Patents Assigned to The Government of the United States of America, as represented the Secretary of the Navy
  • Distributed Clock System for the Synchronization of Instrumentation
    Publication number: 20220107401
    Abstract: A method for a distributed clock system (DCS) device that includes receiving a GPS signal, determining that a first current time equals a predetermined start time, and generating a shifted GPS signal by applying a configurable delay to the received GPS signal, the shifted GPS signal alternating between a low value and a high value. The method includes responsive to a falling edge of the shifted GPS signal, generating an ARM signal having a rising edge after a falling edge of the shifted GPS signal, and responsive to the ARM signal being high and the shifted GPS signal being high, generating an output enable signal. The method includes transmitting, while the output enable signal is high, a triggering signal, the triggering signal having one or more synchronizing pulses that cause one or more sampling devices to sample data according to the frequency associated with the raw clock signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Applicant: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Blake J. Landry, Charles R. Key
  • Concurrent utilization of monolayer graphene as the planar-alignment layers and the transparent conductive electrodes in electro-optic liquid crystal devices
    Patent number: 11294253
    Abstract: A graphene and liquid crystal device comprising a substrate, a layer of graphene on the substrate, and a layer of liquid crystal on the layer of graphene. A graphene and liquid crystal device wherein the layer of graphene is an alignment layer and an electrode for a liquid crystal device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Rajratan Basu, Daniel Kinnamon, Christopher M. Spillmann, Jakub Kolacz, Jesse A. Frantz, Jason D. Myers
  • Rechargeable zinc/air batteries
    Patent number: 11296373
    Abstract: A zinc-air battery having: a cathode, an anode, an electrolyte, a separator between the anode and the cathode, and a housing. The cathode includes: a cathode current collector and a composite having a porous carbon material, a porous cryptomelane-type MnOx material, a porous NiyFe1-yOx material, and a binder. The anode includes: a continuous network having metallic zinc and having metallic zinc bridges connecting metallic zinc particle cores and a continuous network of void space interpenetrating the zinc network. The electrolyte fills the void space in the anode, is in contact with the cathode, and permeates the composite without completely filling or obstructing a majority of the pores. The housing encloses the anode, the cathode, and the separator and exposes the composite to ambient air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Joseph F. Parker, Jeffrey W. Long, Debra R. Rolison, Christopher N. Chervin
  • Bidirectional charging panel
    Patent number: 11296506
    Abstract: The invention relates to a bidirectional charging panel (BCP). The BCP includes a relay for controlling a combustion engine and a battery voltage sensor for monitoring a battery voltage. The BCP also includes a grid switch to transfer continuous power between the battery and a grid interface, where the grid interface further includes a grid voltage sensor for monitoring a grid voltage of a grid of devices and a grid direct current outlet to transfer power to and from a grid of devices. The BCP also includes a controller to manage the flow of power between the battery and the grid of devices, where the controller uses the relay to start or stop the combustion according to the battery voltage and uses the grid interface to transfer power from the grid of devices to the battery in response to determining the battery voltage is lower than the grid voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Austin Galya Fleming, Elizabeth Ann Geiss, Benjamin William Rathwell, Anthony Gerard Pollman
  • Borosulfate proton conducting materials
    Patent number: 11296346
    Abstract: Borosulfate salts of protic Brønsted bases, for example NH4[B(SO4)2], can serve as proton conductors in electrochemical devices such as fuel cells, flow batteries, and electrolyzers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Albert Epshteyn, Matthew D. Ward, Brian L. Chaloux
  • Siloxane and glucoside surfactant formulation for fire-fighting foam applications
    Patent number: 11291875
    Abstract: Disclosed is a firefighting composition of the surfactants below and water. The values of m, n, x, and y are independently selected positive integers. R is an organic group. R? is a siloxane group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Ramagopal Ananth, Arthur W. Snow, Katherine Hinnant, Spencer L. Giles
  • Methods, apparatuses and systems for time delay estimation
    Patent number: 11290212
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems for calculating time delays by a Wasserstein approach are provided. A plurality of signals are recorded by a plurality of sensors (three or more), respectively, and received at a controller. The plurality of signals recorded by the plurality of sensors are generated in response to a signal emitted by a source. The plurality of signals are converted into a plurality of probability density functions. A cumulative distribution transform for each of the plurality of probability density functions is calculated. A time delay for each unique pair of the plurality of sensors is calculated by minimizing a Wasserstein distance between two cumulative distribution transforms corresponding to the unique pair of the plurality of sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Meredith N. Hutchinson, Jonathan M. Nichols, Gustavo K. Rohde, Nicole Menkart, Geoffrey A. Cranch
  • Leads and polynyas forecasting
    Patent number: 11287550
