Patents by Inventor Mark Allan

Mark Allan 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: 20080164334
    Abstract: A dry-fire protection system and method. The dry-fire protection system includes a tank, a heating element, a powered electrode, a sensor, and a microcircuit. The heating element and the powered electrode are positioned in the tank, the powered electrode being positioned above the heating element. The powered electrode includes an electrode wire and a connector having an electrical connector coupled to the electrode wire, but electrically isolated from the tank, and a fastener for coupling the powered electrode to the tank. The sensor detects an electrical characteristic of a circuit formed by the tank, the powered electrode, and water in the tank. The microcircuit determines if a possible dry-fire condition exists based on a signal received from the sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2008
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Applicant: A.O. SMITH HOLDING COMPANY
    Inventors: Ray Oliver Knoeppel, Thomas Gerard Van Sistine, Mark Allan Murphy
  • Publication number: 20080159817
    Abstract: A nonwoven fibrous mat or web forming or treating system is disclosed comprising a movable, permeable wire or belt for carrying the fibrous mat or web over at least one suction tube assembly comprising a primary suction tube having a suction slot at the top of the primary suction tube and an exit tube communicating with the primary suction tube mounted beneath the permeable belt to have the suction slot on or close to the bottom surface of the movable belt. The suction slot is at least 3.6 meters long and up to more than 5.3 meters long, and the exit tube of the suction tube assembly communicates with the primary suction tube through an opening in the primary suction tube, the opening being generally centered around a centerline of the suction slot. This primary suction tube assembly provides a more uniform suction distribution along the suction slot and reduces fouling of the suction slot compared with previous suction tube assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Inventors: Yifang Cai, Mark Allan Granger
  • Publication number: 20080129429
    Abstract: A solenoid assembly for a circuit breaker having a clapper with an increased mass is provided. The mass, preferably at least one non-ferrous slug, increases the mass of the clapper so that the solenoid response time is slowed. That is, the added mass creates an inertial delay that slows the solenoid clapper as the clapper moves between the first position and the second position. Preferably, the delay is between 48 ms and 60 ms, and more preferably 50 ms. The clapper having a non-ferrous slug may also be incorporated into existing circuit breakers by, for example, coupling the non-ferrous slug to the preexisting clapper, or replacing the clapper with a clapper assembly having at least one non-ferrous slug thereon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2006
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Inventors: ANTHONY THOMAS RICCIUTI, MARK ALLAN JUDS, JOHN JOSEPH HOEGLE, THOMAS KENNETH FOGLE, ROBERT NICKLOS KREVOKUCH, RUSSEL WILLIAM LONG, DANIEL EVAN PALMIERI
  • Patent number: 7372005
    Abstract: A water heater having a powered electrode and a method of controlling the water heater. The water heater includes a tank to hold water, a heating element, an electrode, and a control circuit. The control circuit includes a variable voltage supply, a voltage sensor, and a current sensor. The control circuit is configured to controllably apply a voltage to the electrode, determine the potential of the electrode relative to the tank with the voltage sensor when the voltage does not power the electrode, determine a current applied to the tank after the voltage powers the electrode, determine a conductivity state of the water in the tank based on the electrode potential and the current, and define the voltage applied to the powered electrode based on the conductivity state. The control circuit of the water heater can also determine whether the water heater is in a dry-fire state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: AOS Holding Company
    Inventors: Ray Oliver Knoeppel, Thomas Gerard Van Sistine, Mark Allan Murphy
  • Publication number: 20080074779
    Abstract: Multiple servo sensors are laterally displaced over a distance less than the transverse width of timing based servo track laterally extending transitions. The servo sensors are configured to sense the transitions, and servo detection logic detects the relative timings of the laterally extending transitions sensed by the laterally displaced servo sensors as the magnetic tape is moved in the longitudinal direction. Logic is configured to determine from the relative timings of the sensed transitions for at least one known set of laterally extending transitions having differing slants, the lateral position of a servo sensor by employing the relative timing detected from one servo sensor and the relative timing detected from another servo sensor, or determine the longitudinal velocity of the magnetic tape by determining the difference between the relative timing detected from one servo sensor and the relative timing detected from another servo sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Inventors: Allen Keith Bates, Nhan Xuan Bui, Mark Allan Taylor
  • Patent number: 7298133
