Patents by Inventor Edward Nichols

Edward Nichols 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: 20180029530
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided that includes an external body panel that includes a license plate positioned on the external body panel. A lighting assembly is disposed on the vehicle and a detectable layer is disposed on at least one of the license plate and the lighting assembly. The detectable layer is configured to reflect at least one band of the electromagnetic spectrum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Edward Nichols, James Robert Mcbride
  • Publication number: 20180023173
    Abstract: A manufacturing control system is arranged to cause an aluminum alloy blank to be heated to at least its solvus temperature, to cause a die set to be sprayed with a lubricant formulation that includes water, lubricant, and a surfactant, to cause the blank to be positioned in the die set while heated such that the blank does not touch the die set, and to cause the die set to close on the blank to form the blank into a part while quenching the part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: Rosa Lynda Nuno, Nia R. Harrison, Mark Edward Nichols, S. George Luckey, JR.
  • Patent number: 9810533
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques for monitoring railway track geometry. In one aspect, some such tools and techniques can determine a location of a platform along a railway, capture one or more images of the railway, and/or analyze the rail configuration at that point. In another aspect, some solutions might employ photogrammetric techniques to analyze the rail configuration and thereafter store data about the rail configuration, perhaps correlated with the location of the images, in a data store.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Trimble Inc.
    Inventors: Bryn Allen Fosburgh, Mark Edward Nichols, Per Martin Holmgren, Nils Thomas Larsson
  • Patent number: 9759812
    Abstract: A system and methods are provided for providing intersection positioning data. In one embodiment, a method includes detecting one or more objects by a device, wherein the one or more objects are detected relative to at least a portion of a roadway by an integrated radar sensor of the device, and tracking one or more detected objects by the device to determine tracking data, wherein tracking includes determining a number of detected objects, determining speed of the one or more detected objects and determining position of the one or more detected objects. The method may also include outputting the tracking data by the device. The system and methods may advantageously be employed for transmitting one or more of a collision warning, red light warnings, red light violation warnings and operation characteristics of objects during a traffic incident relative to intersection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Trimble Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Edward Nichols, Gregory Craig Wallace
  • Patent number: 9746329
    Abstract: Systems and methods for augmenting an inertial navigation system (INS) include outputting from the INS position information associated with the implement and adjusting the implement based upon a comparison of the position information of the implement and a desired position of the implement. The INS is periodically re-initialized using error estimates generated by a kalman filter as a function of position information from one or more positioning (or measuring) devices, such as a fan laser, an automatic total station (ATS), a GNSS receiver, or a ground based radio positioning system, to correct a drift of the position information that may be caused by inherent characteristics of the INS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Mark Edward Nichols, Adam John Gudat, Richard Piekutowski
  • Patent number: 9746309
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for measuring material thickness of one or more casings using a permeable core are presented. A magnetic field is generated using a permeable core and transmitted through one or more casings. Moreover, one or more receivers measure changes to the magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Edward Nichols
  • Publication number: 20170176630
    Abstract: A tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable medium, includes machine-readable instructions to obtain a measurement relating to a first metal thickness of a casing by passing a transmitter and a receiver of an electromagnetic logging tool over a defect. The tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable medium, also includes machine-readable instructions to obtain a ghosting kernel of the electromagnetic logging tool including a response of the electromagnetic logging tool to a localized change in metal thickness from the first metal thickness of the casing to a second metal thickness, wherein the second thickness is different from the first metal thickness. The tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable medium, further includes machine-readable instructions to determine the metal thickness of the casing at the defect based on the measurement and the ghosting kernel of the electromagnetic logging tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: Martin David, Edward Nichols
  • Patent number: 9664784
    Abstract: A device and methods are provided for detecting data points using an integrated radar sensor. In one embodiment, a method includes determining position of a device, detecting data points by an integrated radar sensor of the device, wherein the data points are determined for one or more points in space associated with one or more objects, and generating a spatial model of the one or more objects based on the detected data points. The device and methods may advantageously be employed for one or more of mapping, modeling, planning, machine control, navigation and object tracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Trimble Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Edward Nichols, Gregory Craig Wallace
  • Patent number: 9625604
    Abstract: A method analyzes a subterranean formation. At least one property of a well casing in the subterranean formation is determined and a plurality of current source vectors at respective positions along a trajectory of the well casing are determined. The effect of the well casing is determined based upon the plurality of current source vectors and the at least one property of the well casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nestor Cuevas, David L. Alumbaugh, Edward Nichols
  • Patent number: 9587485
    Abstract: A disclosed example method involves receiving a first signal transmitted into a reservoir from a production installation in a formation at a wellsite, and determining an apparent resistance of the reservoir based on the first signal. A distance between a fluid extraction tool and a fluid distribution is determined based on the apparent resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gaelle Jannin, Emmanuel Legendre, Edward Nichols
  • Publication number: 20170050208
