Patents by Inventor Daniel Robert Shepard

Daniel Robert Shepard 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: 20170073003
    Abstract: The present invention is a guidance computing system used by the driver of a vehicle towing a trailer while backing-up that rapidly calculates and predicts the direction in which the tow vehicle and trailer will become generally in-line for a given position of the steering wheel, thereby enabling the use of slower, lower cost microcomputers. This is accomplished by using a predetermined table, based on a baseline trailer of known length, having a measure of turning as one of its axes; such an axis is necessary to facilitate ratiometric scaling to convert table values to correspond to any length trailer. In a specially equipped vehicle incorporating servomechanisms to enable the vehicle to steer itself, the driver indicates the direction desired for the trailer to travel. The present invention also predicts left and right path limits for controlling the direction of the trailer when maneuvering complex paths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2015
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Inventors: Daniel Robert Shepard, Britta Shepard
  • Publication number: 20170043807
    Abstract: The present invention relates to display means for systems for guiding a trailer while backing, and in particular to graphical display means to provide information to an operator who is steering, and controlling the accelerator and breaks. The present invention is also a means and a method for enabling or disabling alerts on the display (and audible) based on the motion of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2016
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventor: Daniel Robert Shepard
  • Patent number: 9570516
    Abstract: A method for fabricating 3-D cross-point memory arrays, and more particularly to fabricating phase change memory (PCM) and resistive RAM (ReRAM or RRAM) 3-D memory arrays having a cell size footprint of 4F2. The method for forming a plurality of layers of memory cells using a limited number of photolithographic patterning steps is applicable to memory devices having single or multiple storage bits per cell, such as cells having anywhere from one to eight bits per cell or more. These bits are stacked three dimensionally and include memory cells based on phase change material, on resistive change material, on magnetic field alignment, on mechanical switching, and on other memory cells based on other information storage technologies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: HGST, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel Robert Shepard
  • Publication number: 20170008559
    Abstract: Trailer guidance systems require sensors for detecting the hitch angle and the turning radius and output means for displaying the intended trailer destination. However, most vehicles do not have integral turning sensors and most trailers and/or hitches do not have integral hitch angle sensors. The present invention is a system for guiding a trailer while backing that can easily be installed or removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2015
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Inventor: Daniel Robert Shepard
  • Publication number: 20160253971
    Abstract: The present invention is a dynamically adjusting visor that adjusts to block bright light sources without blocking other areas of the user's view. The present invention is a transparent display and an image sensor whereby the sensor detects one or more bright light sources and darkens one or more areas of the transparent display corresponding to those bright light sources. Inputs enable a user to adjust the location and size of the dark areas on the display to align the dark areas with the light sources and the user's eyes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2015
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Inventor: Daniel Robert Shepard
  • Publication number: 20160236526
    Abstract: The present invention relates to sensors for guiding a trailer while backing that can easily be installed or removed, and in particular to trailering system sensors that can be utilized for both measuring the angle formed by the vehicle and a coupled trailer (i.e., the angle formed by the centerline of the vehicle intersecting the centerline of the trailer) and the direction and/or distance to back up the vehicle during coupling. The present invention is a means and a method for sensing both the hitch angle during towing maneuvers and the direction and/or distance to the trailer to assist a driver to couple a vehicle and trailer together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Inventor: Daniel Robert Shepard
  • Publication number: 20160218147
    Abstract: A method for fabricating 3-D cross-point memory arrays, and more particularly to fabricating phase change memory (PCM) and resistive RAM (ReRAM or RRAM) 3-D memory arrays having a cell size footprint of 4F2. The method for forming a plurality of layers of memory cells using a limited number of photolithographic patterning steps is applicable to memory devices having single or multiple storage bits per cell, such as cells having anywhere from one to eight bits per cell or more. These bits are stacked three dimensionally and include memory cells based on phase change material, on resistive change material, on magnetic field alignment, on mechanical switching, and on other memory cells based on other information storage technologies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Inventor: Daniel Robert SHEPARD
  • Patent number: 9322693
    Abstract: The present invention is a device that is not only the top for a container of spice or other food additive, but it is also a measuring device to measure and then dispense the contained spice or food additive when such spice or other food additive is needed. The device has an indicator to show the amount of spice or other food additive to be measured and dispensed. The spice or other food additive can be premeasured and held in the device until needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Inventor: Daniel Robert Shepard
  • Publication number: 20150346011
    Abstract: The present invention is a device that is not only the top for a container of spice or other food additive, but it is also a measuring device to measure and then dispense the contained spice or food additive when such spice or other food additive is needed. The device has an indicator to show the amount of spice or other food additive to be measured and dispensed. The spice or other food additive can be premeasured and held in the device until needed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Inventor: Daniel Robert Shepard
  • Patent number: 9132856
    Abstract: The present invention is a guidance computing system used by the driver of a vehicle towing a trailer while backing-up that rapidly calculates and predicts the direction in which the tow vehicle and trailer will become generally in-line for a given position of the steering wheel, thereby enabling the use of slower, lower cost microcomputers. This is accomplished by using a predetermined table, based on a baseline trailer of known length, having a measure of turning as one of its axes; such an axis is necessary to facilitate ratiometric scaling to convert table values to correspond to any length trailer. In a specially equipped vehicle incorporating servomechanisms to enable the vehicle to steer itself, the driver indicates the direction desired for the trailer to travel. The present invention also predicts left and right path limits for controlling the direction of the trailer when maneuvering complex paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Inventor: Daniel Robert Shepard
