Patents by Inventor Andrea Giovannini

Andrea Giovannini 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: 20150179401
    Abstract: A method for controlling an interaction between droplet targets and a high power and high-repetition-rate laser beam at a laser focus position of the laser beam including providing a droplet generator for generating a train of droplets as a droplet target with a predetermined droplet frequency and velocity in a predetermined direction; providing a high power, high-repetition-rate laser for emitting a pulsed laser beam, which is focused in the laser focus position; aligning the droplet generator such that the train of droplets runs through the laser focus position; generating a train of droplets as a droplet target; and emitting a pulsed laser beam in synchronization with the train of droplets, such that the droplet target interacts with the pulsed laser beam at the laser focus position
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2013
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventors: Nadia Gambino, Reza Abhari, Flori Alickaj, Felix Daners, Andrea Giovannini, Oran Morris, Bob Rollinger
  • Publication number: 20140353431
    Abstract: A soft landing system (10) includes an air cushion structure (12) includes a housing portion (14), adapted to house a load (V); a support portion (15), connected to the housing portion (14) and inflatable with fluid under pressure. Tubular elements (16; 116) are adapted to be inflated, thus taking an outstretched configuration in which the tubular elements (16; 116) support the housing portion (14). A breather apparatus (17) is adapted to gradually deflate the tubular elements (16; 116) when the structure 812) is free falling integrally with the load (V) and the support portion (15) hits the ground.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2012
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Giuliano Franceschi, Andrea Giovannini, Fabio Varone
  • Patent number: 8825366
    Abstract: The device includes processor elements for determining an optimal flight trajectory, which is free of collision with obstacles, which respects constraints of energy, and which links the current position of the aircraft to a target point defined by an operator. The device minimizes additional crew work required to update and validate a new trajectory when an original flight plan needs to be modified to avoid moving obstacles such as storms or other aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Airbus Operations (S.A.S.)
    Inventors: Andrea Giovannini, Thomas Pastre
  • Patent number: 8781654
    Abstract: The device includes elements of a processing unit which determine a limit trajectory representing a flight trajectory which is compatible with the aircraft performance during the approach and which shows the limits for the flight of the aircraft. For example, a vertical profile and a horizontal trajectory are determined, with the horizontal trajectory being non-linear so that the energy of the aircraft can be sufficiently dissipated before final approach along an approach axis, while also avoiding obstacles. Thus, a flight trajectory is determined even when the aircraft has deviated from a flight plan and approach axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Airbus Operations (SAS)
    Inventors: Andrea Giovannini, Thomas Pastre
  • Publication number: 20140151582
    Abstract: A droplet dispensing device includes a reservoir for receiving a liquid material, an outlet nozzle in fluid communication with the reservoir and a piezoelectric actuating means acting on the liquid material at the outlet nozzle to exit the outlet nozzle in a sequence of droplets. A piezoelectric actuating means that includes a piston, which is actuated by a piezoelectric actuator at one end and dips the other, free end into the liquid material is provided just upstream of the outlet nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: ETH ZURICH
    Inventors: Bob Rollinger, Reza Abhari, Andrea Giovannini, Ian Henderson
  • Patent number: 8723147
    Abstract: The extreme ultraviolet light source comprises a production site capable of producing extreme ultraviolet radiation in a laser-produced plasma (3), and a collector optics (6) for collimating the extreme ultraviolet radiation. A pressurized influx of gas forms a gas curtain between the production site and the collector optics (6) in order to protect the collector optics (6) from debris (4) generated at the production site. The gas influx is directed in a way that it follows the surface of the collector optics (6). By thus shielding the collector optics (6) from the debris (4) its lifetime is enhanced. The shielding gas can further be used for cooling the collector optics (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: ETH Zürich
    Inventors: Reza Abhari, Andrea Giovannini, Bob Rollinger, Davide Bleiner
  • Patent number: 8494761
