Patents by Inventor William Higgins

William Higgins 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: 20260144427
    Abstract: A method for planning and guiding an endoscopic procedure includes obtaining a first scan of a chest cavity at near total lung capacity, obtaining a second scan of the chest cavity at near functional residual capacity, generating a virtual chest cavity based at least in part on the first scan and the second scan, defining one or more regions of interest (ROI) in the virtual chest cavity, determining a route to the one or more ROIs based on the virtual chest cavity, directing endoscope hardware through an airway to the one or more ROIs along the predetermined route, monitoring, by a processor, a real-time position of the endoscope hardware relative to an expected position along the predetermined route, and performing an examination of the one or more ROIs when the real-time position of the endoscope hardware corresponds to an expected ROI location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2025
    Publication date: May 28, 2026
    Applicant: THE PENN STATE RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: William Higgins, Yuxuan He
  • Publication number: 20250341640
    Abstract: A system and a method are disclosed for cross-correlation detection. The method includes receiving, by a receiver, a first signal of a first satellite and a second signal of the first satellite, selecting, by the receiver, the first signal to be a tracked signal, selecting, by the receiver, the second signal to be an untracked signal, tracking, by the receiver, the first signal, generating, by the receiver, a first measurement based on the tracking of the first signal, determining, by the receiver, a second measurement of the second signal based on the first measurement, and performing an operation on the receiver based on the second measurement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2024
    Publication date: November 6, 2025
    Inventors: Jie Wu, Xiaojia Liu, Sigang Qiu, William Higgins, Gary Lennen
  • Publication number: 20250264167
    Abstract: A bending restrictor assembly for permanently bending and restraining ovality of the subsea pipeline has a pipeline section, a first overlying pipe section affixed to the pipeline section, a second overlying pipe section affixed to the pipeline section in spaced relation for the first overlying pipe section, and a plurality of annular members overlying the pipe section and positioned between the first and second overlying pipe sections. The plurality of annular members are translatable along the pipeline section as the pipeline section is bent so as to allow the pipeline section to bend beyond an elastic limit of the pipeline section so as to achieve a permanent bend of the pipeline section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2025
    Publication date: August 21, 2025
    Inventors: Tor PERSSON, William HIGGINS
  • Patent number: 11550063
    Abstract: A receiver and method thereof are provided for synchronizing with a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) including a plurality of satellite vehicles (SVs). The method includes starting a verification process and a bitsync (BS) process in parallel with a first SV among the plurality of SVs, and upon completing the verification process while still performing the BS process, starting a track channel process with the first SV based on an interim BS result obtained at the time of completing the verification process, and starting a frame sync (FS) process with first SV based on the interim BS result. An aligned acquisition (AA) process may be started with a second SV among the plurality of SVs, upon completing the verification process, based on the interim BS result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Inventors: Ali Jafarnia Jahromi, Sundar Raman, Pravesh Asthana, William Higgins
  • Publication number: 20220350034
    Abstract: A receiver and method thereof are provided for synchronizing with a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) including a plurality of satellite vehicles (SVs). The method includes starting a verification process and a bitsync (BS) process in parallel with a first SV among the plurality of SVs, and upon completing the verification process while still performing the BS process, starting a track channel process with the first SV based on an interim BS result obtained at the time of completing the verification process, and starting a frame sync (FS) process with first SV based on the interim BS result. An aligned acquisition (AA) process may be started with a second SV among the plurality of SVs, upon completing the verification process, based on the interim BS result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Inventors: Ali Jafarnia Jahromi, Sundar Raman, Pravesh Asthana, William Higgins
  • Patent number: 11135568
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for regenerating molecular sieves used in an alcohol dehydration process after the molecular sieves have become saturated with water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: POET Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Neil D. Anderson, James M. Geraets, William Higgins, Spencer Douglas Lyman, Bill Miller, Rodney Duane Pierson, Danika Pollreisz, Brock Weeldreyer
  • Patent number: 9869770
    Abstract: Control and feature systems for processing signals from a satellite positioning system include an expert system receiver manager; a joint detection, carrier centring and bit sync acquisition subsystem; peak detection; a multi-dimensional measurement interpolation subsystem; a system for mode switching between a navigational signal; and power control module for receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Mangesh Chansarkar, Sundar Raman, Charles P. Norman, Paul A. Underbrink, Henry D. Falk, James Brown, Robert Harvey, Peter Michali, William Higgins, Gensheng Zhang, Qingwen Zhang
