Patents by Inventor James R. Prager

James R. Prager 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: 20220026393
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention may include an eddy current nondestructive evaluation device. The eddy current nondestructive evaluation device may include a rotating body; a motor coupled with the rotating body such that the motor rotates the rotating body; a permanent magnet coupled with the rotating body; a pickup coil coupled with the rotating body; and an integrator circuit electrically coupled with the pickup coil that integrates a voltage from the pickup coil to produce integrated voltage data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Inventors: James R. Prager, Timothy M. Ziemba, Kenneth E. Miller, Ilia Slobodov, Paul Melnik, Connor Liston, Kevin Muggli, TaiSheng Yeager, John G. Carscadden
  • Publication number: 20210399721
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a nonlinear transmission line system comprising: a power supply providing voltages greater than 100 V; a high frequency switch electrically coupled with the power supply; a nonlinear transmission line electrically coupled with the switch; an antenna electrically coupled with the nonlinear transmission line; and an energy recovery circuit comprising a diode and an inductor electrically coupled with the power supply and the antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: James R. Prager, Timothy M. Ziemba, Chris Bowman, Kenneth E. Miller
  • Publication number: 20210351767
    Abstract: A nanosecond pulser is disclosed. In some embodiments, the nanosecond pulser may include one or more switch circuits including one or more solid state switches, a transformer, and an output. In some embodiments, the transformer may include a first transformer core, a first primary winding wound at least partially around a portion of the first transformer core, and a secondary winding wound at least partially around a portion of the first transformer core. In some embodiments, each of the one or more switch circuits are coupled with at least a portion of the first primary winding. In some embodiments, the output may be electrically coupled with the secondary winding and outputs electrical pulses having a peak voltage greater than about 1 kilovolt and a rise time of less than 150 nanoseconds or less than 50 nanoseconds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2021
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Inventors: James R. Prager, Timothy M. Ziemba, Kenneth E. Miller, John G. Carscadden, Ilia Slobodov
  • Patent number: 11171568
    Abstract: Some embodiments may include a nanosecond pulser comprising a plurality of solid state switches; a transformer having a stray inductance, Ls, a stray capacitance, Cs, and a turn ratio n; and a resistor with a resistance, R, in series between the transformer and the switches. In some embodiments, the resonant circuit produces a Q factor according to Q = 1 R ? L s C s ; and the nanosecond pulser produces an output voltage Vout from an input voltage Vin, according to Vout=QnVin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Eagle Harbor Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth E. Miller, James R. Prager, Timothy M. Ziemba, John G. Carscadden, Ilia Slobodov, Alex Patrick Henson
  • Patent number: 11137372
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention may include an eddy current nondestructive evaluation device. The eddy current nondestructive evaluation device may include a rotating body; a motor coupled with the rotating body such that the motor rotates the rotating body; a permanent magnet coupled with the rotating body; a pickup coil coupled with the rotating body; and an integrator circuit electrically coupled with the pickup coil that integrates a voltage from the pickup coil to produce integrated voltage data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: EAGLE HARBOR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: James R. Prager, Timothy M. Ziemba, Kenneth E. Miller, Ilia Slobodov, Paul Melnik, Connor Liston, Kevin Muggli, TaiSheng Yeager, John G. Carscadden
  • Patent number: 11108384
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a nonlinear transmission line system comprising: a power supply providing voltages greater than 100 V; a high frequency switch electrically coupled with the power supply; a nonlinear transmission line electrically coupled with the switch; an antenna electrically coupled with the nonlinear transmission line; and an energy recovery circuit comprising a diode and an inductor electrically coupled with the power supply and the antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: EAGLE HARBOR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: James R. Prager, Timothy M. Ziemba, Chris Bowman, Kenneth E. Miller
  • Publication number: 20210210315
    Abstract: A high voltage switch comprising: a high voltage power supply providing power greater than about 5 kV; a control voltage power source; a plurality of switch modules arranged in series with respect to each other each of the plurality of switch modules configured to switch power from the high voltage power supply, and an output configured to output a pulsed output signal having a voltage greater than the rating of any switch of the plurality of switch modules, a pulse width less than 2 ?s, and at a pulse frequency greater than 10 kHz.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Inventors: Timothy M. Ziemba, Kenneth E. Miller, James R. Prager, John G. Carscadden, Ilia Slobodov
  • Publication number: 20210152163
    Abstract: Some embodiments may include a nanosecond pulser comprising a plurality of solid state switches; a transformer having a stray inductance, Ls, a stray capacitance, Cs, and a turn ratio n; and a resistor with a resistance, R, in series between the transformer and the switches. In some embodiments, the resonant circuit produces a Q factor according to Q = 1 R ? L s C s ; and the nanosecond pulser produces an output voltage Vout from an input voltage Vin, according to Vout=QnVin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: Kenneth E. Miller, James R. Prager, Timothy M. Ziemba, John G. Carscadden, Ilia Slobodov, Alex Patrick Henson
