Patents by Inventor J. Brian Leen

J. Brian Leen 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: 11846747
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for sampling of gases to determine information regarding leaks are disclosed. Balanced sampling can be achieved by application of an inlet having a gas permeable membrane covering the opening. Extending the opening for a length can provide additional coverage for gas sampling. Connection of gas sampling instruments with analysis systems can determine leak information for use in remedying leaks, for example, from industrial equipment such as pipelines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventor: J. Brian Leen
  • Patent number: 11768151
    Abstract: A fugitive gas detection system includes an inertial measurement assembly that measures a change in position of the inlet of a gas analyzer and applies a time slip to concentration data detected by an analyzer to generate a time series of the concentration of the gas in three-dimensional space. Applying statistical methods, the relative location of the source of the fugitive gas can be established from the time series. Additionally, in some embodiments, the data may be interpolated to establish a map of a plume of the fugitive gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: J. Brian Leen, Yi-wen Huang
  • Patent number: 11761590
    Abstract: Technologies for producing efficient investigation routes for identifying gas leak locations include a mobile compute device. The mobile compute device includes circuitry configured to obtain route data indicative of a route to be traveled along to identify a location of a gas leak. The circuitry is also configured to present the route data to a user to guide the user along the route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: J. Brian Leen, Douglas S. Baer, Jason Ghiraldini, Susan Kasper
  • Patent number: 11754478
    Abstract: Technologies for rapid equilibration for water isotope analysis are disclosed. In at least one illustrative embodiment, a vaporizer may include an injection block that defines a chamber and a septum positioned over an inlet of the chamber to seal the chamber. The chamber may be configured to be fluidly coupled to a pump to develop a vacuum within the chamber, and the septum may be configured to receive a needle that is inserted into the chamber. A thermally conductive wool may be positioned within the chamber and may be configured to receive a tip of the needle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: J. Brian Leen, Doug S. Baer, Susan L. Fortson-Gardner
  • Patent number: 11639892
    Abstract: Systems and methods for skewed basis set fitting may include obtaining measured absorption data indicative of an amount of absorption of light by a sample gas at each of multiple frequencies, determining an absorption dependent cavity time constant indicative of a skew to the measured absorption data caused by light reflections within a cavity in which the sample gas is contained, obtaining reference absorption data including basis sets indicative of reference amounts of light absorbed by each of multiple gases at each of the multiple frequencies, skewing the reference absorption data based on the absorption dependent cavity time constant to generate skewed reference absorption data, and fitting the measured absorption data to the skewed reference absorption data to identify an amount of at least one constituent gas within the sample gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: ABB SCHWEIZ AG
    Inventors: J. Brian Leen, Kyle Owen, John Savee, Dmitry Skvortsov, Paul Hansen, Raphael Desbiens
  • Patent number: 11619562
    Abstract: Systems and methods for efficiently identifying gas leak locations may include traversing, by an investigator and within a search area in which a gas leak has been indicated, a route defined according to at least one of a surge-cast algorithm or a surge-spiral algorithm. The systems and methods may also include sampling, with a gas detection device carried by the investigator, an environment along the route to identify a location of the gas leak.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: J. Brian Leen, Douglas S. Baer, Susan Kasper, Zachary Plante
  • Publication number: 20220357231
    Abstract: A visualization system for visualizing gas leak detection data including a processor in communication with at least one memory device is provided herein. The processor is configured to receive, from one or more sensors, gas measurement data for a plurality of measurement locations within a survey area; receive, from the at least one memory device, a geographic representation of the survey area; determine, based upon the gas measurement data, estimated gas source locations of the plurality of measurement locations; and apply a smoothing algorithm to the estimated gas source locations to create a multi-dimensional density plot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2022
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Inventors: Ajay Nahata, J. Brian Leen
  • Publication number: 20220317029
