Patents by Inventor Steven A Thomas

Steven A Thomas 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: 20150217631
    Abstract: A door system for a vehicle comprises a first vehicle door (16) hingedly mountable to a vehicle for articulation about a pivot axis (123) between a closed position and an open position, the door comprising a cavity; an actuator mechanism (100) disposed within the cavity, the actuator mechanism being pivotally coupleable to the vehicle at a position offset from the pivot axis; and drive means for driving the actuator mechanism to articulate the first vehicle door between said closed and said open positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Inventors: Andrew Warburton, Duncan Loveday, Steven Thomas
  • Patent number: 9100933
    Abstract: A broadcast message may be initiated or received at a peer node. The node obtains an uplink bandwidth available for broadcasting the message over the network and a number of copies that can be broadcast based on the available bandwidth. The node determines a range of key values for finger nodes that should receive copies of the broadcast message from a finger table. The finger table entries include references to finger nodes and key values associated with the finger nodes. The node determines which other nodes should receive copies of the broadcast message from range of key values and the number of copies. The node also determines an End ID for each recipient node. A copy of the broadcast message and corresponding End ID is sent to a finger node if the finger node's key value is within a range of key values specified by the End ID.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Yutaka Takeda, Steven Thomas, Attila Vass
  • Publication number: 20150216085
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to apparatus and methods for cooling computer servers and/or electrical equipment in a rack device for data centers or telecommunication centers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Applicant: Calvary Applied Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Joerg Burkhard Helbig, Steven Thomas Gizzi
  • Patent number: 9091240
    Abstract: A system, related method and computer program product are disclosed for controlling fuel mass of CNG received by an engine. The system may comprise a heat exchanger configured to receive CLNG and supply coolant and to output CNG and return coolant, an injector configured to inject CNG into the engine, a gas line between the injector and heat exchanger, a control valve configured to receive return coolant from the heat exchanger and to change the amount of return coolant flowing through control valve, and a controller connected to the control valve. The gas line may be configured to carry CNG from the heat exchanger to the injector. The controller may be configured to maintain a Gas Line Temperature within an operating range by adjusting the amount of return coolant flowing through the control valve based, at least in part, on the Gas Line Temperature and a Target Return Coolant Temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Thomas Grant, Frank Lombardi, Daniel Reese Puckett, Cory A. Brown, Joshua Wayne Steffen, Paul Joseph Desiderio
  • Publication number: 20150190630
    Abstract: An oral appliance is disclosed that provides electrical stimulation to a patient's tongue in a manner that prevents collapse of the tongue and/or soft palate during sleep. More specifically, the appliance may induce a reversible current or currents in a lateral direction across the tongue in a manner that shortens the patient's Palatoglossus muscle, which in turn pulls the patient's soft palate downward towards a base of the tongue and/or decreases a volume of the tongue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Publication date: July 9, 2015
    Applicant: Invicta Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Thomas Kent, Laurence Wylie Harter, Harold Byron Kent, Karena Yadira Puldon
  • Publication number: 20150187913
    Abstract: A trench-gate device with lateral RESURF pillars has an additional implant beneath the gate trench. The additional implant reduces the effective width of the semiconductor drift region between the RESURF pillars, and this provides additional gate shielding which improves the electrical characteristics of the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Inventors: Steven Thomas Peake, Philip Rutter
  • Publication number: 20150184679
    Abstract: Energy can be stored by directing fluid into an expandable receptacle that has a relatively heavy mass above it. The fluid fills the receptacle such that it expands and lifts up the heavy mass above it. At a time when energy is needed, the fluid can be allowed to flow out of the receptacle and through a turbine or hydraulic motor to generate power or electricity. Intermittent or unreliable sources of power can be used to fill the receptacle, or power from a power grid can be used to fill the receptacle at times that are off-peak. During peak-load times, the potential energy of the fluid in the receptacle can be converted to power. The receptacle can also be used to control water flows and can provide a source of power and potable water to a community.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Inventors: STEVEN THOMAS IVY, GUY C. EASTWOOD
  • Publication number: 20150177932
    Abstract: Methods and systems for facilitating the navigation of a list of content items with gestures are described. Consistent with some embodiments, a computing device detects simple gestures, and in response, display a preview of content items preceding, or following a currently selected content item, from the list of content items. Upon detecting a selection gesture, the computing device updates the view of the currently selected content item to display the newly selected content item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventors: Frank Taehyun YOO, Steven Thomas FLORY, Sean Edward BEAUSOLEIL
  • Patent number: 9064401
    Abstract: A method of detecting leakage of a fluid from a tank is disclosed. The method may include determining cumulative commanded fluid consumption of the fluid in the tank over a selected time period, determining an actual change of a volume of the fluid in the tank over the selected time period, and comparing the cumulative commanded fluid consumption to the actual change of volume of the fluid. The method may further include producing a leak warning upon the actual change of volume of the fluid over the selected time period exceeding the cumulative commanded fluid consumption over the selected time period plus a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Thomas Grant, Frank Lombardi, Daniel Reese Puckett
  • Publication number: 20150168181
    Abstract: A system may include a probe that may generate an analog signal that corresponds to a distance between a tip of the probe and a component of a machine. The system may also include a processor that may determine the distance between the tip of the probe and the component based on the analog signal. The system may also include a display that may visually depict the distance between the tip of the probe and the component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Lysle Rollan Turnbeaugh, Steven Thomas Clemens, Yancey Herve Mbolda