  • Patent number: 10985740
    Abstract: A nanosecond pulser is disclosed. In some embodiments, the nanosecond pulser may include one or more switch circuits including one or more solid state switches, a transformer, and an output. In some embodiments, the transformer may include a first transformer core, a first primary winding wound at least partially around a portion of the first transformer core, and a secondary winding wound at least partially around a portion of the first transformer core. In some embodiments, each of the one or more switch circuits are coupled with at least a portion of the first primary winding. In some embodiments, the output may be electrically coupled with the secondary winding and outputs electrical pulses having a peak voltage greater than about 1 kilovolt and a rise time of less than 150 nanoseconds or less than 50 nanoseconds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Eagle Harbor Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: James R. Prager, Timothy M. Ziemba, Kenneth E. Miller, John G. Carscadden, Ilia Slobodov
  • Publication number: 20210091759
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a nonlinear transmission line system comprising: a power supply providing voltages greater than 100 V; a high frequency switch electrically coupled with the power supply; a nonlinear transmission line electrically coupled with the switch; an antenna electrically coupled with the nonlinear transmission line; and an energy recovery circuit comprising a diode and an inductor electrically coupled with the power supply and the antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Inventors: James R. Prager, Timothy M. Ziemba, Chris Bowman, Kenneth E. Miller
  • Publication number: 20210066042
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a high voltage, high frequency switching circuit. The switching circuit may include a high voltage switching power supply that produces pulses having a voltage greater than 1 kV and with frequencies greater than 10 kHz and an output. The switching circuit may also include a resistive output stage electrically coupled in parallel with the output and between the output stage and the high voltage switching power supply, the resistive output stage comprising at least one resistor that discharges a load coupled with the output. In some embodiments, the resistive output stage may be configured to discharge over about 1 kilowatt of average power during each pulse cycle. In some embodiments, the output can produce a high voltage pulse having a voltage greater than 1 kV and with frequencies greater than 10 kHz with a pulse fall time less than about 400 ns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Inventors: Timothy M. Ziemba, Kenneth E. Miller, James R. Prager, John G. Carscadden, Ilia Slobodov
  • Publication number: 20210027990
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a high voltage waveform generator comprising: a generator inductor; a high voltage nanosecond pulser having one or more solid state switches electrically and/or inductively coupled with the generator inductor, the high voltage nanosecond pulser configured to produce a pulse burst having a burst period, the pulse burst comprising a plurality of pulses having different pulse widths; and a load electrically and/or inductively coupled with the high voltage nanosecond pulser, the generator inductor, and the generator capacitor, the voltage across the load having an output pulse with a pulse width substantially equal to the burst period and the voltage across the load varying in a manner that is substantially proportional with the pulse widths of the plurality of pulses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventors: Timothy M. Ziemba, Kenneth E. Miller, John G. Carscadden, James R. Prager, Ilia Slobodov
  • Patent number: 10896809
    Abstract: A high voltage switch comprising: a high voltage power supply providing power greater than about 5 kV; a control voltage power source; a plurality of switch modules arranged in series with respect to each other each of the plurality of switch modules configured to switch power from the high voltage power supply, and an output configured to output a pulsed output signal having a voltage greater than the rating of any switch of the plurality of switch modules, a pulse width less than 2 ?s, and at a pulse frequency greater than 10 kHz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Eagle Harbor Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy M. Ziemba, Kenneth E. Miller, James R. Prager, John G. Carscadden, Ilia Slobodov
  • Publication number: 20210013874
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention include a pre-pulse switching system. The pre-pulsing switching system may include: a power source configured to provide a voltage greater than 100 V; a pre-pulse switch coupled with the power source and configured to provide a pre-pulse having a pulse width of Tpp; and a main switch coupled with the power source and configured to provide a main pulse such that an output pulse comprises a single pulse with negligible ringing. The pre-pulse may be provided to a load by closing the pre-pulse switch while the main switch is open. The main pulse may be provided to the load by closing the main switch after a delay Tdelay after the pre-pulse switch has been opened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Inventors: Kenneth E. Miller, James R. Prager, Ilia Slobodov, Julian F. Picard
  • Publication number: 20200389126
