Patents by Inventor Michael P. Mitchell

Michael P. Mitchell 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: 20180273226
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and program product may determine load stability for a load to be wrapped based upon sensing the response or reaction of the load to a disturbance applied to the load, e.g., through intentionally moving, shaking, tilting, pushing, impacting or otherwise applying an input force to the load and sensing the response using one or more sensors. The sensed response may then be used to determine a load stability parameter that may be used in the control of a load wrapping apparatus when wrapping the load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Applicant: Lantech.com, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick R. Lancaster, III, Michael P. Mitchell, Richard L. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20180273218
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and program product perform automatic load profiling to optimize a wrapping operation performed with a stretch wrapping machine. Automatic load profiling may be performed, for example, to determine a density parameter for a load that is indicative of load stability such that one or more control parameters may be configured for a wrapping operation based upon the density parameter. Automatic load profiling may also be performed, for example, to detect a load with a nonstandard top layer, e.g., a load with a top or slip sheet, a load with an easily deformable top layer, a load with a ragged top surface topography and/or a load with an inboard portion, such that a top layer containment operation may be activated during wrapping to optimize containment for the load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Patrick R. Lancaster, III, Michael P. Mitchell, Richard L. Johnson
  • Patent number: 10053253
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and program product utilize a graphical interface to facilitate operator interaction with a load wrapping apparatus, particularly in connection with setting up a wrap profile. The graphical interface may incorporate a graphical depiction of a load, along with graphical depictions of both the number of layers of packaging material and the wrap force associated with a given wrap profile, with the graphical depictions of each of the number of layers of packaging material and the wrap force being capable of being dynamically updated in response to changes made by an operator to a wrap profile. The graphical depictions therefore provide a visual interface to assist an operator who may have limited expertise in setting up a load wrapping apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Lantech.com, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick R. Lancaster, III, Michael P. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 10005580
    Abstract: A wrapping apparatus and method utilize a corner rotation angle-based wrap control that controls the rate at which packaging material is dispensed based on the rotational position of one or more corners of the load during relative rotation established between the load and a packaging material dispenser. The locations of one or more corners on a load may be sensed or otherwise calculated, and when combined with a sensed or calculated rotational position of the load relative to a packaging material dispenser, the locations of the corners relative to the packaging material dispenser may be determined and utilized to control the dispense rate of the packaging material dispenser, e.g., by determining which corner is currently driving an effective consumption rate of the load and/or determining when to apply a controlled intervention to the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: LANTECH.COM, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick R. Lancaster, III, Michael P. Mitchell, Jeremy D. McCray, Richard L. Johnson
  • Patent number: 10005581
    Abstract: A wrapping apparatus and method utilize an effective circumference-based wrap speed model that dynamically controls the rate at which packaging material is dispensed based on an effective circumference of a load during relative rotation established between the load and a packaging material dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: LANTECH.COM, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick R. Lancaster, III, Michael P. Mitchell, Jeremy D. McCray, Richard L. Johnson
  • Patent number: 9932137
    Abstract: A wrapping apparatus and method utilize a corner geometry-based wrap control that controls the rate at which packaging material is dispensed at least in part based on the geometrical relationship between one or more corners of a load and a packaging material dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Lantech.com, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick R. Lancaster, III, Michael P. Mitchell, Jeremy D. McCray, Richard L. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20180079537
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and program product implement top layer containment operations to optimize containment of various types of loads such as loads with top/slip sheets, ragged topographies, and/or inboard portions. Bidirectional control of the elevation of a web of packaging material may be performed within one or more revolutions between a load and a packaging material dispenser to selectively engage one or more corners of the load with a web of packaging material while passing the web of packaging material inwardly of one or more other corners of the load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Inventors: Patrick R. Lancaster, III, Michael P. Mitchell, Richard L. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20180022488
    Abstract: Control of a wrapping apparatus is facilitated by enabling an operator to input a load containment force requirement and/or a minimum number of layers of packaging material to be applied to a load, with a wrap control system automatically determining wrap force and other parameters required to meet user input requirements and/or parameters to minimize the expertise required of an operator and to provide more consistent and reliable wrapping of loads. In addition, a wrapping apparatus may be controlled to apply at least a minimum number of layers of packaging material to a load throughout a contiguous region thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: Patrick R. Lancaster, III, Michael P. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 9776748
    Abstract: Control of a wrapping apparatus is facilitated by enabling an operator to input a load containment force requirement and/or a minimum number of layers of packaging material to be applied to a load, with a wrap control system automatically determining wrap force and other parameters required to meet user input requirements and/or parameters to minimize the expertise required of an operator and to provide more consistent and reliable wrapping of loads. In addition, a wrapping apparatus may be controlled to apply at least a minimum number of layers of packaging material to a load throughout a contiguous region thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Lantech.com, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick R. Lancaster, III, Michael P. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 9524353
    Abstract: A method and system for providing portions of information content to a client device is presented. The present application provides a manner of personalizing information content for display on handheld or mobile devices. A user may identify sections of a web page as clips, and then request only the identified section instead of the entire web page from a server. Upon receiving the request, the server will load the web page, retrieve the identified section, transform the identified section for display on the client device, and then send the transformed information to the client device. The clip of information is then a live update from a web page that presents the latest content from a web page instead of a cached web page section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Gregory J. Athas, Michael P. Mitchell, Cesar Moreno, Pawel Bak
