Patents by Inventor Robert E. Maute

Robert E. Maute 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: 20090178476
    Abstract: In a borehole logging tool, the flow of conductive fluid into or out of a wellbore at the wellbore wall is detected and measured with a sensor loop proximate the borehole inner wall. The sensor loop includes a series of contiguous sensors that act as electromagnetic flowmeters and provide fluid measurements covering the entire circumference of the sensor loop. The sensor loop includes an elastic element that forces the sensor loop outward to maintain pressure along the sensor loop circumference against the interior borehole wall. The sensor loop is designed to lie at a non-perpendicular angle to the wellbore axis, and mechanical arms press the top and bottom of the loop against the borehole inner wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Inventor: Robert E. Maute
  • Patent number: 7509852
    Abstract: In a borehole logging tool, the flow of conductive fluid into or out of a wellbore at the wellbore wall is detected and measured with a sensor loop proximate the borehole inner wall. The sensor loop includes a series of contiguous sensors that act as electromagnetic flowmeters and provide fluid measurements covering the entire circumference of the sensor loop. The sensor loop includes an elastic element that forces the sensor loop outward to maintain pressure along the sensor loop circumference against the interior borehole wall. The sensor loop is designed to lie at a non-perpendicular angle to the wellbore axis, and mechanical arms press the top and bottom of the loop against the borehole inner wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: REM Scientific Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert E. Maute
  • Publication number: 20080022763
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for detecting radial flows of conductive fluid are provided. In an embodiment of the present invention, shields are used to prevent or reduce circulating electrical currents from causing a voltage difference that would adversely affect the measured voltage difference between two adjacent electrodes. The shields may be a conduit through which conductive fluid may flow. Groups of sensors, e.g., two or more, may be placed within the shield. The shields may have any cross-section shape. Generally, once the circulating electrical current flow between the electrode pairs is substantially reduced or eliminated, only the voltage difference from the localized induced electric field remains. This way, a true induced voltage may be measured, and thus an accurate value for the fluid velocity may be determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Inventor: Robert E. Maute
  • Patent number: 6971271
    Abstract: In a borehole logging tool, the flow of conductive fluid into or out of a wellbore at the wellbore wall is detected and measured with a sensor loop proximate the borehole inner wall. The sensor loop includes a series of contiguous sensors that act as electromagnetic flowmeters and provide fluid measurements covering the entire circumference of the sensor loop. The sensor loop includes an elastic element that forces the sensor loop outward to maintain pressure along the sensor loop circumference against the interior borehole wall. The sensor loop is designed to lie at a non-perpendicular angle to the wellbore axis, and mechanical arms press the top and bottom of the loop against the borehole inner wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: REM Scientific Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert E. Maute
  • Patent number: 6779407
    Abstract: In a borehole logging tool, the flow of conductive fluid into or out of a wellbore at the wellbore wall is detected and measured with a sensor loop proximate the borehole inner wall. The sensor loop includes a series of contiguous sensors that act as electromagnetic flowmeters and provide fluid measurements covering the entire circumference of the sensor loop. The sensor loop includes an elastic element that forces the sensor loop outward to maintain pressure along the sensor loop circumference against the interior borehole wall. The sensor loop is designed to lie at a non-perpendicular angle to the wellbore axis, and mechanical arms press the top and bottom of the loop against the borehole inner wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: REM Scientific Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert E. Maute
  • Publication number: 20040083804
    Abstract: In a borehole logging tool, the flow of conductive fluid into or out of a wellbore at the wellbore wall is detected and measured with a sensor loop proximate the borehole inner wall. The sensor loop includes a series of contiguous sensors that act as electromagnetic flowmeters and provide fluid measurements covering the entire circumference of the sensor loop. The sensor loop includes an elastic element that forces the sensor loop outward to maintain pressure along the sensor loop circumference against the interior borehole wall. The sensor loop is designed to lie at a non-perpendicular angle to the wellbore axis, and mechanical arms press the top and bottom of the loop against the borehole inner wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Inventor: Robert E. Maute
  • Patent number: 6711947
