Patents by Inventor Christopher L. Chua

Christopher L. Chua 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: 20220077376
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing superconductor structures includes depositing a release film on a substrate, forming a stack of films comprising an elastic material and a superconductor film, releasing a portion of the elastic material by selective removal of the release film so that portion lifts out of the substrate plane to form elastic springs. A method of manufacturing superconductor structures includes depositing a release film on a substrate, forming a stack of films comprising at least an elastic material, releasing a portion of the elastic material so that portion lifts out of a plane of the substrate to form elastic springs, and coating the elastic springs with a superconductor film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventors: CHRISTOPHER L. CHUA, EUGENE M. CHOW
  • Patent number: 11207907
    Abstract: Formation of a multi-colored image in thermochromic material involves controlling operation of first, second, and third heat sources. The first heat source heats pixels of the thermochromic material to activate the pixels. The second and third heat sources are selectively controlled to heat different sets of pixels using neither, one, or both of the second and third heat sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Fatemeh Nazly Pirmoradi, Christopher L. Chua, Kyle Arakaki, Jacob N. Chamoun
  • Publication number: 20210391525
    Abstract: A structure has a substrate, and a spring structure disposed on the substrate, the spring structure having an anchor portion disposed on the substrate, an elastic material having an intrinsic stress profile that biases a region of the elastic material to curl away from the substrate, and a superconductor film in electrical contact with a portion of the elastic material. A method of manufacturing superconductor structures includes depositing a release film on a substrate, forming a stack of films comprising an elastic material and a superconductor film, releasing a portion of the elastic material by selective removal of the release film so that portion lifts out of the substrate plane to form elastic springs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Inventors: CHRISTOPHER L. CHUA, EUGENE M. CHOW
  • Patent number: 11201275
    Abstract: A structure has a substrate, and a spring structure disposed on the substrate, the spring structure having an anchor portion disposed on the substrate, an elastic material having an intrinsic stress profile that biases a region of the elastic material to curl away from the substrate, and a superconductor film in electrical contact with a portion of the elastic material. A method of manufacturing superconductor structures includes depositing a release film on a substrate, forming a stack of films comprising an elastic material and a superconductor film, releasing a portion of the elastic material by selective removal of the release film so that portion lifts out of the substrate plane to form elastic springs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Christopher L. Chua, Eugene M. Chow
  • Publication number: 20210311271
    Abstract: A chip-scale transceiver includes an interposer having microspring electrical contacts disposed on the interposer substrate. At least one electronic chip and at least one optoelectronic chip are electrically coupled to the interposer through the microsprings. The electronic chip includes at least one of an amplifier array and a laser driver array. First electrical contact pads arranged to make electrical contact with the first microsprings of the interposer. The optoelectronic chip includes at least one of a laser array and a photodetector array. Second electrical contact pads arranged to make electrical contact with the second microsprings of the interposer are disposed on the optoelectronic chip substrate. The transceiver has an area less than or equal to 0.17 mm2 per Gbps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2021
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Inventor: Christopher L. Chua
  • Publication number: 20210208233
    Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for object tracking via identifier-tracker pairings is provided. At least one tracker-identifier pair is maintained. The tracker is associated with an entity, including a person or object. The identifier is accessed to locate the entity. The tracker associated with the identifier is identified and a location of the entity is determined based on a location of the tracker. The location of the entity is provided to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Inventors: Christopher L. Chua, Ashish V. Pattekar
  • Patent number: 11054593
    Abstract: A chip-scale transceiver includes an interposer having microspring electrical contacts disposed on the interposer substrate. At least one electronic chip and at least one optoelectronic chip are electrically coupled to the interposer through the microsprings. The electronic chip includes at least one of an amplifier array and a laser driver array. First electrical contact pads arranged to make electrical contact with the first microsprings of the interposer. The optoelectronic chip includes at least one of a laser array and a photodetector array. Second electrical contact pads arranged to make electrical contact with the second microsprings of the interposer are disposed on the optoelectronic chip substrate. The transceiver has an area less than or equal to 0.17 mm2 per Gbps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventor: Christopher L. Chua
  • Publication number: 20210143110
    Abstract: A self-destructing device includes a frangible substrate having at least one pre-weakened area. A heater is thermally coupled to the frangible substrate proximate to or at the pre-weakened area. When activated, the heater generates heat sufficient to initiate self-destruction of the frangible substrate by fractures that propagate from the pre-weakened area and cause the frangible substrate to break into many pieces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Inventors: Christopher L. Chua, Norine Chang, Gregory Whiting
  • Publication number: 20210125711
    Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for tracking entity locations is provided. Pieces of medical equipment are each associated with a tracker and monitored. A plurality of reader systems are positioned within a medical facility. A request for a location of one of the pieces of medical equipment is received. The reader systems are interrogated for the tracker associated with the piece of medical equipment. The location of the piece of medical equipment is determined within the medical facility based on those reader systems that identify the tracker associated with the piece of medical equipment. The location of the piece of medical equipment is provided in response to the request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Publication date: April 29, 2021
    Inventors: Ashish V. Pattekar, Christopher L. Chua
  • Patent number: 10969205
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a pressure device bonded to the surface of a structure at a bonding location. The vessel comprises an interior space within the vessel and a bonding surface. A bonding agent bonds the bonding surface of the vessel to a surface of the structure. A gas-emitting material is disposed within the interior space of the vessel and an initiator is arranged to activate the gas-emitting material. Upon activation of the gas-emitting material by the initiator, the pressure device produces a localized force that breaks the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Christopher L. Chua, Norine Chang, Erica Ronchetto