    Abstract: A high frequency electromagnetic radiation generation device is disclosed that includes a high voltage input, a nonlinear transmission line, an antenna, and a pulse recirculating circuit. In some embodiments, the high voltage input may be configured to receive electrical pulses having a first peak voltage that is greater than 5 kV, and/or may be electrically coupled with the nonlinear transmission line. The antenna may be electrically coupled with the nonlinear transmission line and/or may radiate electromagnetic radiation at a frequency greater than 100 MHz about a voltage greater than 5 kV. The pulse recirculating may be electrically coupled with the high voltage input and the antenna. The pulse recirculating circuit may include a diode; a low pass filter; and a delay line. In some embodiments, unradiated energy from the antenna is directed through the pulse recirculating circuit to the nonlinear transmission line with a delay of less than 100 ns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Inventors: James R. Prager, Timothy M. Ziemba, Kenneth E. Miller
  • Patent number: 10847346
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a high voltage, high frequency switching circuit. The switching circuit may include a high voltage switching power supply that produces pulses having a voltage greater than 1 kV and with frequencies greater than 10 kHz and an output. The switching circuit may also include a resistive output stage electrically coupled in parallel with the output and between the output stage and the high voltage switching power supply, the resistive output stage comprising at least one resistor that discharges a load coupled with the output. In some embodiments, the resistive output stage may be configured to discharge over about 1 kilowatt of average power during each pulse cycle. In some embodiments, the output can produce a high voltage pulse having a voltage greater than 1 kV and with frequencies greater than 10 kHz with a pulse fall time less than about 400 ns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Eagle Harbor Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy M. Ziemba, Kenneth E. Miller, James R. Prager, John G. Carscadden, Ilia Slobodov
  • Patent number: 10804886
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention include a pre-pulse switching system. The pre-pulsing switching system may include: a power source configured to provide a voltage greater than 100 V; a pre-pulse switch coupled with the power source and configured to provide a pre-pulse having a pulse width of Tpp; and a main switch coupled with the power source and configured to provide a main pulse such that an output pulse comprises a single pulse with negligible ringing. The pre-pulse may be provided to a load by closing the pre-pulse switch while the main switch is open. The main pulse may be provided to the load by closing the main switch after a delay Tdelay after the pre-pulse switch has been opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: EAGLE HARBOR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Kenneth E. Miller, James R. Prager, Ilia Slobodov, Julian F. Picard
  • Patent number: 10777388
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a high voltage waveform generator comprising: a generator inductor; a high voltage nanosecond pulser having one or more solid state switches electrically and/or inductively coupled with the generator inductor, the high voltage nanosecond pulser configured to produce a pulse burst having a burst period, the pulse burst comprising a plurality of pulses having different pulse widths; and a load electrically and/or inductively coupled with the high voltage nanosecond pulser, the generator inductor, and the generator capacitor, the voltage across the load having an output pulse with a pulse width substantially equal to the burst period and the voltage across the load varying in a manner that is substantially proportional with the pulse widths of the plurality of pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Eagle Harbor Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy M Ziemba, Kenneth E Miller, John G Carscadden, James R Prager, Ilia Slobodov
  • Publication number: 20200168436
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a high voltage waveform generator comprising: a generator inductor; a high voltage nanosecond pulser having one or more solid state switches electrically and/or inductively coupled with the generator inductor, the high voltage nanosecond pulser configured to produce a pulse burst having a burst period, the pulse burst comprising a plurality of pulses having different pulse widths; and a load electrically and/or inductively coupled with the high voltage nanosecond pulser, the generator inductor, and the generator capacitor, the voltage across the load having an output pulse with a pulse width substantially equal to the burst period and the voltage across the load varying in a manner that is substantially proportional with the pulse widths of the plurality of pulses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Publication date: May 28, 2020
    Inventors: Timothy M Ziemba, Kenneth E Miller, John G Carscadden, James R Prager, Ilia Slobodov
  • Patent number: 10666198
    Abstract: A high frequency electromagnetic radiation generation device is disclosed that includes a high voltage input, a nonlinear transmission line, an antenna, and a pulse recirculating circuit. In some embodiments, the high voltage input may be configured to receive electrical pulses having a first peak voltage that is greater than 5 kV, and/or may be electrically coupled with the nonlinear transmission line. The antenna may be electrically coupled with the nonlinear transmission line and/or may radiate electromagnetic radiation at a frequency greater than 100 MHz about a voltage greater than 5 kV. The pulse recirculating may be electrically coupled with the high voltage input and the antenna. The pulse recirculating circuit may include a diode; a low pass filter; and a delay line. In some embodiments, unradiated energy from the antenna is directed through the pulse recirculating circuit to the nonlinear transmission line with a delay of less than 100 ns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: EAGLE HARBOR TECHNOLOGIES, INC
    Inventors: James R. Prager, Timothy M. Ziemba, Kenneth E. Miller