Patents by Inventor Thomas J. Miller

Thomas J. Miller 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: 7745814
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided comprising a first potential well located within a pn junction and a second potential well not located within a pn junction. The potential wells may be quantum wells. The semiconductor device is typically an LED, and may be a white or near-white light LED. The semiconductor device may additionally comprise a third potential well not located within a pn junction. The semiconductor device may additionally comprise absorbing layers surrounding or closely or immediately adjacent to the second or third quantum wells. In addition, graphic display devices and illumination devices comprising the semiconductor device according to the present invention are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Thomas J. Miller, Michael A. Haase, Xiaoguang Sun
  • Publication number: 20100155694
    Abstract: An adapted LED is provided comprising a short-wavelength LED and a re-emitting semiconductor construction, wherein the re-emitting semiconductor construction comprises at least one potential well not located within a pn junction. The potential well(s) are typically quantum well(s). The adapted LED may be a white or near-white light LED. The re-emitting semiconductor construction may additionally comprise absorbing layers surrounding or closely or immediately adjacent to the potential well(s). In addition, graphic display devices and illumination devices comprising the adapted LED according to the present invention are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Inventors: Thomas J. Miller, Michael A. Haase, Terry L. Smith, Xiaoguang Sun
  • Patent number: 7737430
    Abstract: An adapted LED is provided comprising a short-wavelength LED and a re-emitting semiconductor construction, wherein the re-emitting semiconductor construction comprises at least one potential well not located within a pn junction. The potential well(s) are typically quantum well(s). The adapted LED may be a white or near-white light LED. The re-emitting semiconductor construction may additionally comprise absorbing layers surrounding or closely or immediately adjacent to the potential well(s). In addition, graphic display devices and illumination devices comprising the adapted LED according to the present invention are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Thomas J. Miller, Michael A. Haase, Terry L. Smith, Xiaoguang Sun
  • Patent number: 7719015
    Abstract: An LED is provided comprising two or more light-emitting Type II interfaces wherein at least two of the Type II interfaces differ in transition energy by at least 5%, or more typically by at least 10%, and wherein at least one of the Type II interfaces is within a pn junction. Alternately, an LED is provided comprising two or more light-emitting Type II interfaces wherein at least two of the Type II interfaces differ in transition energy by at least 5%, or more typically by at least 10%. The Type II interfaces may include interfaces from a layer which is an electron quantum well and not a hole quantum well, interfaces to a layer which is a hole quantum well and not an electron quantum well; and interfaces that satisfy both conditions simultaneously. The Type II interfaces may be within a pn or pin junction or not within a pn or pin junction. In the later case, emission from the Type II interfaces may be photopumped by a nearby light source. The LED may be a white or near-white light LED.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Thomas J. Miller, Michael A. Haase
  • Patent number: 7700938
    Abstract: An adapted LED is provided comprising a short-wavelength LED and a re-emitting semiconductor construction, wherein the re-emitting semiconductor construction comprises at least one potential well not located within a pn junction. The potential well(s) are typically quantum well(s). The adapted LED may be a white or near-white light LED. The re-emitting semiconductor construction may additionally comprise absorbing layers surrounding or closely or immediately adjacent to the potential well(s). In addition, graphic display devices and illumination devices comprising the adapted LED according to the present invention are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Thomas J. Miller, Michael A. Haase, Terry L. Smith, Xiaoguang Sun
  • Patent number: 7700939
    Abstract: An adapted LED is provided comprising a short-wavelength LED and a re-emitting semiconductor construction, wherein the re-emitting semiconductor construction comprises at least one potential well not located within a pn junction. The potential well(s) are typically quantum well(s). The adapted LED may be a white or near-white light LED. The re-emitting semiconductor construction may additionally comprise absorbing layers surrounding or closely or immediately adjacent to the potential well(s). In addition, graphic display devices and illumination devices comprising the adapted LED according to the present invention are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Thomas J. Miller, Michael A. Haase, Terry L. Smith, Xiaoguang Sun
  • Patent number: 7685227
    Abstract: A distributed server system may include a primary manager, one or more backup managers communicatively coupled to the primary manager, and one or more workers communicatively coupled to the one or more backup managers. The one or more backup managers may receive a command to backup the state of the distributed server system. The backup managers may forward work tasks to the one or more communicatively coupled workers. The backup managers may further aggregate responses received from the one or more communicatively coupled workers and send the aggregated response to the primary manager.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Inventors: Robert H. Gerber, Thomas J. Miller
