Patents Assigned to The European Union, represented by the European Commission
-
Patent number: 11933740Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the detection of at least one nano or micro plastic particle comprised in a heterogeneous matrix material comprising the following steps: applying of at least one part of a heterogeneous matrix material comprising at least one nano or micro plastic particle onto at least a portion of a surface of a conductive support thereby forming a first layer onto said surface, irradiating of at least a portion of said first layer with at least one ion beam, thereby forming an irradiated layer, detecting of the at least one nano or micro plastic particle comprised in said irradiated layer by a detection method chosen from the group of Raman nanoscopic techniques, or infrared nanoscopic techniques, or charge dependent detection methods or combination thereof. The present invention allowed good detection of micro and nano plastic particles with high resolution and sensitivity.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2020Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: THE EUROPEAN UNION, REPRESENTED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSIONInventors: Andrea Valsesia, Grigore Rischitor, Douglas Gilliland, Jessica Ponti, Francesco Fumagalli, Monica Quarato, Pascal Colpo, Isaac Ojea Jimenez
-
Patent number: 11827384Abstract: A system includes a satellite structure and a dedicated Payload Attaching Fitting PAF for releasable attachment to said satellite structure. The satellite structure an external load-carrying structure; and external vertical planar panels. The external vertical planar panels have internal reinforcements or embedded structures or skin thickness reinforcements, each configured for exerting the structural reinforcement function of diagonal beams in a truss structure architecture.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2019Date of Patent: November 28, 2023Assignee: THE EUROPEAN UNION, REPRESENTED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSIONInventors: Aniceto Panetti, Paolo Galassi, Giuseppe Landella, Vincenzo Carofano
-
Publication number: 20220301735Abstract: 225actinium is produced from 226radium by irradiating a liquid 226radium target by means of protons, deuterons or gamma irradiation in an irradiation device (2) and by extracting the produced 225actinium out of the irradiated liquid target solution in a first extraction device (6). The liquid target solution from which the 225actinium has been removed is then irradiated again to produce further 225actinium therein. The liquid target solution is preferably circulated, in a closed loop (4), over the irradiation device and in a further closed loop (7) over the first extraction device (6). An advantage of such a method is that the irradiated target solution does not need to be dried and re-dissolved to be able to separate the produced actinium from the radium and no further drying and re-dissolving step is needed for producing the liquid target again starting from the separated radium.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2020Publication date: September 22, 2022Applicant: THE EUROPEAN UNION, REPRESENTED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSIONInventors: Rikard MALMBECK, Roberto CACIUFFO, Nidhu Lal BANIK
-
Patent number: 11448772Abstract: Described herein is a method for improving the reception of a satellite navigation message divided in several pages and transmitted by one or several satellites. A satellite navigation message M of k pages is encoded inn pages, and any k retrieved pages from any satellite enables decoding of the original satellite navigation message M. An implementation of the method uses parallel block encoding for a binary erasure channel with high parity and zero overhead, where symbols at a fixed position of all pages are encoded in parallel into shorter codes. This method achieves full page interchangeability in the message transmission, optimizes message reception and reduces decoding cost.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2019Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: THE EUROPEAN UNION, REPRESENTED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSIONInventor: Ignacio Fernàndez-Hernàndez
-
Patent number: 11385355Abstract: A method carried out in a radionavigation system (2), the radionavigation system (2) comprising a receiver (4) and a radionavigation infrastructure (6), the radionavigation infrastructure comprising a plurality of satellite-borne transmitters (8, 8?, 8?, 8??), and encryption component (10) configured for communication with the transmitters (8, 8?, 8?, 8??) and the receiver (4). The method comprises the following, for one or more given transmitters (8) of the plurality of satellite-borne transmitters (8, 8?, 8?, 8??). In the radionavigation infrastructure (6), a series of keys k2,i are generated in respect of a predetermined authentication interval [0,T] of duration T and commencing at t=0 and a spreading code-encrypted signal e(t) is generated from a first radionavigation signal s1(t) using a keystream K1(t), the keystream K1(t) being generated with a secret key k1 of the radionavigation infrastructure (6).Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2018Date of Patent: July 12, 2022Assignee: THE EUROPEAN UNION, REPRESENTED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSIONInventor: Ignacio Fernandez Hernandez
