Fluid Patents (Class 703/9)
  • Patent number: 10754061
    Abstract: Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention are software models that present information in a format directly usable by stormwater managers to inform annual program decisions and consistently evaluate the effectiveness of stormwater management actions. Stormwater modeling systems in accordance with many embodiments of the invention provide a tool that can be used by stormwater managers to estimate load reductions. In a number of embodiments, a user interface is provided that streamlines user input data requirements. In this way, the stormwater modeling system can extend the utility of event-based model inputs, generate results that inform management decisions, and demonstrate progress using a common scalable unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: 2NDNATURE Software Inc.
    Inventors: Nicole G. Beck, Margaret Mathias, Gary Conley, Nathaniel Evatt, Lisa Kanner
  • Patent number: 10674945
    Abstract: An analyte monitoring system and method. The analyte monitoring system may include an analyte sensor and a transceiver. The analyte sensor may include an indicator element that exhibits one or more detectable properties based on a concentration of an analyte in proximity to the indicator element. The transceiver may be configured to (i) receive measurement information from the analyte sensor, (ii) calculate the concentration of the analyte in proximity to the indicator element based on at least the received measurement information, and (iii) calculate a blood analyte concentration based on the calculated concentration of the analyte in proximity to the indicator element by (1) incorporating the calculated concentration of the analyte in proximity to the indicator element into a governing equation that models analyte transport over an interval, and (2) solving the governing equation. In some embodiments, the governing equation includes no more than two discrete boundary conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Senseonics, Incorporated
    Inventors: Xiaoxiao Chen, Andrew Dehennis
  • Patent number: 10671776
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for simulating fluid flow using a lattice Boltzmann (LB) approach that includes assigning values for the wall shear stress on a per-facet (e.g., per-surfel) basis based on whether the fluid flow is laminar or turbulent is described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Dassault Systemes Simulia Corp.
    Inventors: Hudong Chen, Rupesh Kotapati, Raoyang Zhang, Richard Shock, Ilya Staroselsky, Yanbing Li
  • Patent number: 10558770
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described herein for enabling direct modeling for a mesh model, including, but not limited to, obtaining a mesh model of a physical object, the mesh model comprising a plurality of elements, determining at least one feature associated with at least some of the plurality of elements of the mesh model, and manipulating the plurality of elements of the mesh model by manipulating the at least one feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: MSC.SOFTWARE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kunaseelan Kanthasamy, Douglas Brennan, Michel Samah, James Harvey Leedom
  • Patent number: 10497476
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for simulating blood flow through one or more coronary blood vessels may first involve receiving patient-specific data, including imaging data related to one or more coronary blood vessels, and at least one clinically measured flow parameter. Next, the method may involve generating a digital model of the one or more coronary blood vessels, based at least partially on the imaging data, discretizing the model, applying boundary conditions to a portion of the digital model that contains the one or more coronary blood vessels, and initializing and solving mathematical equations of blood flow through the model to generate computerized flow parameters. Finally, the method may involve comparing the computerized flow parameters with the at least one clinically measured flow parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Stenomics, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael A. Singer
  • Patent number: 10450841
    Abstract: A method for optimizing a well production forecast includes inputting into a computer: initial production rate measurements and probability distributions to estimate production forecast model parameters. The computer generates an initial forecast of fluid production rates and total produced fluid volumes using a selected production forecast model. After a selected time, the initial forecast is compared with actual production rate and total produced fluid volume measurements to generate an error measurement. Parameters of the selected production forecast model are adjusted to minimize the error measurement, thereby generating an adjusted production forecast model. The parameter adjustment and error measurement are repeated for a plurality of iterations to generate a plurality of production forecast models each having a determined likelihood of an error measurement. The plurality of production forecast models are displayed with respect to likelihood of error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: APACHE CORPORATION
