Patents by Inventor John William Birks

John William Birks 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: 11614384
    Abstract: An enclosure or housing for an air monitoring instrument package for mounting on the roof or other surface on the outside of vehicles such as cars, trucks, buses, trams, trains and ships. By measuring air pollutants from moving vehicles, it is possible to explore the distribution of air pollutants throughout a city or rural area for the identification of sources of different pollutants, estimating human exposures to air pollutants, and mapping air pollutants with high resolution. The disclosed device provides continuous sampling of outside air while simultaneously protecting the delicate instruments from weather elements such as high wind, rain, snow, sleet and hail. The design also allows a nearly constant flow rate of sampled air independent of vehicle velocity. An optional impaction region further reduces transmission of mist and large particles to the chamber containing the measurement package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: LUDLUM MEASUREMENTS, INC.
    Inventors: John William Birks, Peter Christian Andersen, Craig Joseph Williford, Andrew Allen Turnipseed
  • Publication number: 20210119484
    Abstract: A system and method for wirelessly transmitting power through a window comprising transmitting and receiving coils or electrodes, which are embedded in or otherwise mounted with respect to flexible polymer suction cups. The transmitting and receiving coils or electrodes are arranged opposite one another on the interior and exterior of the window, respectively, via attachment of the suction cups thereon. Power provided to the transmitting coil or electrode, for example from an auxiliary power adapter of a vehicle, may be transmitted through the window by inductive coupling or capacitive coupling. The power provided to the receiving coil or electrode can then be used to power external devices such as taxi roof signs, lighted advertising signs, spotlights and other auxiliary off-road lights, trailer tail lights, emergency and warning lights, speakers, cameras, battery chargers, and packages of scientific instruments for measuring air pollutants and various environmental factors such as weather parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventors: John William Birks, Craig Joseph Williford, Christine Ann Ennis
  • Publication number: 20210101437
    Abstract: An enclosure or housing for an air monitoring instrument package for mounting on the roof or other surface on the outside of vehicles such as cars, trucks, buses, trams, trains and ships. By measuring air pollutants from moving vehicles, it is possible to explore the distribution of air pollutants throughout a city or rural area for the identification of sources of different pollutants, estimating human exposures to air pollutants, and mapping air pollutants with high resolution. The disclosed device provides continuous sampling of outside air while simultaneously protecting the delicate instruments from weather elements such as high wind, rain, snow, sleet and hail. The design also allows a nearly constant flow rate of sampled air independent of vehicle velocity. An optional impaction region further reduces transmission of mist and large particles to the chamber containing the measurement package.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2020
    Publication date: April 8, 2021
    Inventors: John William Birks, Peter Christian Andersen, Craig Joseph Williford, Andrew Allen Turnipseed
  • Patent number: 10684215
    Abstract: The present invention makes use of a modular Folded Tubular Photometer to measure the concentrations of gas-phase species and/or particles, including especially air pollutants such as ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and black carbon particulate matter, by means of absorbance of ultraviolet (UV), visible or infrared (IR) light. The optical bench makes use of modular components (tubes and mirror assemblies) that allow construction of path lengths of up to 2 meters or more while maintaining low detection cell volumes. The long path lengths, low cell volumes, and the innovation of pressure equalization during the absorbance measurements enable sensitive detection of ambient air pollutants down to low part-per-billion levels or less for gas species, and extinctions down to 1 Mm?1 or less for particulate matter, corresponding to ˜0.13 ?g/m3 or less for black carbon particulates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: LUDLUM MEASUREMENTS, INC.
    Inventors: John William Birks, Peter Christian Andersen, Andrew Allen Turnipseed, Craig Joseph Williford
  • Publication number: 20190226987
    Abstract: The present invention makes use of a modular Folded Tubular Photometer to measure the concentrations of gas-phase species and/or particles, including especially air pollutants such as ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and black carbon particulate matter, by means of absorbance of ultraviolet (UV), visible or infrared (IR) light. The optical bench makes use of modular components (tubes and mirror assemblies) that allow construction of path lengths of up to 2 meters or more while maintaining low detection cell volumes. The long path lengths, low cell volumes, and the innovation of pressure equalization during the absorbance measurements enable sensitive detection of ambient air pollutants down to low part-per-billion levels or less for gas species, and extinctions down to 1 Mm?1 or less for particulate matter, corresponding to ˜0.13 ?g/m3 or less for black carbon particulates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2018
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Inventors: John William Birks, Peter Christian Andersen, Andrew Allen Turnipseed, Craig Joseph Williford
  • Patent number: 9360433
    Abstract: A system for the indirect detection of agglutination in an agglutination assay using optical density measurement and a reaction vessel. Light emitted by light source is transmitted through reaction vessel containing components of an agglutination reaction that is detected by light detector. As particles in the reaction vessel settle in the absence of agglutination they are concentrated in a reaction vessel lower volume and increase the optical density of the light path through the reaction vessel. Light detector generates an output signal related to said optical density. Said output signal is read and interpreted by an instrument to detect a presence or absence of agglutination. Other embodiments are described and shown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: InDevR, Inc.
    Inventors: Kathy Lou Rowlen, Jean-Luc Fraikin, John William Birks, Craig J. Williford