Patents by Inventor Jeffrey A. Bowers
Jeffrey A. Bowers 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: 10169821Abstract: A vehicle may be configured to determine a characteristic of a software program operating on the vehicle. The characteristic may be provided to an insurer, and the insurer may determine a property of an insurance policy based on the characteristic. The characteristic may be, for example, a feature, a setting, and/or a version of the software program. The insurer may indicate to a vehicle operator and/or owner how changing the characteristic may affect the property of the insurance policy. The insurance policy may be formalized and agreed to by the insurer and/or the insured. The vehicle may also or instead save pre-collision status data, such adjustable parameters, internal variables, dynamic decisions, and/or identification of a software program, when a collision is detected. The pre-collision status data may be used to diagnose problems with the software program, determine fault, and/or determine future properties of insurance policies.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2013Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Assignee: Elwha LLCInventors: Jeffrey A. Bowers, Peter L. Hagelstein, Roderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Jordin T. Kare, Clarence T. Tegreene, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Victoria Y. H. Wood
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Patent number: 10136437Abstract: An automatically adjustable radiofrequency link system includes a radiofrequency transmitter configured to transmit a signal at a frequency of transmission within an extremely high frequency (EHF) band. The system further includes a receiving device configured to receive the transmitted signal and provide feedback to a processing circuit communicatively coupled to the transmitter and the receiving device, wherein the feedback is related to the received signal. The processing circuit is configured to determine required signal properties based on the feedback and determine signal loss properties including an effect of atmospheric absorption, as a function of frequency; determine a modification to the transmitted signal using the signal loss properties and the required signal properties; and adjust the frequency of transmission to obtain a desired transmission signal using the modification.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2017Date of Patent: November 20, 2018Assignee: Elwha LLCInventors: Jeffrey A. Bowers, Alistair K. Chan, Russell J. Hannigan, Roderick A. Hyde, Jordin T. Kare, Nathan Kundtz, Nathan P. Myhrvold, John Brian Pendry, David R. Smith, Clarence T. Tegreene, David B. Tuckerman, Charles Whitmer, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
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Patent number: 10042083Abstract: A thermal sensing device can include an electromagnetic radiation source configured to generate electromagnetic radiation, a first antenna configured to direct electromagnetic radiation generated by the radiation source toward a target, and a second antenna configured to receive microwave radiation emitted from an internal portion of the target. The thermal sensing device can also include a microwave sensor coupled to the second antenna and configured to acquire sensor data regarding the microwave radiation emitted from an internal portion of the target. A processing device, included in the thermal sensing device, can be configured to produce thermal data based on the sensor data.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2014Date of Patent: August 7, 2018Assignee: Elwha LLCInventors: Jeffrey A. Bowers, Tom Driscoll, Roderick A. Hyde, Jordin T. Kare, David R. Smith, Clarence T. Tegreene, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
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Patent number: 10008286Abstract: Systems and methods for self-testing archival memory devices are described. The memory device includes a data storage component capable of being coded with data. The memory device further includes a read-write mechanism configured to read, write, and delete data stored on the data storage component. The memory device includes a read-write controller configured to control the read-write mechanism based on input received through a device interface of the memory device, wherein the device interface of the memory device is configured to connect to an external computing device. The memory device further includes a diagnostic controller configured to perform a test on at least one of the data stored on the data storage component, the data storage component, and the read-write mechanism. The memory device includes a power source configured to provide operational power to the diagnostic controller when the memory device is not connected to an external power source.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2014Date of Patent: June 26, 2018Assignee: Elwha LLCInventors: Jeffrey A. Bowers, Peter L. Hagelstein, Roderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Jordin T. Kare, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Victoria Y. H. Wood
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Patent number: 9972403Abstract: Systems and methods for self-testing archival memory devices are described. The memory device includes a data storage component capable of being coded with data. The memory device further includes a read-write mechanism configured to read, write, and delete data stored on the data storage component. The memory device includes a read-write controller configured to control the read-write mechanism based on input received through a device interface of the memory device, wherein the device interface of the memory device is configured to connect to an external computing device. The memory device further includes a diagnostic controller configured to perform a test on at least one of the data stored on the data storage component, the data storage component, and the read-write mechanism. The memory device includes a power source configured to provide operational power to the diagnostic controller when the memory device is not connected to an external power source.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2015Date of Patent: May 15, 2018Assignee: Elwha LLCInventors: Jeffrey A. Bowers, Peter L. Hagelstein, Roderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Jordin T. Kare, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Victoria Y. H. Wood
