Patents Assigned to Virginia Tech
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Publication number: 20230340203Abstract: The present invention relates to poly(amide imide) (PAI) precursor polymers which can for example be used in Vat photopolymerization processes like lithographic processes for the photofabrication of three-dimensional (3D) articles. The invention further relates to polymer compositions including these poly(amide imide) (PAI) precursor polymers. Still further, the invention relates to vat photopolymerization methods to form three-dimensional (3D) objects that incorporate the aforementioned polymer compositions.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2021Publication date: October 26, 2023Applicants: SOLVAY SPECIALTY POLYMERS USA, LLC, VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC.Inventors: Eduardo Soriano, Joel Pollino, Kermit S. Kwan, Clay Bradley Arrington, Viswanath Meenakshisundaram, Timothy Edward Long, Christopher Bryant Williams, Daniel Andrew Rau
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Patent number: 11793703Abstract: An exoskeleton system and associated components are described herein. The exoskeleton system assists a user in lifting and/or bending to perform various operations. Components of the exoskeleton system can include a force device, a release mechanism, and a leg differential system. The force device includes a gas spring and a compression spring to store and release energy to assist a user of the exoskeleton system, the force device having a smooth force profile with no initial loading. The release mechanism disengages and re-engages the force device when actuated by a user. The leg differential system enables walking while wearing the exoskeleton system and equally loads different force devices of the exoskeleton system when a user's legs are displaced relative to one another.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2020Date of Patent: October 24, 2023Assignee: VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC.Inventors: Alan T. Asbeck, Taylor Pesek, Timothy Pote
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Patent number: 11796358Abstract: A flow machine having a flow passage and an air flow measurement system comprising a plurality of acoustic sensors. The acoustic sensors comprise at least one acoustic transmitter configured to transmit an acoustic waveform through the airflow passing through the flow passage to an acoustic receiver. At least one of the acoustic sensors is rotatable relative to one or more other acoustic sensor.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2020Date of Patent: October 24, 2023Assignee: VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC.Inventors: Vasileios Kyritsis, Kevin Todd Lowe, Maurice Bristow, Peter Loftus
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Patent number: 11783196Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for training and deploying machine-learned identification of radio frequency (RF) signals.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2020Date of Patent: October 10, 2023Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.Inventor: Timothy James O'Shea
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Patent number: 11769915Abstract: A system and method for extracting recyclable material from an object. The system has a station for receiving the object, a station that prepares the object's cover for removal, a station that removes the cover from the object, a station that positions the object with the cover removed for loading, and a station that has one or more extraction devices configured to engage the object and remove the recyclable material therefrom and has one or more collection areas for receiving the removed recyclable material.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2018Date of Patent: September 26, 2023Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.Inventors: Robert H. Sturges, Zheng Li, Liurui Li, Tairan Yang
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Patent number: 11752451Abstract: Hydrophobic particles such as coal and hydrophobized mineral fines can be readily separated from hydrophilic impurities by forming agglomerates in water using a hydrophobic liquids such as oil. The agglomerates of hydrophobic particles usually entrap large amounts of water, causing the moisture of the recovered hydrophobic particles to be excessively high. This problem can be overcome by dispersing the hydrophobic agglomerates in a hydrophobic liquid that can be readily recycled. The dispersion can be achieved using specially designed apparatus and methods that can create a turbulence that can help destabilize the agglomerates in a recyclable hydrophobic liquid and facilitate the dispersion.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2020Date of Patent: September 12, 2023Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.Inventors: Roe-Hoan Yoon, Gerald Luttrell, Nikhil Gupta
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Patent number: 11747236Abstract: A turbomachine having an air flow measurement system. The system comprises a plurality of acoustic sensors upstream of a compressor of the turbomachine. The acoustic sensors are configured to transmit acoustic waveforms through an intake airflow to further acoustic sensors. The acoustic sensors are located in a single plane and mounted at angular spacing about a central axis of an intake.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2020Date of Patent: September 5, 2023Assignee: VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC.Inventors: Vasileios Kyritsis, Peter Loftus, Maurice Bristow, Todd Lowe
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Patent number: 11737810Abstract: Methods for treating tissue with irreversible electroporation and immunotherapy are described. The methods include placing a probe in tissue within a human body, wherein the probe has at least a first electrode, applying a plurality of electrical pulses through the first electrode and a second electrode, causing irreversible electroporation (IRE) of the tissue within a target ablation zone, and administering one or more exogenous agents into the tissue within the target ablation zone or to the human, thereby stimulating or otherwise modulating an immune system response within the body.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2020Date of Patent: August 29, 2023Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.Inventors: Rafael V. Davalos, John H. Rossmeisl, Paulo A. Garcia
