Patents Assigned to Sandia
  • System and method for communicating in a lossy environment
    Patent number: 8462829
    Abstract: A method of wireless communication in a lossy environment entails generating a direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) code string that includes a pseudo-noise (PN) sequence followed by instances of shifted PN sequences, where the shifted PN sequences are produced in response to the content of the message. The PN sequence includes a plurality of chips arranged in a first order, and each of the shifted PN sequences includes the plurality of chips arranged in another order. A beacon signal modulated by the DSSS code string is transmitted from a transceiver and received at a receiver within the communication system. Correlation peaks are formed at the receiver, where each correlation peak is associated with one of the PN sequences or one of the shifted PN sequences. Shift values are determined from the correlation peaks and the shift values are decoded to produce the message at the receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Sandia Research Corporation
    Inventors: Steven M. Shope, Vigneswaran Rajagopalan
  • Projectile-generating explosive access tool
    Patent number: 8459185
    Abstract: A method for generating a projectile using an explosive device that can generate a projectile from the opposite side of a wall from the side where the explosive device is detonated. The projectile can be generated without breaching the wall of the structure or container. The device can optionally open an aperture in a solid wall of a structure or a container and form a high-kinetic-energy projectile from the portion of the wall removed to create the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Juan-Carlos Jakaboski, Chance G. Hughs, Steven N. Todd
  • Method for making nanomaterials
    Patent number: 8455048
    Abstract: A method of making a nanostructure by preparing a face centered cubic-ordered metal nanoparticle film from metal nanoparticles, such as gold and silver nanoparticles, exerting a hydrostatic pressure upon the film at pressures of several gigapascals, followed by applying a non-hydrostatic stress perpendicularly at a pressure greater than approximately 10 GPA to form an array of nanowires with individual nanowires having a relatively uniform length, average diameter and density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Hongyou Fan, Huimeng Wu
  • Strain-compensated infrared photodetector and photodetector array
    Patent number: 8450773
    Abstract: A photodetector is disclosed for the detection of infrared light with a long cutoff wavelength in the range of about 4.5-10 microns. The photodetector, which can be formed on a semiconductor substrate as an nBn device, has a light absorbing region which includes InAsSb light-absorbing layers and tensile-strained layers interspersed between the InAsSb light-absorbing layers. The tensile-strained layers can be formed from GaAs, InAs, InGaAs or a combination of these III-V compound semiconductor materials. A barrier layer in the photodetector can be formed from AlAsSb or AlGaAsSb; and a contact layer in the photodetector can be formed from InAs, GaSb or InAsSb. The photodetector is useful as an individual device, or to form a focal plane array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Jin K. Kim, Samuel D. Hawkins, John F. Klem, Michael J. Cich
  • Frequency selective infrared sensors
    Patent number: 8452134
    Abstract: A frequency selective infrared (IR) photodetector having a predetermined frequency band. The exemplary frequency selective photodetector includes: a dielectric IR absorber having a first surface and a second surface substantially parallel to the first surface; an electrode electrically coupled to the first surface of the dielectric IR absorber; and a frequency selective surface plasmonic (FSSP) structure formed on the second surface of the dielectric IR absorber. The FSSP structure is designed to selectively transmit radiation in the predetermined frequency band that is incident on the FSSP structure substantially independent of the angle of incidence of the incident radiation on the FSSP structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Paul Davids, David W. Peters
  • High efficiency III-nitride light-emitting diodes
    Patent number: 8451877
    Abstract: Tailored doping of barrier layers enables balancing of the radiative recombination among the multiple-quantum-wells in III-Nitride light-emitting diodes. This tailored doping enables more symmetric carrier transport and uniform carrier distribution which help to reduce electron leakage and thus reduce the efficiency droop in high-power III-Nitride LEDs. Mitigation of the efficiency droop in III-Nitride LEDs may enable the pervasive market penetration of solid-state-lighting technologies in high-power lighting and illumination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Mary Crawford, Daniel Koleske, Jaehee Cho, Di Zhu, Ahmed Noemaun, Martin F. Schubert, E. Fred Schubert
  • BIOLOGICAL DETECTOR AND METHOD
    Publication number: 20130127464
    Abstract: A biological detector includes a conduit for receiving a fluid containing one or more magnetic nanoparticle-labeled, biological objects to be detected and one or more permanent magnets or electromagnet for establishing a low magnetic field in which the conduit is disposed. A microcoil is disposed proximate the conduit for energization at a frequency that permits detection by NMR spectroscopy of whether the one or more magnetically-labeled biological objects is/are present in the fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicants: Sandia Corporation, STC.UNM
