Patents by Inventor Neil Smith

Neil Smith 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: 20160155242
    Abstract: A system for generating an overlay display comprises an overlay display, a camera and a processor connected to the overlay display and the camera. The overlay display is arranged to overlay an output on a background, the camera is arranged to detect the background, and the processor is arranged to receive a desired color for the output, determine the actual color of the background, and calculate the output color from the desired color and the actual color of the background.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventors: Chris R. BEAN, Sophie D. GREEN, Madeleine R. NEIL SMITH, Joe PAVITT
  • Publication number: 20160155267
    Abstract: Proposed is a display control system for an augmented reality, AR, display system, the AR display system comprising a transparent display area adapted to augment an object or scene viewable through the transparent display area by displaying a visual element in the transparent display area. The display control system comprises: a focal point detection unit adapted to determine a point of focus of a user; and a processing unit adapted to determine an offset distance by which the determined point of focus of the user is spaced from the transparent display area, and to generate a control signal for modifying the transparency of the visual element based on the determined offset distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventors: Chris R. BEAN, Sophie D. GREEN, Madeleine R. NEIL SMITH, Joe PAVITT
  • Patent number: 9305579
    Abstract: The embodiments of the present invention relate to a method for forming a magnetic read head having side by side sensors. The method includes depositing a pinned layer, a barrier layer and a free layer over a shield, and removing portions of the pinned layer, barrier layer and free layer to expose portions of the shield. A bias material is deposited over the exposed shield. An opening is formed in the free layer to expose the barrier layer, and an insulative material is deposited into the opening. The resulting side by side sensors each has its own free layer separated by the insulative nonmagnetic material. The side by side sensors share the pinned layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: HGST NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Patrick M. Braganca, Yang Li, Jordan A. Katine, Neil Smith, Hsin-Wei Tseng
  • Patent number: 9299370
    Abstract: A system, according to one embodiment, includes a magnetic head having sensor structures disposed laterally along a cross-track direction, each sensor structure having a free layer, a soft bias layer positioned laterally to each sensor structure, an antiparallel coupling layer above each soft bias layer, a magnetic layer above each antiparallel coupling layer, wherein magnetic moments of the soft bias layer and the magnetic layer are antiparallel coupled, and a stabilizing layer above each magnetic layer for stabilizing a magnetic orientation of the magnetic layer. Moreover, opposing faces of the magnetic layers are positioned apart by a distance that causes each magnetic layer to form a magnetic circuit with the associated free layer and the associated soft bias layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Sharat Batra, Neil Smith, Petrus A. Van Der Heijden, Howard G. Zolla
  • Patent number: 9299027
    Abstract: A method and system that includes extracting event models from at least one personal planning source of a user, wherein a parameter of an event model includes event location; periodically receiving location information of at least one mobile device of the user; storing the location information in a location log; a pattern worker module maintaining user location patterns through the location log; generating a location prediction from the extracted event models and the user location patterns; a first content worker module checking if the location prediction meets a set of content requirements; if the set of content requirements is satisfied, initiating content retrieval from at least one service; and pushing the content to the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Runaway 20, Inc.
    Inventors: Lucas O'Neil Smith, Oliver Clark Rickard, Thomas William Moulia, William Christian Ferrell
  • Patent number: 9293160
    Abstract: A system comprising a sensor with a free layer that exhibits an anomalous Hall effect is disclosed. Further, the sensor has a magnetic underlayer below the free layer in a track direction for biasing a magnetic orientation of the free layer in a first magnetic orientation, and a magnetic overlayer above the free layer in the track direction for biasing the magnetic orientation of the free layer in the first magnetic orientation. Still further, the sensor has a lower nonmagnetic spacer layer between the magnetic underlayer and the free layer, and an upper nonmagnetic spacer layer between the magnetic overlayer and the free layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Goran Mihajlovic, Neil Smith
  • Publication number: 20160040649
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a wind turbine enabling a cost effective and easy attachment/replacement of rotor blades and to a method of attaching a rotor blade to a hub of a wind turbine. The wind turbine in accordance with the invention comprises a tower resting on a base, at least one rotor blade having a blade connector portion, a nacelle housing a shaft to which a hub is attached, the nacelle being mounted atop the tower. Said hub of the wind turbine comprises a plurality of hub connection flanges, each hub connection flange being adapted to be detachably connected to a blade connector portion of a rotor blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Applicant: Clipper Windpower, LLC
    Inventors: Neil Smith, Josh Kissinge, Ole Kils
  • Patent number: 9236069
    Abstract: A method for making a current-perpendicular-to-the-plane magnetoresistive sensor structure produces a top electrode that is “self-aligned” on the top of the sensor and with a width less than the sensor trackwidth. A pair of walls of ion-milling resistant material are fabricated to a predetermined height above the biasing layers at the sensor side edges. A layer of electrode material is then deposited onto the top of the sensor between the two walls. The walls serve as a mask during angled ion milling to remove outer portions of the electrode layer. The height of the walls and the angle of ion milling determines the width of the resulting top electrode. This leaves the reduced-width top electrode located on the sensor. Because of the directional ion milling using walls that are aligned with the sensor side edges, the reduced-width top electrode is self-aligned in the center of the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Patrick Mesquita Braganca, Jeffrey R. Childress, Jordan Asher Katine, Yang Li, Neil Leslie Robertson, Neil Smith, Petrus Antonius VanDerHeijden, Douglas Johnson Werner
