Inventor

Albert W. Chau

Inventor

Woodinville, WA, US

Overview

1986–2021

Patent span

Physics

Primary field (CPC G)

Patents· 150 as inventor

Public. Assignee & technology derived from the patent record. Each patent links to its LexDana page.

E21Bprimary

E21BEarth or rock drilling35%

G01VGeophysics31%

G01CMeasuring distances, levels or bearings5%

G01LMeasuring force, stress, torque, work, mechanical power, mechanical efficiency, or fluid pressure4%

G01DMeasuring not specially adapted for a specific variable3%

B66CCranes3%

B66DCapstans3%

H01QAntennas, i.e. radio aerials3%

H01RElectrically-conductive connections2%

G01RMeasuring electric variables2%

PatentTitleYear

11,047,896Portable device with electromagnetic noise measurement at multiple frequencies2021 11,035,218Advanced steering tool system, method and apparatus2021 11,035,221Advanced drill string inground isolator housing in an MWD system and associated method2021 11,015,441Directional drilling communication protocols, apparatus and methods2021 10,847,169Audio coder window and transform implementations2020 10,818,305Audio coder window sizes and time-frequency transformations2020 10,809,099Tracking positions of personnel, vehicles, and inanimate objects2020 10,767,468Sonde with integral pressure sensor and method2020 10,746,892System for determining offset and orientation from a planar loop antenna2020 10,738,592Advanced inground operations, system and associated apparatus2020 10,699,723Encoding and decoding of digital audio signals using variable alphabet size2020 10,648,326Inground device with advanced transmit power control and associated methods2020 10,598,712Portable device with electromagnetic noise measurement for inground transmitter frequency selection2020 10,584,544Drill string inground isolator in an MWD system and associated method2020 10,584,573Advanced steering tool system, method and apparatus2020 10,551,409Mechanical shock resistant MEMS accelerometer arrangement, associated method, apparatus and system2020 10,520,537Portable device with electromagnetic noise measurement for inground transmitter frequency selection2019 10,520,536Apparatus for predicting a maximum operational depth for an underground drilling procedure and method2019 10,513,919Advanced drill string communication system, components and methods2019 10,443,316Drill string adapter and method for inground signal coupling2019 10,428,583Multimode steering and homing system, method and apparatus2019 10,422,664Tracking positions of personnel, vehicles, and inanimate objects2019 10,378,334Flux plane locating in an underground drilling system2019 10,329,895Advanced drill string inground isolator housing in an MWD system and associated method2019 10,323,506Sonde with integral pressure sensor and method2019 10,281,347Tension monitoring arrangement and method2019 10,273,796Advanced steering tool system, method and apparatus2019 10,254,425Locating arrangement and method using boring tool and cable locating signals2019 10,240,456Inground device with advanced transmit power control and associated methods2019 10,227,867Directional drilling communication protocols, apparatus and methods2019 10,107,091Flux plane locating in an underground drilling system2018 10,107,090Advanced underground homing system, apparatus and method2018 10,101,487Transmitter with locating signal frequency phase shift based on switchable cable coupling2018 10,094,946Transmitter using a planar loop antenna for generating a locating signal2018 10,072,489Advanced inground device power control and associated methods2018 9,983,227Mechanical shock resistant MEMS accelerometer arrangement, associated method, apparatus and system2018 9,932,777Drill string inground isolator in an MWD system and associated method2018 9,804,287'Transmitter for emitting reference signal to distinguish false signals in cable locating'2017 9,798,032'Locating arrangement and method using boring tool and cable locating signals'2017 9,778,121'Tension monitoring arrangement and method'2017 9,777,567'Advanced steering tool system, method and apparatus'2017 9,759,012'Multimode steering and homing system, method and apparatus'2017 9,683,436'Flux plane locating in an underground drilling system'2017 9,664,027'Advanced inground operations, system and associated apparatus'2017 9,617,797'Drill string adapter and method for inground signal coupling'2017 9,581,717'Receiver using an approximated dipole signal'2017 9,551,730'Mechanical shock resistant MEMS accelerometer arrangement, associated method, apparatus and system'2017 9,519,074'Flux plane locating in an underground drilling system'2016 9,507,046'Locating arrangement and method using boring tool and cable locating signals'2016 9,500,041'Drill string inground isolator in an MWD system and associated method'2016 9,435,193'Sonde with integral pressure sensor and method'2016 9,425,619'Advanced inground device power control and associated methods'2016 9,422,802'Advanced drill string inground isolator housing in an MWD system and associated method'2016 9,422,804'Advanced underground homing system, apparatus and method'2016 9,360,579'Advanced steering tool system, method and apparatus'2016 9,335,431'Distinguishing false signals in cable locating based on a modulated reference signal'2016 9,310,507'Tracking positions of personnel, vehicles, and inanimate objects'2016 9,291,738'Flux plane locating in an underground drilling system'2016 9,274,243'Advanced drill string communication system, components and methods'2016 9,274,013'Tension monitoring arrangement and method'2016 9,261,621'Locating arrangement and method using boring tool and cable locating signals'2016 9,244,189'Advanced steering tool system, method and apparatus'2016 9,133,703'Advanced steering tool system, method and apparatus'2015 9,035,656'Tracking positions of personnel, vehicles, and inanimate objects'2015 9,000,940'Drill string inground isolator in an MWD system and associated method'2015 8,786,285'Apparatus for monitoring a positional relationship between a boring tool and an inground line'2014 8,729,901'Measurement device and associated method for use in frequency selection for inground transmission'2014 8,695,727'Drill string adapter and method for inground signal coupling'2014 8,698,501'Method for distinguishing a locating signal from a false locating signal'2014 8,686,731'Tracking positions of personnel, vehicles, and inanimate objects'2014 8,686,917'Locating technique and apparatus using an approximated dipole signal'2014 8,680,864'Flux plane locating in an underground drilling system'2014 8,674,700'Locating arrangement and method using boring tool and cable locating signals'2014 8,662,200'Sonde with integral pressure sensor and method'2014 8,659,298'Advanced steering tool system, method and apparatus'2014 