Patents by Inventor William D. Peterson

William D. Peterson 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: 11931139
    Abstract: A system for ultrasound interrogation of a lung including a memory, an electromagnetic (EM) board, an extended working channel (EWC), an EM sensor, a US transducer, and a processor. The memory stores a three dimensional (3D) model and pathway plan for navigating a luminal network. The EM board generates an EM field. The EWC is configured to navigate the luminal network toward a target following the pathway plan. The EM sensor extends distally from a distal end of the EWC and is configured to sense the EM field. The US transducer extends distally from a distal end of the EWC, generates US waves, and receives US waves reflected from the luminal network. The processor processes the sensed EM field to synchronize a location of the EM sensor in the 3D model, to process the reflected US waves to generate images, or to integrate the generated images with the 3D model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Joseph D. Brannan, William J. Dickhans, Casey M. Ladtkow, Darion R. Peterson
  • Patent number: 11925452
    Abstract: A system for ultrasound interrogation of a lung includes a memory, an electromagnetic (EM) board, an extended working channel (EWC), an EM sensor, a US transducer, and a processor. The memory stores a three dimensional (3D) model, a pathway plan for navigating a luminal network. An EM board generates an EM field. The EWC is configured to navigate the luminal network of a patient toward a target following the pathway plan and the EM sensor extends distally from the EWC and senses the EM field. The US transducer extends distally from a distal end of the EWC and generates US waves and receives US waves reflected from the luminal network and the processor processes the sensed EM field to synchronize a location of the EM sensor in the 3D model, to process the reflected US waves to generate images, or to integrate the generated images with the 3D model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Joseph D. Brannan, William J. Dickhans, Casey M. Ladtkow, Darion R. Peterson
  • Publication number: 20140156436
    Abstract: A system may include a memory and a processor. The processor is operable to create a product definition associated with a product, associate a first schedule with the product definition, and associate a second schedule with the product definition. The processor is also operable to determine a first price for the product and present the first price to a customer. The processor may be further operable to receive an indication that the customer has accepted the first price and associate the first price with the customer in response to receiving the indication. Finally, the processor is operable to determine a charge associated with the customer and initiate the billing of the customer for the charge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: Bank of America Corporation
    Inventors: Kerry E. McClennen, Brent B. Allen, William D. Peterson, Matthew C. Steed, Randall G. Steiner
  • Patent number: 8132261
    Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for distributed dynamic security of a document. Portions of a document are associated with a plurality of member definitions. Each member definition contains an access right associated with a user. An access controller receives a request from a user and determines whether that user has sufficient access rights to access a portion of the document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Oracle International Corporation
    Inventors: Michel S. Simpson, William D. Peterson, III, Stephen R Carter, Nathan B. Jensen, William Street
  • Patent number: 7890938
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and data structures are provided for normalizing data characteristics between applications. A first application is associated with a first data characteristic, and a second application is associated with a second data characteristic. A most-restrictive or common data characteristic is determined from the first and second data characteristics. The most restrictive or common data characteristic is enforced on access attempts to the first or second applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Novell, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Blaine Jensen, Stephen R Carter, William Street, Michel Shane Simpson, William D. Peterson, Scott Alan Isaacson
  • Publication number: 20090148073
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a solution for allowing users to manipulate typographical letter case. In the solution, functionality can be implemented that allows users to quickly select a set of letters and to manipulate letter case of the selected text in a variety of ways. For example, an existing case of a selection can be changed to uppercase, lowercase, title case, sentence case, and the like. Additionally, functionality can enable users to invert letter case and randomize letter case as needed. Further, letter case checking functionality can detect words in a document having possibly improper case, can provide prompts containing suggested corrections, and can provide options to apply or ignore the suggested corrections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: JANA H. JENKINS, WILLIAM D. PETERSON, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20080207977
    Abstract: A method including a combination of intermediate storage and reprocessing is utilized to process spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and thereby effect a disposition of that SNF within a period of 300 years. The method includes five or more years of pool water storage wherein ninety-nine percent (%) of the fission wastes energy decays. The waste material is then stored in an air convention storage facility, before processing to separate Cesium and Strontium from the waste is effected. This air convection cooling may be done in convection air-cooled concrete casks. During 50 years of convection air-cooled storage the energy contained in the waste material declines another one half %. Thereafter, at any point the SNF is processed to sufficiently separate 99.999% of the 97% of actinides (approximately 95% U238 uranium, 1% U235 uranium, and 1% Pu239 plutonium) from the 3% fission wastes. Again, it is only necessary to provide approximately 99.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2007
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Inventor: William D. Peterson
  • Publication number: 20040168158
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and data structures are provided for normalizing data characteristics between applications. A first application is associated with a first data characteristic, and a second application is associated with a second data characteristic. A most-restrictive or common data characteristic is determined from the first and second data characteristics. The most restrictive or common data characteristic is enforced on access attempts to the first or second applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2003
