Patents by Inventor Banahalli Ratna

Banahalli Ratna 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).

  • Control of protein activity using a conducting polymer
    Patent number: 8709740
    Abstract: A device having a substrate and an enzyme attached to the substrate. The substrate has a polymeric surface having at least two conductivity states. A minimum voltage that does not cause a redox reaction in the enzyme may be applied to the polymeric surface to change the conductivity state of the surface. A method of controlling enzyme activity by providing the above substrate with polymeric surface, attaching an enzyme to the substrate, and altering the conductivity state of the polymeric surface. Changing the conductivity of the polymer can change the activity of the enzyme.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Brett D. Martin, Luminita M. Velea, Banahalli Ratna, Bruce P. Gaber
  • Virus as a scaffold for hierarchical self-assembly of functional nanoscale devices
    Patent number: 8019555
    Abstract: An electrically active particle is disclosed, having a virus scaffold. Nanoparticles are bonded to the surface of the virus, and the nanoparticles are connected to each other by, molecular wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Banahalli Ratna, Amy Blum, Carissa Soto, Tina Brower, Steve Pollack
  • CONTROLLED ACTUATED MEMBRANES AND METHODS OF MAKING SAME
    Publication number: 20070108407
    Abstract: The invention describes shape changing membranes that can be precisely controlled using the unique approach of smectic liquid-crystalline elastomers (LCEs) with patterned electrodes and a process of preparing and creating the elastomers. The methods to create the shape changing membranes is based on the electroclinic effect of smectic layers in a polymer network and provides a novel material for actuators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2006
    Publication date: May 17, 2007
    Inventors: Jawad Naciri, Christopher Spillmann, Jonathan Selinger, Banahalli Ratna
  • Control of protein activity using a conducting polymer
    Publication number: 20070037240
    Abstract: A device having a substrate and an enzyme attached to the substrate. The substrate has a polymeric surface having at least two conductivity states. A minimum voltage that does not cause a redox reaction in the enzyme may be applied to the polymeric surface to change the conductivity state of the surface. A method of controlling enzyme activity by providing the above substrate with polymeric surface, attaching an enzyme to the substrate, and altering the conductivity state of the polymeric surface. Changing the conductivity of the polymer can change the activity of the enzyme.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2005
    Publication date: February 15, 2007
    Inventors: Brett Martin, Luminita Velea, Banahalli Ratna, Bruce Gaber
  • NEMATIC ELASTOMER FIBER WITH MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF A MUSCLE
    Publication number: 20070010627
    Abstract: A method of making a liquid crystalline fiber is disclosed. A copolymer having a liquid crystalline side group and a crosslinking side group is crosslinked. A fiber of the crosslinking copolymer is drawn before the crosslinking reaction is complete.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2006
    Publication date: January 11, 2007
    Applicant: The Government of the US, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Jawad Naciri, Hong Jeon, Patrick Keller, Banahalli Ratna
  • Lipid microtubules with contolled bilayer numbers
    Publication number: 20060062840
    Abstract: The wall thickness of lipid microtubules are controlled by selecting a methanol/water system and determining the required amount of a lipid to form the desired wall thickness. The lipid is dissolved in a small portion of the heated methanol and that clear solution is added to the remaining amount of the heated methanol/water system. By slowly cooling the solution, microtubules are formed which have the desired wall thickness. Preferred microtubules have a wall thickness of just 2 bilayers and they are robust so they can be further coated. They can be made with a large aspect ratio and with lengths of greater than 250 microns. The process permits production of microtubules in very high yields.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2005
    Publication date: March 23, 2006
    Inventors: Ronald Price, Joel Schnur, Banahalli Ratna, Mark Spector
  • Nematic elastomer fiber with mechanical properties of a muscle
    Publication number: 20060041061
    Abstract: A method of making a liquid crystalline fiber is disclosed. A copolymer having a liquid crystalline side group and a crosslinking side group is crosslinked. A fiber of the crosslinking copolymer is drawn before the crosslinking reaction is complete.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2004
    Publication date: February 23, 2006
    Inventors: Jawad Naciri, Hong Jeon, Patrick Keller, Banahalli Ratna