Patents Assigned to Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama
  • Patent number: 10812184
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally pertains to signal analysis systems and methods for measuring and characterizing signal attributes, such as noise. A signal analysis system comprises an optical receiver that receives an optical signal and converts the received signal into an electrical signal. A programmable frequency divider divides the frequency of the incoming electrical signal at different division ratios, and a signal analyzer analyzes the resulting signal. In this regard, by increasing the division ratio of the frequency divider and measuring the power spectral density with the signal analyzer at different division ratios, a suitable signal for determining different parameters (e.g., modulation frequency and modulation index) may be found.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama, for and on behalf of the University of Alabama in Huntsville
    Inventors: Lingze Duan, Dipen K. Barot
  • Patent number: 10775440
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems for measuring impedance spectrum, power or energy density, and/or spectral density using frequency component analysis of power converter voltage and current ripple are described herein. An example method for measuring impedance spectrum, power spectrum, or spectral density can include measuring an alternating current (AC) ripple associated with a power converter, where the AC ripple includes an AC current ripple and an AC voltage ripple. The method can also include performing a frequency analysis to obtain respective frequency components of the AC current ripple and the AC voltage ripple, and calculating an impedance spectrum, a power spectrum, or a spectral density of an electrical component based on the respective frequency components of the AC current ripple and the AC voltage ripple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama
    Inventor: Jaber A. Abu Qahouq
  • Patent number: 10736566
    Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring food intake include an air pressure sensor for detecting ear canal deformation, according to some implementations. For example, the air pressure sensor detects a change in air pressure in the ear canal resulting from mandible movement. Other implementations include systems and methods for monitoring food intake that include a temporalis muscle activity sensor for detecting temporalis muscle activity, wherein at least a portion of the temporalis muscle activity sensor is coupled adjacent a temple portion of eyeglasses and disposed between the temple tip and the frame end piece. The temporalis muscle activity sensor may include an accelerometer, for example, for detecting movement of the temple portion due to mandibular movement from chewing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama
    Inventors: Edward Sazonov, Muhammad Farooq
  • Patent number: 10718884
    Abstract: A weather forecasting system has memory for storing satellite image data and numerical weather prediction (NWP) model data, which indicates predicted atmospheric conditions for a geographic region. At least one processor is programmed to identify a cumulus cloud within the satellite image data and to define a zone of influence around the cumulus cloud. The zone of influence represents a boundary for the NWP model data to be used by the processor for predicting whether the cumulus cloud will produce a weather event (e.g., precipitation, convective storm, etc.) in the future.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama, for and on behalf of the University of Alabama in
    Inventor: John R. Mecikalski
  • Patent number: 10688274
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to combine multiple stimulation modalities to significantly increase the effectiveness of non-invasive stimulation. Multiple sensor and stimulation devices and modalities can be combined into a single, compact unit that minimizes the need for additional sensors or stimulation devices. The system features several subunits, referred to as sensory and stimulation devices (SSD), that are integrated into a headphone setup. The system is controlled by a centralized controller that communicates with all of the SSDs and with an external computer system that delivers learning material synchronized with the delivery of stimulations and the collection of user responses based on physiological signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama, for and on behalf of the University of Alabama in Huntsville
    Inventor: Emil Jovanov
  • Patent number: 10694303
    Abstract: A sound system for broadcasting audio is disclosed. The sound system utilizes speaker unit carried by a lighter-than-air airship that is connected to a base station using a tether. The airship elevates the speaker unit to a height much larger than the height of the largest ground obstruction. Accordingly, more listeners may hear and understand the message because multipath reflections and shadow regions are reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama
    Inventor: William Steve Shepard, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10682622
