Patents by Inventor Kevin D. Thompson

Kevin D. 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: 20240074218
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are organic photosensitive devices including at least one exciton-blocking charge carrier filter. The filters comprise a mixture of at least one wide energy gap material and at least one electron or hole conducting material. As described herein, the novel filters simultaneously block excitons and conduct the desired charge carrier (electrons or holes).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Stephen R. Forrest, Xin Xiao, Jeramy D. Zimmerman, Kevin Bergemann, Anurag Panda, Brian E. Lassiter, Mark E. Thompson, Andrew N. Bartynski, Cong Trinh
  • Patent number: 11378300
    Abstract: An air conditioning unit includes a passage having a heat exchanger; a blower for blowing air through the passage; a blower motor driving the blower in response to a drive signal; an energy recovery ventilator (ERV), the blower drawing outside air from the ERV; and a controller for adjusting the drive signal in a ventilation mode to reduce power used by the blower motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dwight H. Heberer, Daniel J. Dempsey, Kevin D. Thompson, Eric W. Adams, Kent Kuffner
  • Publication number: 20190154292
    Abstract: An air conditioning unit includes a passage having a heat exchanger; a blower for blowing air through the passage; a blower motor driving the blower in response to a drive signal; an energy recovery ventilator (ERV), the blower drawing outside air from the ERV; and a controller for adjusting the drive signal in a ventilation mode to reduce power used by the blower motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Dwight H. Heberer, Daniel J. Dempsey, Kevin D. Thompson, Eric W. Adams, Kent Kuffner
  • Patent number: 10254008
    Abstract: A method and system for operating a modulating furnace from a single-stage thermostat. The furnace control system may include a processor, a gas valve, a variable-speed motor, and a thermostat. The furnace control may execute a thermostat algorithm comprising the steps of: determining if a heating load needs to be satisfied; running burners at an intermediate input rate, a modulated input rate, and a maximum input rate for each respective first, second, and third time intervals until the heating load is satisfied; calculating a heating load requirement as function of the time intervals; and determining an initial input rate for a next cycle based on the calculated heating load requirement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kevin D. Thompson
  • Patent number: 10222085
    Abstract: An air conditioning unit includes a passage having a heat exchanger; a blower for blowing air through the passage; a blower motor driving the blower in response to a drive signal; an energy recovery ventilator (ERV), the blower drawing outside air from the ERV; and a controller for adjusting the drive signal in a ventilation mode to reduce power used by the blower motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dwight H. Heberer, Daniel J. Dempsey, Kevin D. Thompson, Eric W. Adams, Kent Kuffner
  • Patent number: 10094591
    Abstract: A method for operating a furnace system includes initiating a start sequence comprising starting an inducer fan operative to induce an air flow through a burner assembly, a heat exchanger portion and a collector portion, determining whether an air pressure in the collector portion is above a first threshold value, starting a furnace ignition sequence including providing fuel to the burner assembly, igniting a fuel and air mixture and starting an ignition timer responsive to determining that the air pressure in the collector portion is above the first threshold value, determining whether the ignition timer has expired, determining whether the air pressure in the collector portion is above a second threshold value responsive to determining that the ignition timer has expired, and stopping the provision of fuel to the burner assembly responsive to determining that the air pressure in the collector portion is not above the second threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Duane D. Garloch, Kevin D. Thompson
  • Patent number: 9200847
    Abstract: A method of controlling a blower motor in a furnace includes applying control signals to the blower motor; determining that a reference airflow through a portion of the furnace is present; determining a reference control signal at which the reference air flow is present; receiving a requested airflow; computing a requested control signal in response to the reference air flow, the reference control signal and the requested airflow; and using the requested control signal to control the blower motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kevin D. Thompson
  • Publication number: 20150118631
    Abstract: A device and method of controlling excess air during and after ignition of a gas furnace by operating a variable speed combustion blower assembly at an initial speed; operating a gas valve assembly and a burner assembly to initiate an ignition sequence; operating the variable speed combustion blower assembly at an increasing plurality of speeds until an excess air measurement is less than or equal to a predetermined value, and operating the variable speed combustion blower assembly at a steady state airflow rate to maintain the excess air measurement at the predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Wiliam J. Roy, Kevin D. Thompson, Eric E. Tournier
  • Patent number: 8925541
    Abstract: A furnace includes an induced draft blower; an inducer motor driving the induced draft blower; and a furnace control determining a modulation percentage, the furnace control controlling RPM of the inducer motor in response to the modulation percentage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventor: Kevin D. Thompson
  • Patent number: 8664931
    Abstract: A self-optimizing energy harvester comprises a thermoelectric generator coupling to a thermal source, producing a source voltage greater than a minimum start-up voltage, where the thermoelectric generator drives a boost circuit and a feedforward circuit, delivering power to a load. A conventional boost circuit has a maximum output power only at the input voltage for which a fixed set point resistor is chosen. The feedforward circuit dynamically optimizes the boost circuit according to a dynamic set point resistance, thus increasing output power for a wide range of input voltages, relative to using a fixed reference resistor. The dynamic set point resistance is the sum of a variable resistance and a reference resistance. A sample element forms a differential voltage between the source and input voltage elements, and the variable resistance corresponds to the differential voltage. A reference resistor is chosen to establish the minimum start-up voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Perpetua Power Source Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Leif E. Schneider, Kevin D. Thompson
  • Publication number: 20130042851
