Patents by Inventor Mark S. Wochner
Mark S. Wochner 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).
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Publication number: 20260018151Abstract: A noise abatement system includes a support body having a hole configured to receive a monopile; and a plurality of resonators attached to a bottom surface of the support body, each resonator having a tapered tip that is configured to mechanically engage a floor of a body of water so as to acoustically couple a respective resonator and the floor of the body of water, the bottom surface oriented towards a direction of gravitational pull. Additional resonators can be mechanically coupled to a pile gripper, a pile template, or other framework equipment in one or more embodiments.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2025Publication date: January 15, 2026Inventors: Mark S. Wochner, Andrew McNeese, Preston S. Wilson, Kevin M. Lee
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Publication number: 20250283462Abstract: A subsea oil and/or gas facility includes rotating equipment/machinery located subsea and configured for subsea use. The rotating equipment/machinery includes pumping equipment/machinery having one or more pumps, or compression equipment/machinery having one or more compressors, or both, for processing oil and/or gas generated by the subsea oil and/or gas facility. The subsea oil and/or gas facility also includes a noise mitigation system configured for deepwater use and configured to mitigate noise generated by the rotating equipment/machinery. The noise mitigation system includes a deepwater resonator array configured for deepwater use and including an array of resonators filled with gas to mitigate the noise.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2024Publication date: September 11, 2025Inventors: Peter F. Batho, Mark S. Wochner, Preston S. Wilson, Kevin M. Lee, Andrew R. McNeese
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Patent number: 10039307Abstract: A system and method for roasting coffee beans, or similar products, is disclosed. In an aspect the invention includes an acoustic sensor, such as a microphone, which senses the acoustic emissions or “cracks” made by the coffee beans during the roasting process. The acoustic emissions are translated in the system and method to signals that are processed, including in some aspects using frequency domain processing, so as to control the roasting process and achieve a desired final product. The acoustic emissions can also be used to determine if the coffee beans are caffeinated or decaffeinated.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2015Date of Patent: August 7, 2018Assignee: Board of Regents, The University of Texas SystemInventors: Preston S. Wilson, Mark S. Wochner
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Patent number: 9812112Abstract: Acoustic resonators are formed by injection molding or other process that allows the shape, size, orientation, and arrangement of each resonator to be customized. Customizing the features of the resonators allows their resonance frequency to be adjusted based on their intended deployment. A non-periodic or non-uniform arrangement of the resonators can increase the level of noise reduction compared to a periodic or uniform arrangement of the resonators. A chain guard includes a recess to receive a chain that supports a plurality of resonator rows or frames. In the stowed configuration, the chain guard pivots towards the row/frame to more compactly stow a panel of resonators.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2016Date of Patent: November 7, 2017Assignee: Board of Regents, The University of Texas SystemInventors: Mark S. Wochner, Andrew R. McNeese, Kevin M. Lee, Preston S. Wilson
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Patent number: 9607601Abstract: A system for reducing noise emissions in underwater environments is presented. The system can be extended to applications in any two-fluid environments where one fluid (gas) is contained in an enclosed resonator volume connected to the outside environment at an open end of the resonator body. The resonators act as gas-containing (e.g., air) Helmholtz resonators constructed into solid panels that are submerged in the fluid medium (e.g., sea water) in the vicinity of a noise generating source. The oscillations of the trapped air volume in the resonators causes reduction of certain noise energy and a general reduction in the transmitted noise in the environment of the system.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2016Date of Patent: March 28, 2017Assignee: Board of Regents, The Univesity SystemsInventors: Preston Wilson, Kevin M. Lee, Mark S. Wochner, Hector L. Mendez Martinez
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Publication number: 20160372101Abstract: Acoustic resonators are formed by injection molding or other process that allows the shape, size, orientation, and arrangement of each resonator to be customized. Customizing the features of the resonators allows their resonance frequency to be adjusted based on their intended deployment. A non-periodic or non-uniform arrangement of the resonators can increase the level of noise reduction compared to a periodic or uniform arrangement of the resonators. A chain guard includes a recess to receive a chain that supports a plurality of resonator rows or frames. In the stowed configuration, the chain guard pivots towards the row/frame to more compactly stow a panel of resonators.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2016Publication date: December 22, 2016Applicant: Board of Regents, The University of Texas SystemInventors: Mark S. Wochner, Andrew R. McNeese, Kevin M. Lee, Preston S. Wilson
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Patent number: 9410403Abstract: A novel underwater noise abatement and deployment system are described. The system uses inverted open-ended resonators (e.g., Helmholtz resonators) to absorb underwater noise. The system includes stackable resonator cavity embodiments arranged to surround a noisy environment or act nearby it. The system can be deployed from a ship or barge or similar structure, and can be stored when not in use.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2014Date of Patent: August 9, 2016Assignee: AdBm Corp.Inventors: Mark S. Wochner, Lawrence R. Gravell, Steven De Leon, Richard A. Patterson