    Inventor: David Fulford
  • Patent number: 10387590
    Abstract: In one aspect, a method for reducing uncertainty in a hydraulic model of a water distribution network due to uncertain parameters and faults in the water distribution network is provided which includes the steps of: (i) calculating an optimized placement of sensors throughout a given uncertain section of the water distribution network; (ii) collecting data from the sensors; (iii) partitioning the given uncertain section of the water distribution network into observable and unobservable sub-sections based on the hydraulic model and a) a position, b) a number, and/or c) a type of the sensors that are available; (iv) correcting uncertain parameters and identifying faults for each of the observable sub-sections; (v) calculating a global uncertainty value for each of the unobservable sub-sections; and (vi) repeating the steps (i)-(vi) iteratively, at each iteration selecting an uncertain sub-section of the water distribution network, until no uncertain sub-sections of the water distribution network remain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Amadou Ba, Francesco Fusco, Olivier Verscheure
  • Patent number: 10373700
    Abstract: A method and system for non-invasive assessment of coronary artery stenosis is disclosed. Patient-specific anatomical measurements of the coronary arteries are extracted from medical image data of a patient acquired during rest state. Patient-specific rest state boundary conditions of a model of coronary circulation representing the coronary arteries are calculated based on the patient-specific anatomical measurements and non-invasive clinical measurements of the patient at rest. Patient-specific rest state boundary conditions of the model of coronary circulation representing the coronary arteries are calculated based on the patient-specific anatomical measurements and non-invasive clinical measurements of the patient at rest. Hyperemic blood flow and pressure across at least one stenosis region of the coronary arteries are simulated using the model of coronary circulation and the patient-specific hyperemic boundary conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Puneet Sharma, Lucian Mihai Itu, Ali Kamen, Bogdan Georgescu, Xudong Zheng, Huseyin Tek, Dorin Comaniciu, Dominik Bernhardt, Fernando Vega-Higuera, Michael Scheuering
  • Patent number: 10360319
    Abstract: A particle-based modeling method and apparatus may include searching for a second particle neighboring a first particle in a vector field at a current time, and updating a position of each of the first particle and the second particle in each vector field over time, based on correcting a velocity of each of the first particle and the second particle based on a variation satisfying an incompressible constraint condition for each of the first particle and the second particle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nahyup Kang, Hyong Euk Lee, Ji Yeon Kim
  • Patent number: 10354744
    Abstract: A method and system for non-invasive assessment of coronary artery stenosis is disclosed. Patient-specific anatomical measurements of the coronary arteries are extracted from medical image data of a patient acquired during rest state. Patient-specific rest state boundary conditions of a model of coronary circulation representing the coronary arteries are calculated based on the patient-specific anatomical measurements and non-invasive clinical measurements of the patient at rest. Patient-specific rest state boundary conditions of the model of coronary circulation representing the coronary arteries are calculated based on the patient-specific anatomical measurements and non-invasive clinical measurements of the patient at rest. Hyperemic blood flow and pressure across at least one stenosis region of the coronary arteries are simulated using the model of coronary circulation and the patient-specific hyperemic boundary conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Puneet Sharma, Michael Scheuering, Lucian Mihai Itu, Ali Kamen, Bogdan Georgescu, Xudong Zheng, Huseyin Tek, Dorin Comaniciu, Dominik Bernhardt, Fernando Vega-Higuera
  • Patent number: 10329905
    Abstract: A method for estimating liquid and vapor molar fraction of components, liquid mole fraction, vapor mole fraction, liquid saturation, and vapor saturation of a mixture of hydrocarbons in nano-pores in an earth formation includes: constructing an equation of state (EOS) representing the mixture hydrocarbons in the nano-pores in the earth formation; the EOS having a term accounting for capillary pressure in the nano-pores. The method further includes inputting a composition of the mixture of hydrocarbons, a phase pressure of the hydrocarbons and a pore size distribution of the earth formation into the EOS and solving the EOS and to estimate the liquid and vapor molar fraction of components, liquid mole fraction, vapor mole fraction, liquid saturation, and vapor saturation of the mixture of hydrocarbons in the nano-pores in the earth formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Baoyan Li, Alberto G. Mezzatesta
  • Patent number: 10272494
