Patents by Inventor Don P. Williams

Don P. Williams 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: 20250145253
    Abstract: A water activated, self-inflating, automatic floatation device that can be easily attached to small personal items of value for easy retrieval if accidentally dropped into a deep or low visibility body of water such as a lake, pond, stream, river, or ocean. The automatic flotation device is comprised of a housing, an inflatable bladder, water activated gas producing compound, an orifice plate, a gas expansion port, and a removable housing cover. The automatic floatation device will inflate the bladder regardless of orientation under water. The automatic floatation device is small enough that it can be attached to glasses, keys, cell phones, hats, basically any small personal item of value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2023
    Publication date: May 8, 2025
    Inventor: Don P Williams
  • Patent number: 8726681
    Abstract: A method and system of cooling components of a computer system. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are computer systems comprising an enclosure, a motherboard within the enclosure, a heat generating component coupled to the motherboard and within the enclosure, a canister comprising a compressed fluid (the canister coupled to the enclosure), and a gas cooling device selectively fluidly coupled to the compressed fluid (the gas cooling device produces chilled gas when fluidly coupled to the compressed fluid). The chilled gas is directed upon the heat generating component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Don P. Williams
  • Patent number: 7463164
    Abstract: A remote control unit that learns commands from associated remote control units associated with specific pieces of electronic equipment is described. The remote control unit stores commands that are learned and in addition stores time delays that are needed to provide the desired sequential operation of electronic equipment. The remote control unit, upon pressing a single button, sends a replica of signals and delays that a user would use when interacting with the pieces of electronic equipment. The remote control unit further has a prohibited operation window wherein a signal cannot be sent from the remote control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Inventors: Don P. Williams, Mark T. Bowers
  • Patent number: 5446612
    Abstract: A head suspension assembly for a hard disk drive data storage device which prevents contact between the head portion of the mechanism and the surface of the data storage media. An arm member includes a head assembly secured to one end and a bushing at the other end for engaging a rotatable positioning shaft. The arm member applies a resilient beam loading force to urge the arm member away from the media, and includes an aerodynamic airfoil that interacts with the air flow adjacent to the media surface to oppose the beam loading force and move the arm member toward the media to a proper flying height. When the disk is spinning, the negative lift of the airfoil opposes the resilient loading of the arm member and urges the arm member closer to the surface of the rotating media. As the head approaches the rotating surface, the positive lift of the air bearing counterbalances the negative lift from the airfoil such that a dynamic equilibrium is established at a predetermined flying height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1995
    Assignee: Areal Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Arnold O. Thornton, Hang T. Nguyen, Greg N. Nguyen, Don P. Williams