-
Publication number: 20220196749Abstract: A computer-implemented method for electrochemical impedance spectroscopy of an electrochemical cell. The method comprises: applying a periodic perturbation with a predetermined carrier wave form on the potential or the current; simultaneously measuring an influence of the periodic perturbation on the other one of the potential or the current and a displacement or a stress of a working electrode of the electrochemical cell; extracting, using lock-in amplifiers, from the other one of the potential or the current an electrical parameter signal with the predetermined carrier wave form and from the displacement or a stress measurement signal a mechanical parameter signal with the predetermined carrier wave form. This enables measuring a response in two different physical parameters from applying a single periodic perturbation to yet another physical parameter.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2020Publication date: June 23, 2022Applicant: The European Union, Represented by the European CommissionInventors: Akos Kriston, Andreas Pfrang
-
Publication number: 20220136980Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the detection of at least one nano or micro plastic particle comprised in a heterogeneous matrix material comprising the following steps: applying of at least one part of a heterogeneous matrix material comprising at least one nano or micro plastic particle onto at least a portion of a surface of a conductive support thereby forming a first layer onto said surface, irradiating of at least a portion of said first layer with at least one ion beam, thereby forming an irradiated layer, detecting of the at least one nano or micro plastic particle comprised in said irradiated layer by a detection method chosen from the group of Raman nanoscopic techniques, or infrared nanoscopic techniques, or charge dependent detection methods or combination thereof. The present invention allowed good detection of micro and nano plastic particles with high resolution and sensitivity.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2020Publication date: May 5, 2022Applicant: The European Union, represented by the European CommissionInventors: Andrea Valsesia, Grigore Rischitor, Douglas Gilliland, Jessica Ponti, Francesco Fumagalli, Monica Quarato, Pascal Colpo, Isaac Ojea Jimenez
-
Publication number: 20210221540Abstract: A system includes a satellite structure and a dedicated Payload Attaching Fitting PAF for releasable attachment to said satellite structure. The satellite structure an external load-carrying structure; and external vertical planar panels. The external vertical planar panels have internal reinforcements or embedded structures or skin thickness reinforcements, each configured for exerting the structural reinforcement function of diagonal beams in a truss structure architecture.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 3, 2019Publication date: July 22, 2021Applicant: The European Union, Represented by the European CommissionInventors: Aniceto PANETTI, Paolo GALASSI, Giuseppe LANDELLA, Vincenzo CAROFANO
-
Publication number: 20200393569Abstract: Described herein is a method for improving the reception of a satellite navigation message divided in several pages and transmitted by one or several satellites. A satellite navigation message M of k pages is encoded in n pages, and any k retrieved pages from any satellite enables decoding of the original satellite navigation message M. An implementation of the method uses parallel block encoding for a binary erasure channel with high parity and zero overhead, where symbols at a fixed position of all pages are encoded in parallel into shorter codes. This method achieves full page interchangeability in the message transmission, optimizes message reception and reduces decoding cost.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 3, 2019Publication date: December 17, 2020Applicant: THE EUROPEAN UNION, REPRESENTED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSIONInventor: Ignacio FERNÀNDEZ-HERNÀNDEZ
-
Publication number: 20200355018Abstract: A tamper prevention system comprising a storage unit is described. The storage unit comprises at least one storage compartment for storing a sealing element for containers, and a control system configured for detecting opening of the at least one storage compartment. Each storage compartment comprises a leash element connected to the control system and provided for being connected to a sealing element to be stored in the storage compartment. The control system is configured for monitoring the integrity of the leash element. The tamper prevention system comprises movement protection device configured for detecting and/or preventing movement of the storage unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2018Publication date: November 12, 2020Applicant: THE EUROPEAN UNION, REPRESENTED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSIONInventor: Francois Littmann
