Patents by Inventor Eric Nicol

Eric Nicol 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).

  • Patent number: 8900062
    Abstract: A driveshaft for a downhole motor has a longitudinal axis and includes a first end. In addition, the driveshaft includes a second end opposite the first end. The first end has a radially outer surface including a first connection lug. The outer surface also includes a second connection lug uniformly circumferentially-spaced from the first connection lug. The first connection lug and the second connection lug each include a cylindrical surface concentrically disposed about a first pivot axis oriented orthogonal to the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventor: Michael Eric Nicol-Seto
  • Publication number: 20140224545
    Abstract: A driveshaft for a downhole motor has a longitudinal axis and includes a first end. In addition, the driveshaft includes a second end opposite the first end. The first end has a radially outer surface including a first connection lug. The outer surface also includes a second connection lug uniformly circumferentially-spaced from the first connection lug. The first connection lug and the second connection lug each include a cylindrical surface concentrically disposed about a first pivot axis oriented orthogonal to the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO, L.P.
    Inventor: Michael Eric Nicol-Seto
  • Patent number: 7227493
    Abstract: An apparatus and method obtains positional information about one or more objects in a detection field. An array includes a transmitting element and a plurality of receiving elements. A truncated cross-correlation function may be applied to determine the interval between signals received by a plurality of the receiving elements, thereby to determine an angular position of an object. A warning zone may be defined and it is determined whether an object is within the warning zone. Also disclosed are techniques for stretching received signals, and techniques for obtaining positional information relating to an object using non-Doppler radar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Cambridge Consultants Limited
    Inventors: Gordon Kenneth Andrew Oswald, Alan Trevor Richardson, Michael Hugh Burchett, Eric Nicol Clouston, Danielle Emma Toutoungi
  • Patent number: 7139526
    Abstract: A power control system (12) for a satellite (10 includes a high power amplifier circuit (28) that receives a saturated power output adjustment signal. The amplifier circuit (28) includes a programmable circuit (70). An electronic power conditioner (56) is coupled to the programmable circuit (70) and is configured to reset an operating set-point of said high power amplifier circuit (28) in response to the saturated power output adjustment signal. A high power amplifier (46) has a variable output power range and amplifies a received signal in response to change in the operating set-point. A channel amplifier (44) is coupled to the programmable circuit (70) and is configured to gain offset the received signal in response to change in the operating set-point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Eric Nicol, John E. Eng
  • Publication number: 20060234626
    Abstract: A power control system for a satellite receiving radio-frequency signals includes a traveling wave tube amplifier system and corresponding traveling wave tube. An anode voltage of the traveling wave tube amplifier system is used to modulate or saturate the current of the electron beam of the traveling wave tube so that the output power of the traveling wave tube amplifier system, from the saturated electron beam, is proportional to a waveform envelope of the radio-frequency signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Publication date: October 19, 2006
    Applicant: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: David Goldberg, John Eng, Eric Nicol
  • Patent number: 7068211
    Abstract: An apparatus and method obtains positional information about one or more objects in a detection field. An array includes a transmitting element and a plurality of receiving elements. A truncated cross-correlation function may be applied to determine the interval between signals received by a plurality of the receiving elements, thereby to determine an angular position of an object. A warning zone may be defined and it is determined whether an object is within the warning zone. Also disclosed are techniques for stretching received signals, and techniques for obtaining positional information relating to an object using non-Doppler radar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Cambridge Consultants Limited
    Inventors: Gordon Kenneth Andrew Oswald, Alan Trevor Richardson, Michael Hugh Burchett, Eric Nicol Clouston, Danielle Emma Toutoungi
  • Publication number: 20040224635
