Abstract: A power converter using constant on-time (COT) or ramp pulse modulation (RPM) control achieves more rapid resumption of steady-state operation after a step-up load transient by extending an on-time of a switching pulse by interrupting a ramp voltage waveform that is compared with a threshold that equals a threshold voltage at the termination of a switching pulse or increasing a voltage with which the ramp voltage is compared. These techniques are applied to both single-phase and multi-phase power converters.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 21, 2016
Date of Patent:
June 4, 2019
Assignee:
VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC.
Inventors:
Virginia Li, Pei-Hsin Liu, Qiang Li, Fred C. Lee
Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for training and deploying machine-learned communication over multi-input-multi-output (MIMO) channels.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 19, 2018
Date of Patent:
May 28, 2019
Assignee:
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of biomedical engineering and medical treatment of diseases and disorders. Methods, devices, and systems for in vivo treatment of cell proliferative disorders are provided. In embodiments, the methods comprise the delivery of high-frequency bursts of bipolar pulses to achieve the desired modality of cell death. More specifically, embodiments of the invention relate to a device and method for destroying aberrant cells, including tumor tissues, using high-frequency, bipolar electrical pulses having a burst width on the order of microseconds and duration of single polarity on the microsecond to nanosecond scale. In embodiments, the methods rely on conventional electroporation with adjuvant drugs or irreversible electroporation to cause cell death in treated tumors. The invention can be used to treat solid tumors, such as brain tumors.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 20, 2016
Date of Patent:
May 21, 2019
Assignee:
VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC.
Inventors:
Christopher B. Arena, Rafael V. Davalos, Michael B. Sano
Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a storage medium, for processing radio signals. In once aspect, a system is disclosed that includes a processor and a storage device storing computer code that includes operations. The operations may include obtaining first output data generated by a first neural network based on the first neural network processing a received radio signal, receiving, by a signal transformer, a second set of input data that includes (i) the received radio signal and (ii) the first output data, generating, by the signal transformer, data representing a transformed radio signal by applying one or more transforms to the received radio signal, providing the data representing the transformed radio signal to a second neural network, obtaining second output data generated by the second neural network, and determining based on the second output data a set of information describing the received radio signal.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 3, 2018
Date of Patent:
May 21, 2019
Assignee:
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
Abstract: The present invention provides engineered tissue scaffolds, engineered tissues, and methods of using them. The scaffolds and tissues are derived from natural tissues and are created using non-thermal irreversible electroporation (IRE). Use of IRE allows for ablation of cells of the tissue to be treated, but allows vascular and neural structures to remain essentially unharmed. Use of IRE thus permits preparation of thick tissue scaffolds and tissues due to the presence of vasculature within the scaffolds. The engineered tissues can be used in methods of treating subjects, such as those in need of tissue replacement or augmentation.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 3, 2017
Date of Patent:
May 14, 2019
Assignee:
VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC.
Abstract: A polycarbonate-polyolefin block copolymer and a process to form a polycarbonate-polyolefin block copolymer by combining mono- or di-hydroxyaryl with vinyl/vinylidene terminated polyolefin to form a polyolefin hydroxyaryl moiety, and combining the polyolefin hydroxyaryl moiety with di-hydroxyaryl and di-substituted carbonyl monomers to form a polycarbonate-polyolefin block copolymer.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 12, 2017
Date of Patent:
May 14, 2019
Assignees:
ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc., Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
Inventors:
Yong Yang, Donna S. Davis, Peijun Jiang, Timothy E. Long, Sachin Bobade
Abstract: Critical-mode soft-switching techniques for a power converter are described. In one example, a power converter includes a converter electrically coupled between an alternating current (AC) power system and a direct current (DC) power system, where the converter includes a number of phase legs. The power converter can also include a control system configured, during a portion of a whole line cycle of the AC power system, to clamp a first phase leg of the converter from switching and operate second and third phase legs of the converter independently in either critical conduction mode (CRM) or in discontinuous conduction mode (DCM).
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 11, 2018
Date of Patent:
May 14, 2019
Assignee:
VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC.