    Abstract: A method comprising scanning a first painted surface of a first vehicle having two or more paint layers with a robotic terahertz radiation instrument to obtain a first painted surface thickness data and map for each of the two or more paint layers, comparing the first thickness map to a control map, and adjusting one or more paint application parameters based on a comparison of the first thickness map with the control map for painting a second surface of a second vehicle different than the first vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Publication date: February 23, 2017
    Inventors: Mark Edward Nichols, Tony Misovski, Scott Adams, Aaron Fiala
  • Patent number: 9534142
    Abstract: A wet on wet coating application method. The method includes contacting a polyol-containing layer including a polyol in an amount of 10 to 70 percent by weight and a isocyanate-catalyst-containing layer including an isocyanate and a catalyst to form a boundary layer between the layers being the reaction product of the polyol and isocyanate catalyzed by the catalyst and carried out at 68° F. to 75° F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Dennis Lee Havlin, Jr., Mark Edward Nichols
  • Publication number: 20160223647
    Abstract: A device and methods are provided for determining data points with an integrated radar sensor. In one embodiment, a method includes determining position of a device, scanning one or more objects, wherein scanning includes detecting data points by an integrated radar sensor of the device and capturing image data of the one or more objects, and determining data points for one or more objects based on the scanning. The method may also include correlating data points to one or more portions of the image data, assigning correlated data points to one or more portions of the image data, and storing, by the device, image data with data points. The device and methods may advantageously be employed for one or more of mapping, modeling, navigation and object tracking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventors: Mark Edward NICHOLS, Gregory Craig Wallace
  • Patent number: 9377556
    Abstract: A drill string is disposed in the borehole having a BHA and a drill bit advancing the borehole. Among other BHA components, including a telemetry unit and a data acquisition unit, in a surface-to-borehole configuration a receiver (or receiver array) is positioned immediately proximate the drill bit in the borehole, while a source (or source array) is positioned at the Earth's surface. Alternatively, in a borehole-to-surface configuration the source may be positioned immediately proximate the drill bit in the borehole while a receiver (or receiver array) is positioned at the surface. The surface-to-borehole, or borehole-to-surface, system enables an electromagnetic look about while drilling operations are underway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: David Alumbaugh, Edward Nichols, Cengiz Esmersoy
  • Patent number: 9308545
    Abstract: A system and a method for pretreating an aluminum assembly includes selecting a blank having a thin film pretreatment layer and a lubricant coating applied to a surface. The blank is formed to a desired shape and an adhesive is applied to a selected portion of the surface. A cleaner is applied to the assembly to remove the thin film pretreatment layer and the lubricant coating from the surface except at the selected portion and a zirconium oxide conversion coating is applied to the assembly before painting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Edward Nichols, Janice Lisa Tardiff, Brian Schneider, Steven J. Simko
  • Publication number: 20160097849
    Abstract: A system and methods are provided for providing intersection positioning data. In one embodiment, a method includes detecting one or more objects by a device, wherein the one or more objects are detected relative to at least a portion of a roadway by an integrated radar sensor of the device, and tracking one or more detected objects by the device to determine tracking data, wherein tracking includes determining a number of detected objects, determining speed of the one or more detected objects and determining position of the one or more detected objects. The method may also include outputting the tracking data by the device. The system and methods may advantageously be employed for transmitting one or more of a collision warning, red light warnings, red light violation warnings and operation characteristics of objects during a traffic incident relative to intersection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Publication date: April 7, 2016
    Applicant: TRIMBLE NAVIGATION LIMITED
    Inventors: Mark Edward NICHOLS, Gregory Craig WALLACE
  • Publication number: 20160070018
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for compensating for environmental conditions on electromagnetic measurements are provided. For example, a downhole logging tool may include a first transmitter coil, a second transmitter coil, and a first receiver coil. The first transmitter coil may provide a first magnetic signal in a wellbore having a conductive casing. The second transmitter coil may provide a second magnetic signal in the wellbore. The first receiver may obtain a first measurement relating to the first magnetic signal and a second measurement relating to the second magnetic signal. The first receiver coil may be near enough to the first transmitter coil and the second transmitter coil to obtain measurements predominantly in the near field eddy current regime. A ratio of the first measurement and the second measurement may cancel environmental dependencies of the first receiver coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2014
    Publication date: March 10, 2016
    Inventors: Edward Nichols, Emmanuel Legendre, Jean-Luc Le Calvez
  • Publication number: 20150338541
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for measuring material thickness of multiple tubulars by placing a logging tool in a well with multiple conductive tubulars and generating an electromagnetic field that interacts with the tubulars. A logging tool obtains the measurements using one or more receivers. A monitoring system or the logging tool applies the measurements to a mathematical model that considers at least a transition zone and one or both of a near field zone and a remote field zone of the electromagnetic field that interacts with the multiple conductive tubulars. Furthermore, the monitoring system or the logging tool may ascertain a thickness of the one or more conductive tubulars using the mathematical model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Inventors: Edward Nichols, James J. Kohring, Rafael Vinit
  • Patent number: 9176235
    Abstract: System and method for presenting a visual image of a work site for an earthmoving machine. In one embodiment, target design data for the work site may be received. A spatial location and orientation for an earthmoving machine operating in relation to the work site may also be received. A visual image of at least a portion of the work site may be received from an imaging device mounted to the earthmoving machine. A visual image of the portion of the work site may be displayed with a subset of the design data overlaying the visual image, wherein the subset of the design data relates to the portion of the work site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Mark Edward Nichols
  • Patent number: D745460
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: WebTuner, Corporation
    Inventors: Eduard Zaslavsky, Thomas Edward Nichols