Patents by Inventor Thomas A. Nichols

Thomas A. Nichols 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: 11925144
    Abstract: A harvesting apparatus includes a crop conditioning element coupled to a frame, and a hood moveable relative to the crop conditioning element. An actuating system moveably connects the hood to the frame. The actuating system includes a driven lever arm rotatably attached to the frame and including a first lever connection and a second lever connection positioned opposite each other across a lever rotation axis. A first pivot assembly is rotatably attached to the frame and includes a first pivot connection coupled to the first lever connection of the driven lever arm, and a second pivot connection coupled to a first lift connection of the hood. A second pivot assembly is rotatably attached to the frame and includes a third pivot connection coupled to the second lever connection of the driven lever arm, and a fourth pivot connection coupled to a second lift connection of the hood.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Zachary J. Lyle, Thomas A. Nichols
  • Publication number: 20240055244
    Abstract: Embodiments provided herein generally include apparatus, e.g., plasma processing systems, and methods for the plasma processing of a substrate in a processing chamber. Some embodiments are directed to a method for waveform generation, which generally includes delivering a first waveform with an associated setpoint from an energy source; detecting at least one characteristic of the first waveform; estimating a voltage decay during a portion of a pulse during the first waveform; calculating a compensation factor; and adjusting the at least one characteristic using the compensation factor to adjust a voltage decay.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2022
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Inventors: Shreeram Jyoti DASH, Michael Thomas NICHOLS
  • Publication number: 20240007225
    Abstract: Systems and methods include receiving (51) blocks of data that has been Forward Error Correction (FEC) encoded via Open Forward Error Correction (OFEC) adaptation; decoding (52) the blocks of data; processing (53) checksum data that is included in padding data required in the OFEC adaptation, wherein the padding data is distributed across N rows of payload data; and determining (54) a location of any errors in the payload data based on the processed checksum data. The OFEC adaptation is for mapping the blocks of data into any of a FlexO structure, a ZR structure, and variants thereof, and the location of any errors can be used for error marking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2021
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Inventors: Sebastien Gareau, Jeffery Thomas Nichols
  • Patent number: 11854702
    Abstract: A wearable treatment and analysis module is provided. The module is positioned on or near a body surface region of interest. The module provides remote access to sensor data, treatment administration, and/or other health care regimens via a network connection with a user device and/or management system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: PREH HOLDING, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Nichols
  • Patent number: 11785330
    Abstract: A personal care system having a treatment device for applying a treatment to the skin or hair of a user is provided. The treatment device has a camera for taking an image of the skin. The system may include or be in communication with an application programming interface (API) that can process the image. The system or an associated API can recommend the use of treatment regimens or topical products according to information determined from the digital image of the skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: PREH HOLDING, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Nichols
  • Publication number: 20230215582
    Abstract: A wearable treatment and analysis module is provided. The module is positioned on or near a body surface region of interest. The module provides remote access to sensor data, treatment administration, and/or other health care regimens via a network connection with a user device and/or management system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2023
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Inventor: Thomas Nichols
  • Publication number: 20230215583
    Abstract: A wearable treatment and analysis module is provided. The module is positioned on or near a body surface region of interest. The module provides remote access to sensor data, treatment administration, and/or other health care regimens via a network connection with a user device and/or management system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2023
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Inventor: Thomas Nichols
  • Patent number: 11552722
    Abstract: A coherent optical modem includes an optical interface; and circuitry connected to the optical interface and configured to detect a first timing reference point in a transmit Digital Signal Processor (DSP) frame in a transmit direction from a first node to a second node, and detect a second timing reference point in a receive DSP frame in a receive direction from the second node to the first node, wherein the first timing reference point and the second timing reference point are determined based on a pattern in any DSP frame field including i) padding area, ii) a reserved area, and iii) a DSP Multi-Frame Alignment Signal (MFAS) area. The pattern can be input in select DSP frames for a time period that is greater than a time period for each DSP frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Ciena Corporation
    Inventors: Sebastien Gareau, Jeffery Thomas Nichols, Manoj Verghese, Andrew McCarthy
  • Publication number: 20220399123
    Abstract: A wearable treatment and analysis module is provided. The module is positioned on or near a body surface region of interest. The module provides remote access to sensor data, treatment administration, and/or other health care regimens via a network connection with a user device and/or management system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2022
    Publication date: December 15, 2022
    Inventor: Thomas Nichols
  • Publication number: 20220232776
