Patents by Inventor T. Simpson

T. Simpson 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: 12338524
    Abstract: An article including a durable, optically transparent, and superhydrophobic coating is described. In one aspect, the present disclosure provides an article comprising a substrate, and disposed adjacent the substrate, a layer comprising graphitic carbon, diamond-like carbon, and aerogel. In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method for preparing a coated substrate, comprising providing a carbon layer disposed on a substrate and having a textured surface; and disposing aerogel adjacent to at least a portion of the textured surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: John T. Simpson, Bryce Remesch
  • Patent number: 12163052
    Abstract: An article having a nanostructured surface and a method of making the same are described. The article can include a substrate and a nanostructured layer bonded to the substrate. The nanostructured layer can include a plurality of spaced apart nanostructured features comprising a contiguous, protrusive material and the nanostructured features can be sufficiently small that the nanostructured layer is optically transparent. A continuous layer can be adhered to a plurality of surfaces of the nanostructured features to render the plurality of surfaces of the nanostructured features both hydrophobic and oleophobic with respect to fingerprint oil comprising eccrine secretions and sebaceous secretions, thereby providing an anti-fingerprinting characteristic to the article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: UT-Battelle, LLC
    Inventors: Tolga Aytug, John T. Simpson
  • Patent number: 12037508
    Abstract: A composition that is easily applied, clear, well-bonded, and superhydrophobic is disclosed. In one aspect, the composition includes a hydrophobic fluorinated solvent, a binder comprising a hydrophobic fluorinated polymer, and hydrophobic fumed silica nanoparticles. Also disclosed is a structure including a substrate coated with the composition, as well as a method for making the composition and a method of coating a substrate with the composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventor: John T. Simpson
  • Patent number: 11928015
    Abstract: A fault insertion device (FID) comprises a transceiver and an FPGA. The transceiver receives signals from a MIL-STD-1553/1760 communications bus. The FPGA evaluates the signals received from the communications bus against a set of rules stored by the FPGA. Based upon the set of rules, the FPGA can selectively modify messages received from the communications bus prior to transmission to a remote terminal or a bus controller that is configured to communicate on the communications bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Jason P. Krein, Jeremy W. Giron, Matthew S. Geuss, Robert Nevett, IV, Stephen T. Simpson, Roger Martin Kilgore, Jacob Edward Leemaster
  • Patent number: 11827969
    Abstract: An article including a durable, optically transparent, and superhydrophobic coating is described. In one aspect, the present disclosure provides an article comprising a substrate, and disposed adjacent the substrate, a layer comprising graphitic carbon, diamond-like carbon, and aerogel. In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method for preparing a coated substrate, comprising providing a carbon layer disposed on a substrate and having a textured surface; and disposing aerogel adjacent to at least a portion of the textured surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: John T. Simpson, Bryce Remesch
  • Patent number: 11733432
    Abstract: An article including a durable, optically transparent, and superhydrophobic coating is described. In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a coating comprising a layer of aerogel disposed interstitially between spaced features extending in a direction perpendicular to a major surface of the coating, the spaced features having an average height of between 200-5000 nm and an average spacing of between 10-2000 nm, and comprising at least 75 wt. % of one or more of crystalline or amorphous silicon, an inorganic oxide, a polymer, crystalline or amorphous carbon, a carbide, or a nitride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: John T. Simpson, Bryce Remesch
  • Patent number: 11724955
    Abstract: A method for preparing an optically transparent, superomniphobic glass composition is described. In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a method for preparing a glass composition, including heating a borosilicate glass comprising 45-85 wt. % silicon oxide and 10-40 wt. % boron oxide to form a phase-separated glass comprising an interpenetrating network of silicon oxide domains and boron oxide domains. The method includes removing at least a portion of the boron oxide domains from the phase-separated glass and depositing a hydrophobic silane to provide a porous glass having a hydrophobic silane layer disposed on a portion of the surface thereof, a total pore volume of 15-50 vol. %, and an average pore diameter of 20-300 nm. The method includes, within at least a portion of the volume of the porous glass, forming an aerogel precursor, and converting at least a portion of the aerogel precursor to an aerogel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventor: John T. Simpson
  • Patent number: 11603329