    Abstract: A micro-fluidic reactor may comprise a photosensitive glass substrate with a plurality of features produced by etching. The features may include micro-channels, micro-lenses, and slots for receiving optical fibers. During operation of the micro-fluidic reactor, the optical fibers may transmit optical signals for measuring characteristics of fluid reagents and reactions taking place. The micro-lenses may focus optical signals from the optical fibers to create an approximately collimated optical path for the optical signals, reducing optical spread and enhancing fiber-to-fiber optical power coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama, for and on behalf of the University of Alabama in Huntsville
    Inventors: William Randall Gaillard, John D. Williams
  • Patent number: 10685776
    Abstract: An integrated magnetic inductor is provided with an inductor coil, magnetic film, and a substrate. The magnetic film can be placed between the neighboring inductor coils, and the thickness of the magnetic film is greater than the coil thickness. In addition, the magnetic film includes exchange-coupled magnetic materials. The exchange-coupled magnetic materials provide improved permeability and fFMR at the frequency of interest for the integrated magnetic inductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama
    Inventors: Yang-Ki Hong, Jaejin Lee
  • Patent number: 10686691
    Abstract: Disclosed and described herein are smart, high-speed UV communication protocols, inspired by the biological principles. The disclosed and described protocols use a ‘pipe’ routing topology to deliver large amount of data among the UVs equipped with multi-beam antennas. The disclosed and described embodiments include bio-inspired pipe routing and adaptive batch coding (ABC) based congestion control. In regard to bio-inspired pipe routing, a human's brain uses highly cooperative neuro cells to memorize everything. Inspired by neuro networks, a pipe architecture with high-throughput node-to-node data delivery is disclosed and described herein. The pipe routing uses multi-beam antennas to achieve parallel data transmission. In regard to ABC based congestion control, a new network coding called ABC is disclosed, which can minimize traffic congestion occurrences in the above pipe routing. The disclosed and described transport layer protocol includes both end-to-end reliability and congestion control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignees: The Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama, San Diego State University (SDSU) Foundation
    Inventors: Fei Hu, Qian Mao, Lei Hu, Sunil Kumar
  • Patent number: 10677458
    Abstract: Implementations of a combustor assembly yield low emissions, require low power, are suitable for alternate liquid fuels, including highly viscous fuels, and are scalable for various heat release rates. The combustor assembly includes a fuel injector and a swirler. The fuel injector may include a choke portion and a spacer. The choke portion is disposed just upstream of an outlet of a liquid fuel conduit and prevents atomizing gas from interrupting continuous flow of the liquid fuel through the liquid fuel conduit. The spacer is disposed downstream of the outlet to precisely control the gap and thus, bifurcation of atomizing gas flow, between the outlet of liquid fuel conduit and an inlet of an orifice plate. The swirler is disposed radially outwardly and adjacent the fuel injector and includes a plurality of angled vanes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama
    Inventor: Ajay K. Agrawal
  • Patent number: 10667980
    Abstract: A motorized robotic walker is capable of moving automatically with the user through an algorithmic process using a 3D camera image processing system. The image processing system can measure relative motion of the user versus the robotic walker and a microprocessor can generate PWM signal to drive motors of the robotic walker so that the robotic walker can follow the user's motion automatically and provide assistance if needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama
    Inventors: Xiangrong Shen, Tao Shen, Md Rayhan Afsar, Cang Ye
  • Patent number: 10670771
    Abstract: A weather forecasting system may receive satellite image samples and identify an updraft and components of the updraft within a cloud. These satellite image samples are collected over time (e.g., at 30 second to 1 minute time intervals). The system may identify an area of rotation and/or divergence at cloud top in a cumulus cloud or mature convective storm over time by comparing the samples and determine a parameter indicative of the updraft based on the area of rotation and divergence. The system may estimate aspects of the environment related to storm development and predict the occurrence of a weather event in the future based on the parameter and generate an output indicative of the occurrence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama, for and on behalf of the University of Alabama in Hunstville
    Inventor: John R. Mecikalski
  • Patent number: 10630636
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to implement an anti-censorship framework that includes moving target defense systems and methods. The framework can be implemented at a web server hosting content that is intended to be accessed by one or more users. The web server can utilize dynamically changing IP addresses to avoid filtering and blocking (and also from being attacked) by censors. Users can be assigned to random groups and provided with a dynamic IP address of the web server that is unique for that group. After some time interval (called a shuffling interval), the web server can generate new sets of dynamic IP addresses and re-randomize the user groups and update the users with new IP addresses for the web server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama, for and on behalf of the University of Alabama in Huntsville