Inventors:
Zhengrong Huang, Zhengyang Liu, Fred C. Lee, Qiang Li, Furong Xiao
Abstract: A power device package includes a dielectric substrate having an upper conductor layer and a lower conductor layer, a semiconductor die coupled to the upper conductor layer of the dielectric substrate via conductive adhesive, a cooler including a protruding hillock having a top surface and outer sides, the lower conductor layer of the dielectric substrate being coupled to the surface of the protruding hillock via an adhesive, and a magnetic material attached mateably around the protruding hillock. The magnetic material includes inner sides abutting the outer sides of the protruding hillock.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 14, 2017
Date of Patent:
May 14, 2019
Assignees:
TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC., VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC.
Abstract: A system and method of non-intrusive anemometry. The system comprises an acoustic transmitter disposed at a boundary of fluid flow and first and second acoustic receivers adapted to receive transmissions from the acoustic transmitter. A processor is coupled to the acoustic receivers to determine the time of arrival of the transmission at the acoustic receivers. The acoustic transmitter and acoustic receivers are arranged such that the acoustic transmitter is upstream from the first acoustic receiver which is in turn upstream from the second acoustic transmitter.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 8, 2017
Date of Patent:
May 7, 2019
Assignee:
VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC.
Inventors:
K. Todd Lowe, Wing F. Ng, Raul Otero, Jr.
Abstract: A characteristic of a component having an engineered internal space can be analyzed by recording acoustic signals produced by fluid flow through the internal space at controlled flow rates, and determining one or more acoustic frequencies and acoustic intensities that are indicative of the characteristic of the component. A state and/or a source of the component can be predicted based on the results of such analysis.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 13, 2014
Date of Patent:
April 30, 2019
Assignees:
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
Inventors:
Taylor Blair, Gary Pickrell, Michael Cybulsky, Raymond John Sinatra, Romesh Batra
Abstract: The present invention provides methods, devices, and systems for in vivo treatment of cell proliferative disorders. Included is a method of treating tissue with electrical energy, the method comprising: delivering electrical energy to tissue using one or more electroporation devices comprising one or more electrodes; and cooling the tissue, surrounding tissue, one or more of the electrodes, or one or more of the electroporation devices to minimize heating. In embodiments, the invention can be used to treat solid tumors, such as brain tumors, and in some embodiments, exemplary methods rely on non-thermal irreversible electroporation (IRE) to cause cell death in treated tumors.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 20, 2015
Date of Patent:
April 2, 2019
Assignee:
VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC.
Inventors:
Rafael V. Davalos, Paulo A. Garcia, John L. Robertson, John H. Rossmeisl, Robert E. Neal, II
Abstract: The present invention provides a battery charger and battery charging method controlled with a charging waveform input of an AC-DC switching circuit to a DC link and a DC-DC stage converter for outputting a regulated DC voltage. The method determining the charging waveform comprising the steps of selecting a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) zero-off charging waveform signal input to the AC-DC switching circuit and calculating a ripple power at the DC link based on the signal input power and output power of the regulated DC voltage output.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 16, 2015
Date of Patent:
April 2, 2019
Assignee:
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
Inventors:
Lingxiao Xue, Paolo Mattavelli, Dushan Boroyevich
Abstract: The present invention concerns a novel leg mechanism for quadrupedal locomotion. This design engages a linkage to couple assembly that only requires a single degree of actuation. The topological arrangement of the system produces a foot trajectory that is well-suited for dynamic gaits including trot-running, bounding, and galloping.
Type:
Application
Filed:
September 24, 2018
Publication date:
March 28, 2019
Applicant:
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
Abstract: A medical system for ablating a tissue site with real-time monitoring during an electroporation treatment procedure. A pulse generator generates a pre-treatment (PT) test signal having a frequency of at least 1 MHz prior to the treatment procedure and intra-treatment (IT) test signals during the treatment procedure. A treatment control module determines impedance values from the PT test signal and IT test signals and determines a progress of electroporation and an end point of treatment in real-time based on the determined impedance values while the treatment progresses.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 13, 2015
Date of Patent:
March 26, 2019
Assignee:
VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC.
