Patents by Inventor Vinh Nguyen

Vinh Nguyen 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: 8356935
    Abstract: Methods for assessing a temperature in an opening in a subsurface formation are described herein. A method may include assessing one or more dielectric properties along a length of an insulated conductor located in the opening and assessing one or more temperatures along the length of the insulated conductor based on the one or more assessed dielectric properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Dhruv Arora, Ronald Marshall Bass, Graham Patrick Bradford, David Booth Burns, Eric Abreu Gesualdi, Scott Vinh Nguyen, Edward Everett de St. Remey, Stephen Taylor Thompson
  • Patent number: 8281861
    Abstract: A method of heating a subsurface formation includes introducing a molten salt into a first passageway of a conduit-in-conduit heater at a first location. The molten salt is passed through the conduit-in-conduit heater in the formation to a second location. Heat transfers from the molten salt to a treatment area during passage of the molten salt through the conduit-in-conduit heater. The molten salt is removed from the conduit-in-conduit heater at a second location spaced away from the first location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Scott Vinh Nguyen, Renfeng Richard Cao
  • Patent number: 8267185
    Abstract: A method for heating a subsurface formation includes applying heat from a plurality of heaters to at least a portion of the subsurface formation. A portion of one or more of the heaters are allowed to move relative to the heaters respective wellhead using sliding seals to accommodate thermal expansion of the heaters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Ernesto Rafael Fonseca Ocampos, James Joseph Venditto, Renfeng Richard Cao, Ronald Marshall Bass, Scott Vinh Nguyen, Antonio Maria Guimaraes Leite Cruz, Damodaran Raghu, Jaime Santos Son
  • Patent number: 8220539
    Abstract: An in situ heat treatment system for producing hydrocarbons from a subsurface formation includes a plurality of wellbores in the formation. At least one heater is positioned in at least two of the wellbores. A self-regulating nuclear reactor provides energy to at least one of the heaters to heat the temperature of the formation to temperatures that allow for hydrocarbon production from the formation. A temperature of the self-regulating nuclear reactor is controlled by controlling a pressure of hydrogen supplied to the self-regulating nuclear reactor, and wherein the pressure is regulated based upon formation conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Harold J. Vinegar, Scott Vinh Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20120172229
    Abstract: The present invention comprises formulations for use as pesticides and their applications. The formulations include a monoalkylsulfosuccinnate as a hydrotrope. The pesticide may be a herbicide comprising glufosinate-ammonium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: AKZO NOBEL CHEMICALS INTERNATIONAL B.V.
    Inventors: Giao Vinh Nguyen, Mark Alexander
  • Publication number: 20120127930
    Abstract: User equipment (UE) transmits an access response to a random access procedure (RACH) preamble message to acquire an uplink grant from a node of a wireless communication system. The access response provides an uplink grant to the UE for a request for authorization to transmit uplink data to the node. In response to determining that the access response message provides an uplink grant sufficient to empty the UE's data buffer, the UE transmits the request for authorization including the uplink data to the node. The UE can then terminate the RACH procedure without requiring any subsequent uplink grant from the node, having accomplished successful data transmission using the request for authorization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Bao Vinh Nguyen, Shailesh Maheshwari, Girish Khandelwal, Mouaffac Ambriss
  • Patent number: 8162059
    Abstract: A heating system for a subsurface formation includes an elongated electrical conductor located in the subsurface formation. The electrical conductor extends between at least a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact. A ferromagnetic conductor at least partially surrounds and at least partially extends lengthwise around the electrical conductor. The electrical conductor, when energized with time-varying electrical current, induces sufficient electrical current flow in the ferromagnetic conductor such that the ferromagnetic conductor resistively heats to a temperature of at least about 300° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Scott Vinh Nguyen, Ronald M. Bass
  • Patent number: 8163204
    Abstract: A nanoporous polymer electrolyte and methods for making the polymer electrolyte are disclosed. The polymer electrolyte comprises a crosslinked self-assembly of a polymerizable salt surfactant, wherein the crosslinked self-assembly includes nanopores and wherein the crosslinked self-assembly has a conductivity of at least 1.0×10?6 S/cm at 25° C. The method of making a polymer electrolyte comprises providing a polymerizable salt surfactant. The method further comprises crosslinking the polymerizable salt surfactant to form a nanoporous polymer electrolyte.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: TDA Research
    Inventors: Brian Elliott, Vinh Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20120035386
    Abstract: Low foam, non-gelling surfactants include certain non-ionic alcohol ethoxylate surfactants and anionic ether sulfate surfactants formed therefrom, and processes for preparing the same. Also included are agricultural formulations including agriculturally active ingredients in combination with certain anion ether sulfate surfactants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: AKZO NOBEL CHEMICALS INTERNATIONAL B.V.
    Inventor: Giao Vinh Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20110296064
    Abstract: A technique for uplink data throttling includes buffer status report (BSR) scaling. A target data flow rate may be determined based on at least on condition of a wireless device. The buffer status report may be adjusted to cause the target flow rate and transmitted by the wireless device. The wireless device may then receive a flow control command based on the buffer status report.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Navid Ehsan, Thomas Klingenbrunn, Shailesh Maheshwari, Bao Vinh Nguyen, Gang Andy Xiao, Jon J. Anderson
  • Patent number: 8049039
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a process for preparing alkoxylated alkylamines and/or alkyl ether amines. The process consists of two stages and utilizes a catalyst with a multiple-charge counterion. The alkoxylated alkylamines and alkoxylated alkyl ether amines prepared by the process possess the peaked ethoxylation distribution and contain less hazardous by-product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Akzo Nobel N.V.