    Abstract: Systems and methods for skewed basis set fitting may include obtaining measured absorption data indicative of an amount of absorption of light by a sample gas at each of multiple frequencies, determining an absorption dependent cavity time constant indicative of a skew to the measured absorption data caused by light reflections within a cavity in which the sample gas is contained, obtaining reference absorption data including basis sets indicative of reference amounts of light absorbed by each of multiple gases at each of the multiple frequencies, skewing the reference absorption data based on the absorption dependent cavity time constant to generate skewed reference absorption data, and fitting the measured absorption data to the skewed reference absorption data to identify an amount of at least one constituent gas within the sample gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2021
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: J. Brian Leen, Kyle Owen, John Savee, Dmitry Skvortsov, Paul Hansen, Raphael Desbiens
  • Publication number: 20220187199
    Abstract: A fugitive gas detection system includes an inertial measurement assembly that measures a change in position of the inlet of a gas analyzer and applies a time slip to concentration data detected by an analyzer to generate a time series of the concentration of the gas in three-dimensional space. Applying statistical methods, the relative location of the source of the fugitive gas can be established from the time series. Additionally, in some embodiments, the data may be interpolated to establish a map of a plume of the fugitive gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2022
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: J. Brian Leen, Yi-wen Huang
  • Patent number: 11307137
    Abstract: A fugitive gas detection system includes an inertial measurement assembly that measures a change in position of the inlet of a gas analyzer and applies a time slip to concentration data detected by an analyzer to generate a time series of the concentration of the gas in three-dimensional space. Applying statistical methods, the relative location of the source of the fugitive gas can be established from the time series. Additionally, in some embodiments, the data may be interpolated to establish a map of a plume of the fugitive gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: J. Brian Leen, Yi-wen Huang
  • Publication number: 20220107239
    Abstract: Systems and methods for efficiently identifying gas leak locations may include traversing, by an investigator and within a search area in which a gas leak has been indicated, a route defined according to at least one of a surge-cast algorithm or a surge-spiral algorithm. The systems and methods may also include sampling, with a gas detection device carried by the investigator, an environment along the route to identify a location of the gas leak.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Inventors: J. Brian Leen, Douglas S. Baer, Susan Kasper, Zachary Plante
  • Publication number: 20220107189
    Abstract: Technologies for producing efficient investigation routes for identifying gas leak locations include a mobile compute device. The mobile compute device includes circuitry configured to obtain route data indicative of a route to be traveled along to identify a location of a gas leak. The circuitry is also configured to present the route data to a user to guide the user along the route.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Inventors: J. Brian Leen, Douglas S. Baer, Jason Ghiraldini, Susan Kasper
  • Publication number: 20210156793
    Abstract: A fugitive gas detection system includes an inertial measurement assembly that measures a change in position of the inlet of a gas analyzer and applies a time slip to concentration data detected by an analyzer to generate a time series of the concentration of the gas in three-dimensional space. Applying statistical methods, the relative location of the source of the fugitive gas can be established from the time series. Additionally, in some embodiments, the data may be interpolated to establish a map of a plume of the fugitive gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Inventors: J. Brian Leen, Yi-wen Huang
  • Publication number: 20210055451
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for sampling of gases to determine information regarding leaks are disclosed. Balanced sampling can be achieved by application of an inlet having a gas permeable membrane covering the opening. Extending the opening for a length can provide additional coverage for gas sampling. Connection of gas sampling instruments with analysis systems can determine leak information for use in remedying leaks, for example, from industrial equipment such as pipelines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Inventor: J. Brian Leen
  • Patent number: 10782228
    Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring a value of constituents in a mixed constituent gas having at least one broad band absorber constituent therein and at least one lock constituent are provided. The system uses a combination of integrated cavity output spectroscopy and cavity ringdown spectroscopy to determine the measurement values of constituents in a cavity of a spectrometer. Cavity ringdown in the presence of the at least one broadband absorber constituent and a reference concentration value are used to determine the constituent measurement values when the spectral width of the laser tuning range is overlapped by the absorption band of the broad band absorber in the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AB