    Abstract: A power control system (12) for a satellite (10 includes a high power amplifier circuit (28) that receives a saturated power output adjustment signal. The amplifier circuit (28) includes a programmable circuit (70). An electronic power conditioner (56) is coupled to the programmable circuit (70) and is configured to reset an operating set-point of said high power amplifier circuit (28) in response to the saturated power output adjustment signal. A high power amplifier (46) has a variable output power range and amplifies a received signal in response to change in the operating set-point. A channel amplifier (44) is coupled to the programmable circuit (70) and is configured to gain offset the received signal in response to change in the operating set-point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2003
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Inventors: Eric Nicol, John E. Eng
  • Publication number: 20040119633
    Abstract: Apparatus for and methods of obtaining positional information about one or more objects in a detection field are disclosed. An array including a transmitting element and a plurality of receiving elements is provided. In one aspect a truncated cross-correlation function is applied to determine the interval between signals received by a plurality of the receiving elements, thereby to determine an angular position of an object. In another aspect a warning zone is defined and it is determined whether an object is within the warning zone. Also disclosed are techniques for stretching received signals, and techniques for obtaining positional information relating to an object using non-Doppler radar. Various implementations, modifications and applications of the techniques described are disclosed. Typical applications of the techniques described are with vehicles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2003
    Publication date: June 24, 2004
    Applicant: Cambridge Consultants Limited
    Inventors: Gordon Kenneth Andrew Oswald, Alan Trevor Richardson, Michael Hugh Burchett, Eric Nicol Clouston, Danielle Emma Toutoungi
  • Publication number: 20030151541
    Abstract: Apparatus for and methods of obtaining positional information about one or more objects in a detection field are disclosed. An array including a transmitting element and a plurality of receiving elements is provided. In one aspect a truncated cross-correlation function is applied to determine the interval between signals received by a plurality of the receiving elements, thereby to determine an angular position of an object. In another aspect a warning zone is defined and it is determined whether an object is within the warning zone. Also disclosed are techniques for stretching received signals, and techniques for obtaining positional information relating to an object using non-Doppler radar. Various implementations, modifications and applications of the techniques described are disclosed. Typical applications of the techniques described are with vehicles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2003
    Publication date: August 14, 2003
    Inventors: Gordon Kenneth Andrew Oswald, Alan Trevor Richardson, Michael Hugh Burchett, Eric Nicol Clouston, Danielle Emma Toutoungi
  • Patent number: 6215438
    Abstract: A radar system adapted to be installed on a vehicle (1) is operable to detect objects in different fields of view of the system. The system has transceiver means (2, 3; 44, 46) for transmitting a radar signal and receiving the signal after the latter has been reflected from an object to be detected. A reflected signal is sampled by sampling means (12; 66) during a succession of sampling periods each of which is delayed with respect to a corresponding portion of the transmitted signal. The gating of the reflected signal effectively generates range shells, each of which corresponds to the time taken for a transmitted signal to reach an object at the shell, and to be reflected back to the system and is hence related to the delay between the transmission of the signal and the corresponding sampling period. The range shells define the field of view of the system, which can be changed by altering said delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Cambridge Consultants Limited
    Inventors: Gordon Kenneth Andrew Oswald, Nicholas John Kerry, Eric Nicol Clouston, Graeme Peter Smith
  • Patent number: 5999092
    Abstract: A motor vehicle collision warning system 1 comprises an obstacle sensing system 3 including a plurality of sensors 5 together capable of sensing obstacles around the vehicle 7 and generating obstacle of concern signals when obstacles are sensed, and a warning control system 9 for receiving the obstacle of concern signals and for determining whether a collision warning signal should be generated. The sensing system includes at least one antenna cluster 11 mounted in the region of a corner 13 of the vehicle 7, the antenna cluster 11 comprising a radar transmit antenna 15 and two receive antennas 17 and 19. The transmit antenna 15 is mounted between the receive antennas 17 and 19. Receive antenna 17 faces towards the front of the vehicle and receive antenna 19 faces towards the rear of the vehicle. A trigger means 21 triggers the operation of the transmit antenna 15 and one or both of the receive antennas 17 and 19.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Graeme Peter Smith, Eric Nicol Clouston