Patents by Inventor David Christian Hovde

David Christian Hovde 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).

  • Patent number: 9869731
    Abstract: An FM-NMOR magnetometer and concomitant magnetometry method comprising providing a linearly-polarized pump beam generator, employing a center wavelength approximately equal to a center wavelength of hyperfine peaks, and employing a modulation amplitude in the range HFS-3×LW to HFS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignees: The Regents of the University of California, Southwest Sciences Incorporated
    Inventors: David Christian Hovde, Dmitry Budker, Brian Patton
  • Patent number: 9110006
    Abstract: A spectrometer comprising an optical cavity, a light source capable of producing light at one or more wavelengths transmitted by the cavity and with the light directed at the cavity, a detector and optics positioned to collect light transmitted by the cavity, feedback electronics causing oscillation of amplitude of the optical signal on the detector at a frequency that depends on cavity losses, and a sensor measuring the oscillation frequency to determine the cavity losses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Southwest Sciences Incorporated
    Inventors: David Christian Hovde, Anthony Gomez
  • Patent number: 8421455
    Abstract: A magnetometer and concomitant magnetometry method comprising emitting light from a light source, via a pulse generator pulsing light from the light source, directing the pulsed light to an atomic chamber, employing a field sensor in the atomic chamber, and via a signal processing module receiving a signal from the field sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignees: Southwest Sciences Incorporated, Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: David Christian Hovde, Dmitry Budker, James Higbie, Victor Acosta, Micah P. Ledbetter
  • Patent number: 7230711
    Abstract: A spectrometer and spectrometry method comprising modulating a light source with a carrier waveform multiplied by an envelope function, directing light from the light source through a sample region and to a photodetector, and demodulating current from the photodetector at a reference frequency. Also a method for computing a modulation waveform comprising specifying a target detection efficiency in a Fourier space, computing a response of a waveform that comprises a carrier wave multiplied by an envelope function, and modifying the envelope function using nonlinear optimization means to minimize a difference between the computed response and a predetermined target detection efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Southwest Sciences Incorporated
    Inventor: David Christian Hovde
  • Patent number: 7092852
    Abstract: An apparatus, software, and method for segregating out background signals from a signal of interest comprising sampling a signal that includes the background signals over one or more periods of time, forming a matrix from results of the sampling, calculating a matrix of basis functions via a singular value decomposition of the matrix from the forming operation, and determining a set of basis functions to employ to segregate out background signals. Also a corresponding wavelength modulation spectroscopy apparatus, software, and method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Southwest Sciences Incorporated
    Inventors: Daniel J. Kane, David Christian Hovde
  • Patent number: 7003436
    Abstract: An apparatus, software, and method for segregating out background signals from a signal of interest comprising sampling a signal that includes the background signals over one or more periods of time, forming a matrix from results of the sampling, calculating a matrix of basis functions via a singular value decomposition of the matrix from the forming operation, and determining a set of basis functions to employ to segregate out background signals. Also a corresponding wavelength modulation spectroscopy apparatus, software, and method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Southwest Sciences Incorporated
    Inventors: Daniel J. Kane, David Christian Hovde
  • Patent number: 6940599
    Abstract: A spectrometer and spectrometry method comprising modulating a light source with a carrier waveform multiplied by an envelope function, directing light from the light source through a sample region and to a photodetector, and demodulating current from the photodetector at a reference frequency. Also a method for computing a modulation waveform comprising specifying a target detection efficiency in a Fourier space, computing a response of a waveform that comprises a carrier wave multiplied by an envelope function, and modifying the envelope function using nonlinear optimization means to minimize a difference between the computed response and a predetermined target gain spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Southwest Sciences Incorporated
    Inventor: David Christian Hovde
  • Patent number: 6615142
    Abstract: A spectrographic apparatus and method comprising providing a spectrometer, digitizing a sample spectrum in a spectral range that includes at least one feature of an analyte, and comparing, via a linear least squares computation, the sample spectrum to a spectrum known to closely approximate the sample spectrum at a reference condition and to one or more derivatives of the known spectrum taken with respect to one or more parameters of the reference condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Southwest Sciences Incorporated
    Inventor: David Christian Hovde
  • Patent number: 6611335
    Abstract: A tone burst spectrometer and spectrometry method comprising employing a narrow bandwidth light source, a tone burst modulation waveform generator, synchronization of a lock-in amplifier to a burst frequency of the generator, and one or more of the following: use of a semiconductor laser; setting the tone frequency of the generator to an integer multiple of the burst frequency; using a tone modulation waveform other than a sine wave; setting the tone frequency of the generator to less than a half width at half maximum of a targeted spectral transition; and producing a spectral feature with a high signal to noise ratio while synchronizing the lock-in amplifier to the tone frequency of the generator or an odd harmonic of the tone frequency and wherein the output of the lock-in amplifier is low pass filtered and negative feedback is employed to stabilize the operating wavelength at or near a center wavelength of a spectral feature of the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Southwest Sciences Incorporated
    Inventor: David Christian Hovde
  • Patent number: 5804702
    Abstract: A process for improving moisture analyzers or hygrometers that use optical absorption techniques to measure water vapor. Water vapor in the optical path outside the sample region is treated to exchange the hydrogen atoms for deuterium, so that the adsorbed water vapor is converted to heavy water, D.sub.2 O, and isotopically mixed HDO, thus reducing or eliminating the interference in any optical absorption apparatus for measuring water vapor, provided the spectral resolution is sufficient to resolve normal water absorptions from heavy water absorptions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Assignee: Southwest Sciences Incorporated
    Inventors: David Christian Hovde, Daniel J. Kane, Joel A. Silver