Patents by Inventor Gregory Francis

Gregory Francis 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: 8935333
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for implementing multicast in system area network channel adapters are provided. With the apparatus and method, a multicast packet is received in a channel adapter of an end node. The channel adapter determines which local queue pairs are party of the multicast group identified by a destination local identifier in the multicast data packet. Based on this determination, the channel adapter replicates the data packet and delivers a copy of the data packet to each local queue pair that is part of the multicast group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce Leroy Beukema, Gregory Francis Pfister, Renato John Recio, Steven Mark Thurber
  • Publication number: 20140279878
    Abstract: Systems and methods of the present disclosure facilitate synchronizing data between a device management system and ticketing systems. In some embodiments, the system includes an update module, a mapping module, and a service board selection module. The update module may be configured to update ticketing information about a ticketing ticket on the ticketing system to match device management information about a device management ticket on the device management system. The mapping module may be configured to select a ticket category for a device management ticket on the device management system responsive to the device management information about the device management ticket. The service board selection module may be configured to select a service board for a ticketing ticket on the ticketing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Gregory Francis Buerk, Scott Logan
  • Publication number: 20140197160
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for protecting switching elements in an induction heating system. A switching power loss associated with a switching element of the induction heating system can be calculated and an operating frequency of the induction heating system can be adjusted based upon the switching power loss. According to one aspect, the switching power loss can be classified into one of a plurality of threat zones based upon the magnitude of the switching power loss and the operating frequency can be adjusted based upon the threat zone into which the switching power loss is classified. According to another aspect, the switching power loss can be calculated based at least in part on a duty cycle of an output signal. The duty cycle of the output signal can provide an indication of the proximity of the operating frequency of the induction heating system to resonance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Mingwei Shan, Gregory Francis Gawron, SR., Daniel Vincent Brosnan, John Michael Kulp, JR.
  • Publication number: 20140157498
    Abstract: A head protection system includes an elastomeric cap configured to be held in a position relative to a crown of the head of the wearer. A torus-shaped cushioning chamber is positioned between an outer surface of the elastomeric cap and the head of the wearer. A plurality of cage slats extend from the elastomeric cap between the elastomeric cap in a position relative to the crown of the head of the wearer and protect the head of the wearer from impact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Inventor: Gregory Francis Bird
  • Patent number: 8720448
    Abstract: A robotic surgical system configured to perform minimally invasive surgical procedures. In one variation, this robotic surgical system includes an instrument driver configured to steer an elongate instrument of an instrument assembly in one or more degrees of motion. A drape is disposed between the instrument driver and the instrument assembly. A drive interface apparatus is operatively coupled to the drape. The drape and drive interface apparatus may form a fluid barrier between the instrument driver and the instrument assembly. Drive interface apparatus may be disposed on a top surface of the instrument driver and on a bottom surface of the instrument assembly. The drive interface apparatus may transmit torque from the instrument driver to the instrument assembly. The input torque drives a pulley in the instrument assembly that operates one or more control wires to steer an elongate instrument of the instrument assembly for performing minimally invasive surgical procedures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Hansen Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Gene Reis, Gregory J. Stahler, Gregory Francis Hirth, Enrique Romo
  • Patent number: 8681779
    Abstract: A system and method for simplifying management information discovery in a Triple Play provider network involves configuring an element management system (EMS) database to store DHCP information, and configuring the EMS to serve the information to a subscriber service controller or other operations support services component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventors: Stephen Edgar Ellis, Manish Gulyani, Darren Helmer, Felix Katz, Gregory Francis Soprovich
  • Patent number: 8680017
    Abstract: A method for identifying aptamers that bind to target molecules may include contacting an oligonucleotide library with target molecule and digesting unbound oligonucleotides with one or more endonucleases, one or more exonucleases, or one or more endonucleases in combination with one or more exonucleases. The unbound oligonucletides lend themselves to nuclease digestion because their flanking sequences are complementary and form predictable, terminal, secondary structure (a Lariat Aptamer). Bound molecules (aptamers) are protected from nuclease digestion and become enriched. A method for identifying aptamers may further include optionally subjecting selected aptamers to one or more rounds of selection under conditions of increased stringency. A method for identifying aptamers may include yet further amplifying selected aptamers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Inventor: Gregory Francis Lopreato
  • Patent number: 8649276
