Patents by Inventor Ryan A. Powell

Ryan A. Powell 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: 20240140633
    Abstract: In an example embodiment, an apparatus for making pouch products includes a conveyor system. The conveyor system includes a first receiving location along a path of the conveyor system, and a dosing location along the path of the conveyor system. The apparatus also includes a first material dispensing station configured to transfer a first material to the first receiving location. The first material includes a first elastic layer and a first support layer. The first material dispensing station includes a dispenser roller configured to hold a roll of the first material, a plurality of rollers configured to convey the first material from the dispenser roller to the first receiving location, and a stripper plate configured remove at least a portion of the first support layer from a portion of the first elastic layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2024
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Gregory L. NELSON, Christopher Ryan NEWCOMB, James D. EVANS, Thien NGUYEN, Jarrod W. CHALKLEY, Robert V. POWELL
  • Patent number: 11945620
    Abstract: In an example embodiment, an apparatus for making pouch products includes a conveyor system. The conveyor system includes a first receiving location along a path of the conveyor system, and a dosing location along the path of the conveyor system. The apparatus also includes a first material dispensing station configured to transfer a first material to the first receiving location. The first material includes a first elastic layer and a first support layer. The first material dispensing station includes a dispenser roller configured to hold a roll of the first material, a plurality of rollers configured to convey the first material from the dispenser roller to the first receiving location, and a stripper plate configured remove at least a portion of the first support layer from a portion of the first elastic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: ALTRIA CLIENT SERVICES LLC
    Inventors: Gregory L. Nelson, Christopher Ryan Newcomb, James D. Evans, Thien Nguyen, Jarrod W. Chalkley, Robert V. Powell
  • Publication number: 20240068556
    Abstract: Systems are provided for a differential carrier assembly for a vehicle. In one example, a system includes a planet carrier coupled to a differential carrier and a planet carrier comprising a plurality of planet shafts including a cutout interfacing with a pilot interface of the differential carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2022
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Benjamin POWELL, Ryan D. NELMS
  • Publication number: 20230410241
    Abstract: The technology relates to facilitating transportation services between a user and a vehicle having an autonomous driving mode. For instance, one or more server computing devices having one or more processors may information identifying the current location of the vehicle. The one or more server computing devices may determine that the user is likely to want to take a trip to a particular destination based on prior location history for the user. The one or more server computing devices may dispatch the vehicle to cause the vehicle to travel in the autonomous driving mode towards a location of the user. In addition, after dispatching, the one or more server computing devices sending a notification to a client computing device associated with the user indicating that the vehicle is currently available to take the passenger to the particular destination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventors: Christopher Paul Urmson, Dmitri A. Dolgov, Nathaniel Fairfield, Peter Colijin, Salil Pandit, Nirmal Patel, Ryan Powell, Min Li Chan
  • Patent number: 11840173
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for displaying notifications on a display of an autonomous vehicle 100. In one instance, a distance from the vehicle to a destination of the vehicle or a passenger may be determined. When the distance is between a first distance and a second distance, a first notification 650 may be displayed on the display. The second distance may be less than the first distance. When the distance is less than the second distance, a second notification 660 may be displayed on the display. The second notification provides additional information not provided by the first notification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Maria Moon, Philip Nemec, Ryan Powell, Bruce Mai
  • Publication number: 20230368665
    Abstract: The technology includes communicating the current status of a self-driving vehicle to users, such as passengers within the vehicle and other users awaiting pickup. Certain information about the trip and vehicle status is communicated depending on where the passenger is sitting within the vehicle or where the person awaiting pickup is located outside the vehicle. This includes disseminating the “monologue” of a vehicle operating in an autonomous driving mode to a user via an app on the user's device (e.g., mobile phone, tablet or laptop PC, wearable, or other computing device) and/or an in-vehicle user interface. The monologue includes current status information regarding driving decisions and related operations or actions. This alerts the user as to why the vehicle is taking (or not taking) a certain action, which reduces confusion and allows the user to focus on other matters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2023
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Inventors: Salil Pandit, Nirmal Patel, Renaud-Roland Hubert, Maria Moon, Lauren Schwendimann, Guilherme Villar, Ryan Powell, Peter Crandall, Matthew Corey Hall
  • Publication number: 20230356591
