Patents by Inventor Thomas B. Brumback

Thomas B. Brumback 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: 9278377
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for optimizing the flow of seed along a seed handling path. The system and method include multiple stages at which seeds undergo different processes to prepare the seeds for sale or further handling. The stages may include one or more of Receiving, Husking, Sorting, Drying, Shelling, Bulk Storage, Sizing, Conditioning, Treating, and Packaging. Sensors may be located along the seed handling path for monitoring the seed handling path and the operations and conveyances occurring along the seed handling path at and between different stages. The sensors may provide feedback signals to a controller, which may in turn adjust the operating parameters of various processing devices associated with one or more of the stages in a real-time scenario to optimize the operations and conveyances occurring along the seed handling path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: PIONEER HI BRED INTERNATIONAL INC
    Inventors: Thomas B. Brumback, Steven J. Corak, James L. Hunter, Yong G. Lee
  • Publication number: 20120110954
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for optimizing the flow of seed along a seed handling path. The system and method include multiple stages at which seeds undergo different processes to prepare the seeds for sale or further handling. The stages may include one or more of Receiving, Husking, Sorting, Drying, Shelling, Bulk Storage, Sizing, Conditioning, Treating, and Packaging. Sensors may be located along the seed handling path for monitoring the seed handling path and the operations and conveyances occurring along the seed handling path at and between different stages. The sensors may provide feedback signals to a controller, which may in turn adjust the operating parameters of various processing devices associated with one or more of the stages in a real-time scenario to optimize the operations and conveyances occurring along the seed handling path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Inventors: Thomas B. Brumback, Steven J. Corak, James L. Hunter, Yong G. Lee
  • Patent number: 6483583
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for utilizing NIR spectrography for measuring major constituents of substances in real time includes a monochromator or other sensor having no moving optical parts. At least one of the monochromator and the substance are moving relative to one another. An NIR radiation source irradiates a substance and the reflected or passed-through radiation is transmitted to the monochromator, which isolates and detects narrow portions of the received spectrum. By analyzing the intensities and wavelengths of the received radiation, the presence and amount of major constituents of the substance can be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: Textron Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Steven L. Wright, Thomas B. Brumback, Jr., William S. Niebur, Roland Welle