Patents by Inventor Samuel A. Williams

Samuel A. 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: 10141716
    Abstract: A laser diode firing circuit for a light detection and ranging device is disclosed. The firing circuit includes a laser diode coupled in series to a transistor, such that current through the laser diode is controlled by the transistor. The laser diode is configured to emit a pulse of light in response to current flowing through the laser diode. The firing circuit includes a capacitor that is configured to charge via a charging path that includes an inductor and to discharge via a discharge path that includes the laser diode. The transistor controlling current through the laser diode can be a Gallium nitride field effect transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Samuel William Lenius, Pierre-yves Droz
  • Publication number: 20180302151
    Abstract: A device is provided that includes a first platform having a first side, and a second platform having a second side positioned within a predetermined distance to the first side. The device also includes an actuator configured to cause a relative rotation between the first platform and the second platform such that the first side of the first platform remains within the predetermined distance to the second side of the second platform. The device also includes a probe mounted to the first platform, and a plurality of probes mounted to the second platform. The device also includes a signal conditioner coupled to the plurality of probes. The signal conditioner may select one of the plurality of probes based on an orientation of the first platform relative to the second platform. The signal conditioner may then to use the selected probe for wireless communication with the probe on the first platform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Publication date: October 18, 2018
    Inventors: Daniel L. Rosenband, Pierre-Yves Droz, Min Wang, Etai Bruhis, Adam Brown, Samuel William Lenius
  • Patent number: 10085538
    Abstract: A hair care appliance including a body having an outer wall and an inner wall, a fluid flow path extending from a fluid inlet to a fluid outlet wherein the fluid outlet is at least partially defined by the inner wall, a heater for heating fluid in the fluid flow path and, a thermistor for measuring the temperature of fluid between the heater and the fluid outlet, wherein the thermistor is retained with respect to a housing and the housing forms part of the inner wall. The housing may comprise a base that engages with the inner wall. The housing may further comprise an arm wherein the arm supports the thermistor and extends radially inwards of the inner wall. The housing may comprise two arms and the thermistor is suspended between the two arms. The inner wall may comprise an aperture into which the housing is inserted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited
    Inventors: Samuel William Saunders, Graham Donald, Ben Colin Bobillier
  • Patent number: 10078593
    Abstract: A multi-core computer processor including a plurality of processor cores interconnected in a Network-on-Chip (NoC) architecture, a plurality of caches, each of the plurality of caches being associated with one and only one of the plurality of processor cores, and a plurality of memories, each of the plurality of memories being associated with a different set of at least one of the plurality of processor cores and each of the plurality of memories being configured to be visible in a global memory address space such that the plurality of memories are visible to two or more of the plurality of processor cores, wherein at least one of a number of the processor cores, a size of each of the plurality of caches, or a size of each of the plurality of memories is configured for performing a reverse-time-migration (RTM) computation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: John Shalf, David Donofrio, Leonid Oliker, Jens Kruger, Samuel Williams
  • Patent number: 10055702
    Abstract: In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for facilitating collection of data and dynamic generating of visual workflow and corresponding tasks in an on-demand services environment. In one embodiment and by way of example, a method includes receiving, by and incorporating into a database system, a query to perform a collection of data relating to an organization, where the query represents creating a new business process relating to workings of the organization. The method may further include collecting, by the database system, the data from one or more accounts relating to the organization, assigning, by the database system, one or more tasks to the collected data, performing, by the database system, the one or more tasks, and dynamically generating, by the database system, a visual workflow in response to the performing of the one or more tasks, wherein the visual workflow is used to facilitate the new business process based on the one or more tasks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventors: Samuel William Bailey, Joshua M. Roe, Aniko van der Lee
  • Publication number: 20180231645
    Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system can emit light toward an environment and detect responsively reflected light to determine a distance to one or more points in the environment. The reflected light can be detected by a plurality of plurality of photodiodes that are reverse-biased using a high voltage. Signals from the plurality of reverse-biased photodiodes can be amplified by respective transistors and applied to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The signal from a particular photodiode can be applied to the ADC by biasing a respective transistor corresponding to the particular photodiode while not biasing transistors corresponding to other photodiodes. The gain of each photodiode/transistor pair can be controlled by adjusting the bias voltage applied to each photodiode using a digital-to-analog converter. The gain of each photodiode/transistor pair can be controlled based on the detected temperature of each photodiode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2018
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventors: Pierre-yves Droz, Samuel William Lenius
  • Publication number: 20180224309
