Patents Examined by Alexander Noguerola
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Patent number: 9594043Abstract: Methods for determining a concentration of an analyte in a sample, and the devices and systems used in conjunction with the same, are provided herein. In one exemplary embodiment of a method for determining a concentration of an analyte in a sample, a sample including an analyte is provided in a sample analyzing device having a working and a counter electrode. An electric potential is applied between the electrodes and a first analyte concentration is determined. A second analyte concentration value is calculated from the first analyte concentration value and corrected for temperature effects, fill time and capacitance to provide for a final analyte concentration value.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2010Date of Patent: March 14, 2017Assignee: Cilag GmbH InternationalInventors: Ronald C. Chatelier, Alastair M. Hodges
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Patent number: 9593372Abstract: The present invention is directed to systems, devices and methods for identifying biopolymers, such as strands of DNA, as they pass through a constriction such as a carbon nanotube nanopore. More particularly, the invention is directed to such systems, devices and methods in which a newly translocated portion of the biopolymer forms a temporary electrical circuit between the nanotube nanopore and a second electrode, which may also be a nanotube. Further, the invention is directed to such systems, devices and methods in which the constriction is provided with a functionalized unit which, together with a newly translocated portion of the biopolymer, forms a temporary electrical circuit that can be used to characterize that portion of the biopolymer.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2014Date of Patent: March 14, 2017Assignee: ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS ON BEHALF OF ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITYInventors: Stuart Lindsay, Peiming Zhang
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Patent number: 9588080Abstract: A nanosensor for detecting molecule characteristics includes a membrane having an opening configured to permit a charged carbon nanotube to pass but to block a molecule attached to the carbon nanotube. The opening is filled with an electrolytic solution. An electric field generator is configured to generate an electric field relative to the opening to drive the charged carbon nanotubes through the opening. A sensor circuit is coupled to the electric field generator to sense current changes due to charged carbon nanotubes passing into the opening, and to bias the electric field generator to determine a critical voltage related to a force of separation between the carbon nanotube and the molecule.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2013Date of Patent: March 7, 2017Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Binquan Luan, Ruhong Zhou
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Patent number: 9588036Abstract: A microchip is provided that includes a flow path through which a liquid containing a micro particle flows, an orifice through which the liquid flowing through the flow path is discharged into a space outside the microchip, and a light-irradiated portion provided at a predetermined location of the flow path and configured to be irradiated with light. A width of the flow path and a depth of the flow path at the orifice are set to be smaller than a width of the flow path and a depth of the flow path at the light-irradiated portion, and the flow path is configured to gradually decrease from upstream of the orifice in a cross-section area perpendicular to a liquid-delivering direction between the light-irradiated portion and the orifice. A cartridge including the microchip is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2015Date of Patent: March 7, 2017Assignee: Sony CorporationInventor: Masataka Shinoda
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Patent number: 9588078Abstract: In a gas sensor 10, a powder compact 45a seals a void space between an inner peripheral surface 42c of metal-made main hardware 42 and a sensor element 20, and the inner peripheral surface 42c has arithmetic average roughness Ra of 0.5 to 5 ?m. The gas sensor 10 includes supporters 44a and 44b, which are arranged in a penetration hole of the main hardware 42, which allow the sensor element 20 to penetrate therethrough, and which press the powder compact 45a in sandwiching relation from both sides in an axial direction. A surface of at least one of the supporters 44a and 44b has the arithmetic average roughness Ra of not more than 0.5 ?m.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2015Date of Patent: March 7, 2017Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.Inventors: Yosuke Adachi, Miyoshi Makino, Koichi Masuda
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Patent number: 9572524Abstract: A method for monitoring a select analyte in a sample in an electrochemical system. The method includes applying to the electrochemical system a time-varying potential superimposed on a DC potential to generate a signal; and discerning from the signal a contribution from the select analyte by resolving an estimation equation based on a Faradaic signal component and a nonfaradaic signal component.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2015Date of Patent: February 21, 2017Assignee: AgaMatrix, Inc.Inventors: Sridhar G. Iyengar, Ian S. Harding
