Patents by Inventor Keith J. Thompson

Keith J. Thompson 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: 20110277454
    Abstract: Described herein are various embodiments of an apparatus and system for trapping debris and arresting sparks that overcomes at least some shortcomings of the prior art approaches. According to one embodiment, an apparatus is disclosed for mitigating failure of an exhaust after-treatment component in an internal combustion engine system capable of generating an exhaust gas stream. The apparatus includes a housing that includes an exhaust inlet, exhaust outlet, and exhaust flow channel positioned between the exhaust inlet and outlet. Also, the apparatus includes a tubular-shaped mesh screen positioned substantially entirely within the exhaust flow channel. The mesh screen includes a closed end positioned proximate the exhaust inlet of the housing and an opposing open end positioned proximate the exhaust outlet of the housing. The mesh screen is configured to capture failed exhaust after-treatment component particles within the exhaust gas stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2010
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: CUMMINS FILTRATION IP, INC
    Inventors: Peter Christianson, Keith J. Thompson
  • Patent number: 7845656
    Abstract: A drywall bucket and tool carrying cart has a main body with an interior space and open top to receive and retain a drywall compound bucket and five legs extending downwardly and outwardly from the perimeter of the body of the cart. Lockable rollers extend from the bottoms of the legs. A shelf attaches to the legs below the body of the cart. A slotted rim for tools with at least one handle surrounds the upper perimeter of the cart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Thompson/McMahon Industries LLC
    Inventor: Keith J. Thompson
  • Publication number: 20100288926
    Abstract: The present invention relates to atom probe data and associated systems and methods. Aspects of the invention are directed toward a computing system configured to predict a characteristic associated with an atom probe specimen that includes a data set receiving component configured to receive a three-dimensional data set associated with a portion of the specimen. The system further includes a predicting/calculating component configured to predict the characteristic associated with the specimen based on the data set. Other aspects of the invention are directed toward a method for evaluating a manufacturing process using atom probe data that includes receiving a three-dimensional data set associated with a portion of a microelectronic assembly produced by a manufacturing process. The method further includes determining a variation between the data set and a configuration expected to result from the manufacturing process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Inventors: Scott A. Wiener, Thomas F. Kelly, David J. Larson, Keith J. Thompson, Robert M. Ulfig, Brian P. Geiser, Thomas C. Kunicki, Raymond W. O'Neill, Jason Schneir
  • Publication number: 20090138995
    Abstract: The present invention relates to treatments for atom probe components. For example, certain aspects are directed toward processes for treating an atom probe component that includes removing material from a surface of the atom probe component (e.g., using an ion beam, a plasma, a chemical etching process, and/or photonic energy). Another aspect of the invention is directed toward a method for treating an atom probe specimen that includes using a computing device to automatically control a voltage used in an ion sputtering process. Still other aspects of the invention are directed toward methods for treating an atom probe component that includes introducing photonic energy proximate to a surface of the atom probe component, annealing at least a portion of a surface of the atom probe component, coating at least a portion of a surface of the atom probe component, and/or cooling at least a portion of the atom probe component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2006
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Inventors: Thomas F. Kelly, David J. Larson, Richard L. Martens, Keith J. Thompson, Robert M. Ulfig, Scott A. Wiener
  • Publication number: 20090114620
    Abstract: A method for treating an atom probe electrode (120), which comprises the steps of providing an atom electrode (120) having a surface (123) and an aperture (122); and removing material (604) from the surface (123) to reduce a potential of the atom probe electrode creating a non-uniformity in an electric field (502) when the atom probe electrode is used in a atom probe device during specimen analysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2005
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Applicant: Imago Scientific Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Robert M. Ulfig, Joseph H. Bunton, Thomas F. Kelly, David J. Larson, Richard L. Martens, Keith J. Thompson, Scott A. Wiener
