Patents by Inventor Michael D. Ford

Michael D. Ford 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: 9842062
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide, for a particular device in a set of related devices, a method for backing up data synchronized between the devices. The method receives a command to create a backup for a subset of data synchronized between a subset of the devices, which is a subset of all data synchronized between the devices. The method identifies the subset of synchronization data from the set of all synchronization data. The subset of synchronization data is tagged as pertaining to a particular set of criteria for synchronization between only the subset of devices. The method stores a backup of the subset of synchronization data in a backup storage encrypted in such a way that requires a recovery key associated with any one of the devices in the subset of devices to access the backup while preventing access to the backup with recovery keys of any of the other devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Michael D. Ford, Jerrold V. Hauck, Matthew G. Watson, Mitchell D. Adler, Dallas B. De Atley, James Wilson
  • Publication number: 20160350238
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide, for a particular device in a set of related devices, a method for backing up data synchronized between the devices. The method receives a command to create a backup for a subset of data synchronized between a subset of the devices, which is a subset of all data synchronized between the devices. The method identifies the subset of synchronization data from the set of all synchronization data. The subset of synchronization data is tagged as pertaining to a particular set of criteria for synchronization between only the subset of devices. The method stores a backup of the subset of synchronization data in a backup storage encrypted in such a way that requires a recovery key associated with any one of the devices in the subset of devices to access the backup while preventing access to the backup with recovery keys of any of the other devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventors: Michael D. Ford, Jerrold V. Hauck, Matthew G. Watson, Mitchell D. Adler, Dallas B. De Atley, James Wilson
  • Publication number: 20160352518
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide, for a particular device in a set of related devices, a method for backing up data synchronized between the set of related devices. The method stores the backup data encrypted with a set of data encryption keys. The method also stores the set of data encryption keys encrypted with a master recovery key. The method also stores several copies of master recovery key data, each copy of the master recovery key data encrypted with a public key of a different one of the related devices. The backup data is only recoverable by accessing a private key of any one of the related devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventors: Michael D. Ford, Jerrold V. Hauck, Matthew G. Watson, Mitchell D. Adler, Dallas B. De Atley, James Wilson
  • Patent number: 7921558
    Abstract: A heat exchanger assembly includes an outlet header extending along an outlet axis to define an outlet cavity and an inlet header defining an inlet cavity. A plurality of refrigerant tubes extends from the inlet header through the outlet header and into the outlet cavity. A collector conduit having a generally semi-circular conduit cross-section defining an arced surface and a chord surface interconnected with rounded ends is disposed in the outlet header and includes a conduit body portion and at least one conduit end portion interconnected by a conduit transition portion with the conduit body portion being offset from the conduit end portion. The conduit body portion is engaged to an interior surface of the outlet header to space the conduit body portion from the refrigerant tubes and the conduit end portion is coaxial with the outlet header axis to provide a central outlet for the refrigerant vapor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Henry E. Beamer, Bruce W. Dittly, Michael D. Ford, Thomas McGreevy, David E. Samuelson, Douglas C. Wintersteen
  • Publication number: 20100132917
    Abstract: A heat exchanger assembly comprises a pair of heat exchanger cores, each with a pair of manifold tanks on opposite sides, and a bracket that grips one tank of each heat exchanger core to maintain the gripped tanks adjacent and parallel to one another. The tanks can rotate within the bracket, allowing them to assume a shipping position wherein the cores are adjacent to each other and an operative position wherein the ends of the cores opposite the bracket are spread apart to form an A-frame configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Applicant: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Robert Michael Runk, Michael D. Ford
  • Publication number: 20100089559
    Abstract: A mini-channel heat exchanger or a micro-channel heat exchanger includes an insert (140, 240, 340, 440, 540, 640, 4, 940, 1040) having a volume. The insert is within a gap between a plurality of tubes (130, 230, 330, 430, 530, 630, 1, 930, 1030) of the mini-channel heat exchanger or the micro-channel heat exchanger and a manifold inner wall of a manifold (120, 220, 320, 420, 520, 620, 2, 920, 1020).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mikhail B. Gorbounov, Joseph J. Sangiovanni, Yirong Jiang, Jifeng Zhang, Thomas D. Radcliff, Jules R. Munoz, Parmesh Verma, Young K. Park, Henry Beamer, Bruce Dittly, Michael D. Ford, Thomas McGreevy, David E. Samuelson, Douglas C. Wintersteen
  • Publication number: 20090173483