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a conduit includes providing a processor and receiving schematic information. The method also includes computing, using the processor, at least one three-dimensional configuration for the conduit and printing the conduit having the computed at least one three-dimensional configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Bradly Jay Billman, Jordan Newmark, Charles Lee Oakes, III
  • Patent number: 10272337
    Abstract: The present invention causes a computer to function as a virtual space generating unit, a game screen displaying unit and a fluid displaying unit. A fluid displaying unit displays pseudo three-dimensional representation of fluid in virtual space on a game screen. And the fluid displaying includes a billboard setting unit and a two-dimensional simulation unit. A billboard setting unit sets a billboard which has a plain object and which rotates around a predetermined center point in the plain object so that the plain object faces the virtual camera in the virtual space. A two-dimensional simulation unit executes a two-dimensional simulation and displays a simulation result on the plain object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: CAPCOM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiro Shimizu, Wataru Ikeda, Koshi Watamura, Teppei Yoneyama
  • Patent number: 10258303
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for determining a fractional flow reserve (FFR) value of the coronary artery system of a living being (3). A fractional flow reserve value determination unit (13) determines the FFR value by using an FFR value determination algorithm that is adapted to determine the FFR value based on a boundary condition and a provided representation of the coronary artery system, wherein the boundary condition is specific for the living being and determined by a boundary condition determination unit (12). Since the boundary condition determination unit determines a boundary condition, which is specific for the living being, and since the fractional flow reserve value determination unit not only uses the provided representation of the coronary artery system, but also the living being specific boundary condition for determining the FFR value, the accuracy of the FFR value, which is non-invasively determined, can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Michael Grass, Yechiel Lamash, Liran Goshen, Holger Schmitt, Mordechay Pinchas Freiman, Hannes Nickisch, Sven Prevrhal
  • Patent number: 10241480
    Abstract: A method for configuring a distribution network of a commodity, wherein the determination of a setting of each inflow regulating element (according to at least one optimization criterion) is repeated for different versions of a working subset (defined by one or more of the parts having no outflow regulating element whose setting is still to be determined) until the settings of all the regulating elements have been determined. A further aspect provides a software program and a software program product for implementing the method. A further aspect provides a corresponding system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nicola Fontana, Maurizio Giugni, Marcello Vitaletti
  • Patent number: 10241968
    Abstract: A method and system for simulating patient-specific cardiac electrophysiology including the effect of the electrical conduction system of the heart is disclosed. A patient-specific anatomical heart model is generated from cardiac image data of a patient. The electrical conduction system of the heart of the patient is modeled by determining electrical diffusivity values of cardiac tissue based on a distance of the cardiac tissue from the endocardium. A distance field from the endocardium surface is calculated with sub-grid accuracy using a nested-level set approach. Cardiac electrophysiology for the patient is simulated using a cardiac electrophysiology model with the electrical diffusivity values determined to model the Purkinje network of the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Tiziano Passerini, Tommaso Mansi, Ali Kamen, Bogdan Georgescu, Saikiran Rapaka, Dorin Comaniciu
  • Patent number: 10223782
    Abstract: An example method includes acquiring two-dimensional (2D) or three-dimensional (3D) digital images of a rock sample. The method also includes selecting a subsample within the digital images. The method also includes deriving a trend or petrophysical property for the subsample. The method also includes applying the trend or petrophysical property to a larger-scale portion of the digital images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Radompon Sungkorn, Jonas Toelke, Yaoming Mu, Carl Sisk, Abraham Grader, Sneha Bhakta
  • Patent number: 10120836
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to gathering materials on an ocean surface. Initially, an initial distribution of material is determined based on observational sources, and the material is represented by particles in a numerical ocean model. Trajectories for the numerical ocean model are determined based on modeled surface currents data, and velocity gradients are computed along a corresponding trajectory of the trajectories for each of the particles based on the initial distribution. At this stage, deformation tensors are computed for each of the particles based on the velocity gradients, and a dilation map for the particles is generated based on a time step tensor of the plurality of deformation tensors for each of the particles. Collection of the material is monitored based on the dilation map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Gregg Arthur Jacobs, A. D. Kirwan, Jr., Helga S. Huntley, Bruce L. Lipphardt, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10002456