  • Publication number: 20100042626
    Abstract: A transactional file system wherein multiple file system operations may be performed as a transaction. An application specifies that file system-related operations are to be handled as a transaction, and the application is given a file handle associated with a transaction context. For file system requests associated with a transaction context, a file system component manages operations consistent with transactional behavior. Transactions over a network are facilitated. Remote files may be accessed within a transaction via a redirector protocol. A redirector on a client computer system communicates with an agent on a server computer system to relay and maintain transactional information on both systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Surendra Verma, Thomas J. Miller, Robert G. Atkinson
  • Patent number: 7613698
    Abstract: A transactional file system wherein multiple file system operations may be performed as a transaction. An application specifies that file system-related operations are to be handled as a transaction, and the application is given a file handle associated with a transaction context. For file system requests associated with a transaction context, a file system component manages the operations consistent with transactional behavior. The component handles namespace logging operations in a multiple-level log that facilitates logging and recovery. Page data is logged separate from the main log, with a unique signature that enables the log to determine whether a page was fully flushed to disk prior to a system crash.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Surendra Verma, Thomas J. Miller, Robert G. Atkinson
  • Patent number: 7523343
    Abstract: A file system enables the real-time correction of detected corruptions to on-disk data. An enhancement to a file system responds in real time to file system corruptions detected on a running volume, and repairs the corruptions at the point where the file system detects them. Upon detection of a corruption by the file system, the system enhancement records information describing the nature of the corruption. A repair scan is defined for each type of corruption encountered. Repair scans can be run at the top level of execution in the current thread in which the corruption is detected, or they may require a dedicated thread to service the repair operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin A. Leis, Brian D. Andrew, Daniel W. H. Chan, Mark J. Zbikowski, Vishal V. Ghotge, Thomas J. Miller
  • Patent number: 7512636
    Abstract: A transactional file system wherein multiple file system operations may be performed as a transaction. An application specifies that file system-related operations should be handled in a transaction, and the application is given a file handle associated with a transaction context. For file system requests associated with a transaction context, a file system component manages operations consistent with transactional behavior. The component provides data isolation by providing multiple file versions, such that transactional readers do not receive changes until after the transaction commits and the reader reopens the file. The component also handles namespace logging operations in a multiple-level log that facilitates logging and recovery. Namespace isolation is provided until a transaction commits via isolation directories, whereby until committed, a transaction sees the effects of its own operations but not the operations of other transactions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Surendra Verma, Thomas J. Miller, Robert G. Atkinson
  • Patent number: 7452230
    Abstract: An electrical cord plug assembly for inhibiting the removal of an inserted male electrical cord plug having at least one exposed electrical contact is disclosed. The device comprises a housing, a retention member, a biasing member, and a user actuation member. The retention member is movable between an engaged position, where the retention member engages an opening in the electrical contact of the male plug, and a disengaged position where the retention member disengages from the opening. The biasing member biases the retention member towards the engaged position. In the engaged position, the male plug is substantially inhibited from removal from the plug assembly. The actuation member engages the biasing member so as to allow a user to move the retention member to the disengaged position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: TMC Enterprises, a division of Tasco Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Miller, Zhou Dong Yue
  • Publication number: 20080272387
    Abstract: An adapted LED is provided comprising a short-wavelength LED and a re-emitting semiconductor construction, wherein the re-emitting semiconductor construction comprises at least one potential well not located within a pn junction. The potential well(s) are typically quantum well(s). The adapted LED may be a white or near-white light LED. The re-emitting semiconductor construction may additionally comprise absorbing layers surrounding or closely or immediately adjacent to the potential well(s). In addition, graphic display devices and illumination devices comprising the adapted LED according to the present invention are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2008
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Inventors: Thomas J. Miller, Michael A. Haase, Terry L. Smith, Xiaoguang Sun
  • Publication number: 20080272362
