Patents by Inventor Davin Nicholas

Davin Nicholas 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: 20240291268
    Abstract: Process control instruments having local intrinsic safety barriers and methods of manufacturing the same are disclosed. An example field instrument for a process control assembly includes a non-protection compartment, intrinsically safe circuitry positioned in the non-protection compartment, a protection compartment, non-intrinsically safe circuitry positioned in the protection compartment, and local barrier circuitry positioned in the protection compartment to operatively couple the non-intrinsically safe circuitry to the intrinsically safe circuitry, the local barrier circuitry to prevent the intrinsically safe circuitry from receiving an electrical energy that is greater than an electrical energy threshold from the non-intrinsically safe circuitry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2023
    Publication date: August 29, 2024
    Inventors: Chris Arnold, Gregory R. Bulleit, Davin Nicholas, Adam Wittkop, Marwan Saputera Brama, Stephen G. Seberger
  • Patent number: 11041748
    Abstract: Level sensors having conductive target movement sensing are disclosed. An example level sensor includes a lever operatively coupled to a sensing member, a target operatively coupled to the lever, where the target includes a conductor, an inductive coil to generate a magnetic field and measure feedback signatures associated with the target and the magnetic field, and a processor to calculate a position of the sensing member based on the feedback signatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Fisher Controls International LLC
    Inventors: Tom Koch, Davin Nicholas, Benjamin Koch, Kurtis K. Jensen
  • Patent number: 11003151
    Abstract: Loop-powered control of pneumatic process control devices is disclosed. A disclosed example apparatus includes an interface for use with a pneumatic process control device of a process control system. The interface includes a power input to scavenge power from a loop power control signal associated with the process control system, a sensor to determine a position of a movable control input associated with the process control device, a comparator to compare the determined position of the movable control input with a desired position of the movable control input, and an actuator to cause movement of the movable control input based on the comparison of the determined position with the desired position, where the actuator is to be powered with the scavenged power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Fisher Controls International LLC
    Inventors: Kurtis K. Jensen, Tom Koch, Benjamin Koch, Davin Nicholas
  • Publication number: 20210102830
    Abstract: Level sensors having conductive target movement sensing are disclosed. An example level sensor includes a lever operatively coupled to a sensing member, a target operatively coupled to the lever, where the target includes a conductor, an inductive coil to generate a magnetic field and measure feedback signatures associated with the target and the magnetic field, and a processor to calculate a position of the sensing member based on the feedback signatures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Publication date: April 8, 2021
    Inventors: Tom Koch, Davin Nicholas, Benjamin Koch, Kurtis K. Jensen
  • Patent number: 10754362
    Abstract: Adjustment of loop-powered pneumatic process control device interfaces is disclosed. A disclosed example interface for use with a pneumatic process control device includes a power input to scavenge power from a loop power control signal associated with the process control system, a movement controller to cause movement of an actuator powered by the loop power, where the actuator is operatively coupled to a movable control input associated with the process control device, and a calibrator to read position feedback of the actuator during the movement to calculate a positional error, where the calibrator is to adjust a set point of the loop power control signal based on the positional error to control the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Fisher Controls International, LLC
    Inventors: Kurtis K. Jensen, Tom Koch, Benjamin Koch, Davin Nicholas
  • Publication number: 20200264641
    Abstract: Adjustment of loop-powered pneumatic process control device interfaces is disclosed. A disclosed example interface for use with a pneumatic process control device includes a power input to scavenge power from a loop power control signal associated with the process control system, a movement controller to cause movement of an actuator powered by the loop power, where the actuator is operatively coupled to a movable control input associated with the process control device, and a calibrator to read position feedback of the actuator during the movement to calculate a positional error, where the calibrator is to adjust a set point of the loop power control signal based on the positional error to control the actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Kurtis K. Jensen, Tom Koch, Benjamin Koch, Davin Nicholas
  • Publication number: 20200264574
    Abstract: Loop-powered control of pneumatic process control devices is disclosed. A disclosed example apparatus includes an interface for use with a pneumatic process control device of a process control system. The interface includes a power input to scavenge power from a loop power control signal associated with the process control system, a sensor to determine a position of a movable control input associated with the process control device, a comparator to compare the determined position of the movable control input with a desired position of the movable control input, and an actuator to cause movement of the movable control input based on the comparison of the determined position with the desired position, where the actuator is to be powered with the scavenged power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Kurtis K. Jensen, Tom Koch, Benjamin Koch, Davin Nicholas