Patents by Inventor Eric B Smith
Eric B Smith 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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Patent number: 11962261Abstract: An electronic motor control system provides selectable linear and pulse-width modulated (PWM) operation without generating cross-over distortion. The system includes an output stage that has a pair of push-pull drivers each coupled to a terminal of the motor. The electronic motor control system also includes a pulse-width modulated (PWM) driver for providing pulse-width modulated drive signals to an input of the output stage when the pulse-width modulated mode is selected and a linear amplifier stage that provides a linear analog signal to the input of the output stage in linear mode, so that both drivers are operated to supply the current to the motor. In pulse-width modulated mode, a driver is selected for PWM operation, while the other driver is operated to supply a fixed voltage. A feedback control loop senses motor current and provides outputs to the pulse-width modulator and the linear amplifier stage.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2021Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: CIRRUS LOGIC, INC.Inventors: Vamsikrishna Parupalli, Mark May, Eric B. Smith, Zhong You
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Patent number: 11940827Abstract: An electronic control system provides selectable path operation, such as linear and pulse-width modulated (PWM) operation and provides path transition management to improve operation. The system supplies a current or a voltage to a load in response to an input signal or value and includes an output driver, and multiple selectable control paths. The system includes a control circuit that selects between the first control path and the second control path in response to a path selection indication to drive the output driver. The system may include an evaluator that determines the path selection indication in conformity with an amplitude and a slew rate of the input. One or all of the control paths may have a response time to changes in the input signal or value, and the control circuit may delay switching from the second control path to the first control path to compensate for the response time.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2022Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Inventors: Stewart G. Kenly, Vamsikrishna Parupalli, Nishant Jain, Eric B. Smith
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Publication number: 20240068132Abstract: Nucleation enhancement and/or growth rate improvement of mesophase in pitch compositions derived from hydrocarbon feedstocks can be achieved by: reacting in a reaction zone a blend comprising an isotropic feed and a seeding agent, to produce a reacted pitch having a mesophase content of about 10 vol % to 100 vol %, based on the total volume of the reacted pitch, and a softening point (Tsp) below 400° C.; wherein the seeding agent is about 50 wt % or less, based on the total weight of the blend; wherein the seeding agent has a mesophase content of about 0.01 vol % to 100 vol %, based on the total volume of the seeding agent.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2021Publication date: February 29, 2024Applicant: ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering CompanyInventors: Manesh Gopinadhan, Stuart E. Smith, Nicole M. Callen, Clarence E. Chase, Kazem V. Edmond, Srinivasan Rajagopalan, Eric B. Sirota, Daniel J. Ryan
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Publication number: 20230418493Abstract: Various illustrative aspects are directed to a data storage device, comprising one or more disks; an actuator mechanism configured to position heads proximate to a recording medium of the disks; and one or more processing devices. The processing devices are configured to detect a criterion for inserting padding on the recording medium proximate to data containers to be written to the recording medium, the containers configured for assigning logic blocks to the containers, the logic blocks configured to store data to be written in an interleaved pattern across sectors based on a distributed sector encoding scheme, wherein detecting the criterion comprises detecting a mismatch in size between at least a portion of a zone and an integer number of containers in which to write the at least a portion of the zone; and insert mapping indicators to a mapping to indicate padding blocks proximate to the containers.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2022Publication date: December 28, 2023Inventors: Scott Burton, Daniel J. Wade, Eric B. Smith
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Patent number: 11790948Abstract: Various illustrative aspects are directed to a data storage device, comprising one or more disks; an actuator arm assembly comprising one or more heads, and configured to position the one or more heads proximate to disk surfaces of the one or more disks; and one or more processing devices. The one or more processing devices are configured to detect one or more physical defects on a recording medium; designate, in a mapping of the recording medium, the one or more physical defects for exclusion from being assigned to data containers, the data containers configured for assignment of a plurality of logic blocks to the data containers, the logic blocks configured to store the data to be written that are being interleaved across a plurality of sectors based on a distributed sector encoding scheme; and designate one or more artificial defects adjacent to the one or more physical defects for exclusion from being assigned to the data containers in the mapping.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2022Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Daniel J. Wade, Scott Burton, Eric B. Smith
