Patents by Inventor Douglas Austin
Douglas Austin 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).
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Publication number: 20240052626Abstract: A building module for use in construction of a building comprising a deck oriented in a horizontal plane and a plurality of hollow structural members extending downwardly from around a periphery of the deck. A method of constructing a building comprising placing a plurality of prefabricated modules according to a floor plan to form a story of the building, pouring concrete into the hollow structural members of the plurality of modules to form structural columns, pouring concrete onto the decks of the plurality of prefabricated modules for form structural slabs, and allowing the structural columns and structural slabs to set to complete the story of the building. Embodiments include a plurality of techniques for sealing adjacent prefabricated modules and for installing a balcony on the prefabricated modules.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 17, 2023Publication date: February 15, 2024Inventors: Douglas Austin, Scott Isaacs, Darrin Newnham
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Publication number: 20230407623Abstract: Methods and apparatus facilitate the construction of a building using prefabricated building units, each having a horizontal upper exterior surface and a plurality of vertical wall surfaces, wherein at least some of the prefabricated building units have at least one hollow column formwork structure. The prefabricated building units are lowered onto a pre-existing base at a construction site. A first story of the building is created by arranging a plurality of the prefabricated building units adjacent to each other on the base. Structural bearing material is applied to fill the hollow column formwork structures to create structural columns connected to the structural deck. Structural bearing material is applied to the horizontal upper exterior surfaces of the adjacent prefabricated building units to create a single structural deck over the prefabricated building units.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2023Publication date: December 21, 2023Applicant: Preform Systems LLCInventors: Douglas Austin, William Jencks
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Patent number: 11732465Abstract: A building module for use in construction of a building comprising a deck oriented in a horizontal plane and a plurality of hollow structural members extending downwardly from around a periphery of the deck. A method of constructing a building comprising placing a plurality of prefabricated modules according to a floor plan to form a story of the building, pouring concrete into the hollow structural members of the plurality of modules to form structural columns, pouring concrete onto the decks of the plurality of prefabricated modules for form structural slabs, and allowing the structural columns and structural slabs to set to complete the story of the building. Embodiments include a plurality of techniques for sealing adjacent prefabricated modules and for installing a balcony on the prefabricated modules.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2021Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Inventors: Douglas Austin, Scott Isaacs, Darrin Newnham
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Publication number: 20220010542Abstract: Methods and apparatus facilitate the construction of a building using prefabricated building units, each having a horizontal upper exterior surface and a plurality of vertical wall surfaces, wherein at least some of the prefabricated building units have at least one hollow column formwork structure. The prefabricated building units are lowered onto a pre-existing base at a construction site. A first story of the building is created by arranging a plurality of the prefabricated building units adjacent to each other on the base. Structural bearing material is applied to fill the hollow column formwork structures to create structural columns connected to the structural deck. Structural bearing material is applied to the horizontal upper exterior surfaces of the adjacent prefabricated building units to create a single structural deck over the prefabricated building units.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2021Publication date: January 13, 2022Applicant: Preform Systems LLCInventors: Douglas Austin, William Jencks
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Publication number: 20220002991Abstract: A building module for use in construction of a building comprising a deck oriented in a horizontal plane and a plurality of hollow structural members extending downwardly from around a periphery of the deck. A method of constructing a building comprising placing a plurality of prefabricated modules according to a floor plan to form a story of the building, pouring concrete into the hollow structural members of the plurality of modules to form structural columns, pouring concrete onto the decks of the plurality of prefabricated modules for form structural slabs, and allowing the structural columns and structural slabs to set to complete the story of the building. Embodiments include a plurality of techniques for sealing adjacent prefabricated modules and for installing a balcony on the prefabricated modules.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 19, 2021Publication date: January 6, 2022Inventors: Douglas Austin, Scott Isaacs, Darrin Newnham