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to leads and polynyas forecasting. Initially observed ice forecast data is obtained for a geographic area of interest, which is then used to generate an ice grid based on the observed ice data, where the ice grid includes grid cells that map polar regions. At this stage, daily opening rates are determined based on the ice grid, where each daily opening rate indicates an opening speed of a corresponding ice event, and daily convergence strain rates are determined based on the ice grid, where each daily convergence strain rate indicates a convergence of the corresponding ice event. For each day, a daily opening rate is weighted and then adjusting by a daily convergence strain rate. A forecasted opening rate on a target date is determined based on the weighted, adjusted daily opening rates. Predicted openings of the polar region can be rendered based on the forecasted opening rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Pamela Posey, Richard Arthur Allard, Julia Crout, Gregg Arthur Jacobs
  • Modular, multifunctional nanoparticle-based bioconjugate for realtime visualization of cellular membrane potential
    Patent number: 11287430
    Abstract: A construct for detecting cellular membrane potential includes a nanoparticle operable as an electron donor; a modular peptide attached to the nanoparticle, the peptide comprising a nanoparticle association domain, a motif configured to mediate peptide insertion into the plasma membrane, and at least one attachment point for an electron acceptor positioned at a controlled distance from the nanoparticle; and an electron acceptor. The nanoparticle can be a quantum dot and the electron acceptor can be C60 fullerene. Emission correlates with cellular membrane potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: James B. Delehanty, Michael H. Stewart, Okhil Nag, Jeffrey R. Deschamps, Kimihiro Susumu, Eunkeu Oh, Lauren D. Field, Alexander L. Efros, Alan L. Huston, Igor L. Medintz, Philip E. Dawson
  • Floating base vector sensor
    Patent number: 11287508
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for sensing acoustic signals using a floating base vector sensor. A vector sensor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can be used to detect and characterize low frequency sound wave(s) in a viscous medium (e.g., air, water, etc.) by detecting a periodic motion of the media particles associated with the sound wave(s). The orientation of the particle velocity deduced from such measurements can provide information regarding the wave vector of the sound wave(s), can define the direction of arrival (DOA) for the acoustic signal, and can assist locating the source of the sound of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Maxim K. Zalalutdinov, Douglas M. Photiadis, Joseph A. Bucaro, Brian H. Houston
  • System and method for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based foreign object debris (FOD) detection
    Patent number: 11281905
    Abstract: A computer-based system and method allows a user to automatically aerially inspect a selected runway/taxiway/tarmac surface for foreign object debris (FOD) using a plurality of UAVs equipped with electro-optical (EO) sensors. Live images of the runway surface captured by the EO sensors are transmitted from the UAVs during an inspection sweep of the runway surface and are compared with FOD-free reference images of the runway surface to determine whether candidate FOD are detected on the runway surface. Information about and images of candidate FOD are displayed to the user allowing the user to determine whether to send a team to remove the FOD from the runway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Oleg A. Yakimenko
  • Direct electrical detection of current-induced spin polarization due to spin-momentum locking in topological insulators
    Patent number: 11280856
    Abstract: A device for directly electrically generating and detecting the current-generated spin polarization in topological insulators, comprising a first and fourth contact on a layer of Bi2Se3 and a second contact comprising a ferromagnet/oxide tunnel barrier contact as a detector, and a third contact comprising nonmagnetic metal as a reference contact, a current to the first and fourth contact to produce a net spin polarization, and the spin polarization manifesting as a voltage between the second (magnetic) and third (reference) contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Connie H. Li, Olaf M. J. van 't Erve, Jeremy T. Robinson, Ying Liu, Lian Li, Berend T. Jonker
  • PHOTOCHROMIC LIQUID CRYSTAL ELECTROSPUN COAXIAL POLYMER FIBERS
    Publication number: 20220081804
    Abstract: A fiber having a polymer sheath and a core. The core has a liquid crystal and a compound capable of photoisomerization, such as that shown below. A method of: providing a first solution of a polymer, providing a second solution of a liquid crystal and compound capable of photoisomerization, and electrospinning the first solution and the second solution to form the fiber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Applicant: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Jeffrey G. Lundin, Matthew D. Thum, Riccardo Casalini, Daniel Ratchford
  • Morphological components analysis for maritime target detection
    Patent number: 11275168
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for morphological components analysis (MCA) techniques for efficient maritime target detection. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems, methods, and devices for determining the free parameter ? for MCA analysis. Embodiments of the present disclosure using MCA utilize effective pre-processing step(s) that separate target signals from clutter, thereby improving the overall performance of subsequent target detection processing. Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure can optimize the value of the parameter ?, significantly affecting MCA performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Mark A. Sletten, Hatim Alqadah
