Patents Assigned to University of St. Andrews
  • Patent number: 8861074
    Abstract: An optical parametric device comprising a slant-stripe periodically poled nonlinear material that is operable to generate signal in response to interaction with a pump wave, the non-linear interaction being such that the pump and idler waves are collinear and the signal wave is non-collinear relative to the pump and idler waves, wherein the slant-stripe non-linear material is able to generate two idler waves and two signal waves, and the device is adapted to allow for the selection and output coupling of a required one of the two signal waves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: University Court of the University of St Andrews
    Inventors: Cameron Francis Rae, Malcolm Harry Dunn, David Alan Walsh
  • Publication number: 20140251412
    Abstract: A solar cell that has a thin film of active material in which is defined a series or array of diffraction cells, wherein each diffraction unit-cell has a non-periodic series of diffraction features and is adapted to suppress at least one low order diffraction mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2012
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: University Court of the University of St. Andrews
    Inventors: Emiliano Rezende Martins, Thomas Fraser Krauss
  • Patent number: 8830565
    Abstract: An intra-cavity optical parametric oscillator. The oscillator includes means for providing a non-linear loss for suppressing relaxation oscillations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: University Court of the University of St Andrews
    Inventors: Malcolm Harry Dun, David James Mark Stothard, Cameron Francis Rae
  • Publication number: 20140242493
    Abstract: A direct carbon fuel cell DCFC system (5), the system comprising an electrochemical cell, the electrochemical cell (10) comprising a cathode (30), a solid state first electrolyte (25) and an anode (20), wherein, the system further comprises an anode chamber containing a second electrolyte (125) and a fuel (120). The system, when using molten carbonate as second electrolyte, is preferably purged with CO2 via purge gas inlet (60).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: University Court of the University of St. Andrews
    Inventors: John Thomas Sirr Irvine, Gael Corre, Cairong Jiang
  • Publication number: 20140228563
    Abstract: Cis and trans ruthenium complexes that can be used as catalysts for ring opening metathesis polymerisation (ROMP) are described. The complexes are generally square pyramidal in nature, having two anionic ligands X. Corresponding cationic complexes where one or both of the anionic ligands X are replaced by a non-co-ordinating anionic ligand are also described. Polymers such as polydicyclopentadiene (PDCPD) can be prepared using the catalysts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: University Court of the University of St. Andrews
    Inventor: Catherine Cazin
  • Patent number: 8778454
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for producing a modified surface (5) comprising: patterning a surface (7) by forming thereon a porous molecular network (9) defined by non-covalent interactions between constituent molecules; and depositing in said porous network (9) and on said patterned surface (11) molecules (13) so as to form a self-assembled monolayer (15), wherein both said patterning and said depositing are effected by contact with liquids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Universit Court of The University of St Andrews
    Inventors: Manfred Buck, Rafael Madueño, Christophe Silien, Minna Tuulia Räisänen
  • Patent number: 8761452
    Abstract: A method for fingerprinting a video involving identifying motion within the video and using a measure of the identified motion as a fingerprint. Once videos are fingerprinted, these fingerprints can be used in a method for identifying video. This involves creating a motion fingerprint for unidentified videos; comparing the fingerprints of the known and unknown videos, and identifying whether the unknown video is a copy of the known video based on the step of comparing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: The University Court of the University of St. Andrews
    Inventor: Martin Bateman
  • Patent number: 8751357
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to a system, method, or computer program product for evaluating risk adjusted performance of an investment portfolio. This invention may be applied to any asset which has a value. The invention evaluates risk adjusted performance of an investment portfolio by first determining at least one positive utility concept and at least one negative utility concept describing an asset. Then, the invention normalizes the at least one negative utility concept to an equivalent negative utility concept describing or deriving from a group of assets. Finally, the invention may relate at least one positive utility concept and at least one normalized negative utility concept to determine a performance measure. In this way, the invention normalized negative asset returns such that better investor utility ratings are not falsely provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: University Court of the University of St Andrews
    Inventor: Andreas G. F. Hoepner
  • Patent number: 8748052
    Abstract: An electricity storage system comprising a reversible fuel cell having a first electrode and a second electrode separated by an ionically conducting electrolyte, and at least two chambers adapted to hold fuel and/or a reaction product, wherein the system is substantially closed and at least one reactant for discharge is hydrogen or oxygen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: The University Court of the University of St. Andrews
    Inventors: John Thomas Sirr Irvine, Julie Margaret Nairn, Paul Alexander Conner, James Rennie, Alan Feighery, Frances Gwyneth Elaine Jones, Kelcey Lynn Eccleston, Pierrot Sassou Attidekou
  • Patent number: 8724672
    Abstract: An ultrashort-pulse laser that has a resonator that includes a laser gain medium, dispersion compensation optics, and a deformable optical element adapted to change its shape and consequently one or more characteristics of pulses output from the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: University Court of the University of St Andrews
    Inventors: Wilson Sibbett, Christian Brown, Nikolaus Klaus Metzger
  • Patent number: 8722103
