Patents by Inventor Michael Kern

Michael Kern 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: 20090138989
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of plant breeding and disease resistance. More specifically, the invention includes a method for breeding corn plants containing quantitative trait loci that are associated with diplodia ear rot (DER), a fungal disease associated with Stenocarpella spp. The invention further includes germplasm and the use of germplasm containing quantitative trait loci (QTL) conferring resistance for introgression into elite germplasm in a breeding program for resistance to DER.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Applicant: MONSANTO TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Johannes Daniel Rossouw, Heyder Diniz Silva, Gilberto Pozar, Michael Kerns, Humberto Gutierrez, Justino Mario
  • Publication number: 20090120063
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable storage media are described in which exhaust gas is routed to a hydrocarbon retaining device during starting, and purged to the engine intake manifold. Various alternative approaches are described for controlling operation and diagnosing degradation. Further, various interrelated configurations are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Michael James Uhrich, Shane Elwart, James Michael Kerns, Jason Aaron Lupescu
  • Publication number: 20090120064
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable storage media are described in which exhaust gas is routed to a hydrocarbon retaining device during starting, and purged to the engine intake manifold. Various alternative approaches are described for controlling operation and diagnosing degradation. Further, various interrelated configurations are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Michael James Uhrich, Shane Elwart, James Michael Kerns, Jason Aaron Lupescu
  • Publication number: 20090120071
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable storage media are described in which exhaust gas is routed to a hydrocarbon retaining device during starting, and purged to the engine intake manifold. Various alternative approaches are described for controlling operation and diagnosing degradation. Further, various interrelated configurations are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC.
    Inventors: Harendra S. Gandhi, Michael James Uhrich, Shane Elwart, James Michael Kerns, Jason Aaron Lupescu
  • Publication number: 20090120065
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable storage media are described in which exhaust gas is routed to a hydrocarbon retaining device during starting, and purged to the engine intake manifold. Various alternative approaches are described for controlling operation and diagnosing degradation. Further, various interrelated configurations are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Michael James Uhrich, Shane Elwart, James Michael Kerns, Jason Aaron Lupescu
  • Publication number: 20090120067
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable storage media are described in which exhaust gas is routed to a hydrocarbon retaining device during starting, and purged to the engine intake manifold. Various alternative approaches are described for controlling operation and diagnosing degradation. Further, various interrelated configurations are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Shane Elwart, Michael James Uhrich, James Michael Kerns, Jason Aaron Lupescu
  • Publication number: 20090120061
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable storage media are described in which exhaust gas is routed to a hydrocarbon retaining device during starting, and purged to the engine intake manifold. Various alternative approaches are described for controlling operation and diagnosing degradation. Further, various interrelated configurations are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Shane Elwart, Jason Aaron Lupescu, Michael James Uhrich, James Michael Kerns
  • Publication number: 20090051219
    Abstract: An aircraft power system includes an aircraft engine having a plurality of engine spools, a plurality of AC generators driven by at least one spool, wherein each AC generator is independently operational to supply AC power to a respective AC power bus or a respective power electronics module, and at least one generator driven by a different engine spool, wherein the at least one generator is operational to supply additional AC power to each AC power bus in synchronization with each respective AC generator, or to supply additional AC power to each power electronics module in parallel with the AC power delivered to each power electronics module by the plurality of AC generators. The power electronics module(s) are operational to selectively provide either AC or DC power to desired distribution buses. Each AC generator and the at least one generator may be responsive to commands from an electrical power extraction (EPX) controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2008
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: John Michael Kern, Herman Lucas Norbert Wiegman
  • Patent number: 7468561
    Abstract: An aircraft power system includes an aircraft engine having a plurality of engine spools, a plurality of AC generators driven by at least one spool, wherein each AC generator is independently operational to supply AC power to a respective AC power bus or a respective power electronics module, and at least one generator driven by a different engine spool, wherein the at least one generator is operational to supply additional AC power to each AC power bus in synchronization with each respective AC generator, or to supply additional AC power to each power electronics module in parallel with the AC power delivered to each power electronics module by the plurality of AC generators. The power electronics module(s) are operational to selectively provide either AC or DC power to desired distribution buses. Each AC generator and the at least one generator may be responsive to commands from an electrical power extraction (EPX) controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Michael Kern, Herman Lucas Norbert Wiegman
  • Publication number: 20080296994
    Abstract: A synchronous reluctance machine is provided. The synchronous reluctance machine includes a stator having a stator core, the stator core including a number of fractional-slot concentrated windings wound around multiple stator teeth. The synchronous reluctance machine also includes a rotor having a rotor core and disposed with an air gap inside and concentric with the stator, wherein the rotor core includes a number of laminated sheets, wherein each of the laminated sheets is axially skewed with respect to neighboring ones of the laminated sheets, and wherein each of the laminated sheets includes multiple ferromagnetic regions and multiple non-ferromagnetic regions formed of a single material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Ayman Mohamed Fawzi El-Refaie, John Michael Kern, Manoj Ramprasad Shah
  • Publication number: 20080275401
    Abstract: An anchor for use in an anchor system and method for securing a catheter to tissue includes a flexible body portion that defines one or more openings through which a catheter is positioned when secured to the tissue. For example, the one or more openings may be a channel through the anchor having a diameter that is less than the outer diameter of the catheter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2007
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Inventors: Shahn S. Sage, Michael Kern
  • Publication number: 20080238220