    Abstract: In a borehole logging tool, the flow of conductive fluid into or out of a wellbore at the wellbore wall is detected and measured with a sensor loop proximate the borehole inner wall. The sensor loop includes a series of contiguous sensors that act as electromagnetic flowmeters and provide fluid measurements covering the entire circumference of the sensor loop. The sensor loop includes an elastic element that forces the sensor loop outward to maintain pressure along the sensor loop circumference against the interior borehole wall. The sensor loop is designed to lie at a non-perpendicular angle to the wellbore axis, and mechanical arms press the top and bottom of the loop against the borehole inner wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: REM Scientific Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert E. Maute
  • Publication number: 20030230498
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a storage device that can accommodate medicinal dosages. In a preferred embodiment, the storage device comprises two body portions having a cavity formed therein. The cavity is of a size such that the cavity may accommodate the medicinal dosages with a minimal amount of movement. The storage device is opened by applying a snapping force along the axis of a hinge that couples. The medicinal dosages are extracted from the storage device by tilting the opened storage device such that the cavity is facing downward.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2003
    Publication date: December 18, 2003
    Inventor: Robert E. Maute
  • Publication number: 20020189337
    Abstract: In a borehole logging tool, the flow of conductive fluid into or out of a wellbore at the wellbore wall is detected and measured with a sensor loop proximate the borehole inner wall. The sensor loop includes a series of contiguous sensors that act as electromagnetic flowmeters and provide fluid measurements covering the entire circumference of the sensor loop. The sensor loop includes an elastic element that forces the sensor loop outward to maintain pressure along the sensor loop circumference against the interior borehole wall. The sensor loop is designed to lie at a non-perpendicular angle to the wellbore axis, and mechanical arms press the top and bottom of the loop against the borehole inner wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2001
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Inventor: Robert E. Maute
  • Patent number: 5777278
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed to identify fluid hydrocarbon flow rates in a flow line such as a pipeline or a producing oil well having a unidirectional fluid flow including moving an acoustic tool through a flow line. Acoustic energy is transmitted into the fluid flow. The acoustic energy is then received when it is reflected back by interfaces within the fluid flow. The reflected acoustic energy is transformed into electrical signals. The electrical signals are rectified. The amplitude peaks of the rectified electrical signals are determined. The travel times of the amplitude peaks are also determined. The amplitude peaks and the time values are used to determine hydrocarbon gas and the hydrocarbon liquid in the hydrocarbon fluid flow in the oil well. A transducer within the acoustic tool rotates three hundred sixty degrees six times per second. This enables us to obtain holdup and velocities for the total flow around the tool even in non ideal operating conditions such as deviated wells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1998
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Adam Bednarczyk, Robert E. Maute, Laird B. Thompson
  • Patent number: 5747749
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the various components of a multi-phase fluid flow in a defined area includes using an acoustic transceiver tool to direct a beam of acoustic energy toward the fluid flow in a producing well or a horizontal line. A signal is generated when the reflection of the beam of acoustic energy returns and is detected. The signal is rectified and recorded as a measure of oil flow rate within the well. The amplitude peaks are identified and areas around each peak are determined. Two areas of the rectified signal are defined relating to the determined amplitude peaks. The rectified signal under each area is integrated to provide an indication of fluid flow and the strength of the signal reaching the casing. A ratio is determined from the integration results of the two areas. The magnitude of this ratio provides an indication of the extent of the presence of gas in the fluid flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1998
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Adam Bednarczyk, Robert E. Maute, Laird B. Thompson
  • Patent number: 5551287
    Abstract: In a borehole logging tool, a hot wire or hot film anemometer measures fluid flow entering or exiting the borehole at the wall of the borehole. The logging tool has open sensing pads mounted on the arms to place the sensor pads at the wall. The sensor pads are open to fluid flow to provide minimum disruption of flow. Other sensors measure flow direction, capacitance, and temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1996
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Robert E. Maute, Laird B. Thompson, Adam Bednarczyk, David Symmons
  • Patent number: 5105356
    Abstract: The maximum correlation between a pair of curves is determined from the maximum value of the common area of such curves with respect to reference lines within a select window as one of the curves is moved through the window while the other of the curves remains fixed within the window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1992
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Robert E. Maute, F. Fay Osborn