Patents by Inventor Stephen Walker

Stephen Walker 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: 8425396
    Abstract: A pulsatile blood circulating pump system for use in cardiopulmonary bypass, ventricular assist (LVAD, RVAD, BiVAD), ECMO, organ preservation, fetal cardiac bypass, cancer treatment, and areas of circulation research, which is controlled to produce blood flow that approximates physiological blood flow. The pump system includes a pulsating mechanism having a housing defining a chamber with a compressible-expandable bladder sealably mounted. A hydraulic actuator having a pressure imparting member that acts upon pressure transmissive fluid contained within the actuator chamber to generate a pulsatile pressure on the transmissive fluid, which results in pulsatile pressure being exerted on bladder to controllably vary the volume thereof. Additionally, the system includes a compact, motor that is associated with the hydraulic actuator for moving the pressure imparting member within the fluid chamber and further includes a fully programmable motion controller that controls the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Inventors: Tani Tatum, Stephen Walker, Bob Wilson
  • Publication number: 20120245405
    Abstract: An extracorporeal pumping method includes receiving an inlet fluid into a compressible-expandable bladder sealably mounted within a housing and moving an actuating member mounted within a fluid chamber of a hydraulic actuating sub-assembly. A pressure transmissive fluid is displaced from the fluid chamber into the housing. The method includes compressing a volume of the bladder in the housing the transmissive fluid displaced into the housing, the compressed bladder ejecting the inlet fluid from the bladder to provide an outlet fluid under pulsatile pressure. The actuating member is moved within the fluid chamber and the displaced transmissive fluid is returned from the housing into the fluid chamber. The method includes expanding the compressed bladder in the housing and receiving additional inlet fluid into the bladder. The movement of the actuating member is controlled such that the outlet fluid exhibits a predetermined pulse rate, stroke volume, and upstroke rise time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Inventors: Tani Tatum, Stephen Walker, Robert W. Wilson
  • Publication number: 20120216677
    Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, there are provided systems and methods for contacting two or more fluids, useful, for example for purifying or infusing a fluid (by allowing efficient and/or uniform addition of components to or removal of components from the fluid). The components may be undesirable components to be removed from a fluid, or a desired component or components to be added to the fluid, for example, each of which is referred to herein as “component”. In this regard, the disclosed embodiments provide for the purification or infusion of a fluid by passing a liquid and a fluid through a contacting zone which facilitates intimate mixing of the liquid and the fluid. A differential of partial pressure, activity, fugacity or concentration of the components between the liquid and the fluid facilitates the transfer of the components between the liquid and the fluid in the intimately mixed liquid and fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Inventors: Donald Koenig, Wesley Jung, Santosh Y. Limaye, Stuart Robertson, Stephen Walker
  • Patent number: 8117703
    Abstract: A modular chemical delivery system is designed to be readily convertible from use with a warewashing system to use with a laundry system, or vice-versa, merely by the replacement of one chip in the controller of the system. The dispensing system is also readily expandable by adding additional satellite pumps in order to inject additional chemicals into a single washing unit, and/or to supply chemicals to additional washing units. Plug and play technology is used so that control intelligence can be distributed from the main system controller to satellite controllers, and so that additional satellite units may be readily added, identified, and properly integrated into the dispensing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Knight, LLC.
