Patents by Inventor John B. Wilkerson

John B. Wilkerson 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: 10001577
    Abstract: A detector/sensor/locator device for objects and materials of interest comprises a Faraday cage for containing or suspending a sample object or material of interest. The object or material of interest under principles of quantum theory emits electromagnetic radiation having a unique electromagnetic signature. The Faraday cage may have a cone-shape or interchangeable, cylindrical shape. The latter has a similar diameter to a barrel of the device so as to be interchangeable, preloaded with a material to be detected and connectable at the choice of a user for channeling emitted electromagnetic waves from the material upward to the barrel. The barrel of the device has mounted therein an L-shaped antenna element which may be free to rotate horizontally about the barrel or fixed in parallel with a second antenna element of similar length extending from a side of the barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: avaSensor, LLC
    Inventors: Fred D. Tompkins, John B. Wilkerson, Arpad A. Vass, Timothy R. Hutchison
  • Publication number: 20180113232
    Abstract: A detector/sensor/locator device for objects and materials of interest comprises a Faraday cage for containing or suspending a sample object or material of interest. The object or material of interest under principles of quantum theory emits electromagnetic radiation having a unique electromagnetic signature. The Faraday cage may have a cone-shape or interchangeable, cylindrical shape. The latter has a similar diameter to a barrel of the device so as to be interchangeable, preloaded with a material to be detected and connectable at the choice of a user for channeling emitted electromagnetic waves from the material upward to the barrel. The barrel of the device has mounted therein an L-shaped antenna element which may be free to rotate horizontally about the barrel or fixed in parallel with a second antenna element of similar length extending from a side of the barrel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Publication date: April 26, 2018
    Inventors: Fred D. Tompkins, John B. Wilkerson, Arpad A. Vass, Timothy R. Hutchison
  • Patent number: 9784877
    Abstract: A detector/sensor/locator device for objects and materials of interest comprises a Faraday cage for containing or suspending a sample object or material of interest. The object or material of interest under principles of quantum theory emits electromagnetic radiation having a unique electromagnetic signature. The Faraday cage may have a cone-shape for channeling emitted electromagnetic waves upward to a barrel having mounted therein an L-shaped antenna element which may be free to rotate horizontally about the barrel or fixed in parallel with a second antenna element of similar length extending from a side of the barrel. The first and second antennae elements cooperate to detect, sense the presence of and locate a target object, the free-to-rotate antenna element capable of pointing in the direction of the target object or material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: AvaSensor, LLC
    Inventors: Fred D. Tompkins, John B. Wilkerson, Arpad A. Vass, Timothy R. Hutchison
  • Publication number: 20170160417
    Abstract: A detector/sensor/locator device for objects and materials of interest comprises a Faraday cage for containing or suspending a sample object or material of interest. The object or material of interest under principles of quantum theory emits electromagnetic radiation having a unique electromagnetic signature. The Faraday cage may have a cone-shape for channeling emitted electromagnetic waves upward to a barrel having mounted therein an L-shaped antenna element which may be free to rotate horizontally about the barrel or fixed in parallel with a second antenna element of similar length extending from a side of the barrel. The first and second antennae elements cooperate to detect, sense the presence of and locate a target object, the free-to-rotate antenna element capable of pointing in the direction of the target object or material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Fred D. Tompkins, John B. Wilkerson, Arpad A. Vass, Timothy R. Hutchison
  • Publication number: 20150253452
    Abstract: A detector/sensor/locator device for objects and materials of interest comprises a Faraday cage for containing or suspending a sample object or material of interest. The object or material of interest under principles of quantum theory emits electromagnetic radiation having a unique electromagnetic signature. The Faraday cage may have a cone-shape for channeling emitted electromagnetic waves upward to a barrel having mounted therein an L-shaped antenna element which may be free to rotate horizontally about the barrel or fixed in parallel with a second antenna element of similar length extending from a side of the barrel. The first and second antennae elements cooperate to detect, sense the presence of and locate a target object, the antennae elements pointing in the direction of the target object or material. A magnetometer may be attached to an antenna element and monitored for electromagnetic field strength. Two magnets may be attached to the antenna elements to enhance the magnetic field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Inventors: Fred D. Tompkins, John B. Wilkerson, Arpad A. Vass, Timothy R. Hutchison
  • Patent number: 8074585
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for dispensing fluids. The systems can include a sensor operable to detect when an object passes a first location as the object moves to a second location. The systems can also include a fluid dispenser operable to dispense fluid at the second location. In addition, the systems can include a control unit in communication with the sensor and the fluid dispenser. The control unit can receive information from the sensor that the object has passed the first location and to control the fluid dispenser to dispense fluid at the second location at a predetermined time after the object passes the first location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: University of Tennessee Research Foundation
    Inventors: John B. Wilkerson, John H. Hancock, Fred H. Moody, Melvin A. Newman
  • Publication number: 20080202398
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for dispensing fluids. The systems can include a sensor operable to detect when an object passes a first location as the object moves to a second location. The systems can also include a fluid dispenser operable to dispense fluid at the second location. In addition, the systems can include a control unit in communication with the sensor and the fluid dispenser. The control unit can receive information from the sensor that the object has passed the first location and to control the fluid dispenser to dispense fluid at the second location at a predetermined time after the object passes the first location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2008
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Inventors: John B. Wilkerson, John H. Hancock, Fred H. Moody, Melvin A. Newman
  • Patent number: 7370589
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for dispensing fluids. The systems can include a sensor operable to detect when an object passes a first location as the object moves to a second location. The systems can also include a fluid dispenser operable to dispense fluid at the second location. In addition, the systems can include a control unit in communication with the sensor and the fluid dispenser. The control unit can receive information from the sensor that the object has passed the first location and to control the fluid dispenser to dispense fluid at the second location at a predetermined time after the object passes the first location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: University of Tennessee Research Foundation
    Inventors: John B. Wilkerson, John H. Hancock, Fred H. Moody, Melvin A. Newman
  • Publication number: 20040231575
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for dispensing fluids. The systems can include a sensor operable to detect when an object passes a first location as the object moves to a second location. The systems can also include a fluid dispenser operable to dispense fluid at the second location. In addition, the systems can include a control unit in communication with the sensor and the fluid dispenser. The control unit can receive information from the sensor that the object has passed the first location and to control the fluid dispenser to dispense fluid at the second location at a predetermined time after the object passes the first location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Applicant: The University of Tennessee Research Foundation
    Inventors: John B. Wilkerson, John H. Hancock, Fred H. Moody, Melvin A. Newman
  • Patent number: 5920018
    Abstract: A sensor for non-intrusively measuring the volumetric flow rate of materials, such as cotton, in a confined air stream is disclosed. The sensor is mounted on a conduit through which an air entrained material such as cotton flows. The sensor has an emitter unit having a number of light sources such as an LED which emit light beams normal to the longitudinal axis of the conduit. The sensor also has a detector unit which detects the light beams from the light sources. The light beams are detected by light-to-frequency circuits which generate a signal indicative of the sensed light. The light beams are attenuated depending on the amount of material passing through the conduit. The generated signal is sent to a counter circuit. The counter outputs are coupled to a processor circuit which calculates the quantity of material flowing through the light beam as a function of the frequency signal and a baseline frequency signal indicative of the level of light detected when no material is flowing through the light beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignee: The University of Tennessee Research Corporation
    Inventors: John B. Wilkerson, Fred Henry Moody, III, Joseph Shellie Kirby