Michael G Flynn

US Patent:

7727400, Jun 1, 2010

Filed:

Sep 23, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/234604

Inventors:

Michael Flynn - Corte Madera CA, US

International Classification:

B01D 61/00
B01D 63/00

US Classification:

210652, 210644, 210638, 2101952, 2102572

Abstract:

A low water recovery rate desalination system and method. This system and method enables the purification of water in a more environmentally sustainable manner than conventional systems. The environmental benefit of this invention is derived from its ability to desalinate water and produce a brine byproduct that is less concentrated than that of conventional desalination systems. The system is composed of three elements. They are a water makeup element, a concentration element and a desalination system. The water makeup element and the concentration element can integrated with a conventional desalination technology to form a complete desalination system.

US Patent:

20100000148, Jan 7, 2010

Filed:

Dec 18, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/338165

Inventors:

Michael D. Flynn - Lawrenceville GA, US

International Classification:

A01G 13/00
B28C 7/00

US Classification:

47 9, 366 6

Abstract:

The present invention relates to concrete mulch and methods for making the same. The concrete mulch is made from crushed waste concrete, a colorant and a binder which colors the concrete pieces to look like natural mulch. The concrete mulch is available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes; however, it is preferred for the concrete mulch to look like natural rock, bark nuggets or natural mulch.

US Patent:

20120117412, May 10, 2012

Filed:

Jul 20, 2010

Appl. No.:

13/384774

Inventors:

Tadao Nakamura - Sendai-shi, JP
Michael J. Flynn - Palo Alto CA, US

International Classification:

G06F 1/12

US Classification:

713400

Abstract:

A computer system encompasses a processor () including a control unit () and an ALU () configured to execute arithmetic and logic operations synchronized with the clock signal, and a marching main memory (), which embraces an array of memory units, configured to store information in each of memory units and to transfer synchronously with the clock signal, providing the processor () with the stored information actively and sequentially so that the ALU () can execute the arithmetic and logic operations with the stored information. The results of the processing in the ALU () are sent out to the marching main memory (), but there is only one way of instructions flow from the marching main memory () to the processor.

US Patent:

20220338422, Oct 27, 2022

Filed:

Jan 30, 2020

Appl. No.:

17/753701

Inventors:

- South San Francisco CA, US
Merritt Jonathan Jenkins - Emerylle CA, US
Michael Peter Flynn - Palo Alto CA, US
Anna Olson - San Mateo CA, US
Kellen Murray - Belmont CA, US
Andrew Dubel - Pacifica CA, US
Matthew James Matera - San Francisco CA, US
Charles Dylan Karr - San Francisco CA, US
Mark Cuson - Los Altos CA, US

Assignee:

MJNN LLC - South San Francisco CA

International Classification:

A01G 9/02
G05B 15/02

Abstract:

A drive unit in a controlled agricultural environment increases a distance between an alignment element and a drive element in order to receive a plant support structure that is oriented non-vertically so that the plant support structure rests on the drive element or the alignment element. The drive unit decreases the distance between the alignment element and the drive element so that the alignment element or the drive element rests on the plant support structure. The drive element conveys the plant support structure along a direction of conveyance.

US Patent:

20220338431, Oct 27, 2022

Filed:

Sep 12, 2020

Appl. No.:

17/639893

Inventors:

- South San Francisco CA, US
Michael Peter Flynn - Palo Alto CA, US
Nicholas Kalayjian - San Carlos CA, US
Alan Colbrie Schoen - Los Gatos CA, US
Andrew Keith James - San Francisco CA, US
Arvind Sankaran - San Francisco CA, US
Alexandre Le Roux - Redwood City CA, US
Nadav Sahar Hendel - San Francisco CA, US
Anna Olson - San Mateo CA, US
Michael Bennett Hamilton - Pleasant Hill CA, US
Theodore Howe St. George - San Francisco CA, US
Loren Raymond Pilorin - Palo Alto CA, US

Assignee:

MJNN LLC - South San Francisco CA

International Classification:

