Patents by Inventor Christopher Mullen

Christopher Mullen 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: 20240094445
    Abstract: A liquid lens with flexible transparent active layers on both sides of a fluid is transformed along two distinct deformation axes. The flexible transparent active layers include piezoelectric materials that actuate the lens in response to applied voltage(s). The piezoelectric properties and actuation mechanism of the transparent layers are arranged to deform the lens cylindrically along different axes resulting in a net spherical deformation or a combination of spherical and cylindrical deformation with substantially less distortion than spherically deforming layers. The piezoelectric active layers may be polymer or ceramic with isotropic or anisotropic mechanical stiffness. Alternatively, a pair of transparent, internal layers are positioned between the front and rear surfaces. The active layers, front and/or rear, are dual layers affixed together with an adhesive or single layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2022
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Applicant: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Nagi ELABBASI, Christopher Yuan Ting LIAO, Jonathan Robert PETERSON, Sheng YE, Eugene CHO, Spencer Allan WELLS, Andrew John OUDERKIRK, Emma MULLEN
  • Publication number: 20240071742
    Abstract: This system and method disclosed herein are configured to improve high mass range ion trap performance by use of a multi-directional segmented scan approach. In some embodiments of the system and method disclosed herein, the mass range of conventional ion trap technology may be extended/increased without changing the hardware or compromising lower range mass/charge efficiency. Specifically, the system and methods disclosed herein use a segmented, bi-directional scan that increases the mass range of an ion trap mass spectrometer and circumvents the problem of mass discrimination during mass analysis in the high Thompson value range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Christopher Mullen, John Syka
  • Publication number: 20230386819
    Abstract: A mass spectrometry method comprises: choosing an RF drive frequency that best optimizes isolation of a precursor ion species of interest by a quadrupole mass filter (QMF); isolating the precursor ion species by passing ions through the QMF while the chosen RF drive frequency is applied thereto; fragmenting the precursor ion species, thereby generating a plurality of first-generation fragment ion species; returning the plurality of first-generation fragment ion species to an inlet end of the QMF; choosing a second quadrupole RF drive frequency that best optimizes isolation of a first-generation fragment ion species of interest by the QMF; isolating the first-generation fragment ion species of interest by passing the fragment ions through the QMF while the second chosen RF drive frequency is applied thereto; fragmenting the chosen first-generation fragment ion species of interest, thereby generating a plurality of second-generation fragment ion species; and mass analyzing the second-generation fragment ion spe
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2022
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventor: Christopher MULLEN
  • Publication number: 20230370335
    Abstract: Techniques and systems are provided for interfacing one or more event detectors coupled by a common interconnect with a network interface. Interconnect signals indicative of events detected by the one or more event detectors using sensor data are propagated on the common interconnect. A monitor device indirectly or directly couple to the common interconnect monitors the interconnect signals. Information about a first event detector of the one or more event detectors is inferred, in part, from the interconnect signals and transmitted via the network interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2023
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Inventors: Joseph Reid Baird, Rahil Jain, Peter Christopher Mullen, Parag Kumar Garg
  • Patent number: 11756781
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus for supplying reagent ions, for example ETD or PTR reagent ions, to a mass spectrometer. The apparatus includes a reagent material reservoir, coupled to a carrier gas supply, which delivers an entrained reagent vapor flow to an inlet of a mixing junction through a first flow restrictor. A control gas flow of carrier gas is delivered to another inlet of the mixing junction via a variable pressure regulator and a second flow restrictor. The outlet of the mixing junction is coupled via a third flow restrictor and a reagent transfer junction to an inlet of an ionizer, such as a glow-discharge ionizer. By dynamic adjustment of the output pressure of the variable pressure regulator, the flow rate of reagent vapor may be controlled over a broad range, even for reagent materials of relatively high volatility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Inventor: Christopher Mullen
  • Patent number: 11736358
    Abstract: Techniques and systems are provided for interfacing one or more event detectors coupled by a common interconnect with a network interface. Interconnect signals indicative of events detected by the one or more event detectors using sensor data are propagated on the common interconnect. A monitor device indirectly or directly couple to the common interconnect monitors the interconnect signals. Information about a first event detector of the one or more event detectors is inferred, in part, from the interconnect signals and transmitted via the network interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: TRANSFORM SR BRANDS LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Reid Baird, Rahil Jain, Peter Christopher Mullen, Parag Kumar Garg
  • Patent number: 11581179
