Patents Assigned to University of Houston System
  • Patent number: 11302467
    Abstract: Modified surfaces of the present disclosure include a surface or substrate material, a magnetic field, which may be generated through the use of a magnet placed at a distance beneath the surface or substrate, or placed above the surface or substrate, or through the use of a magnetic surface or substrate, and a magnetic fluid, such as ferrofluid or ferrogel, deposited in a layer on the top of the surface or substrate. The modified surfaces may be icephobic. In addition, a droplet of liquid placed on the modified surface can be manipulated through placement of a local heat source in proximity to the droplet, without contacting the droplet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM
    Inventors: Hadi Ghasemi, Peyman Irajizad, Munib Hasnain
  • Publication number: 20220094274
    Abstract: A single phase single stage level-1 electric vehicle (EV) battery charger can control the power flow in both directions. The converter efficiency is high as the devices undergo ZCS which reduces switching loss in the devices. This converter does not require any intermediate DC link capacitor stage and the power density of the converter is high.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Applicant: University of Houston System
    Inventors: Kaushik Rajashekara, Parthasarathy Nayak, Sumit Kumar Pramanick
  • Publication number: 20220079527
    Abstract: A method removing artifacts from neural signals comprises receiving electroencephalography (EEG) data from an EEG system and providing the EEG data to a unified artifact removal framework for cleaning artifacts. The EEG data is provided to a first cleaning framework utilizing the first reference to clean first artifacts from the EEG data, and the outputting the EEG data from the first cleaning framework to a second cleaning framework. The second cleaning framework may operate in a similar manner utilizing second reference to clean second artifacts from the EEG data. This general process may be repeated as desired to clean various artifacts from EEG data, when a suitable reference for the artifacts to be removed is utilized. The frameworks utilize H? method or filtering involving a H? adapting rule to properly weigh the reference, and combining the subsequent output with incoming EEG data results in the desired removal of artifacts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Applicant: University of Houston System
    Inventors: Jose Luis Contreras-Vidal, Atilla Kilicarslan
  • Patent number: 11266444
    Abstract: The present invention provides an external fixation device and method thereof. The device includes at least an insert for inserting into a patient's tissue such as a bone. The insert is fastened to a fastening assembly which comprises at least a RF heat source member during MRI scanning of the patient. At least a part of the RF heat source member's surface is covered with an absorption material to reduce the direct or indirect transfer of RF induced heat from the member to the insert. The absorption material has an electric conductivity greater than 10?4 S/m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM
    Inventor: Ji Chen
  • Patent number: 11271193
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electrode by disposing a three-dimensional substrate in a metal nitrate solution, drying, and thermally phosphatizing with a phosphorus source under inert gas to form a metal based phosphate catalyst on the substrate. An electrocatalyst and electrode produced via the method are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM
    Inventors: Zhifeng Ren, Shuo Chen, Fang Yu, Haiqing Zhou
  • Publication number: 20220064163
    Abstract: Identified compounds demonstrate protein kinase inhibitory activity. More specifically, the compounds are demonstrated to inhibit receptor interacting kinase 2 (RIPK2) and/or Activin-like kinase 2 (ALK2). Compounds that are either dual RIPK2/ALK2 inhibitors or that preferentially inhibit RIPK2 or ALK2 could provide therapeutic benefit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Applicants: UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM, TRUSTEES OF TUFTS COLLEGE
    Inventors: Gregory Cuny, Sameer Nikhar, Alexei Degterev
  • Patent number: 11262640
    Abstract: A device comprising a nonlinear optical (NLO) material according to the formula XLi2Al4B6O20F. A device comprising a nonlinear optical material (NLO) according to the formula KSrCO3F, wherein the NLO comprises at least one single crystal. A nonlinear optical material selected from the group consisting of KSrCO3F Rb3Ba3Li2Al4B6O20F and K3Sr3Li2Al4B6O20F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM
    Inventors: P. Shiv Halasyamani, Hongwei Yu, Hongping Wu, Weiguo Zhang
  • Patent number: 11231523
    Abstract: A lithography-free, mold-free method of fabricating high quality optical material by curing polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) droplets in or on pre-heated substrates allows lenses with different focal lengths to be made by varying the volume and surface temperature, as well as the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM
    Inventors: Wei-Chuan Shih, Yu-Lung Sung
  • Publication number: 20220011315
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to improved light-based assays, especially ligand binding assays, in which light is emitted from moieties stimulated by stimulating moieties. There is provided a method of generating and detecting a light signal comprising (a) providing a fluid sample comprising an analyte of interest; (b) contacting said sample with a first reagent comprising a molecular recognition element that binds to said analyte; (c) contacting said sample with a second reagent that (i) binds to said analyte in the presence of said first reagent; or (ii) binds to said first reagent; wherein said second reagent contains a light-generating reporter or chemiexcitation emitter; (d) removing unbound first and second reagents; (e) introducing into said sample a source of singlet oxygen or a chemiexcitation stimulator; and (f) measuring the production of light from said reporter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Applicant: University of Houston System
    Inventors: Binh V. VU, Richard C. WILLSON
  • Patent number: 11218145
    Abstract: A high temperature (HT) gate driver for Silicon Carbide metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (SiC MOSFET) uses commercial off-the-shelf COTS discrete components, and has an integrated short-circuit or overcurrent protection circuit and under voltage lock out (UVLO) protection circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM
