Patents by Inventor William C To

William C To 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).

  • Biosensors, communicators, and controllers monitoring eye movement and methods for using them
    Patent number: 7488294
    Abstract: Biosensor, communicator, and/or controller apparatus, systems, and methods are provided for monitoring movement of a person's eye. The apparatus includes a device configured to be worn on a user's head, a light source for directing light towards one or both eyes of the user, one or more image guides on the device for viewing one or both eyes of the user, and one or more cameras carried on the device and coupled to the image guides for acquiring images of the eyes and/or the user's surroundings. The apparatus may include a cable and/or a transmitter for transmitting image data from the camera to a remote location, e.g., to processor and/or display for analyzing and/or displaying the image data. A system including the apparatus may be used to monitor one or more oculometric parameters, e.g., pupillary response, and/or to control a computer using the user's eyes instead of a mouse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Inventor: William C. Torch
  • ARC baffle, and ARC chute assembly and electrical switching apparatus employing the same
    Patent number: 7488915
    Abstract: An arc baffle for an arc chute assembly of a circuit breaker includes a first baffle member disposed at or about the second end of the arc chute assembly and including a plurality of first venting holes, a second baffle member including a plurality of second venting holes and being coupled to and disposed opposite from the first baffle member, and a filter assembly disposed at or about the second baffle member and including a number of filter elements. The first and second venting holes of the first and second baffle members are offset to induce turbulent flow of ionized gases being discharged from the arc chute assembly. The filter elements of the filter assembly filter the turbulent flow. An arc chute assembly and an electrical switching apparatus are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: William C. Pollitt, John J. Shea, Aaron T. Kozar, Nathan J. Weister
  • Steering rack wear compensator
    Patent number: 7487984
    Abstract: A wear compensator for use in a vehicle rack and pinion steering assembly and a method of biasing a rack against a pinion shaft gear in a rack and pinion steering assembly are disclosed. The wear compensator may include a rack follower, an adjuster plug, a wear cam and a torsion spring. The rack follower slides on the rack. The adjuster plug is retained by the steering gear housing and includes a plug cam surface. The wear cam includes a wear cam surface operatively engaging the plug cam surface, is mounted between the rack follower and the adjuster plug, and can rotate relative to the adjuster plug. The torsion spring connects between the adjuster plug and the wear cam in order to rotatably bias the wear cam relative to the adjuster plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles J. Lemont, Jr., Jose M. Lopez, William C. Gregory, Robert S. Brines, Scott R. Kloess, Charu S. Hayes, Darrin S. Mallard, Terry R. Peterson, David C. Pomerville
  • BLENDING ALGORITHM FOR TRAJECTORY PLANNING
    Publication number: 20090037021
    Abstract: The present exemplary embodiment relates to motion control and planning algorithms to facilitate execution of a series of moves within a motion trajectory. In one example, a trajectory is specified as a sequence of one or more path segments. A velocity profile is calculated for each of the one or more path segments, wherein each velocity profile is divided into a blend-in region, a blend-out region and a remainder region. Each path segment is executed such that the blend-in region of its velocity profile overlaps only with the blend-out region of the previous profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Inventors: Bohumir Sladek, Jatin P. Bhatt, William C. Schwarz, Bhanu K. Gouda
  • CATTLE MANAGEMENT METHOD AND SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20090031961
    Abstract: A highly automated method and system for providing individual animal electronic identification, measurement and value based management of cattle in a large cattle feedlot. Through the use of (1) a computer system integrated with (2) automatic individual animal identification (3) multiple measurement and remeasurement systems with automatic data input and (4) a cattle handling and sorting system, animals are individually (a) identified and (b) measured by weight, external dimensions and characteristics of internal body tissue. With this information together with animal physiological characteristics and historical data, the computer system calculates the optimum (c) slaughter weight, (d) economic end point and (e) marketing date for shipment to a packing plant. After measurement, individual animals are (f) sorted by direction of the computer in response to calculations from the measurements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Inventor: William C. Pratt
  • Underwater Vehicle With Sonar Array
    Publication number: 20090031940
    Abstract: An underwater vehicle including an axi-symmetric framing system rotatable about a centerline to define a shell of revolution having a uniformly-convex outer boundary. A narrow-beam sonar array is mounted on the axi-symmetric framing system, and includes a multitude of simultaneously-fireable and/or asynchronously-fireable transducers distributed substantially evenly over a 4?-steradian viewing angle. The present invention provides the necessary configuration for a vehicle wherein an internal algorithm can compare a “new” geometry to an “old” geometry collected earlier to construct a best fit of the new world map with the old world map and locate the vehicle within the context of the new world map. This then provides a completely independent mechanism for correction of the gradual drift in x and y that is not dependent on any form of external navigation aid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Inventors: William C. Stone, Bartholomew P. Hogan
  • NON-ENHANCING MEDIA REDUNDANCY CODING FOR MITIGATING TRANSMISSION IMPAIRMENTS
    Publication number: 20090034627
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises identifying a plurality of frames of interest from a primary stream of encoded frames. The method further comprises selecting at least one of the frames of interest for inclusion in a separate redundant stream. The method further comprises producing another encoded instance of the at least one selected encoded frame. The method further comprises associating the another encoded instance of the at least one selected frame in the separate redundant stream with the corresponding selected encoded frame in the primary stream. The method further comprises providing the primary stream, the separate redundant stream, and a common clock reference to a decoder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Arturo A. Rodriguez, William C. VerSteeg, Thomas Kernen
  • METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ROBUST DETECTION OF THE DENSITY OF A PIGMENTED LAYER
    Publication number: 20090033918
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure can provide a method of detecting a density of a pigmented layer on an object. The method can include emitting a first modulated light onto a first portion of the object having the pigmented layer, detecting a first reflected light of the first modulated light from the first portion of the object, and determining the density of the pigmented layer according to the first reflected light. Furthermore, the method can include emitting a second modulated light onto a second portion of the object, detecting a second reflected light of the second modulated light from the second portion of the object, and determining the density of the pigmented layer according to a relative ratio that is related to the first reflected light and the second reflected light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Julianna Elizabeth LIN, Aaron Michael BURRY, Peter PAUL, William C. DEAN, William Lee KENNEDY
  • SWITCHABLE VALVETRAIN SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATION
    Publication number: 20090031970
    Abstract: A switchable valvetrain system is provided having a control unit and a pressure regulator valve responsive to control signals from the control unit. A pressurized fluid source is provided in communication with the pressure regulator valve. A switchable valvetrain component having a latching mechanism and lubrication circuit in selective communication with the pressurized fluid source through the pressure regulator valve is also provided. The pressure regulator valve is operable to selectively and variably communicate fluid pressure from the pressurized fluid source to the latching mechanism and the lubrication circuit in response to control signals from the control unit. A method of operating the switchable valvetrain system is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph J. Moon, William C. Albertson, Mike M. McDonald
  • CATTLE MANAGEMENT METHOD AND SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20090031960
    Abstract: A highly automated method and system for providing individual animal electronic identification, measurement and value based management of cattle in a large cattle feedlot. Through the use of (1) a computer system integrated with (2) automatic individual animal identification (3) multiple measurement and remeasurement systems with automatic data input and (4) a cattle handling and sorting system, animals are individually (a) identified and (b) measured by weight, external dimensions and characteristics of internal body tissue. With this information together with animal physiological characteristics and historical data, the computer system calculates the optimum (c) slaughter weight, (d) economic end point and (e) marketing date for shipment to a packing plant. After measurement, individual animals are (f) sorted by direction of the computer in response to calculations from the measurements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Inventor: William C. Pratt
  • Method and apparatus for the automatic determination of potentially worm-like behavior of a program
    Patent number: 7487543
    Abstract: A method and system for the automatic determination of the behavioral profile of a program suspected of having worm-like characteristics includes analyzing data processing system resources required by the program and, if the required resources are not indicative of the program having worm-like characteristics, running the program in a controlled non-network environment while monitoring and logging accesses to system resources to determine the behavior of the program in the non-network environment. A logged record of the observed behavior is analyzed to determine if the behavior is indicative of the program having worm-like characteristics. The non-network environment may simulate the appearance of a network to the program, without emulating the operation of the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: William C. Arnold, David M. Chess, John F. Morar, Alla Segal, Ian N. Whalley, Steve R. White
  • Home system and method for sending and displaying digital images
    Patent number: 7486183
    Abstract: A home wellness system includes a base station having a wireless communication port, a telephone communication port and a memory with a plurality of digital images. The system also includes a plurality of network devices, with at least one of the network devices having a sensor adapted to detect an event, and a wireless communication port adapted to send the detected event to the wireless communication port of the base station. Another device, such as a cellular telephone, includes a telephone communication port and a display. The telephone communication port of the base station is adapted to send one of the digital images to the telephone communication port of the cellular telephone responsive to receipt of the detected event at the wireless communication port of the base station. The cellular telephone is adapted to responsively display the one of the digital images on the display thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Charles J. Luebke, Russ C. Sabo, William C. Sabram, Joseph M. Ballay, Michael L. McManus
  • Cylinder deactivation apparatus incorporating a distributed accumulator
    Patent number: 7484484
    Abstract: A variable displacement internal combustion engine having a cylinder block and a cylinder head attached thereto. The variable displacement internal combustion engine includes at least one switching hydraulic lash adjuster. A lash adjuster oil feed passage is at least partially defined by one of the cylinder block and the cylinder head. The lash adjuster oil feed passage is operable to communicate pressurized oil to the at least one switching hydraulic lash adjuster. A distributed accumulator is disposed within the lash adjuster oil feed passage and operates to attenuate oil pressure spikes within the lash adjuster oil feed passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Donn A. Frincke, Mark Stabinsky, William C. Albertson
  • Roller cone drill bit with debris flow paths through associated support arms
    Patent number: 7484572