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Patent number: 11579030Abstract: A control method for a user interface system may include receiving an input signal, receiving a temperature signal indicative of a temperature, generating a baseline signal based on at least one among the input signal and the temperature signal, calculating an error signal based on a difference of the input signal and the baseline signal, and modifying the baseline signal based on the error signal.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2020Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.Inventors: Junsong Li, Rahul Gawde, Tejasvi Das, Siddharth Maru, Eric B. Smith
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Publication number: 20220361911Abstract: An apparatus includes a shaft assembly, an ultrasonic blade, and a clamp assembly. The shaft assembly includes an acoustic waveguide operable to transmit ultrasonic vibrations to the blade. The clamp assembly includes a clamp arm pivotable toward and away from the blade about a pivot axis, to clamp tissue between the clamp arm and the blade. A rotation feature may provide rotation of the blade relative to the clamp arm about the longitudinal axis of the waveguide. Alternatively, the rotation feature may provide rotation of the clamp arm relative to the blade about the longitudinal axis. The rotation feature may be driven based on pivotal positioning of the clamp arm relative to the blade about the pivot axis. The rotation feature may selectively lock and unlock the angular position of either the blade or the clamp arm about the longitudinal axis at any of a number of predetermined angular positions.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2022Publication date: November 17, 2022Inventors: Craig N. Faller, Elizabeth DeBenedictis, William D. Kelly, Michael R. Lamping, Timothy G. Dietz, Patrick A. Weizman, Jacob S. Gee, John B. Schulte, Tylor C. Muhlenkamp, Douglas J. Turner, Eric B. Smith, Sean P. Conlon, Richard W. Timm, Jeffrey D. Messerly, Brian D. Bertke
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Publication number: 20220337181Abstract: An electronic motor control system provides selectable linear and pulse-width modulated (PWM) operation without generating cross-over distortion. The system includes an output stage that has a pair of push-pull drivers each coupled to a terminal of the motor. The electronic motor control system also includes a pulse-width modulated (PWM) driver for providing pulse-width modulated drive signals to an input of the output stage when the pulse-width modulated mode is selected and a linear amplifier stage that provides a linear analog signal to the input of the output stage in linear mode, so that both drivers are operated to supply the current to the motor. In pulse-width modulated mode, a driver is selected for PWM operation, while the other driver is operated to supply a fixed voltage. A feedback control loop motor current and provides outputs to the pulse-width modulator the linear amplifier stage.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2021Publication date: October 20, 2022Inventors: Vamsikrishna Parupalli, Mark May, Eric B. Smith, Zhong You
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Publication number: 20220329725Abstract: A system for using actuators to control an image sensor and/or lens based on sensor data received from position sensors and position information for the image sensor and/or lens received from a host processor includes a primary camera controller device, at least one secondary camera controller device, and at least one communication link connecting the primary camera controller device and the secondary camera controller device. The primary camera controller device processes the received sensor data and the received position information to generate control data, sends a secondary portion of the control data to the secondary camera controller device via the communication link, and drives a primary portion of the control data to the actuators. The secondary camera controller device drives the received secondary portion of the control data to the actuators concurrently with the primary camera controller device driving the primary portion of the control data to the actuators.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 5, 2022Publication date: October 13, 2022Inventors: Younes Djadi, Nariankadu D. Hemkumar, Sachin Deo, Daniel T. Bogard, Nathan Daniel Pozniak Buchanan, Eric B. Smith