    Abstract: Content transfer between nodes in a communications network is required in many situations. For example, between fixed nodes in a data center, between a fixed node such as a base station and a mobile node such as a mobile telephone and between mobile nodes themselves such as personal digital assistants. In an embodiment a content transfer process for use between nodes where one node knows the size of content to be transferred is described. For example, a file is divided into blocks to be sent between the nodes. A node receiving a block keeps a record of the received blocks and sends that record to the sending node at certain times. By controlling the times at which the records are sent the number of messages that need to be sent to transfer the records is low and the blocks are transferred in an efficient manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory Francis O'Shea, Thomas Christian Zahn, Antony Rowstron
  • Publication number: 20140014647
    Abstract: An induction heating system includes an induction heating coil operable to inductively heat a load with a magnetic field; a detector for detecting a current through the coil and providing a current signal representative of the current; and a controller with a memory in communication with a processor. The memory includes program instructions for execution by the processor to detect a presence of the load on the induction heating coil based on a characteristic of the current signal; determine a resonant frequency of the system with the load from a characteristic of the current signal; determine operational performance characteristics of the system; and output an indication of the operational performance characteristics of the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Inventors: Daniel Vincent Brosnan, Gregory Francis Gawron, SR., John Michael Kulp, JR., Mingwei Shan
  • Patent number: 8602031
    Abstract: The invention relates generally to robotically controlled systems, such as medical robotic systems. In one variation, a robotic catheter system is configured with a sterile barrier capable for transmitting a rotary force from a drive system on one side of the barrier to surgical tool on the other side of the sterile barrier for performing minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Modularized drive systems for robotics arc also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Hansen Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Gene Reis, Gregory Francis Hirth, Enrique Romo
  • Publication number: 20130320000
    Abstract: An induction cooktop appliance system and method for controlling the induction cooktop appliance based on a cookware position is provided. A variable power signal can be applied to an induction coil from an inverter. The power signal can be driven at a test frequency and an operating frequency. An electrical signal can be detected across a shunt resistor based on the test frequency and a cookware position can be determined based on the electrical signal. The operating frequency supplied to the induction coil can be modified based on determined cookware position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Mingwei Shan, Gregory Francis Gawron, Daniel Vincent Brosnan, John Michael Kulp, JR.
  • Publication number: 20130200069
    Abstract: A system and method of controlling an induction cooking appliance based on a feedback signal. A feedback signal sampling time interval may be triggered when a power control signal has a magnitude of zero. The feedback signal sample may be used to calculate a status factor and the appliance may be controlled based on the calculated status factor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: John Michael Kulp, JR., Gregory Francis Gawron, SR., Daniel Vincent Brosnan, Mingwei Shan
  • Patent number: 8499222
    Abstract: Supporting distributed key-based processes is described. In an embodiment, servers at a data center provide a key-based process for carrying out computationally expensive tasks and are connected using point to point connections in a geometric topology such as a torus. In an example, aggregation trees are built on top of the geometric topology of the data center, each aggregation tree being a sequence of servers in the data center that forms a tree structure. In an embodiment packets of data are sent from the leaves of the trees to the root and at each server along the tree the packets are aggregated using a combiner function of the key-based process. In an embodiment, if a server fails, the trees are dynamically recomputed and a recovery phase is triggered to resend any packets lost at the failed server. In some embodiments, packets are scheduled by inspecting the content of the packets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Antony Rowstron, Paolo Costa, Gregory Francis O'Shea, Austin Donnelly
  • Patent number: 8402087
    Abstract: Content discovery and content transfer between mobile communications nodes is often required, for example, to synchronize maps, traffic hot spot information and the like for vehicle mounted satellite navigation devices, pedestrian hand-held personal digital assistants and other mobile communications nodes. In an embodiment, content discovery processes using a tree-based data structure for transferring data between two mobile communication nodes is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory Francis O'Shea, Thomas Christian Zahn, Antony Rowstron
  • Patent number: 8334485
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for measuring temperature in a cooking appliance, both of which utilize a circuit for reading an input from a thermal resistive device. By including a processor and an amplifier in the circuit, embodiments reduce the number of processor pins required to modify the amplified input arising from the amplifier. In one embodiment, the processor utilizes a single processor pin, through which is distributed a control output corresponding to the input and modifying the operating parameters of the amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Patrick Ryan Cox, David Lepie, Gregory Francis Gawron, Sr.