    Abstract: A nuclear magnetic resonance flowmeter comprising at least one coil (40) of electrically conductive material through which an electrical current flows when the apparatus is in use. This generates a magnetic field in a region through which flows a fluid the flow of which is to be measured and throughout which there is a uniform weak magnetic field such as the Earth's magnetic field. Electrical circuitry (46 to 52) is connected to the said at least one coil (40) to switch on and abruptly switch off such an electrical current. There is an NMR sensor (42) connected to the electrical circuitry (46 to 52) to provide a measure of the decay in the NMR signal from nuclei within such fluid following the abrupt switching off of such an electrical current. A processor (52) of the electrical circuitry (46 to 52) is formed and/or programmed to provide a measure of the flow of such fluid from the said measure of the decay. Also, a method of measuring the flow of a fluid using such a flowmeter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Inventors: Robert Bacon, Samuel William Birtwell, Michael John Gill, Oliver Stewart Blacklock
  • Patent number: 10033456
    Abstract: A device is provided that includes a first platform having a first side, and a second platform having a second side positioned within a predetermined distance to the first side. The device also includes an actuator configured to cause a relative rotation between the first platform and the second platform such that the first side of the first platform remains within the predetermined distance to the second side of the second platform. The device also includes a probe mounted to the first platform, and a plurality of probes mounted to the second platform. The device also includes a signal conditioner coupled to the plurality of probes. The signal conditioner may select one of the plurality of probes based on an orientation of the first platform relative to the second platform. The signal conditioner may then to use the selected probe for wireless communication with the probe on the first platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Daniel L. Rosenband, Pierre-Yves Droz, Min Wang, Etai Bruhis, Adam Brown, Samuel William Lenius
  • Publication number: 20180205650
    Abstract: A controller in a vehicle consist is configured to receive data of measured brake system characteristics of a first vehicle of the consist and one or more remote vehicles of the consist. The controller is configured to communicate with the remote vehicles for coordinated travel along a route based on the received data. The controller is configured to switch from communicating with the remote vehicles, and receiving the brake system data from the remote vehicles, over a first wireless channel to a second wireless channel responsive to when the first wireless channel becomes unavailable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Inventors: Jared Klineman Cooper, Todd William Goodermuth, Mark Bradshaw Kraeling, David Allen Eldredge, Samuel William Golden
  • Publication number: 20180155772
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods to determine the abundance of nucleotide sequences relative to other nucleotide sequences in a complex genome.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Inventors: Samuel WILLIAMS, Kristina BRAZHNIK
  • Publication number: 20180149732
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described that relate to a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device. The LIDAR device includes a fiber laser configured to emit light within a wavelength range, a scanning portion configured to direct the emitted light in a reciprocating manner about a first axis, and a plurality of detectors configured to sense light within the wavelength range. The device additionally includes a controller configured to receive target information, which may be indicative of an object, a position, a location, or an angle range. In response to receiving the target information, the controller may cause the rotational mount to rotate so as to adjust a pointing direction of the LIDAR. The controller is further configured to cause the LIDAR to scan a field-of-view (FOV) of the environment. The controller may determine a three-dimensional (3D) representation of the environment based on data from scanning the FOV.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Inventors: Pierre-yves Droz, Gaetan Pennecot, Anthony Levandowski, Drew Eugene Ulrich, Zach Morriss, Luke Wachter, Dorel Ionut Iordache, William McCann, Daniel Gruver, Bernard Fidric, Samuel William Lenius
  • Patent number: 9979061
    Abstract: A device is provided that includes a first waveguide configured to guide propagation of RF waves inside the first waveguide. A first side of the first waveguide is configured to emit an evanescent field associated with the propagation of the RF waves inside the first waveguide. The device also includes a second waveguide having a second side positioned within a predetermined distance to the first side of the first waveguide. The second waveguide is configured to guide propagation, inside the second waveguide, of induced RF waves associated with the evanescent field from the first waveguide. The device also includes a first probe coupled to the first waveguide and configured to emit the RF waves for propagation inside the first waveguide. The device also includes a second probe coupled to the second waveguide and configured to receive induced RF waves propagating inside the second waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Pierre-yves Droz, Adam Brown, Daniel L. Rosenband, Samuel William Lenius
  • Patent number: 9964632
    Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system can emit light toward an environment and detect responsively reflected light to determine a distance to one or more points in the environment. The reflected light can be detected by a plurality of plurality of photodiodes that are reverse-biased using a high voltage. Signals from the plurality of reverse-biased photodiodes can be amplified by respective transistors and applied to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The signal from a particular photodiode can be applied to the ADC by biasing a respective transistor corresponding to the particular photodiode while not biasing transistors corresponding to other photodiodes. The gain of each photodiode/transistor pair can be controlled by adjusting the bias voltage applied to each photodiode using a digital-to-analog converter. The gain of each photodiode/transistor pair can be controlled based on the detected temperature of each photodiode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Pierre-yves Droz, Samuel William Lenius