    Abstract: An adapted LED is provided comprising a short-wavelength LED and a re-emitting semiconductor construction, wherein the re-emitting semiconductor construction comprises at least one potential well not located within a pn junction. The potential well(s) are typically quantum well(s). The adapted LED may be a white or near-white light LED. The re-emitting semiconductor construction may additionally comprise absorbing layers surrounding or closely or immediately adjacent to the potential well(s). In addition, graphic display devices and illumination devices comprising the adapted LED according to the present invention are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2008
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Inventors: Thomas J. Miller, Michael A. Haase, Terry L. Smith, Xiaoguang Sun
  • Patent number: 7418463
    Abstract: A transactional file system wherein multiple file system operations may be performed as a transaction. An application specifies that file system-related operations are to be handled as a transaction, and the application is given a file handle associated with a transaction context. For file system requests associated with a transaction context, a file system component manages the operations consistent with transactional behavior. The component provides data isolation by providing multiple versions of a file by tracking copies of changed pages, such that transactional readers do not receive changes to a file made by transactional writers, until the transactional writer commits the transaction and the reader reopens the file. The component handles namespace logging operations in a multiple-level log that facilitates logging and recovery. Page data is logged separate from the main log, with a unique signature that enables the log to determine whether a page was fully flushed to disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Surendra Verma, Thomas J. Miller, Robert G. Atkinson
  • Patent number: 7402831
    Abstract: An adapted LED is provided comprising a short-wavelength LED and a re-emitting semiconductor construction, wherein the re-emitting semiconductor construction comprises at least one potential well not located within a pn junction. The potential well(s) are typically quantum well(s). The adapted LED may be a white or near-white light LED. The re-emitting semiconductor construction may additionally comprise absorbing layers surrounding or closely or immediately adjacent to the potential well(s). In addition, graphic display devices and illumination devices comprising the adapted LED according to the present invention are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Thomas J. Miller, Michael A. Haase, Terry L. Smith, Xiaoguang Sun
  • Publication number: 20080114827
    Abstract: A distributed server system may include a primary manager, one or more backup managers communicatively coupled to the primary manager, and one or more workers communicatively coupled to the one or more backup managers. The one ore more backup managers may receive a command to backup the state of the distributed server system. The backup managers may forward work tasks to the one or more communicatively coupled workers. The backup managers may further aggregate responses received from the one or more communicatively coupled workers and send the aggregated response to the primary manager.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2006
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Robert H. Gerber, Thomas J. Miller
  • Patent number: 7367698
    Abstract: A hand-held portable drop-light is provided. The light comprises a handle, a housing, a cover, a novel mounting assembly, and a light bulb. The mounting assembly is configured with a pivoting light bulb socket and positioned within the handle for mounting the light bulb within a housing interior. The housing possesses an aperture through which the container interior and light bulb may be accessed. The cover is reversibly attached to the housing so as to inhibit access to the light bulb through the aperture. When replacing the light bulb, the cover is moved from the aperture and the mounting assembly is pivoted between a retracted position, where the bulb is substantially retained within the housing and an extended position, where a portion of the bulb is positioned outside the housing. In this manner, the light bulb is easily accessed for replacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Inventor: Thomas J. Miller
  • Publication number: 20070284565
    Abstract: A light source includes an LED component having an emitting surface, and an optical element having an input surface in optical contact with the emitting surface. The LED component may be or include an LED such as an LED die capable of emitting light at a first wavelength, in combination with a re-emitting semiconductor construction which includes a second potential well not located within a pn junction. The optical element can be an extractor whose shape is converging, diverging, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2007
    Publication date: December 13, 2007
    Inventors: Catherine A. Leatherdale, Andrew J. Ouderkirk, Michael A. Haase, Thomas J. Miller, Dong Lu
  • Patent number: 7274153
    Abstract: A hand-held fluorescent lamp assembly powered by typical line supply of 120 VAC, 60 Hz via an attached power cord and employing multiple commonly available fluorescent lamps. The assembly includes switches to independently control the multiple fluorescent lamps. The assembly includes lightweight solid state power regulation components. The power regulation circuit employs a self-oscillating circuit that is approximately matched in frequency of oscillation to the natural frequency of the fluorescent lamp load to automatically ignite the fluorescent lamps. The power regulation circuit includes circuit elements to automatically protect the ballast circuit and lamps from overdrawing in the run state and from abnormal load conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: TMC Enterprises
    Inventors: Thomas J. Miller, Zhou Dong Yue