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Patent number: 11733148Abstract: A method and apparatus for evaluating the chemical composition of airborne particles by sequentially collecting and analyzing airborne particles in-situ. The method includes: collecting particles; enlarging the particles through water condensation; accelerating the enlarged particles onto a surface to collect enlarged particles; and analyzing the enlarged particles by: isolating the surface; passing a carrier gas over the surface; heating the surface to thermally desorb collected particles into the carrier gas; transporting this evolved vapor into detectors; and assaying the evolved vapor as a function of a desorption temperature. The apparatus includes: a sample flow inlet; a condensational growth tube; a collection and thermal desorption (CTD) cell; a carrier gas source; a heater coupled to the CTD; one or more gas detectors; and a controller configured to operate valves, the heater, the growth tube, and the CTD cell in at least an in-situ sequential collection mode and analysis mode.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2020Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignees: Aerosol Dynamics Inc., Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.Inventors: Gabriel Isaacman-VanWertz, Nathan M. Kreisberg, Susanne V. Hering
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Patent number: 11708376Abstract: The disclosure provides compounds of Formula (I-A) and (I-B) and the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. The variables, R, R2, R3, X1, X2, X3, Y1, Y, and Z are defined herein. Certain compounds of Formula (I-A) and (I-B) act as selective mitochondrial protonophore uncouplers that do not affect plasma membrane potential. These compounds are useful for treating or decreasing the risk of conditions responsive to mitochondrial uncoupling, such as cancer, obesity, type II diabetes, fatty liver disease, insulin resistance, Parkinson's disease, ischemia reperfusion injury, heart failure, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NALFD), and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), Because mitochondrial uncouplers decrease the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are known to contribute to age-related cell damage, the compounds are useful for increasing lifespan. Compounds and salts of Formulae (I-A) and (I-B) are also useful for regulating glucose homeostasis or insulin action in a patient.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2019Date of Patent: July 25, 2023Assignee: VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC.Inventors: Webster L. Santos, Yumin Dai, Jose A. Santiago-Rivera, Jacob H. Murray
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Patent number: 11699086Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for training and deploying machine-learning estimation networks in a communications system. One of the methods includes: processing first information with ground truth information to generate a first RF signal by altering the first information by channel impairment having at least one channel effect, using a receiver to process the first RF signal to generate second information, training a machine-learning estimation network based on a network architecture, the second information, and the ground truth information, receiving by the receiver a second RF signal transmitted through a communication channel including the at least one channel effect, inferring by the trained estimation network the receiver to estimate an offset of the second RF signal caused by the at least one channel effect, and correcting the offset of the RF signal with the estimated offset to obtain a recovered RF signal.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2022Date of Patent: July 11, 2023Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.Inventors: Timothy James O'Shea, Kiran Karra, T. Charles Clancy
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Patent number: 11697730Abstract: In various aspects, reinforced composite filaments, methods of making reinforced composite filaments, and methods of producing reinforced composite filament are all provided herein. The reinforced composite filaments can include a thermoplastic polymer matrix having dispersed therein reinforcing fibers composed of a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer. In some aspects, the thermoplastic polymer matrix is chosen such that a processing temperature for the thermoplastic polymer matrix is below a melting temperature of the thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer. In some aspects, the thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer is chosen such that a solidification temperature of the thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer is below an upper processing temperature of the thermoplastic polymer matrix. The filaments can be used for fused deposition manufacturing of a variety of parts, especially for the automotive and other industries.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2019Date of Patent: July 11, 2023Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.Inventors: Donald G. Baird, Mubashir Q. Ansari, Craig D. Mansfield
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Patent number: 11682968Abstract: Various examples of power converters including Integrated Capacitor Blocked Transistor (ICBT) cells and methods of control of power converters having ICBT cells are described. In one example, a power converter includes an upper arm including a plurality of upper ICBT cells connected in series to form a series connection path and a lower arm including a plurality of lower ICBT cells connected in series in the series connection path. A controller can be configured to provide a control signal pair to each of the upper ICBT cells and a complementary control signal pair to each of the lower ICBT cells to control the converter output. A capacitor voltage controller can be configured to balance a voltage potential among ICBT capacitors in at least one of the upper arm and the lower arm.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2020Date of Patent: June 20, 2023Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.Inventors: Jianghui Yu, Rolando Burgos