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Patent number: 9574228Abstract: The present invention provides a new and improved oligonucleotide detection method based on the nanopore technology with a probe containing a complementary sequence to the target oligonucleotide and a terminal extension at the probe's 3? terminus, 5? terminus, or both termini. The improved nanopore sensor with the probe enables sensitive, selective, and direct detection, differentiation and quantification of target oligonucleotides such as miRNAs. The inventive detection method may also be employed as a non-invasive and cost-effective diagnostic method for cancer detection based on miRNA levels in the patient's blood sample.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2016Date of Patent: February 21, 2017Assignee: The Curators of the University of MissouriInventors: Li-Qun Gu, Yong Wang, Kai Tian
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Patent number: 9567620Abstract: A resistive sensor for an analyte comprises a substrate, a conductive polymer layer and an oxidase layer. Hydrogen peroxide is produced via the reaction between analyte and oxidase when a liquid sample is applied to the sensor of the present invention. The produced hydrogen peroxide can oxidize peroxidase, which can be reduced by oxidizing the conductive polymer, thus resulting in decreased conductivity of the conductive polymer for determining the analyte concentration in the liquid sample. The present invention may be used for developing miniaturized and disposable electronic microsensors with high sensitivity and fast response, which can detect analyte level in typical physiological environment for routine monitoring.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2015Date of Patent: February 14, 2017Assignee: NATIONAL TSING HUA UNIVERSITYInventors: Yu-Lin Wang, Kuan-Chung Fang, Chia-Ho Chu
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Patent number: 9562876Abstract: Provided is a gas sensor capable of accurately obtaining a hydrocarbon gas concentration even if a measurement gas contains water vapor. A main pumping cell adjusts an oxygen partial pressure of a first internal space such that a hydrocarbon gas in a measurement gas is not substantially burned in the first internal space. An auxiliary pumping cell adjusts an oxygen partial pressure of a second internal space such that inflammable gas components except for hydrocarbon are selectively burned. Then, the measurement gas is introduced into a third internal space through a third diffusion control part. With oxygen concentration equilibrium kept in the third internal space, hydrocarbon existing in the measurement gas that has reached the third internal space is all burned. Then, the concentration of the hydrocarbon gas component existing in the measurement gas is identified based on the magnitude of a current flowing between the measuring electrode and the main pumping electrode at that time.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2014Date of Patent: February 7, 2017Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.Inventors: Osamu Nakasone, Shotarou Niizuma, Noriko Hirata, Yuki Nakayama
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Patent number: 9557291Abstract: A gas sensor control device (2) includes a digital control unit (31) (CPU 91 in detail) functioning as a digital filter unit (99). Even when high-frequency noise components are superimposed on an electrical signal transmitted to a digital control unit (31) from the electromotive force cell (24), the high-frequency noise components are eliminated by the digital filter unit (99). Therefore, a terminal voltage Vs across both terminals of the electromotive force cell (24) generated according to oxygen concentration can be suitably extracted. The digital control unit (31) can suitably perform feedback control of the pump current Ip based on the terminal voltage Vs generated across both terminals of the electromotive force cell (24) while suppressing the influence of high-frequency noise components.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2014Date of Patent: January 31, 2017Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.Inventor: Hiroshi Inagaki
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Patent number: 9557295Abstract: The invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for conducting analyses, particularly microfluidic devices for the detection of target analytes.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2015Date of Patent: January 31, 2017Assignee: OSMETECH TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventor: Jon Faiz Kayyem
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Patent number: 9551685Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of surface water monitoring. More specifically, the present invention provides low-cost, real-time bio-electrochemical sensors for surface water monitoring based on the metabolism of one or more electrogenic microbes.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2015Date of Patent: January 24, 2017Assignee: CAMBRIAN INNOVATION INC.Inventors: Justin Buck, Matthew Silver
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Patent number: 9546974Abstract: The present invention relates to improved electrochemical biosensor strips and methods for determining the concentration of an analyte in a sample. By selectively measuring a measurable species residing in a diffusion barrier layer, to the substantial exclusion of the measurable species residing exterior to the diffusion barrier layer, measurement errors introduced by sample constituents, such as red blood cells, and manufacturing variances may be reduced.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2015Date of Patent: January 17, 2017Assignee: Ascensia Diabetes Care Holdings AGInventor: Huan-Ping Wu
