Patents by Inventor Michael A. MacDonald

Michael A. MacDonald 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: 20170107979
    Abstract: A tandem motor linear rod pumping apparatus for imparting reciprocating, substantially-vertical motion to a pump rod for a sucker-rod pump. The tandem motor linear rod pumping apparatus includes first and second linear mechanical actuator systems disposed in a single housing. These linear mechanical actuator systems impart and control vertical motion of the pump rod. Each linear mechanical actuator system includes a rack and pinion gearing arrangement. Each rack is operatively connected with two pinions. Each pinion is operatively connected to a motor. Rotation of the two motors in a first direction results in an upward motion of the rack and connected sucker rod pump. Rotation of the two motors in a second direction, opposite the first direction, results in a downward motion of the rack and sucker rod pump. The tandem motor linear rod pumping apparatus includes at least one electronic controller to control the operation of the two motors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Applicant: Unico, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew J. Hilgers, Michael A. Macdonald, Benjamin J. Gregory, Ronald G. Peterson
  • Patent number: 9579818
    Abstract: A door pressing system for pressing interior passage doors, exterior entry doors, bi-fold doors, and/or closet doors features a multi-door pressing station including first and second presses, a loading device, and a discharging device. The pressing station is configured to alternatively move the first and second presses into operative alignment with the loading and discharging devices. The press in operative alignment delivers a pressed assembled door to the discharging device and receives an assembled door layup to be pressed from the loading device. The other press that is out of operatively alignment presses an assembled door received therein. Additional methods and systems are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Masonite Corporation
    Inventors: George Cucchi, Bei-Hong Liang, Michael MacDonald
  • Patent number: 9494504
    Abstract: A dual component density sampler determines at least one of a density of water and a density of oil in a mixture of oil and water extracted from an oil well during production. A three-way valve is coupled to the oil well, with the three-way valve having a first output port and second output port. A dual-in-single-out manifold is coupled to the first output port. A segregation tank separates the water and oil, and has an entrance tank and exit tank. An entrance of the entrance tank is coupled to the second output port, and an exit of the entrance tank is coupled to an entrance end of the exit tank. An exit end of the exit tank is coupled to the dual-in-single-out manifold. A coriolis meter is coupled to the dual-in-single-out manifold, and is configured to selectively measure a density of the fluid mixture, the oil, and the water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Unico, Inc.
    Inventors: James P. McCrickard, Ronald G. Peterson, Thomas L. Beck, Michael A. Macdonald, Michael D. Dry
  • Publication number: 20160279824
    Abstract: Provided is a system and method of making a door having first and second door skins and an internal frame. The top and bottom surfaces of the frame are coated with an adhesive and the frame is placed on a first door skin. The second door skin is then placed on the opposite surface of the frame. The assembled components are then pressed to bond the first and second door skins to the frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventors: Bei-Hong LIANG, Michael MacDonald, Geoffrey Hardwick, Robert Ritchie, George Cucchi, Bruce Fedio
  • Patent number: 9443243
    Abstract: Location-based services are provided in a communication system comprising at least a portion of at least one wireless network. In one aspect of the invention, mobile user devices that are located within a common geographic area are identified, and location-based service information is delivered to the identified mobile user devices over a broadcast channel shared by those mobile user devices. A response to the location-based service information maybe received from at least a given one of the mobile user devices, and at least one message maybe controllably delivered to the given one of the mobile user devices based on the response to the location-based service information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: IDPA Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Karl Georg Hampel, William Michael MacDonald, Viswanath Poosala
  • Patent number: 9420116
    Abstract: Systems and methods to prioritize emergency calls being placed to an emergency call center are based on geographical information, context information, and/or historical information associated with the emergency calls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: TRITECH SOFTWARE SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Mark David Hamilton, Rochelle Rae Newsome, Scott Michael MacDonald, Paul L. Crosby, Chen-Lu Meng, Ken D. Martin
  • Publication number: 20160178499
    Abstract: A dual component density sampler determines at least one of a density of water and a density of oil in a mixture of oil and water extracted from an oil well during production. A three-way valve is coupled to the oil well, with the three-way valve having a first output port and second output port. A dual-in-single-out manifold is coupled to the first output port. A segregation tank separates the water and oil, and has an entrance tank and exit tank. An entrance of the entrance tank is coupled to the second output port, and an exit of the entrance tank is coupled to an entrance end of the exit tank. An exit end of the exit tank is coupled to the dual-in-single-out manifold. A coriolis meter is coupled to the dual-in-single-out manifold, and is configured to selectively measure a density of the fluid mixture, the oil, and the water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Applicant: Unico, Inc.
