Patents by Inventor David B. Needham

David B. Needham 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: 11118444
    Abstract: A method of pressure testing a well tool can include applying positive or negative pressure to an internal chamber of the well tool, or determining a reference pressure, and monitoring the pressure in the internal chamber using a pressure sensor in the internal chamber. Another method can include applying pressure to an internal chamber of a well tool at a surface location, thereby creating a pressure differential in one direction across a seal, and installing the well tool in a well, thereby creating another pressure differential in a possibly opposite direction across the seal. A well system can include a well tool including an internal chamber, and a pressure sensor disposed in the chamber, whereby the pressure sensor detects pressure within the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: David B. Needham
  • Publication number: 20200182041
    Abstract: A method of pressure testing a well tool can include applying positive or negative pressure to an internal chamber of the well tool, or determining a reference pressure, and monitoring the pressure in the internal chamber using a pressure sensor in the internal chamber. Another method can include applying pressure to an internal chamber of a well tool at a surface location, thereby creating a pressure differential in one direction across a seal, and installing the well tool in a well, thereby creating another pressure differential in a possibly opposite direction across the seal. A well system can include a well tool including an internal chamber, and a pressure sensor disposed in the chamber, whereby the pressure sensor detects pressure within the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Applicant: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventor: David B. Needham
  • Patent number: 10597997
    Abstract: A method of pressure testing a well tool can include applying positive or negative pressure to an internal chamber of the well tool, or determining a reference pressure, and monitoring the pressure in the internal chamber using a pressure sensor in the internal chamber. Another method can include applying pressure to an internal chamber of a well tool at a surface location, thereby creating a pressure differential in one direction across a seal, and installing the well tool in a well, thereby creating another pressure differential in a possibly opposite direction across the seal. A well system can include a well tool including an internal chamber, and a pressure sensor disposed in the chamber, whereby the pressure sensor detects pressure within the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: David B. Needham
  • Publication number: 20140299316
    Abstract: A method of pressure testing a well tool can include applying positive or negative pressure to an internal chamber of the well tool, or determining a reference pressure, and monitoring the pressure in the internal chamber using a pressure sensor in the internal chamber. Another method can include applying pressure to an internal chamber of a well tool at a surface location, thereby creating a pressure differential in one direction across a seal, and installing the well tool in a well, thereby creating another pressure differential in a possibly opposite direction across the seal. A well system can include a well tool including an internal chamber, and a pressure sensor disposed in the chamber, whereby the pressure sensor detects pressure within the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Inventor: David B. Needham
  • Patent number: 8115937
    Abstract: Apparatus, methods, and other embodiments associated with measuring multiple Fabry-Perot gaps to determine environmental parameters are described herein. In one embodiment, a system for measuring environmental parameters includes an optical fiber, a first reflective surface, a second reflective surface, a third reflective surface, and a light source. The first reflective surface is positioned proximate to a first end of the optical fiber. The second reflective surface is positioned to form a first Fabry-Perot gap between the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface. The third reflective surface is positioned to form a second Fabry-Perot gap between the second reflective surface and third reflective surface. The light source provides light to the optical fiber, wherein the optical fiber delivers light from the light source to the first Fabry-Perot gap and the second Fabry-Perot gap and the optical fiber receives reflected light from the first Fabry-Perot gap and the second Fabry-Perot gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Davidson Instruments
    Inventor: David B. Needham
  • Patent number: 7684051
    Abstract: A dual cantilevered beam structure is attached to a silicon frame. An optical fiber extends from a borosilicate wafer bonded to the bottom of the frame. A second borosilicate wafer is bonded to the top of the frame. The bottom borosilicate wafer is bonded to the optical fiber with a bonding agent having an index of refraction between the refractive index of the fused silica optical fiber and the refractive index of the borosilicate wafer. In an embodiment, the bonding agent has a refractive index substantially similar to optical cement. Light is reflected into the optical fiber from the beam structure for measuring seismic changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: John W. Berthold, David B. Needham
  • Patent number: 7639368
    Abstract: An algorithm and method for calculating an interferometric gap is disclosed that comprises providing an interferometric sensor having a first gap and an interferometric correlation element having a second gap placed in series with the first gap. A correlation burst waveform is generated having a plurality of features wherein the shape of the burst waveform evolves across the range of the second gap. Means are provided for tracking the features across the entire range of gaps and determining the dominant peak or dominant valley to determine the first gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: David B. Needham
  • Publication number: 20080174781
    Abstract: A dual cantilevered beam structure is attached to a silicon frame. An optical fiber extends from a borosilicate wafer bonded to the bottom of the frame. A second borosilicate wafer is bonded to the top of the frame. The bottom borosilicate wafer is bonded to the optical fiber with a bonding agent having an index of refraction between the refractive index of the fused silica optical fiber and the refractive index of the borosilicate wafer. In an embodiment, the bonding agent has a refractive index substantially similar to optical cement. Light is reflected into the optical fiber from the beam structure for measuring seismic changes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2007
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Inventors: John W. Berthold, David B. Needham
  • Patent number: 7305158
    Abstract: A signal conditioner to measure the length of an interferometric gap in a Fabry-Perot sensor (interferometer). The invention includes a light source, a Fabry-Perot interferometer capable of spanning a range of gaps in response to physical changes in the environment, a second interferometer that is placed in series with the Fabry-Perot interferometer which does not filter any particular wavelengths of light but acts as an optical cross-correlator, a detector for converting the correlated light signal into electronic signals, and an electronic processor which controls system elements and generates a signal indicative of the length of the gap spanned by the Fabry-Perot sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Davidson Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Larry A. Jeffers, John W. Berthold, Richard L. Lopushansky, David B. Needham
  • Patent number: 7152174
    Abstract: The specification may disclose a system and related method for control of a server system that may include determining the amount of power delivered in a system utilizing redundant power supplies based on a measurement of the voltage of load share signals between those power supplies, and then allowing additional servers installed in the server system to power-on only if the amount of power required for the combined servers does not exceed the maximum available power or exceed the power required for a certain type of redundant power supply operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, LP.
    Inventors: David B. Needham, Gary L. Becker, James R. Rodgers, Jr., Jun Lin
  • Publication number: 20040174642
    Abstract: The specification may disclose a system and related method for control of a server system that may include determining the amount of power delivered in a system utilizing redundant power supplies based on a measurement of the voltage of load share signals between those power supplies, and then allowing additional servers installed in the server system to power-on only if the amount of power required for the combined servers does not exceed the maximum available power or exceed the power required for a certain type of redundant power supply operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2003
    Publication date: September 9, 2004
    Inventors: David B. Needham, Gary L. Becker, James R. Rodgers, Jun Lin
  • Patent number: 5167021
    Abstract: An interface device between, and a method for providing data from, one of a plurality of optical or magnetic media reader devices to a host is disclosed. The interface device comprises first and second input ports, each port being connectable to a selected media device. The device also comprises means for automatically identifying the type of media device connected to each of the ports by sequentially sampling control or data signals therefrom. It also includes means for determining when an identified media device is active by sampling control or data signals from each port that has an identified media device connected thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1992
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventor: David B. Needham
  • Patent number: D530016
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Inventors: Jon W. Sroufe, Jeffrey S. Wells, David B. Needham, Paul K. Robinson