Patents by Inventor John Steffens

John Steffens 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: 11719213
    Abstract: Systems and methods for preventing activation of a starter when engine speed is above a threshold engine speed value are disclosed. In examples, an engine driven power system includes an engine and a current transformer to generate an induced current in response to an excitation current from an excitation circuit. As the excitation current is induced in response to rotational movement of the engine, the excitation current and the induced current exhibits characteristics corresponding to engine speed. A control circuit receives a signal from the current transformer representing characteristics representative of engine speed and determines the engine speed, compares the characteristics to a list of values that correlates current characteristics to engine speed, compare a list of threshold engine speed values to the calculated engine speed value, and prevents activation of an engine starter if the control circuitry determines that the engine speed exceeds the threshold engine speed value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Travis Orvedahl, John Steffens
  • Publication number: 20210115890
    Abstract: Systems and methods for preventing activation of a starter when engine speed is above a threshold engine speed value are disclosed. In examples, an engine driven power system includes an engine and a current transformer to generate an induced current in response to an excitation current from an excitation circuit. As the excitation current is induced in response to rotational movement of the engine, the excitation current and the induced current exhibits characteristics corresponding to engine speed. A control circuit receives a signal from the current transformer representing characteristics representative of engine speed and determines the engine speed, compares the characteristics to a list of values that correlates current characteristics to engine speed, compare a list of threshold engine speed values to the calculated engine speed value, and prevents activation of an engine starter if the control circuitry determines that the engine speed exceeds the threshold engine speed value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventors: Travis Orvedahl, John Steffens
  • Patent number: 9238818
    Abstract: Expression cassettes causing specific regulatory control of transgene expression in plants, wherein the expression cassettes include regulatory sequences from the MADS gene family for expression of recombinant gene products in the reproductive tissue of plants for the purpose of generating maize plants with altered lignin content of the cobs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Syngenta Participations AG
    Inventors: Royston E. Carter, John Steffens, Michael Nuccio, Lawrence M. Lagrimini
  • Publication number: 20150203860
    Abstract: Methods and compositions for increasing the starch content in green tissues of a plant are provided. The method comprises down-regulating me activity of starch degradation enzymes in a plant. The resulting transgenic plants of the invention have increased starch content in green tissues and exhibit a starch excess phenotype. In one embodiment the method involves manipulating a monocot plant to down-regulate the activity of a starch degradation enzyme. The plants are useful for improving the yield of free sugars from plant biomass and increase dried green tissue storage stability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Applicant: AGRIVIDA, INC.
    Inventors: Michael B. Lanahan, John Steffens
  • Patent number: 9018447
    Abstract: Methods and compositions for increasing the starch content in green tissues of a plant are provided. The method comprises down-regulating the activity of starch degradation enzymes in a plant. The resulting transgenic plants of the invention have increased starch content in green tissues and exhibit a starch excess phenotype. In one embodiment the method involves manipulating a monocot plant to down-regulate the activity of a starch degradation enzyme. The plants are useful for improving the yield of free sugars from plant biomass and increase dried green tissue storage stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Agrivida, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael B. Lanahan, John Steffens
  • Patent number: 8999699
    Abstract: Compositions and methods are provided for treating lignocellulosic material with a xylanase enzyme having xylanase activity. The enzyme is stable and active at increased pHs and temperatures. The present invention therefore provides methods for hydrolyzing lignocellulosic material, especially cellulose and hemicellulose, which are major components of the cell wall of non-woody and woody plants. The methods for hydrolyzing cellulose and hemicellulose can be used on any plant, wood or wood product, wood waste, paper pulp, paper product or paper waste or byproduct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Syngenta Participations AG
    Inventors: John Steffens, Paul Oeller, Yoshimi Barron
  • Publication number: 20140283215