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Publication number: 20160203812Abstract: A system for reducing noise emissions in underwater environments is presented. The system can be extended to applications in any two-fluid environments where one fluid (gas) is contained in an enclosed resonator volume connected to the outside environment at an open end of the resonator body. The resonators act as gas-containing (e.g., air) Helmholtz resonators constructed into solid panels that are submerged in the fluid medium (e.g., sea water) in the vicinity of a noise generating source. The oscillations of the trapped air volume in the resonators causes reduction of certain noise energy and a general reduction in the transmitted noise in the environment of the system.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2016Publication date: July 14, 2016Inventors: Preston Wilson, Kevin M. Lee, Mark S. Wochner, Hector L. Mendez Martinez
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Patent number: 9343059Abstract: A system for reducing noise emissions in underwater environments is presented. The system can be extended to applications in any two-fluid environments where one fluid (gas) is contained in an enclosed resonator volume connected to the outside environment at an open end of the resonator body. The resonators act as gas-containing (e.g., air) Helmholtz resonators constructed into solid panels that are submerged in the fluid medium (e.g., sea water) in the vicinity of a noise generating source. The oscillations of the trapped air volume in the resonators causes reduction of certain noise energy and a general reduction in the transmitted noise in the environment of the system.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2014Date of Patent: May 17, 2016Assignee: Board of Regents, The University of Texas SystemInventors: Preston Wilson, Kevin M. Lee, Mark S. Wochner, Hector L. Mendez Martinez
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Publication number: 20160120211Abstract: A system and method for roasting coffee beans, or similar products, is disclosed. In an aspect the invention includes an acoustic sensor, such as a microphone, which senses the acoustic emissions or “cracks” made by the coffee beans during the roasting process. The acoustic emissions are translated in the system and method to signals that are processed, including in some aspects using frequency domain processing, so as to control the roasting process and achieve a desired final product. The acoustic emissions can also be used to determine if the coffee beans are caffeinated or decaffeinated.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2015Publication date: May 5, 2016Inventors: Preston S. Wilson, Mark S. Wochner
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Publication number: 20150170631Abstract: A novel underwater noise abatement and deployment system are described. The system uses inverted open-ended resonators (e.g., Helmholtz resonators) to absorb underwater noise. The system includes stackable resonator cavity embodiments arranged to surround a noisy environment or act nearby it. The system can be deployed from a ship or barge or similar structure, and can be stored when not in use.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2014Publication date: June 18, 2015Inventors: Mark S. Wochner, Lawrence R. Gravell, Steven De Leon, Richard A. Patterson
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Publication number: 20150083520Abstract: A system for reducing noise emissions in underwater environments is presented. The system can be extended to applications in any two-fluid environments where one fluid (gas) is contained in an enclosed resonator volume connected to the outside environment at an open end of the resonator body. The resonators act as gas-containing (e.g., air) Helmholtz resonators constructed into solid panels that are submerged in the fluid medium (e.g., sea water) in the vicinity of a noise generating source. The oscillations of the trapped air volume in the resonators causes reduction of certain noise energy and a general reduction in the transmitted noise in the environment of the system.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2014Publication date: March 26, 2015Inventors: Preston Wilson, Kevin M. Lee, Mark S. Wochner, Hector L. Mendez Martinez
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Patent number: 8689935Abstract: Air bubbles may be used to reduce radiated underwater noise. Two modalities of sound attenuation by air bubbles were shown to provide a reduction in radiated sound: bubble acoustic resonance damping and acoustic impedance mismatching. The bubbles used for acoustic resonance damping were manifested using gas-filled containers coupled to a support, and the acoustic impedance mismatching bubbles were created using a cloud of freely-rising bubbles, which were both used to surround an underwater sound source.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2012Date of Patent: April 8, 2014Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Texas SystemInventors: Preston S. Wilson, Kevin M. Lee, Mark S. Wochner
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Publication number: 20130001010Abstract: Air bubbles may be used to reduce radiated underwater noise. Two modalities of sound attenuation by air bubbles were shown to provide a reduction in radiated sound: bubble acoustic resonance damping and acoustic impedance mismatching. The bubbles used for acoustic resonance damping were manifested using gas-filled containers coupled to a support, and the acoustic impedance mismatching bubbles were created using a cloud of freely-rising bubbles, which were both used to surround an underwater sound source.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2012Publication date: January 3, 2013Inventors: Preston S. Wilson, Kevin M. Lee, Mark S. Wochner