  • Publication number: 20080272566
    Abstract: A drywall bucket and tool carrying cart has a main body with an interior space and open top to receive and retain a drywall compound bucket and five legs extending downwardly and outwardly from the perimeter of the body of the cart. Lockable rollers extend from the bottoms of the legs. A shelf attaches to the legs below the body of the cart. A slotted rim for tools with at least one handle surrounds the upper perimeter of the cart.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2007
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Inventor: Keith J. Thompson
  • Patent number: 6951798
    Abstract: A method of bonding multiple layers is provided. The method includes the steps of stacking the multiple layers on top of each other and volumetrically heating the stack of multiple layers to a predetermined temperature. It is preferred that the stack is heated by electromagnetic induction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: John H. Booske, Keith J. Thompson, Yogesh B. Gianchandani, Reid F. Cooper
  • Patent number: 6914004
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for via etching in a dielectric material includes providing a wafer (200) having a substrate (202), an etch stop layer (210) disposed outwardly from the substrate, an Organo-Silica-Glass layer (212) disposed outwardly from the etch stop layer (210), and a photoresist layer (216) disposed outwardly from the Organo-Silica-Glass layer (212), and positioning the wafer (200) within a process chamber (114). The method further includes introducing a first source gas mixture (110) into the process chamber (114) to etch a first portion of the Organo-Silica-Glass layer (212) utilizing the first source gas mixture (110), and introducing a second source gas mixture (110) into the process chamber (114) to etch, for a predetermined time period, a second portion of the Organo-Silica-Glass layer (212) down to the etch stop layer (210). The second source gas mixture (110) includes a fluorocarbon, a noble gas, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Keith J. Thompson
  • Publication number: 20030064601
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for via etching in a dielectric material includes providing a wafer (200) having a substrate (202), an etch stop layer (210) disposed outwardly from the substrate, an Organo-Silica-Glass layer (212) disposed outwardly from the etch stop layer (210), and a photoresist layer (216) disposed outwardly from the Organo-Silica-Glass layer (212), and positioning the wafer (200) within a process chamber (114). The method further includes introducing a first source gas mixture (110) into the process chamber (114) to etch a first portion of the Organo-Silica-Glass layer (212) utilizing the first source gas mixture (110), and introducing a second source gas mixture (110) into the process chamber (114) to etch, for a predetermined time period, a second portion of the Organo-Silica-Glass layer (212) down to the etch stop layer (210). The second source gas mixture (110) includes a fluorocarbon, a noble gas, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2002
    Publication date: April 3, 2003
    Inventor: Keith J. Thompson
  • Publication number: 20030000638
    Abstract: A method of bonding multiple layers is provided. The method includes the steps of stacking the multiple layers on top of each other and volumetrically heating the stack of multiple layers to a predetermined temperature. It is preferred that the stack is heated by electromagnetic induction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2002
    Publication date: January 2, 2003
    Applicant: WISCONSIN ALUMNI RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: John H. Booske, Keith J. Thompson, Yogesh B. Gianchandani, Reid F. Cooper
  • Patent number: 6195676
    Abstract: An integrated software architecture for a highly parallel multiprocessor system having multiple tightly-coupled processors that share a common memory efficiently controls the interface with and execution of programs on such a multiprocessor system. The software architecture combines a symmetrically integrated multithreaded operating system and an integrated parallel user environment. The operating system distributively implements an anarchy-based scheduling model for the scheduling of processes and resources by allowing each processor to access a single image of the operating system stored in the common memory that operates on a common set of operating system shared resources. The user environment provides a common visual representation for a plurality of program development tools that provide compilation, execution and debugging capabilities for multithreaded user programs and assumes parallelism as the standard mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Silicon Graphics, Inc.