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Patent number: 9935375Abstract: A surface scattering reflector antenna includes a plurality of adjustable scattering elements and is configured to produce a reflected beam pattern according to the configuration of the adjustable scattering elements.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2013Date of Patent: April 3, 2018Inventors: Jeffrey A. Bowers, David Jones Brady, Tom Driscoll, John Desmond Hunt, Roderick A. Hyde, Nathan Ingle Landy, Guy Shlomo Lipworth, Alexander Mrozack, David R. Smith, Clarence T. Tegreene
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Publication number: 20180090124Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods associated with acoustic transmitters, receivers, and antennas. Specifically, the present disclosure provides a transducer system for transmitting and receiving acoustic energy according to a determined acoustic emission/reception pattern. In various embodiments, an acoustic transducer system may include an array of sub-wavelength transducer elements each configured with an electromagnetic resonance at one of a plurality of electromagnetic frequencies. Each sub-wavelength transducer element may generate an acoustic emission in response to the electromagnetic resonance. A beam-forming controller may cause electromagnetic energy to be transmitted at select electromagnetic frequencies to cause a select subset of the sub-wavelength transducer elements to generate acoustic emissions according to a selectable acoustic transmission pattern. A common port may facilitate electromagnetic communication with each of the sub-wavelength transducer elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2017Publication date: March 29, 2018Inventors: Jeffrey A. Bowers, Paul Duesterhoft, Daniel Hawkins, Roderick A. Hyde, Edward K.Y. Jung, Jordin T. Kare, Eric C. Leuthardt, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Michael A. Smith, Clarence T. Tegreene, Lowell L. Wood, JR.
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Publication number: 20180077711Abstract: An automatically adjustable radiofrequency link system includes a radiofrequency transmitter configured to transmit a signal at a frequency of transmission within an extremely high frequency (EHF) band. The system further includes a receiving device configured to receive the transmitted signal and provide feedback to a processing circuit communicatively coupled to the transmitter and the receiving device, wherein the feedback is related to the received signal. The processing circuit is configured to determine required signal properties based on the feedback and determine signal loss properties including an effect of atmospheric absorption, as a function of frequency; determine a modification to the transmitted signal using the signal loss properties and the required signal properties; and adjust the frequency of transmission to obtain a desired transmission signal using the modification.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2017Publication date: March 15, 2018Applicant: Elwha LLCInventors: Jeffrey A. Bowers, Alistair K. Chan, Russell J. Hannigan, Roderick A. Hyde, Jordin T. Kare, Nathan Kundtz, Nathan P. Myhrvold, John Brian Pendry, David R. Smith, Clarence T. Tegreene, David B. Tuckerman, Charles Whitmer, Lowell L. Wood,, JR.
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Publication number: 20180031171Abstract: A thermal insulator includes a plurality of layers. At least some of the layers include phononic crystals having a phononic bandgap, wherein heat transporting phonons within a selected range of frequencies are substantially blocked by each phononic crystal layer. The plurality of layers thermally isolate a first region from a second region, wherein the first region is at one end of the plurality of layers and the second region is at the other end of the plurality of layers.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2017Publication date: February 1, 2018Applicant: Elwha LLCInventors: Paul G. Allen, Jeffrey A. Bowers, Kenneth G. Caldeira, William D. Duncan, Roderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Edward K.Y. Jung, Jordin T. Kare, John Latham, Eric C. Leuthardt, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Thomas J. Nugent,, Jr., Stephen H. Salter, Clarence T. Tegreene, David B. Tuckerman, Thomas A. Weaver, Charles Whitmer, Lowell L. Wood,, Jr., Victoria Y.H. Wood
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Publication number: 20170369383Abstract: A traceable cement mixture includes a volume of cementitious material, a plurality of taggants disposed within the volume of cementitious material according to a taggant mix ratio that is specified based on a quality of the cementitious material, and a volume of an additional material mixed with the volume of cementitious material according an additional material mix ratio.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 1, 2017Publication date: December 28, 2017Applicant: Elwha LLCInventors: Jeffrey A. Bowers, Bran Ferren, W. Daniel Hillis, Roderick A. Hyde, Jordin T. Kare, Cameron A. Myhrvold, Conor L. Myhrvold, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Thomas J. Nugent,, Jr., Tony S. Pan, Clarence T. Tegreene, David B. Tuckerman, Lowell L. Wood,, Jr.