    Inventors: James P. McCrickard, Ronald G. Peterson, Thomas L. Beck, Michael A. Macdonald, Michael D. Dry
  • Patent number: 9346185
    Abstract: Provided is a system and method of making a door having first and second door skins and an internal frame. The top and bottom surfaces of the frame are coated with an adhesive and the frame is placed on a first door skin. The second door skin is then placed on the opposite surface of the frame. The assembled components are then pressed to bond the first and second door skins to the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Masonite Corporation
    Inventors: Bei-Hong Liang, Michael MacDonald, Geoffrey Hardwick, Robert Ritchie, George Cucchi, Bruce Fedio
  • Publication number: 20160127817
    Abstract: The present invention provides a device for removing sweat from the inner ear by creating a vacuum in connecting tubing between the inner ear and a converging-diverging nozzle. When air enters the front of the converging-diverging nozzle, its velocity accelerates as it flows through the smaller cross-sectional area in the middle section, which causes a drop in pressure in the middle section and a resulting vacuum in the connecting tubing. This vacuum draws sweat from the bottom of the inner ear toward the middle of the converging-diverging nozzle, where it drips out of either end, resulting in sweat being removed from the inner ear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventor: Gregory Michael MacDonald
  • Patent number: 9301117
    Abstract: Systems and methods provide, to emergency operators at an emergency call center, the ability to communicate through textual messages with wireless mobile devices from which emergency voice calls have been placed. By virtue of such textual communication, callers using wireless mobile devices can receive emergency instructions and/or provide information about their current location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: TRITECH SOFTWARE SYSTEMS
    Inventors: David J. Leggett, Christopher David Maloney, Scott Michael MacDonald, Mark David Hamilton, Erik Christian Loberg, Chen-Lu Meng, Ken D. Martin
  • Publication number: 20160050360
    Abstract: A method and system for controlling a setting of an equipment related to image capture comprises capturing position data and orientation data of a sensing device; determining position information of a region of interest (i.e. a node) to be treated by the equipment, relative to the position and orientation data of the sensing device; and outputting a control signal directed to the equipment, in order to control in real-time the setting of the equipment based on said position information of the region of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2014
    Publication date: February 18, 2016
    Inventors: Antony Fisher, Michael MacDonald, Julian Taylor, Jeffrey Levy
  • Publication number: 20150335186
    Abstract: The present embodiment provides a straw that is bent near its middle portion to form a reservoir compartment to store a liquid for cooling. When a user sips from the straw, hot liquid from a container enters the reservoir compartment, where it begins to cool towards the surrounding air temperature. When the liquid in the reservoir compartment reaches an acceptable drinking temperature, the user again sips from the straw, which allows him to drink the cooled liquid from the reservoir compartment, and to draw additional hot liquid from the container into the reservoir compartment for cooling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Inventor: Gregory Michael MacDonald
  • Patent number: 9167379
    Abstract: Systems and methods to automatically provide emergency information to emergency responders operate responsive to an incoming emergency call being placed to an emergency call center. Based on geographical information associated with an emergency call, a determined set of emergency responders is alerted and/or notified as soon as possible, e.g. before the call is answered and/or before the call is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: TriTech Software Systems
    Inventors: Mark David Hamilton, Rochelle Rae Newsome, Scott Michael MacDonald, Paul L. Crosby, Chen-Lu Meng, Eyal Levin
  • Patent number: 8976939
    Abstract: Systems and methods to prioritize emergency calls being placed to an emergency call center are based on geographical information, context information, and/or historical information associated with the emergency calls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Tritech Software Systems
    Inventors: Mark David Hamilton, Rochelle Rae Newsome, Scott Michael MacDonald, Paul L. Crosby, Chen-Lu Meng, Ken D. Martin
  • Publication number: 20150056946
    Abstract: Systems and methods provide, to emergency operators at an emergency call center, the ability to communicate through textual messages with wireless mobile devices from which emergency voice calls have been placed. By virtue of such textual communication, callers using wireless mobile devices can receive emergency instructions and/or provide information about their current location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: TRITECH SOFTWARE SYSTEMS
    Inventors: David J. Leggett, Christopher David Maloney, Scott Michael MacDonald, Mark David Hamilton, Erik Christian Loberg, Chen-Lu Meng, Ken D. Martin
  • Patent number: 8962235
    Abstract: A method for sorting particles, in particular cells A and B. The method uses a single channel with only one input and only one output. A particle mix A and B in a fluid is introduced into the channel and particles within the channel are sorted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: The University Court of the University of St. Andrews
    Inventors: Michael MacDonald, Kishan Dholakia, Igor Andreev
  • Publication number: 20140261991
    Abstract: A door pressing system for pressing interior passage doors, exterior entry doors, bi-fold doors, and/or closet doors features a multi-door pressing station including first and second presses, a loading device, and a discharging device. The pressing station is configured to alternatively move the first and second presses into operative alignment with the loading and discharging devices. The press in operative alignment delivers a pressed assembled door to the discharging device and receives an assembled door layup to be pressed from the loading device. The other press that is out of operatively alignment presses an assembled door received therein. Additional methods and systems are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Masonite Corporation
    Inventors: George CUCCHI, Bei-Hong LIANG, Michael MACDONALD
  • Publication number: 20140271260
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for pumping fluids with a winched rod pumping apparatus for imparting reciprocating substantially vertical motion to a rod of a sucker-rod pump. A winched rod pumping apparatus, includes a motor driven winch drum and cable mechanical actuator arrangement. The winch drum and cable mechanical actuator arrangement includes a substantially vertically moveable member attached to the rod of the sucker-rod pump. The vertical moveable member is coupled to one end of the cable and the other end of the cable is coupled to the winch drum. The winch drum is configured to rotate in one direction to index the rod in a vertical up direction and to index the rod in a vertical down direction, with the winch drum completing at least one full rotation and the rod completing one cycle. The rod cycle is in relation to a pumping cycle for the down hole pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Unico, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin J. Gregory, Thomas L. Beck, Ronald G. Peterson, Michael A. MacDonald
  • Patent number: 8816234
    Abstract: A method for sorting particles in a fluid. The method involves generating an optical landscape using an acousto-optic device. Preferably, the optical landscape is arranged to sort particles based on size or refractive index or shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Inventors: Michael MacDonald, Kishan Dholakia, Daniel Rhodes, Graham Milne
  • Patent number: D732709
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: GE LIGHTING SOLUTIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Gary Robert Allen, Zhiyong Wang, Jian Li, Jinlin Cao, Michael MacDonald