Patents by Inventor Andrew Mirhej

Andrew Mirhej 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).

  • Detection of birefringent microcrystals in bile
    Patent number: 6628388
    Abstract: A transparent flow channel fluidly communicates a fluid source and a collection reservoir. A light beam passes through a first polarizer having a first plane of polarization. The flow channel is orthogonal to the light beam. The light beam passes through a fluid sample as it flows through the flow channel. The light beam is then filtered through a second polarizer having a second plane of polarization rotated 90° from the first plane of polarization. The birefringence of certain crystalline materials present in the fluid sample rotates the plane of polarization of the light beam. The presence of these microcrystals thus causes a component of the beam to pass through the second polarizer and impinge an electronic photo-detector located in the path of the beam. The photo-detector signals the presence of the microcrystals by generating voltage pulses. A display device visually presents the quantitative results of the assay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Chris Darrow, Andrew Mirhej, Tino Seger
  • Detection of birefringent microcrystals in bile
    Publication number: 20020135766
    Abstract: A transparent flow channel fluidly communicates a fluid source and a collection reservoir. A light beam passes through a first polarizer having a first plane of polarization. The flow channel is orthogonal to the light beam. The light beam passes through a fluid sample as it flows through the flow channel. The light beam is then filtered through a second polarizer having a second plane of polarization rotated 90° from the first plane of polarization. The birefringence of certain crystalline materials present in the fluid sample rotates the plane of polarization of the light beam. The presence of these microcrystals thus causes a component of the beam to pass through the second polarizer and impinge an electronic photo-detector located in the path of the beam. The photo-detector signals the presence of the microcrystals by generating voltage pulses. A display device visually presents the quantitative results of the assay.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2001
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Applicant: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Chris Darrow, Andrew Mirhej, Tino Seger