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Patent number: 9843103Abstract: An array of scattering and/or reflector antennas are configured to produce a series of beam patterns, where in some embodiments the scattering antenna and/or the reflector antenna includes complementary metamaterial elements. In some embodiments circuitry may be configured to set a series of conditions corresponding to the array to produce the series of beam patterns, and to produce an image of an object that is illuminated by the series of beam patterns.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2014Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Inventors: Jeffrey A. Bowers, David Jones Brady, Tom Driscoll, John Desmond Hunt, Roderick A. Hyde, Nathan Ingle Landy, Guy Shlomo Lipworth, Alexander Mrozack, David R. Smith, Clarence T. Tegreene
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Patent number: 9823287Abstract: A method for providing an environmental impact rating for a solar cell includes acquiring power generation data and thermal exchange data regarding the solar cell using a data acquisition device, transmitting the power generation data and the thermal exchange data to a controller, and generating the environmental impact rating based on the power generation data and the thermal exchange data using the controller, wherein the environmental impact rating provides an indication of an environmental impact of using the solar cell.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2014Date of Patent: November 21, 2017Assignee: Elwha LLCInventors: Jeffrey A. Bowers, Kenneth G. Caldeira, Peter L. Hagelstein, Roderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Jordin T. Kare, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Clarence T. Tegreene, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Victoria Y. H. Wood
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Patent number: 9826534Abstract: An automatically adjustable radiofrequency link system includes a radiofrequency transmitter configured to transmit a signal at a frequency of transmission within an extremely high frequency (EHF) band. The system further includes a receiving device configured to receive the transmitted signal and provide feedback to a processing circuit communicatively coupled to the transmitter and the receiving device, wherein the feedback is related to the received signal. The processing circuit is configured to determine required signal properties based on the feedback and determine signal loss properties including an effect of atmospheric absorption, as a function of frequency; determine a modification to the transmitted signal using the signal loss properties and the required signal properties; and adjust the frequency of transmission to obtain a desired transmission signal using the modification.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2017Date of Patent: November 21, 2017Assignee: Elwha LLCInventors: Jeffrey A. Bowers, Alistair K. Chan, Russell J. Hannigan, Roderick A. Hyde, Jordin T. Kare, Nathan Kundtz, Nathan P. Myhrvold, John Brian Pendry, David R. Smith, Clarence T. Tegreene, David B. Tuckerman, Charles Whitmer, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
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Publication number: 20170302049Abstract: A method of pumping an optical resonator includes directing light generated by a pumping light at the optical resonator, exciting a propagating surface state of the optical resonator at an interface of the optical resonator, and changing a propagating frequency of the light proximate the interface, where the changed frequency corresponds to a propagation frequency of the surface state. The optical resonator includes a photonic crystal and a material, where the interface is formed between the photonic crystal and the material.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2017Publication date: October 19, 2017Applicant: Elwha LLCInventors: Jeffrey A. Bowers, William D. Duncan, Roderick A. Hyde, Jordin T. Kare, Nathan Kundtz, Ruopeng Liu, Bruce M. McWilliams, John B. Pendry, Daniel A. Roberts, David Schurig, David R. Smith, Clarence T. Tegreene, Lowell L. Wood,, JR.