-
Patent number: 10830772Abstract: Uses of ethyl 5,11-dihydroindolo[3,2-b]carbazole-6-carboxylate as a fluorescent ligand probe, preferably in a binding assay for quantitative analysis in combination with a recombinant aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) protein. A method for detection or quantitative analysis of suspected aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) ligands in a sample, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a sample possibly containing at least one known or unknown AhR ligand; (b) mixing said sample with a composition comprising a recombinant AhR protein bound to ethyl 5,11-dihydroindolo[3,2-b]carbazole-6-carboxylate; and (c) determining the presence or the total amount of said at least one known or unknown AhR ligand in the sample by fluorescence spectroscopy. Use e.g.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2016Date of Patent: November 10, 2020Assignee: THE EUROPEAN UNION, REPRESENTED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSIONInventors: Teresa Lettieri, Valentina Elisabetta Viviana Ferrero
-
Publication number: 20200290926Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing thermal energy storage components comprising phase change material embedded into porous components, in particular for use in cement-based compositions. The method comprises: an impregnation step (10) comprising introducing phase change material into porous components inside a main vessel (102) by vacuum impregnation; an injection step (12) at a temperature within a melting temperature range of said phase change material and under an overpressure, in order vacuuming to force the phase change material into the porous components; and an entrapment step (14) comprising reducing the temperature inside the main vessel, while maintaining an the overpressure, in order to lower the viscosity of said phase change material.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2018Publication date: September 17, 2020Applicant: The European Union, Represented by the European CommissionInventors: Marco Gianni Luigi LAMPERTI TORNAGHI, Alessio CAVERZAN
-
Patent number: 10732290Abstract: A radio navigation system (100; 400), comprising a plurality of satellite-borne transmitters (110, 114, 118, 122) and at least one ground-based receiver (104), the receiver (104) being adapted to receive radionavigation signals (112, 116, 120, 124; 412, 416, 420, 424) from each of a plurality of the transmitters (110, 114, 118, 122). Each of the transmitters (110, 114, 118, 122) and the receiver (104) being adapted to access a predetermined first key chain, the first key chain comprising a first encryption key (K; Kj) and one or more further encryption keys (K; Kj,1, Kj,2, Kj,3, Kj,4).Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2015Date of Patent: August 4, 2020Assignee: THE EUROPEAN UNION, REPRESENTED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSIONInventor: Ignacio Fernandez Hernandez
-
Patent number: 10677928Abstract: A method of processing offset carrier modulated, OCM, ranging signals in a radionavigation system including a plurality of satellite-borne transmitters and at least one ground-based receiver includes receiving a first radionavigation signal from at least one of the plurality of satellite-borne transmitters and down-converting and digitizing the first radionavigation signal to derive therefrom a first OCM signal SA, receiving a second signal SB synchronously broadcast with the first OCM signal SA, the second signal SB having the same or substantially the same center frequency as the first OCM signal SA, coherently combining the first OCM signal SA with the second signal SB at the receiver to generate a combined signal SC, generating a combined correlation value YC corresponding to a correlation of the combined signal SC with a local replica of the first OCM signal SC, and deriving ranging information based on the combined correlation value YC.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2016Date of Patent: June 9, 2020Assignee: THE EUROPEAN UNION, REPRESENTED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSIONInventors: James T. Curran, Matteo Paonni, Michele Bavaro, Joaquim Fortuny-Guasch
-
Publication number: 20190369262Abstract: A method carried out in a radionavigation system (2), the radionavigation system (2) comprising a receiver (4) and a radionavigation infrastructure (6), the radionavigation infrastructure comprising a plurality of satellite-borne transmitters (8, 8?, 8?, 8??), and encryption component (10) configured for communication with the transmitters (8, 8?, 8?, 8??) and the receiver (4). The method comprises the following, for one or more given transmitters (8) of the plurality of satellite-borne transmitters (8, 8?, 8?, 8??). In the radionavigation infrastructure (6), a series of keys k2,i are generated in respect of a predetermined authentication interval [0, T] of duration T and commencing at t=0 and a spreading code-encrypted signal e(t) is generated from a first radionavigation signal s (t) using a keystream K1(t), the keystream K1(t) being generated with a secret key k1 of the radionavigation infrastructure (6).Type: ApplicationFiled: January 15, 2018Publication date: December 5, 2019Applicant: The European Union, Represented by the European CommissionInventor: Ignacio FERNANDEZ HERNANDEZ
