Patents by Inventor William A. Alexander

William A. Alexander 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).

  • Publication number: 20230190547
    Abstract: An alignment system for a wheelchair based steering column includes a fork assembly configured to carry a front wheel, a bearing coupled to the fork assembly, a tube member that receives the bearing and a portion of the fork assembly, a cam defining sloped cam surface leading to a recess, the cam positioned in the tube member, a biasing member configured to apply a restoring force onto the cam, the biasing member positioned in the tube member, and a steering device coupled to the fork assembly. In response to applying a rotational force to the steering device, the fork assembly rotates, responsively rotating the front wheel and sliding the bearing along the cam surface away from the recess, the cam responsively linearly translates relative to the fork assembly overcoming the restoring force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventors: William Alexander Emfinger, Benjamin William Gasser, Benjamin Phillip Hemkens
  • Publication number: 20230190546
    Abstract: A steering system for a wheelchair includes a steering device configured to be engaged by a user, a front wheel operably connected to the steering device, and a frame assembly configured to carry the steering device and the front wheel. The frame assembly is configured to removably engage a mounting member of the wheelchair. A mounting assembly can be coupled to the frame assembly. The mounting assembly is configured to selectively couple to the mounting member of the wheelchair and selectively electrically connect to a motorized drive assembly coupled to the wheelchair.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventors: William Alexander Emfinger, Benjamin William Gasser, Benjamin Phillip Hemkens
  • Publication number: 20230191061
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for creating a percutaneous tracheostomy are described herein. In some embodiments, a system can include an inflation assembly and a guidewire assembly. The inflation assembly can include an elongated tube, an inflatable member, and a magnetic member. The elongated tube can have a first end, a second end, and can define a lumen. The inflatable member can be coupled to the first end of the elongated tube and can be fluidically coupled to the lumen such that the inflatable member can receive fluid via the lumen. The magnetic member can be coupled to the first end of the elongated tube. The first end of a guidewire of the guidewire assembly can include a coupling member, the coupling member configured to couple to the inflatable member such that translation of the elongated tube translates the guidewire assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2022
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Applicant: CoapTech, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven P. TROPELLO, Aman GARG, William Alexander LeMay PATTERSON
  • Publication number: 20230190548
    Abstract: A wheelchair including a steering assembly configured to selectively attach to the wheelchair, the steering assembly including a steering member, a front wheel operably connected to the steering member, a frame assembly configured to carry the steering member and the front wheel, and a mounting assembly coupled to the frame assembly, and a drive assembly coupled to the wheelchair. The drive assembly is configured to operate in a first configuration in response to the steering assembly being detached from the wheelchair, and the drive assembly is configured to operate in a second configuration in response to the steering assembly being attached to the wheelchair.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventors: William Alexander Emfinger, Benjamin William Gasser, Benjamin Phillip Hemkens
  • Publication number: 20230174230
    Abstract: A tailsitter aircraft includes an airframe, a thrust array attached to the airframe and a flight control system. The thrust array includes propulsion assemblies configured to transition the airframe from a forward flight orientation to a VTOL orientation at a conversion rate for an approach to a target ground location in a forward flight-to-VTOL transition phase. The flight control system implements an adaptive transition system including a transition parameter monitoring module configured to monitor parameters including a ground speed and a distance to the target ground location. The adaptive transition system includes a transition adjustment determination module configured to adjust the conversion rate of the airframe from the forward flight orientation to the VTOL orientation based on the ground speed and the distance to the target ground location such that the airframe is vertically aligned with the target ground location in the VTOL orientation of the forward flight-to-VTOL transition phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2021
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: John Robert Wittmaak, JR., Russell C. Peters, William Alexander Dean, Spencer Hancock
  • Publication number: 20230165405
    Abstract: Example methods and apparatus for presenting safety-based temperature status notifications for grills are disclosed. An example grill includes a controller to determine whether a condition indicative of a safety-based temperature status of the grill is satisfied. In response to determining that the condition is satisfied, the controller is to instruct a lighting module or a user interface of the grill to present a notification indicating the safety-based temperature status.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2022