    Abstract: A method for preparing an optically transparent, superomniphobic coating on a substrate, such as an optical substrate, is disclosed. The method includes providing a glass layer disposed on a substrate, the glass layer having a first side adjacent the substrate and an opposed second side, the glass layer comprising 45-85 wt. % silicon oxide in a first glass phase and 10-40 wt. % boron oxide in a second glass phase, such that a glass layer has a composition in a spinodal decomposition region. The method further includes heating the second side of the glass layer to form a phase-separated portion of the layer, the phase-separated portion comprising an interpenetrating network of silicon oxide domains and boron oxide domains, and removing at least a portion of the boron oxide domains from the phase-separated portion to provide a graded layer disposed on the substrate. The graded layer has a first side disposed adjacent the substrate, the first side comprising 45-85 wt. % silicon oxide and 10-40 wt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventor: John T. Simpson
  • Publication number: 20220356366
    Abstract: A composition that is easily applied, clear, well-bonded, and superhydrophobic is disclosed. In one aspect, the composition includes a hydrophobic fluorinated solvent, a binder comprising a hydrophobic fluorinated polymer, and hydrophobic fumed silica nanoparticles. Also disclosed is a structure including a substrate coated with the composition, as well as a method for making the composition and a method of coating a substrate with the composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2022
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Inventor: John T. Simpson
  • Publication number: 20220298361
    Abstract: An article having a nanostructured surface and a method of making the same are described. The article can include a substrate and a nanostructured layer bonded to the substrate. The nanostructured layer can include a plurality of spaced apart nanostructured features comprising a contiguous, protrusive material and the nanostructured features can be sufficiently small that the nanostructured layer is optically transparent. A continuous layer can be adhered to a plurality of surfaces of the nanostructured features to render the plurality of surfaces of the nanostructured features both hydrophobic and oleophobic with respect to fingerprint oil comprising eccrine secretions and sebaceous secretions, thereby providing an anti-fingerprinting characteristic to the article.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2022
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Inventors: Tolga AYTUG, John T. SIMPSON
  • Patent number: 11447654
    Abstract: A coating that can be easily applied, clear, well-bonded, and superhydrophobic is disclosed. In one aspect, an article comprises a coating layer, the coating layer having an inward surface and an opposing outward surface, the inward surface disposed adjacent a substrate surface. The coating layer comprises a hydrophobic fluorinated polymer and a plurality of nanoparticles. The plurality of nanoparticles includes nanoparticles on the outward surface of the coating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventor: John T. Simpson
  • Patent number: 11434389
    Abstract: A composition that is easily applied, clear, well-bonded, and superhydrophobic is disclosed. In one aspect, the composition includes a hydrophobic fluorinated solvent, a binder comprising a hydrophobic fluorinated polymer, and hydrophobic fumed silica nanoparticles. Also disclosed is a structure including a substrate coated with the composition, as well as a method for making the composition and a method of coating a substrate with the composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventor: John T. Simpson
  • Patent number: 11292919
    Abstract: An article having a nanostructured surface and a method of making the same are described. The article can include a substrate and a nanostructured layer bonded to the substrate. The nanostructured layer can include a plurality of spaced apart nanostructured features comprising a contiguous, protrusive material and the nanostructured features can be sufficiently small that the nanostructured layer is optically transparent. A continuous layer can be adhered to a plurality of surfaces of the nanostructured features to render the plurality of surfaces of the nanostructured features both hydrophobic and oleophobic with respect to fingerprint oil comprising eccrine secretions and sebaceous secretions, thereby providing an anti-fingerprinting characteristic to the article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: UT-BATTELLE, LLC
    Inventors: Tolga Aytug, John T. Simpson
  • Patent number: 11292288
    Abstract: An article having a nanostructured surface and a method of making the same are described. The article can include a substrate and a nanostructured layer bonded to the substrate. The nanostructured layer can include a plurality of spaced apart nanostructured features comprising a contiguous, protrusive material and the nanostructured features can be sufficiently small that the nanostructured layer is optically transparent. A surface of the nanostructured features can be coated with a continuous hydrophobic coating. The method can include providing a substrate; depositing a film on the substrate; decomposing the film to form a decomposed film; and etching the decomposed film to form the nanostructured layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: UT-BATTELLE, LLC