    Inventor: STC.UNM
  • Imaging doppler velocimeter with downward heterodyning in the optical domain
    Patent number: 8446575
    Abstract: In a Doppler velocimeter, the incoming Doppler-shifted beams are heterodyned to reduce their frequencies into the bandwidth of a digital camera. This permits the digital camera to produce at every sampling interval a complete two-dimensional array of pixel values. This sequence of pixel value arrays provides a velocity image of the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Phillip L. Reu, Bruce D. Hansche
  • Latching micro optical switch
    Patent number: 8447148
    Abstract: An optical switch reliably maintains its on or off state even when subjected to environments where the switch is bumped or otherwise moved. In addition, the optical switch maintains its on or off state indefinitely without requiring external power. External power is used only to transition the switch from one state to the other. The optical switch is configured with a fixed optical fiber and a movable optical fiber. The movable optical fiber is guided by various actuators in conjunction with a latching mechanism that configure the switch in one position that corresponds to the on state and in another position that corresponds to the off state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Ernest J. Garcia, Marc A. Polosky
  • PELLETIZED MOLECULAR SIEVES AND METHOD OF MAKING MOLECULAR SIEVES
    Publication number: 20130121911
    Abstract: A shaped body formed of a crystalline molecular sieve powder is disclosed. The shaped body may be formed of crystalline metal-organic framework (MOF). The shaped body is formed with no reduction in sorption capacity or accessible surface area compared to the initial crystalline molecular sieve powder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2012
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: Sandia Corporation
    Inventor: Sandia Corporation
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COMMUNICATING IN A LOSSY ENVIRONMENT
    Publication number: 20130114643
    Abstract: A method of wireless communication in a lossy environment entails generating a direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) code string that includes a pseudo-noise (PN) sequence followed by instances of shifted PN sequences, where the shifted PN sequences are produced in response to the content of the message. The PN sequence includes a plurality of chips arranged in a first order, and each of the shifted PN sequences includes the plurality of chips arranged in another order. A beacon signal modulated by the DSSS code string is transmitted from a transceiver and received at a receiver within the communication system. Correlation peaks are formed at the receiver, where each correlation peak is associated with one of the PN sequences or one of the shifted PN sequences. Shift values are determined from the correlation peaks and the shift values are decoded to produce the message at the receiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: SANDIA RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steven M. Shope, Vigneswaran Rajagopalan
  • Screening portal, system and method of using same
    Patent number: 8429987
    Abstract: A portal, system and method for screening an object for a target substance is provided. The portal includes an inflatable bladder expandable to form a test space for receiving the object and a plurality of nozzles positioned about the inflatable bladder. The nozzles are in fluid communication with a fluid source for directing air over the object whereby samples are removed from the object for examination. A collector is operatively connected to the inflatable bladder for collecting the samples removed from the object. A detector is operatively connected to the collector for examining the removed samples for the presence of the target substance. At least one preconcentrator may be operatively connected to the collector for concentrating the samples collected thereby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin L. Linker, John A. Hunter, Charles A. Brusseau
  • Secure videoconferencing equipment switching system and method
    Patent number: 8432835
    Abstract: Examples of systems described herein include videoconferencing systems having audio/visual components coupled to a codec. The codec may be configured by a control system. Communication networks having different security levels may be alternately coupled to the codec following appropriate configuration by the control system. The control system may also be coupled to the communication networks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: David H. Dirks, Diane Gomes, Corbin J. Stewart, Robert A. Fischer
  • Low-dislocation-density epitatial layers grown by defect filtering by self-assembled layers of spheres
    Patent number: 8425681
    Abstract: A method for growing low-dislocation-density material atop a layer of the material with an initially higher dislocation density using a monolayer of spheroidal particles to bend and redirect or directly block vertically propagating threading dislocations, thereby enabling growth and coalescence to form a very-low-dislocation-density surface of the material, and the structures made by this method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: George T. Wang, Qiming Li