    Abstract: A heat exchanger assembly includes an outlet header extending along an outlet axis to define an outlet cavity and an inlet header defining an inlet cavity. A plurality of refrigerant tubes extends from the inlet header through the outlet header and into the outlet cavity. A collector conduit having a generally semi-circular conduit cross-section defining an arced surface and a chord surface interconnected with rounded ends is disposed in the outlet header and includes a conduit body portion and at least one conduit end portion interconnected by a conduit transition portion with the conduit body portion being offset from the conduit end portion. The conduit body portion is engaged to an interior surface of the outlet header to space the conduit body portion from the refrigerant tubes and the conduit end portion is coaxial with the outlet header axis to provide a central outlet for the refrigerant vapor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Henry E. Beamer, Bruce W. Dittly, Michael D. Ford, Thomas McGreevy, David E. Samuelson, Douglas C. Wintersteen
  • Patent number: 6336667
    Abstract: A compact, lightweight latch (38) especially adapted for use with an emergency deployment oxygen mask container (20) is provided which is made up of a minimum of parts and which can be delatched in multiple ways. The latch (38) includes a latch assembly (40) designed to be mounted in the oxygen mask container box (22) and a cooperating latch pin (44) secured to a cover (24). The assembly (40) has a primary latch body (46) supporting a diaphragm (48), latch member (50) and shiftable piston (52); the latch member (50) includes a plurality of laterally displaceable, hook-shaped locking legs (86) configured to interfit with latch pin (44). The piston (52) is shiftable in opposite axial directions within latch member (52), and cooperating surfaces on the member (50) and piston (52) serve to positively displace the latching legs (86) in response to piston movement. During pneumatic operation, the piston (52) is shifted within latch member (50) under the influence of diaphragm (48).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2002
    Assignee: B/E Aerospace Intellectual Property Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Ford, Gary Hannah, Sebastien A. Ramus, Sara G. Weinstein
  • Patent number: 6318364
    Abstract: A modular, dropout passenger oxygen mask container (10) is provided which allows the container (10) to be used in a variety of different aircraft mask deployment areas presenting respective openings (20) without container modification. The container (10) includes a box (14) having an openable lid (16) and a universal series of component mounts (36-54) in the walls thereof which allow attachment of physically separate oxygen inlet, lid latch and mask oxygen valve components (72,74,76) at multiple locations within the box (14). The components (72,74,76). A separate cover (18) is attached to the lid (16) and is designed to mate with a specific opening (20); preferably, the cover (18) is affixed to lid (16) by means of Velcro (68,70).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: Be Intellectual Property, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Ford, Gary Hannah, Sebastien A. Ramus, Sara G. Weinstein
  • Patent number: 5941245
    Abstract: Inflatable harness respiratory apparatus (10) is provided having an improved comfort control assembly (16) allowing reduction in the engagement force exerted by the fitting surface (20) of the mask (12) against the face of the user. The mask (12) is equipped with an inflatable harness strap element (26) having terminal ends (28, 30) supported on stationary, tubular mask mounts (36) via housing assemblies (38). In one embodiment, the terminal ends (28, 30) are releasably locked onto the mounts (36) by means of locks (52), but are axially shiftable along the length of the mounts (36) in order to adjust the effective distance between the fitting surface (20) and the terminal ends (28, 30). An adjustment button (78) may be depressed in order to disengage the locks (52) and permit shifting of the associated terminal end (28, 30). Alternately, an intermediate comfort position is pneumatically achieved by controlled pressurization of an internal cavity (128) within the housing assembly (88).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1999
    Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett
    Inventors: Gary Hannah, Michael D. Ford
  • Patent number: 4507208
    Abstract: A process and apparatus are disclosed for separating drilling mud and waste materials into pure water and a concentrated solid waste phase which is easily handled and disposed of. The process and apparatus provide for adjusting the pH of the drilling mud and waste materials to be separated, mixing the thus pH adjusted mud and waste materials with a flocculating agent and allowing the solids to settle out. The solids are then removed and further dewatered to produce a relatively dry concentrated solid waste phase. If desired, the clarified water is mixed with finely divided activated charcoal to remove various impurities from the clarified water. The mixture of clarified water and charcoal are then filtered to produce a filtrate stream which is further separated to produce pure water and a liquid phase containing dissolved solids. The pure water can then be reused in the drilling process or safely discharged into the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1983
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1985
    Assignee: Drilling Waste, Incorporated
    Inventors: Jules A. Simon, John A. Young, Michael D. Ford, Harold C. Bourgeois