Patents by Inventor Thomas E. Rowley

Thomas E. Rowley 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: 10594249
    Abstract: A photovoltaic phase change battery system for converting intermittent solar power into day and night electrical power is disclosed. A photovoltaic array is pointed toward a solar energy source, such as Earth's sun during daytime operation, where a portion of the electricity generated is used to convert a pool of phase change material to a molten state. During night time operation the photovoltaic array is pointed at the phase change material to receive photons from thermal radiation and continue the electricity generating process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Inventors: Jerry M. Woodall, Thomas E. Rowley
  • Patent number: 9780398
    Abstract: The invention is a power generation system which involves a water-splitting reaction employing metal feedstock to generate heat, hydrogen and metal hydroxide. The heat produced by the power generation system supplies a Heating-Ventilation-Air Conditioning (HVAC) system for heating and cooling building structures, such as homes, kiosks, commercial buildings and greenhouses. The hydrogen gas component produced by the invention is sufficient to fuel a fuel cell vehicle (FCV) and a fuel cell, which provides electricity to an associated building structure. The invention can be located on-site with a building structure and provides a readily available FCV fueling station associated with the building structure where an FCV is located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Inventors: Jerry M. Woodall, Thomas E. Rowley
  • Patent number: 9731967
    Abstract: A system for producing hydrogen gas, heat and an oxide component using a water splitting process is disclosed. The system involves a dry first chamber containing a passivating-oxide preventing reagent that receives a solid material feedstock and dissolves the solid material feedstock in the passivating-oxide preventing reagent. The passivating-oxide preventing reagent becomes saturated with the solid material in the first chamber and is then transferred to a second chamber without contact with water. In the second chamber, the solid material saturated in the passivating-oxide preventing reagent reacts with the water so as to generate hydrogen gas, an oxide component and heat. Following the reaction, the solid material depleted passivating-oxide preventing reagent and water is recycled to be re-used in the water splitting process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Inventors: Jerry M Woodall, Thomas E. Rowley
  • Patent number: 9718684
    Abstract: A method for producing hydrogen gas, heat and an oxide component using a water splitting process is disclosed. The method involves providing a dry first chamber containing a passivating-oxide preventing reagent that receives a solid material feedstock and dissolves the solid material feedstock in the passivating-oxide preventing reagent. The passivating-oxide preventing reagent becomes saturated with the solid material in the first chamber and is then transferred to a second chamber without contact with water. In the second chamber, the solid material saturated in the passivating-oxide preventing reagent reacts with the water so as to generate hydrogen gas, an oxide component and heat. Following the reaction, the solid material depleted passivating-oxide preventing reagent and water is recycled to be re-used in the water splitting process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Inventors: Jerry M Woodall, Thomas E Rowley
  • Patent number: 9624103
    Abstract: A method and system for producing hydrogen gas, heat and an oxide component using water splitting process is disclosed. The system comprises a dry first chamber containing a passivating-oxide preventing agent that receives a solid material feedstock and dissolves the solid material feedstock in the passivating-oxide preventing agent. The passivating-oxide preventing agent becomes saturated with the solid material in the first chamber and is then transferred to a second chamber without contact with water. In the second chamber, the solid material saturated in the passivating-oxide preventing agent reacts with the water so as to generate hydrogen gas, an oxide component and heat. Following the reaction, the solid material depleted passivating-oxide preventing agent and water is recycled to be re-used in the water splitting process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Inventors: Jerry M Woodall, Thomas E Rowley
  • Patent number: 9580310
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing hydrogen and a passivating oxide using water splitting techniques is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a container filled with a passivating-oxide preventing agent that is substantially inert to water in an effective amount to prevent passivation of a solid-state material during oxidation and a conduit for inserting a solid-state material into the passivating-oxide preventing agent in which the solid-state material is submerged in the passivating-oxide preventing agent without being in direct contact with water. The solid-state material is capable of dissolving in the passivating-oxide preventing agent and reacting with the water. Thus, the method provides continuous dissolution of the solid-state material into the passivating-oxide preventing agent and its alloys in the presence of excess water at or near room temperature to enable continuous generation of hydrogen, passivating oxide and heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Inventors: Jerry M. Woodall, Thomas E. Rowley
  • Publication number: 20160112287
    Abstract: An improved mechanism is provided for storage, recovery, and analysis of network traffic data, without requiring prohibitive amounts of storage space. Network traffic data is recorded in a sliding buffer. In normal operation, after some period of time, the oldest data in the buffer is deleted, yielding more storage space for more recent data. In response to a trigger event, such as any detected problem, attack, or similar incident, relevant pre-event and post-event data is retained for analysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Publication date: April 21, 2016
    Inventors: Dan Farmer, Thomas E. Rowley, Mark Andrews
  • Patent number: 9056769
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing hydrogen and a passivating oxide using water splitting techniques is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a container filled with a passivating-oxide preventing agent that is substantially inert to water in an effective amount to prevent passivation of a solid-state material during oxidation and a means for inserting a solid-state material into the passivating-oxide preventing agent in which the solid-state material is submerged in the passivating-oxide preventing agent without being in direct contact with water. The solid-state material is capable of dissolving in the passivating-oxide preventing agent and reacting with the water. Thus, the method provides continuous dissolution of the solid-state material into the passivating-oxide preventing agent and its alloys in the presence of excess water at or near room temperature to enable continuous generation of hydrogen, passivating oxide and heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Inventors: Jerry M. Woodall, Thomas E. Rowley
  • Patent number: 5471523
    Abstract: The present invention provides a novel method and apparatus for interconnecting a telephone call and voice processing system ("CVPS") with a telephone key system control unit ("KSU"). A plurality of digital feature telephone ports of the KSU are connected to the CVPS. These connections provide two-way digital feature telephone call information and telephone audio paths between the CVPS and the KSU. The CVPS emulates digital feature telephones on each of these ports permitting the CVPS to automatically perform all of the functions available to a human user of one of the digital feature telephones. Optionally, interposed lines connected to telephone central office telephone lines may be used to provide some of the connections between the KSU and the CVPS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: Voysys Corporation
    Inventors: Bernard J. Smith, David B. Seager, Raymond L. Tong, Thomas E. Rowley