Patents by Inventor Lawrence Smith

Lawrence Smith 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: 20070028238
    Abstract: Embodiments of apparatuses and methods for processing virtualization events in a layered virtualization architecture are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a event logic and evaluation logic. The event logic is to recognize a virtualization event. The evaluation logic is to determine whether to transfer control from a child guest to a parent guest in response to the virtualization event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2005
    Publication date: February 1, 2007
    Inventors: Steven Bennett, Andrew Anderson, Gilbert Neiger, Dion Rodgers, Richard Uhlig, Lawrence Smith, Barry Huntley
  • Publication number: 20070022768
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for cooling a polymerization reactor having at least four leg jackets. In the four leg jacket embodiment, the process comprises pumping a first coolant through a first pair of leg jackets, and pumping a second coolant through a different pair of leg jackets. In this process, the first coolant does not contact the second coolant while inside the leg jackets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2005
    Publication date: February 1, 2007
    Inventor: Lawrence Smith
  • Patent number: 7168273
    Abstract: A dispensing apparatus for use with a replaceable unit dose package has at least one cavity sealed by a membrane, wherein the cavity contains additive materials to be dispensed. The dispensing apparatus is configured for use, for example, in a washing machine, wherein the washing machine has a plurality of cycles. The dispensing apparatus comprises a dispensing director having a dispensing signal generator and a monitor for distinguishing among a plurality of washing machine operating cycles. The dispensing apparatus further includes an actuator in communication with said dispensing director and configured to selectively electromechanically open the membrane in response to a dispensing signal, thereby releasing additive materials from said at least one cavity. Also disclosed is a disposable unit dose package for use in a washing machine and with a dispensing apparatus having a dispensing director and an electromechanical actuator in communication with said dispensing director.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Arthur Hampton Neergaard, Yousef Georges Aouad, Christopher Lawrence Smith, Lawrence Joseph Kelly
  • Publication number: 20060290016
    Abstract: Bubble columns fractionate with vapor-liquid mass transfer efficiencies approaching that of distillation towers when vapor velocities in excess of 50% of jet flood are used. If the vapor velocities are pushed above about 70% of jet flood then the distillation performance of a given column packing becomes similar for both liquid continuous operation (bubble column mode) and vapor continuous operation (ordinary distillation tower mode).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2005
    Publication date: December 28, 2006
    Inventors: Lawrence Smith, Mitchell Loescher
  • Publication number: 20060278568
    Abstract: A process for the removal of oxygenated sulfur compounds from a hydrocarbon stream, especially the effluent from a sulfuric acid alkylation reactor, in which the hydrocarbon stream is first subjected to deentrainment of any carryover liquid sulfuric acid and then passed over a sorbent which removes the oxygenated sulfur compounds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2005
    Publication date: December 14, 2006
    Inventors: Lawrence Smith, Christopher Boyer, Frits Dautzenberg
  • Patent number: 7146749
    Abstract: A fabric article treating apparatus for dispensing a benefit composition through a nozzle that directs the benefit composition as droplets or particles into the chamber of the fabric article drying appliance. The droplets or particles provide benefits to the fabric articles within the drying appliance. The treating apparatus includes one or more safety features, and/or it includes beneficial control concepts that enhance the effects of the benefit composition being dispensed through the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Bradford Scott Barron, Mary Jane Combs, Dean Larry DuVal, Keith David Fanta, Paul Amaat Raymond Gerard France, Christian Gerhard Friedrich Gerlach, Laura Lynn Heilman, Eugene Joseph Pancheri, Paul Joseph Russo, Christopher Lawrence Smith, Pedro Vincent Vandecappelle
  • Patent number: 7141705
    Abstract: A process for the etherification of C4, C5 and/or C6 tertiary olefins in a hydrocarbon feed with at least one C1 to C6 alcohol, preferably C1–C4 alcohols in a distillation column reactor, preferably where C4's and C5's ethers are co-produced, in which the amount of alcohol employed in the etherification is below that which will produce an azeotrope with hydrocarbons in the overheads from the distillation column reactor. The azeotrope results from the presence of unreacted alcohol in the reaction system in the distillation column reactor. The amount of alcohol is less than the stoichiometric amount, preferably less than 90%, more preferably 10 to 80%, of the stoichiometric amount and the overheads contain less than a stoichiometric of alcohol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Catalytic Distillation Technologies
