Patents Examined by J. Christopher Ball
  • Patent number: 11454624
    Abstract: A test cartridge includes a membrane separating an internal space of the cartridge into a sample chamber and a second chamber. A first electrode is disposed within the sample chamber, and a second electrode is disposed within the second chamber. A device includes a dock and circuitry. The dock includes a first dock-terminal and a second dock-terminal, and is configured to receive the cartridge such that the circuitry is electrically connected to the electrodes via contact between terminals of the dock and terminals of the cartridge. The circuitry performs, while the cartridge remains docked with the dock: (a) a verification step that verifies an absence of nanopores in the membrane, (b) subsequently, a nanoporation subroutine, and (c) subsequently, an assay subroutine. The circuitry enables the nanoporation subroutine only if the verification step successfully verifies the absence of nanopores. Other embodiments are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Inventors: Ofer Israel Wilner, Ori Kaplan
  • Patent number: 11445946
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of determining dopamine concentration at a target location in neural tissue. In several embodiments, the method comprises measuring current level in response to square wave voltammetry with a coated electrode of a neural probe implanted at the target location, wherein the coated electrode comprises a coating of poly 3,4 ethylene dioxythiophene (PEDOT) doped with negatively charged carbon nanotubes (CNT), and comparing the measured current level to a control current level to determine the dopamine concentration at the target location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: University of Pittsburgh—Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
    Inventors: Xinyan Cui, Ian Mitchell Taylor
  • Patent number: 11448614
    Abstract: An electrochemical sensor array includes a thermal oxide configured to interface with one or more analytes. There is a transistor device layer that includes a plurality of field effect transistors (FETs) on top of the thermal oxide. A contact and wiring structure layer is on top of the transistor device layer and operative to couple to control nodes of each of the plurality of FETs. The contact and wiring structure are on a side opposite to that of the thermal oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sufi Zafar, Steven J. Holmes, Bruce B. Doris
  • Patent number: 11441166
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and compositions of matter involving enzyme-mediated bioelectrocatalysis are disclosed and described. An enzyme electrode can include an electrode, a bioelectric material coupled to the electrode, the bioelectric material further including a water-permeable polymer matrix, a planar linker covalently coupled to the water-permeable polymer matrix and noncovalently coupled to the electrode, and electrochemically active oxidoreductase enzyme molecules functionally embedded in the water-permeable polymer matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: University of Utah Research Foundation
    Inventors: David P. Hickey, Shelley D. Minteer
  • Patent number: 11442071
    Abstract: Electrochemical sensor surfaces capable of detecting cortisol at low and high concentrations using cyclodextrin interactions are described. One electrochemical sensor surface uses a cyclodextrin:adamantane complexed surface. Another electrochemical sensor surface uses one or more rotaxanes of surface-bound cyclodextrin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: University of New Hampshire
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Halpern, McKenna Merrill
  • Patent number: 11435312
    Abstract: A sensor system, device, and methods for determining the concentration of an analyte in a sample is described. Gated voltammetric pulse sequences including multiple duty cycles of sequential excitations and relaxations may provide a shorter analysis time and/or improve the accuracy and/or precision of the analysis. The disclosed pulse sequences may reduce analysis errors arising from the hematocrit effect, variance in cap-gap volumes, non-steady-state conditions, mediator background, a single set of calibration constants, under-fill, and changes in the active ionizing agent content of the sensor strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Ascensia Diabetes Care Holdings AG
    Inventor: Huan-Ping Wu
  • Patent number: 11435308
    Abstract: A sensor device for sensing CO2 comprises a hybrid sensing material and a transducer. The hybrid sensing material comprises at least amines and nanoparticles, wherein the hybrid sensing material has a property and is configured to change the property dependent on a current CO2 concentration in the surrounding. The transducer is configured to output an electrical sensor signal dependent on the property of the hybrid sensing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Jamila Boudaden, Benjamin Gruber
  • Patent number: 11428662