    Abstract: A harvesting apparatus includes a crop conditioning element coupled to a frame, and a hood moveable relative to the crop conditioning element. An actuating system moveably connects the hood to the frame. The actuating system includes a driven lever arm rotatably attached to the frame and including a first lever connection and a second lever connection positioned opposite each other across a lever rotation axis. A first pivot assembly is rotatably attached to the frame and includes a first pivot connection coupled to the first lever connection of the driven lever arm, and a second pivot connection coupled to a first lift location of the hood. A second pivot assembly is rotatably attached to the frame and includes a third pivot connection coupled to the second lever connection of the driven lever arm, and a fourth pivot connection coupled to a second lift location of the hood.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: Zachary J. Lyle, Thomas A. Nichols
  • Publication number: 20220210332
    Abstract: A personal care system having a treatment device for applying a treatment to the skin or hair of a user is provided. The treatment device has a camera for taking an image of the skin. The system may include or be in communication with an application programming interface (API) that can process the image. The system or an associated API can recommend the use of treatment regimens or topical products according to information determined from the digital image of the skin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventor: Thomas Nichols
  • Publication number: 20220190946
    Abstract: A coherent optical modem includes an optical interface; and circuitry connected to the optical interface and configured to detect a first timing reference point in a transmit Digital Signal Processor (DSP) frame in a transmit direction from a first node to a second node, and detect a second timing reference point in a receive DSP frame in a receive direction from the second node to the first node, wherein the first timing reference point and the second timing reference point are determined based on a pattern in any DSP frame field including i) padding area, ii) a reserved area, and iii) a DSP Multi-Frame Alignment Signal (MFAS) area. The pattern can be input in select DSP frames for a time period that is greater than a time period for each DSP frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: Sebastien Gareau, Jeffery Thomas Nichols, Manoj Verghese, Andrew McCarthy
  • Patent number: 11259465
    Abstract: A harvesting header of an agricultural machine includes a frame, a cutting mechanism coupled to the frame and configured to cut crop, an auger rotatably coupled to the frame at a location rearward of the cutting mechanism, and an impeller rotatably coupled to the frame at a location rearward of the auger. The impeller is configured to receive crop from the auger and condition the cut crop. The crop is projected by the auger in a rearward and upward direction relative to the impeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Thomas A. Nichols, Lance Frahm, Charles S. Sloan
  • Patent number: 11184112
    Abstract: Systems and methods include receiving blocks of data that has been Forward Error Correction (FEC) encoded via Open Forward Error Correction (OFEC) adaptation; decoding the blocks of data; processing Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) data that is included in padding data required in the OFEC adaptation, wherein the padding data is distributed across N rows of payload data; and determining a location of any errors in the payload data based on the processed CRC data. The OFEC adaptation is for mapping the blocks of data into any of a FlexO-x frame structure, a ZR frame structure, and variants thereof, and the location of any errors can be used for error marking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Ciena Corporation
    Inventors: Sebastien Gareau, Jeffery Thomas Nichols
  • Patent number: 11122206
    Abstract: A personal care system having a treatment device for applying a treatment to the skin or hair of a user is provided. The treatment device has a camera for taking an image of the skin. The system may include or be in communication with an application programming interface (API) that can process the image. The system or an associated API can recommend the use of treatment regimens or topical products according to information determined from the digital image of the skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: PREH HOLDING, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Nichols
  • Patent number: 11096329
    Abstract: A harvesting apparatus includes a crop conditioning element and an associated hood for conditioning crop material. The hood is moveably mounted to a frame of the harvesting apparatus, at a position located above the crop conditioning element. The hood is moveably mounted to the frame for movement toward and away from the crop conditioning element to adjust a gap therebetween. A swathboard is attached to and moveable with the hood. The swathboard is moveable relative to the hood between a plurality of operating positions. The swathboard is operable to maintain its position relative to the hood during movement with the hood toward and away from the crop conditioning element to form a consistent swath while moving the hood relative to the crop conditioning element to adjust the gap therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Thomas A. Nichols, Lance T. Frahm
  • Patent number: 11000448
    Abstract: A Handheld Motorized Facial Brush Having Specialized Torque Transfer Clip. The heads interface with a conventional handpiece so that the facial brush or other facial treatment head can be removed and replaced with a head chosen from a group of treatment heads. The handpiece has a sealed, washable head portion that can be activated to rotate. Each treatment head or treatment assembly includes a torque transfer clip that provides biasing force between the handpiece and the head, but at the same time results in additional vibration being transferred from the vibration generator in the handpiece to the treatment head. The torque transfer clip also allows for some flex between the treatment head and the handpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Inventor: Thomas Nichols
  • Patent number: D911031
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Inventor: Thomas Nichols
  • Patent number: D918585
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Inventor: Thomas Nichols
  • Patent number: D1000624
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Inventor: Thomas Nichols