Patents by Inventor Mark B. Roberts

Mark B. Roberts 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: 20240125544
    Abstract: Described herein are methods and systems for liquefying natural gas by: cooling and liquefying a natural gas feed stream via indirect heat exchange with at least a first cold refrigerant stream to form a first liquefied natural gas stream and a warmed gaseous refrigerant stream; flashing and separating the first liquefied natural gas stream to form a liquefied natural gas product stream and at least a first flash gas stream; combining and compressing the first flash gas stream and the warmed gaseous refrigerant stream to form a compressed refrigerant stream; and expanding at least a first portion of the compressed refrigerant stream to form the first cold refrigerant stream; wherein the natural gas feed stream is kept separate from and is not combined with either the first flash gas stream or the compressed refrigerant stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2022
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Julian Roberts, Russell B. Shnitser
  • Publication number: 20240125549
    Abstract: Described herein are methods and systems for removing natural gas liquids from a natural gas feed stream and for liquefying the natural gas feed stream so as to produce a liquefied natural gas (LNG) stream and a natural gas liquids (NGL) stream
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2022
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Julian Roberts, Russell B. Shnitser, Christopher Michael Ott, Annemarie Ott Weist
  • Patent number: 9341518
    Abstract: A device for monitoring the temperature and level of liquid food in a container is provided. The device includes an upper base and a lower elongate housing member. A plurality of temperature sensors are located along the length of the elongate housing member. The device may include a retaining lip which allows the device to be hung over the edge of a food container, with the elongate housing member extending down into the liquid food. Signals received from the individual sensors can be used to determine both the temperature of the liquid and the level or volume of the liquid in the container, using the known distances between the individual sensors. Information regarding the liquid temperature and level can then be transmitted from the monitoring device to an external receiver. The device may also comprise an energy harvesting device which converts heat energy from the liquid into electrical energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Innovative Control Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen A. Batti, Erik Magner, Mark B. Roberts
  • Publication number: 20150059469
    Abstract: A device for monitoring the temperature and level of liquid food in a container is provided. The device includes an upper base and a lower elongate housing member. A plurality of temperature sensors are located along the length of the elongate housing member. The device may include a retaining lip which allows the device to be hung over the edge of a food container, with the elongate housing member extending down into the liquid food. Signals received from the individual sensors can be used to determine both the temperature of the liquid and the level or volume of the liquid in the container, using the known distances between the individual sensors. Information regarding the liquid temperature and level can then be transmitted from the monitoring device to an external receiver. The device may also comprise an energy harvesting device which converts heat energy from the liquid into electrical energy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Stephen A. Batti, Erik Magner, Mark B. Roberts
  • Patent number: 8079002
    Abstract: An embodiment of the invention involves: providing a database that includes layout information representing a layout within an integrated circuit of an electrical circuit; identifying from the information in the database each conductive path of a selected type in the electrical circuit; extracting layout information from the database for each conductive path of the selected type; and calculating an electrical parameter for each conductive path of the selected type, as a function of the layout information obtained for that conductive path during the extracting. In addition, in a different configuration of the embodiment, a report can be generated containing information based on the electrical parameter calculated during the calculating for at least one of the conductive paths of the selected type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Kuok-Khian Lo, Mark B. Roberts, Mohammed Fakhruddin, James Karp, Richard P. Burnley, Min-Hsing Chen
  • Patent number: 7934187
    Abstract: Method, apparatus, and computer readable medium for performing electrical rule checks (ERCs) on a circuit design are described. In one example, a hierarchy of cell instances is created from a schematic database for the circuit design. The hierarchy is traversed to produce master nets. Each of the master nets is associated with shorted nets in the circuit design. The hierarchy is traversed to produce ERC nets. Each of the ERC nets is associated with effectively shorted nets in the circuit design. At least one pair of the effectively shorted nets is effectively shorted across a transistor. At least one ERC is performed on the circuit design using the master nets and the ERC nets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark B. Roberts
  • Patent number: 7765508
    Abstract: A method and system for generating from a high-level placement specification the layout and schematic implementation data is disclosed. In addition packaging data and a software model may also be generated. In one embodiment an array of rows and columns is formed on an integrated circuit (IC) in which all elements in a row have the same height and all elements in a column have the same width. This array, which may be displayed in a textual or spreadsheet format, forms the high-level placement specification. A software program of this embodiment converts this high-level placement specification into layout and schematic files that can be used by a commercial CAD tool to produce a file for fabrication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark B. Roberts, Scott K. Roberts