  • Method for fabrication of copper-indium gallium oxide and chalcogenide thin films
    Patent number: 11271124
    Abstract: A composition of matter having a coated silicon substrate with multiple alternating layers of polydopamine and polyallylamine bound copper-indium-gallium oxide (CIGO) nanoparticles on the substrate. A related composition of matter having polyallylamine bound to CIGO nanoparticles to form PAH-coated CIGO nanoparticles. A related CIGO thin film made via conversion of layer-by-layer assembled CIGO nanoparticles and polyelectrolytes. CIGO nanoparticles are created via a flame-spray pyrolysis method using metal nitrate precursors, subsequently coated with polyallylamine (PAH), and dispersed in aqueous solution. Multilayer films are assembled by alternately dipping a substrate into a solution of either polydopamine or polystyrenesulfonate and then in the CIGO-PAH dispersion to fabricate CIGO films as thick as 1-2 microns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Walter J. Dressick, Jasbinder S. Sanghera, Woohong Kim, Colin C. Baker, Jason D. Myers, Jesse A. Frantz
  • Alkali metal doped molybdenum carbide supported on gamma-alumina for selective COhydrogenation into CO
    Patent number: 11266980
    Abstract: A method for CO2 hydrogenation via the reverse water-gas shift (RWGS) reaction using alkali metal-doped molybdenum carbide, supported on gamma alumina (A-Mo2C/?-Al2O3, A=K, Na, Li). The A-Mo2C/?-Al2O3 catalyst is synthesized by co-impregnation of molybdemun and alkali metal precursors onto a ?-Al2O3 support. It is then carburized to form the A-Mo2C/?-Al2O3. Also disclosed is the related catalyst material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Marc Porosoff, Heather D. Willauer
  • Laser speckle reduction and photo-thermal speckle spectroscopy
    Patent number: 11262241
    Abstract: A photo-thermal speckle spectroscopy device having an infrared laser, a visible laser, a foam, and a camera. The infrared and visible lasers are focused on the foam, which causes the visible laser to scatter. A camera records the speckle pattern, which shifts when the IR laser is turned on. The related method of photo-thermal speckle spectroscopy is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Robert Furstenberg, Chris Kendziora, R. Andrew McGill
  • GaN Devices With Ion Implanted Ohmic Contacts and Method of Fabricating Devices Incorporating the Same
    Publication number: 20220059353
    Abstract: A method for activating implanted dopants and repairing damage to dopant-implanted GaN to form n-type or p-type GaN. A GaN substrate is implanted with n- or p-type ions and is subjected to a high-temperature anneal to activate the implanted dopants and to produce planar n- or p-type doped areas within the GaN having an activated dopant concentration of about 1018-1022 cm?3. An initial annealing at a temperature at which the GaN is stable at a predetermined process temperature for a predetermined time can be conducted before the high-temperature anneal. A thermally stable cap can be applied to the GaN substrate to suppress nitrogen evolution from the GaN surface during the high-temperature annealing step. The high-temperature annealing can be conducted under N2 pressure to increase the stability of the GaN. The annealing can be conducted using laser annealing or rapid thermal annealing (RTA).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Applicant: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Travis J. Anderson, James C. Gallagher, Marko J. Tadjer, Alan G. Jacobs, Boris N. Feigelson
  • GaN Devices With Ion Implanted Ohmic Contacts and Method of Fabricating Devices Incorporating the Same
    Publication number: 20220059352
    Abstract: A method for activating implanted dopants and repairing damage to dopant-implanted GaN to form n-type or p-type GaN. A GaN substrate is implanted with n- or p-type ions and is subjected to a high-temperature anneal to activate the implanted dopants and to produce planar n- or p-type doped areas within the GaN having an activated dopant concentration of about 1018-1022 cm?3. An initial annealing at a temperature at which the GaN is stable at a predetermined process temperature for a predetermined time can be conducted before the high-temperature anneal. A thermally stable cap can be applied to the GaN substrate to suppress nitrogen evolution from the GaN surface during the high-temperature annealing step. The high-temperature annealing can be conducted under N2 pressure to increase the stability of the GaN. The annealing can be conducted using laser annealing or rapid thermal annealing (RTA).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Applicant: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Travis J. Anderson, James C. Gallagher, Marko J. Tadjer, Alan G. Jacobs, Boris N. Feigelson
  • Detection of enzyme activity with DNA loops
    Patent number: 11255786
    Abstract: The stiffness and topology of ultra-small circular DNAs and DNA/peptide hybrids are exploited to create a transducer of enzyme activity with low error rates. The modularity and flexibility of the concept are illustrated by demonstrating various transducers that respond to either specific restriction endonucleases or to specific proteases. In all cases the output is a DNA oligo signal that, as we show, can readily be converted directly to an optical readout, or can serve as input for further processing, for example, using DNA logic or amplification. By exploiting the DNA hairpin (or stem-loop) structure and the phenomenon of strand displacement, an enzyme signal is converted into a DNA signal, in the manner of a transducer. This is valuable because a DNA signal can be readily amplified, combined, and processed as information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Mario Ancona, Hieu Bui