A01G 31/06
A01G 31/04

Abstract:

Facility layouts and configurations for an automated crop production system for controlled environment agriculture. In particular implementations, the core of the facility comprises a controlled growth environment and a central processing system. The controlled growth environment includes systems for exposing crops housed in modules, such as grow towers, to controlled environmental conditions. The central processing system may include various stations and functionality both for preparing crop-bearing modules to be inserted in the controlled growth environment, for harvesting crops from the crop-bearing modules after they have been extracted from the controlled growth environment, and for cleaning or washing crop-bearing modules for re-use. The controlled growth environment may include vertical farming structure having vertical grow towers and associated conveyance mechanisms for moving the vertical grow towers along one or more grow lines. The conveyance mechanisms may include a return transfer mechanism that creates a return or u-shaped path for each grow line.

US Patent:

20220330503, Oct 20, 2022

Filed:

Sep 10, 2020

Appl. No.:

17/640107

Inventors:

- South San Francisco CA, US
Alexandre Le Roux - Redwood City CA, US
Tamara Tahir Hasoon - Redwood City CA, US
Michael Peter Flynn - Palo Alto CA, US
Andrew Dubel - Pacifica CA, US
Roger Lee - Mountain View CA, US

Assignee:

MJNN LLC - South San Francisco CA

International Classification:

A01G 31/04
A01G 31/06

Abstract:

A vertical farming structure having vertical grow towers and associated conveyance mechanisms for moving the vertical grow towers through a controlled environment, while being exposed to controlled conditions, such as lighting, airflow, humidity and nutritional support. The present disclosure describes a reciprocating cam mechanism that provides a cost-efficient mechanism for conveying vertical grow towers in the controlled environment. The reciprocating cam mechanism can be arranged to increase the spacing of the grow towers as they are conveyed through the controlled environment to index the crops growing on the towers. The present disclosure also describes a tower shuttle mechanism that provides operational flexibility by decoupling the loading and unloading operations of the grow towers from the vertical farming structure and, therefore, allowing multiple grow towers to be extracted for harvesting in a batch process before loading new grow towers into the vertical farming structure in a separate process.

US Patent:

20220225588, Jul 21, 2022

Filed:

May 6, 2020

Appl. No.:

17/607881

Inventors:

- South San Francisco CA, US
Tamara Tahir Hasoon - Redwood City CA, US
Michael Peter Flynn - Palo Alto CA, US
Aidan Patrick Barry - St. Thomas, CA
Charles Dylan Karr - San Francisco CA, US
Frank Spiteri - Palo Alto CA, US

Assignee:

MJNN LLC - South San Francisco CA

International Classification:

A01G 31/06
B25J 9/16

Abstract:

Mechanisms that facilitate location and alignment of grow towers for one or more processing operations. In one implementation, the alignment mechanism comprises a track including an alignment feature and one or more engagement actuators. The alignment feature is configured to engage features of a track-contacting face of a grow tower. The engagement actuators press the grow tower against the track, causing the alignment feature to engage the grow tower and align it along the track to facilitate processing operations.

US Patent:

20220217899, Jul 14, 2022

Filed:

May 6, 2020

Appl. No.:

17/607880

Inventors:

- South San Francisco CA, US
Mark Cuson - Los Altos CA, US
Michael Peter Flynn - Palo Alto CA, US
Merritt Jonathan Jenkins - Cambridge MA, US
Matthew James Matera - San Francisco CA, US
Travis Callahan - San Francisco CA, US

Assignee:

MJNN LLC - South San Francisco CA

International Classification:

A01C 11/00
B25J 9/16

Abstract:

Automated transplanter assemblies and systems. For example, the disclosure sets forth a plug holder and assembly adapted to transplant plugs into tight-fitting plug holders. The disclosure also conveys a transplanter assembly useful in transplant operations where a plug holder is oriented at a non-perpendicular angle to the surface of a grow tower or other structure that contains the plug holder. The disclosure also provides a transplanter system useful in transplanting plugs into grow towers.