Patents by Inventor Daniel A. Sullivan

Daniel A. Sullivan 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: 20220028639
    Abstract: Fuse devices and electrical systems using the fuse devices are disclosed, with the fuse devices having internal components to cause a fuse blown event when the pre-determined current level is reached through the contacts. The internal components can comprise a levitation actuator that causes separation between one or more of the contacts as the current level approaches the predetermined level. This causes contact levitation and arcing, which increases the resistance at the contact being separated. This in turn causes the current through the contacts to seek another path that in the embodiments herein is a path to a pyro feature. The current activates the pyro feature, which causes the contacts to separate and puts the fuse device in “fuse blown” condition where currents can no longer flow through the contacts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2021
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Inventors: Daniel Sullivan, Bernard Bush, Murray McTigue
  • Publication number: 20220001886
    Abstract: Example embodiments described in this disclosure are generally directed to using a vehicle to identify a status of a garage door, such as, for identifying whether the garage door is fully closed, fully open, or partially open. The identification may be carried out in response to an inquiry from an individual, such as, a driver of the vehicle that has exited through the garage door. A detection apparatus such as an image capture system or an ultrasonic sensor that can be a part of a vehicle security system may be used for identifying the status of the garage door. The image capture system may capture and store an image of the garage door when the vehicle is exiting the garage. Upon receiving an inquiry from the driver, the garage door status detection system may display the image on a smartphone of the driver or an infotainment system in the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Scott Huggins, Jeremy Lerner, Jason Woo, Daniel Sullivan, Paige Wong
  • Publication number: 20210391123
    Abstract: Contact assemblies are described herein having certain components, or portions thereof, that are formed integral to one another to reduce the complexity of manufacturing, improve the operation characteristics, and increase operational reliability of devices using the contact assemblies. New shapes to features and components of the contact assemblies are also disclosed, with the shapes providing the desired operational characteristics. Embodiments of the invention are also directed contactors or fuses (i.e., electrical switching devices) utilizing the contactor assemblies according to the present invention, and to electrical circuits and systems utilizing the electrical switching devices according to the present invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2021
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Inventors: Samuel Naumowicz, Bernard Bush, Murray Stephan McTigue, Daniel Sullivan
  • Patent number: 11136877
    Abstract: Angular position readings are obtained during rotation of an apparatus in a borehole, and angular rate readings are obtained over time of the rotation. The angular rate readings are adjusted based at least on the angular position readings. The angular position measurement does not require calibrated magnetometers or accelerometers to function. Additionally, a dynamic scale factor calculation for an angular rate gyroscope (ARG) allows the ARG to be used over a much wider operating range than without such a calculation. Finally, an integrated angular rate from the ARG calibrated for bias and scale factor fills in positional information between the magnetometers' zero crossings to deliver a high resolution hybrid angular position system capable of measuring precise angular position at high and irregular downhole rotation rates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Charles L. Mauldin, Richard E. Berns, Daniel Sullivan, Liam A. Lines
  • Patent number: 11120655
    Abstract: Example embodiments described in this disclosure are generally directed to using a vehicle to identify a status of a garage door, such as, for identifying whether the garage door is fully closed, fully open, or partially open. The identification may be carried out in response to an inquiry from an individual, such as, a driver of the vehicle that has exited through the garage door. A detection apparatus such as an image capture system or an ultrasonic sensor that can be a part of a vehicle security system may be used for identifying the status of the garage door. The image capture system may capture and store an image of the garage door when the vehicle is exiting the garage. Upon receiving an inquiry from the driver, the garage door status detection system may display the image on a smartphone of the driver or an infotainment system in the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Scott Huggins, Jeremy Lerner, Jason Woo, Daniel Sullivan, Paige Wong
  • Patent number: 11074347
    Abstract: A delta file may be assembled for use in updating software on a networked device. The delta file may include at least one manifest, and each manifest may be associated with a subset of files (e.g., replacement and/or upgrade files for the networked device). The subset(s) of files may be selected based on a wide range of criteria. In an example, subsets may be selected based on rules that regulate when files are allowed to change. Subsets may also be defined based on the device associated with the files (e.g., a metrology device or a communications device). Any desired criteria/criterion may be used to define a subset of files. The delta file may be transmitted to the networked device. On the networked device, the subset(s) of files may be verified against data corruption, actions of bad actors, and/or unexpected changes at runtime.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Itron, Inc.