-
Patent number: 10408727Abstract: A nanoparticle screening chip and a method using said chip allowing for determining physical properties of nanoparticles, wherein the screening chip comprises a substrate having a working surface divided into a plurality of areas, wherein (1) each of these areas presents different surface properties defined by surface energy component (d,b,a), the total free energy ?TOT of the surface of each area being defined as follows: ?TOT=?LW+2(?+??)0.5, wherein the components are: ?LW=dispersive component=d, ?+=electron acceptor component=b, ??=electron donor component=a; and (2) each of these areas comprises a plurality of subareas, each subarea comprising an array of sub-micrometric holes or elongated grooves with a different aperture size (S1, S2, S3, . . . ).Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2016Date of Patent: September 10, 2019Assignee: THE EUROPEAN UNION, REPRESENTED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSIONInventors: Andrea Valsesia, Cloé Desmet, Pascal Colpo, François Rossi
-
Patent number: 10024769Abstract: A diffusive sampling device (1) comprises a porous hollow diffusion body (3) removably held on a support body (2), an adsorbent body (4) located inside said diffusion body (3), wherein the hollow diffusion body (3) has a cylindrically shaped wall with an upper section comprising a closed upper end and a distal lower section comprising an open lower end and wherein the diffusion body (3) is held on the support body (2) by means of one or more o-rings (7) fixed to its lower section, wherein the adsorbent body (4) is kept in a predetermined place inside the upper section of the diffusion body (3) by way of an elastic means, such as a spring (6). The use of such devices as well as a method for air sampling and monitoring.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2013Date of Patent: July 17, 2018Assignee: THE EUROPEAN UNION, REPRESENTED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSIONInventor: Pascual Perez Ballesta
-
Patent number: 9952325Abstract: The invention introduces “crossed” navigation message authentication, which comprises a) generation and transmission of unpredictable bits periodically from satellites currently not connected to the ground mission segment and b) generation of digital signatures for the data from these satellites, and the transmission thereof through satellites that currently are connected to the ground mission segment. An attacker cannot spoof the navigation message as it contains an unpredictable bit pattern that is verified a few seconds later through a digital signature.Type: GrantFiled: July 4, 2014Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: THE EUROPEAN UNION, REPRESENTED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSIONInventor: Ignacio Fernandez-Hernandez
-
Patent number: 9395363Abstract: A sensor device comprises a dielectric substrate (52); and a metal layer (53) on the substrate (52) with at least one array of cavities (54) therein and adapted to support L-SPR, each of the cavities (54) in the metal layer (53) having an opening (56) and a closed bottom (58) and widening from opening to bottom. A bed of dielectric material (62) is provided over the bottom (58) of each cavity (54) to reduce its apparent depth, the bed surface (62) being functionalized to bind to receptor moieties (64). This sensor device is particularly designed for SPR detection, but can be used in other detection techniques.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2012Date of Patent: July 19, 2016Assignees: THE EUROPEAN UNION, REPRESENTED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, PLASMORE SRLInventors: Andrea Valsesia, Franco Marabelli, Silvia Giudicatti, Gerardo Marchesini, François Rossi, Pascal Colpo
-
Patent number: 9394656Abstract: A passive method for protecting taut cables from vibrations comprising the perpendicularly attachment of a device comprising a unilateral spring or a shape memory alloy wire to a taut cable at an attachment position wherein the device (especially the unilateral spring of the shape memory alloy wire of the device) acts on the taut cable only when the vibrating taut cable exceeds a switch position (SP); a device for protecting a taut cable from vibrations, as well as the use of such a device in a construction.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2013Date of Patent: July 19, 2016Assignee: THE EUROPEAN UNION, REPRESENTED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSIONInventors: Daniel Tirelli, Armelle Anthoine