Patents Assigned to VITO NV
  • Publication number: 20200197871
    Abstract: A method of obtaining a compound may include adding a substrate to a medium in a reactor, and reacting the substrate in the reactor to form the compound. A first stream is separated from the reaction liquid through a first membrane. A second stream is separated from the reaction liquid through a second membrane. The first membrane is a filtration membrane and the second membrane is configured for liquid-gas or liquid-liquid extraction The first membrane and the second membrane are at least partially immersed in the medium and are moved relative to the reactor during the separation steps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Applicant: VITO NV
    Inventors: Wouter VAN HECKE, Helmut ELSLANDER, Karolien VANBROEKHOVEN, Helene DE WEVER, Herman BECKERS
  • Patent number: 10683547
    Abstract: A method relates to epigenetic markers and their diagnostic and predictive value for respiratory allergy. The method can include assaying a test sample from the patient for a DNA hypermethylation or hypomethylation of at least GLI2 region, in which hypermethylation or hypomethylation of the gene region in the test sample indicates or predicts a respiratory allergy in the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: VITO NV
    Inventors: Patrick de Boever, Sabine Langie
  • Patent number: 10634494
    Abstract: A method for taking partially overlapping images of a ground surface from a camera arranged in an aircraft or a spacecraft, the method including: while the aircraft or the spacecraft is moving, acquiring images at different instants in time, separated by time intervals; detecting, during the moving, position information representative of a position and orientation information representative of an orientation of the aircraft of the spacecraft; using the position information, the orientation information, and the camera's viewing angle to determine maximal values of time intervals for which images with a predetermined amount of spatial overlap can be obtained; and adjusting the intervals towards the maximal values so as to minimize the number of the acquired images while maintaining the predetermined amount of spatial overlap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: VITO NV
    Inventors: Stefan Livens, Bavo Delaure
  • Patent number: 10598642
    Abstract: A method is for the simultaneous identification of one or more chemical compounds contained in a sample, from an analytical measurement of a pool of two or more of the samples. A measured intensity of a first and second signal is representative of an abundance of respectively the first and second chemical compound in the first sample, and a measured intensity of a third and fourth second signal is representative of an abundance of respectively a third and fourth chemical compound in the second sample. The first and third, and the second and fourth compound may be the same or different. The signal intensities are organized in a matrix aij of m columns and n rows, in which n is ?2 and corresponds to the number of chemical compounds in the pool, and m?2 and corresponds to the number of samples in the pool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: VITO NV
    Inventors: Dirk Valkenborg, Jef Hooyberghs
  • Patent number: 10578434
    Abstract: A method for taking partially overlapping images of a ground surface from a camera arranged in an aircraft or a spacecraft, the method including: while the aircraft or the spacecraft is moving, acquiring images at different instants in time, separated by time intervals; detecting, during the moving, position information representative of a position and orientation information representative of an orientation of the aircraft of the spacecraft; using the position information, the orientation information, and the camera's viewing angle to determine maximal values of time intervals for which images with a predetermined amount of spatial overlap can be obtained; and adjusting the intervals towards the maximal values so as to minimize the number of the acquired images while maintaining the predetermined amount of spatial overlap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: VITO NV
    Inventors: Stefan Livens, Bavo Delaure
  • Patent number: 10565789
    Abstract: A method for geometric referencing of multi-spectral data in a sequence of images, the images containing distinct regions representing imaged radiation in respective distinct wavelengths. The method includes selecting a subset from the sequence of images, the subset containing a plurality of images, each image of which represents a field of view that overlaps with a field of view of at least one other image in the same subset; generating a 3D model by performing photogrammetric 3D reconstruction on the images in the subset; estimating a displacement and a yaw between pairs of successive images of the sequence of images; and using the 3D model and the estimated displacement and yaw to calculate photogrammetric parameters for images of the sequence of images that are not in the selected subset. Additionally, a corresponding system and a corresponding computer program product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: VITO NV
    Inventors: Stefan Livens, Bavo Delaure
  • Patent number: 10516266
    Abstract: A method or system for controlling an energy or power supply network having a coordination centre, a plurality of local end-user units and a communications network linking the local units and the coordination centre and a supply network connecting the local units and the coordination centre for energy or power supply. The supply network has constraints that limits power or energy consumption at at least one of the local end-user units. The method or system is adapted so that the coordination centre transmits a control signal indicating a degree of imbalance of the system to the at least one of the local end-user units, and the at least one local end-user unit is adapted to transmit a reaction signal to the coordination centre indicative of a power schedule for the local unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: VITO NV