  • Weak-link capacitor
    Patent number: 8426321
    Abstract: A process for making a dielectric material where a precursor polymer selected from poly(phenylene vinylene)polyacetylene, poly(p-phenylene), poly(thienylene vinylene), poly(1,4-naphthylene vinylene), and poly(p-pyridine vinylene) is energized said by exposure by radiation or increase in temperature to a level sufficient to eliminate said leaving groups contained within the precursor polymer, thereby transforming the dielectric material into a conductive polymer. The leaving group in the precursor polymer can be a chloride, a bromide, an iodide, a fluoride, an ester, an xanthate, a nitrile, an amine, a nitro group, a carbonate, a dithiocarbamate, a sulfonium group, an oxonium group, an iodonium group, a pyridinium group, an ammonium group, a borate group, a borane group, a sulphinyl group, or a sulfonyl group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Shawn M. Dirk, Ross S. Johnson, David R. Wheeler, Gregory R. Bogart
  • High temperature flow-through device for rapid solubilization and analysis
    Patent number: 8426135
    Abstract: Devices and methods for thermally lysing of biological material, for example vegetative bacterial cells and bacterial spores, are provided. Hot solution methods for solubilizing bacterial spores are described. Systems for direct analysis are disclosed including thermal lysers coupled to sample preparation stations. Integrated systems capable of performing sample lysis, labeling and protein fingerprint analysis of biological material, for example, vegetative bacterial cells, bacterial spores and viruses are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Sandia National Laboratories
    Inventors: Jason A. A. West, Kyle W. Hukari, Kamlesh D. Patel, Kenneth A. Peterson, Ronald F. Renzi
  • Mitigating illumination gradients in a SAR image based on the image data and antenna beam pattern
    Patent number: 8427358
    Abstract: Illumination gradients in a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image of a target can be mitigated by determining a correction for pixel values associated with the SAR image. This correction is determined based on information indicative of a beam pattern used by a SAR antenna apparatus to illuminate the target, and also based on the pixel values associated with the SAR image. The correction is applied to the pixel values associated with the SAR image to produce corrected pixel values that define a corrected SAR image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventor: Armin W. Doerry
  • Thermally switchable dielectrics
    Patent number: 8427809
    Abstract: Precursor polymers to conjugated polymers, such as poly(phenylene vinylene), poly(poly(thiophene vinylene), poly(aniline vinylene), and poly(pyrrole vinylene), can be used as thermally switchable capacitor dielectrics that fail at a specific temperature due to the non-conjugated precursor polymer irreversibly switching from an insulator to the conjugated polymer, which serves as a bleed resistor. The precursor polymer is a good dielectric until it reaches a specific temperature determined by the stability of the leaving groups. Conjugation of the polymer backbone at high temperature effectively disables the capacitor, providing a ‘built-in’ safety mechanism for electronic devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Shawn M. Dirk, Ross S. Johnson
  • Tracking moving radar targets with parallel, velocity-tuned filters
    Patent number: 8427359
    Abstract: Radar data associated with radar illumination of a movable target is processed to monitor motion of the target. A plurality of filter operations are performed in parallel on the radar data so that each filter operation produces target image information. The filter operations are defined to have respectively corresponding velocity ranges that differ from one another. The target image information produced by one of the filter operations represents the target more accurately than the target image information produced by the remainder of the filter operations when a current velocity of the target is within the velocity range associated with the one filter operation. In response to the current velocity of the target being within the velocity range associated with the one filter operation, motion of the target is tracked based on the target image information produced by the one filter operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas L. Bickel, David W. Harmony, Timothy P. Bielek, Jeff A. Hollowell, Margaret S. Murray, Ana Martinez
  • Method for making nanoporous hydrophobic coatings
    Patent number: 8425981
    Abstract: A simple coating method is used to form nanoporous hydrophobic films that can be used as optical coatings. The method uses evaporation-induced self-assembly of materials. The coating method starts with a homogeneous solution comprising a hydrophobic polymer and a surfactant polymer in a selective solvent. The solution is coated onto a substrate. The surfactant polymer forms micelles with the hydrophobic polymer residing in the particle core when the coating is dried. The surfactant polymer can be dissolved and selectively removed from the separated phases by washing with a polar solvent to form the nanoporous hydrophobic film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Hongyou Fan, Zaicheng Sun