Patents by Inventor Michael Nix

Michael Nix 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: 8039259
    Abstract: A buffer solution for suspending animal or human cells and for dissolving biologically active molecules in order to introduce the biologically active molecules into the cells using electric current. The buffer solution includes at least one of sodium succinate, mannitol and sodium lactobionate. The buffer solution has a buffer capacity of at least 20 mmol*l?1*pH?1 at a change in the from pH 7 to pH 8 and at a temperature of 25° C., and an ionic strength of at least 200 mmol * l?1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Lonza Cologne GmbH
    Inventors: Gudula Riemen, Elke Lorbach, Juliana Helfrich, Gregor Siebenkotten, Herbert Mueller-Hartmann, Kirsten Rothmann-Cosic, Corinna Thiel, Meike Weigel, Heike Wessendorf, Helmut Brosterhus, Michael Nix
  • Patent number: 8003389
    Abstract: A method for introducing biologically active molecules into animal or human cells using electric current includes suspending the cells and dissolving the biologically active molecules in a buffer solution which has a buffer capacity of at least 20 mmol×l?1×pH?1 and an ionic strength of at least 200 mmol×l?1 at a change in the pH from pH 7 to pH 8 and at a temperature of 25° C. to form a suspension. The method further includes applying an electric voltage to the suspension so as to introduce the biologically active molecules into animal or human cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Lonza Cologne GmbH
    Inventors: Gudula Riemen, Elke Lorbach, Juliana Helfrich, Gregor Siebenkotten, Herbert Mueller-Hartmann, Kirsten Rothmann-Cosic, Corinna Thiel, Meike Weigel, Heike Wessendorf, Helmut Brosterhus, Michael Nix
  • Publication number: 20110187569
    Abstract: A 1.5-bit algorithmic analog-to-digital converter (ADC) generates a digital value representative of an input voltage. The ADC implements a series of conversion cycles for a conversion operation. Each conversion cycle has three sub-cycles: a scaling sub-cycle, a first sample sub-cycle, and a second sample sub-cycle. In the scaling sub-cycle, the residual voltage from the previous conversion cycle is doubled to generate a first voltage. In the first sample sub-cycle, a first bit of a corresponding bit pair is determined based on the polarity of the first voltage. The first voltage is either increased or decreased by a reference voltage based on the polarity of the first voltage to generate a second voltage. In the second sample sub-cycle, a second bit of the corresponding bit pair is determined based on the polarity of the second voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2010
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Ahmed Abdell-Ra'oof Younis, Michael A. Nix
  • Patent number: 7978118
    Abstract: A 1.5-bit algorithmic analog-to-digital converter (ADC) generates a digital value representative of an input voltage. The ADC implements a series of conversion cycles for a conversion operation. Each conversion cycle has three sub-cycles: a scaling sub-cycle, a first sample sub-cycle, and a second sample sub-cycle. In the scaling sub-cycle, the residual voltage from the previous conversion cycle is doubled to generate a first voltage. In the first sample sub-cycle, a first bit of a corresponding bit pair is determined based on the polarity of the first voltage. The first voltage is either increased or decreased by a reference voltage based on the polarity of the first voltage to generate a second voltage. In the second sample sub-cycle, a second bit of the corresponding bit pair is determined based on the polarity of the second voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Ahmed Abdell-Ra'oof Younis, Michael A. Nix
  • Publication number: 20110117654
    Abstract: A method for introducing biologically active molecules into animal or human cells using an electric current includes suspending the cells and dissolving the biologically active molecules in a buffer solution including HEPES and at least 10 mmol×1?1 magnesium ions (Mg2+), the buffer solution having a buffer capacity of at least 20 mmol×1?1×pH?1 at a change in the pH from pH 7 to pH 8 and at a temperature of 25° C., and an ionic strength of at least 200 mmol×1?1. An electric voltage is applied to the suspension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Applicant: LONZA COLOGNE AG
    Inventors: Gudula Riemen, Elke Lorbach, Juliana Helfrich, Gregor Siebenkotten, Herbert Mueller-Hartmann, Kirsten Rothmann-Cosic, Corinna Thiel, Meike Weigel, Heike Wessendorf, Helmut Brosterhaus, Michael Nix
  • Patent number: 7924912
