Patents by Inventor Jose L. Melendez
Jose L. Melendez 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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Patent number: 6813446Abstract: Disclosed is apparatus and method for establishing and maintaining optical data transfer between a first optical communications device (202) and a second optical communications device (204). The devices have a feedback communications link (216) therebetween. An optical signal (214), having a predetermined signal profile (306), is transmitted from a transmission source (104) within the first optical communications device to an optical receiver (112) within the second optical communications device. The predetermined signal profile is transmitted from the first device, via the feedback communications link, to the second device. The signal profile (408) of the optical signal as received by the optical receiver is determined, and compared with the predetermined signal profile to quantify any misalignment or movement of the optical signal with respect to the optical receiver.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2002Date of Patent: November 2, 2004Assignee: Texas Instruments IncorporatedInventors: Jose L. Melendez, Robert C. Keller
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Publication number: 20040208616Abstract: Disclosed is apparatus and method for establishing and maintaining optical data transfer between a first optical communications device (202) and a second optical communications device (204). The devices have a feedback communications link (216) therebetween. An optical signal (214), having a predetermined signal profile (306), is transmitted from a transmission source (104) within the first optical communications device to an optical receiver (112) within the second optical communications device. The predetermined signal profile is transmitted from the first device, via the feedback communications link, to the second device. The signal profile (408) of the optical signal as received by the optical receiver is determined, and compared with the predetermined signal profile to quantify any misalignment or movement of the optical signal with respect to the optical receiver.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2002Publication date: October 21, 2004Inventors: Jose L. Melendez, Robert C. Keller
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Patent number: 6752962Abstract: A miniaturized integrated sensor (50) useful for indicating the presence of a sample analyte is disclosed. The sensor (50) has a platform (52) with an upper surface (53) and a detector (62), light source (60), waveguide (58), and reflective fixtures (60, 62) embedded in the platform (52). The light source (60) is preferably a light emitting diode and sits in a cup-shaped dimple (68) that directs light from the light source (60) toward one of the reflective fixtures (64) to uniformly distribute light across the waveguide (58). The waveguide (58) is coupled to an upper surface (53) of the sensor platform (52) and is coated with a thin film of indicator chemistry (70) which interacts with the sample analyte to produce optic signal changes that are measurable by the detector (62). A lead frame (51) in the platform (52) has pins (54, 55, 56) which provide the interface to the outside world.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2001Date of Patent: June 22, 2004Assignee: Texas Instruments IncorporatedInventors: Richard A. Carr, Jose L. Melendez, Kirk S. Laney
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Patent number: 6714336Abstract: A packaged micromirror assembly (21, 21′) is disclosed. The assembly (21, 21′) includes a mirror element (41) having a mirror surface (29) that can rotate in two axes. Magnets (53) are attached to the mirror element (41), to permit rotation of the mirror surface (29) responsive to the energizing of coil drivers (36). A sensor (63, 80) is disposed under the mirror surface (29) to detect mirror orientation. In one aspect of the invention, the sensor (63) includes a light source such as an LED (68) that imparts light through an aperture (66) at the underside of the mirror surface (29). Light detectors (65) are arranged at varying angles, and detect relative intensity of light reflected from the underside of the mirror surface (29), from which the rotational position of the mirror (29) can be derived. According to another aspect of the invention, a conical sensor (80) with multiple insulated segmented capacitor plates are arranged under the mirror surface (29).Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2001Date of Patent: March 30, 2004Assignee: Texas Instruments IncorporatedInventors: John W. Orcutt, Robert C. Keller, Jose L. Melendez, Dwight Bartholomew
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Publication number: 20040051156Abstract: A Micro Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) varactor (100, 200) having a bottom electrode (116) formed over a substrate (112) and a dielectric material (130) disposed over the bottom electrode (116). A pull-down electrode (122) is formed over spacer (120) and the dielectric material (130). The MEMS varactor (100, 200) is adapted to operate in a stiction mode, with at least a portion of pull-down electrode (122) in contact with dielectric material (130). The MEMS varactor (100, 200) has a high Q, large tuning range, and high sensitivity.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 3, 2003Publication date: March 18, 2004Inventors: Jose L. Melendez, Tsen-Hwang Lin, Byron Williams