  • Publication number: 20150097728
    Abstract: Control and feature systems for processing signals from a satellite positioning system include an expert system receiver manager; a joint detection, carrier centring and bit sync acquisition subsystem; peak detection; a multi-dimensional measurement interpolation subsystem; a system for mode switching between a navigational signal; and power control module for receiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventors: Mangesh Chansarkar, Sundar Raman, Charles P. Norman, Paul A. Underbrink, Henry D. Falk, James Brown, Robert Harvey, Peter Michali, William Higgins, Gensheng Zhang, Qingwen Zhang
  • Publication number: 20070198522
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to access control and provide a method, system and computer program product for access control management for a composite application. In a first embodiment, a method for role-based access control management for a composite application can be provided. The method can include selecting a component for deployment in a composite application and parsing a security policy for the component to identify a mapping between a specific role for the component and a virtual role for the composite application. Binding logic can be generated from the security policy and the component can be deployed into the composite application. Finally, security access operations for the virtual role can be processed through method calls to operations defined in the binding logic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2006
    Publication date: August 23, 2007
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kathryn Britton, Dieter Buehler, William Higgins, Yi-Hsiu Wei, Chunhui Yang
  • Publication number: 20070057242
    Abstract: The invention discloses a deformation and weather resistant, noise attenuating fencing assembly comprising a series of hollow posts, each post formed of a fiberglass reinforced resin, having spaced apart load bearing walls defining an exterior surface, an interior surface, a first open end and a second open end. The structure-reinforcing cap is inserted within a first open end of each of the posts and frictionally engages the interior surface of the post to substantially prevent movement of the exterior surface thereof when various types of appurtenant structures are mounted thereon, which would otherwise cause deformation and possible structural failure of the post walls. First and second clips are inserted into the first and second open ends of the post, respectively, to provide an easy means to properly space and secure the posts together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2005
    Publication date: March 15, 2007
    Inventor: William Higgins
  • Publication number: 20070013710
    Abstract: A novel framework for fast and continuous registration between two imaging modalities is disclosed. The approach makes it possible to completely determine the rigid transformation between multiple sources at real-time or near real-time frame-rates in order to localize the cameras and register the two sources. A disclosed example includes computing or capturing a set of reference images within a known environment, complete with corresponding depth maps and image gradients. The collection of these images and depth maps constitutes the reference source. The second source is a real-time or near-real time source which may include a live video feed. Given one frame from this video feed, and starting from an initial guess of viewpoint, the real-time video frame is warped to the nearest viewing site of the reference source. An image difference is computed between the warped video frame and the reference image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2006
    Publication date: January 18, 2007
    Inventors: William Higgins, Scott Merritt, Lav Rai
  • Publication number: 20070015997
    Abstract: A method provides guidance to the physician during a live bronchoscopy or other endoscopic procedures. The 3D motion of the bronchoscope is estimated using a fast coarse tracking step followed by a fine registration step. The tracking is based on finding a set of corresponding feature points across a plurality of consecutive bronchoscopic video frames, then estimating for the new pose of the bronchoscope. In the preferred embodiment the pose estimation is based on linearization of the rotation matrix. By giving a set of corresponding points across the current bronchoscopic video image, and the CT-based virtual image as an input, the same method can also be used for manual registration. The fine registration step is preferably a gradient-based Gauss-Newton method that maximizes the correlation between the bronchoscopic video image and the CT-based virtual image. The continuous guidance is provided by estimating the 3D motion of the bronchoscope in a loop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2006
    Publication date: January 18, 2007
    Inventors: William Higgins, Scott Merritt, Lav Rai
  • Publication number: 20060030209
    Abstract: A connection assembly provides an electrical connection from a coaxial cable to planar circuitry. The connection assembly includes an innermost connector node, configured to connect electrically to an innermost conductor of a coaxial cable, having one opening that allows for the innermost conductor to pass through the one opening and having a first contact extending perpendicular to a center line of the coaxial cable, a braided connector node, configured to connect electrically to a braided conductor of the coaxial cable, having two openings that allow for portions of the coaxial cable to pass through the two openings and having a second contact extending perpendicular to the center line of the coaxial cable and a connection module, connected to the innermost connector node and the braided connector node and configured to maintain an orientation of the innermost and braided connector nodes and the first and second contacts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Publication date: February 9, 2006
