Patents Assigned to EPFL
  • Patent number: 7295717
    Abstract: The present invention aims at synthesizing superposition images formed either by band moire shapes or by shape level lines for making the information forwarded by valuable articles or by time pieces such as watches and clocks more dynamic, as well as for improving their attractiveness and aesthetics. A further application is publicity. For synthesizing band moiré images, the present invention relies on a band moiré image layout model allowing to obtain the layout of the base the band grating, given the layouts of the band moire image and of the revealing line grating. Base and revealing layer layouts may be conceived to create band moiré image shapes whose patterns move e.g. radially, circularly, or according to a spiral trajectory. Shape level lines occur in a superposition image when e.g. a base layer comprising modified sets of lines is superposed with a revealing layer comprising a line grating. Such a base layer embeds a shape elevation profile generated from an initial motif shape image (e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
    Inventors: Roger D. Hersch, Sylvain Chosson, Ran Seri, Pascal Fehr
  • Publication number: 20070240207
    Abstract: Method of detecting anomalous behaviour in a computer network comprising the steps of—monitoring network traffic flowing in a computer network system,—authenticating users to which network packets of the network traffic are associated,—extracting parameters associated to the network packets for each user, said parameters including at least the type (T) of network services,—forming symbols based on a combination of one or more of said parameters, and—modelling and analysing individual user behavior based on sequences of occurrence of said symbols (S).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2005
    Publication date: October 11, 2007
    Applicant: ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FEDERALE DE LAUSANNE (EPFL)
    Inventors: Omar Belakhdar, Pedro Bados, Boi Flatings
  • Patent number: 7261144
    Abstract: A heat transfer assembly for transferring heat from a heat generating device to a circulating fluid, said heat transfer assembly comprising an evaporator device having at least one microchannel formed therein, in thermally conductive contact with said heat generating device, a condenser device, actuating means and manifold means for circulating said fluid between said evaporator device and said condenser device, wherein said heat transfer assembly further comprises a bubble generator capable to create bubbles in said at least one microchannel at a controlled frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
    Inventors: John R. Thome, Vincent Dupont
  • Publication number: 20070193519
    Abstract: The invention relates to an effusing source for film deposition made of a reservoir comprising one hole characterized by the fact that the hole diameter is less than one order of magnitude than the mean free path of the molecules determined by the pressure and its thickness is at least one order of magnitude smaller than the diameter. Preferably the source has several holes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2007
    Publication date: August 23, 2007
    Applicant: Ecole Polytechnique Federale De Lausanne (EPFL)
    Inventors: Giacomo Benvenuti, Estelle Halary-Wagner, Simone Amorosi, Patrik Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 7252001
    Abstract: The invention relates to an inertial sensor based on the magnetic levitation of an inertial mass comprising an active magnetic bearing unit arranged in such a way as to levitate the inertial mass and characterized by the fact that it furthermore comprises additional active magnetic bearings units arranged in such a way as to control the position of said inertial mass along three independent axis and to create, for any of said independent axis, restoring forces that can be oriented in any of the two directions of these independent axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL)
    Inventors: Alexis Boletis, François Barrot, Roland Moser
  • Patent number: 7252360
    Abstract: The present invention proposes a method and a computing system for deducing ink thickness variations from spectral reflectance measurements performed on a printing press or on a printer. The computed ink thickness variations enable controlling the ink deposition and therefore the color accuracy, both in the case of high-speed printing presses and of network printers. Ink thickness variations are expressed as ink thickness variation factors incorporated into a spectral prediction model. The method for computing ink thickness variations comprises both calibration and ink thickness variation computation steps. The calibration steps comprise the calculation of ink transmittances from measured reflectances and the computation of possibly wavelength-dependent ink thicknesses of solid superposed inks. Wavelength-dependent ink thicknesses account for the scattering behavior of non-transparent inks or of inks partly entering into the paper bulk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
    Inventors: Roger D. Hersch, Peter Amrhyn, Matthias Riepenhoff
  • Publication number: 20070082336
    Abstract: A method for labeling acyl carrier protein (ACP) fusion proteins with a wide variety of different labels is disclosed. The method relies on the transfer of a label from a coenzyme A type substrate to an ACP fusion protein using a holo-acyl carrier protein synthase (ACPS) or a homologue thereof. The method allows detecting and manipulating the fusion protein, both in vitro and in vivo, by attaching molecules to the fusion proteins that introduce a new physical or chemical property to the fusion protein. Examples of such labels are, among others, spectroscopic probes or reporter molecules, affinity tags, molecules generating reactive radicals, cross-linkers, ligands mediating protein-protein interactions or molecules suitable for the immobilization of the fusion protein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2004