  • Publication number: 20180118041
    Abstract: A rotatable LIDAR device including contactless electrical couplings is disclosed. An example rotatable LIDAR device includes a vehicle electrical coupling including (i) a first conductive ring, (ii) a second conductive ring, and (iii) a first coil. The example rotatable LIDAR device further includes a LIDAR electrical coupling including (i) a third conductive ring, (ii) a fourth conductive ring, and (iii) a second coil. The example rotatable LIDAR device still further includes a rotatable LIDAR electrically coupled to the LIDAR electrical coupling. The first conductive ring and the third conductive ring form a first capacitor configured to transmit communications to the rotatable LIDAR, the second conductive ring and the fourth conductive ring form a second capacitor configured to transmit communications from the rotatable LIDAR, and the first coil and the second coil form a transformer configured to provide power to the rotatable LIDAR.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Samuel William Lenius, Pierre-yves Droz
  • Patent number: 9956563
    Abstract: A process for separating clean water which has an impurities content of less than 100 ppm from waste materials such as farm manure is disclosed. In a first step, a plate separator splits the waste material stream into a first effluent fraction and a first solids fraction. The first solids fraction then undergoes two stages of pressing to increase the solids contents to about 30 to 40 percent which makes it suitable for granulation or pelletizing. The first effluent fraction is treated in successive stages with various chemical agents resulting in the removal of most of the solids and inorganic impurities from the effluent to achieve drinkable water purity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Inventors: Aicardo Roa-Espinosa, Samuel William Roa-Lauby, Kim Huong Pham, Joaquin Camilo Perez-Mahecha
  • Patent number: 9935514
    Abstract: A printed circuit board (PCB) includes a first plurality of conductive paths having first ends at an inner radius of the PCB and second ends at an outer radius of the PCB. The PCB further includes a second plurality of conductive paths having first ends at an outer radius of the PCB and second ends at an inner radius of the PCB. The PCB further includes a first plurality of conductive vias that pass through the PCB at the outer radius of the PCB and couple second ends of the first plurality of conductive paths to first ends of the second plurality of conductive paths. The PCB further includes a second plurality of conductive vias that pass through the PCB at the inner radius of the PCB and electrically couple second ends of the second plurality of conductive paths to first ends of the first plurality of conductive paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: WAYMO LLC
    Inventors: Samuel William Lenius, Paul Karplus, Alexander Danilo Zbrozek
  • Patent number: 9917773
    Abstract: A communication system in a vehicle consist includes a router that is configured to monitor an operational status of a plurality of network channels across a plurality of vehicles in the consist, and to route messages through one or more of the network channels in dependence upon the monitored operational status of the network channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jared Klineman Cooper, Todd William Goodermuth, Mark Bradshaw Kraeling, David Allen Eldredge, Samuel William Golden
  • Publication number: 20180067120
    Abstract: Markers useful for the identification, characterization and, optionally, the enrichment or isolation of tumorigenic cells or cell subpopulations are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Applicant: ABBVIE STEMCENTRX LLC
    Inventors: SCOTT J. DYLLA, MARIANNE SANTAGUIDA, WADE C. ANDERSON, BOB Y. LIU, SAMUEL A. WILLIAMS
  • Patent number: 9910433
    Abstract: Systems and methods for remotely operating a vehicle system are provided. A system is provided herein that includes a radio frequency (RF) circuit configured to establish a plurality of bi-directional communication links with a plurality of remote vehicle systems, and a controller circuit communicatively coupled to the RF circuit. The controller circuit is configured to obtain operational data from the plurality of remote vehicle systems, determine operation statuses of the remote vehicle systems based on the operational data relative to one or more predetermined thresholds, display on a display the operation statuses of the plurality of remote vehicle systems, and transmit a control signal along a first bi-directional communication link of the plurality of bi-directional communication links to the first remote vehicle system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Samuel William Golden, Jared Klineman Cooper, Scott William Dulmage
  • Patent number: 9882433
    Abstract: A rotatable LIDAR device including contactless electrical couplings is disclosed. An example rotatable LIDAR device includes a vehicle electrical coupling including (i) a first conductive ring, (ii) a second conductive ring, and (iii) a first coil. The example rotatable LIDAR device further includes a LIDAR electrical coupling including (i) a third conductive ring, (ii) a fourth conductive ring, and (iii) a second coil. The example rotatable LIDAR device still further includes a rotatable LIDAR electrically coupled to the LIDAR electrical coupling. The first conductive ring and the third conductive ring form a first capacitor configured to transmit communications to the rotatable LIDAR, the second conductive ring and the fourth conductive ring form a second capacitor configured to transmit communications from the rotatable LIDAR, and the first coil and the second coil form a transformer configured to provide power to the rotatable LIDAR.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Samuel William Lenius, Pierre-yves Droz