    Abstract: Aspects described herein may provide improved water surface approximation by correcting a polygonal mesh (such as a projected grid mesh) at pixel and/or sub-pixel levels through application of a novel ray-casting method based on a modified version of Newton's method for finding roots. The ray-casting method may refine an initial condition determined based on the polygonal mesh and may iteratively develop a more accurate approximation of the water surface as described further herein. This improved approximation method may be suitable for both low-end and high-end GPUs. Due to lower computational complexity, the method may be utilized by low-end GPUs to improve quality while maintaining performance. The method may also be further enhanced with more advanced features such as low-cost multisampling anti-aliasing on higher-end GPUs to provide superior visualization of water surfaces and take full advantage of the additional processing power of such systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Wargaming.net Limited
    Inventor: Yury Kryachko
  • Patent number: 9881110
    Abstract: A turbulent flow estimation apparatus and method provides for the measurement of turbulent flow through the introduction of particles which characterize the flow, the detection of extents of turbulent flow regions, the assignment of a plurality of primitive shapes to those turbulent flow regions, and the assignment of individual characteristics to each of the primitive shapes of the estimate, including center location, rotational velocity of the primitive shape, identification of the rotational axis of the primitive shape, and the temporal trajectory of the primitive shapes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Inventor: Sohrab Mohajerin
  • Patent number: 9792691
    Abstract: A method of mapping an inter-tidal area, comprising: obtaining, over a period of time, image data comprising: a sequence of images of the inter-tidal area at a range of different stages of the tide, and the time at which each image was obtained; determining an elevation of a location in the image, by correlating the changes in an image value over time at the location with tidal data comprising the elevation of the tide over the period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Natural Environment Research Council
    Inventor: Paul Bell
  • Patent number: 9747099
    Abstract: A computation system for computing interactions in a multiple-body simulation includes an array of processing modules arranged into one or more serially interconnected processing groups of the processing modules. Each of the processing modules includes storage for data elements and includes circuitry for performing pairwise computations between data elements each associated with a spatial location. Each of the pairwise computations makes use of a data element from the storage of the processing module and a data element passing through the serially interconnected processing modules. Each of the processing modules includes circuitry for selecting the pairs of data elements according to separations between spatial locations associated with the data elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: D.E. Shaw Research LLC
    Inventors: David E. Shaw, Martin M. Deneroff, Ron O. Dror, Richard H. Larson, John K. Salmon
  • Patent number: 9646119
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for simulating flow and acoustic interaction of a fluid with a porous medium includes simulating activity of a fluid in a first volume adjoining a second volume, the activity of the fluid in the first volume being simulated so as to model movement of elements within the first volume and using a first model having a first set of parameters, simulating activity of the fluid in the second volume occupied by the porous medium, the activity in the second volume being simulated so as to model movement of elements within the second volume and using a second model having a second set of parameters, and simulating movement of elements between the first volume and the second volume at an interface between the first volume and the second volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Exa Corporation
    Inventors: Chenghai Sun, Franck Léon Pérot, Raoyang Zhang, Hudong Chen, David M. Freed, Ilya Staroselsky
  • Patent number: 9646409
