Patents by Inventor Lee A. McDougall

Lee A. McDougall 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).

  • Patent number: 11972674
    Abstract: An electric utility meter including a Hall Effect sensor configured to sense a magnetic field proximate the electric utility meter. The electric utility meter also includes a controller having an electronic processor, the controller configured to receive a signal indicative of a magnitude of the magnetic field proximate the electric utility meter from the sensor, determine whether the magnitude of the magnetic field exceeds a first magnitude threshold and whether a threshold flag has been set, set the threshold flag when the threshold flag has not been set and the magnitude exceeds the first magnitude threshold, determine an amount of time for which the magnitude has exceeded the first magnitude threshold when the threshold flag has been set, and generate an alert indicative of a magnetic tamper event when the amount of time exceeds a time threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Aclara Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Lee McDougall, Jr., Charles Andrew Waters
  • Publication number: 20240061028
    Abstract: An electrical meter including a housing including a socket interface operable to connect to a facility. The meter further including a sensor configured to sense a characteristic of the electrical meter. The meter further including a controller having an electronic processor and a memory. The electronic processor is configured to receive, from the sensor, a signal indicative of the electrical characteristic, determine, based on the signal, presence of a hot socket, and output an alert based on determining presence of the hot socket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Inventors: Thomas Lee McDougall, JR., Curtis Whitmore Crittenden, Charles Andrew Waters
  • Publication number: 20230341477
    Abstract: A faulty meter socket detection system configured to detect faulty sockets as evidenced by series arcs in an input current waveform or an increased temperature of the meter is disclosed. The system includes a metering circuit configured to receive an input current waveform, and a controller including a power monitoring module. The meter may also include a temperature sensor. The power monitoring module is configured detect series arc currents input current waveform data by filtering the input current waveform data to produce filtered data, performing feature recognition on the filtered data, classifying the features of the filtered data, performing temporal processing on the filtered data, (optionally) scaling the temporal processing of the filtered data, and, scoring the input current waveform based on the temporal processing of the filtered data. The temperature sensor may detect an increased temperature of the meter, which may indicate a faulty socket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Inventors: Scott David Brown, Curtis Whitmore Crittenden, Gregory Paul Lavoie, Richard B. Martyn, JR., Thomas Lee McDougall, Lewis Fink, Charles Andrew Waters
  • Patent number: 11789050
    Abstract: An electrical meter including a housing including a socket interface operable to connect to a facility. The meter further including a sensor configured to sense a characteristic of the electrical meter. The meter further including a controller having an electronic processor and a memory. The electronic processor is configured to receive, from the sensor, a signal indicative of the electrical characteristic, determine, based on the signal, presence of a hot socket, and output an alert based on determining presence of the hot socket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Aclara Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Lee McDougall, Jr., Curtis Whitmore Crittenden, Charles Andrew Waters
  • Publication number: 20230290241
    Abstract: An electric utility meter including a Hall Effect sensor configured to sense a magnetic field proximate the electric utility meter. The electric utility meter also includes a controller having an electronic processor, the controller configured to receive a signal indicative of a magnitude of the magnetic field proximate the electric utility meter from the sensor, determine whether the magnitude of the magnetic field exceeds a first magnitude threshold and whether a threshold flag has been set, set the threshold flag when the threshold flag has not been set and the magnitude exceeds the first magnitude threshold, determine an amount of time for which the magnitude has exceeded the first magnitude threshold when the threshold flag has been set, and generate an alert indicative of a magnetic tamper event when the amount of time exceeds a time threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Inventors: Thomas Lee McDougall, JR., Charles Andrew Waters
  • Patent number: 11631314