8,649,523'Methods and systems using a compensation signal to reduce audio decoding errors at block boundaries'2014 8,499,646'Utility pull-back tension monitoring arrangement with sensor output compensation and method'2013 8,381,836'Advanced underground homing system, apparatus and method'2013 8,264,419'Locating technique and apparatus using an approximated dipole signal'2012 8,188,746'Tracking the positional relationship between a boring tool and at least one buried lines'2012 8,080,998'Distinguishing false signals in cable locating using a reference signal'2011 8,042,407'Tension monitoring arrangement and method'2011 7,990,152'Locating arrangement and method using boring tool and cable locating signals'2011 7,960,973'Tracking positions of personnel, vehicles, and inanimate objects'2011 7,956,614'Flux plane locating in an underground drilling system'2011 7,898,494'Locating technique and apparatus using an approximated dipole signal'2011 7,888,939'Tracking the positional relationship between a boring tool and one or more buried lines using a composite magnetic signal'2011 7,884,610'Distinguishing false signals in cable locating'2011 7,859,249'Tracking positions of personnel, vehicles, and inanimate objects'2010 7,834,631'Locating arrangement and method using boring tool and cable locating signals'2010 7,786,732'Apparatus for monitoring a positional relationship between a boring tool and an inground line'2010 7,775,301'Advanced steering tool system, method and apparatus'2010 7,775,121'Tension monitoring arrangement and method'2010 7,772,849'Tracking positions of personnel, vehicles, and inanimate objects'2010 7,768,265'Flux plane locating in an underground drilling system'2010 7,663,371'Flux plane locating in an underground drilling system'2010 7,586,308'Phase shifted locating signal as compensation for a coupling configuration phase shift in discriminating a false locating signal'2009 7,586,307'Locating arrangement and method using boring tool and cable locating signals'2009 7,578,201'Tension monitoring arrangement and method'2009 7,570,060'Tracking positions of personnel, vehicles, and inanimate objects'2009 7,443,359'Locating technique and apparatus using an approximated dipole signal'2008 7,425,829'Tracking positions of personnel, vehicles, and inanimate objects'2008 7,403,014'Tracking the positional relationship between a boring tool and one or more buried lines using a composite magnetic signal'2008 7,403,013'Boring tool tracking/guiding system and method with unconstrained target location geometry'2008 7,397,249'Apparatus for distinguishing false signals in cable locating'2008 7,391,216'Locating arrangement and method using boring tool and cable locating signals'2008 7,343,816'Tension monitoring arrangement and method'2008 7,304,479'Flux plane locating in an underground drilling system'2007 7,280,689'Anti-compression techniques for visual images'2007 7,253,628'Tracking the positional relationship between a boring tool and one or more buried lines using a composite magnetic signal'2007 7,237,624'Electronic roll indexing compensation in a drilling system and method'2007 7,218,116'Boring tool tracking/guiding system and method with unconstrained target location geometry'2007 7,209,093'Locating technique and apparatus using an approximated dipole signal'2007 7,176,690'Flux plane locating in an underground drilling system'2007 7,151,375'Distinguishing false signals in cable locating'2006 7,150,329'Auto-extending/retracting electrically isolated conductors in a segmented drill string'2006 7,084,636'Boring tool tracking/guiding system and method with unconstrained target location geometry'2006 7,071,695'Tracking the positional relationship between a boring tool and one or more buried lines using a composite magnetic signal'2006 7,028,779'Auto-extending/retracting electrically isolated conductors in a segmented drill string'2006 6,993,981'Tension monitoring arrangement and method'2006 6,975,119'Boring tool tracking/guiding system and method with unconstrained target location geometry'2005 6,963,201'Flux plane locating in an underground drilling system'2005 6,927,741'Locating technique and apparatus using an approximated dipole signal'2005 6,917,202'Boring tool tracking/guiding system and method with unconstrained target location geometry'2005 6,882,154'Tracking the positional relationship between a boring tool and one or more buried lines using a composite magnetic signal'2005 6,856,135'Boring tool tracking/guiding system and method with unconstrained target location geometry'2005 6,845,822'Auto-extending/retracting electrically isolated conductors in a segmented drill string'2005 6,768,307'Flux plane locating in an underground drilling system'2004 6,737,867'Locating arrangement and method using boring tool and cable locating signals'2004 6,727,704'Boring tool tracking/guiding system and method with unconstrained target location geometry'2004 6,655,464'Auto-extending/retracting electrically isolated conductors in a segmented drill string'2003 6,653,837'Dipole field locate point determination using a horizontal flux vector'2003 6,617,854'Tracking the positional relationship between a boring tool and one or more buried lines using a composite magnetic signal'2003 6,496,008'Flux plane locating in an underground drilling system'2002 6,446,728'Auto-extending/retracting electrically isolated conductors in a segmented drill string'2002 6,223,826'Auto-extending/retracting electrically isolated conductors in a segmented drill string'2001 6,191,585'Tracking the positional relationship between a boring tool and one or more buried lines using a composite magnetic signal'2001 5,907,128'Cable connector with fluid injection port'1999 5,585,726'Electronic guidance system and method for locating a discrete in-ground boring device'1996 5,070,462'Device for locating a boring machine'1991 4,896,733'Technique for providing an underground tunnel utilizing a powered boring device'1990 4,881,083'Homing technique for an in-ground boring device'1989 4,867,255'Technique for steering a downhole hammer'1989 4,864,293'Inground boring technique including real time transducer'1989 4,856,600'Technique for providing an underground tunnel utilizing a powered boring device'1989 4,821,815'Technique for providing an underground tunnel utilizing a powered boring device'1989 4,806,869'An above-ground arrangement for and method of locating a discrete in ground boring device'1989 4,755,805'Current sensing alarm arrangement for monitoring the presence of high voltage'1988 4,714,118'Technique for steering and monitoring the orientation of a powered underground boring device'1987 4,564,810'Aluminum cladding thickness measurement probe and instrument having an automatic calibration and readout circuit coupled to a differential amplifier circuit'1986