    Abstract: An electrochemical sensor (10) for measuring biochemical parameters in the sap (L) of a plant (P), comprising: —a channel in which the sap (L) of a plant (P) flows; —a first electrically conductive filament (11) which crosses the channel; —a control electrode (12) which crosses the channel; wherein the channel comprises a conductor vessel (C) of a trunk (D) of the plant (P), and wherein the first filament (11) comprises a textile fiber (110) coated with a layer (111) of conductive polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche
    Inventors: Andrea Zappettini, Nicola Coppedè
  • Patent number: 11422109
    Abstract: A sensor device for detecting a target species in an aqueous media and/or measuring the concentration of a target species in an aqueous media, the sensor device comprising: (a) an active semiconductor comprising an organic semiconductor material that exhibit substantially the same transfer curve for a period of at least 24 hours when first exposed to air; and (b) a structure for directing an aqueous media into contact with the sensor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: CAMBRIDGE ENTERPRISE LIMITED
    Inventors: Henning Sirringhaus, Jerome Charmet, Mark Nikolka, Dimitrios Simatos
  • Patent number: 11413617
    Abstract: A digital microfluidics (DMF) device can be used to extract plasma from whole blood and manipulate the extracted plasma. The device can have a plasma separation membrane disposed between a sample inlet and sample outlet that leads into the DMF device. Once the plasma contacts the actuation electrodes of the DMF device, the plasma can be actively extracted from the whole blood sample by actuating the actuation electrodes to pull the plasma through plasma separation membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: MIROCULUS INC.
    Inventors: Mais J. Jebrail, Jorge Abraham Soto Moreno, Victor Lee
  • Patent number: 11408880
    Abstract: Hybrid nanopores, comprising a protein pore supported within a solid-state membrane, which combine the robust nature of solid-state membranes with the easily tunable and precise engineering of protein nanopores. In an embodiment, a lipid-free hybrid nanopore comprises a water soluble and stable, modified portal protein of the Thermus thermophilus bacteriophage G20c, electrokinetically inserted into a larger nanopore in a solid-state membrane. The hybrid pore is stable and easy to fabricate, and exhibits low peripheral leakage, allowing sensing and discrimination among different types of biomolecules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignees: Northeastern University, University of York
    Inventors: Meni Wanunu, Alfred Antson, Sandra Greive, Benjamin Cressiot
  • Patent number: 11408849
    Abstract: The presence of oxygen or red blood cells in a sample applied to an electrochemical test strip that makes use of a reduced mediator is corrected for by an additive correction factor that is determined as a function of the temperature of the sample and a measurement that reflects the oxygen carrying capacity of the sample. The measured oxygen carrying capacity can also be used to determine hematocrit and to distinguish between blood samples and control solutions applied to a test strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: AgaMatrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian Harding, Richard Williams, Sridhar Iyengar
  • Patent number: 11391692
    Abstract: A sensor is provided, the sensor including a field effect transistor comprising: (a) an active region comprising: (i) a source region and a drain region defining a source-drain axis and (ii) a channel region between the source region and the drain region; (b) a dielectric region on the channel region, comprising at least a first zone on a first portion of the channel region and a second zone on a second portion of the channel region, the first zone measuring from 1 to 100 nm in the direction of the source-drain axis and being adapted to create a different threshold voltage for the first portion of the channel region than for the second portion of the channel region, and (c) a fluidic gate region to which a top surface of the dielectric region is exposed. A biosensing device comprising such a sensor, a method for using such a sensor, and a process for making such a sensor are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: IMEC VZW
    Inventors: Geert Hellings, Koen Martens
  • Patent number: 11391693
    Abstract: Example devices include a cis well associated with a cis electrode, a trans well associated with a trans electrode, and a field effect transistor (FET) positioned between the cis well and the trans well. Examples of the field effect transistor (FET) include a fluidic system defined therein. The fluidic system includes a first cavity facing the cis well, a second cavity fluidically connected to the trans well, and a through via extending through the field effect transistor from the first cavity. A first nanoscale opening fluidically connects the cis well and the first cavity, the first nanoscale opening having an inner diameter. A second nanoscale opening fluidically connects the through via and the second cavity, the second nanoscale opening having an inner diameter. The second nanoscale opening inner diameter is larger than the first nanoscale opening inner diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Illumina, Inc.