  • Publication number: 20210090723
    Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for tracking patient location is provided. A tracker associated with a patient to be tracked is monitored within a hospital. An identifier of a tracker is associated with identification information for the patient. A location of the patient is determined at predetermined times or on a continuous basis based on a location of the tracker. The determined locations are stored with times at which the locations were determined as a location history for the patient. A request for a location of the patient is received and a currently determined location or a most recent location from the history is provided as the location for the patient, in response to the request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Inventors: Ashish V. Pattekar, Christopher L. Chua
  • Patent number: 10955520
    Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for object tracking via identifier-tracker pairings is provided. An identifier-tracker pair includes a tracker that is paired with an identifier and is also associated with an object. One or more reader systems each obtain readings identifying the tracker at one or more points in time. A location of the tracker is determined based on the readings at each point in time and the locations of the tracker are stored. The identifier is received from a user and the tracker paired with the received identifier is determined. A current location of the tracker is identified by selecting a most recent stored location. A display provides the current location of the tracker to the user as a location of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Christopher L. Chua, Ashish V. Pattekar
  • Patent number: 10950406
    Abstract: A transient electronic device includes electronic elements (e.g., an SOI- or chip-based IC) and a trigger mechanism disposed on a frangible glass substrate. The trigger mechanism includes a switch that initiates a large trigger current through a self-limiting resistive element in response to a received trigger signal. The self-limiting resistive element includes a resistor portion that generates heat in response to the trigger current, thereby rapidly increasing the temperature of a localized (small) region of the frangible glass substrate, and a current limiting portion (e.g., a fuse) that self-limits (terminates) the trigger current after a predetermined amount of time, causing the localized region to rapidly cool down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Gregory Whiting, Scott J. Limb, Christopher L. Chua, Sean Garner, Sylvia J. Smullin, Qian Wang, Rene A. Lujan
  • Publication number: 20210053377
    Abstract: Formation of a multi-colored image in thermochromic material involves controlling operation of first, second, and third heat sources. The first heat source heats pixels of the thermochromic material to activate the pixels. The second and third heat sources are selectively controlled to heat different sets of pixels using neither, one, or both of the second and third heat sources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2020
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Inventors: Fatemeh Nazly Pirmoradi, Christopher L. Chua, Kyle Arakaki, Jacob N. Chamoun
  • Patent number: 10903173
    Abstract: A self-destructing device includes a frangible substrate having at least one pre-weakened area. A heater is thermally coupled to the frangible substrate proximate to or at the pre-weakened area. When activated, the heater generates heat sufficient to initiate self-destruction of the frangible substrate by fractures that propagate from the pre-weakened area and cause the frangible substrate to break into many pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Christopher L. Chua, Norine Chang, Gregory Whiting
  • Patent number: 10903176
    Abstract: A self-destructing device includes a stressed substrate with a heater thermally coupled to the stressed substrate. The device includes a power source and trigger circuitry comprising a sensor and a switch. The sensor generates a trigger signal when exposed to a trigger stimulus. The switch couples the power source to the heater in response to the trigger signal When energized by the power source, the heater generates heat sufficient to initiate self-destruction of the stressed substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Christopher L. Chua, JengPing Lu, Gregory Whiting, Scott J. Limb, Rene A. Lujan, Qian Wang
  • Patent number: 10875343
    Abstract: Formation of a multi-colored image in thermochromic material involves controlling operation of first, second, and third heat sources. The first heat source heats pixels of the thermochromic material to activate the pixels. The second and third heat sources are selectively controlled to heat different sets of pixels using neither, one, or both of the second and third heat sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Fatemeh Nazly Pirmoradi, Christopher L. Chua, Kyle Arakaki, Jacob N. Chamoun
  • Patent number: 10839957
    Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for tracking entity locations and generating histories from the locations is provided. A tracker is associated with identification data for an entity and placed with the entity. A location of the tracker is determined. Three or more reader systems that receive location readings from the tracker are identified. A reading range of each of the reader systems is determined. An overlapping interrogation zone having a region that is shared by the reading ranges of the reader systems is located. The location of the tracker is calculated based on the overlapping zone. The location and an associated time stamp are stored on a central server with other locations of the tracker and time stamps obtained over time. A request is received for a location history of the entity. A portion of the locations are collected from the central database for the tracker as the location history.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Ashish V. Pattekar, Christopher L. Chua
  • Publication number: 20200348112
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a pressure device bonded to the surface of a structure at a bonding location. The vessel comprises an interior space within the vessel and a bonding surface. A bonding agent bonds the bonding surface of the vessel to a surface of the structure. A gas-emitting material is disposed within the interior space of the vessel and an initiator is arranged to activate the gas-emitting material. Upon activation of the gas-emitting material by the initiator, the pressure device produces a localized force that breaks the structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Inventors: Christopher L. Chua, Norine Chang, Erica Ronchetto
  • Publication number: 20200326404
    Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for object tracking via identifier-tracker pairings is provided. An identifier-tracker pair includes a tracker that is paired with an identifier and is also associated with an object. One or more reader systems each obtain readings identifying the tracker at one or more points in time. A location of the tracker is determined based on the readings at each point in time and the locations of the tracker are stored. The identifier is received from a user and the tracker paired with the received identifier is determined. A current location of the tracker is identified by selecting a most recent stored location. A display provides the current location of the tracker to the user as a location of the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2020
    Publication date: October 15, 2020
    Inventors: Christopher L. Chua, Ashish V. Pattekar