Patents Assigned to The University of North Carolina at Charlotte
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Patent number: 10914866Abstract: Materials comprising metamaterials exhibiting form-induced birefringence and anisotropic optical properties are provided. The disclosed articles comprise structures with critical dimensions which are on the order of or smaller than the wavelength for the gigahertz and terahertz spectral range. Methods of preparing same using stereolithography are disclosed. In a further aspect, the disclosed methods pertain to spectroscopic ellipsometry methods comprising a biaxial (orthorhombic) layer homogenization approach is to analyze the terahertz ellipsometric data obtained at three different sample azimuth orientations. The disclosed articles and methods demonstrate provide an avenue to fabricate metamaterials for the terahertz spectral range and allows tailoring of the polarizability and anisotropy of the host material. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2018Date of Patent: February 9, 2021Assignees: HARRIS CORPORATION GCS, UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA CHARLOTTE, J.A. WOOLLAM CO. INC.Inventors: Tino Hofmann, Daniel Fullager, Stefan Schoeche, Craig M. Herzinger, Susanne Madeline Lee, Erin Kathleen Sharma
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Patent number: 10784650Abstract: Example photoconductive devices and example methods for using photoconductive devices are described. An example method may include providing a photoconductive device having a metal-semiconductor-metal structure. The method may also include controlling, based on a first input state, illumination of the photoconductive device by a first optical beam during a time period, and controlling, based on a second input state, illumination of the photoconductive device by a second optical beam during the time period. Further, the method may include detecting an amount of current produced by the photoconductive device during the time period, and based on the detected amount of current, providing an output indicative of the first input state and the second input state. The example devices can be used individually as discrete components or in integrated circuits for memory or logic applications.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2017Date of Patent: September 22, 2020Assignee: The University of North Carolina at CharlotteInventors: Yong Zhang, Jason Kendrick Marmon
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Patent number: 10782323Abstract: Various examples are provided for contactless wideband current sensing. A combination of magnetoresistive (MR) sensor and Rogowski coil outputs can be combined to provide current sensing from DC to 10 MHZ or more. In one example, a system includes a MR sensor that can provide an MR output voltage corresponding to a magnitude of the current through a trace; a Rogowski coil sensor that can provide a Rogowski output voltage corresponding to a magnitude of the current; and processing circuitry configured to generate an output current signal by aggregating the MR and Rogowski output voltages. In another example, a method includes conditioning an output from a MR sensor disposed adjacent to a trace carrying a current; conditioning an output from a Rogowski coil disposed adjacent to the trace; and aggregating the first and second conditioned signals to provide an output current signal corresponding to the current passing through the trace.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2017Date of Patent: September 22, 2020Assignee: University of North Carolina CharlotteInventors: Babak Parkhideh, Shahriar Jalal Nibir
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Patent number: 10727669Abstract: Apparatuses including power electronics circuitry are provided. The power electronics circuitry includes at least one power converter that is coupled to a DC bus. Moreover, in some embodiments, the at least one power converter is configured to regulate a voltage of the DC bus. Related methods of operating an apparatus including power electronics circuitry are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2018Date of Patent: July 28, 2020Assignees: Duke Energy Corporation, The University of North Carolina at CharlotteInventors: Stuart Laval, Aleksandar Vukojevic, Somasundaram Essakiappan, Madhav Manjrekar, Ehab Shoubaki
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Patent number: 10718597Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to significantly improving the adiabatic shear banding susceptibility of pure refractory metals as well as overcoming the physical dimension limitations when making kinetic energy penetrators. These improvements may be achieved by arranging interlayers between plasticly deformed refractory metal material layers. Disclosed herein are methods of making material for kinetic energy penetrator applications, the methods comprising: severely plasticly deforming a refractory metal material until the grain size of the refractory metal material is within one of ultrafine grain and nanocrystalline regimes; arranging an interlayer material adjacent the refractory metal material; and diffusion bonding the interlayer material to the refractory metal material.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2018Date of Patent: July 21, 2020Assignee: The University of North Carolina at CharlotteInventors: Qiuming Wei, Xiaoxue Chen
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Patent number: 10704855Abstract: A system and method for testing firearm operating characteristics are provided using a force testing apparatus coupled to all or a portion of the firearm. Of significance, the system and method are configured to test the interaction(s) of multiple firearm components during operation without a live round such that firearm component defects, manufacturing tolerance problems, misalignments, and the like can be discovered during or subsequent to manufacture and prior to use.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2018Date of Patent: July 7, 2020Assignee: The University of North Carolina at CharlotteInventor: James E. Amburgey
