Patents by Inventor Kurt D. Fulkerson

Kurt D. Fulkerson 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).

  • Displacement measurement system and method using magnetic encodings
    Patent number: 8970208
    Abstract: A measurement system includes a rotating member configured to transfer mechanical energy to a point of use. The member has at a surface thereof one or more circumferentially oriented bands of magnetizable material. Each band has a magnetic pattern comprised of a plurality of transitions magnetically recorded in the magnetizable material of that band. A magnetic-field sensor is disposed sufficiently near each band of magnetizable material to sense a magnetic pattern recorded in that band as the member rotates. Each magnetic-field sensor generates signals in response to the magnetic pattern sensed by that magnetic-field sensor. Processing electronics is in communication with each magnetic-field sensor to receive the signals generated by that magnetic-field sensor while the member rotates and to dynamically compute from the signals a measurement associated with a performance of the rotating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: SRI International
    Inventors: Kurt D. Fulkerson, Donald C. Arns, Jr., Paolo G. Sechi
  • Displacement Measurement System and Method using Magnetic Encodings
    Publication number: 20110193552
    Abstract: A measurement system includes a rotating member configured to transfer mechanical energy to a point of use. The member has at a surface thereof one or more circumferentially oriented bands of magnetizable material. Each band has a magnetic pattern comprised of a plurality of transitions magnetically recorded in the magnetizable material of that band. A magnetic-field sensor is disposed sufficiently near each band of magnetizable material to sense a magnetic pattern recorded in that band as the member rotates. Each magnetic-field sensor generates signals in response to the magnetic pattern sensed by that magnetic-field sensor. Processing electronics is in communication with each magnetic-field sensor to receive the signals generated by that magnetic-field sensor while the member rotates and to dynamically compute from the signals a measurement associated with a performance of the rotating member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2011
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: SRI INTERNATIONAL
    Inventors: Kurt D. Fulkerson, Donald C. Arns, JR., Paolo G. Sechi