  • Patent number: 9007801
    Abstract: Integrated electronic memory devices include control logic and one or more cross point information storage arrays. The cross point storage array(s) include a non-linear conductor proximate to at least one cross point storage location, and the control logic comprises (i) an NMOS type transistor and a PNP type transistor, but not a PMOS type transistor, or (ii) a PMOS type transistor and an NPN type transistor, but not an NMOS type transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Contour Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel Robert Shepard
  • Publication number: 20150050788
    Abstract: The present invention is a method for forming a self-aligned, three dimensional structure in a crystalline surface and then converting that self-aligned, three dimensional structure into an array of diodes or current switches so as to minimize reverse leakage in the resulting array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicant: Contour Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel Robert Shepard
  • Patent number: 8934293
    Abstract: The present invention is a means and method for constructing and operating a 3-D array and, more particularly, a 3-D memory array. This array can be manufactured as a monolithic integrated circuit at low cost by virtue of the limited number of steps per layer of memory elements. The low number of steps results by having the storage elements separated by a resistive component as opposed to an active component. The 3-D array is in essence, an array of 2-D resistive arrays (row-planes) having a long dimension (typically along the rows) and a short dimension (typically in the direction of the stacked layers). Any one row-plane can be isolated from the rest and be accessed independently from all of the other row-planes in the 3-D array. This makes it possible to operate and analyze a single row-plane as a mostly stand-alone circuit. The present invention lends itself to single bit accesses as well as simultaneous multiple bit accesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Contour Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel Robert Shepard
  • Publication number: 20140160827
    Abstract: The present invention relates to electronic memory circuits, and more particularly, to low power electronic memory circuits having low manufacturing costs. The present invention is a circuit design that utilizes two transistor types—bipolar and MOS (but, not both NMOS and PMOS) one of which can be manufactured together with the memory cell's non-linear conductive elements (such as a diode) thereby reducing the number of processing steps and masks and resulting in lower cost.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Inventor: Daniel Robert Shepard
  • Patent number: 8635426
    Abstract: A memory-array decoder operably coupled to a memory array comprising a sequence of rows and receiving as input a plurality of address bits whereby these address bits are transformed by transforming logic. This transforming logic may include adders. Transforming logic may alternately include comparators or exclusive-or circuits. Transforming logic comprising adders may include overflow carry bits that are discarded, ignored, or otherwise not used or the overflow logic may be omitted altogether.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Inventor: Daniel Robert Shepard
  • Patent number: 8537618
    Abstract: A random access memory device is disclosed having an interface that is compatible with a NAND FLASH memory device such that the device can be operated with a standard NAND memory device's controller device. This memory device is can store data internally using any random access storage technology including PRAM, MRAM, RRAM, FRAM, OTP-RAM and 3-D memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Inventors: Steven Jeffrey Grossman, Ward Parkinson, Daniel Robert Shepard, Thomas Michael Trent, Sam Ira Young
  • Patent number: 8378456
    Abstract: An array of vertically constructed, electronic switches is disclosed having three, four or more contacts and having a common bottom contact and a plurality of common middle contacts. This switch array will find use in memory devices or display devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Contour Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel Robert Shepard
  • Publication number: 20130024064
    Abstract: The present invention, when used to backed-up a trailer, indicates which direction and how much to steer to steer. The present invention is a method for rapidly determining the predicted direction where the vehicle and trailer become generally in-line. Servomechanisms can be incorporated to enable the vehicle to steer itself while the driver indicates the direction travel desired for the trailer, otherwise a pointer would indicate, for the current position of the vehicle's steering wheel, the predicted direction of the trailer. To back-up the trailer, the driver would turn the vehicle's wheel such that the pointer is kept pointing in the direction of the intended trailer destination. Furthermore, the present invention will indicated the projected directions of the left and right limits to control the direction of the trailer, particularly when maneuvering complex paths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Inventor: Daniel Robert Shepard
  • Publication number: 20130015636
    Abstract: The present invention is a foldable trailer that drops close to the ground and shortens in length when folded such that it can be parked below the vehicle that towed it. In this way, the trailer and vehicle can both be parked in the same, single space. During towing, the trailer is locked into its opened towing position and the weight of the device being towed helps to maintain the opened position. The trailer can be folded into its closed parking position while still hitched to the vehicle by which it was towed to facilitate moving it into its parking space before being unhitched. Once unhitched, the trailer will be parallel to and close to the ground such that the vehicle can then park above it. By sharing the same place, parking fees are reduced and preparation time (time spent in parking arrangements) is shortened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Inventors: Daniel Robert Shepard, Britta Shepard
  • Patent number: 8342458
    Abstract: The present invention relates to corded electric devices and more particularly to corded electric devices that move their location such as an electric lawn mower. The present invention is a device for handling the electric cord of a device such as an electric lawn mower or some other movable platform to which electric power is provided (a lawn mower is a movable platform having a device for cutting grass such as spinning blades). The present invention manages the position of a cord as the platform on which it is mounted is moved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Inventors: Daniel Robert Shepard, Britta Shepard