    Inventors: Kaushik Rajashekara, Parthasarathy Nayak, Sumit Kumar Pramanick
  • Publication number: 20210404917
    Abstract: Milling with ultraviolet excitation (MUVE) realizes high-throughput multiplex imaging of large three-dimensional samples. The instrumentation may comprise a UV-source attachment, precision stage attachment, and/or a blade assembly, and the instrumentation may overcome several constraints inherent to current state-of-the-art three-dimensional microscopy. MUVE offers throughput that is orders of magnitude faster than other technology by collecting a two-dimensional array of pixels simultaneously. The proposed instrumentation also utilizes serial ablation and provides the opportunity for true whole-organ imaging at microscopic resolution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Applicant: University of Houston System
    Inventors: David Mayerich, Jason Eriksen
  • Publication number: 20210401987
    Abstract: The present disclosure addresses inflammatory lung diseases, such as COPD, and fibrotic lung diseases such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, from the standpoint of inhibiting or ablating pathogenic epithelial stem cells found in the pulmonary tract.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Applicants: University of Houston System, The Board of Regents of The University of Texas System, Tract Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank McKEON, Wei RAO, Jingzhong XIE, Shan WANG, Wa XIAN, Matthew VINCENT, Suchan NIROULA
  • Patent number: 11209566
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to signal comparison in seismic/acoustic imaging and data processing. In particular, this disclosure relates to a new nonlinear signal comparison (NLSC) approach which obtains a uniform resolution across a frequency band. The overall resolution in NLSC can be controlled over the frequency band by an adjustable parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM
    Inventor: Yingcai Zheng
  • Patent number: 11202773
    Abstract: Drugs have been designed and developed with a structural motif allowing local bioavailability in the target organ but that are not broadly distributed at a concentration sufficient to illicit toxic side effects in non-targeted organs. The structural motif subjects the compound to be rapidly metabolized by metabolic enzymes before reaching the non-targeted organs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: University of Houston System
    Inventor: Ming Hu
  • Publication number: 20210388050
    Abstract: Described herein are single chain polypeptides comprising both the b- and a-chains of insulin fused to each other by a linker. Also provided are nucleic acids coding for the same, host cells expressing the same, and methods of use therefor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Applicant: University of Houston System
    Inventor: Ke-He RUAN
  • Publication number: 20210372246
    Abstract: A method of recovering crude oil from a reservoir by: determining a depletion pressure for providing a lights-depleted crude oil comprising a reduced amount of light ends including methane, nitrogen, carbon dioxide (CO2), or a combination thereof and having a CO2 multi contact Minimum Miscibility Pressure (CO2-MMP) below a CO2-MMP of a native crude oil, wherein the native crude oil is crude oil extracted from the reservoir prior to primary oil recovery therefrom; depleting the pressure of the reservoir from an initial reservoir pressure to the determined depletion pressure, thus providing the lights-depleted crude oil; repressurizing the reservoir to an operating pressure for recovering the lights-depleted crude oil from the reservoir via carbon dioxide (CO2) injection; injecting CO2 into the reservoir via at least one injection well; and recovering at least a portion of the lights-depleted crude oil from the reservoir via at least one production well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Applicant: University of Houston System
    Inventors: Ganesh C. Thakur, Peila Chen, Sriram Balasubramanian, Sushanta Bose
  • Publication number: 20210356436
    Abstract: A portable inspecting device includes PZT transducers and performs active sensing to measure the characteristics of bolted connections. The PZT transducers are mounted on opposing ends of spring-loaded rods and can be moved apart to accommodate a structure for testing. The springs cause the PZT transducers to push against opposing parts of the structure in a stable but temporary fashion. The device can be physically moved to inspect the status and health of multiple different bolted connections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Applicant: University of Houston System
    Inventors: Gangbing Song, Jinwei Jiang, Siu Chun Michael Ho, Zheng Chen
  • Patent number: 11174255
    Abstract: Identified compounds demonstrate protein kinase inhibitory activity. More specifically, the compounds having the structures below (I) are demonstrated to inhibit receptor interacting kinase 2 (RIPK2) and/or Activin-like kinase 2 (ALK2). Compounds that are either dual RIPK2/ALK2 inhibitors or that preferentially inhibit RIPK2 or ALK2 could provide therapeutic benefit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignees: UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM, TRUSTEES OF TUFTS COLLEGE
    Inventors: Gregory Cuny, Sameer Nikhar, Alexei Degterev
  • Patent number: 11172852
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to methods of using near infra-red radiation, such as from a near infra-red spectroscopy device, to monitor physical activity in a person. In one aspect, a method of measuring physiological parameters is provided. The method further includes determining a NIRS-derived measure of a tissue of a person using near infra-red spectroscopy over a time period, associating the NIRS-derived measure to the time period to determine a function-related change, and associating the function-related change to a biomechanical function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: University of Houston System
    Inventors: Luca Pollonini, Clifford C. Dacso
  • Patent number: 11162179
    Abstract: A hybrid three dimensional (3D) hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalyst that is formed from a porous Ni foam support, a NiSe2 scaffold positioned on the support; and layered transition metal dichalcogenide (LTMDC) or first-row transition metal dichalcogenide particles positioned on the NiSe2 scaffold. The catalyst provides a low onset potential, large cathode current density, small Tafel slopes, and large exchange current densities, similar in catalytic power to Pt HER catalysts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM
    Inventors: Zhifeng Ren, Haiqing Zhou, Fang Yu, Shuo Chen