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Publication number: 20220313305Abstract: An ultrasonic instrument includes a body, an actuation assembly, a shaft assembly, and an end effector. The actuation assembly includes an activation member that is operable to move in a first direction to select a mode of operation. The shaft assembly extends distally from the body and includes an acoustic waveguide. The end effector includes an ultrasonic blade that is in acoustic communication with the acoustic waveguide. The activation member is operable to move in a second direction to activate the end effector in a mode of operation selected by movement of the activation member in the first direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 20, 2022Publication date: October 6, 2022Inventors: John A. Hibner, Kevin L. Houser, David A. Monroe, David J. Cagle, Geoffrey S. Strobl, Timothy P. Lessek, Jeffrey L. Aldridge, Ryan M. Asher, Mary E. Mootoo, Eric B. Smith, Gregory W. Johnson, David M. Locke
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Publication number: 20220321765Abstract: A system for using actuators to control an image sensor and/or lens based on sensor data received from position sensors and based on position information for the image sensor and/or lens received from a host processor includes a primary camera controller device, at least one secondary camera controller device, and at least one communication link connecting the primary camera controller device and the at least one secondary camera controller device. The primary and secondary camera controller devices receive respective primary and secondary sensor data from the position sensors, send the respective primary and secondary sensor data to the other camera controller device via the communication link, process the primary and secondary sensor data and the position information to generate respective primary and secondary control data, and drive the respective primary and secondary control data to the actuators concurrently.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 5, 2022Publication date: October 6, 2022Inventors: Younes Djadi, Nariankadu D. Hemkumar, Sachin Deo, Daniel T. Bogard, Nathan Daniel Pozniak Buchanan, Eric B. Smith
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Patent number: 11452539Abstract: An ultrasonic instrument includes a body, an actuation assembly, a shaft assembly, and an end effector. The actuation assembly includes an activation member that is operable to move in a first direction to select a mode of operation. The shaft assembly extends distally from the body and includes an acoustic waveguide. The end effector includes an ultrasonic blade that is in acoustic communication with the acoustic waveguide. The activation member is operable to move in a second direction to activate the end effector in a mode of operation selected by movement of the activation member in the first direction.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2019Date of Patent: September 27, 2022Assignee: Cilag GmbH InternationalInventors: John A. Hibner, Kevin L. Houser, David A. Monroe, David J. Cagle, Geoffrey S. Strobl, Timothy P. Lessek, Jeffrey L. Aldridge, Ryan M. Asher, Mary E. Mootoo, Eric B. Smith, Gregory W. Johnson, David M. Locke
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Patent number: 11389190Abstract: An apparatus includes a shaft assembly, an ultrasonic blade, and a clamp assembly. The shaft assembly includes an acoustic waveguide operable to transmit ultrasonic vibrations to the blade. The clamp assembly includes a clamp arm pivotable toward and away from the blade about a pivot axis, to clamp tissue between the clamp arm and the blade. A rotation feature may provide rotation of the blade relative to the clamp arm about the longitudinal axis of the waveguide. Alternatively, the rotation feature may provide rotation of the clamp arm relative to the blade about the longitudinal axis. The rotation feature may be driven based on pivotal positioning of the clamp arm relative to the blade about the pivot axis. The rotation feature may selectively lock and unlock the angular position of either the blade or the clamp arm about the longitudinal axis at any of a number of predetermined angular positions.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2019Date of Patent: July 19, 2022Assignee: Cilag GmbH InternationalInventors: Craig N. Faller, Elizabeth DeBenedictis, William D. Kelly, Michael R. Lamping, Timothy G. Dietz, Patrick A. Weizman, Jacob S. Gee, John B. Schulte, Tylor C. Muhlenkamp, Douglas J. Turner, Eric B. Smith, Sean P. Conlon, Richard W. Timm, Jeffrey D. Messerly, Brian D. Bertke
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Patent number: 11218077Abstract: Current flowing through an inductor on a primary side of a voltage converter is sensed and compared to a threshold peak current value to determine when to end an ON portion of the voltage converter. The secondary side of the voltage converter supplies an indication of output voltage for use in determining the threshold peak current value. On start-up the primary side detects when the indication of output voltage is supplied by the secondary side across on isolation channel. Prior to detecting the indicating is being supplied, the primary side uses an increasing threshold peak current as the threshold peak current value. After detection that the indication of output voltage is being provided by the secondary side, the threshold peak current value is based on the indication of the output voltage.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2016Date of Patent: January 4, 2022Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Riad S. Wahby, Jeffrey L. Sonntag, Tufan C. Karalar, Michael J. Mills, Eric B. Smith, Ion C. Tesu, Donald E. Alfano