  • Patent number: 7757194
    Abstract: A method and system for generating implementation files from a high level specification are described. In one example, a method for creating a package file for an integrated circuit is described. First, a grid is formed having a plurality of blocks. A height and a width are then determined for each block. At least one bump is placed on a block and a corresponding package pin is assigned to the at least one bump. Finally, the package file is output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark B. Roberts, Scott K. Roberts
  • Patent number: 7334209
    Abstract: A method and system for generating from a high-level placement specification the layout and schematic implementation data is disclosed. In addition packaging data and a software model may also be generated. In one embodiment an array of rows and columns is formed on an integrated circuit (IC) in which all elements in a row have the same height and all elements in a column have the same width. This array, which may be displayed in a textual or spreadsheet format, forms the high-level placement specification. A software program of this embodiment converts this high-level placement specification into layout and schematic files that can be used by a commercial CAD tool to produce a file for fabrication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark B. Roberts, Scott K. Roberts
  • Patent number: 7308656
    Abstract: An aspect of the invention relates to a method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium for processing schematic data for an integrated circuit having a boundary scan architecture. A path through cells of the schematic data to generate a hierarchy of cells associated with a boundary scan chain. Each ignore cell in the hierarchy is pruned. Each short cell in the hierarchy is replaced with a direct connection. A shadow net is added to each net of the hierarchy. Each of the cells in the hierarchy is flattened in a bottom-up fashion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott K. Roberts, Mark B. Roberts
  • Patent number: 7284227
    Abstract: A method and system for generating from a high-level placement specification the layout and schematic implementation data is disclosed. In addition packaging data and a software model may also be generated. In one embodiment an array of rows and columns is formed on an integrated circuit (IC) in which all elements in a row have the same height and all elements in a column have the same width. This array, which may be displayed in a textual or spreadsheet format, forms the high-level placement specification. A software program of this embodiment converts this high-level placement specification into layout and schematic files that can be used by a commercial CAD tool to produce a file for fabrication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark B. Roberts, Scott K. Roberts
  • Patent number: 5900720
    Abstract: A power and control system for micro-electronics is described, as for lightweight, battery-powered electrochromic (EC) eyewear. Preferably such system includes a primary, lithium-type cell and a secondary, sealed lead acid-type cell in a hybrid, power-sharing configuration capable of supplying the low-energy, high-current (pulse) drain requirements of microelectronics, e.g. a switchable EC lens. A switch-mode power supply controller manages the power-sharing load on the hybrid battery system such that the secondary cell is charged by the primary cell. The system is capable of meeting short-term pulse drain requirements of switching EC lenses from clear to fully darkened at an acceptably fast rate and long-term operating life requirements of approximately 1500 cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Inventors: William R. Kallman, Mark B. Roberts, David F. Baretich
  • Patent number: 5455637
    Abstract: A power and control system for micro-electronics is described, as for lightweight, battery-powered electrochromic (EC) eyewear. Preferably such system includes a primary, lithium-type cell and a secondary, sealed lead acid-type cell in a hybrid, power-sharing configuration capable of supplying the low-energy, high-current (pulse) drain requirements of microelectronics, e.g. a switchable EC lens. A switch-mode power supply controller manages the power-sharing load on the hybrid battery system such that the secondary cell is charged by the primary cell. The system is capable of meeting short-term pulse drain requirements of switching EC lenses from clear to fully darkened at an acceptably fast rate and long-term operating life requirements of approximately 1500 cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1995
    Assignee: Comdisco, Inc.
    Inventors: William R. Kallman, Mark B. Roberts, David F. Baretich, Leonard M. Dorfman, John F. Ahern
  • Patent number: 5455638
    Abstract: A power and control system for micro-electronics is described, as for lightweight, battery-powered electrochromic (EC) eyewear. Preferably such system includes a primary, lithium-type cell and a secondary, sealed lead acid-type cell in a hybrid, power-sharing configuration capable of supplying the low-energy, high-current (pulse) drain requirements of microelectronics, e.g. a switchable EC lens. A switch-mode power supply controller manages the power-sharing load on the hybrid battery system such that the secondary cell is charged by the primary cell. The system is capable of meeting short-term pulse drain requirements of switching EC lenses from clear to fully darkened at an acceptably fast rate and long-term operating life requirements of approximately 1500 cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1995
    Assignee: Comdisco, Inc.
    Inventors: William R. Kallman, Mark B. Roberts, David F. Baretich, Leonard M. Dorfman, John F. Ahern