    Inventors: Fedor De Ridder, Bert Claessens, Sven De Breucker
  • Publication number: 20190383878
    Abstract: A hybrid battery charger-testing device is described being a modification of a battery charger having a DC output stage, and a boost converter added to the DC output stage of the charger, the boost converter being configured to output pulses and/or a continuous AC wave for testing a battery. The hybrid charger can be used to output a purely AC test wave, e.g. sinusoidal wave for an electrochemical impedance spectroscopy test, to output pulses such as HPPC pulses and/or to perform GITT or incremental charge tests. For example, determination of battery parameters by diagnostic testing can be achieved by combining the existing functionality of a battery charger with test procedures involving currents much lower than used during charging of the battery or of returning battery energy to the electricity grid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Applicant: VITO NV
    Inventors: Peter COENEN, Sven DE BREUCKER, Grietus MULDER
  • Patent number: 10497139
    Abstract: A method for performing photogrammetric 3D reconstruction of objects imaged in a sequence of images, the images containing distinct regions representing imaged radiation in respective distinct wavelengths, the method having the steps: selecting a plurality of subsets from the sequence of images, each one of the plurality of subset containing a plurality of images, each image of which represents a field of view that overlaps with a field of view of at least one other image in the same subset; generating a set of intermediate 3D models by performing photogrammetric 3D reconstruction on the images in respective ones of the subsets; and recombining the intermediate 3D models from the set of 3D models into a combined 3D model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: VITO NV
    Inventors: Aleksandra Sima, Stefan Livens, Bavo Delaure
  • Patent number: 10495503
    Abstract: Device for simultaneously determining a mass transport of a fluid and a mass transport of a substance dissolved in the fluid, comprising at least two cartridges filled with a porous matrix, and assembly means, configured to keep the cartridges together, characterized in that the top side and the bottom side of each cartridge are non-permeable and the side wall is permeable, and in that the assembly means are configured to keep the cartridges together according to a stack, in which the cartridges may be flowed through in parallel without cross-contamination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignees: VITO NV (VLAAMSE INSTELLING VOOR TECHNOLOGISCH ONDERZOEK NV), UNIVERSITEIT ANTWERPEN
    Inventors: Goedele Verreydt, Simon De Meulenaer, Filip Meesters
  • Patent number: 10472390
    Abstract: Provided herein are processes for carrying out a chemical reaction of a substrate in a diluted reaction mixture. The processes include conducting the reaction mixture having reaction product and solvent to a filtration membrane which is permeable to the solvent but impermeable to the reaction product. Solvent which permeates the filtration membrane for dilution of the substrate feed is recycled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Vito NV
    Inventors: Dominic Ormerod, Anita Buekenhoudt
  • Publication number: 20190340811
    Abstract: A method for geometric referencing of multi-spectral data in a sequence of images, the images containing distinct regions representing imaged radiation in respective distinct wavelengths. The method includes selecting a subset from the sequence of images, the subset containing a plurality of images, each image of which represents a field of view that overlaps with a field of view of at least one other image in the same subset; generating a 3D model by performing photogrammetric 3D reconstruction on the images in the subset; estimating a displacement and a yaw between pairs of successive images of the sequence of images; and using the 3D model and the estimated displacement and yaw to calculate photogrammetric parameters for images of the sequence of images that are not in the selected subset. Additionally, a corresponding system and a corresponding computer program product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Applicant: VITO NV
    Inventors: Stefan LIVENS, Bavo DELAURE
  • Publication number: 20190331596
    Abstract: A device for measuring the state of a phase change material inside a vessel, the device includes at least one optical fiber arranged inside the vessel, the optical fiber including a cladding around a core, a light source emitting light coupled into a first end of the at least one optical fiber at a wavelength ?, optical measuring devices for measuring the amount of light at the output at a second end of the at least one optical fiber. The at least one optical fiber also includes a plurality of sections with the cladding removed so that at these sections the core is in direct contact with the phase change material inside the vessel and where the refractive index at the wavelength ? of the core is higher than that of the phase change material in a first phase and lower in a second phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Applicant: VITO NV
    Inventor: Robbe SALENBIEN
  • Publication number: 20190324411
    Abstract: A system or a method to at least partially steer systems, e.g. heating and/or cooling and clusters of systems, when the controller of the system is unknown or when the transfer function of the system is unknown. The steering of the energy flow, e.g. heating/cooling/electrical energy, includes providing energy to the system or the cluster of systems and preferably to manage common constraints, like capacity problems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Applicants: VITO NV, NODA Intelligent Systems AB