    Abstract: An electric utility meter including a Hall Effect sensor configured to sense a magnetic field proximate the electric utility meter. The electric utility meter also includes a controller having an electronic processor, the controller configured to receive a signal indicative of a magnitude of the magnetic field proximate the electric utility meter from the sensor, determine whether the magnitude of the magnetic field exceeds a first magnitude threshold and whether a threshold flag has been set, set the threshold flag when the threshold flag has not been set and the magnitude exceeds the first magnitude threshold, determine an amount of time for which the magnitude has exceeded the first magnitude threshold when the threshold flag has been set, and generate an alert indicative of a magnetic tamper event when the amount of time exceeds a time threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Aclara Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Lee McDougall, Jr., Charles Andrew Waters
  • Publication number: 20220327907
    Abstract: An electric utility meter including a Hall Effect sensor configured to sense a magnetic field proximate the electric utility meter. The electric utility meter also includes a controller having an electronic processor, the controller configured to receive a signal indicative of a magnitude of the magnetic field proximate the electric utility meter from the sensor, determine whether the magnitude of the magnetic field exceeds a first magnitude threshold and whether a threshold flag has been set, set the threshold flag when the threshold flag has not been set and the magnitude exceeds the first magnitude threshold, determine an amount of time for which the magnitude has exceeded the first magnitude threshold when the threshold flag has been set, and generate an alert indicative of a magnetic tamper event when the amount of time exceeds a time threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2022
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Inventors: Thomas Lee McDougall, JR., Charles Andrew Waters
  • Patent number: 11393322
    Abstract: An electric utility meter including a three-axis Hall Effect sensor configured to detect the presence of a magnetic field in two or more directions surrounding the electric utility meter. The electric utility meter also includes a controller having an electronic processor. The controller is configured to receive a signal indicative of an abnormal magnetic field proximate the electric utility meter from the three-axis Hall Effect sensor, determine an amount of time for which the abnormal magnetic field has been detected, and log a magnetic field tamper event in an event log when the amount of time for which the abnormal magnetic field has been detected exceeds a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Aclara Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Lee McDougall, Jr., Charles Andrew Waters
  • Publication number: 20210278448
    Abstract: An electrical meter including a housing including a socket interface operable to connect to a facility. The meter further including a sensor configured to sense a characteristic of the electrical meter. The meter further including a controller having an electronic processor and a memory. The electronic processor is configured to receive, from the sensor, a signal indicative of the electrical characteristic, determine, based on the signal, presence of a hot socket, and output an alert based on determining presence of the hot socket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Inventors: Thomas Lee McDougall, JR., Curtis Whitmore Crittenden, Charles Andrew Waters
  • Publication number: 20210248898
    Abstract: An electric utility meter including a three-axis Hall Effect sensor configured to detect the presence of a magnetic field in two or more directions surrounding the electric utility meter. The electric utility meter also includes a controller having an electronic processor. The controller is configured to receive a signal indicative of an abnormal magnetic field proximate the electric utility meter from the three-axis Hall Effect sensor, determine an amount of time for which the abnormal magnetic field has been detected, and log a magnetic field tamper event in an event log when the amount of time for which the abnormal magnetic field has been detected exceeds a threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Inventors: Thomas Lee McDougall, JR., Charles Andrew Waters
  • Patent number: 5543388
    Abstract: Elemental iodine is used to improve the performance of conventional corrosional inhibitors in oil field acidizing operations. The iodine, because of its solubility, may be used in a formulation which includes a corrosion inhibitor and surfactants dissolved in a suitable organic solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1996
    Assignee: Exxon Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis A. Williams, Lee A. McDougall, James R. Looney
  • Patent number: 5370184
    Abstract: Granules containing a gel breaker are used in a well treatment involving the use of a gelled fluid. The granules exhibit delayed release of the breaker to permit placement of the gelled fluid into the subterranean formation. The method of the present invention is used in gravel packing operation to degrade polymeric gelling agents used in the gravel packing liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1994
    Assignee: Exxon Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Lee A. McDougall, Fati Malekahmadi, Dennis A. Williams
  • Patent number: 5217074
