Patents by Inventor Randall P. Williams

Randall P. Williams 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: 11073433
    Abstract: Solid-state stress sensors are presented herein. A sensor system may include a substrate, a first layer of sensing material disposed on a first surface of the substrate and at least two electrodes forming an electrode pair. The at least two electrodes may include a first electrode and a second electrode. The first and second electrodes may be offset from each other in a direction substantially parallel to the first surface. The sensing material may be a piezoelectric material and the sensor system may be configured to generate an output signal in response to shear stress experienced by the sensing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignees: Silicon Audio, Inc., BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM
    Inventors: Neal A. Hall, Donghwan Kim, Randall P. Williams, David P. Gawalt, Bradley D. Avenson, Caesar T. Garcia, Kristofer L. Gleason
  • Publication number: 20190257702
    Abstract: Solid-state stress sensors are presented herein. A sensor system may include a substrate, a first layer of sensing material disposed on a first surface of the substrate and at least two electrodes forming an electrode pair. The at least two electrodes may include a first electrode and a second electrode. The first and second electrodes may be offset from each other in a direction substantially parallel to the first surface. The sensing material may be a piezoelectric material and the sensor system may be configured to generate an output signal in response to shear stress experienced by the sensing material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Inventors: Neal A. Hall, Donghwan Kim, Randall P. Williams, David P. Gawalt, Bradley D. Avenson, Caesar T. Garcia, Kristofer L. Gleason
  • Patent number: 10309845
    Abstract: Embodiments of solid-state stress sensors are presented herein. A sensor system may include a substrate, a first layer of sensing material disposed on a first surface of the substrate, and at least three electrodes forming a first and second electrode pair. The at least three electrodes may include a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode. The first electrode may be disposed in a first plane and the second electrode and the third electrode may be disposed in a second plane, the first and second planes associated with a first direction parallel to the first surface. The first and second electrodes may be at least partially offset in the first direction. The first and third electrodes may be at least partially offset in the first direction. The sensor system may be configured to generate an output signal in response to a shear stress within the sensing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignees: Silicon Audio, Inc., Board of Regents of the University of Texas System
    Inventors: Neal A. Hall, Donghwan Kim, Randall P. Williams, David P. Gawalt, Bradley D. Avenson, Caesar T. Garcia, Kristofer L. Gleason
  • Publication number: 20170016783
    Abstract: Embodiments of solid-state stress sensors are presented herein. A sensor system may include a substrate, a first layer of sensing material disposed on a first surface of the substrate, and at least three electrodes forming a first and second electrode pair. The at least three electrodes may include a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode. The first electrode may be disposed in a first plane and the second electrode and the third electrode may be disposed in a second plane, the first and second planes associated with a first direction parallel to the first surface. The first and second electrodes may be at least partially offset in the first direction. The first and third electrodes may be at least partially offset in the first direction. The sensor system may be configured to generate an output signal in response to a shear stress within the sensing material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Inventors: Neal A. Hall, Donghwan Kim, Randall P. Williams, David P. Gawalt, Bradley D. Avenson, Caesar T. Garcia, Kristofer L. Gleason
  • Publication number: 20150030477
    Abstract: A synthetic jet ejector (201) is provided which includes a chassis (203); first (205) and second (207) opposing synthetic jet actuators mounted in the chassis; and a controller (209) which controls the first and second synthetic jet actuators and which is in electrical contact with the first and second synthetic jet actuators by way of flexible circuitry (211, 213).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: NUVENTIX, INC.
    Inventors: Daniel N. Grimm, Andrew Poynot, Randall P. Williams, Stephen P. Darbin, Lee M. Jones, Raghavendran Mahalingam
  • Publication number: 20140319239
    Abstract: A device is provided which includes (a) a thermally conductive base having first and second major surfaces; (b) a die attached to said first major surface of said base; (c) a heat pipe having a first end which is attached to said second major surface of said base; (d) a plurality of heat fins attached to a second end of said heat pipe; and (e) at least one synthetic jet ejector disposed between said base and said plurality of heat fins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: Nuventix, Inc.
    Inventors: Raghavendran Mahalingam, Randall P. Williams, Stephen P. Darbin, Brandon Lee Noska, Lee M. Jones
  • Publication number: 20140252120
    Abstract: A synthetic jet ejector (201) is provided which includes a housing assembly (239, 241) which is equipped with a first plurality of openings (203, 207) and a second plurality of openings (205, 209), and a diaphragm assembly disposed within the housing assembly. The diaphragm assembly includes first (229) and second (243) armatures, a coil (235) disposed between the first and second armatures, first (221) and second (255) end caps, a first diaphragm (223) disposed between the first end cap and the first armature, and a second diaphragm (249) disposed between the second end cap and the second armature. The first and second diaphragms contain a first set of keying features (273) which keys them to the housing assembly. The synthetic jet ejector emits a first plurality of synthetic jets out of the first plurality of openings, and emits a second plurality of synthetic jets out of the second plurality of openings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: NUVENTIX, INC.
    Inventors: Timothy S. Lucas, Stephen P. Darbin, Raghavendran Mahalingam, Andrew Poynot, Daniel N. Grimm, Randall P. Williams
  • Publication number: 20130068427
    Abstract: A thermal management system is provided which comprises (a) a synthetic jet actuator; and (b) a frame having at least one element therein which pressingly engages said synthetic jet actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Inventors: Randall P. Williams, Lee M. Jones, Andrew Poynot, John Stanley Booth, Brandon Lee Noska, Raghavendran Mahalingam, Markus Schwickert, Robert G. Diamond, Stephen P. Darbin, Daniel N. Grimm, Donald G. Doss, Elise Hime, Samuel N. Heffington, Robert T. Reichenbach, James Kelly, Matthew B. Ernst, Rick Ball
  • Publication number: 20120292401
    Abstract: A method is provided for forming tinsel on a synthetic jet actuator. The method comprises (a) providing a synthetic jet actuator assembly (201) comprising a bobbin (203), a voice coil (213), driver electronics (215), and a surround (205); and (b) printing polymer thick film (PTF) conductive ink (209) across the surround, thus connecting the voice coil to the driver electronics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2012
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Inventors: Raghavendran Mahalingam, Markus Schwickert, Elise Hime, Samuel N. Heffington, Robert T. Reichenbach, James Kelly, John Stanley Booth, Randall P. Williams, Matthew B. Ernst
  • Patent number: 7768779
    Abstract: A device (103) is provided which comprises (a) a housing (115) equipped with a viewing window (253); (b) a diaphragm (301), visible through said viewing window; (c) an actuator (126) adapted to vibrate said diaphragm at an operating frequency; and (d) a strobe light (121).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Nuventix, Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel N. Heffington, Michael D Wilcox, Randall P. Williams, Robert T. Reichenbach
  • Publication number: 20080295997
    Abstract: A device (103) is provided which comprises (a) a housing (115) equipped with a viewing window (253); (b) a diaphragm (301), visible through said viewing window; (c) an actuator (126) adapted to vibrate said diaphragm at an operating frequency; and (d) a strobe light (121).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Inventors: Samuel N. Heffington, Michael D. Wilcox, Randall P. Williams, Robert T. Reichenbach