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Patent number: 6692697Abstract: A versatile flow cell front-end (104) for storing and delivering reagents, test samples, and other transportable materials within an optically-based integrated sensor device (100), where management of those materials is controlled via electrical connections (110, 114) within the optically-based integrated sensor device is disclosed, including an inlet chamber (118) formed within the flow cell, a sensing chamber (116) formed within the flow cell, an electrical interface (114) formed within the flow cell, a conduit (122) adjoining the inlet and sensing chambers, another conduit (124) adapted to dispose of fluid in the sensing chamber, and a fluidic control member (126) instantiated along the conduit and responsively coupled to the electrical interface.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2000Date of Patent: February 17, 2004Assignee: Texas Instruments IncorporatedInventors: Jose L. Melendez, Jerome L. Elkind
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Patent number: 6657832Abstract: The present invention includes an integrated circuit switch including a membrane supported over a first conductor on a substrate, a conductive region on the membrane and connecting to the first conductor on the substrate, a pulldown electrode on the substrate and under the membrane and a pillar to support the membrane after the pulldown threshold has been reached. A voltage greater than a pulldown threshold is applied between the membrane and the pulldown electrode will pull the membrane down to make a capacitive coupling to the first conductor. The addition of the pillars increases the upward restoring force when the activation voltage is removed.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2001Date of Patent: December 2, 2003Assignee: Texas Instruments IncorporatedInventors: Bryon L. Williams, Laurinda W. Ng, Darius L. Crenshaw, Jose L. Melendez
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High Q-large tuning range micro-electro mechanical system (MEMS) varactor for broadband applications
Patent number: 6635919Abstract: A Micro Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) varactor (100, 200) having a bottom electrode (116) formed over a substrate (112) and a dielectric material (130) disposed over the bottom electrode (116). A pull-down electrode (122) is formed over spacer (120) and the dielectric material (130). The MEMS varactor (100, 200) is adapted to operate in a stiction mode, with at least a portion of pull-down electrode (122) in contact with dielectric material (130). The MEMS varactor (100, 200) has a high Q, large tuning range, and high sensitivity.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2000Date of Patent: October 21, 2003Assignee: Texas Instruments IncorporatedInventors: Jose L. Melendez, Tsen-Hwang Lin, Byron Williams -
Patent number: 6525396Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method of selecting a unique combination of materials and dimensions for fabrication of a micro-electromechanical switch for improved RF switch performance. An electrode material is selected which exhibits a resistivity resulting in improved insertion loss for a predetermined switching speed, a dielectric material is selected which exhibits a permittivity resulting in improved isolation, and an airgap thickness is selected resulting in a pull-down voltage approximately equal to a supply voltage of the micro-electromechanical switch in which the isolation and predetermined switching speed are also functions of the airgap thickness.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2001Date of Patent: February 25, 2003Assignee: Texas Instruments IncorporatedInventors: Jose L. Melendez, Byron Williams, Yu-Pei Chen, Darius Crenshaw
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Publication number: 20020195681Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method of selecting a unique combination of materials and dimensions for fabrication of a micro-electromechanical switch for improved RF switch performance. An electrode material is selected which exhibits a resistivity resulting in improved insertion loss for a predetermined switching speed, a dielectric material is selected which exhibits a permittivity resulting in improved isolation, and an airgap thickness is selected resulting in a pull-down voltage approximately equal to a supply voltage of the micro-electromechanical switch in which the isolation and predetermined switching speed are also functions of the airgap thickness.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2001Publication date: December 26, 2002Inventors: Jose L. Melendez, Byron Williams, Yu-Pei Chen, Darius Crenshaw