    Abstract: Granules containing a gel breaker are used in a well treatment involving the use of a gelled fluid. The granules exhibit delayed release of the breaker to permit placement of the gelled fluid into the subterranean formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1993
    Assignee: Exxon Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Lee A. McDougall, Fati Malekahmadi, Dennis Williams
  • Patent number: 5209859
    Abstract: An acid system for acidizing wells contains corrosion inhibitor additives which consist essentially of a metal selected from antimony and antimony mixtures, a quaternary compound, and a surfactant. The corrosion inhibitor is free of toxic acetylenic compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1993
    Assignee: Exxon Chemical Patents, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis A. Williams, Phyllis K. Holifield, James R. Looney, Lee A. McDougall
  • Patent number: 5204183
    Abstract: An encapsulated breaker chemical composition used in a fracturing process in an oil or gas stimulation operation which comprises: (a) a breaker chemical; (b) a water soluble sealing layer, such as urea, having a thickness within the range of about 1 to about 30 microns deposited on the surface of said breaker chemical and encapsulating said breaker chemical; and (c) a pinhole free coating of a neutralized sulfonated elastomeric polymer of about 2 to about 80 microns thick deposited onto the surface of the coated breaker chemical, wherein said neutralized sulfonated polymer encapsulates the breaker chemical and is permeable to the breaker chemical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1993
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Lee A. McDougall, John C. Newlove, Pacifico V. Manalastas, Evelyn N. Drake
  • Patent number: 5200096
    Abstract: Corrosion inhibitor additives are added directly to an aqueous acid solution used in acidizing subterranean formations. The additives comprise a bismuth compound, a quaternary compound, and a surfactant. The corrosion inhibitor is free of toxic Sb and acetylenic compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1993
    Assignee: Exxon Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis A. Williams, Phyllis K. Holifield, James R. Looney, Lee A. McDougall
  • Patent number: 5192615
    Abstract: An encapsulated breaker chemical composition used in a fracturing process in the protection of an oil or gas stimulation operation which comprises: a breaker chemical; and a pinhole free coating of a neutralized sulfonated elastomeric polymer of about 2 to about 80 microns thick deposited onto the surface of the breaker chemical, wherein said neutralized sulfonated polymer encapsulates the breaker chemical, wherein the neutralized sulfonated polymer is permeable to the breaker chemical and the neutralized sulfonated polymer is non-reactive to the breaker chemical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1993
    Assignee: Exxon Research & Engineering Company
    Inventors: Lee A. McDougall, John C. Newlove, Pacifico V. Manalastas, Evelyn N. Drake
  • Patent number: 5187011
    Abstract: An encapsulated breaker chemical composition used in an oil or gas stimulation operation which comprises: a breaker chemical; and a pinhole free coating of an ionically and covalently crosslinked neutralized sulfonated elastomeric polymer of about 2 to about 80 microns thick deposited onto the surface of the breaker chemical, wherein said polymer encapsulates the breaker chemical, wherein the polymer is permeable to the breaker chemical and the polymer is non-reactive to the breaker chemical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1993
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Pacifico V. Manalastas, Evelyn N. Drake, Edward N. Kresge, Warren A. Thaler, Lee A. McDougall, John C. Newlove, Vijay Swarup, Albert J. Geiger
  • Patent number: 5130034
    Abstract: A corrosion inhibitor for an acid well treating composition includes first metal ions including Sb, Cu, and Bi complexed with a quaternary ammonium compound and second metal ions complexed with a quaternary ammonium compound. The complexed compounds may be prepared and introduced into the acid or the first metal ions may be introduced directly into the acid system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1992
    Assignee: Exxon Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis A. Williams, Phyllis K. Holifield, James R. Looney, Lee A. McDougall
  • Patent number: 5110486
    Abstract: An encapsulated breaker chemical composition used in an oil or gas stimulation operation which comprises: a breaker chemical; and a pinhole free coating of an ionically and covalently crosslinked neutralized sulfonated elastomeric polyer of about 2 to about 80 microns thick deposited onto the surface of the breaker chemical, wherein said polymer encapsulates the breaker chemical, wherein the polymer is permeable to the breaker chemical and the polymer is non-reactive to the breaker chemical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1992
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Pacifico V. Manalastas, Evelyn N. Drake, Edward N. Kresge, Warren A. Thaler, Lee A. McDougall, John C. Newlove, Vijay Swarup, Albert J. Geiger