    Inventors: Lawrence A. Smith, Jr., John R. Adams
  • Publication number: 20060257294
    Abstract: A polymerization process is provided. For example, a polymerization process is described, including providing a catalyst slurry having a metallocene catalyst and a first oil, providing a transport medium including a second oil and combining the transport medium and the catalyst slurry to form a catalyst mixture. The process may further include introducing the catalyst mixture to a polymerization reactor and contacting olefin monomers with the catalyst mixture to polymerize the olefin monomers and form polyolefins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2006
    Publication date: November 16, 2006
    Inventors: Lawrence Smith, James Vizzini, Ted Powell, Terry Burkhardt, Anthony Speca, Shiaw Ju
  • Publication number: 20060251570
    Abstract: A process for the regeneration of sulfuric acid contaminated with hydrocarbons and water to produce pure concentration acid comprising: contacting sulfuric acid contaminated with hydrocarbons and water with oxygen and elemental sulfur in the presence of a vanadium containing catalyst in a reaction zone, maintaining at least a portion of the acid in the liquid phase, converting hydrocarbon to carbon oxides and water, and converting sulfur and sulfurdioxide to sulfurtrioxide, (4) separating the reactor effluent into a vapor stream and a liquid stream and cooling and partially condensing of the vapor stream to concentrate clean acid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2005
    Publication date: November 9, 2006
    Inventors: Lawrence Smith, Abraham Gelbein
  • Publication number: 20060245990
    Abstract: An internal static mixing system such as a disperser of mesh wire or expanded metal co-knit with a multi filament material selected from inert polymers, catalytic polymers, catalytic metals or mixtures in combination with a vertical reactor having a reaction zone and the disperser disposed in said reaction zone, particularly for carrying out paraffin alkylation using acid catalyst is disclosed. The wire mesh provides the structural integrity of the system as well as the open space required in reactors for the movement of vapors and liquids though the system. The disperser may be in sheets, bundles or bales or positioned within a frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2006
    Publication date: November 2, 2006
    Inventors: Lawrence Smith, Abraham Gelbein, John Adams
  • Publication number: 20060248347
    Abstract: A public key authentication system and method for use in a computer system having a plurality of users. The system includes a virtual smart card server, storage connected to the virtual smart card server, and a virtual smart card agent connected to the virtual smart card server. The storage includes a plurality of virtual smart cards, wherein each virtual smart card is associated with a user and wherein each smart card includes a private key. The virtual smart card agent authenticates the user and accesses the authenticated user's virtual smart card to obtain the user's private key.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2006
    Publication date: November 2, 2006
    Inventors: Lawrence Smith, Richard Levenberg
  • Patent number: 7125484
    Abstract: A process for the treatment of light naphtha hydrocarbon streams is disclosed wherein the mercaptans contained therein are reacted with diolefins simultaneous with fractionation into a light stream and a heavy stream. The heavy stream is then simultaneously treated at high temperatures and low pressures and fractionated. The naphtha is then stripped of the hydrogen sulfide in a final stripper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Catalytic Distillation Technologies
    Inventor: Lawrence A. Smith, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7126038
    Abstract: An improvement in the alkylation of olefins with isoalkanes in the presence of sulfuric acid wherein the sulfuric acid is removed from the product by a mechanical coalescer means prior to fractionation. No water wash or caustic treatment is required. Any sulfonates or sulfonic esters are removed by hydrodesulfurization or decomposition catalyst in a separate reactor or in either the deisobutanizer (DIB) or debutanizer (DB) column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Catalytic Distillation Technologies
    Inventor: Lawrence A. Smith, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20060235092
    Abstract: Bubble columns fractionate with vapor-liquid mass transfer efficiencies approaching that of distillation towers when vapor velocities in excess of 50% of jet flood are used. If the vapor velocities are pushed above about 70% of jet flood then the distillation performance of a given column packing becomes similar for both liquid continuous operation (bubble column mode) and vapor continuous operation (ordinary distillation tower mode).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2006
    Publication date: October 19, 2006
    Inventors: Lawrence Smith, Mitchell Loescher
  • Publication number: 20060235246
