Patents Represented by Attorney Carol I. Ashby
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Patent number: 7912321Abstract: In an image registration method, edges are detected in a first image and a second image. A percentage of edge pixels in a subset of the second image that are also edges in the first image shifted by a translation is calculated. A best registration point is calculated based on a maximum percentage of edges matched. In a predefined search region, all registration points other than the best registration point are identified that are not significantly worse than the best registration point according to a predetermined statistical criterion.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2005Date of Patent: March 22, 2011Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventor: Katherine M. Simonson
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Patent number: 7785391Abstract: Dendritic metal nanostructures made using a surfactant structure template, a metal salt, and electron donor species.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2007Date of Patent: August 31, 2010Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: John A. Shelnutt, Yujiang Song, Eulalia F. Pereira, Craig J. Medforth
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Patent number: 7767931Abstract: A process for generating nanoscale particles of energetic materials, such as explosive materials, using ultrashort-pulse laser irradiation. The use of ultrashort laser pulses in embodiments of this invention enables one to generate particles by laser ablation that retain the chemical identity of the starting material while avoiding ignition, deflagration, and detonation of the explosive material.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2007Date of Patent: August 3, 2010Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Eric J. Welle, Alexander S. Tappan, Jeremy A. Palmer
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Patent number: 7745315Abstract: A method for forming vertically oriented, crystallographically aligned nanowires (nanocolumns) using monolayer or submonolayer quantities of metal atoms to form uniformly sized metal islands that serve as catalysts for MOCVD growth of Group III nitride nanowires.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2007Date of Patent: June 29, 2010Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: George T. Wang, Qiming Li, J. Randall Creighton
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Patent number: 7733788Abstract: A computer network control plane tampering monitor that detects unauthorized alteration of a label-switched path setup for an information packet intended for transmission through a computer network.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2005Date of Patent: June 8, 2010Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: John T. Michalski, Thomas D. Tarman, Stephen P. Black, Mark D. Torgerson
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Patent number: 7704489Abstract: A nanotagged chemical structure comprising a chemical structure with an associated photocatalyst and a tagging nanoparticle (a nanotag) grown in proximity to the photocatalyst, and a method for making the nanotagged chemical structure. The nanoparticle is grown in proximity to the photocatalyst by using a photocatalytic reduction reaction.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2006Date of Patent: April 27, 2010Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: John A. Shelnutt, Craig J. Medforth, Yujiang Song
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Patent number: 7685923Abstract: A fragment capture device for use in explosive containment. The device comprises an assembly of at least two rows of bars positioned to eliminate line-of-sight trajectories between the generation point of fragments and a surrounding containment vessel or asset. The device comprises an array of at least two rows of bars, wherein each row is staggered with respect to the adjacent row, and wherein a lateral dimension of each bar and a relative position of each bar in combination provides blockage of a straight-line passage of a solid fragment through the adjacent rows of bars, wherein a generation point of the solid fragment is located within a cavity at least partially enclosed by the array of bars.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2008Date of Patent: March 30, 2010Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Lloyd R. Payne, David L. Cole
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Patent number: 7670933Abstract: A method for growing high quality, nonpolar Group III nitrides using lateral growth from Group III nitride nanowires. The method of nanowire-templated lateral epitaxial growth (NTLEG) employs crystallographically aligned, substantially vertical Group III nitride nanowire arrays grown by metal-catalyzed metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) as templates for the lateral growth and coalescence of virtually crack-free Group III nitride films. This method requires no patterning or separate nitride growth step.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2007Date of Patent: March 2, 2010Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: George T. Wang, Qiming Li, J. Randall Creighton
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Patent number: 7612541Abstract: A charge-pump voltage converter for converting a low voltage provided by a low-voltage source to a higher voltage. Charge is inductively generated on a transfer rotor electrode during its transit past an inductor stator electrode and subsequently transferred by the rotating rotor to a collector stator electrode for storage or use. Repetition of the charge transfer process leads to a build-up of voltage on a charge-receiving device. Connection of multiple charge-pump voltage converters in series can generate higher voltages, and connection of multiple charge-pump voltage converters in parallel can generate higher currents. Microelectromechanical (MEMS) embodiments of this invention provide a small and compact high-voltage (several hundred V) voltage source starting with a few-V initial voltage source. The microscale size of many embodiments of this invention make it ideally suited for MEMS- and other micro-applications where integration of the voltage or charge source in a small package is highly desirable.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2007Date of Patent: November 3, 2009Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: John P. Brainard, Todd R. Christenson
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Patent number: 7449404Abstract: A method for improving Mg doping of Group III-N materials grown by MOCVD preventing condensation in the gas phase or on reactor surfaces of adducts of magnesocene and ammonia by suitably heating reactor surfaces between the location of mixing of the magnesocene and ammonia reactants and the Group III-nitride surface whereon growth is to occur.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2005Date of Patent: November 11, 2008Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: J. Randall Creighton, George T. Wang