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Inventors: Kevin James Glennon, William Alexander Mecker
  • Publication number: 20230159072
    Abstract: A lift cart includes a lift table that moves between a raised position and a lowest position and a braking device attached to the lift cart. A braking device includes an actuator, a linkage bar, and a first brake assembly. The linkage bar connects to the actuator. The linkage bar translates in a first direction upon activation of the actuator. The first brake assembly connects to the linkage bar. The first brake assembly moves from a deployed state to a retracted state as the linkage bar translates in the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2021
    Publication date: May 25, 2023
    Inventors: William Alexander Bernal, Caleb Daniel Rideout, Jacob L. Wymore, Herald Harrington, Kevin Brault
  • Publication number: 20230153513
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for tuning a set of simulation parameters associated with a design verification environment are described that include: simulating a circuit design according to a set of simulation runs; providing, to a machine learning network, an indication of functional coverage results associated with simulating the circuit design according to the set of simulation runs; receiving an output in response to the machine learning network processing the functional coverage results; and simulating the circuit design based on a recommended set of simulation parameters. The output includes: an indication of a near miss event associated with the functional coverage results; and the recommended set of simulation parameters. Simulating the circuit design based on the recommended set of simulation parameters includes generating a set of component signals associated with triggering the near miss event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2022
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Inventors: William Alexander Hughes, Sandeep Srinivasan, Rohit Uday Suvarna
  • Publication number: 20230153500
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for tuning a set of simulation parameters associated with a design verification environment are described that include: simulating a circuit design according to a set of simulation parameters; providing, to a machine learning network, an indication of functional coverage results associated with simulating the circuit design according to the set of simulation parameters; receiving an output in response to the machine learning network processing the functional coverage results; and simulating the circuit design based on a recommended set of simulation parameters, wherein simulating the circuit design based on the recommended set of simulation parameters includes generating a set of component signals associated with satisfying a target functional coverage statement. In some aspects, the output includes: the target functional coverage statement associated with the circuit design; and the recommended set of the simulation parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2022
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Inventors: William Alexander Hughes, Sandeep Srinivasan, Rohit Uday Suvarna
  • Patent number: 11620231
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention include defining one or more processor units having a plurality of caches, each processor unit comprising a processor having at least one cache, and wherein each of the one or more processor units are coupled together by an interconnect fabric, for each of the plurality of caches, arranging a plurality of cache lines into one or more congruence classes, each congruence class comprises a chronology vector, arranging each cache in the plurality of caches into a cluster of caches based on a plurality of scope domains, determining a first cache line to evict based on the chronology vector, and determining a target cache for installing the first cache line based on a scope of the first cache line and a saturation metric associated with the target cache, wherein the scope of the first cache line is determined based on lateral persistence tag bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ram Sai Manoj Bamdhamravuri, Craig R. Walters, Christian Jacobi, Timothy Bronson, Gregory William Alexander, Hieu T. Huynh, Robert J. Sonnelitter, III, Jason D. Kohl, Deanna P. D. Berger, Richard Joseph Branciforte
  • Patent number: 11617056
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for displaying widgets. In some aspects, criteria for ranking widgets may be dynamically evaluated based on conditions associated with each widget. In some aspects, the conditions may consider a time or location of an event a social network user is scheduled to attend, and a relation to that time and location to a current time and/or current user location. Evaluation of the conditions may contribute to the determination of weights for each of the respective widgets, with the ranking based on the weights. Widgets with the highest rank may be invoked, and selectively displayed on an electronic display. Multiple possible parameter values for the displayed widgets may also be dynamically ranked and selected values applied when invoking the widget.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Snap Inc.