    Abstract: A system and method for current sensing includes a conductor configured to receive current flow therethrough and generate magnetic flux thereabout. The current sensor system also includes an anti-differential current sensor configured to monitor magnetic flux about the conductor. The anti-differential current sensor includes a pair of current sensors in opposing positions and disposed in the flux concentrating recesses of the conductor, and a processing component configured to receive feedback from each of the current sensors. The processing component is further configured to output a value indicative of the amount of current flow in the conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Jerome Kenneth Hastings, Mark Allan Juds, Mark G. Solveson
  • Patent number: 7177114
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for the velocity proportional clocking of time base servo tape storage devices. The apparatus, system, and method allow the velocity of time base servo tape storage devices to be adjusted and maintained by adjusting the frequency of a clock. In one embodiment, a velocity command is received and the clock signal frequency is varied in response to the command. A feedback control signal may then be produced to control the velocity of a time base servo device in response to the clock signal frequency, the feedback control signal being used to vary the velocity of a servo motor. In one embodiment, the velocity of the servo motor varies directly proportionate to the clock signal frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: International Bussiness Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nhan Xuan Bui, Robert Allen Hutchins, Eiji Ogura, Mark Allan Taylor, Kazuhiro Tsuruta
  • Patent number: 7119976
    Abstract: A planar servo verifier head is provided comprising a plurality of magnetic head elements optimized for the readback process. The plurality of magnetic head elements are fabricated in a planar two-dimensional array in which individual elements can be used to read servo format tracks spaced across the width of a magnetic tape. In one embodiment, the magnetic head element comprises a read transducer formed of one or more turns of a sense wire inductively coupled to a magnetic yoke in a trench formed on the transducing surface of a substrate. In another embodiment, the magnetic head element comprises a read transducer formed of a thin film magnetoresistive sensor coupled to a magnetic flux guide in a trench formed on the transducing surface of a substrate. According to the method for manufacturing an embodiment of the servo verifier read head for magnetic tape recording, a plurality of trenches are formed in a nonmagnetic substrate wafer, preferably, a ceramic wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Glenn Biskeborn, Leif Stefan Kirschenbaum, Mark Allan Taylor
  • Patent number: 7102846
    Abstract: In a tape having separate servo bands of patterns positioned laterally across the tape, the patterns of a separate servo band have at least one differentiating characteristic with respect to patterns of another of the separate servo bands. The differentiating characteristic allows identification of the separate servo bands. For example, the patterns of a separate servo band have differing azimuthal orientations of detectable transitions with respect to another servo band, such as being laterally inverted. In another, variations in the width of gaps of patterns are made with respect to another servo band. In another, variations are made in the number of the detectable transitions of patterns with respect to the patterns of another servo band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nhan Xuan Bui, James Howard Eaton, Junichi Fukuda, Glen Alan Jaquette, Eiji Ogura, Mark Allan Taylor, Kazuhiro Tsuruta
  • Patent number: 7102847
    Abstract: In a tape having separate servo bands of patterns positioned laterally across the tape, the patterns of a separate servo band have at least one differentiating characteristic with respect to patterns of another of the separate servo bands. The differentiating characteristic allows identification of the separate servo bands. For example, the patterns of a separate servo band have differing azimuthal orientations of detectable transitions with respect to another servo band, such as being laterally inverted. In another, variations in the width of gaps of patterns are made with respect to another servo band. In another, variations are made in the number of the detectable transitions of patterns with respect to the patterns of another servo band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nhan Xuan Bui, James Howard Eaton, Junichi Fukuda, Glen Alan Jaquette, Eiji Ogura, Mark Allan Taylor, Kazuhiro Tsuruta
  • Patent number: 7088274
    Abstract: An improved circuit is provided that buffers the output of a DAC while improving the bandwidth and linearity of the circuit. A DAC comprises an output signal of a switched DAC circuit coupled to an inverting node of an output buffer configured as a difference amplifier, while a non-inverting node of the difference amplifier is coupled to a fixed reference potential. As a result, the difference amplifier buffers the output of the switched DAC circuit while permitting the use of N-type input stages in the amplifier, which can enhance the bandwidth capability of the circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Mark Allan Shill
  • Patent number: 7017251
    Abstract: Apparatus and method of incorporating a resistive interface between an anode rod and a water heater tank connector. The resistive interface can include a conductive polymer material or coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Apcom, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Allan Murphy
