Patents Assigned to The Hong Kong University of Science an Technology
  • Publication number: 20100194956
    Abstract: Described herein is a circuit and related method for improving the dynamic range and the linearity characteristic of a CMOS image sensor. In various embodiments of the CMOS image sensor, a current sampler, a comparator, and a 1-bit memory are incorporated in each pixel circuit. In the image sensor, pixels are arranged in columns and a column slice is used to read the digital and analog singles from each column. In addition, a calibration circuit is incorporated in the sensor circuit for providing calibration current, which is used to generate calibration parameter. The image sensor operates in three non-overlapping modes: the difference mode, the WDR mode, and the calibration mode. The image sensor is switched among the three modes by control signals, which are provided to the image sensor by various control circuits. The image sensor normally operates in the difference mode and switches to the WDR mode when the difference between consecutive frames is over a threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicant: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Jie Yuan, Ho Yeung Chan
  • Patent number: 7763185
    Abstract: The invention provides a process for preparing an overvoltage protection material comprising: (i) preparing a mixture comprising a polymer binder precursor and a conductive material; and (ii) heating the mixture to cause reaction of the polymer binder precursor and generate a polymer matrix having conductive material dispersed therein, wherein the polymer binder precursor is chosen such that substantially no solvent is generated during the reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Chi-Ming Chan, Kai-Mo Ng, Catherine Yuen-Chien Wong, Ying Kit Cheung
  • Patent number: 7754444
    Abstract: This invention provides a method of detecting pathogens comprising the steps of: (a) contacting a sufficient amount of biofunctional magnetic nanoparticles with an appropriate sample for an appropriate period of time to permit the formation of complexes between the pathogens in the sample and the nanoparticles; (b) using a magnetic field to aggregate said complexes; and (c) detecting said complexes. The method may further comprise the additional step of removing said complexes. The biofunctional magnetic nanoparticles are preferably a conjugate of vancomycin and FePt. The pathogens may be bacteria or viruses, and the sample may be a solid, liquid, or gas. Detection may involve conventional fluorescence assay, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), optical microscope, electron microscope, or a combination thereof. The sensitivity of detection for the method is at least as low as 10 colony forming units (cfu) of the pathogens in one milliliter of solution within one hour.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Bing Xu, Pak Leung Ho, Hongwei Gu
  • Publication number: 20100171546
    Abstract: A low temperature polycrystalline silicon device and techniques to manufacture thereof with excellent performance. Employing doped poly-Si lines which we called a bridged-grain structure (BG), the intrinsic or lightly doped channel is separated into multiple regions. A single gate covering the entire active channel including the doped lines is still used to control the current flow. Using this BG poly-Si as an active layer and making sure the TFT is designed so that the current flows perpendicularly to the parallel lines of grains, grain boundary effects can be reduced. Reliability, uniformity and the electrical performance of the BG poly-Si TFT are significantly improved compared with the conventional low temperature poly-Si TFT.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2008
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Applicant: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Hoi Sing Kwok, Man Wong, Zhiguo Meng, Shuyun Zhao
  • Publication number: 20100158851
    Abstract: The present invention provides a material for forming an antimicrobial surface coating with multi-level antimicrobial properties, which comprises one or more volatile or gaseous biocides, one or more nonvolatile biocides, and one or more polymers, wherein the volatile or gaseous biocides are encapsulated in the polymers to provide a sustained release of the volatile or gaseous biocides. The present invention further provides a method for preparing the material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Technology Transfer Center
    Inventors: King Lun Yeung, Wai Kin Leung
  • Publication number: 20100149315
    Abstract: Described herein is a novel 3-D optical imaging system based on active stereo vision and motion tracking for to tracking the motion of patient and for registering the time-sequenced images of suspicious lesions recorded during endoscopic or colposcopic examinations. The system quantifies the acetic acid induced optical signals associated with early cancer development. The system includes at least one illuminating light source for generating light illuminating a portion of an object, at least one structured light source for projecting a structured light pattern on the portion of the object, at least one camera for imaging the portion of the object and the structured light pattern, and means for generating a quantitative measurement of an acetic acid-induced change of the portion of the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2009