    Abstract: A method of reducing fragmentation of ions generated from a sample during transport of the ions through an ion transport apparatus that comprises an ion funnel portion, comprises: applying a selected DC potential difference between an outlet end of the ion transport apparatus and an exit ion lens that is disposed adjacent to the outlet end, wherein a sign of the selected DC potential difference is chosen so as to accelerate the ions from the outlet end of the ion transport apparatus towards and through the exit ion lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignees: Thermo Finnigan LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Bremen) GmbH
    Inventors: Joshua A. Silveira, Eloy R. Wouters, Alexander A. Makarov, Mikhail G. Skoblin, Viacheslav I. Kozlovskiy, Christopher Mullen, Brian D. Adamson
  • Publication number: 20210398791
    Abstract: A method of reducing fragmentation of ions generated from a sample during transport of the ions through an ion transport apparatus that comprises an ion funnel portion, comprises: applying a selected DC potential difference between an outlet end of the ion transport apparatus and an exit ion lens that is disposed adjacent to the outlet end, wherein a sign of the selected DC potential difference is chosen so as to accelerate the ions from the outlet end of the ion transport apparatus towards and through the exit ion lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: Joshua A. SILVEIRA, Eloy R. WOUTERS, Alexander A. MAKAROV, Mikhail G. SKOBLIN, Viacheslav I. KOZLOVSKIY, Christopher MULLEN, Brian D. ADAMSON
  • Publication number: 20210225632
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus for supplying reagent ions, for example ETD or PTR reagent ions, to a mass spectrometer. The apparatus includes a reagent material reservoir, coupled to a carrier gas supply, which delivers an entrained reagent vapor flow to an inlet of a mixing junction through a first flow restrictor. A control gas flow of carrier gas is delivered to another inlet of the mixing junction via a variable pressure regulator and a second flow restrictor. The outlet of the mixing junction is coupled via a third flow restrictor and a reagent transfer junction to an inlet of an ionizer, such as a glow-discharge ionizer. By dynamic adjustment of the output pressure of the variable pressure regulator, the flow rate of reagent vapor may be controlled over a broad range, even for reagent materials of relatively high volatility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2021
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Inventor: Christopher MULLEN
  • Patent number: 10971348
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus for supplying reagent ions, for example ETD or PTR reagent ions, to a mass spectrometer. The apparatus includes a reagent material reservoir, coupled to a carrier gas supply, which delivers an entrained reagent vapor flow to an inlet of a mixing junction through a first flow restrictor. A control gas flow of carrier gas is delivered to another inlet of the mixing junction via a variable pressure regulator and a second flow restrictor. The outlet of the mixing junction is coupled via a third flow restrictor and a reagent transfer junction to an inlet of an ionizer, such as a glow-discharge ionizer. By dynamic adjustment of the output pressure of the variable pressure regulator, the flow rate of reagent vapor may be controlled over a broad range, even for reagent materials of relatively high volatility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Thermo Finnigan
    Inventor: Christopher Mullen
  • Patent number: 10276357
    Abstract: A method is described that involves simplification of UVPD mass spectra and comprises selecting precursor ions for UVPD fragmentation, performing UVPD fragmentation on selected precursor ions to give UVPD fragment ions. PTR may then be performed on the UVPD fragment ions with optional ion parking to yield charge-state reduced UVPD fragment ions. The UVPD-PTR steps may be repeated above n times where n=1 to 50. Ion parking may enhance the intensity of selected lower fragment ion charge states or to increase the intensity of peaks in selected m/z ranges. After a number of PTR-UVPD iterations, fragment ions are mass analyzed. The method provides a way of simplifying UVPD mass spectral product ions by lowering fragment ion charge states and spreading out resulting product ions in m/z mass spectral space when compared to using UVPD fragmentation alone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: THERMO FINNIGAN LLC
    Inventors: Vladimir Zabrouskov, Chad R. Weisbrod, Christopher Mullen, Seema Sharma
  • Publication number: 20190019663
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus for supplying reagent ions, for example ETD or PTR reagent ions, to a mass spectrometer. The apparatus includes a reagent material reservoir, coupled to a carrier gas supply, which delivers an entrained reagent vapor flow to an inlet of a mixing junction through a first flow restrictor. A control gas flow of carrier gas is delivered to another inlet of the mixing junction via a variable pressure regulator and a second flow restrictor. The outlet of the mixing junction is coupled via a third flow restrictor and a reagent transfer junction to an inlet of an ionizer, such as a glow-discharge ionizer. By dynamic adjustment of the output pressure of the variable pressure regulator, the flow rate of reagent vapor may be controlled over a broad range, even for reagent materials of relatively high volatility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2018
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Inventor: Christopher MULLEN
  • Patent number: 10181255
    Abstract: Methods are described for raising an alarm from an sensor device that is not paired with a sensor network using a broadcast mode. Embodiments at a sensor device include determining that data from a sensor of a sensor device indicates an alarm state, determining that the sensor device is not paired with a hub; and sending a broadcast message to a network. Embodiments at a hub for a sensor network include receiving an alarm message from a sensor device in a broadcast mode wherein the sensor device is not paired the hub; forwarding the alarm message to an alert service; receiving confirmation of the authenticity of alarm message; and generate an alert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Sears Brands, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Parag Kumar Garg, Peter Christopher Mullen, Joseph Reid Baird