  • Patent number: 9059351
    Abstract: Provided are bypass diode assemblies for use in photovoltaic modules. Also provided are methods of fabricating such assemblies and a method of fabricating photovoltaic modules using such assemblies. A diode assembly may include an insulating strip, at least one lead-diode assembly having a diode and two leads, and at least two interconnecting conductors overlapping with and electrically contacting the leads of the lead-diode assembly. The insulating strip supports the lead-diode assembly and conductors and at least partially insulates these components from photovoltaic cells. Specifically, during module fabrication, the interconnecting conductors make electrical connections to the back sides of the cells through cutouts in the insulating strip. The electrical connections may be made to every cell in a row or a subset of selected cells in that row. In certain embodiments, the same interconnecting conductor is connected to two or more cells positioned in adjacent rows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Apollo Precision (Fujian) Limited
    Inventors: Steven Thomas Croft, Osman Ghandour, Whitfield Gardner Halstead
  • Patent number: 9048116
    Abstract: A semiconductor uses an isolation trench, and one or more additional trenches to those required for isolation are provided. These additional trenches can be connected between a transistor gate and the drain to provide additional gate-drain capacitance, or else they can be used to form series impedance coupled to the transistor gate. These measures can be used separately or in combination to reduce the switching speed and thereby reduce current spikes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Phil Rutter, Ian Culshaw, Steven Thomas Peake
  • Patent number: 9046063
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to air intake systems and methods for manufacturing the same. Systems include an air inlet that defines a slope equal to a vertical distance between a surface of a fascia shield and a surface of the engine intake channel, divided by a longitudinal distance between the shield and engine intake channel. Unwanted moisture and debris is filtered from the engine intake channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Marvin Landgraf, Joseph Matthew McCann, Thanh Pham, Robert Steven Thomas, Thomas Eric Svenson
  • Patent number: 9044779
    Abstract: A method for the application of at least two different powder coating layers to a substrate comprising the steps of application of a first powder coating layer followed by the application of a second powder coating layer, without any substantial curing of the first powder coating layer prior to the application of the second powder coating layer, followed by the simultaneous curing of the first powder coating layer and the second powder coating layer, wherein the first powder coating layer is applied to the substrate using a corona charging system and the second powder coating layer is applied to the substrate using a tribo charging system, or the first powder coating layer is applied to the substrate using a tribo charging system and the second powder coating layer is applied to the substrate using a corona charging system and the first powder coating layer and second powder coating layer have an opposite electrostatic polarity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: AKZO NOBEL COATINGS INTERNATIONAL B.V.
    Inventors: Steven Thomas Thompson, Robert Edward Barker, Neil Lewis Engward, Gavin John Scott
  • Publication number: 20150136199
    Abstract: An interconnect assembly. The interconnect assembly includes a trace that includes a plurality of electrically conductive portions. The plurality of electrically conductive portions is configured both to collect current from a first solar cell and to interconnect electrically to a second solar cell. In addition, the plurality of electrically conductive portions is configured such that solar-cell efficiency is substantially undiminished in an event that any one of the plurality of electrically conductive portions is conductively impaired.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Mulugeta Zerfu Wudu, Jason Stephen Corneille, Steven Thomas Croft, Steven Douglas Flanders, William James McColl
  • Publication number: 20150127431
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are generally directed to evaluating a performance of a store based on data representative of a transaction parameter for the store based on transactions at a point-of-sale terminal in the store. Exemplary embodiments can generate performance data for the store based on the transaction parameter. The performance data indicates performance of the store relative to a goal for a key performance indicator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Thomas, Richard Ulrich, Willie Montgomery, III
  • Patent number: 9016352
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to apparatus and methods for cooling computer servers and/or electrical equipment in a rack device for data centers or telecommunication centers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Calvary Applied Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Joerg Burkhard Helbig, Steven Thomas Gizzi
  • Patent number: 9018513
    Abstract: A solar-cell module. The solar-cell module includes a plurality of solar cells that are electrically coupled together. The solar-cell module further includes an in-laminate-diode assembly electrically coupled with the plurality of solar cells. The in-laminate-diode assembly is configured to prevent power loss. The solar-cell module also includes a protective structure at least partially encapsulating the plurality of solar cells. In addition, the solar-cell module includes a plurality of external-connection mechanisms mounted to a respective plurality of edge regions of the protective structure. An external-connection mechanism of the plurality of external-connection mechanisms is configured to enable collection of current from the plurality of solar cells and to allow interconnection with at least one other external device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Apollo Precision (Kunming) Yuanhong Limited
    Inventors: Steven Thomas Croft, William James McColl, Shawn Everson, Jason Stephen Corneille, Kent Whitfield, Todd Krajewski, Darin Britwhistle
  • Patent number: 9015639
    Abstract: Methods and systems for facilitating the navigation of a list of content items with gestures are described. Consistent with some embodiments, a computing device detects simple gestures, and in response, display a preview of content items preceding, or following a currently selected content item, from the list of content items. Upon detecting a selection gesture, the computing device updates the view of the currently selected content item to display the newly selected content item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: LinkedIn Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Taehyun Yoo, Steven Thomas Flory, Sean Edward Beausoleil
  • Patent number: D735019
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Lehigh Consumer Products LLC
    Inventor: Steven Thomas