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Publication number: 20200199587Abstract: The description provides a molecular switch comprising at least two nanoparticles, wherein a first nanoparticle comprises DNA and/or RNA oligonucleotides, and a second nanoparticle which is complementary to the first nanoparticle comprises reverse complementary DNA and/or RNA oligonucleotides of the first nanoparticle; wherein the complementary nanoparticles interact under physiological conditions leading to thermodynamically driven conformational changes in the first and second nanoparticles leading to their re-association to release one or more duplexes comprising said DNA and/or RNA oligonucleotides and the reverse complementary DNA and/or RNA oligonucleotides, and wherein the nanoparticles are not rings and have no single stranded toeholds.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2018Publication date: June 25, 2020Applicants: The United States of America,as represented by the Secretary,Department of Health and Human Services, The University of North Carolina at CharlotteInventors: Bruce Allen Shapiro, Kirill Andreevich Afonin, Eckart H.U. Bindewald, Mathias D. Viard, Wojciech Kasprzak, Marina A. Dobrovolskaia, Justin R. Halman
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Patent number: 10662454Abstract: In one aspect, methods of treating lignocellulosic materials are described herein. In some embodiments, a method of treating a lignocellulosic material comprises degrading lignin of the lignocellulosic material with at least one fungus and hydrolyzing cellulose of the lignocellulosic material with at least one microorganism.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2011Date of Patent: May 26, 2020Assignee: University of North Carolina at CharlotteInventors: Richard Giles, Matthew Parrow
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Patent number: 10612995Abstract: Electronic nondestructive inspection tools for timber distribution poles are provided herein. An electronic nondestructive inspection tool includes a vibration sensor configured to perform a vibration measurement of a timber distribution pole. In some embodiments, the electronic nondestructive inspection tool includes a processor configured to perform operations including estimating decay of the timber distribution pole, using the vibration measurement and a physics model of the timber distribution pole; and outputting an indication of the decay of the timber distribution pole. Related methods are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2018Date of Patent: April 7, 2020Assignees: Duke Energy Corporation, The University of North Carolina at CharlotteInventors: Matthew Whelan, Jerry Ivey, Steven Mitchell Dulin
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Patent number: 10611627Abstract: In one aspect, single-sided microfluidic devices are described herein. In some embodiments, a single-sided microfluidic device comprises a substrate, a photoconductive layer positioned over the substrate, electrical contacts in electrical communication with the photoconductive layer, and a dielectric assembly positioned over the photoconductive layer. The dielectric assembly comprises a hydrophobic surface for receiving a liquid. In some embodiments, the dielectric assembly has an effective capacitance of about 10 ?F/m2 to about 10,000 ?F/m2 and/or an average thickness between about 20 nm and about 2000 nm.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2017Date of Patent: April 7, 2020Assignee: University of North Carolina at CharlotteInventors: Srinivas Akella, Vasanthsekar Shekar
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Patent number: 10585238Abstract: A photodetector focal plane array system having enhanced sensitivity and angle-of-view, including: a substrate including a plurality of photosensitive regions; and a microcomponent disposed adjacent to each of the plurality of photosensitive regions operable for receiving incident radiation from a relatively wider area and directing the incident radiation into a relatively smaller area of the associated photosensitive region by, in part, one or more of waveguiding and scattering; wherein each of the microcomponents is centered with respect to a photodetector mesa of each of the plurality of photosensitive regions. Each of the microcomponents includes one of a microcone, a microcuboid, a micropillar, a core-shell micropillar, a microtubule, a pyramid, an inverted pyramid, and an arbitrary shape microcomponent—with a top surface having a a selected or arbitrary cross-sectional shape and a selected or arbitrary profile.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2018Date of Patent: March 10, 2020Assignee: The University of North Carolina at CharlotteInventors: Vasily N. Astratov, Aaron Brettin, Nicholaos I. Limberopoulos, Augustine Urbas
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Patent number: 10574216Abstract: Method and apparatus to produce a step function with a designed transition (rise and/or fall) time on the order of <10 ns that reaches steady state by implementing a system that sums a number of currents at different rise times (frequencies) to generate the step function. The system also includes a passive output filter, composed of low resistance, inductance and very low capacitance to mitigate overshoot and high frequency noise.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2016Date of Patent: February 25, 2020Assignee: The University of North Carolina at CharlotteInventor: Elisa Nicole Hurwitz
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Patent number: 10562146Abstract: A finishing tool for modifying a surface of a part, including: a base, wherein the base is one or more of rotated and translated; and one or more fibers coupled to the base; wherein a base portion of each of the one or more fibers is disposed at a first angle relative to a major axis of the base, wherein the first angle is equal to or between ?90 degrees and 90 degrees; and wherein, in operation, an end portion of each of the one or more fibers is disposed at a second angle relative to the major axis of the base, wherein the second angle is approximately ?90 degrees or 90 degrees, substantially parallel to the surface of the part. In operation, the base portion and the end portion of each of the one or more fibers is coupled by a continuously curved intermediate portion.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2017Date of Patent: February 18, 2020Assignee: The University Of North Carolina At CharlotteInventors: Brigid Ann Mullany, Hossein Shahinian