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Publication number: 20210396610Abstract: A control method for a user interface system may include receiving an input signal, receiving a temperature signal indicative of a temperature, generating a baseline signal based on at least one among the input signal and the temperature signal, calculating an error signal based on a difference of the input signal and the baseline signal, and modifying the baseline signal based on the error signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2020Publication date: December 23, 2021Applicant: Cirrus Logic International Semiconductor Ltd.Inventors: Junsong LI, Rahul GAWDE, Tejasvi DAS, Siddharth MARU, Eric B. SMITH
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Patent number: 11115046Abstract: A system may include an output stage for driving a load at an output of the output stage, a pulse-width modulation mode path configured to pre-drive the output stage in a first mode of operation, a linear mode path configured to pre-drive the output stage in a second mode of operation and a loop filter coupled at its input to the output of the output stage and coupled at its output to both of the pulse-width modulation mode path and the linear mode path. The pulse-width modulation mode path and the linear mode path may be configured such that a first transfer function between the output of the loop filter and the output of the output stage is substantially equivalent to a second transfer function between the output of the loop filter and the output of the output stage.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2019Date of Patent: September 7, 2021Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.Inventors: Vamsikrishna Parupalli, Mark May, Saurabh Singh, Ramya Balasundaram, Mengde Wang, Eric B. Smith
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Publication number: 20210236151Abstract: An ultrasonic instrument comprises a body, a shaft assembly, an ultrasonic blade, and a pivoting member. The shaft assembly extends distally from the body. The ultrasonic blade is positioned distal to the shaft assembly. The pivoting member is pivotable with respect to the blade from an open position to a closed position to thereby clamp tissue between the pivoting member and the blade. One or both of the shaft assembly or the pivoting member comprise a guide feature. The guide feature is configured to provide lateral alignment of the distal portion of the pivoting member with the blade as the pivoting member is pivoted to the closed position.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 4, 2021Publication date: August 5, 2021Inventors: John B. Schulte, Craig N. Faller, Eric B. Smith, Patrick J. Scoggins, JoAnn M. Stegeman, Tylor C. Muhlenkamp, William D. Dannaher, Michael R. Lamping, Jacob S. Gee, William B. Weisenburgh, II, Brian D. Bertke
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Patent number: 11070177Abstract: A system may include an output stage comprising a single-ended driver for driving a load at an output of the output stage, a loop filter coupled at its input to the output of the output stage and configured to minimize an error between a target current signal received by the loop filter and an output current driven on the load, and control circuitry configured to, when the load current is driven in a manner such that the load current changes polarity, reset a state variable of the loop filter.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2019Date of Patent: July 20, 2021Assignee: Cirrus Logic, inc.Inventors: Saurabh Singh, Vamsikrishna Parupalli, Stewart Kenly, Eric B. Smith
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Patent number: 11051835Abstract: An ultrasonic instrument comprises a body, a shaft assembly, an ultrasonic blade, and a pivoting member. The shaft assembly extends distally from the body. The ultrasonic blade is positioned distal to the shaft assembly. The pivoting member is pivotable with respect to the blade from an open position to a closed position to thereby clamp tissue between the pivoting member and the blade. One or both of the shaft assembly or the pivoting member comprise a guide feature. The guide feature is configured to provide lateral alignment of the distal portion of the pivoting member with the blade as the pivoting member is pivoted to the closed position.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2018Date of Patent: July 6, 2021Assignee: Cilag GmbH InternationalInventors: John B. Schulte, Craig N. Faller, Eric B. Smith, Patrick J. Scoggins, JoAnn M. Stegeman, Tylor C. Muhlenkamp, William D. Dannaher, Michael R. Lamping, Jacob S. Gee, William B. Weisenburgh, II, Brian D. Bertke
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Patent number: 10963187Abstract: A system for reading a plurality of subset views of an evolving data store may include for each subset view, a plurality of memory buffers comprising at least three buffers.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2019Date of Patent: March 30, 2021Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.Inventors: Nathan Buchanan, Roshan Kamath, Nariankadu D. Hemkumar, Younes Djadi, Sachin Deo, Eric B. Smith