  • Patent number: 9177576
    Abstract: A disk drive includes a disk including a magnetizable layer of material, and a transducer. The transducer has a read element that includes a first shield layer, a pinned layer, a metallic spacer, an AP (anti-parallel) free layer, and a second shield layer. The pinned layer has a surface area which is greater than the area of the AP free layer. The read element also includes an anti-ferromagnetic layer for substantially fixing the magnetic orientation of a plurality of domains in the pinned layer. The ferromagnetic layer is adjacent the pinned layer. The pinned layer, and the anti-ferromagnetic layer both have surface areas which are greater than the area associated with the AP free layer. The anti-ferromagnetic layer, in one embodiment, has a pinning strength in the range of 0.5 erg/cm2 to 1.5 erg/cm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: HGST NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Matthew Joseph Carey, Jeffrey Robinson Childress, Young-suk Choi, Goran Mihajlovic, John Creighton Read, Neil Smith
  • Patent number: 9153258
    Abstract: A scissor type magnetic sensor having a back edge bias structure that has a non-uniform magnetic moment to compensate for differences in magnetic spacing between the bias structure and a first magnetic free layer as compared with the magnetic spacing between the bias structure and a second magnetic free layer. The magnetic bias structure can include a first magnetic layer and a second magnetic layer formed over the first magnetic layer, with the first magnetic layer having a higher magnetic moment than the second magnetic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Quang Le, David J. Seagle, Neil Smith, Petrus A. Van Der Heijden
  • Publication number: 20150199985
    Abstract: The embodiments of the present invention relate to a method for forming a magnetic read head having side by side sensors. The method includes depositing a pinned layer, a barrier layer and a free layer over a shield, and removing portions of the pinned layer, barrier layer and free layer to expose portions of the shield. A bias material is deposited over the exposed shield. An opening is formed in the free layer to expose the barrier layer, and an insulative material is deposited into the opening. The resulting side by side sensors each has its own free layer separated by the insulative nonmagnetic material. The side by side sensors share the pinned layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Applicant: HGST NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Patrick M. BRAGANCA, Yang LI, Jordan A. KATINE, Neil SMITH, Hsin-Wei TSENG
  • Patent number: 9076468
    Abstract: A scissor type magnetic sensor having a soft magnetic side shields for improved sensor stability. The soft magnetic side shield structure extends from the side of the sensor and although being constructed of a low coercivity soft magnetic material it has a shape the causes the magnetization of the side shield layer to remain oriented in a desired direction parallel to the media facing surface. The side shields include first and second magnetic layers with an antiparallel coupling layer sandwiched between them. Each of the magnetic layers of the side shield structure has a width measured perpendicular to the media facing surface and a thickness measured perpendicular to the width and parallel with the media facing surface, both the width and the thickness being less than 10 times an intrinsic exchange length of the magnetic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Christopher D. Keener, Quang Le, David J. Seagle, Neil Smith, Petrus A. Van Der Heijden
  • Publication number: 20150160047
    Abstract: An acoustic detector provides a planar arrangement of microphones. A windshield is arranged over the microphones, with a view to reducing the impact of environmental effects. A void is therefore defined over the microphones, and the interior surface of the windshield, which defines the void, is shaped suitably to reduce the potential for acoustic waves propagating within the void to reflect back onto the microphones.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventors: JOHN SAVAGE, Jonathan Neil Smith
  • Publication number: 20150154991
    Abstract: A scissor type magnetic sensor having a back edge bias structure that has a non-uniform magnetic moment to compensate for differences in magnetic spacing between the bias structure and a first magnetic free layer as compared with the magnetic spacing between the bias structure and a second magnetic free layer. The magnetic bias structure can include a first magnetic layer and a second magnetic layer formed over the first magnetic layer, with the first magnetic layer having a higher magnetic moment than the second magnetic layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Applicant: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Quang Le, David J. Seagle, Neil Smith, Petrus A. Van Der Heijden
  • Publication number: 20150147481
    Abstract: A method for making a scissoring type current-perpendicular-to-the-plane magnetoresistive sensor with exchange-coupled soft side shields uses oblique angle ion milling to remove unwanted material from the side edges of the upper free layer. All of the layers making up the sensor stack are deposited as full films. The sensor stack is then ion milled to define the sensor side edges. The side regions are then refilled by deposition of an insulating layer. Next, the lower soft magnetic layers of the exchange-coupled side shields are deposited, which also coats the insulating layer up to and past the side edges of the upper free layer. The soft magnetic material adjacent the side edges of the upper free layer is removed by oblique angle ion beam milling. The material for the antiparallel-coupling (APC) layers is deposited, followed by deposition of the material for the upper soft magnetic layers of the exchange-coupled side shields.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: HGST Nertherlands B..V.