    Inventors: George A. Spix, Diane M. Wengelski, Stuart W. Hawkinson, Mark D. Johnson, Jeremiah D. Burke, Keith J. Thompson, Gregory G. Gaertner, Giacomo G. Brussino, Richard E. Hessel, David M. Barkai, Steve S. Chen, Steven G. Oslon, Robert E. Strout, II, Jon A. Masamitsu, David M. Cox, Linda J. O'Gara, Kelly T. O'Hair, David A. Seberger, James C. Rasbold, Timothy J. Cramer, Don A. Van Dyke, Ashok Chandramouli
  • Patent number: 5452452
    Abstract: Method for enabling each of several processors in a multi-processing operating system to schedule processes it will execute without a supervisory scheduler. The processes are executed on the basis of priorities assigned to the processes. More than one processor can schedule processes simultaneously so long as each processor schedules processes having different priority levels from those being processed by another processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1995
    Assignee: Cray Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory G. Gaetner, George A. Spix, Diane M. Wengelski, Keith J. Thompson
  • Patent number: 5390329
    Abstract: A method of providing fast and efficient kernel functions including those usually performed by kernel daemons and other kernel processes such as those which service interrupts. The method consists of using minimal-context processes that carry only the system-related information needed to do the work they are created to do. Compared to the full-context processes presently used to do kernel functions, minimal-context processes are created quickly and switch economically. If associated with a work queue, the minimal-context process performs a series of tasks within a single active session. If no queue is used, a minimal-context process can wake up and accomplish a single task rapidly. The method generally relates to kernel-based operating systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Assignee: Cray Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory G. Gaertner, Diane M. Wengelski, Keith J. Thompson
  • Patent number: 5339415
    Abstract: On a tightly coupled multiprocessor computer system, the multiple parallel regions of a multithreaded applications program can execute simultaneously as multiple threads on a plurality of processors. Furthermore, a plurality of multithreaded programs may run simultaneously. The current invention uses an efficient system to schedule and reschedule processors to run these multiple threads. Scheduling is integrated at two levels: at the first level, processors are assigned processes. At the next level, processes are assigned threads. Increased efficiency is achieved by this integration and also by the formation of processes with destructible context. It makes use of shared storage to indicate the process request level and the control state for each parallel region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1994
    Assignee: Cray Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Strout, II, George A. Spix, Jon A. Masamitsu, David M. Cox, Gregory G. Gaertner, Diane M. Wengelski, Keith J. Thompson
  • Patent number: 5202988
    Abstract: Communication among processors having differing operating speeds by providing wake queues in which slower processors can queue entries, access to which by multiple concurrent producers and multiple concurrent consumers is synchronized or controlled using global registers. When a faster processor executes a kernel process for handling a wake queue, an entry is fetched from the wake queue and information stored in the entry is used to process the entry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1993
    Assignee: Supercomputer Systems Limited Partnership
    Inventors: George A. Spix, Gregory G. Gaertner, Diane M. Wengelski, Keith J. Thompson
  • Patent number: 5179702
    Abstract: An integrated software architecture for a highly parallel multiprocessor system having multiple tightly-coupled processors that share a common memory efficiently controls the interface with and execution of programs on such a multiprocessor system. The software architecture combines a symmetrically integrated multithreaded operating system and an integrated parallel user environment. The operating system distributively implements an anarchy-based scheduling model for the scheduling of processes and resources by allowing each processor to access a single image of the operating system stored in the common memory that operates on a common set of operating system shared resources. The user environment provides a common visual representation for a plurality of program development tools that provide compilation, execution and debugging capabilities for multithreaded user programs and assumes parallelism as the standard mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1993
    Assignee: Supercomputer Systems Limited Partnership
    Inventors: George A. Spix, Diane M. Wengelski, Stuart W. Hawkinson, Mark D. Johnson, Jeremiah D. Burke, Keith J. Thompson, Gregory G. Gaertner, Giacomo G. Brussino, Richard E. Hessel, David M. Barkai, Steve S. Chen, Steven G. Oslon, Robert E. Strout, II, Jon A. Masamitsu, David M. Cox, Linda J. O'Gara, Kelly T. O'Hair, David A. Seberger, James C. Rasbold, Timothy J. Cramer, Don A. Van Dyke, Ashok Chandramouli
  • Patent number: D660540
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Thompson/McMahon Industries LLC
    Inventors: Keith J. Thompson, James McMahon