  • Patent number: 10067141
    Abstract: A method for analyzing a sample includes trapping a first ion packet in a first segment of a multi-segment reaction cell; trapping a second ion packet in a second segment of the multi-segment reaction cell; and trapping a third ion packet in a third segment of the multi-segment reaction cell. At least one of the first, second, and third ion packets includes precursor ions, and at least another one of the first, second, and third ion packets includes reagent ions. The method further includes mixing the first, second, and third ion packets within the reaction cell to cause a reaction between the precursor ions and the reagent ions to form product ions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Thermo Finnigan LLC
    Inventors: Vladimir Zabrouskov, Christopher Mullen
  • Publication number: 20180212832
    Abstract: Techniques and systems are provided for interfacing one or more event detectors coupled by a common interconnect with a network interface. Interconnect signals indicative of events detected by the one or more event detectors using sensor data are propagated on the common interconnect. A monitor device indirectly or directly couple to the common interconnect monitors the interconnect signals. Information about a first event detector of the one or more event detectors is inferred, in part, from the interconnect signals and transmitted via the network interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventors: Joseph Reid Baird, Rahil Jain, Peter Christopher Mullen, Parag Kumar Garg
  • Publication number: 20180190481
    Abstract: A method is described that involves simplification of UVPD mass spectra and comprises selecting precursor ions for UVPD fragmentation, performing UVPD fragmentation on selected precursor ions to give UVPD fragment ions. PTR may then be performed on the UVPD fragment ions with optional ion parking to yield charge-state reduced UVPD fragment ions. The UVPD-PTR steps may be repeated above n times where n=1 to 50. Ion parking may enhance the intensity of selected lower fragment ion charge states or to increase the intensity of peaks in selected m/z ranges. After a number of PTR-UVPD iterations, fragment ions are mass analyzed. The method provides a way of simplifying UVPD mass spectral product ions by lowering fragment ion charge states and spreading out resulting product ions in m/z mass spectral space when compared to using UVPD fragmentation alone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventors: Vladimir ZABROUSKOV, Chad R. WEISBROD, Christopher MULLEN, Seema SHARMA
  • Patent number: 9991107
    Abstract: A method is described that produces product ions for mass analysis, the method comprising the steps of: introducing precursor ions into an RF electric field ion containment device, introducing reagent ions into the RF electric field ion containment device and performing an ion-ion interaction in the RF electric field ion containment device by co-trapping the precursor ions with the reagent ions. Precursor ions and product ions may be retained and/or isolated in the RF electric field ion containment device. The steps above may be repeated until a predetermined amount of reaction completeness is attained. Mass analysis of at least some of the ions in the RF electric field ion containment device may be performed where the ions are mass analyzed either directly from the RF electric field ion containment device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Thermo Finnigan LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Mullen, Chad R. Weisbrod, John E. P. Syka
  • Publication number: 20180108246
    Abstract: Methods are described for raising an alarm from an sensor device that is not paired with a sensor network using a broadcast mode. Embodiments at a sensor device include determining that data from a sensor of a sensor device indicates an alarm state, determining that the sensor device is not paired with a hub; and sending a broadcast message to a network. Embodiments at a hub for a sensor network include receiving an alarm message from a sensor device in a broadcast mode wherein the sensor device is not paired the hub; forwarding the alarm message to an alert service; receiving confirmation of the authenticity of alarm message; and generate an alert.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Inventors: Parag Kumar Garg, Peter Christopher Mullen, Joseph Reid Baird
  • Publication number: 20170365453
    Abstract: A method is described that produces product ions for mass analysis, the method comprising the steps of: introducing precursor ions into an RF electric field ion containment device, introducing reagent ions into the RF electric field ion containment device and performing an ion-ion interaction in the RF electric field ion containment device by co-trapping the precursor ions with the reagent ions. Precursor ions and product ions may be retained and/or isolated in the RF electric field ion containment device. The steps above may be repeated until a predetermined amount of reaction completeness is attained. Mass analysis of at least some of the ions in the RF electric field ion containment device may be performed where the ions are mass analyzed either directly from the RF electric field ion containment device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: Christopher MULLEN, Chad R. WEISBROD, John E. P. SYKA
  • Publication number: 20170363638
    Abstract: A method for analyzing a sample includes trapping a first ion packet in a first segment of a multi-segment reaction cell; trapping a second ion packet in a second segment of the multi-segment reaction cell; and trapping a third ion packet in a third segment of the multi-segment reaction cell. At least one of the first, second, and third ion packets includes precursor ions, and at least another one of the first, second, and third ion packets includes reagent ions. The method further includes mixing the first, second, and third ion packets within the reaction cell to cause a reaction between the precursor ions and the reagent ions to form product ions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: Vladimir ZABROUSKOV, Christopher MULLEN