Abstract: A system and method performs a moving target blind rendezvous by exchanging data through a distributed hash table. The system allows users to securely send small pieces of information over a network while only requiring an exchange of public keys ahead of time. The system relies on the size and resilience of the BitTorrent Distributed Hash Table and the security properties of cryptographic constructions such as Elliptic Curve Diffie-Hellman key exchange and secure one-way hash functions.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 16, 2017
Date of Patent:
March 26, 2019
Assignee:
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
Inventors:
Christopher F. Morrell, Reese A. Moore, Joseph G. Tront, Randolph C. Marchany
Abstract: Various examples are provided related to improvements in generalized flow profile production. In one example, a method includes determining a downstream flow profile including a pressure profile and a velocity profile; fabricating a pressure profile generator including distortion screen(s) disposed on a backing structure; fabricating a velocity profile generator including turning vanes in a flow path through the velocity profile generator that are configured to generate the velocity profile; attaching the pressure profile generator to an input side of the velocity profile generator; and installing the flow conditioning device in the flow field of interest. Flow through the flow conditioning device produces the downstream flow profile in the flow field of interest.
Type:
Application
Filed:
May 5, 2017
Publication date:
March 21, 2019
Applicant:
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
Inventors:
Dustin J. Frohnapfel, Walter F. O'Brien, Jr., Todd K. Lowe
Abstract: A method is provided for creating a porous coating on a surface of a substrate by electrodeposition. The substrate is a part of the cathode. An anode is also provided. A coating is deposited or disposed on the surface by applying a voltage that creates a plurality of porous structures on the surface to be coated. Continuing to apply a voltage creates additional porosity and causes portions of the attached porous structures to detach. A covering layer is created by applying a voltage that creates a thin layer that covers the attached porous structures and the detached portions which binds the porous structures and detached portions together.
Type:
Application
Filed:
November 13, 2018
Publication date:
March 14, 2019
Applicant:
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
Inventors:
Atieh Haghdoost, Ranga Pitchumani, Mehdi Kargar
Abstract: Textured PMN-PZT fabricated by templated grain growth (TGG) method has a piezoelectric coefficient (d) of 3 to 5 times that of its random counterpart. By combining this TGG method with low-temperature co-firing ceramics (LTCC) techniques, co-fired multilayer textured piezoelectric ceramic materials with inner electrodes were produced at a temperature as low as 925° C., which silver could be used. Trilayer PMN-PZT ceramics prepared by this method show a strain increase of 2.5 times, a driving voltage decrease of 3 times, and an equivalent piezoelectric coefficient (d*) improvement of 10 to 15 times that of conventional random ceramic counterparts. Further, a co-fired magnetostrictive/piezoelectric/magnetostrictive laminate structure with silver inner electrode was also synthesized. The integration of textured piezoelectric microstructure with the cost-effective low-temperature co-fired layered structure achieves strong magnetoelectric coupling.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 1, 2013
Date of Patent:
March 5, 2019
Assignee:
VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC.
Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of optical imaging and therapeutics. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention provide minimally-invasive Fiberoptic Microneedle Devices (FMDs) for light-based therapeutics, which physically penetrate tissue and deliver light directly into the target area below the skin surface. Embodiments of the invention enable depth-selective and deep photothermal therapeutics and include methods of treating cancer, methods of re-shaping or removing adipose tissue, and methods of delivering drugs or co-delivering drugs and energy to selected tissue.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 28, 2012
Date of Patent:
March 5, 2019
Assignee:
VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC.
Inventors:
Christopher Rylander, Mehmet A. Kosoglu, Robert L. Hood, John L. Robertson, John H. Rossmeisl, David C. Grant, Marissa N. Rylander
Abstract: A power factor correction (PFC) power converter, particularly of a multiphase totem-pole or other topology presenting a switching bridge that can potentially provide bi-directional power transfer control, reduces a nominal switching frequency and achieves zero voltage switching over an increased portion of a half line cycle by providing positive or inverse coupling of inductors in an inductor structure that can be formed of a multi-layer printed circuit board such that at least three different inductances are presented during each half line cycle period; allowing increased switching frequency and simplifying EMI filtering arrangements. Parasitic capacitances can be balanced with additional coupled windings to reduce differential mode and common mode noise. The PFC power converter is particularly applicable to provide bi-directional power control from an on-board battery charger in an electrically powered vehicle.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 11, 2017
Date of Patent:
February 26, 2019
Assignee:
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
Inventors:
Yuchen Yang, Mingkai Mu, Fred C. Lee, Qiang Li