    Abstract: A method for operating a furnace system includes initiating a start sequence comprising starting an inducer fan operative to induce an air flow through a burner assembly, a heat exchanger portion and a collector portion, determining whether an air pressure in the collector portion is above a first threshold value, starting a furnace ignition sequence including providing fuel to the burner assembly, igniting a fuel and air mixture and starting an ignition timer responsive to determining that the air pressure in the collector portion is above the first threshold value, determining whether the ignition timer has expired, determining whether the air pressure in the collector portion is above a second threshold value responsive to determining that the ignition timer has expired, and stopping the provision of fuel to the burner assembly responsive to determining that the air pressure in the collector portion is not above the second threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Applicant: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Duane D. Garloch, Kevin D. Thompson
  • Publication number: 20120199109
    Abstract: A method of controlling a blower motor in a furnace includes applying control signals to the blower motor; determining that a reference airflow through a portion of the furnace is present; determining a reference control signal at which the reference air flow is present; receiving a requested airflow; computing a requested control signal in response to the reference air flow, the reference control signal and the requested airflow; and using the requested control signal to control the blower motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kevin D. Thompson
  • Publication number: 20120085832
    Abstract: A method of controlling a blower motor including: receiving a requested airflow from a thermostat; accessing an airflow table and determining an airflow closest to the requested airflow; using a location of the airflow closest to the requested airflow in the airflow table to access a control signal value in a control signal table; and using the control signal value to control the blower motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kevin D. Thompson
  • Publication number: 20120080023
    Abstract: A furnace includes an induced draft blower; an inducer motor driving the induced draft blower; and a furnace control determining a modulation percentage, the furnace control controlling RPM of the inducer motor in response to the modulation percentage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kevin D. Thompson
  • Patent number: 8146584
    Abstract: A pressure switch assembly is used with a furnace controller having a first input and a second input. A first pressure switch is configured to actuate at a first combustion pressure level and is connected to the first input. A second pressure switch is configured to actuate at a second combustion pressure level, and a third pressure switch is configured to actuate at a third combustion pressure level. Pressure signals provided on the second input from at least one of the second pressure switch and the third pressure switch are used by the furnace controller to derive actuation states of the second and third pressure switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventor: Kevin D. Thompson
  • Publication number: 20120052454
    Abstract: An ignition system for a gas furnace being controlled by a main controller and having at least one burner is provided. The ignition system may include at least one flame sensor and an interface module. The flame sensor may be disposed in close proximity to the burner and configured to output a flame check signal indicative of a status of a flame at the burner. The interface module may be configured to receive the flame check signal and generate a fault check signal based on the flame check signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: William J. Roy, Kevin D. Thompson, Gary D. Wedlake
  • Publication number: 20110309155
    Abstract: A method and system for operating a modulating furnace from a single-stage thermostat. The furnace control system may include a processor, a gas valve, a variable-speed motor, and a thermostat. The furnace control may execute a thermostat algorithm comprising the steps of: determining if a heating load needs to be satisfied; running burners at an intermediate input rate, a modulated input rate, and a maximum input rate for each respective first, second, and third time intervals until the heating load is satisfied; calculating a heating load requirement as function of the time intervals; and determining an initial input rate for a next cycle based on the calculated heating load requirement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: Carrier Corporation
    Inventor: Kevin D. Thompson
  • Publication number: 20110271880
    Abstract: In a modulating furnace with an integrated furnace control (IFC) that may enter a lockout mode for any one or more of a variety of safety reasons, the IFC may be programmed to send a “home” signal to the regulator stepper motor to close the regulator seat thereby reducing the outlet pressure of the gas valve to zero or near zero. Even though the ITC may have several different safety lockout modes, an additional home command from the IFC allows the modulating gas valve to position itself to a reference point such that the outlet pressure would approach zero pressure, even when the gas valve is energized at the wrong time due to a short circuit or miswire, or mechanically stuck open. By using the home command, an additional safety redundancy is provided whenever the furnace enters a lockout mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: Carrier Corporation
    Inventor: Kevin D. Thompson
  • Publication number: 20080127963
    Abstract: A four-stage furnace includes a gas flow control assembly operable to provide gas to the furnace at one of four firing rates. The furnace also includes a heat exchanger and an inducer blower for establishing a flow of combustion gas that generates a differential pressure across the heat exchanger. A furnace controller controls the rate at which the gas flow control assembly provides gas to the furnace and controls the inducer blower to establish one of four combustion gas flows that corresponds to one of the four firing rates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2006
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Applicant: Carrier Corporation
    Inventor: Kevin D. Thompson
  • Publication number: 20080127962
    Abstract: A pressure switch assembly is used with a furnace controller having a first input and a second input. A first pressure switch is configured to actuate at a first combustion pressure level and is connected to the first input. A second pressure switch is configured to actuate at a second combustion pressure level, and a third pressure switch is configured to actuate at a third combustion pressure level. Pressure signals provided on the second input from at least one of the second pressure switch and the third pressure switch are used by the furnace controller to derive actuation states of the second and third pressure switches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2006
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Applicant: Carrier Corporation
    Inventor: Kevin D. Thompson