    Inventors: Dirk VANHOUDT, Gowri SURYANARAYANA, Fjo DE RIDDER, Johan Christian JOHANSSON
  • Publication number: 20190318281
    Abstract: A method and retrofit system hot water or cold water consumption profiling to obtain electrical flexibility data of hot or cold thermal storage vessels driven by heat pump or a heat exchanger e.g. driven by electricity, such as electrical boilers with resistance heaters or driven by a heat pump or heat exchanger e.g. driven by electricity. In particular the determination of flexibility of thermal storage vessels such as DHW buffers or DCW buffers, e.g. for use in stabilisation of the electricity grid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2017
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Applicant: VITO NV
    Inventors: Koen VANTHOURNOUT, Wim CARDINAELS, Steven VAN DEUN
  • Publication number: 20190288520
    Abstract: A modular management system for balancing, testing and protecting rechargeable energy storage cells connected in series. Different energy storage cell technologies can be connected in the same battery pack and they can be completely balanced by using one or both of two balancing modes. In addition, the modular management system includes bidirectional and unidirectional switches optionally connected to a single ohmic device such as a resistor to efficiently execute a Dual Function Process (DFP) (i.e., passive/active balancing, and testing mode for SoH/SoC estimation) preferably without using any extra or external components (i.e., capacitor or inductor or DC/DC converter or power supply). The systems and methods decrease the balancing time, energy loss, heat loss and complexity needed to monitor, protect and balance energy storage cell systems such as battery systems, and thus decreasing the overall cost.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Applicants: VITO NV, VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT BRUSSEL
    Inventors: Mohamed ABDEL-MONEM, Omar HEGAZY, Noshin OMAR, Khiem TRAD, Joeri VAN MIERLO
  • Publication number: 20190277832
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a flatbed air-liquid interface exposure module for exposing a plurality of cells at an air-liquid interface to nanoparticles, the flatbed air-liquid interface exposure module comprising a moisturizing section, an exposure section, and an aerosol duct. Further provided are related systems and methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2017
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Applicants: VITO NV, Paris-Lodron-Universität Salzburg
    Inventors: Evelien FRIJNS, Johan VAN LAER, Sandra VERSTRAELEN, An JACOBS, Albert DUSCHL, Martin HIMLY, Pierre MADL
  • Publication number: 20190249131
    Abstract: A method for producing products, advantageously solvents, is by fermentation, advantageously multi-stage fermentation. The fermentation is complemented with pervaporation as in situ product recovery technology, combined with a multistage condensation of the permeate. The condensates are separately introduced in the downstream processing to recover the produced products, advantageously solvents. The method for producing products, advantageously solvents, by fermentation is simplified and has an overall improved energy efficiency. A related system uses method for producing products, advantageously solvents, is by fermentation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Applicant: VITO NV (Vlaamse Instelling voor Techhnologisch Onderzoek NV)
    Inventors: Wouter van HECKE, Helene de WEVER, Lambertus BOUWMAN
  • Patent number: 10358729
    Abstract: An ion-permeable web-reinforced separator, said ion-permeable web-reinforced separator comprising two separator elements separated by an (optionally integrated) substantially hollow by-pass channel, wherein the separator elements each comprise a binder and a metal oxide or hydroxide dispersed therein and the separator elements have a bubble point of at least 1 bar (0.1 MPa) and a back-wash resistance of at least 1 bar (0.1 MPa) and optionally have a specific resistance less than 4 ?-cm at 30° C. in 6M potassium hydroxide solution; an electrochemical cell involving the production or consumption of at least one gas, said electrochemical cell comprising said ion-permeable web-reinforced separator; and the use thereof in an electrochemical cell involving the production or consumption of at least one gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: VITO NV
    Inventors: Willy Doyen, Yolanda Alvarez Gallego
  • Publication number: 20190211298
    Abstract: An assembly includes a housing with opposite first and second layers. The first and second layers are spaced apart to define a confined interior space. A semi-permeable membrane is attached to the first layer, the semi-permeable membrane covering a porous area portion of the first layer. An outlet port and an inlet port are in fluid communication with the interior space. The assembly includes a first circulator for circulating a first fluid between the outlet port and the inlet port, and a second circulator for circulating a second fluid along an exterior surface of the semi-permeable membrane. The second circulator includes a fluid duct attached to or integrated within the housing. The fluid duct is isolated from the interior space and is porous to provide fluid access to an exterior surface of the semi-permeable membrane. The semi-permeable membrane forms a barrier allowing exchange of compounds across the membrane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Applicant: VITO NV (VLAAMSE INSTELLING VOOR TECHNOLOGISCH ONDERZOEK NV)
    Inventors: Willy DOYEN, Bart MOLENBERGHS, Helene DE WEVER, Mahboubi SOUFIANI AMIR, Mohammad TAHERZADEH