Patents by Inventor Garry Holcomb

Garry Holcomb 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: 7962294
    Abstract: A method and apparatus integrates differential pressure measurements and absolute pressure measurements to provide a continuous absolute pressure profile over a wide range of pressures on a single integrated scale. The absolute pressure measurements and differential pressure measurements are obtained, and a correlation factor between the absolute pressure measurements and the differential pressure measurements is determined. The correlation factor is used to normalize the differential pressure measurements to virtual absolute pressure values on a common absolute pressure scale with the absolute pressure measurements. An absolute pressure profile over a wide pressure range includes the absolute pressure measurements in a portion of the range where the absolute pressure measurements are accurate, and it includes the virtual absolute pressure values in another portion of the range where the differential pressure measurements are accurate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: MKS Instruments, Inc
    Inventors: Paul Dozoretz, Youfan Gu, Garry Holcomb, Ole Wenzel
  • Publication number: 20090228219
    Abstract: A method and apparatus integrates differential pressure measurements and absolute pressure measurements to provide virtual absolute pressure measurements over a wide range of pressures on a single integrated scale.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Applicant: MKS INSTRUMENTS, INC.
    Inventors: Paul Dozoretz, Youfan Gu, Garry Holcomb, Ole Wenzel
  • Patent number: 7477996
    Abstract: A method and apparatus integrates differential pressure measurements and absolute pressure measurements to provide a continuous absolute pressure profile over a wide range of pressures on a single integrated scale. The absolute pressure measurements and differential pressure measurements are obtained, and a correlation factor between the absolute pressure measurements and the differential pressure measurements is determined. The correlation factor is used to normalize the differential pressure measurements to virtual absolute pressure values on a common absolute pressure scale with the absolute pressure measurements. An absolute pressure profile over a wide pressure range includes the absolute pressure measurements in a portion of the range where the absolute pressure measurements are accurate, and it includes the virtual absolute pressure values in another portion of the range where the differential pressure measurements are accurate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: MKS Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Dozoretz, Youfan Gu, Garry Holcomb, Ole Wenzel
  • Publication number: 20070288179
    Abstract: A method and apparatus integrates differential pressure measurements and absolute pressure measurements to provide virtual absolute pressure measurements over a wide range of pressures on a single integrated scale.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2007
    Publication date: December 13, 2007
    Applicant: MKS INSTRUMENTS, INC.
    Inventors: Paul Dozoretz, Youfan Gu, Garry Holcomb, Ole Wenzel
  • Patent number: 7076920
    Abstract: A pirani absolute pressure sensor for sensing absolute pressure in a load lock in a range from 100 to 10?4 torr and a differential pressure sensor for sensing a pressure difference between ambient atmospheric pressure and pressure in the load lock chamber are combined together in a module with a manifold and common circuit components to provide a pressure transducer that is capable of producing not only analog output for absolute pressure measurements, but also control signals at settable absolute and differential pressure values for opening interior and exterior doors of a load lock used to shuttle wafers and other devices into and out of a vacuum processing chamber. The transducer can also produce signals to control transition from slow to fast vacuum pumping of the load lock chamber at a settable threshold pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: MKS Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Garry Holcomb, Youfan Gu, James Stafford, James M. Mueller, Stacy Wade
  • Publication number: 20060004539
    Abstract: A method and apparatus integrates differential pressure measurements and absolute pressure measurements to provide virtual absolute pressure measurements over a wide range of pressures on a single integrated scale.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Publication date: January 5, 2006
    Inventors: Paul Dozoretz, Youfan Gu, Garry Holcomb, Ole Wenzel
  • Patent number: 6909975
    Abstract: A method and apparatus integrates differential pressure measurements and absolute pressure measurements to provide virtual absolute pressure measurements over a wide range of pressures on a single integrated scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: MKS Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Dozoretz, Youfan Gu, Garry Holcomb, Ole Wenzel
  • Publication number: 20050114070
    Abstract: A method and apparatus integrates differential pressure measurements and absolute pressure measurements to provide virtual absolute pressure measurements over a wide range of pressures on a single integrated scale.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2003
    Publication date: May 26, 2005
    Inventors: Paul Dozoretz, Youfan Gu, Garry Holcomb, Ole Wenzel
  • Patent number: 6672171
    Abstract: Transducer apparatus and method combining both an absolute pressure sensor for sensing absolute pressure in the load lock chamber and a differential pressure sensor for sensing a pressure difference between ambient atmospheric pressure and pressure in a load lock chamber and provides control signals for opening an interior door from the load lock chamber into a vacuum processing chamber and for opening an exterior door between ambient atmosphere and the load lock chamber. The transducer can also produce signals to control transition from slow to fast vacuum pump-down of load lock chamber pressure at a predetermined pressure set point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: MKS Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Youfan Gu, Garry Holcomb, Ole Wenzel
  • Publication number: 20030010129
    Abstract: Transducer apparatus and method combining both an absolute pressure sensor for sensing absolute pressure in the load lock chamber and a differential pressure sensor for sensing a pressure difference between ambient atmospheric pressure and pressure in a load lock chamber and provides control signals for opening an interior door from the load lock chamber into a vacuum processing chamber and for opening an exterior door between ambient atmosphere and the load lock chamber. The transducer can also produce signals to control transition from slow to fast vacuum pump-down of load lock chamber pressure at a predetermined pressure set point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2001
    Publication date: January 16, 2003
    Inventors: Youfan Gu, Garry Holcomb, Ole Wenzel
  • Publication number: 20010029889
    Abstract: Transducer apparatus and method combining both an absolute pressure sensor for sensing absolute pressure in the load lock chamber and a differential pressure sensor for sensing a pressure difference between ambient atmospheric pressure and pressure in a load lock chamber and provides control signals for opening an interior door from the load lock chamber into a vacuum processing chamber and for opening an exterior door between ambient atmosphere and the load lock chamber. The transducer can also produce signals to control transition from slow to fast vacuum pump-down of load lock chamber pressure at a predetermined pressure set point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2001
    Publication date: October 18, 2001
    Inventors: Garry Holcomb, Youfan Gu, James Stafford, James M. Mueller, Stacy Wade