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Publication number: 20190249414Abstract: Methods and apparatus facilitate the construction of a building using prefabricated building units, each having a horizontal upper exterior surface and a plurality of vertical wall surfaces, wherein at least some of the prefabricated building units have at least one hollow column formwork structure. The prefabricated building units are lowered onto a pre-existing base at a construction site. A first story of the building is created by arranging a plurality of the prefabricated building units adjacent to each other on the base. Structural bearing material is applied to fill the hollow column formwork structures to create structural columns connected to the structural deck. Structural bearing material is applied to the horizontal upper exterior surfaces of the adjacent prefabricated building units to create a single structural deck over the prefabricated building units.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 19, 2019Publication date: August 15, 2019Inventors: Douglas Austin, William Jencks
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Patent number: 10141744Abstract: Systems and methods for regulating a short circuit current associated with an energy storage system are provided. In one embodiment, an energy storage system can include an energy storage device and a switching power supply coupled to the energy storage device. The energy storage system can further include one or more cables configured to couple the energy storage device to the switching power supply, and a magnetic framework positioned proximate the one or more cables. The magnetic framework can include one or more magnetic structures and can span at least a portion of the length of the cables. The one or more cables are positioned in a physical arrangement that, in conjunction with the magnetic framework, facilitates a selected inductance between the cables.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2016Date of Patent: November 27, 2018Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Robert Gregory Wagoner, Harold Robert Schnetzka, Wayne Allen Schulz, Douglas Austin, Abiyu Negede
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Patent number: 9859808Abstract: Systems and methods associated with example power converter systems are disclosed. For instance, a power converter system can include a power converter couplable to an input power source and configured to generate an output power substantially at a grid frequency. The power converter can include one or more inverter bridge circuits, each associated with an output phase of the power converter. Each inverter bridge circuit can include one or more first switching modules having a pair of switching elements coupled in series with one another, and an output coupled between the pair of switching elements. At least one switching element of each first switching module includes a reverse blocking transistor. The power converter further includes one or more input bridge circuits having a plurality of second switching modules coupled in parallel, each second switching module comprising a pair of silicon carbide transistors.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2016Date of Patent: January 2, 2018Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Robert Gregory Wagoner, Harold Robert Schnetzka, Lukas Mercer Hansen, Wayne Allen Schultz, Bennett Steven Sheron, Douglas Austin
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Publication number: 20170342704Abstract: Methods and apparatus facilitate the construction of a building using prefabricated building units, each having a horizontal upper exterior surface and a plurality of vertical wall surfaces, wherein at least some of the prefabricated building units have at least one hollow column formwork structure. The prefabricated building units are lowered onto a pre-existing base at a construction site. A first story of the building is created by arranging a plurality of the prefabricated building units adjacent to each other on the base. Structural bearing material is applied to fill the hollow column formwork structures to create structural columns connected to the structural deck. Structural bearing material is applied to the horizontal upper exterior surfaces of the adjacent prefabricated building units to create a single structural deck over the prefabricated building units.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2017Publication date: November 30, 2017Applicant: Preform Systems, LLCInventors: Douglas Austin, William Jencks
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Publication number: 20170338656Abstract: Systems and methods for regulating a short circuit current associated with an energy storage system are provided. In one embodiment, an energy storage system can include an energy storage device and a switching power supply coupled to the energy storage device. The energy storage system can further include one or more cables configured to couple the energy storage device to the switching power supply, and a magnetic framework positioned proximate the one or more cables. The magnetic framework can include one or more magnetic structures and can span at least a portion of the length of the cables. The one or more cables are positioned in a physical arrangement that, in conjunction with the magnetic framework, facilitates a selected inductance between the cables.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 17, 2016Publication date: November 23, 2017Inventors: Robert Gregory Wagoner, Harold Robert Schnetzka, Wayne Allen Schulz, Douglas Austin, Abiyu Negede