    Abstract: There is described zeolites containing releasably adsorbed nitric oxide, methods of preparing the zeolites, methods of releasing the nitric oxide into a solution or into air and uses of the zeolites in therapy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: University Court of the University of St. Andrews
    Inventors: Russell Edward Morris, Paul Stewart Wheatley, Anthony Robert Butler
  • Patent number: 8699124
    Abstract: A method of optimizing parametric gain in a nonlinear optical crystal that in response to application of a pump beam generates through a parametric generation process signal and idler beams, wherein the signal beam is non-collinear with the pump beam and the signal beam is subject to absorption due to the nonlinear material, the method involving shaping the pump beam to have an elliptical cross section, wherein the method further involves determining the width w of the pump beam depending on the absorption co-efficient of the optical crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: University Court of The University of St Andrews
    Inventors: Malcolm Harry Dunn, Cameron Francis Rae, David James Mark Stothard, David Alan Walsh
  • Publication number: 20140097332
    Abstract: The resolution of conventional imaging devices is restricted by the diffraction limit ‘Perfect’ imaging devices which can achieve a resolution beyond the diffraction limit have been considered impossible to implement. However, the present disclosure provides an imaging device which can achieve improved resolution beyond the diffraction limit and which can be implemented in practice. Said imaging device comprises: a. a lens having a refractive index that varies according to a predetermined refractive index profile; b. a source; c. an outlet for decoupling waves from the device; and d. a reflector provided around the lens, the source and the outlet, wherein the reflector and the refractive index profile of the lens are together arranged to direct waves transmitted in any of a plurality of directions from the source to the outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2010
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicants: The University Court of the University of St Andrews, Masaryk University, Cornell University
    Inventors: Ulf Leonhardt, Tomas Tyc, Lucas Heitzmann Gabrielli, Michal Lipson
  • Patent number: 8686183
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for the hydroxycarbonylation, alkoxycarbonylation, aryloxycarbonylation or thiocarbonylation of an unsaturated molecule. The method includes a hydroxycarbonylation, alkoxycarbonylation, aryloxycarbonylationor thiocarbonylation reaction on the unsaturated molecule in which a complex including a ligand comprising a [n,n?] cyclophane comprising two non-fused monocyclic aromatic rings bridged by two linear and aliphatic linkages, in which each of the non-fused monocyclic aromatic rings is substituted with a phosphorus atom-containing substituent, is used to catalyse the reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: University Court Of The University of St Andrews
    Inventors: Matthew Lee Clarke, Tina Marie Konrad
  • Patent number: 8688996
    Abstract: A method for protecting a message or document. The method comprises encrypting the message using a first key associated with a first party; sending the encrypted message to a second party; encrypting the message using a second key associated with the second party, so that it is encrypted with two keys simultaneously; sending the encrypted message to the first party; decrypting the message using the first key; sending the message to the second party, the message being encrypted with the second key, and using the second key to decrypt the encrypted message, thereby exposing the original message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: University Court of the University of St Andrews
    Inventor: Michael Livesey
  • Patent number: 8665670
    Abstract: A method of deterring mammals comprising configuring an acoustic deterrent system to emit an acoustic signal having characteristics which repel the mammals by eliciting an acoustic startle response reflex in said mammals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: The University Court of the University of St. Andrews
    Inventors: Thomas Götz, Vincent M. Janik
  • Publication number: 20140037133
    Abstract: A method for fingerprinting a video involving identifying motion within the video and using a measure of the identified motion as a fingerprint. Once videos are fingerprinted, these fingerprints can be used in a method for identifying video. This involves creating a motion fingerprint for unidentified videos; comparing the fingerprints of the known and unknown videos, and identifying whether the unknown video is a copy of the known video based on the step of comparing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: The University Court of the University of St. Andrews
    Inventor: MARTIN BATEMAN
  • Patent number: 8638431
    Abstract: A microfluidic device comprising at least one microfluidic channel with an input and an output for allowing fluid flow; and at least one Raman fiber based probe having an excitation fiber probe and/or a collection fiber probe positioned so that one end of the probe is in the microfluidic channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: University Court of the University of St Andrews
    Inventors: Praveen Cheriyan Ashok, Gajendra Pratap Singh, Kishan Dholakia, Khay Tan
  • Patent number: 8618469
    Abstract: A system for forming an optical trap comprising two or more photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) and at least one source of radiation for inputting radiation to the photonic crystal fibers, the fibers being operable to provide counter-propagating outputs for forming the optical trap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: University Court of the University of St Andrews
    Inventors: Dholakia Kishan, Robert Marchington, Ashok Praveen
  • Patent number: 8600113
    Abstract: A method for fingerprinting a video involving identifying motion within the video and using a measure of the identified motion as a fingerprint. Once videos are fingerprinted, these fingerprints can be used in a method for identifying video. This involves creating a motion fingerprint for unidentified videos; comparing the fingerprints of the known and unknown videos, and identifying whether the unknown video is a copy of the known video based on the step of comparing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: The University Court of the University of St. Andrews
    Inventor: Martin Bateman