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Applicant: Novell, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Blaine Jensen, Stephen R. Carter, William Street, Michel Shane Simpson, William D. Peterson, Scott Alan Isaacson
  • Patent number: 6568411
    Abstract: A vehicle wash ramp is provided which is constructed from a lattice framework of support rails and cross members that are connected to form a base and a wash platform above the base. The base and wash platform are equipped with a pair of parallel running wheel tracks which roughly correspond in their width and relative position to accommodate the passage of vehicles to be washed. Additionally, access to the wash platform is facilitated by the use of fixed and folding platform ramps which angle up to the upper surface of the wash platform. The washing operation is accomplished by the use of an engine and pump combination that draws water from one or both of two storage tanks located on either side of the wash ramp base outside of each of the wheel tracks. The pump assembly pressurizes the water and sends it to the spray wand which allows the operator not only to control the flow of water or cleaning solution, but also allows the operator to direct this flow to specific areas and components of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: Peterson & Staples LLC
    Inventors: Roger Staples, William D Peterson
  • Patent number: 5448604
    Abstract: A transport, storage, monitoring, and retrieval system for casks including intermediate storage of spent fuel rods from nuclear power plants. The system consists of a powered rail transport car which carries a cask standing on its end. A cross-ways traveling powered rail "under car" unit carries the rail transport car and loaded cask transversely on rails underneath to align with a bay rail which the powered rail car traverses to the cask storage location. Bridge cranes off-load the casks and with monitoring equipment perform remote cask inspections. Bay rails and a pair of cross-ways traveling "under car" units serve for movement of both the transport car and the bridge units. Casks are located automatically at specific addresses for inventory control and data logging of radioactive emissions. The system may operate remotely and cask conditions are monitored from automated retrieved collected at an off-site data base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 5, 1995
    Inventor: William D. Peterson, II
  • Patent number: 4855608
    Abstract: A laser beam fanned into a triangular plane configuration by mirrors, succeeding additional mirrors focusing the laser curtain rays back onto a spot, the spot having a light detecting, electrical transmitting element such that a square wave pulse is generated as the laser timely sweeps the collecting mirror, a breach in the square wave occurring when the laser ray curtain is penetrated breaking a laser beam, thus said penetration being detected, a system of three laser curtains in X, Y, and Z coordinates, having means of traversing an object to be measured, determining the exterior of each of its six sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1989
    Inventor: William D. Peterson, II
  • Patent number: 4524864
    Abstract: A gap stringer conveyor belt support structure having a pair of spaced apart parallel stringers with rollers therebetween and a pair of underlying support frames. Each support frame includes a pair of generally vertical extensible load bearing posts each of which is connected at its upper end to a stringer and at its lower end to a weight bearing anchor. A third extensible post is connected at one end to a stringer and extends in a direction diagonally to the vertical posts to connect at its other end to an anchor. The weight bearing anchors may be imbedded in the ground. The connections between the extensible posts at the stringers and anchors are pivotal to permit adjustment by movement about at least an axis parallel to the stringers. Each extensible post is provided with a clamp or lock to hold it at a selected length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1984
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1985
    Inventor: William D. Peterson, II
  • Patent number: 4282835
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine, synthesizing CO and H.sub.2 fuels from methanol in a first synthesizer, and also synthesizing H.sub.2 fuel from CO and water in a second synthesizer, thus upgrading a technically difficult to use fuel to a low polluting, easily usable fuel, by use of the energy from exhaust gas waste heat thus improving the fuel heating value by 20%; the engine fuel system also having an alternate energy source for synthesizing the fuel, the engine also having an additional alternate fuel source for engine starting and operation when the synthesized fuel reservoir is low and electrical battery energy is limited thus allowing time for the heat exchanger synthesizers to warm up to produce CO and H.sub.2 fuel, which is especially required during cold operating seasons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1979
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1981
    Assignee: Wm. D. Peterson & Associates
    Inventors: William D. Peterson, John M. Lytle
  • Patent number: 4261460
    Abstract: An intermediate assembly for supporting parallel cables stretched between end frames in a conveyor. The assembly including rigid cross members maintaining the cables a fixed distance apart, first and second posts each connected at its top end to one of the cables and at its bottom end to an anchor, and a third post connected diagonally of the first two posts, all of the posts are adjustable in length and the connection of the first and second posts to the anchors is pivotal to enable movement of the posts transverse to the cables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1979
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1981
    Inventor: William D. Peterson, II
  • Patent number: 4123070
    Abstract: A drive shaft seal system, having an interior solid material feeder atmosphere being sealed from the outside ambient atmosphere by a sealing system of high pressure hydrogen over liquid via a low pressure seal, the high pressure liquid over the ambient atmosphere via a high pressure seal the liquid being cooled as required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1976
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1978
    Inventor: William D. Peterson, II
  • Patent number: D244490
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1975
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1977
    Inventor: William D. Peterson