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Jianan Qu, Tao Wu
  • Publication number: 20100150674
    Abstract: Described herein is a system for generating a plurality of coolant beams that converge at a focal point for advanced heat transfer. The system utilizes a variable strength activation of coolant and superposition of coolant beams generated by multiple actuators for increased cooling strength increase, thereby avoiding activation saturation in conventional systems. Each coolant beams is activated to carry an ultrasonic or megasonic vibration component. In addition, the system includes a coolant activation assembly having a plurality of actuators for generating the coolant beams. The coolant activation assembly further includes supporting components for positioning the actuators so that all of the coolant beams generated by these actuators converge at the focal point. Experimental results show that the system provides significantly improved workpiece quality in a machining process. Compared with the most advanced existing system, this system offers a further improvement of up to 12.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2009
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Yongsheng Gao, Shengyin Zhou
  • Publication number: 20100150463
    Abstract: There are disclosed three fast rate control methods that can efficiently reduce or remove the computation and memory usage redundancy over conventional PCRD methods. The first method, called successive bit-plane rate allocation (SBRA), assigns the maximum allowable bit-rate for each bit-plane of each code-block by using the currently available rate-distortion information only. The second method is called priority scanning rate allocation (PSRA). This first predicts the order of magnitude of each truncation point's rate-distortion slope and then encodes the truncation points based on the order (priority) information. The third method uses PSRA to obtain a significantly smaller amount of data than PCRD for optimal truncation and is called priority scanning with optimal truncation (PSOT). SBRA provides the highest computational complexity and memory usage reduction, and the lowest coding/transmission delay. The computational complexity reduction can be up to about 90% of the entropy coding process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Yick Ming Yeung, Oscar Chi-Lim Au
  • Publication number: 20100129757
    Abstract: The present invention provides a new metal-free cyclotrimerization reaction of alkynes to produce a 1,3,5-triacylarylene or 1,3,5-triacylbenzene. This reaction is catalyzed by secondary amines, is strictly regioselective, highly functionality-tolerant, and the resulting product can be obtained in high yields. This reaction can be further applied for the preparation of novel branched (co)polymers bearing the triacylarylenes as structural units. The preparation of the (co)polymers is carried out as a one-pot single-step reaction procedure, giving branched oligomers and polymers in high yields up to 90%. The produced (co)polymers are also processible, easily film-forming, and thermally stable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Benzhong Tang, Ka Wai Jim, Anjun Qin, Matthias Haeussler, Wing Yip Lam
  • Patent number: 7720148
    Abstract: There is disclosed a method of digital signal compression, coding and representation, and more particularly a method of video compression, coding and representation system that uses multi-frame motion estimation and includes both device and method aspects. The invention also provides a computer program product, such as a recording medium, carrying program instructions readable by a computing device to cause the computing device to carry out a method according to the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Oscar Chi-Lim Au, Andy Chang
  • Patent number: 7705939
    Abstract: A transflective liquid crystal display having at least one reflective region 122 and at least one transmissive region 121. The display comprises a first polarizer 5, a second polarizer 100 opposing the first polarizer 5, two twisted nematic liquid crystal layers 30, 60 between said first and second polarizers 5, 100 and a reflector 110 for reflecting light passing though the reflective region 122 of the display. The twisted nematic liquid crystal layers 30, 60 have opposite twist directions to each other. The second twisted nematic liquid crystal layer 60 improves the contrast of the display. The display may have a double cell arrangement, in which case there may be a single cell gap or a double cell gap. Alternatively, the display may have a single cell arrangement in which case the second twisted nematic liquid crystal layer is a temperature dependent retardation film 65.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Hin Yu Mak, Vladimir Grigorievich Chigrinov
  • Patent number: 7699819
    Abstract: A method of making zeolite microneedles includes providing a polymer microneedles template, depositing zeolite seeds on the polymer microneedles template, and growing the zeolite seeds into an array of zeolite microneedles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: King Lun Yeung, Ling Wai Wong, Wenqing Sun, Wai Kin Leung, Wing Yan Lai, Ngar Wai Chan
  • Patent number: 7697715