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Patent number: 7403065Abstract: A differential transimpedance amplifier circuit for correlated differential amplification. The amplifier circuit increase electronic signal-to-noise ratios in charge detection circuits designed for the detection of very small quantities of electrical charge and/or very weak electromagnetic waves. A differential, integrating capacitive transimpedance amplifier integrated circuit comprising capacitor feedback loops performs time-correlated subtraction of noise.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2006Date of Patent: July 22, 2008Assignees: Sandia Corporation, Arizona Board of RegentsInventors: Christopher A. Gresham, M. Bonner Denton, Roger P. Sperline
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Patent number: 7385003Abstract: A method for encapsulating nanoparticles with an encapsulating matrix that minimizes aggregation and maintains favorable properties of the nanoparticles. The matrix comprises silicon-based network-forming compounds such as ormosils and polysiloxanes. The nanoparticles are synthesized from precursors directly within the silicon-based matrix.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2005Date of Patent: June 10, 2008Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Steven G. Thoma, Jess P. Wilcoxon, Billie L. Abrams
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Patent number: 7374599Abstract: A method for making dendritic metal nanostructures using a surfactant structure template, a metal salt, and electron donor species.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2004Date of Patent: May 20, 2008Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: John A. Shelnutt, Yujiang Song, Eulalia F. Pereira, Craig J. Medforth
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Patent number: 7338590Abstract: A method for generating hydrogen by photocatalytic decomposition of water using porphyrin nanotube composites. In some embodiments, both hydrogen and oxygen are generated by photocatalytic decomposition of water.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2005Date of Patent: March 4, 2008Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: John A. Shelnutt, James E. Miller, Zhongchun Wang, Craig J. Medforth
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Patent number: 7248397Abstract: A wavelength-doubling optical parametric oscillator (OPO) comprising a type II nonlinear optical medium for generating a pair of degenerate waves at twice a pump wavelength and a plurality of mirrors for rotating the polarization of one wave by 90 degrees to produce a wavelength-doubled beam with an increased output energy by coupling both of the degenerate waves out of the OPO cavity through the same output coupler following polarization rotation of one of the degenerate waves.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2006Date of Patent: July 24, 2007Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Darrell J. Armstrong, Arlee V. Smith
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Patent number: 7235190Abstract: A method for making a nanocrystal-based material capable of emitting light over a sufficiently broad spectral range to appear white. Surface-modifying ligands are used to shift and broaden the emission of semiconductor nanocrystals to produce nanoparticle-based materials that emit white light.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2004Date of Patent: June 26, 2007Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Jess P. Wilcoxon, Billie L. Abrams, Steven G. Thoma
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Patent number: 7236297Abstract: An optical system comprising a concave primary mirror reflects light through an intermediate focus to a secondary mirror. The secondary mirror re-focuses the image to a final image plane. Optical limiter material is placed near the intermediate focus to optically limit the intensity of light so that downstream components of the optical system are protected from intense optical transients. Additional lenses before and/or after the intermediate focus correct optical aberrations.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2006Date of Patent: June 26, 2007Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Mark R. Ackermann, Jean-Claude M. Diels
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Patent number: 7223474Abstract: Heteroporphyrin nanotubes, metal nanostructures, and metal/porphyrin-nanotube composite nanostructures formed using the nanotubes as photocatalysts and structural templates, and the methods for forming the nanotubes and composites.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2006Date of Patent: May 29, 2007Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: John A. Shelnutt, Craig J. Medforth, Zhongchun Wang
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Patent number: 7180055Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for a compact and temperature-insensitive nuclear sensor that can be calibrated with a non-hazardous radioactive sample. The nuclear sensor includes a gamma ray sensor that generates tail pulses from radioactive samples. An analog conditioning circuit conditions the tail-pulse signals from the gamma ray sensor, and a tail-pulse simulator circuit generates a plurality of simulated tail-pulse signals. A computer system processes the tail pulses from the gamma ray sensor and the simulated tail pulses from the tail-pulse simulator circuit. The nuclear sensor is calibrated under the control of the computer. The offset is adjusted using the simulated tail pulses. Since the offset is set to zero or near zero, the sensor gain can be adjusted with a non-hazardous radioactive source such as, for example, naturally occurring radiation and potassium chloride.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2005Date of Patent: February 20, 2007Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Gene A. Kallenbach, Frank T. Noda, Dean J. Mitchell, Joshua L. Etzkin
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Patent number: 7171328Abstract: A method for estimating the thermal properties of surface materials using long-wavelength thermal imagery by exploiting the differential heating histories of ground points in the vicinity of shadows. The use of differential heating histories of different ground points of the same surface material allows the use of a single image acquisition step to provide the necessary variation in measured parameters for calculation of the thermal properties of surface materials.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2005Date of Patent: January 30, 2007Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Charles L. Walker, Laurence S. Costin, Jody L. Smith, Mary M. Moya, Jeffrey A. Mercier