Patents by Inventor Joseph G. Michels

Joseph G. Michels 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: 20200197990
    Abstract: A control system for controlling extraction of landfill gas, comprising: at least one sensor configured to measure one or more characteristics of landfill gas; at least one flow control mechanism disposed in well piping and configured to control flow of the landfill gas through the well piping; and at least one processor configured to: obtain a measured concentration of a first gas in landfill gas; determine whether the measured concentration of the first gas is either less than a first threshold concentration or greater than a second threshold concentration; when it is determined that the measured concentration is less than the first threshold concentration, control the at least one flow control mechanism to reduce flow rate of landfill gas; and when it is determined that the concentration is greater than the second threshold concentration, control the at least one flow control mechanism to increase the flow rate of landfill gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Applicant: Loci Controls, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Campanella, Joseph G. Michels, Peter Quigley, Ian Martin
  • Patent number: 10576514
    Abstract: A control system for controlling extraction of landfill gas, comprising: at least one sensor configured to measure one or more characteristics of landfill gas; at least one flow control mechanism disposed in well piping and configured to control flow of the landfill gas through the well piping; and at least one processor configured to: obtain a measured concentration of a first gas in landfill gas; determine whether the measured concentration of the first gas is either less than a first threshold concentration or greater than a second threshold concentration; when it is determined that the measured concentration is less than the first threshold concentration, control the at least one flow control mechanism to reduce flow rate of landfill gas; and when it is determined that the concentration is greater than the second threshold concentration, control the at least one flow control mechanism to increase the flow rate of landfill gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Loci Controls, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Campanella, Joseph G. Michels, Peter Quigley, Ian Martin
  • Patent number: 10576515
    Abstract: A control system for controlling extraction of landfill gas, the system comprising: at least one sensor; at least one flow control mechanism; and at least one processor configured to perform: obtaining a first measure of energy content in a first portion of landfill gas; controlling the at least one flow control mechanism to increase a flow rate of landfill gas; after the controlling, obtaining a second measure of energy content in a second portion of landfill gas; when it is determined that the second measure of energy content is greater than the first measure of energy content, controlling the at least one flow control mechanism to increase the flow rate of landfill gas; and when it is determined that the second measure of energy content is less than the first measure of energy content, controlling the at least one flow control mechanism to decrease the flow rate of landfill gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Loci Controls, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Campanella, Joseph G. Michels, Peter Quigley, Ian Martin
  • Patent number: 10449579
    Abstract: A control system for controlling extraction of landfill gas, the system comprising: at least one sensor; at least one flow control mechanism; and at least one processor configured to perform: obtaining a first measure of energy content in a first portion of landfill gas; controlling the at least one flow control mechanism to increase a flow rate of landfill gas; after the controlling, obtaining a second measure of energy content in a second portion of landfill gas; when it is determined that the second measure of energy content is greater than the first measure of energy content, controlling the at least one flow control mechanism to increase the flow rate of landfill gas; and when it is determined that the second measure of energy content is less than the first measure of energy content, controlling the at least one flow control mechanism to decrease the flow rate of landfill gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Loci Controls, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Campanella, Joseph G. Michels, Peter Quigley, Ian Martin
  • Publication number: 20190277821
    Abstract: A control system for controlling extraction of landfill gas from a landfill via a gas extraction system comprising well piping, the landfill gas having a first temperature when extracted, the control system comprising: a gas composition chamber coupled to the well piping and comprising at least one sensor configured to measure one or more characteristics of a landfill gas sample in the gas composition chamber; a temperature control mechanism configured to heat the landfill gas sample in the gas composition chamber to a second temperature at least a threshold amount greater than the first temperature; and a controller configured to control the at least one sensor to measure the one or more characteristics of the landfill gas sample in the gas composition chamber when a temperature of the landfill gas sample in the gas composition chamber is at least the threshold amount greater than the first temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Inventors: Peter Quigley, Ian Martin, Joseph G. Michels, Melinda Sims
  • Patent number: 10400560
    Abstract: A control system for controlling extraction of landfill gas, the system comprising: at least one atmospheric pressure sensor configured to measure atmospheric pressure; at least one flow control mechanism disposed in well piping and configured to control flow of the landfill gas through the well piping; and at least one processor configured to perform: obtaining a first atmospheric pressure; obtaining a second atmospheric pressure value; determining whether the second atmospheric pressure value is greater than the first atmospheric pressure value; when it is determined that the second atmospheric pressure value is greater than the first atmospheric pressure value, controlling the at least one flow control mechanism to decrease the flow rate of landfill gas; and when it is determined that the second atmospheric pressure value is less than the first atmospheric pressure value, controlling the at least one flow control mechanism to increase the flow rate of landfill gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Loci Controls, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Campanella, Joseph G. Michels, Peter Quigley, Ian Martin