    Abstract: A device and method aids the evaluation of a flight trajectory that is intended to be followed by an aircraft within a constrained environment. The method includes receiving information from a processing unit regarding stationary and moving obstacles, implementing a collision trial based on this information, and displaying any collision risks to the pilot on a display device in the cockpit. Consequently, a pilot can know within the constrained environment whether a flight trajectory needs to be modified to avoid potential collisions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations (SAS)
    Inventors: Andrea Giovannini, Thomas Pastre
  • Publication number: 20130134318
    Abstract: The invention relates to a beam line (30) for a source of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation, wherein a EUV-radiating plasma is generated by irradiating droplets of a suitable target material with a focused laser beam (5) at a plasma generation point, said beam line (30) comprising within a vacuum chamber (7): a beam delivery system (2) comprising a focusing lens and means for cooling and shielding said focusing lens; a EUV mirror collector (1), which collects and focuses the radiated EUV in a EUV beam (6) at an intermediate focus (IF); a beam dump (3) capable of damping at least a portion of the laser beam (5) without imposing a shadow on the collected and focused EUV beam (6); and an intermediate focus module (4) for blocking particles from leaving the vacuum chamber (7) with the EUV beam (6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Inventors: Reza Abhari, Andrea Giovannini, Franz Dieterich
  • Publication number: 20130003167
    Abstract: An optical collector (15) for collecting extreme ultraviolet radiation or EUV light generated at a central EUV production site comprises a reflective shell (25). To cope with thermal loading of the collector and avoid deformations, the reflective shell (25) is mounted on a support structure (24), such that a cooling channel (29) is established between the back side of the reflective shell (25) and the support structure (24), the thickness of the reflective shell (25) is substantially reduced, such that the convective heat transfer between the back side of the reflective shell (25) and a cooling medium (26) flowing through the cooling channel (29) dominates the process of removing heat from the reflective shell (25) with respect to heat conduction, and a cooling circuit (33) is connected to the cooling channel (29); to supply a cooling medium (26) to the cooling channel (29) with a controlled coolant pressure and/or mass flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Inventors: Franz Dieterich, Reza Abhari, Andrea Giovannini, Vipluv Aga
  • Publication number: 20120150369
    Abstract: The device (1) includes means (2, 3, 4) for determining a limit trajectory representing a flight trajectory which is compatible with the aircraft performance during the approach and which shows the limits for the flight of the aircraft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: AIRBUS OPERATIONS (S.A.S.)
    Inventors: Andrea Giovannini, Thomas Pastre
  • Publication number: 20120143487
    Abstract: Method and device for aiding the evaluation of a flight trajectory intended to be followed by an aircraft in a constrained environment. The device includes for determining and displaying a zone (ZL) which is free of obstacles (O1, O2), around a flight trajectory (TV), this free zone (ZL) illustrating the possible maneuver margin of the aircraft along the whole flight trajectory (TV).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: AIRBUS OPERATIONS (S.A.S.)
    Inventors: Andrea Giovannini, Thomas Pastre
  • Publication number: 20120143505
    Abstract: Method and device for determining an optimal flight trajectory followed by an aircraft. The device (1) includes means (8, 9) for determining an optimal flight trajectory, which is free of collision with obstacles, which respects constraints of energy, and which links the current position of the aircraft to a target point defined by an operator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: AIRBUS OPERATIONS (S.A.S.)
    Inventors: Andrea Giovannini, Thomas Pastre
  • Publication number: 20120025109
    Abstract: The extreme ultraviolet light source comprises a production site capable of producing extreme ultraviolet radiation in a laser-produced plasma (3), and a collector optics (6) for collimating the extreme ultraviolet radiation. A pressurized influx of gas forms a gas curtain between the production site and the collector optics (6) in order to protect the collector optics (6) from debris (4) generated at the production site. The gas influx is directed in a way that it follows the surface of the collector optics (6). By thus shielding the collector optics (6) from the debris (4) its lifetime is enhanced. The shielding gas can further be used for cooling the collector optics (6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Inventors: Reza Abhari, Andrea Giovannini, Bod Rollinger, Davide Bleiner