    Abstract: A display data set depicting a three-dimensional source data set of display parameters is generated through volume rendering. Integration distance is subdivided based on a fixed predetermined target sampling distance independent of a desired sampling distance. The number of subsections minus one correspond to integrations over different subsections with front and back values of the display parameter as a target sampling distance opacity. A contribution of the volume-rendering integral and a target sampling distance color coefficient are based on the target sampling distance opacity. Target sampling distance opacities and target sampling distance color coefficients are determined based on pre-integration tables for contributions of the volume-rendering integral. Third opacities are calculated and converted to the desired sampling distance from target sampling distance opacities and the ratio of desired sampling distance to target sampling distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GMBH
    Inventor: Robert Schneider
  • Patent number: 9612832
    Abstract: A parallel processing system for computing particle interactions includes a plurality of computation nodes arranged according to a geometric partitioning of a simulation volume. Each computation node has storage for particle data. This particle data is associated with particles in a region of the geometrically partitioned simulation volume. The parallel processing system also includes a communication system having links interconnecting the computation nodes. Each of the computation nodes includes a processor subsystem. These processor subsystems cooperate to coordinate computation of the particle interactions in a distributed manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: D.E. Shaw Research LLC
    Inventors: David E. Shaw, Martin M. Deneroff, Ron O. Dror, Richard H. Larson, John K. Salmon
  • Patent number: 9613449
    Abstract: A computer implemented method of simulating a stack of objects represented as data within memory of a computer system is disclosed. The method comprises modeling the stack within a computer simulation as a set of associated primitives with associated constraints thereto in the memory, wherein the stack comprises a plurality of layers and wherein each layer comprises at least one primitive. The method further comprises estimating a height for each of the primitives in the stack and determining a respective scaling factor for each of the primitives in parallel, wherein each scaling factor is operable to adjust a mass value of each of the primitives. Also, the method comprises scaling a mass value of each of the primitives in accordance with a respective scaling factor in parallel. Finally, the method comprises solving over a plurality of constraints iteratively using a scaled mass value for each of the primitives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: NVIDIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Matthias Mueller-Fischer, Miles Macklin
  • Patent number: 9507893
    Abstract: System and method for extraction and processing of river bank coordinates from imagery, generation of an unstructured mesh of the river using river bank positions and available or synthetic bathymetry, application of upstream and downstream boundary forcing data, contingencies for handling missing data, and configuration of multiple realizations of the developed river model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Cheryl Ann Blain, Robert S. Linzell, Alan D. Weidemann, Paul E. Lyon
  • Patent number: 9449124
    Abstract: A memory stores a calculation formula including a disturbance term added to a position, a velocity, an acceleration, a pressure, or a density of each particle at a current time. A processor determines the disturbance term of each particle, determines the position, the velocity, and the density (position and the like) at the current time by using a position and the like at an initial time as the position and the like at the preceding time, and by applying the disturbance term to the calculation formula, and sequentially determines a position and the like at each time subsequent to the initial time by repeating a process for determining the disturbance term and the position and the like at the current time with the use of the determined position and the like of as the position and the like at the preceding time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Masaki Kazama, Seiro Omata
  • Patent number: 9418180
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present techniques provide methods and systems for coarsening a computational mesh, for example, for use in a reservoir simulation. An exemplary method of performing a reservoir simulation, includes generating a data representation in a storage system, wherein the data representation includes an interconnection weight that represents the magnitude of an interconnection between each of a number of computational cells in a computational mesh. A threshold value is compared to each interconnection weight and any interconnection weight that is equal to or less than the threshold value is set to zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventor: Serguei Maliassov
  • Patent number: 9405867
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes defining respective positions of a first set of nodes and a second set of nodes in an enrichment region, and performing a coupled pore fluid diffusion and stress analysis on the enrichment region at the first set of nodes. It is then determined whether the second set of nodes is activated—representing a fracture—as a result of the analysis, and the results are visually output to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Dassault Systemes Simulia Corp.
