Patents by Inventor Allan Westersten

Allan Westersten has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20150157856
    Abstract: An apparatus to make cell walls permeable to macromolecules and nanoparticles by creating micropores in cell walls without using metallic electrodes. Electrolysis and over-heating of the target material owing to uneven current distribution is eliminated. The absence of invasive electrodes makes the apparatus suitable for human applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventor: Allan Westersten
  • Patent number: 8988070
    Abstract: A pulse-induction type metal detector using a transmitter coil energizing pulse that selectively reduces the amplitude of background signals from conductive soils, ores and salt water. The detector can be operated with higher amplification of the received signals than conventional detectors, without driving the input amplifier into saturation. This makes it possible to detect land mines, tramp metal and gold in media whose characteristics make detection with conventional metal detectors difficult.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Inventor: Allan Westersten
  • Publication number: 20130187654
    Abstract: A pulse-induction type metal detector using a transmitter coil energizing pulse that selectively reduces the amplitude of background signals from conductive soils, ores and salt water. The detector can be operated with higher amplification of the received signals than conventional detectors, without driving the input amplifier into saturation. This makes it possible to detect land mines, tramp metal and gold in media whose characteristics make detection with conventional metal detectors difficult.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Inventor: Allan Westersten
  • Patent number: 7701337
    Abstract: A hybrid-technology metal detector, using pulse-induction and sine-wave excitation of the transmitter coil alternately, in rapid succession. The energy stored in the transmitter coil, in the pulsed mode, is used to shock-excite a high-Q circuit formed by the coil and a parallel capacitor into oscillations in the sine-wave mode. The multiplicative action of the circuit Q causes high currents to flow in the transmitter coil, causing high fluxes to be impressed on the searched area, with increased sensitivity as a result. Using a linear coil-current ramp to assess and minimize the coupling between the transmitter and receiver coils permits effective separation of the reactive and resistive components of the target signals, making accurate identification of targets possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Inventor: Allan Westersten
  • Patent number: 7701204
    Abstract: A pulse-induction type metal detector that reliably identifies ferrous and non-ferrous targets in soils with varying mineral content. The influence of the background signals from the soil is removed continuously, without the need for manual adjustment of controls by the operator, when the soil mineralization changes. The background signals are removed without affecting the sensitivity of the detector to metallic targets and the background signal removal process does not make the detector insensitive to targets whose time constant coincides with that of the soil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Inventor: Allan Westersten
  • Patent number: 7664545
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a modular electrode system, and its use, for facilitating the introduction of a macromolecule into cells of a selected tissue in a body or plant. The modular electrode system comprises a non-symmetrically arranged plurality of needle electrodes; a hypodermic needle; an electrical connector that provides a conductive link from a programmable constant-current pulse controller to the plurality of needle electrodes; and a power source. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an operator can grasp the plurality of needle electrodes that are mounted on a support structure and firmly insert the them into the selected tissue in a body or plant. The macromolecules are then delivered via the hypodermic needle into the selected tissue. The programmable constant-current pulse controller is activated and constant-current electrical pulse is applied to the plurality of needle electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: VGX Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
    Inventors: Allan Westersten, William R. Wilkinson, Ruxandra Draghia-Akli, Robert H. Carpenter, Douglas R. Kern
  • Patent number: 7656153
    Abstract: A pulse-induction-type metal detector in which the receiver coil comprises bifilar windings that are connected in series, opposing during the coil pulse and in series, aiding, following the coil pulse. Pick-up of energy by the receiver coil during the coil pulse is thereby minimized and the duration of oscillations is curtailed. Owing to the rapid recovery of the system from the flux change that is used to charge the target, the signal sampling gate can be positioned very close to the trailing edge of the coil-current pulse, whereby detection of targets with very short time constants is made possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Inventor: Allan Westersten
  • Publication number: 20080224704
    Abstract: A metal detector using a linear current ramp followed by an abrupt current transition to energize the transmitter coil. The constant emf imposed on the target during the current ramp permits separation of transient voltages generated in response to eddy currents in the target and its environment from the voltages arising as a result of an inductive imbalance of the coil system The temporal separation of the various voltages makes reliable differentiation between ferrous and non-ferrous targets possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Inventor: Allan Westersten
  • Publication number: 20080150537
    Abstract: A pulse-induction type metal detector capable of distinguishing between metal targets and minerals that mimic metals owing to absorption and release of energy. The amount of energy being transferred is measured by comparing the signals generated during specified intervals of a coil energizing pulse train that comprises bipolar current ramps that induce identical signals in metallic targets but differing signals in magnetic minerals. The criterion used to make the distinction between the targets is thus an inherent characteristic of the target and not subject to a particular adjustment of the electronic circuitry, as is the case with conventional metal detectors. This property of the detector makes it usable in industrial applications, where periodic readjustment of the detector is impractical.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2006
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Inventor: Allan Westersten
  • Patent number: 7245963
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a modular electrode system, and its use, for facilitating the introduction of a macromolecule into cells of a selected tissue in a body or plant. The modular electrode system comprises a plurality of needle electrodes; a hypodermic needle; an electrical connector that provides a conductive link from a programmable constant-current pulse controller to the plurality of needle electrodes; and a power source. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an operator can grasp the plurality of needle electrodes that are mounted on a support structure and firmly insert the them into the selected tissue in a body or plant. The macromolecules are then delivered via the hypodermic needle into the selected tissue. The programmable constant-current pulse controller is activated and constant-current electrical pulse is applied to the plurality of needle electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: ADViSYS, Inc.