    Abstract: Aspects of the technology relate to assisting a passenger in an autonomous vehicle without a driver. For instance, after a door of the vehicle is opened, a predetermined period of time may be waited by processors of computing devices of the vehicle. After waiting the predetermined period of time and when the vehicle's door remains open, a set of instructions for closing the vehicle's door may be played by the processors through a speaker of the vehicle. Once the door of the vehicle is closed, an announcement may be played by the processors through the speaker requesting that the passenger press a first button to initiate a ride to a destination. In response to the first button being pressed, the ride to the destination may be initiated by the processors by maneuvering the vehicle autonomously to the destination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Inventors: Maria Moon, Julien Charles Mercay, Kyle Bechtel, Ryan Powell, Clement Wright
  • Publication number: 20230330937
    Abstract: A method of cleaning residual resin from an additively manufactured object, the method including: producing by additive manufacturing at least one object on at least one carrier platform, each object including a light polymerized resin with a surface coating of viscous, unpolymerized residual resin; operatively connecting each object to a rotor; separating the residual resin from each object; and removing the at least one object from the rotor with the residual resin separated therefrom. The separating step may include: centrifugally separating the residual resin from each object by spinning the rotor with the at least object operatively connected thereto; and rotating (or tilting) each object about at least one axis during the spinning to enhance the centrifugally separating the residual resin from each object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2023
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventors: Bob E. Feller, W. Ryan Powell, Mark O. Kaufman
  • Patent number: 11738645
    Abstract: Aspects of the technology relate to assisting a passenger in an autonomous vehicle without a driver. For instance, after a door of the vehicle is opened, a predetermined period of time may be waited by processors of computing devices of the vehicle. After waiting the predetermined period of time and when the vehicle's door remains open, a set of instructions for closing the vehicle's door may be played by the processors through a speaker of the vehicle. Once the door of the vehicle is closed, an announcement may be played by the processors through the speaker requesting that the passenger press a first button to initiate a ride to a destination. In response to the first button being pressed, the ride to the destination may be initiated by the processors by maneuvering the vehicle autonomously to the destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Maria Moon, Julien Charles Mercay, Kyle Bechtel, Ryan Powell, Clement Wright
  • Patent number: 11731345
    Abstract: A method of producing multiple batches of objects by stereolithography, includes the steps of: (a) dispensing an initial or subsequent batch of dual cure resin into a stereolithography apparatus, the resin including a light polymerizable component and a heat polymerizable component; (b) producing an intermediate object by light polymerization of the resin in the apparatus, wherein the intermediate object retains excess resin on a surface thereof; then (c) separating excess resin from the intermediate object; (d) blending the excess resin with additional dual cure resin to produce a subsequent batch of dual cure resin; (e) repeating steps (a) through (c), and optionally repeating step (d), to produce additional object(s); and (f) baking the objects, together or separately, to produce multiple batches of objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Carbon, Inc.
    Inventors: Courtney F. Converse, Allison Light, W. Ryan Powell, Mateusz Marek Wojtaszek
  • Patent number: 11727523
    Abstract: The technology relates to facilitating transportation services between a user and a vehicle having an autonomous driving mode. For instance, one or more server computing devices having one or more processors may information identifying the current location of the vehicle. The one or more server computing devices may determine that the user is likely to want to take a trip to a particular destination based on prior location history for the user. The one or more server computing devices may dispatch the vehicle to cause the vehicle to travel in the autonomous driving mode towards a location of the user. In addition, after dispatching, the one or more server computing devices sending a notification to a client computing device associated with the user indicating that the vehicle is currently available to take the passenger to the particular destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Paul Urmson, Peter Colijn, Dmitri A. Dolgov, Nathaniel Fairfield, Salil Pandit, Nirmal Patel, Ryan Powell, Min Li Chan
  • Patent number: 11705002
    Abstract: The technology includes communicating the current status of a self-driving vehicle to users, such as passengers within the vehicle and other users awaiting pickup. Certain information about the trip and vehicle status is communicated depending on where the passenger is sitting within the vehicle or where the person awaiting pickup is located outside the vehicle. This includes disseminating the “monologue” of a vehicle operating in an autonomous driving mode to a user via an app on the user's device (e.g., mobile phone, tablet or laptop PC, wearable, or other computing device) and/or an in-vehicle user interface. The monologue includes current status information regarding driving decisions and related operations or actions. This alerts the user as to why the vehicle is taking (or not taking) a certain action, which reduces confusion and allows the user to focus on other matters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Salil Pandit, Nirmal Patel, Renaud-Roland Hubert, Maria Moon, Lauren Schwendimann, Guilherme Villar, Ryan Powell, Peter Crandall, Matthew Hall
