Patents by Inventor Jeffrey Bernard Fortin
Jeffrey Bernard Fortin 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).
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Publication number: 20120135449Abstract: Automated methods and devices that facilitate iterative staining of biological samples from imaging applications are provided. The methods include the steps of providing a small volume flow cell containing a biological sample, applying a stain to the biological sample, combining at least two precursor reagents to form an activated destaining agent and wherein the activated destaining agent decomposition rate is greater than or similar to the destaining reaction rate, flowing the destaining agent over the biological sample at a flow rate that is greater than the decomposition rate of the activated destaining agent, and releasing the sample from the flow cell wherein the integrity of the sample is intact. The process of staining, combining and flowing may be iteratively repeated.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 3, 2012Publication date: May 31, 2012Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Jun Xie, Robert John Filkins, Fiona Mary Ginty, Michael Christopher Montalto, Anup Sood, Jeffrey Bernard Fortin, Wei-Cheng Tian, Michael John Gerdes
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Patent number: 7690061Abstract: A method for controlling a laundering process includes determining a concentration of a detergent within a wash fluid during at least one cycle of an article laundering process, and dynamically adjusting at least one characteristic of the laundering process based at least in part upon the determined concentration of the detergent. An apparatus for controlling a laundering process includes a fluid chamber to contain a wash fluid, a sensor coupled to the fluid chamber to determine a detergent concentration within the wash fluid, and a controller coupled to the sensor and configured to dynamically adjust at least one characteristic of the laundering process based at least in part upon the determined detergent concentration.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2005Date of Patent: April 6, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Radislav Alexandrovich Potyrailo, Patrick Edward Pastecki, Derek Lee Watkins, Jeffrey Bernard Fortin, William Guy Morris
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Publication number: 20100059120Abstract: Methods and microfluidic devices for generating and manipulating sample droplets, wherein the devices comprise, a plurality of fluid channels, at least one of which is a sample channel for carrying a fluidic sample material, that is in fluid communication with the carrier fluid channel via an orifice; and an actuated flow interrupter adapted to force a predetermined amount of the sample fluid from the sample channel through the orifice into the carrier fluid channel.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2008Publication date: March 11, 2010Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Wei-Cheng Tian, Jeffrey Bernard Fortin, Jun Xie, Barbara Grossman, Oliver Charles Boomhower, Shashi Thutupalli, Long Que
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Patent number: 7612883Abstract: Disclosed herein is a plasmonics platform comprising a substrate; a plurality of periodically spaced nanoholes and/or nanoparticles disposed upon the substrate; wherein the average first order of periodicity between the nanoholes and/or the nanoparticles is about 5 to about 1,000 nm; and a microelectromechanical and/or a nanoelectromechanical system in operative communication with the substrate so as to vary the average first order of periodicity between the nanoholes and/or the nanoparticles.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2007Date of Patent: November 3, 2009Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Long Que, Jeffrey Bernard Fortin, Christopher Fred Keimel, Liming Yu, Zhiyong Wang
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Publication number: 20090253163Abstract: Automated methods and devices that facilitate iterative staining of biological samples from imaging applications are provided. The methods include the steps of providing a small volume flow cell containing a biological sample, applying a stain to the biological sample, combining at least two precursor reagents to form an activated destaining agent and wherein the activated destaining agent decomposition rate is greater than or similar to the destaining reaction rate, and flowing the destaining agent over the biological sample at a flow rate that is greater than the decomposition rate of the activated destaining agent. The process of staining, combining and flowing may be iteratively repeated. Also disclosed herein are devices for iterative staining of biological samples comprising a flow cell, in fluid communication with a premixer, wherein the volume capacity of the premixer is smaller than about five times the volume capacity of the flow cell.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2008Publication date: October 8, 2009Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Jun Xie, Fiona Ginty, Robert John Filkins, Michael Christopher Montalto, Anup Sood, Jeffrey Bernard Fortin, Wei-Cheng Tian, Michael John Gerdes
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Patent number: 7563692Abstract: According to some embodiments, a conducting layer is formed on a first wafer. An insulating layer is formed on a second wafer. The insulating layer includes a cavity and a conducting area may be formed in the second wafer proximate to the cavity. The side of the conducting layer opposite the first wafer is bonded to the side of the insulating layer opposite the second wafer. At least some of the first wafer is then removed, without removing at least some of the conducting layer, to form a conducting diaphragm that is substantially parallel to the second wafer. In this way, an amount of capacitance between the diaphragm and the conducting area may be measured to determine an amount of pressure being applied to the diaphragm.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2007Date of Patent: July 21, 2009Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Jeffrey Bernard Fortin, Guanghua (George) Wu, Kanakasabapathi Subramanian
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Patent number: 7545012Abstract: A capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer (cMUT) cell is presented. The cMUT cell includes a lower electrode. Furthermore, the cMUT cell includes a diaphragm disposed adjacent to the lower electrode such that a gap having a first gap width is formed between the diaphragm and the lower electrode, wherein the diaphragm comprises one of a first epitaxial layer or a first polysilicon layer. In addition, a stress reducing material is disposed in the first epitaxial layer.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2006Date of Patent: June 9, 2009Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Lowell Scott Smith, David Martin Mills, Jeffrey Bernard Fortin, Wei-Cheng Tian, John Robert Logan
