Patents by Inventor Kirk S. Laney

Kirk S. Laney 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: 6752962
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard A. Carr, Jose L. Melendez, Kirk S. Laney
  • Publication number: 20020123152
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2001
    Publication date: September 5, 2002
    Inventors: Richard A. Carr, Jose L. Melendez, Kirk S. Laney
  • Patent number: 6326210
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard A. Carr, Jose L. Melendez, Kirk S. Laney
  • Patent number: 6045756
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2000
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard A. Carr, Jose L. Melendez, Kirk S. Laney
  • Patent number: 5691465
    Abstract: A gas detector, preferably for carbon monoxide detection, which includes a light detector(5), a light source (1) for providing a light beam which travels along a light path to the detector and detection chemistry (3) disposed in the light path for altering the light beam responsive to the impingement of a predetermined gas thereon. The detection chemistry includes a plurality of spaced apart members, each disposed in the light path. Each member includes a chemistry responsive to the impingement of the predetermined gas thereon for reversibly altering the light transmissive properties of the detection chemistry. The chemistry of any one of the members can differ from the chemistry of one or more of the other members if more than two members are present. The detection chemistry can, in part, act as a filter to light from the light beam. The detection chemistry is disposed in a gas ambient, the gas ambient being disposed between the spaced apart members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1997
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard A. Carr, Kirk S. Laney
  • Patent number: 5389578
    Abstract: An optical coupler (10) and method of manufacturing the optical coupler (10) are disclosed. The optical coupler (10) includes a light emitter (12), a light detector (18, 22), an inner mold material (30), and a precision reflector (32) for efficiently reflecting light from the emitter (12) to the light detector (18, 22). In manufacturing the coupler (10), the light emitter (12) is coupled to a first mount lead (14) and the light detector (18) is coupled to a second mount lead (20). There may be more than one light emitter (12) or light detector (18,22). A transparent inner mold material (30) surrounds and encases the light emitter (12) and light detector (18) along with a portion of the first and second mount leads (14, 20) and forms a precision molded reflector (32) over the light emitter (12) and light detector (18). The precision molded reflector (32) may be a precision molded dome (38) or a precision molded multifaceted vault (44).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Lester L. Hodson, Kirk S. Laney