    Inventors: Tolga Aytug, David Christen, John T. Simpson
  • Publication number: 20220033295
    Abstract: A method for preparing an optically transparent, superomniphobic glass composition is described. In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a method for preparing a glass composition, including heating a borosilicate glass comprising 45-85 wt. % silicon oxide and 10-40 wt. % boron oxide to form a phase-separated glass comprising an interpenetrating network of silicon oxide domains and boron oxide domains. The method includes removing at least a portion of the boron oxide domains from the phase-separated glass and depositing a hydrophobic silane to provide a porous glass having a hydrophobic silane layer disposed on a portion of the surface thereof, a total pore volume of 15-50 vol. %, and an average pore diameter of 20-300 nm. The method includes, within at least a portion of the volume of the porous glass, forming an aerogel precursor, and converting at least a portion of the aerogel precursor to an aerogel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventor: John T. Simpson
  • Publication number: 20210331966
    Abstract: An article including an optically transparent, superomniphobic coating that is durable and relatively easy to keep clean, is disclosed. In one aspect, the present disclosure provides an article comprising a substrate and a graded layer, the graded layer having a first side disposed adjacent the substrate, the first side comprising 45-85 wt. % silicon oxide in a first glass phase and 10-40 wt. % boron oxide in a second glass phase, and opposed the first side, a second side comprising at least 45 wt. % silicon oxide, no more than 5 wt. % boron oxide, and 10-50 wt. % aerogel, the aerogel present in the graded layer as a plurality of distinct domains.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2020
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventor: John T. Simpson
  • Publication number: 20210331967
    Abstract: A method for preparing an optically transparent, superomniphobic coating on a substrate, such as an optical substrate, is disclosed. The method includes providing a glass layer disposed on a substrate, the glass layer having a first side adjacent the substrate and an opposed second side, the glass layer comprising 45-85 wt. % silicon oxide in a first glass phase and 10-40 wt. % boron oxide in a second glass phase, such that a glass layer has a composition in a spinodal decomposition region. The method further includes heating the second side of the glass layer to form a phase-separated portion of the layer, the phase-separated portion comprising an interpenetrating network of silicon oxide domains and boron oxide domains, and removing at least a portion of the boron oxide domains from the phase-separated portion to provide a graded layer disposed on the substrate. The graded layer has a first side disposed adjacent the substrate, the first side comprising 45-85 wt. % silicon oxide and 10-40 wt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2020
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventor: John T. Simpson
  • Patent number: 11155490
    Abstract: An article including an optically transparent, superomniphobic coating that is durable and relatively easy to keep clean, is disclosed. In one aspect, the present disclosure provides an article comprising a substrate and a graded layer, the graded layer having a first side disposed adjacent the substrate, the first side comprising 45-85 wt. % silicon oxide in a first glass phase and 10-40 wt. % boron oxide in a second glass phase, and opposed the first side, a second side comprising at least 45 wt. % silicon oxide, no more than 5 wt. % boron oxide, and 10-50 wt. % aerogel, the aerogel present in the graded layer as a plurality of distinct domains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventor: John T. Simpson
  • Publication number: 20210079251
    Abstract: A composition that is easily applied, clear, well-bonded, and superhydrophobic is disclosed. In one aspect, the composition includes a hydrophobic fluorinated solvent, a binder comprising a hydrophobic fluorinated polymer, and hydrophobic fumed silica nanoparticles. Also disclosed is a structure including a substrate coated with the composition, as well as a method for making the composition and a method of coating a substrate with the composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Inventor: John T. Simpson
  • Patent number: 10944711
    Abstract: Techniques for creating a conversation tree are provided. In one technique, a user interface comprises an editor portion and a preview portion. The editor portion includes elements for creating and editing messages in the conversation tree. The preview portion includes a first message that comprises multiple buttons. Input is received, through the user interface, that selects a first button of the first message. In response to receiving the input, the preview portion to be updated to include a different set of messages. In a related technique, the preview portion includes a first message and a second message that is a child of the first message. Input is received, through the user interface, that selects the first message, causing the preview portion to be updated to exclude the second message and retain the first message, and causing the editor portion to be updated to include information about the first message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin T. Simpson, Adella L. Guo