  • Patent number: 7002763
    Abstract: In a tape having separate servo bands of patterns positioned laterally across the tape, the patterns of a separate servo band have at least one differentiating characteristic with respect to patterns of another of the separate servo bands. The differentiating characteristic allows identification of the separate servo bands. For example, the patterns of a separate servo band have differing azimuthal orientations of detectable transitions with respect to another servo band, such as being laterally inverted. In another, variations in the width of gaps of patterns are made with respect to another servo band. In another, variations are made in the number of the detectable transitions of patterns with respect to the patterns of another servo band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nhan Xuan Bui, James Howard Eaton, Junichi Fukuda, Glen Alan Jaquette, Eiji Ogura, Mark Allan Taylor, Kazuhiro Tsuruta
  • Patent number: 6999595
    Abstract: A portable system that provides audio to video displays or monitors includes a bezel with integrated speakers and integrated channels that slide onto the bezel of the monitors. The bezel with integrated speakers does not increase the lateral footprint of the monitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Michael Anderson, Travis Baldwin, Mark Allan Casparian, David Wayne Hill, Brian Hargrove Leonard, Herold Lester Rothrock, James Stephen Rutledge, Albert Ray Sauer, Julie Elaine Tierney
  • Patent number: 6985916
    Abstract: Provided are a method, system and article of manufacture for return processing in storage pools. A plurality of physical volumes are allocated to a first storage pool. A determination is made whether the first storage pool has more than a threshold number of empty physical volumes. If the first storage pool has more than the threshold number of empty physical volumes, then at least one empty physical volume is returned to a second storage pool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Wayne Charles Carlson, Kevin Lee Gibble, Gregory Tad Kishi, Mark Allan Norman, Jonathan Wayne Peake
  • Patent number: 6954831
    Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for borrow processing in storage pools. A plurality of physical volumes are allocated to a first storage pool. A determination is made whether the first storage pool has less than a threshold number of empty physical volumes. If the first storage pool has less than the threshold number of empty physical volumes, then at least one empty physical volume is borrowed to the first storage pool from a second storage pool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Wayne Charles Carlson, Kevin Lee Gibble, Gregory Tad Kishi, Mark Allan Norman, Jonathan Wayne Peake
  • Patent number: 6940683
    Abstract: Disclosed are a system, a method, and article of manufacture to provide for filtering a servo signal in a tape drive using a matched filter that is optimized for the operating tape velocity of the tape drive. A servo controller for track following on a tape uses a digital filter implementation of the matched filter to produce a filtered servo signal. The digital filter is optimized for different tape velocities by selecting digital filter coefficients for the digital filter that depend upon the tape velocity presently in use. The filtered servo signal is used by the servo controller to provide improved track following in a tape drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David Berman, Nhan Xuan Bui, Michael Constantin Melas, Mark Allan Taylor
  • Patent number: 6937413
    Abstract: In magnetic tape having separate longitudinal servo bands of servo information with superimposed data information, the separate servo bands have selected different superimposed data information, to identify the separate servo bands for independent addressability. The servo information comprises non-parallel laterally extending transitions to indicate lateral positioning, and the selected different superimposed data information may comprise a lack thereof in portion(s) of the servo bands. Where the superimposed data information is longitudinal position information of the tape, the selected different superimposed data information may comprise different longitudinal position information of one or more servo band(s). The selected different superimposed data information may comprise a band identifier in the superimposed data information of one or more of the servo bands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nhan Xuan Bui, James Howard Eaton, Junichi Fukuda, Glen Alan Jaquette, Eiji Ogura, Mark Allan Taylor, Kazuhiro Tsuruta
  • Patent number: 6911441
    Abstract: Novel pharmaceutical compositions of a cephalosporin in a prolonged release vehicle, comprising an oil and aluminium distearate, provide a prolonged duration of effective blood-plasma concentration of the cephalosporin after injection to animals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Akzo Nobel N.V.
    Inventors: Peter Schmid, Alexander Boettner, Carsten Schmidt, Mark Allan, Carole Barbot
  • Patent number: D513528
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: York International Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Lee Tucker, Jeremiah Marshall Horn, Tony Michael Clark, Daniel James Arnold, Mark Allan Ritz, Jeffrey Norris Nichols, Douglas Jones Widenmann, Mickey Scott Smith