  • Publication number: 20170254787
    Abstract: An apparatus for sampling landfill gas from a landfill flowing through a pipe. The apparatus may comprise: an enclosure configured to receive a section of the pipe; a gas sampling port in the section of the pipe; at least one sensor device disposed in a region of the enclosure, the at least one sensor being coupled to the section of the pipe through the gas sampling port; and thermal insulation positioned to retain heat from the section of the pipe in the region of the enclosure. A method of operating a landfill gas recovery system. The method may comprise: flowing gas from a well riser pipe through a sampling subsystem to a collection system; and heating a portion of the sampling subsystem with the gas flowing from the well riser pipe to the collection system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: Andrew Campanella, Ian Martin, Joseph G. Michels, Nathan Pallo, Peter Quigley
  • Publication number: 20170254196
    Abstract: An apparatus for sampling landfill gas from a landfill flowing through a pipe. The apparatus may comprise: an enclosure configured to receive a section of the pipe; a gas sampling port in the section of the pipe; at least one sensor device disposed in a region of the enclosure, the at least one sensor being coupled to the section of the pipe through the gas sampling port; and thermal insulation positioned to retain heat from the section of the pipe in the region of the enclosure. A method of operating a landfill gas recovery system. The method may comprise: flowing gas from a well riser pipe through a sampling subsystem to a collection system; and heating a portion of the sampling subsystem with the gas flowing from the well riser pipe to the collection system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: Andrew Campanella, Ian Martin, Joseph G. Michels, Nathan Pallo, Peter Quigley
  • Publication number: 20170218731
    Abstract: A control system for controlling extraction of landfill gas, the system comprising: at least one sensor; at least one flow control mechanism; and at least one processor configured to perform: obtaining a first measure of energy content in a first portion of landfill gas; controlling the at least one flow control mechanism to increase a flow rate of landfill gas; after the controlling, obtaining a second measure of energy content in a second portion of landfill gas; when it is determined that the second measure of energy content is greater than the first measure of energy content, controlling the at least one flow control mechanism to increase the flow rate of landfill gas; and when it is determined that the second measure of energy content is less than the first measure of energy content, controlling the at least one flow control mechanism to decrease the flow rate of landfill gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Andrew Campanella, Joseph G. Michels, Peter Quigley, Ian Martin
  • Publication number: 20170218732
    Abstract: A control system for controlling extraction of landfill gas, the system comprising: at least one atmospheric pressure sensor configured to measure atmospheric pressure; at least one flow control mechanism disposed in well piping and configured to control flow of the landfill gas through the well piping; and at least one processor configured to perform: obtaining a first atmospheric pressure; obtaining a second atmospheric pressure value; determining whether the second atmospheric pressure value is greater than the first atmospheric pressure value; when it is determined that the second atmospheric pressure value is greater than the first atmospheric pressure value, controlling the at least one flow control mechanism to decrease the flow rate of landfill gas; and when it is determined that the second atmospheric pressure value is less than the first atmospheric pressure value, controlling the at least one flow control mechanism to increase the flow rate of landfill gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Andrew Campanella, Joseph G. Michels, Peter Quigley, Ian Martin
  • Publication number: 20170218730
    Abstract: A control system for controlling extraction of landfill gas, comprising: at least one sensor configured to measure one or more characteristics of landfill gas; at least one flow control mechanism disposed in well piping and configured to control flow of the landfill gas through the well piping; and at least one processor configured to: obtain a measured concentration of a first gas in landfill gas; determine whether the measured concentration of the first gas is either less than a first threshold concentration or greater than a second threshold concentration; when it is determined that the measured concentration is less than the first threshold concentration, control the at least one flow control mechanism to reduce flow rate of landfill gas; and when it is determined that the concentration is greater than the second threshold concentration, control the at least one flow control mechanism to increase the flow rate of landfill gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Andrew Campanella, Joseph G. Michels, Peter Quigley, Ian Martin
  • Patent number: 7897031
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, method and computer program product directed to controlling corrosion, particularly space weather induced corrosion, of a conductive structure in contact with a corrosive environment and coated with a semiconductive coating, where the corrosion is controlled by a controllable filter and a corresponding electronic control unit configured to process and adjust the controllable filter in response to at least one measured parameter associated with space weather effects on the conductive structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Applied Semiconductor International Ltd.
    Inventors: David B. Dowling, Farshad Khorrami, Joseph G. Michels, Mikhail Panasyuk
  • Publication number: 20100025261
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, method and computer program product directed to controlling corrosion, particularly space weather induced corrosion, of a conductive structure in contact with a corrosive environment and coated with a semiconductive coating, where the corrosion is controlled by a controllable filter and a corresponding electronic control unit configured to process and adjust the controllable filter in response to at least one measured parameter associated with space weather effects on the conductive structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Applicant: APPLIED SEMICONDUCTOR INTERNATIONAL LTD.
    Inventors: David B. DOWLING, Farshad Khorrami, Joseph G. Michels, Mikhail I. Panasyuk