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Publication number: 20020179421Abstract: The present invention includes an integrated circuit switch including a membrane supported over a first conductor on a substrate, a conductive region on the membrane and connecting to the first conductor on the substrate, a pulldown electrode on the substrate and under the membrane and a pillar to support the membrane after the pulldown threshold has been reached. A voltage greater than a pulldown threshold is applied between the membrane and the pulldown electrode will pull the membrane down to make a capacitive coupling to the first conductor. The addition of the pillars increases the upward restoring force when the activation voltage is removed.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2001Publication date: December 5, 2002Inventors: Byron L. Williams, Laurinda W. Ng, Darius L. Crenshaw, Jose L. Melendez
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Publication number: 20020123152Abstract: A miniaturized integrated sensor (50) useful for indicating the presence of a sample analyte is disclosed. The sensor (50) has a platform (52) with an upper surface (53) and a detector (62), light source (60), waveguide (58), and reflective fixtures (60,62) embedded in the platform (52). The light source (60) is preferably a light emitting diode and sits in a cup-shaped dimple (68) that directs light from the light source (60) toward one of the reflective fixtures (64) to uniformly distribute light across the waveguide (58). The waveguide (58) is coupled to an upper surface (53) of the sensor platform (52) and is coated with a thin film of indicator chemistry (70) which interacts with the sample analyte to produce optic signal changes that are measurable by the detector (62). A lead frame (51) in the platform (52) has pins (54, 55, 56) which provide the interface to the outside world.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2001Publication date: September 5, 2002Inventors: Richard A. Carr, Jose L. Melendez, Kirk S. Laney
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Patent number: 6415235Abstract: A sensor control and data analysis system (100) for detecting and analyzing various (bio)chemical properties of a given sample substance (107) using an integrated SPR sensor (50) or other miniaturized sensor configuration. In one embodiment, raw sensor data from the sensing device (105) is transferred to a remote processing system (111), such as a desktop computer, having a display (125), keyboard or other user control and data entry device (123), internal storage area (127), internal microprocessor (117) and a communications means (129). The processing system (111) runs a software application program (115) that receives the raw sample data and perform qualitative and quantitative analysis to render meaningful information about the sample substance.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 1997Date of Patent: July 2, 2002Assignee: Texas Instruments IncorporatedInventors: Dwight U. Bartholomew, Jose L. Melendez, Richard A. Carr
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Publication number: 20020070335Abstract: A packaged micromirror assembly (21, 21′) is disclosed. The assembly (21, 21′) includes a mirror element (41) having a mirror surface (29) that can rotate in two axes. Magnets (53) are attached to the mirror element (41), to permit rotation of the mirror surface (29) responsive to the energizing of coil drivers (36). A sensor (63, 80) is disposed under the mirror surface (29) to detect mirror orientation. In one aspect of the invention, the sensor (63) includes a light source such as an LED (68) that imparts light through an aperture (66) at the underside of the mirror surface (29). Light detectors (65) are arranged at varying angles, and detect relative intensity of light reflected from the underside of the mirror surface (29), from which the rotational position of the mirror (29) can be derived. According to another aspect of the invention, a conical sensor (80) with multiple insulated segmented capacitor plates are arranged under the mirror surface (29).Type: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2001Publication date: June 13, 2002Inventors: John W. Orcutt, Robert C. Keller, Jose L. Melendez, Dwight Bartholomew
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Publication number: 20020054412Abstract: A cellular optical wireless network 10 includes multiple bi-directional point-to-point links between a central hub 12 and dispersed clients 14. When the hub 14 is limited in size, the receivers may be in close proximity to one another. In this case, the optical signal from two or more clients, which may have spread significantly in diameter due to angular spread in the transmitted light, may overlap spatially at the hub, causing interference and difficulty in separating the data. The present invention provides techniques to avoid such interference.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 20, 2001Publication date: May 9, 2002Inventors: Robert C. Keller, Jose L. Melendez
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Patent number: 6374845Abstract: Disclosed is a method of automatically sensing and controlling beverage quality for soft drinks from a fountain dispenser, for example, comprising the steps of supplying a first fluid, such as water or carbonated water, wherein the flow of the first fluid is controlled by a first valve, supplying a second fluid, mixing the first fluid and the second fluid, passing a sample of the mixture of the first fluid and the second fluid onto a sensing surface of a fixed optic sensor, measuring one or more properties of the sample, such as, for example, refractive index, temperature, and pressure, controlling the first valve based on the one or more properties, and dispensing the mixture. The first valve may be proportionally enlarged and reduced or it may selectively opened and closed pursuant to a desired duty cycle.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2000Date of Patent: April 23, 2002Assignee: Texas Instruments IncorporatedInventors: Jose L. Melendez, Richard A. Carr, Jerome L. Elkind