    Inventors: William Alexander Strand, Travis M. Grigsby, Benjamin Ralph Hollis, Bobby Lo, Christie Marie Heikkinen
  • Publication number: 20230092837
    Abstract: Example methods and apparatus for automatically advancing steps of cook programs for grills based on detected lid position data are disclosed. An example grill includes a cookbox, a lid, a cooking chamber, and a controller. The lid is movable relative to the cookbox between a closed position and an open position. The cooking chamber is defined by the cookbox and the lid, and is accessible to a user of the grill when the lid is in the open position. The controller is to implement a cook program to cook an item of food within the cooking chamber. The cook program includes a plurality of ordered steps, which include a lid-opening step requiring the lid to be moved from the closed position to the open position. In response to determining, based on lid position data, that the lid-opening step has been performed, the controller is to automatically advance the plurality of ordered steps from the lid-opening step to a next step of the plurality of ordered steps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventors: Kevin James Glennon, William Alexander Mecker, Mallory Evans
  • Publication number: 20230078302
    Abstract: Example methods and apparatus for automating startup processes of gas grills are disclosed. An example grill includes a first burner, a second burner, a first burner valve operatively positioned between the first burner and a manifold of the grill, a second burner valve operatively positioned between the second burner and the manifold, a first ignitor operatively positioned relative to the first burner, and a second ignitor operatively positioned relative to the second burner. The example grill further includes a controller operatively coupled to the first burner valve, the second burner valve, the first ignitor, and the second ignitor. In response to determining that a user-based startup request has been received at the grill, the controller is to instruct the first burner valve and the second burner valve to open, and instruct the first ignitor and the second ignitor to ignite corresponding ones of the first burner and the second burner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Kevin James Glennon, William Alexander Mecker
  • Publication number: 20230079421
    Abstract: Example methods and apparatus for automating shutdown processes of gas grills are disclosed. An example grill includes a first burner, a second burner, a first burner valve operatively positioned between the first burner and a manifold of the grill, and a second burner valve operatively positioned between the second burner and the manifold. The example grill further includes a controller operatively coupled to the first burner valve and the second burner valve. In response to determining that a shutdown request has been received at the grill, the controller is to instruct the first burner valve and the second burner valve to close.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Kevin James Glennon, William Alexander Mecker
  • Publication number: 20230054424
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention include defining one or more processor units having a plurality of caches, each processor unit comprising a processor having at least one cache, and wherein each of the one or more processor units are coupled together by an interconnect fabric, for each of the plurality of caches, arranging a plurality of cache lines into one or more congruence classes, each congruence class comprises a chronology vector, arranging each cache in the plurality of caches into a cluster of caches based on a plurality of scope domains, determining a first cache line to evict based on the chronology vector, and determining a target cache for installing the first cache line based on a scope of the first cache line and a saturation metric associated with the target cache, wherein the scope of the first cache line is determined based on lateral persistence tag bits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2021
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Inventors: Ram Sai Manoj BAMDHAMRAVURI, Craig R. WALTERS, Christian JACOBI, Timothy BRONSON, Gregory William ALEXANDER, Hieu T. HUYNH, Robert J. SONNELITTER, III, Jason D. KOHL, Deanna P. D. BERGER, Richard Joseph BRANCIFORTE
  • Patent number: 11557399
    Abstract: Techniques for integrative machine learning using sentiment-based predictive inferences and symptom-based predictive are discussed herein. In one example, a method includes determining, based on one or more health monitoring logs, a first distribution of symptomatic prediction labels over a first period of time associated with the one or more health monitoring logs; processing the one or more health monitoring logs and using a sentiment detection machine learning model to determine a second distribution of extracted sentiment scores over the first period of time; generating, based on the first distribution and the second distribution, an aggregate distribution of inferred health-related predictions over the first period of time; and causing display of an aggregate distribution user interface that is configured to display the aggregate distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Optum, Inc.
    Inventors: Corey D. McMillan, William Alexander Wood, Austin Schick, Donald Landrum, Columbus Dong, Rachel Szabo, William Drayton Taylor, Austin T. Gansz
  • Publication number: 20220369308
    Abstract: A display system can be configured to receive, via a user interface, a first identifier associated with a first space object and determine a first maneuver of the first space object. The first maneuver can include a perturbation of the path of the first space object. Based on the first identifier and the first maneuver, the display system can identify one or more path parameters associated with a path of the first space object and generate a display interface. The display interface can include a longitude-time graph having a longitude axis spanning from a lower-longitude limit to an upper-longitude limit and a time axis spanning from the lower-time limit to the upper-time limit and an indication of the one or more path parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Inventors: Douglas Lee Hendrix, William Alexander Therien
  • Patent number: D971674
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: WEBER-STEPHEN PRODUCTS LLC
    Inventors: William Alexander Mecker, Qian Hamel
  • Patent number: D972888
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: WEBER-STEPHEN PRODUCTS LLC
    Inventors: Derek Bennion, Shannon Ella Cerny, William Alexander Mecker, Romualdo Sonny Siazon, Brian C. Donnelly
  • Patent number: D975921
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Inventor: William Alexander Basztyk