    Inventors: Lin Xia, Zhen-Zhong Du, James Christopher Wohlever
  • Patent number: 9372944
    Abstract: A numerical analysis device executes: Step 102 of selecting a fluidic device model and a pipe model used for transient analysis from among fluidic device models and pipe models that are located between a start point and an end point set in the pipeline network model constructed as a 3D model of a pipeline network that includes fluidic devices and pipes; Step 104 of dividing the selected fluidic device model and pipe model into volume elements and into junction elements; Step 106 of deriving volumes of the respective volume elements obtained and pressure loss coefficients corresponding to the respective junction elements, based on the shape of the fluidic device model, a shape of the pipe model, and a physical quantities of the fluid, of associating the volumes with the volume elements, and of associating the pressure loss coefficients with the junction elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hitoi Ono, Toshiharu Nakabayashi
  • Patent number: 9305121
    Abstract: Method and systems for modeling fractures in quasi-brittle materials are provided. An exemplary method included generating a model that incorporates a unified creep-plasticity (UCP) representation into a constitutive model for a ductile rock. The model may be used in a finite element analysis to model hydraulic fractures in the ductile rock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Yao Yao, Shekhar V. Gosavi, Kevin H. Searles, Timothy K. Ellison
  • Patent number: 9201990
    Abstract: A simulation method predicts wet spreading and unions of a plurality of droplets arranged on a patterned surface defined by a fine pattern of protrusions and recesses, the patterned surface causing anisotropy to occur in the wet spreading of the droplets. The influence imparted by the pattern of protrusions and recesses that defines the patterned surface, which is the target of analysis, on the wet spreading of the droplets is treated as wetting properties of an analysis surface, and the wet spreading and unions of the plurality of droplets on the analysis surface are analyzed by gas liquid two phase flow analysis that incorporates the wetting property parameters that represents the wetting properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Wakamatsu, Takeshi Unemura, Kenichi Kodama, Takafumi Noguchi
  • Patent number: 9129053
    Abstract: Method and system for computation of advanced heart measurements from medical images and data; and therapy planning using a patient-specific multi-physics fluid-solid heart model is disclosed. A patient-specific anatomical model of the left and right ventricles is generated from medical image patient data. A patient-specific computational heart model is generated based on the patient-specific anatomical model of the left and right ventricles and patient-specific clinical data. The computational model includes biomechanics, electrophysiology and hemodynamics. To generate the patient-specific computational heart model, initial patient-specific parameters of an electrophysiology model, initial patient-specific parameters of a biomechanics model, and initial patient-specific computational fluid dynamics (CFD) boundary conditions are marginally estimated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Tommaso Mansi, Viorel Mihalef, Xudong Zheng, Bogdan Georgescu, Saikiran Rapaka, Puneet Sharma, Ali Kamen, Dorin Comaniciu
  • Patent number: 9109440
    Abstract: The subject disclosure relates to matrix acidizing. More specifically, systems and methods are described for estimating a diffusion coefficient for an acid fluid used to stimulate a subterranean reservoir wherein a spent acid is formulated that includes one or more by-products of the reaction between the fluid and rock. A rock sample, such as in the form of a rotating disk is exposed to spent acid under elevated pressure and temperature conditions while the fluid is sampled and analyzed. A diffusion coefficient for the spend acid is estimated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Xiangdong Qiu, Frank F. Chang
  • Patent number: 9087411
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth multigrid generation technique which enables accurate simulations of large scale three dimensional (3D) fluid volumes. A model of the fluid to be simulated is represented using a cell grid. The generated multigrid provides a hierarchy of increasingly coarser representations of the model that are used by a pressure solver. Eulerian simulation techniques require solving a linear system to determine pressure values for each cell within the cell grid. Different levels of the multigrid are then used to compute the pressure values for different regions of the model, maintaining accuracy near the surface of the fluid while simplifying the computations. The accurate pressure values ensure that the simulation produces detailed features of the water movement. Additionally, the multigrid pressure solver may be optimized for execution by a graphics processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: NVIDIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nuttapong Chentanez, Matthias Müller-Fischer
  • Patent number: 9081923
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for use in a molding process by a computer processor includes specifying a simulating domain having a cavity part and a runner part; setting a filling condition of the cavity part without taking into consideration the runner part, wherein the filling condition includes gate pressures and filling rates of the cavities of the cavity part; and performing a steady state analysis to calculate flow conditions of a plurality of runner designs for the runner part by taking into consideration the filling condition of the cavity part, wherein the flow conditions include flow rates of a molding material in the runners of the runner part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: CORETECH SYSTEM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chih Chung Hsu, Rong Yeu Chang, Chia Hsiang Hsu, Tsai Hsin Hsieh