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Patent number: 10549121Abstract: Systems and methods for efficient and automatic determination of radiation beam configurations for patient-specific radiation therapy planning are disclosed. According to an aspect, a method includes receiving data based on patient information and geometric characterization of one or more organs at risk proximate to a target volume of a patient. The method includes determining automatically one or more radiation treatment beam configuration sets. Further, the method includes presenting the determined one or more radiation beam configuration sets via a user interface.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2016Date of Patent: February 4, 2020Assignees: Duke University, The University of North Carolina at CharlotteInventors: Qingrong Jackie Wu, Yaorong Ge, Fang-Fang Yin, Lulin Yuan
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Patent number: 10554048Abstract: An energy storage system controller, including: an energy storage system coupled to a power distribution system; and a processor in communication with the energy storage system, wherein the processor executes: a renewables capacity firming algorithm operable for conditioning intermittent power of a renewable energy station using real time and historical input data such that it is made more stable and non-intermittent, optionally utilizing one or more parameter values associated with comparable time periods taking into account one or more factors comprising cloud state; and a peak load shaving algorithm operable for ensuring that the energy storage system is capable of transmitting full power capacity at a predicted feeder peak load time determined by the processor from real time and historical input data; wherein the performance of the renewables capacity firming algorithm and the performance of the peak load shaving algorithm are optimized in parallel.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2016Date of Patent: February 4, 2020Assignees: UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHARLOTTE, DUKE ENERGY CORPORATIONInventors: Sherif Abdelmageed Abdelrazek, Sukumar Kamalasadan, Johan H. R. Enslin, Daniel Blair Sowder
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Publication number: 20200008795Abstract: A system may include a laser configured to output laser light with a wavelength between 600-780 nm, and a radiation delivery device. The radiation delivery device may be configured to output the laser light to a mesh or suture implant so that the mesh or suture implant is exposed to the laser light. The mesh or suture implant is attached to a patient and surrounded at least partially by tissue of the patient. The mesh or suture implant is vaporized by exposure to the laser light while tissue exposed to the laser light is not damaged by the laser light.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2019Publication date: January 9, 2020Applicant: THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHARLOTTEInventor: Nathaniel M. FRIED
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Patent number: 10522703Abstract: A photovoltaic cell includes a junction, formed from an n-type semiconductor material and a p-type semiconductor material, a trench, opening toward the light-incident side of the junction, for trapping reflected light, and two photon conversion layers. A first photon conversion layer, arranged at the light-incident side of the junction, converts photons from a higher energy to a lower energy suitable for absorption by the semiconductor material, and a second photon conversion layer, arranged at the opposite side of the junction, converts photons from a lower energy to a higher energy suitable for absorption by the semiconductor material.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2018Date of Patent: December 31, 2019Assignee: The University of North Carolina at CharlotteInventors: Mohamad-Ali Hasan, Michael A. Fiddy, Terence A. Goveas
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Patent number: 10490762Abstract: In one aspect, light emitting devices are described herein. In some embodiments, a light emitting device described herein comprises an inorganic semiconductor substrate and a layer of quantum dots (QDs) covalently bonded to the inorganic semiconductor substrate. Such a device may further comprise an electrode and an overlayer positioned between the electrode and the layer of QDs. Moreover, the overlayer can be immediately adjacent to and in contact with the layer of QDs. Further, in some cases, the layer of QDs is a close-packed layer of QDs. Additionally, the light emitting device can be a green-emitting light emitting diode (LED) or an amber-emitting LED.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2016Date of Patent: November 26, 2019Assignee: University of North Carolina at CharlotteInventors: Michael G. Walter, Marcus Jones, Edward Stokes
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Patent number: 10463361Abstract: A system may include a laser configured to output laser light with a wavelength between 600-780 nm, and a radiation delivery device. The radiation delivery device may be configured to output the laser light to a mesh or suture implant so that the mesh or suture implant is exposed to the laser light. The mesh or suture implant is attached to a patient and surrounded at least partially by tissue of the patient. The mesh or suture implant is vaporized by exposure to the laser light while tissue exposed to the laser light is not damaged by the laser light.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2013Date of Patent: November 5, 2019Assignee: THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHARLOTTEInventor: Nathaniel M. Fried
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Patent number: 10439513Abstract: Various examples are directed to a converter system comprising first and second series-connected converter modules and a synchronization circuit. The synchronization circuit may modulate a reference signal onto a carrier signal to generate a synchronization current signal and the synchronization current signal to an output current of the converter system to generate an aggregated output current. A first converter module may receive the aggregated output current from a first current sensor and generate a first reproduced synchronization signal at least in part from the aggregated output current. A first switch control signal for switching at least one switch at the first converter may be generated based at least in part on the first reproduced synchronization signal.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2015Date of Patent: October 8, 2019Assignees: SINEWATTS, INC., THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHARLOTTEInventors: Robert Williams Cox, Daniel Wade Evans