Patents Assigned to The University of Alabama
  • Patent number: 11063961
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to implement a moving target defense for a server computer. The server computer can be provided both a permanent IP address and a temporary IP address. The temporary IP address can be used when communicating with client computers connected to the server computer. The temporary IP address can be dynamically changed at a predetermined interval that can be varied based on conditions at the server computer. An intrusion detection system can be used with the moving target defense systems and methods to identify attacks on the server computer based on the temporary IP address(es) provided by the server computer. When an attack is identified, the corresponding client computer is determined based on the temporary IP address and the client computer is placed on a blacklist that is not provided with new temporary IP addresses when the server computer changes temporary IP address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama, for and on behalf of The University of Alabama in Huntsville
    Inventor: Vahid Heydari
  • Patent number: 11034794
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are ionic polymers incorporating an cationic atom in the polymer backbone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama
    Inventors: Jason Edward Bara, Kathryn Elizabeth O'Harra, Grayson Patrick Dennis
  • Patent number: 11024971
    Abstract: Described and disclosed herein is a wideband polarized patch antenna and the antenna array that can cover mmWave frequency band from 24.3 to 29.6 GHz for 5G applications, and a feeding structure for such an antenna comprising a single element of a polarized helical-shaped L-probe fed patch antenna (HLF-PA) package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama
    Inventors: Yang-Ki Hong, Woncheol Lee, Hoyun Won
  • Patent number: 11006896
    Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring food intake include an air pressure sensor for detecting ear canal deformation, according to some implementations. For example, the air pressure sensor detects a change in air pressure in the ear canal resulting from mandible movement. Other implementations include systems and methods for monitoring food intake that include a temporalis muscle activity sensor for detecting temporalis muscle activity, wherein at least a portion of the temporalis muscle activity sensor is coupled adjacent a temple portion of eyeglasses and disposed between the temple tip and the frame end piece. The temporalis muscle activity sensor may include an accelerometer, for example, for detecting movement of the temple portion due to mandibular movement from chewing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama
    Inventors: Edward Sazonov, Muhammad Farooq
  • Patent number: 11008664
    Abstract: Methods and systems for producing a three-dimensional structure using electrochemical additive manufacturing are described herein. The methods can comprise injecting a growth control solution into an electrolyte comprising a metal salt to form a growth control region and applying an electric potential to a working electrode to thereby form a layer of metal at a location defined by the growth control region. The injecting and applying steps of the methods can be repeated for form the three-dimensional structure on a layer-by-layer basis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA
    Inventor: Qiang Huang
  • Patent number: 10990066
    Abstract: Described herein is a neural network-based vector control method for the induction motor. The disclosure includes an approach to implement optimal vector control for an induction motor by using an NN; a NN controller to substitute two decoupled proportional-integral (PI) controllers in current loop; and, a mechanism to train the NN controller by using a Levenberg-Marquardt (LM)+forward accumulation through time (FATT) algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama
    Inventors: Xingang Fu, Shuhui Li
  • Patent number: 10982738
    Abstract: A coupling system can include an energy transfer device and a load mitigation system. The energy transfer device can include a shaft, gear, chain or piston-cylinder arrangement to transfer the energy from a power supply to an object to be moved. The load mitigation system can be used to limit or prevent the transfer of forces from the object to the drive unit as a result of external loads being applied to the object. The load mitigation system can be pre-loaded such that external loads on the object having an excessive impulsive or resonant cyclic force greater than the pre-load force on the load mitigation system are reduced and only partially transferred to the energy transfer device and power supply. The load mitigation system can dampen both resonant loads and impulsive impact loads occurring at the object thereby preventing damage and extending life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama, for and on behalf of the University of Alabama in Huntsville
    Inventors: James B. Blackmon, Frederick Gant
  • Patent number: 10974244