    Inventors: Adithya Krishna Murthy, Brett McDonald, Krishna Vinay Gambali, Daniel Sullivan, Kevin David Guthrie
  • Publication number: 20210217311
    Abstract: Crowdsourced navigation systems and methods are provided herein. An example method includes receiving a selected destination location of a trip request input into a navigation system of a vehicle and suggesting a different final destination location rather than the selected destination location. The different final destination location can be selected based on commonality between final destination locations of additional trip requests of other vehicles that specified the selected destination location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Sullivan, James Issac, Jeremy Lerner, Jason Woo
  • Publication number: 20210178299
    Abstract: The instant disclosure seeks to provide a container lid that allows a liquid to be filtered, carried, and poured using the same lid. The container filter lid includes a lid body, filter material, and filter cap. The filter cap is demountably coupled the lid body. The filter cap includes a top surface. The filter material is positioned between the filter cap and the lid body. The lid body includes a first port. The filter cap includes a second port. The filter cap includes a filter reservoir. The filter reservoir extends from the filter cap opposite the top surface. The filter material is positioned adjacent to the filter reservoir. The filter reservoir is positioned between the top surface and the filter material. The lid body includes a pour spout. The pour spout is positioned opposite the first port. The container filter lid also includes a filter cap gasket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Inventors: Jesse Daniel Sullivan, Cristen Renae Sullivan, Hugo Rodriguez
  • Publication number: 20210151265
    Abstract: Electrical switching devices are disclosed that have pressure relief mechanisms to allow for the release of internal pressure within the switching device housing. The pressure within the housing can be caused by different events with one such event being internal arcing within the housing caused during operation of the housing's internal components. Is some cases the arcing can be caused during separation of the switching device contacts. The pressure relief mechanism allows for the high pressure to pass from the housing in a more controlled matter to minimize or prevent high pressure breach or rupture of the switching device housing. The pressure relief mechanisms are particularly applicable to switching devices with hermetically sealed housings. Many different pressure relief mechanisms can be used including rupture disks or engineered weak points in the switching device housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: Daniel Sullivan, Samuel Naumowicz, Keith Singer, Ewoud Roest
  • Publication number: 20210142969
    Abstract: Electrical switching device are disclosed having a housing with internal component within the housing. The internal components comprise contacts configured to operate, to change the state of the switching device from a closed state, allowing current flow through the switching device to an open state which interrupts current flow through the switching device. A pyrotechnic feature is included that is configured to interact with the internal components to transition the switching device from the closed state to the open state when the pyrotechnic feature is activated. The pyrotechnic feature is configured to trigger in response to levitation between the contacts at elevated current signal flowing through the switching device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Inventors: Bernard Bush, Murray Stephan McTigue, Daniel Sullivan, David Hatch
  • Publication number: 20210110433
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a camera; a wireless transceiver; and a controller, programmed to responsive to receiving an input requesting to save a location, record a current location of the vehicle, activate the camera to capture an image, and associate the image with the location, responsive to receiving, via the wireless transceiver, a wireless transmission from an advertising business containing a promotion icon, identify the advertising business in the image and modify the image by overlaying the promotion icon on the image to highlight the advertising business, and generate a location report incorporating the location and the image as modified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Inventors: Jae Hyung LIM, Jeremy LERNER, Joseph GIFFORD, Daniel SULLIVAN, Jason Joseph WOO, Taylor HAWLEY
  • Publication number: 20200293658
    Abstract: A delta file may be assembled for use in updating software on a networked device. The delta file may include at least one manifest, and each manifest may be associated with a subset of files (e.g., replacement and/or upgrade files for the networked device). The subset(s) of files may be selected based on a wide range of criteria. In an example, subsets may be selected based on rules that regulate when files are allowed to change. Subsets may also be defined based on the device associated with the files (e.g., a metrology device or a communications device). Any desired criteria/criterion may be used to define a subset of files. The delta file may be transmitted to the networked device. On the networked device, the subset(s) of files may be verified against data corruption, actions of bad actors, and/or unexpected changes at runtime.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventors: Adithya Krishna Murthy, Brett McDonald, Krishna Vinay Gambali, Daniel Sullivan, Kevin David Guthrie
  • Patent number: 10749981
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a processor programmed to process a user's profile by collecting usage pattern of a user; and responsive to a trigger condition, downloading media data from a server to a local storage for the user according to the user profile before the user uses the media data, and load the media data from the local storage to present to the user responsive to user using the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Sullivan, George Hart Vrampas, Youssef El-Minyawi
