Adam J. Gudat, Prithvi N. Rao, Gary K. Shaffer, Wenfan Shi, Dong H. Shin, James W. Sennott, William L. Whittaker, Karl W. Kleimenhagen, Jay H. West, Richard G. Clow, Baoxin Wu, Sanjiv J. Singh, Dana A. Christensen, Carl A. Kemner, Walter J. Bradbury, Craig L. Koehrsen, Christos T. Kyrtsos, Norman K. Lay, Joel L. Peterson, Larry E. Schmidt, Darrell E. Stafford, Louis J. Weinbeck, Lonnie J. Devier
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Patent number: 5438517Abstract: Systems and methods allow for the accurate determination of the terrestrial position of an autonomous vehicle in real time. A first position estimate of the vehicle 102 is derived from satellites of a global positioning system and/or a pseudolite(s). The pseudolite(s) may be used exclusively when the satellites are not in the view of the vehicle. A second position estimate is derived from an inertial reference unit and/or a vehicle odometer. The first and second position estimates are combined and filtered using novel techniques to derive a more accurate third position estimate of the vehicle's position. Accordingly, accurate autonomous navigation of the vehicle can be effectuated using the third position estimate.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 1993Date of Patent: August 1, 1995Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: James W. Sennott, Christos T. Kyrtsos, Adam J. Gudat, Dana A. Christensen, Douglas W. Friedrich, Darrell E. Stafford
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Patent number: 5390125Abstract: Systems and methods allow for the accurate determination of the terrestrial position of an autonomous vehicle in real time. A first position estimate of the vehicle 102 is derived from satellites of a global positioning system and/or a pseudolite(s). The pseudolite(s) may be used exclusively when the satellites are not in the view of the vehicle. A second position estimate is derived from an inertial reference unit and/or a vehicle odometer. The first and second position estimates are combined and filtered using novel techniques to derive a more accurate third position estimate of the vehicle's position. Accordingly, accurate autonomous navigation of the vehicle can be effectuated using the third position estimate.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 1993Date of Patent: February 14, 1995Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: James W. Sennott, Christos T. Kyrtsos, Adam J. Gudat, Dana A. Christensen, Douglas W. Friedrich, Darrell E. Stafford
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Patent number: 5375059Abstract: Systems and methods allow for the accurate determination of the terrestrial position of an autonomous vehicle in real time. A first position estimate of the vehicle 102 is derived from satellites of a global positioning system and/or a pseudolite(s). The pseudolite(s) may be used exclusively when the satellites are not in the view of the vehicle. A second position estimate is derived from an inertial reference unit and/or a vehicle odometer. The first and second position estimates are combined and filtered using novel techniques to derive a more accurate third position estimate of the vehicle's position. Accordingly, accurate autonomous navigation of the vehicle can be effectuated using the third position estimate.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 1993Date of Patent: December 20, 1994Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Christos T. Kyrtsos, Adam J. Gudat, Dana A. Christensen, Douglas W. Friedrich, Darrell E. Stafford