    Inventors: Boyan Boyanov, Jens Gundlach
  • Patent number: 11391696
    Abstract: A microchip electrophoresis apparatus includes a microchip, a dispensing part, a suction part, and a control part. The control part is configured to perform a buffer solution filling step and a liquid surface aligning step. In the buffer solution filling step, a buffer solution is filled in a channel of the microchip, and also a liquid surface level of the buffer solution in a first reservoir and a liquid surface level of the buffer solution in a second reservoir provided on the other end of the channel are set to a predetermined level or more. The liquid surface aligning step is performed after the buffer solution filling step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihiro Arai
  • Patent number: 11377746
    Abstract: A sensor (4) for monitoring cathodic protection (CP) levels, i.e. cathodic protection potential and current capacity, the sensor being arranged to perform measurements of galvanic current and polarized potential between, on one hand, a reference object and, on the other hand, one of: i) a sacrificial anode (2) and ii) a protected component (1). The sensor comprises a reference electrode (5) in electrical and electrochemical contact with a metal sensing element (6) which has a defined surface area (6?) exposed to an electrolyte, the sensing element electrically coupled to one of the sacrificial anode (2) or the protected component (1) via a resistor (15) and a switch (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Vetco Gray Scandinavia AS
    Inventors: Lars Artun, Mariano Iannuzzi, Marco Rapone
  • Patent number: 11371959
    Abstract: A device and a method for performing an assay is provided. The assay device, which may be used for determining the concentration of an analyte in a sample, includes a plurality of microchambers and a Field-effect transistor (FET) arranged at the bottom of each of the plurality of microchambers. Capture probe molecules for the analyte can be arranged within the plurality of microchambers such that each microchamber contains at most one capture probe molecule. The FET can be arranged in said microchamber to give a readable output signal based on binding of the analyte, or competitor to the analyte, with the capture probe molecule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: IMEC VZW
    Inventors: Kris Covens, Karolien Jans, Koen Martens
  • Patent number: 11364499
    Abstract: Devices for detecting a molecule of interest comprising an electrokinetic focusing apparatus and a nanopore apparatus are provided. Kits and systems comprising the apparatus are also provided; as are methods of detecting molecules of interest comprising running the molecules through the electrokinetic focusing apparatus and then detecting the focused molecules as they pass through the nanopore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: TECHNION RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION LIMITED
    Inventors: Amit Meller, Moran Bercovici, Xander Frank Van Kooten, Joshua Spitzberg
  • Patent number: 11360045
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a device includes: an electrode configured to change a contact angle of a liquid droplet above the electrode when a first voltage is applied to the electrode; a sensing film overlaying the electrode, wherein the electrode is configured for assessment of a state of the liquid droplet based on a second voltage sensed at the electrode; a reference electrode above the electrode, the reference electrode configured to provide a reference voltage; and a microfluidic channel between the electrode and the reference electrode, wherein the microfluidic channel is configured to manipulate the liquid droplet using the electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsung-Tsun Chen, Allen Timothy Chang, Jui-Cheng Huang
  • Patent number: 11360046
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an organic electrochemical transistor based on conducting polymers (for example PEDOT:PSS) in which the gate electrode has been integrated on the surface of the channel through the deposition of Ag halide nanoparticles, AgX (X?CI, Br, I). This configuration allows the device to operate without applying a potential difference to the gate electrode (with consequent reduction in operating costs). The device is able to detect the halide ion: by varying the nature of the nanoparticles and in particular by using AgX (X?CI, Br, I) or Ag2S the sensor acquires sensitivity towards anion X or sulfide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: ALMA MATER STUDIORUM—UNIVERSITA' DI BOLOGNA
    Inventors: Erika Scavetta, Beatrice Fraboni, Isacco Gualandi