  • Publication number: 20150149138
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for modeling slug flow. The method includes receiving a fluid flow model comprising a representation of one or more conduits and a multiphase fluid flow therein, and determining a slug birth rate in the multiphase fluid flow. The slug birth rate is determined based at least partially on a difference between a slug front velocity and a slug tail velocity. The method also includes initiating a slug in the fluid flow model based at least partially on the slug birth rate, and displaying data representative of the slug flow in the model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Christopher John Lawrence, Bin Hu
  • Patent number: 9043189
    Abstract: Methods for creating and using space-time surrogate models of subsurface regions, such as subsurface regions containing at least one hydrocarbon formation. The created surrogate models are explicit models that may be created from implicit models, such as computationally intensive full-physics models. The space-time surrogate models are parametric with respect to preselected variables, such as space, state, and/or design variables, while also indicating responsiveness of the preselected variables with respect to time. In some embodiments, the space-time surrogate model may be parametric with respect to preselected variables as well as to time. Methods for updating and evolving models of subsurface regions are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research—Law Department
    Inventors: Jon M. Wallace, Jennifer A. Hommema, Kevin H. Searles, Sheng-Yuan Hsu, Jing Wan, Eric R. Grueschow
  • Patent number: 9037440
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for simulating flow and acoustic interaction of a fluid with a porous medium includes simulating activity of a fluid in a first volume adjoining a second occupied by a porous medium, the activity of the fluid in the first volume being simulated so as to model movement of elements within the first volume and using a first model having a first set of parameters, simulating activity of the fluid in the second volume occupied by the porous medium, the activity in the second volume being simulated so as to model movement of elements within the second volume and using a second model having a second set of parameters and differing from the first model in a way that accounts for flow and acoustic properties of the porous medium, and simulating movement of elements between the first volume and the second volume at an interface between the first volume and the second volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Exa Corporation
    Inventors: Chenghai Sun, Franck Léon PéRot, Raoyang Zhang, Hudong Chen, David M. Freed, Ilya Staroselsky
  • Patent number: 9031822
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method, system, and computer program product are disclosed for updating simulation models of a subterranean reservoir. An ensemble of reservoir models representing a subterranean reservoir having non-Gaussian characteristics is provided and the ensemble of reservoir models is updated using a subspace ensemble Kalman filter. Kemal principle component analysis parameterization or K-L expansion parameterization can be used to update the ensemble of reservoir models.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Pallav Sarma, Wen Hsiung Chen
  • Patent number: 9031819
    Abstract: A fluid flow is simulated by causing a computer to perform operations on data stored in the memory to compute at least one eddy of a fluid flow at a first scale and perform operations to compute at least one eddy of the fluid flow at both the first scale and a second scale. The second scale is a finer scale than the first scale, and the computation of the at least one eddy of the fluid flow at the second scale is constrained by results of the computation of the at least one eddy of the fluid flow at the first scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Exa Corporation
    Inventors: Hudong Chen, Steven Orszag, Ilya Staroselsky, Victor Yachot, Raoyang Zhang
  • Patent number: 9031674
    Abstract: A method of optimizing production of wells using choke control includes generating, for each well, an intermediate solution to optimize the production of each well. The generating includes using an offline model that includes a mixed-integer nonlinear program solver and includes using production curves based on a choke state and a given wellhead pressure. The method further includes calculating, using a network model and the intermediate solution of each well, a current online wellhead pressure for each well. The method further includes setting the intermediate solution as a final solution based on determining that a difference between the current online wellhead pressure of each well and a prior online wellhead pressure of each well is less than a tolerance amount. The method further includes adjusting, using the final solution of each well, at least one operating parameter of the wells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Kashif Rashid, Suleyman Demirel, Benoit Couet
  • Patent number: 9026416