    Abstract: A roller cone drill bit having a bit body with at least one support arm extending therefrom. Each support arm may have an interior surface and an exterior surface with an associated spindle extending inwardly from the interior surface. A respective cone assembly may be rotatably disposed on each spindle. A gap may be formed between interior portions of each cone assembly and exterior portions of the associated spindle with a fluid seal disposed in the gap to block fluid flow therethrough. Each cone assembly may include a generally circular backface disposed adjacent to the interior surface of the associated support arm. At least one fluid passageway may extend through each support arm to allow communication of fluid from the interior surface to an exterior surface of the support arm. A debris diverter insert having a generally hollow bore may be disposed within each fluid passageway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark P. Blackman, Mark E. Williams, William C. Saxman, Michael B. Crawford, Gerald L. Pruitt, William W. King, Bruce A. Rohde
  • Programmable system on a chip
    Patent number: 7487376
    Abstract: A programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit device comprises a programmable logic block, a non-volatile memory block, an analog sub-system, an analog input/output circuit block, and a digital input/output circuit block. A programmable interconnect architecture includes programmable elements and interconnect conductors. Ones of the programmable elements are coupled to the programmable logic block, the non-volatile memory block, the analog sub-system, the analog input/output circuit block, the digital input/output circuit block, and to the interconnect conductors, such that inputs and outputs of the programmable logic block, the non-volatile memory block, the analog sub-system, the analog input/output circuit block, and the digital input/output circuit block can be programmably coupled to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: Greg Bakker, Khaled El-Ayat, Theodore Speers, Limin Zhu, Brian Schubert, Rabindranath Balasubramanian, Kurt Kolkind, Thomas Barraza, Venkatesh Narayanan, John McCollum, William C. Plants
  • Sonar system and method providing low probability of impact on marine mammals
    Patent number: 7486591
    Abstract: Low probability of marine mammal impact (LPMMI) sound signals have a modulation component selected to reduce a behavioral response from a marine mammal from that which would occur when transmitting another sound signal having approximately the same time duration component, approximately the same bandwidth component, and approximately the same center frequency component as the LPMMI waveform but having a modulation component comprising a frequency modulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: James H. Rooney, III, Jesse T. Gratke, Ryan J. Lewis, Michael F. Janik, Thomas B. Pederson, William C. Zurawski, James H. Miller
  • MULTI-HEAD PRESS DATA DELIVERY RATE CONTROL
    Publication number: 20090027716
    Abstract: In a printing method and systems, segments of a first print job are distributed to respective downstream processors and are processed to provide printable frames, which are stored in respective print queues. Each print queue supplies a respective one or more printheads. The printable frames are sequentially printed on a continuously transported receiver. A maximum printing duration of each of the print queues is computed periodically during the printing. The transport speed is regulated to trend the maximum printing durations toward a predetermined baseline. The sending of a second print job to the downstream processors is delayed, while processing of the first print job is completed. The delaying is counter to the regulating and reduces the print queues of the first print job non-uniformly relative to the baseline.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2007
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Inventors: William C. Kuhn, Paul A. Reil, Jeffrey L. Ranley
  • Systems and Methods of Differentiated Requests for Network Access
    Publication number: 20090031342
    Abstract: Methods and systems of handling channel changes in a digital home communication terminal are disclosed. An exemplary method comprises: receiving a request for access to a downstream network connected to the DHCT; determining a source of the request for access; and setting at least one parameter to a value based on the determined source; and performing a channel change using the at least one parameter having the set value An exemplary system comprises: a channel acquisition component, memory, and a processor. The processor is programmed by code, stored in memory, to: receive a channel change request; determine whether the channel change request is user-initiated; and instruct the channel acquisition component to perform a channel change using at least one parameter. The parameter has a value that is based on the determination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Inventors: William C. VerSteeg, John M. Schlarb, Guy Atkinson Meador, III
  • Systems and Methods of Differentiated Channel Change Behavior
    Publication number: 20090031392
    Abstract: Methods and systems of handling channel changes in a digital home communication terminal are disclosed. An exemplary method comprises: receiving a channel change request; determining whether the channel change request is user-initiated; setting at least one channel change parameter to a value based on the determination; and performing a channel change using the at least channel change parameter having the set value. An exemplary system comprises: a channel acquisition component, memory, and a processor. The processor is programmed by code, stored in memory, to: receive a channel change request; determine whether the channel change request is user-initiated; and instruct the channel acquisition component to perform a channel change using at least channel change parameter. The channel change parameter has a value that is based on the determination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Inventors: William C. VerSteeg, John M. Schlarb, Guy Atkinson Meador, III
  • HEMATOPOIETIC CELL CULTURE NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
    Publication number: 20090028838
    Abstract: The present invention provides a serum-free supplement which supports the growth of hematopoietic cells in culture. Also provided are a medium comprising a basal medium supplemented with the serum-free supplement of the present invention. The present invention also provides methods for culturing and for differentiating hematopoietic cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: INVITROGEN CORPORATION
    Inventors: John P. Daley, Barbara M. Dadey, William C. Biddle, Michelle G. Wysocki