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Publication number: 20020034024Abstract: A packaged micromirror assembly (10; 110) is disclosed. The assembly (10) includes a micromirror (70) formed of a lower element (60) having a central mounting portion (63) surrounded by an intermediate gimbal portion (62) and a frame portion (61). A magnet standoff (68) is attached to the central mounting portion (63) and an upper mirror surface (65) is attached to the magnet standoff (68). The micromirror (70) may be packaged into a body (30) with coil drivers (36). A magnetic field generated by the coil drivers (36) applies a torque to the magnet standoff (68) causing it to rotate; because of silicon hinges in the lower element (60), the upper mirror (65) can rotate in two axes. An alternative embodiment of the assembly (110) rotates a lower mirror element (130) and an upper mirror (15) attached thereto by a standoff (68) by way of an electrostatic force.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2001Publication date: March 21, 2002Inventors: John W. Orcutt, Jose L. Melendez, Arthur M. Turner
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Patent number: 6326612Abstract: Disclosed is a sensing system and method utilizing a sensor cartridge (10) for making analytical measurements regarding one or more samples (50) of interest, the cartridge (10) comprising an opaque housing (12) having an opening (32), the opening (32) allowing access to one or more electrically conductive contacts (34) and one or more fluidic connectors (36) disposed within the housing (12) and mechanically aligned to the electrically conductive contacts (34), a flow cell (56) having one or more channels connected to the one or more fluidic connectors (36), and a fixed optic sensor (68, 58, 72, 74) disposed within said housing (12) and aligned to a sensing surface on the flow cell. The fixed optic sensor may be, for example, a surface plasmon resonance sensor, a critical angle sensor, or a fluorescence-based sensor. In one embodiment of the present invention, the one or more electrically conductive contacts (32) comprise card-edge contacts (34).Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 1999Date of Patent: December 4, 2001Assignee: Texas Instruments IncorporatedInventors: Jerome L. Elkind, Richard A. Carr, Jose L. Melendez
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Patent number: 6326210Abstract: A miniaturized integrated sensor (50) useful for indicating the presence of a sample analyte is disclosed. The sensor (50) has a platform (52) with an upper surface (53) and a detector (62), light source (60), waveguide (58), and reflective fixtures (60,62) embedded in the platform (52). The light source (60) is preferably a light emitting diode and sits in a cup-shaped dimple (68) that directs light from the light source (60) toward one of the reflective fixtures (64) to uniformly distribute light across the waveguide (58). The waveguide (58) is coupled to an upper surface (53) of the sensor platform (52) and is coated with a thin film of indicator chemistry (70) which interacts with the sample analyte to produce optic signal changes that are measurable by the detector (62). A lead frame (51) in the platform (52) has pins (54, 55, 56) which provide the interface to the outside world.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 1999Date of Patent: December 4, 2001Assignee: Texas Instruments IncorporatedInventors: Richard A. Carr, Jose L. Melendez, Kirk S. Laney
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Patent number: 6191847Abstract: A fixed optic sensor system (200) comprising a sensor system (210), and electronic sub-system (205) and a communications means (215). The system can be used for detecting the presence of various sample (236) properties and in that regard has widespread application by leveraging off various miniaturized sensor configurations including surface plasmon resonance (50), fluorescence (80), light transmission (125) and others (150). In one embodiment, the communications means (215) is a wireless transmitter/receiver. In another embodiment, a hand held instrument (358) can be used on-site and communicates with the sensor (350) to receive sample (352) related data and transmit it to a remote processing system (370) for further analysis. In yet another embodiment, a hand held instrument (403) has a plurality of cardiac marker binding ligands (400) deposited on the sensor/sample interface providing a medical diagnosis and point-of-care device (403).Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 1999Date of Patent: February 20, 2001Assignee: Texas Instruments IncorporatedInventors: Jose L. Melendez, Richard A. Carr, Patrick Paul Smith, Dwight U. Bartholomew, John H. Berlien, Jr., Frederick F. Geyer, Paul S. Breedlove