    Inventors: Patrick Mesquita Braganca, Jordan Asher Katine, Neil Smith
  • Patent number: 9042059
    Abstract: A two-dimensional magnetic recording (TDMR) read head has upper and lower read sensors wherein the lower read sensor has its magnetization biased by side shields of soft magnetic material. The center shield between the lower and upper sensors may be an antiparallel structure (APS) with two ferromagnetic layers separated by an antiparallel coupling (APC) layer. The center shield has a central region and two side regions, but there is no antiferromagnetic (AF) layer in the central region. Instead the two side regions of the upper ferromagnetic layer in the APS are pinned by AF tab layers that are electrically isolated from the upper sensor. The upper ferromagnetic layer and the APC layer in the APS may also be located only in the side regions. The thickness of the center shield can thus be made thinner, which reduces the free layer to free layer spacing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Jordan Asher Katine, Stefan Maat, Neil Smith, Alexander M. Zeltser, Howard Gordon Zolla
  • Publication number: 20150098153
    Abstract: A disk drive includes a disk including a magnetizable layer of material, and a transducer. The transducer has a read element that includes a first shield layer, a pinned layer, a metallic spacer, an AP (anti-parallel) free layer, and a second shield layer. The pinned layer has a surface area which is greater than the area of the AP free layer. The read element also includes an anti-ferromagnetic layer for substantially fixing the magnetic orientation of a plurality of domains in the pinned layer. The ferromagnetic layer is adjacent the pinned layer. The pinned layer, and the anti-ferromagnetic layer both have surface areas which are greater than the area associated with the AP free layer. The anti-ferromagnetic layer, in one embodiment, has a pinning strength in the range of 0.5 erg/cm2 to 1.5 erg/cm2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Matthew Joseph CAREY, Jeffrey Robinson CHILDRESS, Young-suk CHOI, Goran MIHAJLOVIC, John Creighton READ, Neil SMITH
  • Publication number: 20150090642
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for separating and removing aflatoxin-contaminated corn from batches of corn by a floating process, thus producing a distinguishable floating mat of contaminated corn and a separate submerged bed of uncontaminated and less contaminated corn. The methods of this disclosure include removing the floating contaminated corn mat by a vacuum mechanism or by liquid flow. The methods reduce the aflatoxin level in the submerged corn bed as much as 80% from the initial aflatoxin level, while removing no more than 15% from the batch of corn.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Nicholas Wayne BETHKE, Chad Allen CONARD, Marie Khagik COSTANIAN, Lawrence E. FOSDICK, Eugene Joseph FOX, Donald GRUNIG, Steven W. KIRKVOLD, Abhay R. LADHE, Jacob A. LELAND, Joseph Michael LEWIS, Eugene Max PETERS, Anthony John SCHANILEC, Riley Neil SMITH, Eric SUMNER, Ping YANG, Hadi Nayef YEHIA, Jill Louise ZULLO
  • Patent number: 8988833
    Abstract: A current-perpendicular-to-the plane magnetoresistive sensor has top and bottom electrodes narrower than the sensor trackwidth. The electrodes are formed of one of Cu, Au, Ag and AgSn, which have an ion milling etch rate much higher than the etch rates for the sensor's ferromagnetic materials. Ion milling is performed at a high angle relative to a line orthogonal to the plane of the electrode layers and the layers in the sensor stack. Because of the much higher etch rate of the material of the top and bottom electrode layers, the electrode layers will have side edges that are recessed from the side edges of the free layer. This reduces the surface areas for the top and bottom electrodes, which causes the sense current passing through the sensor's free layer to be confined in a narrower channel, which is equivalent to having a sensor with narrower physical trackwidth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Patrick Mesquita Braganca, Jeffrey R. Childress, Jordan Asher Katine, Yang Li, Neil Leslie Robertson, Neil Smith, Petrus Antonius VanDerHeijden, Douglas Johnson Werner
  • Publication number: 20150060578
    Abstract: A nozzle assembly includes a nozzle body defining an inlet and an opposed spray outlet for producing a spray of fluid supplied at the inlet. The nozzle body includes a radially outward extending retainer feature. An adapter having an adapter bore therethrough is provided for supplying fluid to the inlet of the nozzle body. The nozzle body is engaged within the bore of the adapter. A retainer radially outward of the adapter and nozzle body includes a retainer feature engaged to the retainer feature of the nozzle body to hold the nozzle body and adapter body together. A sleeve is engaged to the retainer radially outward thereof to prevent disengagement of the retainer features of the nozzle body and retainer. The sleeve and retainer are configured for relative movement for releasing the retainer features of the nozzle body and retainer for removal of the nozzle body from the adapter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicants: DELAVAN LIMITED, DELAVAN INC
    Inventors: Lev A. Prociw, Frank Whittaker, Neil Smith