    Abstract: A permanent magnet (PM) machine has a reconfigurable fault condition mechanism disposed solely within a stator core portion, wherein the mechanism is automatically reconfigurable to reduce fault currents associated with the PM machine during a fault condition. The reconfigurable fault condition mechanism is automatically reconfigurable to also reduce internal heat associated with the PM machine during a fault condition. A method of reconfiguring the fault condition mechanism upon detection of a fault condition includes the steps of 1) selecting the reconfigurable fault condition mechanism from a) a plurality of rotatable magnetically anisotropic cylinders disposed within stator core slots, b) a plurality of ferrofluid-fillable cavities associated with stator core slots, and c) a sliding shield within the stator core; and 2) reconfiguring the fault condition mechanism to automatically reduce fault currents associated with the PM machine upon detection of a fault condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventors: Ayman Mohamed Fawzi El-Rafaie, John Michael Kern, Manoj Ramprasad Shah
  • Publication number: 20080238202
    Abstract: An aircraft power system includes an aircraft engine having a plurality of engine spools, a plurality of AC generators driven by at least one spool, wherein each AC generator is independently operational to supply AC power to a respective AC power bus or a respective power electronics module, and at least one generator driven by a different engine spool, wherein the at least one generator is operational to supply additional AC power to each AC power bus in synchronization with each respective AC generator, or to supply additional AC power to each power electronics module in parallel with the AC power delivered to each power electronics module by the plurality of AC generators. The power electronics module(s) are operational to selectively provide either AC or DC power to desired distribution buses. Each AC generator and the at least one generator may be responsive to commands from an electrical power extraction (EPX) controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventors: John Michael Kern, Herman Lucas Norbert Wiegman
  • Publication number: 20080238217
    Abstract: A permanent magnet (PM) machine has a fault condition mechanism disposed within a back iron of the stator portion, the mechanism operational to automatically reduce fault currents associated with the PM machine during a fault condition. The fault condition mechanism disposed within the stator back iron is reconfigurable to automatically reduce internal heat associated with the PM machine during a fault condition. A method of reconfiguring the PM machine upon detecting a fault condition includes the steps of 1) selecting the reconfigurable fault condition mechanism from a) a plurality of magnetically anisotropic rotatable cylinders, b) a plurality of ferrofluid-filled cavities, and c) a dual-phase material selectively embedded within the stator core; and 2) reconfiguring the fault condition mechanism to automatically reduce fault currents or internal heat associated with the PM machine upon detection of a fault condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventors: Manoj Ramprasad Shah, John Michael Kern, Ayman Mohamed Fawzi el-Rafaie
  • Publication number: 20080238233
    Abstract: A permanent magnet (PM) machine includes a plurality of reconfigurable fault condition mechanisms disposed within a stator core portion, the plurality of reconfigurable fault condition mechanisms together automatically reconfigurable to reduce fault currents and internal heat associated with the PM machine during a fault condition. The plurality of reconfigurable fault condition mechanisms are disposed solely within the stator core portion according to one embodiment to automatically reduce stator winding fault currents and internal heat associated with the PM machine during a fault condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventors: Ayman Mohamed Fawzi El-Rafai, John Michael Kern, Manoj Ramprasad Shah
  • Patent number: 7424881
    Abstract: A system for an engine of a vehicle traveling on the road, comprising of a first fuel injector coupled to a cylinder of the engine, a second fuel injector coupled to said cylinder of the engine, a compression device for compressing intake air delivered to said cylinder, a fuel tank configured to store a fuel, the fuel tank coupled to the first and second injectors, a fuel vapor purge system for delivering vapors of the fuel to said cylinder of the engine and a controller configured to vary an amount of injection of the fuel from at least one of the first and second fuel injectors as a concentration of said vapors varies, and further to vary said amount of injection based on operation of the compression device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: James Michael Kerns
  • Patent number: 7394982
    Abstract: A current sensing system comprises a current transformer; a burden resistor connected across a secondary of the current transformer; a piezo-optic sensor coupled to the burden resistor, comprising a piezoelectric transducer, an optical fiber and a first optical filter with a first bandwidth; and an optical interrogator, configured for sending an originating signal to the first bandwidth optical filter and receiving a resulting data signal and a second optical filter with a second bandwidth for filtering the resulting data signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Michael Kern, Glen Peter Koste, Charles Erklin Seeley, Todd Ryan Tolliver
  • Publication number: 20080138195
    Abstract: A system for transferring mechanical torque variably between a plurality of rotating machines in a turbofan engine. Two devices are used, where the first device relies upon magnetic properties of a planetary magnetic gearbox to couple the magnetic machines. The second device is used to variably control the torque transfer between the magnetic machines. The system couples rotating shafts rotating at differing speeds within a turbofan engine for controllably transferring power. To transfer power in the system, a fixed gear ratio is obtained by coupling the relatively high- and low-speed engine shafts to an epicyclic magnetic gearbox.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2006
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Applicant: GE AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: John Michael Kern, Michael V. Drexel, Jeremy Daniel VanDam
  • Publication number: 20080072721
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for cutting segments of wire from an advancing wire strand is disclosed. The segments can have a selectively predetermined length, and are cut from a strand traveling into a machine at a feed speed. The machine includes a moveable cutter that accelerates to the feed speed of the strand in a direction along the strand. A length of strand extending past the cutter is determined at real time based on a signal from a proximity sensor. When the speed of the cutter closely matches the feed speed and when the length of the strand extending past the cutter is determined to be equal to the predetermined length, the cutter is commanded to cut the strand and return to a home position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Applicant: Rockford Manufacturing Group Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Kern
  • Patent number: 7302933
    Abstract: A method for controlling engine operation of an engine having a cylinder receiving fuel from a first and a second fuel injector, the first injector having a first relationship between a first input signal and a first amount of injected fuel, and the second injector having a second relationship between a second input signal and a second amount of injected fuel; the method comprising of varying injection from the first injector into the cylinder, varying injection from the second injector into the cylinder, purging fuel vapors from a fuel system into the cylinder, and adaptively learning said first and second relationships based on sensed operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
    Inventor: James Michael Kerns