    Abstract: Methods and compositions for increasing the starch content in cob tissues of a plant are provided. The method comprises down-regulating the activity of starch degradation enzymes in a plant. The resulting transgenic plants of the invention have increased starch content in cob tissues. In one embodiment the method involves manipulating a monocot plant to down-regulate the activity of a starch degradation enzyme in cob tissues. The plants are useful for improving the yield of free sugars from plant biomass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: SYNGENTA PARTICIPATIONS AG
    Inventor: John Steffens
  • Publication number: 20130273611
    Abstract: Compositions and methods are provided for treating lignocellulosic material with a xylanase enzyme having xylanase activity. The enzyme is stable and active at increased pHs and temperatures. The present invention therefore provides methods for hydrolyzing lignocellulosic material, especially cellulose and hemicellulose, which are major components of the cell wall of non-woody and woody plants. The methods for hydrolyzing cellulose and hemicellulose can be used on any plant, wood or wood product, wood waste, paper pulp, paper product or paper waste or byproduct.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: SYNGENTA BIOTECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventors: John Steffens, Paul Oeller, Yoshimi Barron
  • Publication number: 20120054915
    Abstract: Methods and compositions for increasing the starch content in cob tissues of a plant are provided. The method comprises down-regulating the activity of starch degradation enzymes in a plant. The resulting transgenic plants of the invention have increased starch content in cob tissues. In one embodiment the method involves manipulating a monocot plant to down-regulate the activity of a starch degradation enzyme in cob tissues. The plants are useful for improving the yield of free sugars from plant biomass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: SYNGENTA PARTICIPATIONS AG
    Inventor: John Steffens
  • Publication number: 20100218278
    Abstract: A method of improving the vigor or yield of a crop plant is disclosed herein. The method involves introgressing a transgenic event comprising transgenes that encode an insecticidal protein and selectable marker protein into a crop plant, wherein the transgenic event and/or a protein thereof modulates in a transgenic crop plant tolerance to at least one abiotic stress condition when grown in a location essentially free of an insect pest population that is susceptible to the insecticidal protein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Applicant: SYNGENTA PARTICIPATIONS AG
    Inventors: Larry Von Kaster, JR., Bruce A. Battles, Wayne Alan Fithian, John Steffens, Tracy L. Mader
  • Publication number: 20100071092
    Abstract: Expression cassettes causing specific regulatory control of transgene expression in plants, wherein the expression cassettes include regulatory sequences from the MADS gene family for expression of recombinant gene products in the reproductive tissue of plants for the purpose of generating maize plants with altered lignin content of the cobs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Inventors: Royston E. Carter, John Steffens, Michael Nuccio, Lawrence M. Lagrimini
  • Publication number: 20090119800
    Abstract: Methods and compositions for increasing the starch content in green tissues of a plant are provided. The method comprises down-regulating me activity of starch degradation enzymes in a plant. The resulting transgenic plants of the invention have increased starch content in green tissues and exhibit a starch excess phenotype. In one embodiment the method involves manipulating a monocot plant to down-regulate the activity of a starch degradation enzyme. The plants are useful for improving the yield of free sugars from plant biomass and increase dried green tissue storage stability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2008
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Applicant: SYNGENTA PARTICIPATIONS AG
    Inventors: Michael B. Lanahan, John Steffens
  • Publication number: 20060260011
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and genetic constructs for the control of expression of enzymes involved in lignin biosynthesis in plants. The method involves the use of double-stranded RNAi to down-regulate or knock out the expression of the CAD and COMT genes. In particular embodiments the method involves the use of cob-specific or cob-preferred promoters for down-regulation of lignin biosynthesis in the cobs of corn plants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Publication date: November 16, 2006
    Applicant: Syngenta Participations AG
    Inventors: Royston Carter, John Steffens
  • Publication number: 20030135880
    Abstract: This invention describes methods, transgenic plants and transgenic microorganisms for the biosynthesis of halogenated natural products, where the halogenation is substrate and regiospecific. In particular, this invention relates to the use of halogenated metabolites, produced by the method of the invention, for the protection of host organisms against pathogens, more particularly, to the protection of plants against phytopathogens. In this aspect, the invention provides transgenic plants with enhanced resistance to phytopathogens, and biocontrol organisms with enhanced biocontrol properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2002
    Publication date: July 17, 2003
    Inventors: John Steffens, Chris Batie, Jon Marquiz Dietz, Jian Dong, Kim Puloma Kamdar, Dwight Steven Hill