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Publication number: 20170310234Abstract: Systems and methods associated with example power converter systems are disclosed. For instance, a power converter system can include a power converter couplable to an input power source and configured to generate an output power substantially at a grid frequency. The power converter can include one or more inverter bridge circuits, each associated with an output phase of the power converter. Each inverter bridge circuit can include one or more first switching modules having a pair of switching elements coupled in series with one another, and an output coupled between the pair of switching elements. At least one switching element of each first switching module includes a reverse blocking transistor. The power converter further includes one or more input bridge circuits having a plurality of second switching modules coupled in parallel, each second switching module comprising a pair of silicon carbide transistors.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2016Publication date: October 26, 2017Inventors: Robert Gregory Wagoner, Harold Robert Schnetzka, Lukas Mercer Hansen, Wayne Allen Schulz, Bennett Steven Sheron, Douglas Austin
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Patent number: 9593478Abstract: Methods and apparatus facilitate the construction of a building using prefabricated building units, each having a horizontal upper exterior surface and a plurality of vertical wall surfaces, wherein at least some of the prefabricated building units have at least one hollow column formwork structure. The prefabricated building units are lowered onto a pre-existing base at a construction site. A first story of the building is created by arranging a plurality of the prefabricated building units adjacent to each other on the base. Structural bearing material is applied to fill the hollow column formwork structures to create structural columns connected to the structural deck. Structural bearing material is applied to the horizontal upper exterior surfaces of the adjacent prefabricated building units to create a single structural deck over the prefabricated building units.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2015Date of Patent: March 14, 2017Assignee: Pre-Form Systems LLCInventors: Douglas Austin, William Jencks
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Publication number: 20150354202Abstract: Methods and apparatus facilitate the construction of a building using prefabricated building units, each having a horizontal upper exterior surface and a plurality of vertical wall surfaces, wherein at least some of the prefabricated building units have at least one hollow column formwork structure. The prefabricated building units are lowered onto a pre-existing base at a construction site. A first story of the building is created by arranging a plurality of the prefabricated building units adjacent to each other on the base. Structural bearing material is applied to fill the hollow column formwork structures to create structural columns connected to the structural deck. Structural bearing material is applied to the horizontal upper exterior surfaces of the adjacent prefabricated building units to create a single structural deck over the prefabricated building units.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 11, 2015Publication date: December 10, 2015Applicant: PRE-FORM LLCInventors: Douglas Austin, William Jencks
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Patent number: 9068340Abstract: Methods and apparatus facilitate the construction of a building using prefabricated building units, each having a horizontal upper exterior surface and a plurality of vertical wall surfaces, wherein at least some of the prefabricated building units have at least one hollow column formwork structure. The prefabricated building units are lowered onto a pre-existing base at a construction site. A first story of the building is created by arranging a plurality of the prefabricated building units adjacent to each other on the base. Structural bearing material is applied to fill the hollow column formwork structures to create structural columns connected to the structural deck. Structural bearing material is applied to the horizontal upper exterior surfaces of the adjacent prefabricated building units to create a single structural deck over the prefabricated building units.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2012Date of Patent: June 30, 2015Assignee: Pre-Form Systems LLCInventors: Douglas Austin, William Jencks
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Publication number: 20130152485Abstract: Methods and apparatus facilitate the construction of a building using prefabricated building units, each having a horizontal upper exterior surface and a plurality of vertical wall surfaces, wherein at least some of the prefabricated building units have at least one hollow column formwork structure. The prefabricated building units are lowered onto a pre-existing base at a construction site. A first story of the building is created by arranging a plurality of the prefabricated building units adjacent to each other on the base. Structural bearing material is applied to fill the hollow column formwork structures to create structural columns connected to the structural deck. Structural bearing material is applied to the horizontal upper exterior surfaces of the adjacent prefabricated building units to create a single structural deck over the prefabricated building units.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2012Publication date: June 20, 2013Inventors: Douglas Austin, William Jencks
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Patent number: 5659122Abstract: This invention provides DNA molecules which comprise 5' non-translated leader sequences derived from genes coding for heat shock proteins that enhance gene expression in plants when present in a chimeric gene. Plant cells and plants containing same are also provided herewith. Further provided is a method for enhancing gene expression in plants.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 1994Date of Patent: August 19, 1997Assignee: Monsanto CompanyInventor: Glenn Douglas Austin