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Patent number: 7527742Abstract: An etchant including a halogenated salt, such as Cryolite (Na3AlF6) or potassium tetrafluoro borate (KBF4), is provided. The salt may be present in the etchant in an amount sufficient to etch a substrate and may have a melt temperature of greater than about 200 degrees Celsius. A method of wet etching may include contacting an etchant to at least one surface of a support layer of a multi-layer laminate, wherein the support layer may include aluminum oxide; or contacting an etchant to at least one surface of a support layer of a multi-layer laminate, wherein the etchant may include Cryolite (Na3AlF6), potassium tetrafluoro borate (KBF4), or both; and etching at least a portion of the support layer. The method may provide a laminate produced by growing a crystal onto an aluminum oxide support layer, and chemically removing at least a portion of the support layer by wet etch. An electronic device, optical device or combined device including the laminate is provided.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2005Date of Patent: May 5, 2009Assignee: Momentive Performance Materials Inc.Inventors: Steven Alfred Tysoe, Steven Francis LeBoeuf, Mark Philip D'Evelyn, Venkat Subramaniam Venkataramani, Vinayak Tilak, Jeffrey Bernard Fortin, Charles Adrian Becker, Stephen Daley Arthur, Samhita Dasgupta, Kanakasabapathi Subramanian, Robert John Wojnarowski, Abasifreke Udo Ebong
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Publication number: 20080285039Abstract: Disclosed herein is a plasmonics platform comprising a substrate; a plurality of periodically spaced nanoholes and/or nanoparticles disposed upon the substrate; wherein the average first order of periodicity between the nanoholes and/or the nanoparticles is about 5 to about 1,000 nm; and a microelectromechanical and/or a nanoelectromechanical system in operative communication with the substrate so as to vary the average first order of periodicity between the nanoholes and/or the nanoparticles.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 17, 2007Publication date: November 20, 2008Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Long Que, Jeffrey Bernard Fortin, Christopher Fred Keimel, Liming Yu, Zhiyong Wang
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Patent number: 7365437Abstract: A method for forming smooth walled, prismatically-profiled through-wafer vias and articles formed through the method. An etch stop material is provided on a wafer, which may be a <110> silicon wafer. A mask material is provided on the etch stop material and patterned in such a way as to lead to the formation of vias that have at least one pair of opposing side walls that run parallel to a <111> plane in the wafer. A wet etchant, such as potassium hydroxide, is used to etch vias in the wafer. The use of a wet etchant leads to the formation of smooth side walls. This method allows an aspect ratio of height versus width of the vias of greater than 75 to 1.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2006Date of Patent: April 29, 2008Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Kanakasabapathi Subramanian, Jeffrey Bernard Fortin, Wei-Cheng Tian
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Patent number: 7181972Abstract: A sensor, in accordance with aspects of the present technique, is provided. The sensor comprises a membrane formed of gallium nitride. The membrane is disposed on a substrate, which is wet-etched to form a closed cavity. The membrane exhibits both a capacitive response and a piezo-response to an external stimulus. The sensor further includes a circuit for measuring at least one of the capacitive response or the piezo-response. In certain aspects, the sensor may be operable to measure external stimuli, such as, pressure, force and mechanical vibration.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2004Date of Patent: February 27, 2007Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Samhita Dasgupta, Jeffrey Bernard Fortin, Steven Francis LeBoeuf, Vinayak Tilak, Chayan Mitra, Kanakasabapathi Subramanian, Steven Alfred Tysoe
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Patent number: 7116036Abstract: An energy harvesting device, system and method are described. The energy harvester collects acoustic energy and transforms it into electrical energy for use by a sensor. The energy harvester utilizes a piezoelectric device, which may be encased, either wholly or partially, within an acoustic chamber. Alternatively, the piezoelectric device may be entirely exterior to the acoustic chamber, which acts to amplify the collected acoustic energy.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2004Date of Patent: October 3, 2006Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Mahadevan Balasubramaniam, Jeffrey Bernard Fortin, Walter John Smith, Huageng Luo
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Patent number: 7101789Abstract: A method for forming smooth walled, prismatically-profiled through-wafer vias and articles formed through the method. An etch stop material is provided on a wafer, which may be a <110> silicon wafer. A mask material is provided on the etch stop material and patterned in such a way as to lead to the formation of vias that have at least one pair of opposing side walls that run parallel to a <111> plane in the wafer. A wet etchant, such as potassium hydroxide, is used to etch vias in the wafer. The use of a wet etchant leads to the formation of smooth side walls. This method allows an aspect ratio of height versus width of the vias of greater than 75 to 1.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2004Date of Patent: September 5, 2006Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Kanakasabapathi Subramanian, Jeffrey Bernard Fortin, Wei-Cheng Tian
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Patent number: 7037746Abstract: A capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer (cMUT) cell is presented. The cMUT cell includes a lower electrode. Furthermore, the cMUT cell includes a diaphragm disposed adjacent to the lower electrode such that a gap having a first gap width is formed between the diaphragm and the lower electrode, wherein the diaphragm comprises one of a first epitaxial layer or a first polysilicon layer. In addition, a stress reducing material is disposed in the first epitaxial layer.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2004Date of Patent: May 2, 2006Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Lowell Scott Smith, David Martin Mills, Jeffrey Bernard Fortin, Wei-Cheng Tian, John Robert Logan
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Publication number: 20060018795Abstract: Methods for making multifunctional microfluidic systems, and apparatuses prepared thereby are disclosed comprising an environmentally responsive component integrated into the substrate and exposed to the channels of a microfluidic chip.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2004Publication date: January 26, 2006Inventors: Radislav Alexandrovich Potyrailo, Jeffrey Bernard Fortin, Andrew Michael Leach, Joshua Isaac Wright, Scott Boyette