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Patent number: 9776632Abstract: An adaptive sensing system is configured to acquire sensor data pertaining to objects in the vicinity of a land vehicle. The adaptive sensing system may be configured to identify objects that are at least partially obscured by other objects and, in response, the adaptive sensing system may be configured to modify the configuration of one or more sensors to obtain additional information pertaining to the obscured objects. The adaptive sensing system may comprise and/or be communicatively coupled to a collision detection module, which may use the sensor data acquired by the adaptive sensing system to detect potential collisions.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2013Date of Patent: October 3, 2017Assignee: ELWHA LLCInventors: Jeffrey A. Bowers, Geoffrey F. Deane, Russell J. Hannigan, Roderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Nathan Kundtz, Nathan P. Myhrvold, David R. Smith, Philip A. Sullivan, Clarence T. Tegreene, David B. Tuckerman, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
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Patent number: 9772062Abstract: A thermal insulator includes a plurality of layers. At least some of the layers include phononic crystals having a phononic bandgap, wherein heat transporting phonons within a selected range of frequencies are substantially blocked by each phononic crystal layer. The plurality of layers thermally isolate a first region from a second region, wherein the first region is at one end of the plurality of layers and the second region is at the other end of the plurality of layers.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2016Date of Patent: September 26, 2017Assignee: Elwha LLCInventors: Paul G. Allen, Jeffrey A. Bowers, Kenneth G. Caldeira, William D. Duncan, Roderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Edward K. Y. Jung, Jordin T. Kare, John Latham, Eric C. Leuthardt, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Thomas J. Nugent, Stephen H. Salter, Clarence T. Tegreene, David B. Tuckerman, Thomas A. Weaver, Charles Whitmer, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Victoria Y. H. Wood
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Patent number: 9751812Abstract: A traceable cement mixture includes a volume of cementitious material and a taggant disposed within the volume of cementitious material. The taggant includes data relating to a characteristic of the volume of cementitious material.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2014Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Assignee: Elwha LLCInventors: Jeffrey A. Bowers, Bran Ferren, W. Daniel Hillis, Roderick A. Hyde, Jordin T. Kare, Cameron A. Myhrvold, Conor L. Myhrvold, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Thomas J. Nugent, Jr., Tony S. Pan, Clarence T. Tegreene, David B. Tuckerman, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
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Patent number: 9741335Abstract: An acoustic transducer system for ultrasonic imaging may include an array of sub-wavelength ultrasonic transducer elements; at least one electromagnetically resonant element with an electromagnetic resonance within the electromagnetic frequency band coupled to each of the sub-wavelength ultrasonic transducer elements; at least one electromagnetically resonant element with an electromagnetic resonance within the electromagnetic frequency band coupled to each of the sub wavelength ultrasonic transducer elements; an electromagnetic transmission module configured to modify one or more characteristics of transmitted electromagnetic energy to effectuate an acoustic emission by the array of sub-wavelength transducer elements according to an acoustic transmission pattern corresponding to the respective electromagnetic resonance characteristics of at least some of the electromagnetically resonant elements coupled to the sub-wavelength ultrasonic transducer elements; and a common port configured to facilitate electromaType: GrantFiled: May 15, 2014Date of Patent: August 22, 2017Assignee: ELWHA LLCInventors: Jeffrey A. Bowers, Paul Duesterhoft, Daniel Hawkins, Roderick A. Hyde, Edward K. Y. Jung, Jordin T. Kare, Eric C. Leuthardt, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Michael A. Smith, Clarence T. Tegreene, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
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Publication number: 20170236423Abstract: A vehicle collision detection system may be configured to coordinate with collision detection systems of other vehicles. The coordination may comprise sharing sensor data with other vehicles, receiving sensor information from other vehicles, using sensor information to generate a collision detection model, sharing the collision detection model with other vehicles, receiving a collision detection model from other vehicles, and the like. In some embodiments, vehicles may coordinate sensor operation to form a bistatic and/or multistatic sensor configuration, in which a detection signal generated at a first land vehicle is detected at a sensing system at a second land vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2017Publication date: August 17, 2017Inventors: Jeffrey A. Bowers, Geoffrey F. Deane, Roderick A. Hyde, Nathan Kundtz, Nathan P. Myhrvold, David R. Smith, Clarence T. Tegreene, Lowell L. Wood, JR.
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Patent number: 9721726Abstract: An apparatus having reduced phononic coupling between a graphene monolayer and a substrate is provided. The apparatus includes an aerogel substrate and a monolayer of graphene coupled to the aerogel substrate.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2016Date of Patent: August 1, 2017Assignee: Elwha LLCInventors: Jeffrey A. Bowers, Alistair K. Chan, Geoffrey F. Deane, Roderick A. Hyde, Nathan Kundtz, Nathan P. Myhrvold, David R. Smith, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.