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Patent number: 9545631Abstract: Cartridge has a container with at least one well having a channel from a well opening to a container base side, protrusions on the container base side, and a flat polymer film with a hydrophobic upper surface kept at a distance from the base side by the protrusions. The container and film are reversibly attachable to a liquid droplet manipulation instrument so the lower surface of the film abuts at least one electrode array of the instrument. The container enables displacement of a liquid droplet from a well through the channel onto the hydrophobic upper surface and above the electrode array. The instrument has a control unit with a voltage control and an electrode selector for individually selecting each electrode of the electrode array and for providing the selected electrode with a voltage to controlling guided movement of a liquid droplet by electrowetting. A kit and method are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2014Date of Patent: January 17, 2017Assignee: Tecan Trading AGInventor: Marc N. Feiglin
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Patent number: 9546973Abstract: Measurement with a test strip having two working electrodes (12, 14), using the current transient (402, 404) for each working electrode measured at a predetermined durational offset (Tpred1, Tpred2) from a peak (408, 410) of the current transient.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2012Date of Patent: January 17, 2017Assignee: LifeScan Scotland LimitedInventor: Joanne McIlrath
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Patent number: 9534304Abstract: Methods and apparatus for moving and concentrating particles by applying an alternating driving field and an alternating field that alters mobility of the particles. The driving field and mobility-varying field are correlated with one another. The methods and apparatus may be used to concentrate DNA or RNA in a medium, for example. Methods and apparatus for extracting particles from one medium into another involve applying an alternating driving field that causes net drift of the particles from the first medium into the second medium but no net drift of the particles in the second medium.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2013Date of Patent: January 3, 2017Assignee: The University of British ColumbiaInventors: Andrea Marziali, Lorne Whitehead
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Patent number: 9535033Abstract: The analysis method allows analysis of samples with high sensitivity, irrespective of interelectrode distance. The method includes: a step of applying a voltage between a first electrode pair such that an electric field is formed in a direction intersecting a migration direction of a sample; a step of placing a solution, including an electrochemically active molecule that produces a redox reaction at the electrode pair, between the first electrode pair; a step of causing the sample to migrate; and a step of measuring an amount of change in current flow between the first electrode pair.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2013Date of Patent: January 3, 2017Assignee: QUANTUM BIOSYSTEMS INC.Inventors: Tomoji Kawai, Takahito Ohshiro, Masateru Taniguchi
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Patent number: 9534999Abstract: The present invention provides a single cancer direct detection device comprises an electrode having a nanopore biomimetic membrane inducing a bio-communication signal by cancer cells selectively under antibody-free and label-free condition. Methods of detecting cancer cells and monitoring cancer progresses in a contour map format are also discussed. In particular, the cancer cell heat release map comprises multiple variables correlations, a ratio of “Action potential/Resting potential” (RAPRP) as a special biomarker for the variable along with other variables of current or concentration makes visual display cancer progresses possible compared with normal cells which have negligible heat release.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2013Date of Patent: January 3, 2017Inventor: Ellen T. Chen
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Patent number: 9528960Abstract: A cross-sectional shape of a gap of a gas sensor element has an end point A which is one of contact points at which the cross-sectional shape is in single-point contact with a virtual straight line parallel to a lamination direction, the one contact point being closest to one side of the laminated structure, an end point B which is one of the contact points closest to another side of the laminated structure, an end point C having the greatest separation from a straight line AB toward a solid electrolyte ceramic layer, and an end point D having the greatest separation from the straight line AB toward another ceramic layer. The distance H1 between the straight line AB and the end point C and the distance H2 between the straight line AB and the end point D satisfy 0.25?H1/H2<1.00 or 1.00<H1/H2?4.00.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2014Date of Patent: December 27, 2016Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.Inventor: Seiji Oya
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Patent number: 9528961Abstract: An exhaust gas sensor (100; 200) is configured so as to detect an oxygen concentration or air-fuel ratio in exhaust gas. The exhaust gas sensor includes a sensor element (10) and a manganese reaction layer (20). The sensor element detects an oxygen concentration or air-fuel ratio. The manganese reaction layer is formed on at least part of a surface of the sensor element and is formed of a substance containing an element capable of generating a complex oxide having manganese through reaction with a manganese oxide in the exhaust gas. The exhaust gas sensor is configured to detect an oxygen concentration or air-fuel ratio in exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine that utilizes a fuel having a Mn concentration in excess of 20 ppm.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2013Date of Patent: December 27, 2016Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tomohiro Miwa, Sumio Kamiya, Hirotaka Sakakibara, Tomoaki Shinma