  • Publication number: 20160098171
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and program product utilize a graphical interface to facilitate operator interaction with a load wrapping apparatus, particularly in connection with setting up a wrap profile. The graphical interface may incorporate a graphical depiction of a load, along with graphical depictions of both the number of layers of packaging material and the wrap force associated with a given wrap profile, with the graphical depictions of each of the number of layers of packaging material and the wrap force being capable of being dynamically updated in response to changes made by an operator to a wrap profile. The graphical depictions therefore provide a visual interface to assist an operator who may have limited expertise in setting up a load wrapping apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Publication date: April 7, 2016
    Inventors: Patrick R. Lancaster, III, Michael P. Mitchell
  • Publication number: 20160096646
    Abstract: Control of a load wrapping apparatus may be based at least in part on the relative stability of a load, such as based upon one or more load stability types that categorize the relative stability of the load. A graphical depiction of a wrap profile may also be used in some instances to facilitate operator set up of the wrap profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Publication date: April 7, 2016
    Inventors: Patrick R. Lancaster, III, Michael P. Mitchell
  • Publication number: 20160096645
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and program product project a containment force to be applied to a load by a load wrapping apparatus prior to wrapping the load to facilitate proper configuration of the load wrapping apparatus for a wrapping operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Publication date: April 7, 2016
    Inventors: Patrick R. Lancaster, III, Michael P. Mitchell
  • Publication number: 20150197360
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and program product monitor a wrap force during a wrap cycle to dynamically control the dispense rate of a packaging material dispenser to meet a desired containment force to be applied to a load. A conversion may be performed between wrap force and containment force for the monitored wrap force or a containment force parameter to facilitate the performance of a comparison between the monitored wrap force and a containment force parameter associated with the desired containment force to be applied to the load. A wrap force parameter may also be dynamically adjusted, and in some instances, the dynamic adjustment may be responsive to monitored wrap force, and may be used to meet a load containment force requirement for a load. In other instances, the dynamic adjustment may be responsive to monitored packaging material breaks to reduce the occurrence of packaging material breaks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Inventors: Patrick R. Lancaster, III, Michael P. Mitchell, Richard L. Johnson, Jeremy D. McCray
  • Publication number: 20140223863
    Abstract: Packaging material may be profiled to generate an incremental containment force per revolution (ICF) attribute that is represented by a function that is variable as a function of wrap force. Moreover, the performance of different packaging materials, e.g., in terms of speed or cost, may be compared for a particular load through simulation of wrap operations based upon dimensions of the load and a desired load containment force requirement for the load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: Lantech.com, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick R. Lancaster, III, Michael P. Mitchell
  • Publication number: 20140229257
    Abstract: An electronic commerce system includes a client computer and a server computer interconnected by a public packet switched communications network. The client computer is programmed to transmit to the server computer an order acceptance request terms or conditions of a proposed offer for a purchase, including multiple options of at least one of the terms or conditions of the offer. The server computer is programmed to process the order acceptance request based on pre-programmed criteria and based on the processing of the order acceptance request to transmit to the client computer an order acceptance response. The order acceptance response includes a plurality of amendments to the proposed offer for the purchase, including selection of an option of the at least one of the terms or conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: Soverain Software LLC
    Inventors: Brian J. Reistad, Eswar Priyadarshan, Michael P. Mitchell, James W. O'Toole, Andrew C. Payne, Durval M. Vieira, Lawrence C. Stewart
  • Publication number: 20140223864
    Abstract: Control of a wrapping apparatus is facilitated by enabling an operator to input a load containment force requirement and/or a minimum number of layers of packaging material to be applied to a load, with a wrap control system automatically determining wrap force and other parameters required to meet user input requirements and/or parameters to minimize the expertise required of an operator and to provide more consistent and reliable wrapping of loads. In addition, a wrapping apparatus may be controlled to apply at least a minimum number of layers of packaging material to a load throughout a contiguous region thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: Lantech.com, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick R. Lancaster, III, Michael P. Mitchell
  • Publication number: 20140116008
    Abstract: A wrapping apparatus and method utilize a corner geometry-based wrap control that controls the rate at which packaging material is dispensed at least in part based on the geometrical relationship between one or more corners of a load and a packaging material dispenser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: Lantech.com, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick R. Lancaster, III, Michael P. Mitchell, Jeremy D. McCray, Richard L. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20140116007
    Abstract: A wrapping apparatus and method utilize an effective circumference-based wrap speed model that dynamically controls the rate at which packaging material is dispensed based on an effective circumference of a load during relative rotation established between the load and a packaging material dispenser. The effective circumference of a load may be indicative of an effective consumption rate of the load, and may refer to a dimension or size of a tangent circle that is substantially centered at the center of rotation of the load and substantially tangent to a line substantially extending between a first point proximate to where the packaging material exits the dispenser and a second point proximate to where the packaging material engages the load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: Lantech.com, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick R. Lancaster, III, Michael P. Mitchell, Jeremy D. McCray, Richard L. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20140116006
    Abstract: A wrapping apparatus and method utilize a corner rotation angle-based wrap control that controls the rate at which packaging material is dispensed based on the rotational position of one or more corners of the load during relative rotation established between the load and a packaging material dispenser. The locations of one or more corners on a load may be sensed or otherwise calculated, and when combined with a sensed or calculated rotational position of the load relative to a packaging material dispenser, the locations of the corners relative to the packaging material dispenser may be determined and utilized to control the dispense rate of the packaging material dispenser, e.g., by determining which corner is currently driving an effective consumption rate of the load and/or determining when to apply a controlled intervention to the load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: Lantech.com, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick R. Lancaster, III, Michael P. Mitchell, Jeremy D. McCray, Richard L. Johnson