  • Publication number: 20230111536
    Abstract: One aspect of the present disclosure includes a delivery tool configured to deliver a neurostimulator into a pterygopalatine fossa of a subject. The neurostimulator can include a body connected to an integral stimulation lead having one or more stimulating electrodes. The delivery tool can comprise a handle, an elongated shaft extending from the handle, a hub portion, and a double barrel sheath. The hub portion can be located between the shaft and a spine member that extends axially away from the hub portion. The hub portion can be sized and dimensioned to releasably mate with the neurostimulator. The double barrel sheath can be connected to the spine member. A central lumen can extend through at least a portion of the shaft and the hub portion. The central lumen can be adapted to receive a lead ejector for selective deployment of the stimulation lead from the double barrel sheath.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2022
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Inventors: Tom Luhrs, Alan Cheng, Ryan Powell, Jennifer Teng
  • Publication number: 20230094179
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for displaying notifications on a display of an autonomous vehicle 100. In one instance, a distance from the vehicle to a destination of the vehicle or a passenger may be determined. When the distance is between a first distance and a second distance, a first notification 650 may be displayed on the display. The second distance may be less than the first distance. When the distance is less than the second distance, a second notification 660 may be displayed on the display. The second notification provides additional information not provided by the first notification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Inventors: Maria Moon, Philip Nemec, Ryan Powell, Bruce Mai
  • Publication number: 20230027112
    Abstract: A method of cleaning residual resin from an additively manufactured object, includes: (a) enclosing an additively manufactured object in an inner chamber of a centrifugal separator, the additively manufactured object including a light polymerized resin with a surface coating of viscous, unpolymerized, residual resin; (b) flooding the chamber with a volatile organic solvent vapor without contacting liquid organic solvent to the object, the vapor present in an amount sufficient to reduce the viscosity of the residual resin; and (c) spinning the additively manufactured object in the chamber to centrifugally separate at least a first portion of the residual resin from the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2022
    Publication date: January 26, 2023
    Inventors: Bob E. Feller, W. Ryan Powell, Mark O. Kaufman
  • Patent number: 11541600
    Abstract: A method of making an object by additive manufacturing includes: (a) providing an additive manufacturing apparatus including a light source; (b) providing a carrier platform having a substantially planar object adhesion surface, the adhesion surface having a plurality of elongate wash channels formed therein; (c) producing the object on the carrier platform adhesion surface with the additive manufacturing apparatus from a light polymerizable resin, the object having at least one internal cavity formed therein; then (d) washing the object on the carrier platform with a wash liquid under conditions in which the wash liquid reaches the at least one internal cavity through the wash channels; then (e) optionally, at least partially drying the object on the carrier platform by separating the same from the wash liquid, and then agitating the object on the carrier platform to drain excess wash liquid from the object; (f) optionally, further curing the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Carbon, Inc.
    Inventors: R. Griffin Price, W. Ryan Powell, Yongqiang Li
  • Publication number: 20220410480
    Abstract: A method of making a three-dimensional object from a polymerizable resin, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a carrier platform on which the three-dimensional object can be formed; (b) producing the three-dimensional object adhered to the carrier platform from the polymerizable resin by stereolithography, the object having residual resin on the surface thereof; (c) immersing the object in a wash liquid with the object remaining adhered to the carrier platform; (d) agitating (i) the object in said wash liquid (e.g., by spinning), (ii) the wash liquid with the object immersed therein (e.g., by sonication of the wash liquid), or (iii) both the object in the wash liquid and the wash liquid with the object immersed therein, to at least partially remove residual resin from the surface of the object; (e) separating the object from the wash liquid, with the object remaining adhered to the carrier platform, the object having residual wash liquid on the surface thereof; (f) agitating the object (e.g.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventors: Courtney F. Converse, W. Ryan Powell, Sherwood Forlee, David Eliot Scheinman, Scott Heines, Edwin James Sabathia, JR.
  • Patent number: D976922
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Peter Crandall, Nirmal Patel, Ryan Powell
  • Patent number: D996466
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Peter Crandall, Matthew Corey Hall, Ryan Powell
  • Patent number: D999239
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Maria Moon, Peter Crandall, Ryan Powell, Samrat Kansara, Paul Lee, Kathleen Allen, Lynn Wang