    Inventor: William Higgins
  • Publication number: 20060017516
    Abstract: A small crystal oscillator with metal packaging includes a small size crystal oscillator circuit, a body encompassing the small size crystal oscillator circuit, first and second terminal leads coupled to the crystal oscillator circuit through the body, metal packaging encompassing at least a portion of the body, and a ground connection electrically coupled to the metal packaging. The invention includes a variety of shapes and configurations for the metal packaging and a variety of pin configurations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2005
    Publication date: January 26, 2006
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: William Higgins
  • Publication number: 20050257488
    Abstract: The invention discloses a deformation resistant power pedestal assembly comprising a hollow post formed of a fiberglass reinforced resin, having spaced apart load bearing walls defining an exterior surface, an interior surface, a first open end and a second open end. As illustrated herein the post may be either a square or a rectangle. The structure reinforcing cap, which may be formed from a polypropylene, polyethylene, fiberglass reinforced nylon, or the like is inserted within a first open end of said post. The structure reinforcing cap thus frictionally engages the interior surface of the post and substantially prevents movement of the exterior surface thereof when various types of appurtenant structures such as power supply cabinets, power panels, meter cans, junction boxes and the like are mounted thereon, utilizing through-bolts or the like, which would otherwise cause deformation and possible structural failure of the post walls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2004
    Publication date: November 24, 2005
    Applicant: Higgins Power Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: William Higgins
  • Patent number: 5527624
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing sintered shapes, comprising the steps of:(1) forming a green body from a mixture comprising a major amount of at least one inorganic powder; and one or more additives selected from the group consisting of: (A) at least one reaction product of a hydroxy compound with a carboxylic acylating agent; (B) at least one Mannich reaction product; (C) at least one hydrocarbyl-substituted amine; (D) at least one aminophenol; (E) at least one reaction product of a nitrophenol and amino compound; (F) at least one basic nitrogen-containing polymer; (G) at least one carboxylic acylating agent; (H) at least one aromatic acid or derivative thereof; (I) at least one aromatic oxime; and (J) at least one overbased or gelled overbased metal salt of an acidic organic compound provided that when the carboxylic acylating agent is a hydrocarbyl-substituted carboxylic acylating agent and the hydrocarbyl group contains less than an average of 40 carbon atoms, then the carboxylic acylatin
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1996
    Assignee: The Lubrizol Corporation
    Inventors: William Higgins, Fred E. Heller, Reed H. Walsh, Ralph E. Kornbrekke, Stephen A. DiBiase
  • Patent number: 5268233
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of preparing sintered shapes, comprising the steps of forming a green body from a mixture comprising (A) a major amount of at least one inorganic powder with (B) at least one reaction product of an amine other than an alkanolamine with a hydrocarbyl-substituted carboxylic acylating agent or alkylalkyleneglycolacetic acylating agent; provided the reaction product is other than an alkylene oxide treated fatty monocarboxylic amide and provided that when the hydrocarbyl-substituted carboxylic acylating agent is a nonaromatic acylating agent, then the hydrocarbyl group is other than hydrocarbyl groups having an average of about 55 to about 110 carbon atoms; and sintering the body. Sintered shapes made from the methods of the present invention have relatively high fired densities and small uniform grain sizes; and low porosity. The reaction products of the present invention help disperse the inorganic powder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1993
    Assignee: The Lubrizol Corporation
    Inventors: Fred E. Heller, William Higgins, Robert E. Quinn
  • Patent number: 4730006
    Abstract: This invention relates to amino acid, dipeptide and tripeptide derivatives of 2,6-diamino-3-haloheptanedioic acids, processes for preparing the same, and their use as antibacterial agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 8, 1988
    Assignee: Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals Inc.
    Inventors: Ekkehard H. Bohme, Fritz Gerhart, William Higgins
  • Patent number: 4616503
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an improvement in a capillary tube viscometer which includes light sensitive triggering means for timing the flow of oil between two points therein. The improvement includes optic fibers that are positioned on the tube at selected places. In addition, the tube includes impulse receiving means wherein the voltage received from start and stop positions are passed to triggering means and measuring means to translate the same into figures for manual or automatic calculation of time for the flow of oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1985
    Date of Patent: October 14, 1986
    Assignee: Analysts, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald W. Plungis, Charles S. Seymour, William Higgins