    Inventor: Vahid Heydari
  • Patent number: 10613252
    Abstract: A weather forecasting system has a data processing system that receives weather data from one or more sources and processes such data in conjunction with a weather forecasting algorithm in order to forecast weather for one or more geographic regions. In this regard, the weather data is input into a machine learning algorithm, which applies learned weights and relationships to the inputs in order to calculate at least one score indicating a probability that precipitation or other weather event will occur in the future within a certain time period (e.g., within the next 1 hour or some other unit of time) in one or more geographic regions. For each such geographic region, the weather forecasting logic may also predict the extent to which rain or other precipitation, lightning, or other weather event will occur during the time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama, for and on behalf of the University of Alabama in Huntsville
    Inventor: John R. Mecikalski
  • Patent number: 10582286
    Abstract: A system and method of treating hyperacusis is presented. The system uses a customizable, patient-specific, in-ear device combining sound attenuation with loudness suppression and a noise generator to expand the dynamic range of a patient. This device is used with novel software and counseling to provide a patient-specific treatment to hypersensitivity to sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignees: University of South Florida, The Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama, SoundsGood Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: David Alan Eddins, Charles Craig Formby, Stephen W. Armstrong
  • Patent number: 10554683
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to implement moving target defense techniques for transportation systems. The moving target defense techniques can randomly change the IP addresses of the nodes associated with both the vehicles and the corresponding control centers. The nodes for the vehicles and the control centers can be “mobile” nodes that use a “care-of” IP address for communications. The care-of address used by the nodes can be updated through a binding update process. During the binding update process, the one node sends the binding update notice (with a new care-of address) to the care-of address of the other node while maintaining its prior care-of address. The node that receives the binding update notice can send a binding acknowledgement back to the node that sent the binding update. Once the binding acknowledgement is received, the prior care-of address can be removed by the node that sent the binding update.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama, for and on behalf of the University of Alabama in Huntsville
    Inventor: Vahid Heydari
  • Patent number: 10534812
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed indexing digital content. The method may include receiving a plurality of pieces of digital content from a plurality of sources and identifying a time stamp associated with each piece of digital content. The method may also include associating the digital content together into groups based on the time stamps. Moreover, the method may include providing access to the associated digital content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA
    Inventor: Steven L. MacCall
  • Patent number: 10522914
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method and system for using ferrite cores to suppress harmonic radiation with microstrip patch antennas. In certain embodiments, the ferrites cores exemplified herein significantly suppressed second and third harmonic radiation generated by RF components coupled to the microstrip patch antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama
    Inventors: Yang-Ki Hong, Woncheol Lee
  • Publication number: 20190394551
    Abstract: A system and method of treating hyperacusis is presented. The system uses a customizable, patient-specific, in-ear device combining sound attenuation with loudness suppression and a noise generator to expand the dynamic range of a patient. This device is used with novel software and counseling to provide a patient-specific treatment to hypersensitivity to sound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Applicants: University of South Florida, The Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama, SoundsGood Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: David Alan Eddins, Charles Craig Formby, Stephen W. Armstrong
  • Patent number: 10509132
    Abstract: A radiation detection system may include a mobile device having a flash memory. The device may monitor various characteristics of the flash memory to determine when damage to the flash memory has occurred from radiation exposure. The device may associate damage to the flash memory with a radiation dose, and determine a level of radiation to which the memory, and thus the device, has been exposed. The device also may determine a length of time and locations where the radiation exposure has occurred. If the device determines that the level of radiation exposure exceeds a threshold associated with a safe level of radiation exposure for a human user, the device may generate an alert to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama, for and on behalf of the University of Alabama in Huntsville
    Inventors: Biswajit Ray, Levi Scott Davies