Patents Assigned to United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
  • Patent number: 7231329
    Abstract: Method and system for generating an elliptic grid in generalized coordinates in two or three dimensions, where one or more decay parameters near a boundary segment of a grid are determined as part of the grid solution, rather than being prescribed initially by a user. The decay parameters may vary with one or more generalized coordinates and determine the rate(s) at which separation distances between adjacent grid lines change as one moves toward or away from a grid boundary segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
    Inventor: Upender K. Kaul
  • Patent number: 7217650
    Abstract: A method for fabricating an electrical interconnect between two or more electrical components. A conductive layer is provided on a substarte and a thin, patterned catalyst array is deposited on an exposed surface of the conductive layer. A gas or vapor of a metallic precursor of a metal nanowire (MeNW) is provided around the catalyst array, and MeNWs grow between the conductive layer and the catalyst array. The catalyst array and a portion of each of the MeNWs are removed to provide exposed ends of the MeNWs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
    Inventors: Hou Tee Ng, Jun Li, Meyya Meyyappan
  • Patent number: 7212135
    Abstract: Method and system for monitoring and comparing, in real time, performance of an aircraft during an approach to touchdown along a conventional approach path and along a contemplated modified approach path to touchdown. In a first procedure, a flight parameter value at a selected location is compared and displayed, for the planned path and for the modified path. In a second procedure, flight parameter values FP(tn) at a sequence {tn}n of measurement times is compared and displayed, for the planned path and for a contemplated or presently-executed modified path. If the flight parameter for the planned path and for the modified path differ too much from each other, the pilot in command has an option of terminating the approach along the modified path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
    Inventors: Robert E. Lynch, Thomas R. Chidester, Robert E. Lawrence
  • Patent number: 7206674
    Abstract: Method and system for displaying information on one or more aircraft flights, where at least one flight is determined to have at least one atypical flight phase according to specified criteria. A flight parameter trace for an atypical phase is displayed and compared graphically with a group of traces, for the corresponding flight phase and corresponding flight parameter, for flights that do not manifest atypicality in that phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
    Inventors: Irving C. Statler, Thomas A. Ferryman, Brett G. Amidan, Paul D. Whitney, Amanda M. White, Alan R. Willse, Scott K. Cooley, Joseph Griffith Jay, Robert E. Lawrence, Chris J. Mosbrucker, Loren J. Rosenthal, Robert E. Lynch, Thomas R. Chidester, Gary L. Prothero, Adi Andrei, Timothy P. Romanowski, Daniel E. Robin, Jason W. Prothero
  • Patent number: 7075457
    Abstract: Method and system for analyzing, separately or in combination, kinetic energy and potential energy and/or their time derivatives, measured or estimated or computed, for an aircraft in approach phase or in takeoff phase, to determine if the aircraft is or will be put in an anomalous configuration in order to join a stable approach path or takeoff path. A reference value of kinetic energy and/or potential energy (or time derivatives thereof) is provided, and a comparison index for the estimated energy and reference energy is computed and compared with a normal range of index values for a corresponding aircraft maneuver. If the computed energy index lies outside the normal index range, this phase of the aircraft is identified as anomalous, non-normal or potentially unstable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
    Inventors: Thomas R. Chidester, Robert E. Lynch, Robert E. Lawrence, Brett G. Amidan, Thomas A. Ferryman, Douglas A. Drew, Robert J. Ainsworth, Gary L. Prothero, Timothy P. Romanowski, Laurent Bloch, William L. Craine, Vincent J. Zaccardi
  • Patent number: 7070923
    Abstract: System and method for enclosing cells and/or tissue, for purposes of growth, cell differentiation, suppression of cell differentiation, biological processing and/or transplantation of cells and tissues (biological inserts), and for secretion, sensing and monitoring of selected chemical substancesand activation of gene expression of biological inserts implanted into a human body. Selected cells and/or tissue are enveloped in a “cage” that is primarily carbon nanotube Bucky paper, with a selected thickness and porosity. Optionally, selected functional groups, proteins and/or peptides are attached to the carbon nanotube cage, or included within the cage, to enhance the growth and/or differentiation of the cells and/or tissue, to select for certain cellular sub-populations, to optimize certain functions of the cells and/or tissue and/or to optimize the passage of chemicals across the cage surface(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
    Inventor: David J. Loftus
  • Patent number: 6741981
    Abstract: A phrase search is a method of searching a database for subsets of the database that are relevant to an input query. First, a number of relational models of subsets of a database are provided. A query is then input. The query can include one or more sequences of terms. Next, a relational model of the query is created. The relational model of the query is then compared to each one of the relational models of subsets of the database. The identifiers of the relevant subsets are then output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
    Inventor: Michael W. McGreevy
  • Patent number: 6608628
    Abstract: A virtual interactive imaging system allows the displaying of high-resolution, three-dimensional images of medical data to a user and allows the user to manipulate the images, including rotation of images in any of various axes. The system includes a mesh component that generates a mesh to represent a surface of an anatomical object, based on a set of data of the object, such as from a CT or MRI scan or the like. The mesh is generated so as to avoid tears, or holes, in the mesh, providing very high-quality representations of topographical features of the object, particularly at high-resolution. The system further includes a virtual surgical cutting tool that enables the user to simulate the removal of a piece or layer of a displayed object, such as a piece of skin or bone, view the interior of the object, manipulate the removed piece, and reattach the removed piece if desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
    Inventors: Muriel D. Ross, Ian Alexander Twombly, Steven O. Senger