    Inventors: J. Brian Leen, Axel Kramer, Xu Du
  • Publication number: 20200055017
    Abstract: Technologies for rapid equilibration for water isotope analysis are disclosed. In at least one illustrative embodiment, a vaporizer may include an injection block that defines a chamber and a septum positioned over an inlet of the chamber to seal the chamber. The chamber may be configured to be fluidly coupled to a pump to develop a vacuum within the chamber, and the septum may be configured to receive a needle that is inserted into the chamber. A thermally conductive wool may be positioned within the chamber and may be configured to receive a tip of the needle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Publication date: February 20, 2020
    Inventors: J. Brian Leen, Doug S. Baer, Susan L. Fortson-Gardner
  • Publication number: 20190128799
    Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring a value of constituents in a mixed constituent gas having at least one broad band absorber constituent therein and at least one lock constituent are provided. The system uses a combination of integrated cavity output spectroscopy and cavity ringdown spectroscopy to determine the measurement values of constituents in a cavity of a spectrometer. Cavity ringdown in the presence of the at least one broadband absorber constituent and a reference concentration value are used to determine the constituent measurement values when the spectral width of the laser tuning range is overlapped by the absorption band of the broad band absorber in the cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Applicant: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: J. Brian Leen, Axel Kramer, Xu Du
  • Patent number: 9097583
    Abstract: A tunable mid-infrared laser operated in a pulsed mode is coupled off-axis into a high-finesse optical cavity to produce a long-path spectrometer. The cavity receives a gas sample. Laser pulses may be wavelength-scanned by stepping an external grating, allowing the grating to mechanically settle, then measuring the ring-down with a set of laser pulses, before moving on the next wavelength. A detector receiving infrared light exiting the cavity supplies a cavity ring-down trace representative of sample absorption of the infrared pulses. A processor determines an absolute absorption spectrum of the gas sample from the ring-down trace and analyzes sample gas composition and trace concentration from that spectrum. The absorption baseline is highly reproducible and stable, improving the accuracy of multivariate fits, and the spectral resolution can be better than 0.001 cm?1 (contingent upon the laser source), allowing for high-resolution measurements of sharp absorption features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Los Gatos Research
    Inventors: Manish Gupta, J. Brian Leen, Douglas S. Baer
  • Publication number: 20140319352
    Abstract: A tunable mid-infrared laser operated in a pulsed mode is coupled off-axis into a high-finesse optical cavity to produce a long-path spectrometer. The cavity receives a gas sample. Laser pulses may be wavelength-scanned by stepping an external grating, allowing the grating to mechanically settle, then measuring the ring-down with a set of laser pulses, before moving on the next wavelength. A detector receiving infrared light exiting the cavity supplies a cavity ring-down trace representative of sample absorption of the infrared pulses. A processor determines an absolute absorption spectrum of the gas sample from the ring-down trace and analyzes sample gas composition and trace concentration from that spectrum. The absorption baseline is highly reproducible and stable, improving the accuracy of multivariate fits, and the spectral resolution can be better than 0.001 cm?1 (contingent upon the laser source), allowing for high-resolution measurements of sharp absorption features.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: Los Gatos Research
    Inventors: Manish Gupta, J. Brian Leen, Douglas S. Baer
  • Patent number: 8654334
    Abstract: An incoherent cavity ringdown spectroscopy (iCRDS) gas analyzer is provided with a gas flow path to introduce a sample gas into an enclosed volume bounded by a pair of mirrors defining an optical cavity. A pulsed broadband incoherent light source with a wavelength band that coincides with an absorption band of a specified gas species to be detected (e.g., NO2 or SO3) directs pulses of light into the optical cavity, while a photodetector is positioned to detect light exiting the cavity. A scrubber in an alternate flow path into the enclosed volume periodically scrubs the sample gas of the specified gas species. A processor determines the concentration of the specified gas species from the ringdown decay time of the photodetector measurement signals, with the periodic scrubbing of the sample gas providing a calibration reference from its slower decay time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Los Gatos Research
    Inventors: Manish Gupta, J. Brian Leen, Douglas Steven Baer