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Patent number: 11674903Abstract: A system and method for monitoring the health of dialysis patients with Raman spectroscopy measurements of one or more target analytes is described. The methods include irradiating one or more fluids of interest with light to produce one or more spectrum and detecting the spectrum with a detector. The fluids of interest are preferably those related to dialysis, including hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. In a preferred embodiment, the fluids are irradiated with monochromatic light, and one or more Raman spectra are detected as a result of the irradiation. The fluids may be irradiated within the dialysis tubing itself, or removed from the dialysis tubing and irradiated in a separate chamber. The Raman spectra of one or more target analytes of a dialysis patient may be followed over time or compared to one or more reference spectra, thereby providing information on the health of dialysis patients.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2015Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.Inventors: John L. Robertson, Ryan Senger, Pang Du
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Patent number: 11664910Abstract: One or more processors control processing of radio frequency (RF) signals using a machine-learning network. The one or more processors receive as input, to a radio communications apparatus, a first representation of an RF signal, which is processed using one or more radio stages, providing a second representation of the RF signal. Observations about, and metrics of, the second representation of the RF signal are obtained. Past observations and metrics are accessed from storage. Using the observations, metrics and past observations and metrics, parameters of a machine-learning network, which implements policies to process RF signals, are adjusted by controlling the radio stages. In response to the adjustments, actions performed by one or more controllers of the radio stages are updated. A representation of a subsequent input RF signal is processed using the radio stages that are controlled based on actions including the updated one or more actions.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2021Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.Inventors: Timothy James O'Shea, Thomas Charles Clancy, III
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Patent number: 11655466Abstract: The present invention provides systems, methods, and devices for electroporation-based therapies (EBTs). Embodiments provide patient-specific treatment protocols derived by the numerical modeling of 3D reconstructions of target tissue from images taken of the tissue, and optionally accounting for one or more of physical constraints or dynamic tissue properties. The present invention further relates to systems, methods, and devices for delivering bipolar electric pulses for irreversible electroporation exhibiting reduced or no damage to tissue typically associated with an EBT-induced excessive charge delivered to the tissue.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2015Date of Patent: May 23, 2023Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.Inventors: Robert E. Neal, II, Paulo A. Garcia, Rafael V. Davalos, John H. Rossmeisl, John L. Robertson
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Publication number: 20230150930Abstract: The present invention relates to relates to a polymer formulation for three-dimensionally (3D) printing an article by stereolithography, the formulation comprising a functionalized polymer. The invention further relates to lithographic methods to form 3D objects that incorporate the aforementioned polymer formulation.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 8, 2021Publication date: May 18, 2023Applicants: SOLVAY SPECIALTY POLYMERS USA, LLC, VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC.Inventors: Joel Pollino, Kermit S. Kwan, Timothy Edward Long, Christopher Bryant Williams, Viswanath Meenakshisundaram, Cody Weyhrich
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Patent number: 11638603Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 17, 2019Date of Patent: May 2, 2023Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.Inventors: Michael B. Sano, Christopher B. Arena, Scott S. Verbridge, Rafael V. Davalos
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Patent number: 11632181Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for training and deploying machine-learned compact representations of radio frequency (RF) signals. One of the methods includes: determining a first RF signal to be compressed; using an encoder machine-learning network to process the first RF signal and generate a compressed signal; calculating a measure of compression in the compressed signal; using a decoder machine-learning network to process the compressed signal and generate a second RF signal that represents a reconstruction of the first RF signal; calculating a measure of distance between the second RF signal and the first RF signal; and updating at least one of the encoder machine-learning network or the decoder machine-learning network based on (i) the measure of distance between the second RF signal and the first RF signal, and (ii) the measure of compression in the compressed signal.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2020Date of Patent: April 18, 2023Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.Inventor: Timothy James O'Shea
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Patent number: 11630996Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for training and deploying machine-learned classification of radio frequency (RF) signals. One of the methods includes obtaining input data corresponding to the RF spectrum; segmenting the input data into one or more samples; and for each sample of the one or more samples: obtaining information included in the sample, comparing the information to one or more labeled signal classes that are known to the machine-learning network, using results of the comparison, determining whether the information corresponds to the one or more labeled signal classes, and in response, matching, using an identification policy of a plurality of policies available to the machine-learning network, the information to a class of the one or more labeled signal classes, and providing an output that identifies an information signal corresponding to the class matching the information obtained from the sample.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2018Date of Patent: April 18, 2023Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.Inventors: Timothy James O'Shea, Tamoghna Roy