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to devices and methods for the detection and/or sorting of nucleic acids. Further disclosed are methods for device fabrication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA
    Inventor: Qiang Huang
  • Patent number: 10953999
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle docking system can include a docking arm and a docking station. The docking arm can be mounted on the UAV and include a rod with an interface element positioned on top of the rod. The interface element can have charging contacts that are attached to wires that extend down to a charging circuit on the UAV. The docking station can be located separate from the docking arm and have a guidance cone to direct the docking arm to a capture mechanism. Once the interface element is in the capture mechanism, a charging dome is then lowered down onto the top of the interface element to form a circuit between a power source at the docking station and the UAV's battery. Upon completion of the charging process, the charging dome is raised and the capture mechanism releases the interface element of the UAV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama
    Inventors: John Alcorn, Stewart King, Mark Bales, David Brian Landrum
  • Patent number: 10954383
    Abstract: Described are biofidelic skin simulants closely mimicking the biomechanical properties of natural human skin, including vaginal skin tissue. The simulant contains a crosslinked siloxane network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama
    Inventors: Arnab Chanda, Vinu Unnikrishnan, Zachary Flynn
  • Patent number: 10957807
    Abstract: The exemplified systems, and method thereof, includes PLZT thin film (Pb0.95La0.05Zr0.54Ti0.46O3) paired with a bottom metal and top transparent conductive oxide, that forms a capacitor structure with enhanced photocurrent and power conversion efficiency. The exemplified systems use metal electrode (platinum) as bottom electrode and a transparent oxide (Indium Tin Oxide—ITO) as the top electrode. In some embodiments, the capacitor structure are used in a solar cells, ultraviolet sensors, or UV indexing sensors. In some embodiments, the capacitor structure are energy generation or for medical diagnostics (e.g., for skin care application).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama
    Inventors: Sushma Kotru, Harshan V. Nampoori, Vaishali Batra
  • Patent number: 10946090
    Abstract: The present invention relates, in general, to an immunogen and, in particular, to an immunogen for inducing antibodies that neutralizes a wide spectrum of HIV primary isolates and/or to an immunogen that induces a T cell immune response. The invention also relates to a method of inducing anti-HIV antibodies, and/or to a method of inducing a T cell immune response, using such an immunogen. The invention further relates to nucleic acid sequences encoding the present immunogens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignees: Duke University, The University of Alabama at Birmingham Research Foundation, Triad National Security, LLC
    Inventors: Barton F. Haynes, Feng Gao, Bette T. Korber, Beatrice H. Hahn, George M. Shaw, Denise L. Monti, Ying Ying Li, Julie Decker, Hua-Xin Liao
  • Patent number: 10941258
    Abstract: Methods for making metal particle-chitin composite materials are described. The methods can comprise contacting an ionic liquid with chitin, thereby forming a mixture; contacting the mixture with a non-solvent, thereby forming a chitin substrate in the non-solvent; collecting the chitin substrate from the non-solvent; deacetylating the collected chitin substrate, thereby forming a deacetylated chitin substrate; contacting the deacetylated chitin substrate with a metal salt, thereby forming an impregnated precursor composite material; and contacting the impregnated precursor composite material with a reducing agent, thereby reducing the metal salt to form a plurality of metal particles dispersed on the chitin substrate and forming the metal particle-chitin composite material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignees: THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA, 525 Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Robin D. Rogers, Oleksandra Zavgorodnya, Julia L. Shamshina
  • Patent number: 10944303
    Abstract: Various implementations include a spoke-type rotor design that exhibits low torque ripple with competitive torque density. The rotor includes a rotor core, rotor core (RC) magnets, nonmagnetic caps disposed on an outer radial end of each RC magnet, and flux directing (FD) magnets disposed circumferentially between adjacent RC magnets. Each nonmagnetic cap has a radially tapered shape (e.g., trapezoidal). An outer radial end of each cap and an outer radial end of each RC magnet opening define an air gap therebetween. The magnetic flux directions of the RC magnets are circumferentially directed clockwise or counterclockwise, and the flux directions of circumferentially adjacent RC magnets are opposite from each other. The magnetic flux directions of the FD magnets are directed radially inwardly or outwardly, and the flux directions of circumferentially adjacent FD magnets are opposite from each other. The RC and/or FD magnets may include rare-earth free materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama
    Inventors: Yang-Ki Hong, Hoyun Won, Woncheol Lee
  • Publication number: 20210060101
    Abstract: In some embodiments, methods of killing tumor cells are provided. The methods may include contacting the tumor cell with a tropic cell that carries a modified oncolytic virus, wherein the virus comprises a tumor selective element and/or a capsid protein that binds a tumor-specific cell surface molecule. In another embodiment, methods of treating cancer are provided. The methods may include administering a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition to a subject, wherein the pharmaceutical composition includes a tropic cell that carries a modified oncolytic virus, wherein the virus comprises a tumor selective promoter element and/or a capsid protein that binds a tumor-specific cell surface molecule.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2020
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Applicants: CITY OF HOPE, UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM
    Inventors: Karen S. ABOODY, Alexander J. ANNALA, David CURIEL, Maciej LESNIAK
  • Patent number: 10934561
    Abstract: Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a recessive, lethal genetic disease in which many patients have inherited DNA mutations that create a CFTR protein that is produced, but ineffective in its function. The present disclosure generally pertains to methods and products for increasing CFTR production through the use of a CRISPR/dCas9 system. This disclosure describes such system, which comprises gRNA configured to target the CFTR domain and dCas9 configured to upregulate expression of the gRNA target, and methods of using the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama, for and on behalf of the University of Alabama in Huntsville
    Inventors: Eric Matthew Mendenhall, Candice Joyce Coppola
  • Patent number: 10927191
    Abstract: Methods for separating chitin from a chitinous biomass are described, the methods comprising contacting the chitinous biomass with an ionic liquid to form a mixture comprising chitin; contacting the mixture with an aqueous solution of a kosmotropic salt, thereby coagulating the chitin and forming an biphasic system comprising an ionic liquid-chitin phase and an aqueous kosmotropic salt phase; separating the ionic liquid-chitin phase from the aqueous kosmotropic salt phase; and collecting the chitin from the separated ionic liquid-chitin phase, thereby forming a recycled ionic liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignees: THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA, 525 Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Robin D. Rogers, Waduge Indika S. Galpothdeniya, Julia L. Shamshina, Oleksandra Zavgorodnya
  • Patent number: 10930176
    Abstract: Described are biofidelic conductive skin simulants closely mimicking the biomechanical properties of natural human skin, including vaginal skin tissue. The conductive simulant contains a siloxane network and conductive fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama
    Inventors: Arnab Chanda, Vinu Unnikrishnan, Kim Lackey, Joseph Robbins
  • Patent number: 10928550
    Abstract: A weather forecasting system has a data processing system that receives weather data from one or more sources and processes such data in conjunction with a weather forecasting algorithm in order to forecast weather for one or more geographic regions. In this regard, the weather data is input into a machine learning algorithm, which applies learned weights and relationships to the inputs in order to calculate at least one score indicating a probability that precipitation or other weather event will occur in the future within a certain time period (e.g., within the next 1 hour or some other unit of time) in one or more geographic regions. For each such geographic region, the weather forecasting logic may also predict the extent to which rain or other precipitation, lightning, or other weather event will occur during the time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama, for and on behalf of the University of Alabama in Huntsville
    Inventor: John R. Mecikalski
  • Patent number: 10908303
    Abstract: A neutron spectrometer is provided to distinguish neutron capture events from other types of radiation in order to measure the energy associated with neutrons in a mixed radiation environment. The neutron spectrometer can include a neutron detector to capture neutrons and a controller to determine the energy associated with the captured neutrons. The neutron detector can include scintillating glass fibers embedded in a plastic scintillator. A photomultiplier tube can be positioned on each end of the detector to detect light pulses generated by both the scintillating glass fibers and the plastic scintillator. A controller can analyze the detected light pulses to determine when a neutron is captured and the energy associated with the neutron capture event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignees: Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama, for and on behalf of the University of Alabama in Huntsville, NASA
    Inventors: Evgeny N. Kuznetsov, Jeffrey A. Apple, Brian F. Gibson, John W. Watts, Mark Joseph Christl