  • Patent number: 10737291
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes methods of forming air bearing surfaces having multi-tier structures using nanoimprint technology and/or 3D printing technology. In some embodiments, a single stage of milling can be used to transfer a multi-tier photoresist pattern into a substrate (e.g., an AlTiC substrate).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Richard Buettner, Andrew David Habermas, Daniel Sullivan, Joseph M. Stephan
  • Publication number: 20200185174
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are passive triggering mechanisms for activation of pyrotechnic features within electrical switching devices, such as contactor devices and fuse devices. The activation of the pyrotechnic features is configured to change the configuration of the internal components of the switching device and prevent current flow through the device. In some embodiments, the triggering mechanisms comprise features that respond to a magnetic field, such as a reed switch. In some embodiments, threshold strength of a magnetic field needed to trigger the passive triggering mechanism, which corresponds to a threshold level of current running through the switching devices indicating a dangerous overcurrent, can be adjusted based upon the distance between the passive triggering mechanism and a portion of the device such as a power terminal or feature connected to a power terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventors: DANIEL SULLIVAN, MURRAY STEPHAN MCTIGUE, MICHAEL HENRY MOLYNEUX
  • Patent number: 10641077
    Abstract: An apparatus is directed relative to geomagnetic and gravitational fields of reference while advancing with rotation in a borehole by determining angular position of the apparatus during the rotation and correcting the angular position of the apparatus relative to an offset of a toolface of the apparatus. To do the correction, a magnetic toolface of the apparatus during the rotation is determined based on geomagnetic readings of the apparatus in each of a plurality of divisions of the rotation relative to the geomagnetic field, and a gravitational toolface of the apparatus during the rotation is determined based on gravitational readings of the apparatus in each of the divisions of the rotation relative to the gravitational field. The offset of the toolface is then calculated as a difference between the magnetic toolface and the gravitational toolface. The corrected angular position can then be used in directing the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Sullivan, Liam A. Lines
  • Publication number: 20200075277
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are passive triggering mechanisms for activation of pyrotechnic features within electrical switching devices, such as contactor devices and fuse devices. The activation of the pyrotechnic features is configured to change the configuration of the internal components of the switching device and prevent current flow through the device. In some embodiments, the triggering mechanisms comprise features that respond to a magnetic field, such as a reed switch. In some embodiments, the reed switch responds to elevated current flow and can then use the signal with the elevated current flow to activate the pyrotechnic feature. In other embodiments, the reed switch uses a power signal from a secondary power source to activate the pyrotechnic feature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: MURRAY STEPHAN MCTIGUE, DANIEL SULLIVAN, MICHAEL HENRY MOLYNEUX
  • Publication number: 20200072033
    Abstract: Angular position readings are obtained during rotation of an apparatus in a borehole, and angular rate readings are obtained over time of the rotation. The angular rate readings are adjusted based at least on the angular position readings. The angular position measurement does not require calibrated magnetometers or accelerometers to function. Additionally, a dynamic scale factor calculation for an angular rate gyroscope (ARG) allows the ARG to be used over a much wider operating range than without such a calculation. Finally, an integrated angular rate from the ARG calibrated for bias and scale factor fills in positional information between the magnetometers' zero crossings to deliver a high resolution hybrid angular position system capable of measuring precise angular position at high and irregular downhole rotation rates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Charles L. Mauldin, Richard E. Berns, Daniel Sullivan, Liam A. Lines
  • Publication number: 20200076915
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a processor programmed to process a user's profile by collecting usage pattern of a user; and responsive to a trigger condition, downloading media data from a server to a local storage for the user according to the user profile before the user uses the media data, and load the media data from the local storage to present to the user responsive to user using the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Daniel Sullivan, George Hart Vrampas, Youssef El-Minyawi
  • Patent number: 10566160
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are passive triggering mechanisms for activation of pyrotechnic features within electrical switching devices, such as contactor devices and fuse devices. The activation of the pyrotechnic features is configured to change the configuration of the internal components of the switching device and prevent current flow through the device. In some embodiments, the triggering mechanisms comprise features that respond to a magnetic field, such as a reed switch. In some embodiments, threshold strength of a magnetic field needed to trigger the passive triggering mechanism, which corresponds to a threshold level of current running through the switching devices indicating a dangerous overcurrent, can be adjusted based upon the distance between the passive triggering mechanism and a portion of the device such as a power terminal or feature connected to a power terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Gigavac, LLC
    Inventors: Murray Stephan McTigue, Daniel Sullivan, Michael Henry Molyneux