    Abstract: A process for the etherification of C4, C5 and/or C6 tertiary olefins in a hydrocarbon feed with at least one C1 to C6 alcohol, preferably C1-C4 alcohols in a distillation column reactor, preferably where C4's and C5's ethers are co-produced, in which the amount of alcohol employed in the etherification is below that which will produce an azeotrope with hydrocarbons in the overheads from the distillation column reactor. The azeotrope results from the presence of unreacted alcohol in the reaction system in the distillation column reactor. The amount of alcohol is less than the stoichiometric amount, preferably less than 90%, more preferably 10 to 80%, of the stoichiometric amount and the overheads contain less than a stoichiometric of alcohol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2006
    Publication date: October 19, 2006
    Inventors: Lawrence Smith, John Adams
  • Publication number: 20060229477
    Abstract: Acetylenes and dienes in a stream containing hydrogen, methane, C2-C6 olefins and paraffins, C2-C6 acetylenes and dienes, benzene, toluene, xylenes, and other C6+ components are hydrogenated in a downflow boiling point reactor wherein the heat of reaction is absorbed by the liquid in the reactor which produces a vapor. Besides the feed to the reactor there is a recirculating stream which is fed at a rate sufficient to ensure that the catalyst particles within the reactor are wetted. A third stream, which is provided from a second downstream liquid/vapor separator from partially condensed vapor from the first downstream liquid/vapor separator corresponding to the mass evaporated in the reactor, is fed to the reactor. The composition of the third stream controls the steady state composition of the liquid flowing through the reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2005
    Publication date: October 12, 2006
    Inventors: Lawrence Smith, Abraham Gelbein
  • Patent number: 7119244
    Abstract: A process for the removal of organic sulfur compounds, primarily oxygenated organic compounds, such as sulfates and sulfonic esters from a hydrocarbon liquid is disclosed which comprises contacting the hydrocarbon liquid with a coalescer comprising a mesh material which has been wetted by sulfuric acid. The hydrocarbon liquid may be the product from a sulfuric acid catalyzed alkylation process and contain sufficient sulfuric acid to remove the sulfates and sulfonic esters. Sulfuric acid may be added to the coalescer vessel counter current to the hydrocarbon liquid to improve the efficiency of the contacting and removal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Catalytic Distillation Technologies
    Inventor: Lawrence A. Smith, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20060220841
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of asset location. Location data is received from a cellular transmitter associated with a selected asset, which location data includes data representative of a cellular receiver with which direct communication with the cellular transmitter is made. The location data is then communicated to a tracking service system, which tracking service system includes a database representative of geographic locations associated with a plurality of cellular receivers. The database is then queried with received location data so as to generate geographic tracking data associated with a location of the cellular receiver, the geographic tracking data including display data adapted to generate a map image including a representative of a location of the selected asset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2005
    Publication date: October 5, 2006
    Inventors: Jerry Culpepper, Lawrence Smith, James VanCleave
  • Publication number: 20060220840
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of asset location. Location data is received from a cellular transmitter associated with a selected asset, which location data includes data representative of a cellular receiver with which direct communication with the cellular transmitter is made. The location data is then communicated to a tracking service system, which tracking service system includes a database representative of geographic locations associated with a plurality of cellular receivers. The database is then queried with received location data so as to generate geographic tracking data associated with a location of the cellular receiver, the geographic tracking data including display data adapted to generate a map image including a representative of a location of the selected asset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2005
    Publication date: October 5, 2006
    Inventors: Jerry Culpepper, Lawrence Smith, James VanCleave
  • Publication number: 20060211832
    Abstract: This invention relates to a process to polymerize olefins comprising contacting, in a polymerization system, olefins having three or more carbon atoms with a catalyst compound, activator, optionally comonomer, and optionally diluent or solvent, at a temperature above the cloud point temperature of the polymerization system and a pressure no lower than 10 MPa below the cloud point pressure of the polymerization system, where the polymerization system comprises any comonomer present, any diluent or solvent present, the polymer product, where the olefins having three or more carbon atoms are present at 40 weight % or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2006
    Publication date: September 21, 2006
    Inventors: Patrick Brant, Gerhard Luft, John Shutt, Lawrence Smith, Douglas McLain, Terry Burkhardt