    Inventors: Stephen A. Walker, Michael T. Whiting
  • Patent number: 8095559
    Abstract: Data structures, stored on various types of computer-readable media, include information related to user profiles and/or to various documents. The information included in these data structures is arranged and stored in manner that allows for rapid user profile updating to be performed as new or changed documents are processed in a document filtering system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen Robertson, Stephen Walker, Justin Zobel
  • Patent number: 8032312
    Abstract: An Inductive Probe/Conductive Probe Emulator is designed to replace conductive probes at a much lower cost than existing inductive probe systems. The conductivity probe simulator is usable with any industrial controller that uses a standard two wire conductivity probe interface. A continuously variable semiconductor resistive element is employed to match the conductivity of any conductive probe. The system uses the inductive probe reading to adjust the resistive element to the correct value. The conductivity probe simulator can be configured to emulate any conductivity probe with any probe constant by downloading configuration parameters to the probe controller or by setting configuration switches on the controller module. Additionally, the inventive probe simulator is equipped with an embedded temperature sensing element, giving the system a capability to perform a temperature correction in the controller section, if necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Knight, LLC
    Inventor: Stephen A. Walker
  • Publication number: 20100331605
    Abstract: A pulsatile blood circulating pump system that is adapted for use in cardiopulmonary bypass, ventricular assist (LVAD, RVAD, BiVAD), ECMO, organ preservation, fetal cardiac bypass, cancer treatment, and various areas of circulation research, which can be controlled in such a way as to produce a desired blood flow that closely approximates the physiological blood flow of the patient. The pump system includes a pulsating mechanism having a housing defining a chamber within which a compressible-expandable bladder is sealably mounted. The system further includes a hydraulic actuator having a pressure imparting member that acts upon a pressure transmissive fluid contained within the actuator chamber in a manner to generate a pulsatile pressure on the transmissive fluid, which, in turn, results in a pulsatile pressure being exerted on bladder in a manner to controllably vary the volume thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Inventors: Tani Tatum, Stephen Walker, Bon Wilson
  • Patent number: 7785247
    Abstract: A pulsatile blood circulating pump system that is adapted for use in cardiopulmonary bypass, ventricular assist (LVAD, RVAD, BiVAD), ECMO, organ preservation, fetal cardiac bypass, cancer treatment, and various areas of circulation research, which can be controlled in such a way as to produce a desired blood flow that closely approximates the physiological blood flow of the patient. The pump system includes a pulsating mechanism having a housing defining a chamber within which a compressible-expandable bladder is sealably mounted. The system further includes a hydraulic actuator having a pressure imparting member that acts upon a pressure transmissive fluid contained within the actuator chamber in a manner to generate a pulsatile pressure on the transmissive fluid, which, in turn, results in a pulsatile pressure being exerted on bladder in a manner to controllably vary the volume thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Medical Engineering Co., LLC
    Inventors: Tani Tatum, Stephen Walker, Bob Wilson
  • Patent number: 7658088
    Abstract: A modular chemical delivery system is designed to be readily convertible from use with a warewashing system to use with a laundry system, or vice-versa, merely by the replacement of one chip in the controller of the system. The dispensing system is also readily expandable by adding additional satellite pumps in order to inject additional chemicals into a single washing unit, and/or to supply chemicals to additional washing units. Plug and play technology is used so that control intelligence can be distributed from the main system controller to satellite controllers, and so that additional satellite units may be readily added, identified, and properly integrated into the dispensing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Knight, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen A. Walker, Michael T. Whiting
  • Publication number: 20100018991
    Abstract: A modular chemical delivery system is designed to be readily convertible from use with a warewashing system to use with a laundry system, or vice-versa, merely by the replacement of one chip in the controller of the system. The dispensing system is also readily expandable by adding additional satellite pumps in order to inject additional chemicals into a single washing unit, and/or to supply chemicals to additional washing units. Plug and play technology is used so that control intelligence can be distributed from the main system controller to satellite controllers, and so that additional satellite units may be readily added, identified, and properly integrated into the dispensing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: KNIGHT LLC
    Inventors: Stephen A. Walker, Michael T. Whiting
  • Publication number: 20090198683
    Abstract: Data structures, stored on various types of computer-readable media, include information related to user profiles and/or to various documents. The information included in these data structures is arranged and stored in manner that allows for rapid user profile updating to be performed as new or changed documents are processed in a document filtering system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen Robertson, Stephen Walker, Justin Zobel
  • Publication number: 20090132202
    Abstract: A turbine and method for determining turbine maintenance. The method for determining hot gas path turbine maintenance comprises recording a number of part load starts (79), base load starts (89), fast starts (141), full speed no load trips (231), and load trips (237); forming a weighted equivalent starts as a weighted summation of part load starts, base load starts, fast starts, full speed no load trips, and load trips; comparing the weighted equivalent starts to a predetermined threshold; and initiating the maintenance procedure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2005
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Inventors: Ronald Stephen Walker, Philip S. Foster
  • Patent number: 7516146
    Abstract: Data structures, stored on various types of computer-readable media, include information related to user profiles and/or to various documents. The information included in these data structures is arranged and stored in manner that allows for rapid user profile updating to be performed as new or changed documents are processed in a document filtering system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen Robertson, Stephen Walker, Justin Zobel
  • Patent number: 7499810
    Abstract: An Inductive Probe/Conductive Probe Emulator is designed to replace conductive probes at a much lower cost than existing inductive probe systems. The conductivity probe simulator is usable with any industrial controller that uses a standard two wire conductivity probe interface. A continuously variable semiconductor resistive element is employed to match the conductivity of any conductive probe. The system uses the inductive probe reading to adjust the resistive element to the correct value. The conductivity probe simulator can be configured to emulate any conductivity probe with any probe constant by downloading configuration parameters to the probe controller or by setting configuration switches on the controller module. Additionally, the inventive probe simulator is equipped with an embedded temperature sensing element, giving the system a capability to perform a temperature correction in the controller section, if necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Knight, LLC.