    Publication date: April 12, 2007
    Applicant: EPFL-ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FEDERALE DE LAUSANNE
    Inventors: Kai Johnsson, Nathalie George
  • Publication number: 20070041611
    Abstract: The present invention aims at synthesizing superposition images formed either by band moire shapes or by shape level lines for making the information forwarded by valuable articles or by time pieces such as watches and clocks more dynamic, as well as for improving their attractiveness and aesthetics. A further application is publicity. For synthesizing band moiré images, the present invention relies on a band moiré image layout model allowing to obtain the layout of the base the band grating, given the layouts of the band moire image and of the revealing line grating. Base and revealing layer layouts may be conceived to create band moiré image shapes whose patterns move e.g. radially, circularly, or according to a spiral trajectory. Shape level lines occur in a superposition image when e.g. a base layer comprising modified sets of lines is superposed with a revealing layer comprising a line grating. Such a base layer embeds a shape elevation profile generated from an initial motif shape image (e.g.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2006
    Publication date: February 22, 2007
    Applicant: Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL)
    Inventors: Roger Hersch, Sylvain Chosson, Ran Seri, Pascal Fehr
  • Publication number: 20060192086
    Abstract: An integrated imager circuit comprising a monolithic array of single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) for capturing an image of a scene when said scene is hit by an optical pulse, said array comprising: a plurality of SPADs connected to 2D readout circuits determines the intensity of the light reflected by said scene by counting the number of photons received by said SPADs during a period of time, a plurality of SPADs connected to 3D readout circuits determines the distance to said scene by determining the elapsed time between the emission of each pulse and reception of the corresponding reflected photons.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2006
    Publication date: August 31, 2006
    Applicant: Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne EPFL
    Inventors: Christiano Niclass, Edoardo Charbon, Pierre-Andre Besse, Alexis Rochas
  • Patent number: 7081428
    Abstract: Supported photooxidation catalysts containing a metal oxide or metal ion as catalyst which is fixed to the support by means of carboxylate moieties are an alternative to existing such catalysts, particularly if low cost supports such as organic polymers, particularly polyethylene, are used. The supported photocatalysts can be used in mineralisation of organic pollutants in both liquids and gases and show reduced leaching of the catalyst and good resistance towards reactive oxygen species generated during the degradation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL)
    Inventor: Ravindranathan Thampi
  • Patent number: 7060681
    Abstract: The application describes ligands for binding targets, the ligands preferably including peptides having at least one sulfated or sulfonated amino acid. The ligand preferably specifically binds to heparin binding sites of biomolecules. Compositions, systems, and methods for making and using the ligands are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL)
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Hubbell, Ronald Schoenmakers, Heather D. Maynard
  • Patent number: 7058202
    Abstract: This invention discloses new methods, security devices and apparatuses for authenticating documents and valuable articles which may be applied to any support, including transparent synthetic materials and traditional opaque materials such as paper. The invention relates to moire intensity profiles which occur in the superposition of specially designed random structures. By using specially designed random basic screen and random master screen, where at least the basic screen is comprised in the document, a moire intensity profile of a chosen shape becomes visible in their superposition, thereby allowing the authentication of the document. An important advantage of the present invention is that it can be incorporated into the standard document printing process, so that it offers high security at the same cost as standard state of the art document production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
    Inventor: Isaac Amidror
  • Patent number: 7054038
    Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for the reproduction of color images by multi-color dithering. Multi-color dithering is an extension of bi-level dithering for halftoning an input image using as primary colors an arbitrary number of inks. The inks may comprise standard inks or non-standard inks such as non-process color inks, opaque inks, metallic inks, variable color inks and fluorescent inks. Multi-color dithering provides a solution for creating artistic multi-color dithered images, whose screen elements are made of artistic color screen shapes such as micro-letters, symbols and ornaments. When printed at high resolution and at high registration accuracy, multi-color dithering using large dither arrays incorporating artistic dither shapes provides an effective solution for preventing counterfeiting. The use of non-standard inks offers additional protection. Multi-color dithering also offers a solution for printers requiring that all inks are printed side by side, without overlaps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
    Inventors: Victor Ostromoukhov, Roger D. Hersch
  • Patent number: 7042029
