Patents by Inventor Graham E. Wabiszewski

Graham E. Wabiszewski 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).

  • Systems and methods for operating piezoelectric switches
    Patent number: 8552621
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating piezoelectric switches are disclosed. A piezoelectric switching system includes a first actuator, a second actuator, and a bias voltage source. The first actuator has a first body electrode, a first gate electrode, and a first contact region. The second actuator has a second body electrode, a second gate electrode, and a second contact region. The first and second contact regions are separated by a gap. The bias voltage source applies a bias voltage to the body electrodes. The bias voltage is lower in magnitude than an actuation voltage for the switch. The gate electrodes receive a switching voltage. The switching voltage causes at least one of the first and second actuators to bend, thereby closing the gap such that the second contact region electrically contacts the first contact region. The difference between the switching voltage and the bias voltage exceeds the actuation voltage of the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: The Trustees Of The University of Pennsylvania
    Inventors: Gianluca Piazza, Nipun Sinha, Timothy S. Jones, Zhijun Guo, Graham E. Wabiszewski, Robert Carpick, Andre Dehon
  • SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR OPERATING PIEZOELECTRIC SWITCHES
    Publication number: 20110148251
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating piezoelectric switches are disclosed. A piezoelectric switching system includes a first actuator, a second actuator, and a bias voltage source. The first actuator has a first body electrode, a first gate electrode, and a first contact region. The second actuator has a second body electrode, a second gate electrode, and a second contact region. The first and second contact regions are separated by a gap. The bias voltage source applies a bias voltage to the body electrodes. The bias voltage is lower in magnitude than an actuation voltage for the switch. The gate electrodes receive a switching voltage. The switching voltage causes at least one of the first and second actuators to bend, thereby closing the gap such that the second contact region electrically contacts the first contact region. The difference between the switching voltage and the bias voltage exceeds the actuation voltage of the switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania
    Inventors: Gianluca Piazza, Nipun Sinha, Timothy S. Jones, Zhijun Guo, Graham E. Wabiszewski, Robert Carpick, Andre DeHon