    Inventor: Stephen A. Walker
  • Publication number: 20080262288
    Abstract: A pulsatile blood circulating pump system that is adapted for use in cardiopulmonary bypass, ventricular assist (LVAD, RVAD, BiVAD), ECMO, organ preservation, fetal cardiac bypass, cancer treatment, and various areas of circulation research, which can be controlled in such a way as to produce a desired blood flow that closely approximates the physiological blood flow of the patient. The pump system includes a pulsating mechanism having a housing defining a chamber within which a compressible-expandable bladder is sealably mounted. The system further includes a hydraulic actuator having a pressure imparting member that acts upon a pressure transmissive fluid contained within the actuator chamber in a manner to generate a pulsatile pressure on the transmissive fluid, which, in turn, results in a pulsatile pressure being exerted on bladder in a manner to controllably vary the volume thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Inventors: Tani Tatum, Stephen Walker, Bob Wilson
  • Patent number: 7285082
    Abstract: A method, apparatus for practicing the method, and article manufactured by the method in which a block is cut out with side wall and end wall panels, the end wall panels attached to the side wall panels via end wall fold lines. The box includes a pour opening. Recesses are provided in at least one of the end wall panels for exposing adhesive for attaching the flexible material strip to the corresponding end wall panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Crystal B.V.
    Inventor: Stephen Walker
  • Publication number: 20070088970
    Abstract: Provided are methods, data processing systems, recovery components and computer programs for recovering from storage failures affecting data repositories. At least a part of the recovery processing is performed while the data repositories are able to receive new data and to allow retrieval of such new data. Although new data items may be received into the repository and retrieved therefrom during recovery processing, updates to the data repository which were performed before the failure and which are then restored to the repository by the recovery processing are restored within a recovery unit of work and are inaccessible to processes other than the recovery process until successful completion of the recovery unit of work. The recovery processing ensures that the recovered repository is consistent with the state of the repository at the time of the failure, but is available for addition and retrieval of new data items before completion of the recovery processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2003
    Publication date: April 19, 2007
    Applicant: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE.LTD
    Inventors: Robert Buxton, David Fishers, Jose Garza, Stephen Hobson, Paul Hopewall, Paul Kettley, Robert Millar, Peter Siddall, Stephen Walker
  • Publication number: 20070015738
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for inhibiting bacterial spores from becoming infectious vegetative cells in a mammal in need thereof. The method comprises administering to the mammal an effective amount of a non-antibacterial tetracycline formulation. In one embodiment, the non-antibacterial tetracycline formulation comprises an antibacterial tetracycline in a sub-antibacterial amount. In another embodiment, the non-antibacterial tetracycline formulation comprises a non-antibacterial tetracycline.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2005
    Publication date: January 18, 2007
    Inventors: Stephen Walker, Lorne Golub, Sanford Simon
  • Publication number: 20070015739
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for inhibiting bacterial spores from becoming infectious vegetative cells in a mammal in need thereof. In another embodiment, invention relates to a method for inhibiting outgrowth of bacterial spores in a mammal in need thereof. The method comprises administering to the mammal an effective amount of a non-antibacterial tetracycline formulation. In one embodiment, the non-antibacterial tetracycline formulation comprises an antibacterial tetracycline in a sub-antibacterial amount. In another embodiment, the non-antibacterial tetracycline formulation comprises a non-antibacterial tetracycline.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2005
    Publication date: January 18, 2007
    Inventors: Stephen Walker, Lorne Golub, Sanford Simon
  • Publication number: 20060248605
    Abstract: Novel proteins which bind human ?-amyloid peptide, polynucleotides which encode these proteins, and methods for producing these proteins are provided. Diagnostic, therapeutic, and screening methods employing the polynucleotides and polypeptides of the present invention are also provided. Transgenic animals and knockout animals are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2006
    Publication date: November 2, 2006
    Applicant: Wyeth
    Inventors: Bradley Ozenberger, Jonathan Bard, Eileen Kajkowski, Jack Jacobsen, Stephen Walker, Heidi Sofia, David Howland