    Inventors: Giao Vinh Nguyen, James Alfred Ragains, Kha Carl Dang Nguyen, Charles Woodville Davis
  • Publication number: 20110259355
    Abstract: A hair care product comprising water, a chelating agent, a copolymer, a pH adjusting agent and a hair treatment composition including a polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl alcohol copolymer, vinyl acetate emulsion, acrylic emulsion, vinyl acrylic emulsion, vinyl acetate copolymer emulsion or a combination thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2009
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Inventors: Arnold Ybarra, Dalia Eicken, Vinh Nguyen, Richard Vicari, Jeffrey Paul Coulson, Philip Joel Brondsema, Patricia Nunez De Arce
  • Patent number: 8042610
    Abstract: A heating system for a subsurface formation is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of substantially horizontally oriented or inclined heater sections located in a hydrocarbon containing layer in the formation. At least a portion of two of the heater sections are substantially parallel to each other. The ends of at least two of the heater sections in the layer are electrically coupled to a substantially horizontal, or inclined, electrical conductor oriented substantially perpendicular to the ends of the at least two heater sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Christopher Kelvin Harris, John Michael Karanikas, Scott Vinh Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20110247808
    Abstract: A method of treating a subsurface formation includes circulating at least one molten salt through at least one conduit of a conduit-in-conduit heater located in the formation to heat hydrocarbons in the formation to at least a mobilization temperature of the hydrocarbons. At least some of the hydrocarbons are produced from the formation. An electrical resistance of at least one of the conduits of the conduit-in-conduit heater is assessed to assess a presence of a leak in at least one of the conduits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Inventor: Scott Vinh Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20110247819
    Abstract: Electrical current flow is induced in a ferromagnetic conductor providing time-varying electrical current at a first frequency to an electrical conductor located in a formation. The ferromagnetic conductor at least partially surrounds and at least partially extends lengthwise around the electrical conductor. The ferromagnetic conductor resistively heats up to a first temperature of at most about 300° C. Water in the formation is vaporized with heat at the first temperature. Subsequently, time-varying electrical current at a second frequency is provided to the elongated electrical conductor to induce electrical current flow at the second frequency such that the ferromagnetic conductor resistively heats up to a second temperature above about 300° C. Heat transfers from the ferromagnetic conductor at the second temperature to at least a part of the formation to mobilize at least some hydrocarbons in the part of the formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Inventors: Scott Vinh Nguyen, Thomas David Fowler
  • Publication number: 20110175601
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for effectively sensing rotational position of an object. In certain embodiments, a rotational position sensor can include a shaft configured to couple with the rotating object. The shaft can be configured to couple with a magnet carrier such that rotation of the shaft yields translational motion of the carrier. A magnet mounted to the carrier also moves longitudinally with respect to the axis of the shaft, and relative to a magnetic field sensor configured to detect the magnet's longitudinal position. The detected longitudinal position can be in a range corresponding to a rotational range of the shaft, where the rotational range can be greater than one turn. In certain embodiments, the rotational position sensor can include a programmable capability to facilitate ease and flexibility in calibration and use in a wide range of applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2010
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Applicant: BOURNS, INC.
    Inventors: Eugen Bogos, Perry Wehlman, Thanh Vinh Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20110134958
    Abstract: Methods for assessing a temperature in an opening in a subsurface formation are described herein. A method may include assessing one or more dielectric properties along a length of an insulated conductor located in the opening and assessing one or more temperatures along the length of the insulated conductor based on the one or more assessed dielectric properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Inventors: Dhruv Arora, Ronald Marshall Bass, Graham Patrick Bradford, David Booth Burns, Eric Abreu Gesualdi, Scott Vinh Nguyen, Edward Everett de St. Remey, Stephen Taylor Thompson
  • Patent number: 7931086
    Abstract: Methods and systems for heating a subsurface formation are described herein. A heating system for a subsurface formation includes a sealed conduit positioned in an opening in the formation and a heat source. The sealed conduit includes a heat transfer fluid. The heat source provides heat to a portion of the sealed conduit to change phase of the heat transfer fluid from a liquid to a vapor. The vapor in the sealed conduit rises in the sealed conduit, condenses to transfer heat to the formation and returns to the conduit portion as a liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Scott Vinh Nguyen, Harold J. Vinegar
  • Publication number: 20110017305
    Abstract: A tubular fluid flow device of varying outside dimensions adapted for use in a high pressure, rapidly cycling temperature environment, an isolation ball valve, a ball valve isolation method and a catalyst transfer method. The flow device 10 can have a tubular member 12 having at least one locus 14, 16 of non-uniform outside dimension and an axial flow passage 20 with a uniform inside diameter between opposite end connection elements. A thermal sleeve liner 22 can be disposed about the axial flow passage in a bore 24 formed in the tubular member, wherein the sleeve comprises an outer surface having a thermal barrier coating 26. A pressure-relief passage 28 is provided in fluid communication between the axial flow passage and an interface between an exterior surface of the thermal sleeve liner and an inner surface of the bore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: MOGAS INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: John B. Williams, JR., Vinh Nguyen, Jimmy Walker, JR.
  • Patent number: 7845411
    Abstract: Systems and methods for an in situ heat treatment process that utilizes a circulation system to heat one or more treatment areas are described herein. The circulation system may use a heated liquid heat transfer fluid that passes through piping in the formation to transfer heat to the formation. In some embodiments, the piping may be positioned in at least two of the wellbores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Harold J. Vinegar, Scott Vinh Nguyen