    Abstract: A solid state p-n heterojunction comprising an electron conductor and a hole conductor; it further comprises a sensitising semiconductor, said sensitizing semiconductor being located at an interface between said electron conductor and said hole conductor. In particular, the sensitizing semiconductor is in form of quantum-dots. A solid state sensitized photovoltaic cell comprises such a heterojunction between two electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL)
    Inventors: Michael Graetzel, Robert Plass, Udo Bach
  • Patent number: 7027660
    Abstract: A method of generating an image incorporating a microstructure includes the steps of obtaining an original image, generating a microstructure, and rendering a region or the whole said original image with said microstructure. The operation of generating the microstructure includes an automatic synthesis of microstructure elements from original microstructure shapes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL)
    Inventors: Roger David Hersch, Bernard Wittwer, Edouard Forler, Patrick Emmel, Daniel Biemann, Daniel Gorostidi, Dominique Bongard
  • Patent number: 6956333
    Abstract: This invention relates to a device for emitting addressable locations comprises parallel spaced-apart first conductors (10) intersecting with parallel spaced-apart second conductors (11). The intersecting first and second conductors define addressable locations where electrons (12) are emitted in response to the application of an energizing voltage. One face of the first conductors is covered with an insulating layer (13) against which the second conductors (11) are applied, this insulating layer (13) forming a tunnel barrier for hot electrons (12) that travel ballistically through and are emitted from the second conductors (11) in response to the application of the energizing voltage. The emitted electrons impinge a target (30, 40, 50) which can be a light-emitting screen of a flat panel display, such as an electroluminescent polymer of a flat panel screen, or an electroluminescent phosphorous screen, or a target wafer bombarded by the electrons emitted from a flexible e-beam lithography mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignees: Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL)
    Inventors: Harald Brune, Detlev Gruetzmacher
  • Publication number: 20050204817
    Abstract: The invention relates to an inertial sensor based on the magnetic levitation of an inertial mass comprising an active magnetic bearing unit arranged in such a way as to levitate the inertial mass and characterized by the fact that it furthermore comprises additional active magnetic bearings units arranged in such a way as to control the position of said inertial mass along three independent axis and to create, for any of said independent axis, restoring forces that can be oriented in any of the two directions of said independent axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2003
    Publication date: September 22, 2005
    Applicant: ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FEDERALE DE LAUSANNE (EPFL)
    Inventors: Alexis Boletis, Francois Barrot, Roland Moser
  • Patent number: 6943924
    Abstract: The present invention is related to a method for performing digital holographic imaging (DHI), said DHI being characterized by the fact that images of a sample are obtained by applying numerical means to reconstruct holograms of the sample. In the method of the invention, the sample is in a medium with controlled properties that influence the behaviour of the sample, and/or that influence the process of hologram formation. The information content of one hologram, or of a plurality of holograms, recorded with the sample in one medium, or in a plurality of medium, is used to reconstruct one image of the sample, or a plurality of images of the sample, that describe quantitatively one property of the sample, or a plurality of properties of the sample. The present invention is also related to an apparatus with which to perform said method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignees: Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), Universite de Lausanne /BRA
    Inventors: Pierre Marquet, Etienne Cuche, Christian Depeursinge, Pierre Magistretti
  • Patent number: 6905516
    Abstract: The invention concerns a bone substitute with controlled anatomical shape and macroporous structure made from chemically consolidated cement phosphocalcic materials. Said substitute can be obtained by forming a liquid or plastic paste consisting of calcium phosphate and other hardly soluble calcium slats. The forming by molding used with a paste and its chemical consolidation ex-vivo enables an entity to obtain a substitute having a more or less large size whereof the controllable anatomical shape corresponds to that of the bone block to be replaced, and an adapted macroporous architecture promoting rehabitation and resproption of the substitute, while ensuring the best initial mechanical properties and their being preserved until the graft is definitely replaced by the newly formed bone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL)
    Inventors: Jacques Lemaitre, Stéphane Terrazzoni
  • Patent number: 6890778
    Abstract: An electrically pumped VCSEL and a method of its fabrication are presented. The VCSEL comprises an active cavity material sandwiched between top and bottom DBR stacks, the top DBR having at least one n-semiconductor layer. The device defines an aperture region between the structured surface of the active cavity material and the n-semiconductor layer of the top DBR stack. The structured surface is formed by a top surface of a mesa that includes at least the upper n++ layer of a p++/n++ tunnel junction and the surface of a p-type layer outside the mesa. The structured surface is fused to the surface of the n-semiconductor layer of the DBR stack due to the deformation of these surfaces, thereby creating an air gap in the vicinity of the mesa between the fused surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: EPFL
    Inventors: Elyahou Kapon, Vladimir Iakovlev, Alexei Sirbu, Alok Rudra