    Abstract: We propose methods for generating a halftone image, in which each pixel takes one of two tone values. The generated image contains hidden data, which is present at data storage pixels chosen using a pseudo-random number generator. In a first case, the data is hidden within an existing halftone image by reversing the tone value at certain of the data storage pixels, and at pixels neighbouring the data storage pixels. In a second case, the halftone image is generated from a grey-scale image, and data is hidden during this conversion process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Oscar Chi-Lim Au, Ming Sun Fu
  • Patent number: 7696971
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for controlling the grey-scale modulation of a reflective bistable cholesteric display by applying selected sequences of high and low pulses to modulate the cholesteric domain size and helical axis orientation. Non-mesogenic dopants may also be added to reduce the drive voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignees: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Wing Chiu Yip, Hoi Sing Kwok, Cheryl Sun
  • Publication number: 20100080994
    Abstract: Methods of producing carbon nanostructures utilizing a polymer and a nanostructure template to form carbon nanostructures are disclosed. The method does not require a metal catalyst.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2006
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Jianying Miao, Ning Wang, Ping Sheng
  • Patent number: 7685728
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the comfortable footbed shape for a person. The apparatus comprises a rear platform for supporting the rear of a foot, a front platform for supporting a forefoot, the height of at least one of said front and rear platforms being adjustable relative to the height of the other one of said platforms and fixable at a selected height relative to the other platform; and a supporting surface for accommodating the plantar surface of a foot, the supporting surface comprising a length of flexible material fixable mounted to and extending between said front and rear platforms. The apparatus can adjust the aforementioned components to various settings with a view to determining the plantar foot shape and the perceived comfort in any chosen posture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Ravindra Stephen Goonetilleke, Channa Patuwatha Witana
  • Publication number: 20100071760
    Abstract: A solar cell photovoltaic device using ultrathin films of polycrystalline silicon and deep uneven surface structures is disclosed. According to one embodiment, the uneven structures include one or more pits having a depth of at least 10 microns. According to another embodiment, the uneven structures include one or more cones or columns having a height or at least 10 microns. Because the unevenness of the structures, the photovoltaic device is able to use a very thin layer of polycrystalline silicon to effectively trap and absorb light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2009
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Hoi Sing KWOK, Zhiguo MENG, Man WONG
  • Publication number: 20100077321
    Abstract: Webpages configured for display on a full-sized screen such as a computer monitor (111) are reconfigured for use with a mobile device in accordance with a user's preferences. A custom rendering tool engages the user in customizing the webpage in order to render the webpage information suitable for display on a mobile device. A browser toolbar is used, by which the user may highlight a section of interest section (121) from a webpage and save the customization information. A proxy server receives the customization information and uses the information to accurately retrieve the sections of interest later, even after the webpage or the section has been updated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2008
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Vincent Yun Shen Shen, Benfeng Chen, Dan Hong, Kwok Chu Lo, Yongzhen Zhuang
  • Publication number: 20100074333
    Abstract: Described herein is a novel transcoding technique called lossless inter frame transcoding (LIFT) for improving the error resilience of video streaming. According to various embodiments, conventional coded blocks are selectively transcoded into new transcoded block. At the decoder, the transcoded block can be transcoded back to the conventional coded block when the prediction is available and can also be robustly decoded independently when the prediction is unavailable. According to another embodiment, an offline transcoding and online composing technique is provided for generating a composite frame using the transcoded and conventional coded blocks and adjusting the ratio of the transcoded blocks, thereby achieving error robustness scalability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Oscar Chi Lim Au, Xiaopeng Fan
  • Publication number: 20100067688
    Abstract: Described herein are various embodiments of a coding technique that utilize a stream cipher for switching between first and second coding conventions for encoding a symbol sequence. The first coding convention specifies a first mapping between a symbol and a first codeword and the second coding convention specified a second mapping between the symbol and a second codeword. According to the invention, a key generated by the stream cipher is used to selected one of the first and second coding convention and the mapping of the selected coding convention is then utilized for encoding the symbol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Applicant: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Oscar Chi Lim Au, Jiantao Zhou