    Abstract: Computer-implemented systems and methods are provided for generating accurate grids that can be used for simulation of highly complex subsurface reservoirs, such as fractured subsurface reservoirs. A representation of a fractured subsurface reservoir and an explicit discrete fracture represented within the fractured subsurface reservoir are provided. The representation of the fractured subsurface reservoir is decomposed into polyhedral cells. Interfaces between the polyhedral cells are selected to approximate the discrete fracture explicitly represented within the fractured subsurface reservoir. The selected interfaces are used to produce a grid that can be used for constructing a simulation model of the fractured subsurface reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley Thomas Mallison, Mun-Hong Hui
  • Patent number: 9026413
    Abstract: A method of modeling phase characteristics of thermodynamic systems utilizing pseudo-properties strategy and a reduced number of variables is disclosed herein. The method describes a means of determining the probability of phase splitting of mixtures of materials at a given temperature, pressure, and composition by characterizing the functions that describe the system via pseudo-properties, and also by describing the system in n?1 or fewer variables, where n represents the number of components in the system of interest. In an embodiment, a multi-component system is characterized in one variable, thereby providing simplified thermodynamic models in a time-efficient manner. In addition, the information generated by this reduced-variable calculation can further be used as a starting point for calculations of equations of state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Invensys Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Gang Xu, David Bluck
  • Patent number: 9026418
    Abstract: Distinct paths (40), e.g., locally optimal, are determined in a heterogeneous velocity field (32) between a source object and a target object (33) using gradients (35) of a two-way total arrival time field (34). The foregoing technique may be used to assess hydrocarbon reservoir connectivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Chul-Sung Kim, Mark Dobin
  • Patent number: 9026415
    Abstract: A method of modeling a segment of a pipeline transporting a product comprising defining within the segment a plurality of discrete cells, each disposed between knots, preparing a system of equations relating the conservations of mass, momentum and energy for each cell along with equations for the liquid phase flow area of cells with tight, slack and minimum area flow modes, providing data relating to the product and the location and elevation of the cells, sensing a plurality of conditions within known cells, solving the system of equations, initiating a re-stepping process by re-assessing the flow modes of each cell and re-setting flow modes for cells with unstable flow modes, and re-solving the system of equations using stable flow modes. An embodiment of the method includes excepting one or more cells from the re-stepping portion where a recurrent pattern of flow mode change is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Energy Solutions International, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Barley, Gregory Morrow
  • Patent number: 9020793
    Abstract: A method, a system and a program storage device for predicting a property of a fluid, such as fluid production from a subterranean reservoir containing heavy oil entrained with gas is described. The method includes developing a baseline correlation of gas relative permeability krg versus gas saturation Sg. A capillary number dependent correlation is determined capturing the relationship between at least one of critical gas saturation Sgc and capillary number Nca and gas relative permeability krgro and capillary number Nca phased upon a plurality of depletion rates. Capillary numbers Nc are calculated for a plurality of cells in a reservoir model representative of the subterranean reservoir. The baseline correlation is then adjusted to comport with at least one of Sgc and krgro selected from the capillary number dependent correlation to produce a plurality of corresponding adjusted baseline, correlations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Mridul Kumar, Frederic Gadelle, Akshay Sahni
  • Publication number: 20150106066
    Abstract: A system simulates a process. Software instructions stored on a memory device and executable by a processor represent a process entity with a model. Instructions configure the model to function in a plurality of modes, the modes comprising a process mode, a fluid flow mode, and a dynamic mode. Additionally, instructions simulate the function of the process entity with the model in a first mode from the plurality of modes and then switch the model to a second mode from the plurality of modes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Applicant: Invensys Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian H. Boys, Douglas Paul Kane, David H. Jerome, Cal Depew
  • Publication number: 20150106075
    Abstract: A system simulates a process entity. Software instructions stored on a memory device and executable by a processor creates an entity type object that generically represents a type of process entity. Instructions create a simulation representing a process and instantiate an entity type instance in the simulation based on the entity type object. The entity type instance represents a specific process entity in the process. Additionally, instructions simulate the functionality of the specific process entity by the entity type instance in the simulation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Applicant: Invensys Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian H. Boys, Douglas Paul Kane, David H. Jerome, Cal Depew