  • Publication number: 20120312804
    Abstract: A method for operating an induction cooktop having multiple induction heating coils includes monitoring a characteristic of the heating coils indicative of audible noise generated by simultaneous operation of multiple induction heating coils. Upon indication of audible noise from the monitored characteristic, an operating characteristic of at least one of the induction heating coils is varied so as to change the audible noise into a pre-defined, stored audible noise pattern that is desirous to a consumer or user of the cooktop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Daniel Vincent Brosnan, Gregory Francis Gawron, SR., Mingwei Shan, John Michael Kulp, JR., Mariano Pablo Filippa
  • Publication number: 20120285948
    Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting vessel presence and circuit resonance for an induction heating apparatus are disclosed. A detector circuit generates an output signal based on a feedback signal corresponding to a signal, such as current, flowing through an induction heating coil. The output signal has a duty cycle corresponding to the proximity of operating frequency of the induction heating apparatus to resonance. Changes in the duty cycle of the output signal can be monitored to determine the presence or absence of a vessel on the induction heating coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2011
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Mingwei Shan, Daniel Vincent Brosnan, Gregory Francis Gawron, SR., John Michael Kulp, JR., Eric K. Watson
  • Patent number: 8220704
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing a device includes performing a plurality of non-bonding processes during at least one web-based manufacturing stage and during at least one sheet-based manufacturing stage. The processes may be performed by a plurality of modules. The modules may be independently controlled and/or monitored. The modules may be interchangeable. One or more modules may receive and/or pass material to another module. The devices that are manufactured may be a layered device, a smart card, a sensor, an actuator, an in vitro diagnostic device, a microfluidic device, or a laminar product. An apparatus for manufacturing device includes at least one web-based manufacturing component and at least one sheet-based manufacturing component. The at least one web-based manufacturing component and the at least one sheet-based manufacturing component are configured to perform a plurality of non-bonding processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Mycrolab Diagnostics Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Micah James Atkin, Gregory Francis Eaton
  • Publication number: 20120151292
    Abstract: Supporting distributed key-based processes is described. In an embodiment, servers at a data center provide a key-based process for carrying out computationally expensive tasks and are connected using point to point connections in a geometric topology such as a torus. In an example, aggregation trees are built on top of the geometric topology of the data center, each aggregation tree being a sequence of servers in the data center that forms a tree structure. In an embodiment packets of data are sent from the leaves of the trees to the root and at each server along the tree the packets are aggregated using a combiner function of the key-based process. In an embodiment, if a server fails, the trees are dynamically recomputed and a recovery phase is triggered to resend any packets lost at the failed server. In some embodiments, packets are scheduled by inspecting the content of the packets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Antony Rowstron, Paolo Costa, Gregory Francis O'Shea, Austin Donnelly
  • Patent number: RE44964
    Abstract: Computer system for controlled creation, processing, administration and display of quality information within an enterprise. Linkages may be defined among enterprise entities, process/product development attributes, strategies, goals, process improvement opportunities, etc. Visual analysis of data associated with the linkages is provided in an interactive fashion. Linkages may also be defined among online quality-related documentation throughout an enterprise such that information is automatically propagated/reconciled through the enterprise in a controlled and efficient fashion. The creation of process documentation for new products is facilitated based on a concept of content/document inheritance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Omnex Systems L.L.C.
    Inventors: Chandran Kymal, Gregory Francis Gruska