    Inventors: Ruxandra Draghia-Akli, Robert H. Carpenter, Douglas R. Kern, Allan Westersten, William R. Wilkinson
  • Publication number: 20070046288
    Abstract: A hybrid-technology metal detector, using pulse-induction and sine-wave excitation of the transmitter coil alternately, in rapid succession. The energy stored in the transmitter coil, in the pulsed mode, is used to shock-excite a high-Q circuit formed by the coil and a parallel capacitor into oscillations in the sine-wave mode. The multiplicative action of the circuit Q causes high currents to flow in the transmitter coil, causing high fluxes to be impressed on the searched area, with increased sensitivity as a result. Using a linear coil-current ramp to assess and minimize the coupling between the transmitter and receiver coils permits effective separation of the reactive and resistive components of the target signals, making accurate identification of targets possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Publication date: March 1, 2007
    Inventor: Allan Westersten
  • Publication number: 20060264807
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a modular electrode system, and its use, for facilitating the introduction of a macromolecule into cells of a selected tissue in a body or plant. The modular electrode system comprises a non-symmetrically arranged plurality of needle electrodes; a hypodermic needle; an electrical connector that provides a conductive link from a programmable constant-current pulse controller to the plurality of needle electrodes; and a power source. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an operator can grasp the plurality of needle electrodes that are mounted on a support structure and firmly insert the them into the selected tissue in a body or plant. The macromolecules are then delivered via the hypodermic needle into the selected tissue. The programmable constant-current pulse controller is activated and constant-current electrical pulse is applied to the plurality of needle electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Publication date: November 23, 2006
    Applicant: ADVISYS, Inc.
    Inventors: Allan Westersten, William Wilkinson, Ruxandra Draghia-Akli, Robert Carpenter, Douglas Kern
  • Publication number: 20060164105
    Abstract: A pulse-induction-type metal detector in which the receiver coil comprises bifilar windings that are connected in series, opposing during the coil pulse and in series, aiding, following the coil pulse. Pick-up of energy by the receiver coil during the coil pulse is thereby minimized and the duration of oscillations is curtailed. Owing to the rapid recovery of the system from the flux change that is used to charge the target, the signal sampling gate can be positioned very close to the trailing edge of the coil-current pulse, whereby detection of targets with very short time constants is made possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2006
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Inventor: Allan Westersten
  • Publication number: 20040167458
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a modular electrode system, and its use, for facilitating the introduction of a macromolecule into cells of a selected tissue in a body or plant. The modular electrode system comprises a plurality of needle electrodes; a hypodermic needle; an electrical connector that provides a conductive link from a programmable constant-current pulse controller to the plurality of needle electrodes; and a power source. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an operator can grasp the plurality of needle electrodes that are mounted on a support structure and firmly insert the them into the selected tissue in a body or plant. The macromolecules are then delivered via the hypodermic needle into the selected tissue. The programmable constant-current pulse controller is activated and constant-current electrical pulse is applied to the plurality of needle electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2002
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Inventors: Ruxandra Draghia-Akli, Robert H. Carpenter, Douglas R. Kern, Allan Westersten, William R. Wilkinson