Career & activity timeline

Assembled from patent assignee/location history and declaration credentials.

1986–1991Based in Redmond, WA, US· patent location history

1987–1991Patents assigned to FLOWMOLE CORP (9)· patent assignee history

1996–2021Based in Woodinville, WA, US· patent location history

2003–2021Patents assigned to MERLIN TECHNOLOGY INC (121)· patent assignee history

2007Based in Burnaby, CA· patent location history

2011–2015Patents assigned to CHAU ALBERT W (16)· patent assignee history

2011–2014Patents assigned to MERCER JOHN E (12)· patent assignee history

2012–2014Patents assigned to BRUNE GUENTER W (7)· patent assignee history

2014–2020Based in Vancouver, CA· patent location history

Inventor activity

Assignee and location history derived from the patent record.

Assignees

Assignee	Patents	Span
MERLIN TECHNOLOGY INC	121	2003–2021
CHAU ALBERT Wself	16	2011–2015
MERCER JOHN E	12	2011–2014
FLOWMOLE CORP	9	1987–1991
BRUNE GUENTER W	7	2012–2014

Locations

Location	Patents	Span
Woodinville, Washington, US	134	1996–2021
Redmond, Washington, US	11	1986–1991
Vancouver, CA	4	2014–2020
Burnaby, CA	1	2007