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for advantageously utilizing the reset state of an RTZ shift register to guarantee proper data alignment at the feedback taps to facilitate decision feedback equalization (DFE) in a unified signaling system. An input data stream is sliced into an even data stream and an odd data stream, whereby the sliced data is compared to a programmable threshold depending upon a detection mode. Each bit of the even data stream is propagated through RTZ latches and each bit of the odd data stream is propagated through RTZ latches. At any given instant in time, a correct portion of the RTZ latch outputs contain zero information, so that each latch output may be summed in a current mode without the need for any intervening logic. The input data stream is summed in current mode with the feedback data and converted to voltage prior to sampling the currently received data bit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Shahriar Rokhsaz, Michael A. Nix
  • Patent number: 7852161
    Abstract: An oscillator. The oscillator includes a first ring oscillator having a first plurality of inverters, a first plurality of capacitors each having a first terminal coupled to an output terminal of a corresponding one of the first plurality of inverters, a second ring oscillator having a second plurality of inverters, and a second plurality of capacitors each having a first terminal coupled to an output terminal of a corresponding one of the second plurality of inverters. A second terminal of the first plurality of capacitors is coupled to an output terminal of a corresponding one of the second plurality of inverters. A second terminal of the second plurality of capacitors is coupled to an output terminal of a corresponding one of the first plurality of inverters. The oscillator is configured to provide as an output a differential clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Nix, Saeed Abbasi
  • Publication number: 20100176889
    Abstract: An oscillator. The oscillator includes a first ring oscillator having a first plurality of inverters, a first plurality of capacitors each having a first terminal coupled to an output terminal of a corresponding one of the first plurality of inverters, a second ring oscillator having a second plurality of inverters, and a second plurality of capacitors each having a first terminal coupled to an output terminal of a corresponding one of the second plurality of inverters. A second terminal of the first plurality of capacitors is coupled to an output terminal of a corresponding one of the second plurality of inverters. A second terminal of the second plurality of capacitors is coupled to an output terminal of a corresponding one of the first plurality of inverters. The oscillator is configured to provide as an output a differential clock signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2009
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Inventors: Michael A. Nix, Saeed Abbasi
  • Patent number: 7599431
    Abstract: A communication system includes a transmitter, a communication channel, and a receiver. The transmitter includes a pre-emphasis module, a summing module, a line driver, and a decision feedback pre-emphasis (DFP) module to produce a pre-emphasized serial stream of data based on a communications channel response and an inter-symbol interference level. The receiver includes a linear equalizer, a summing module, a decision module, and a decision feedback equalization (DFE) module. The linear equalizer produces an equalized serial stream of data. The summing module sums at least one data element of the equalized serial stream of data with DFE data elements to produce equalized data elements. The decision module interprets the equalized data elements to produce interpreted data elements to DFE module, which produces the DFE data elements from the interpreted data elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen D. Anderson, Michael A. Nix, Brian T. Brunn, Jinghui Lu, David E. Tetzlaff
  • Patent number: 7436216
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for combining an alternating current (AC) coupling technique with a low frequency restoration technique to provide AC coupling with low frequency restoration of the attenuated low frequency content. The low frequency restoration circuit operates to extract low frequency information prior to being high-pass filtered by the AC coupling circuit. The low frequency restoration circuit then buffers the low frequency information through a low frequency restoration amplifier, applies a programmable common mode voltage to the buffered, low frequency information, and then restores the buffered, common mode adjusted, low frequency information to the output of the AC coupling circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian T. Brunn, Michael A. Nix, Ahmed Younis
  • Publication number: 20080145938
    Abstract: A buffer solution for suspending animal or human cells and for dissolving biologically active molecules in order to introduce the biologically active molecules into the cells using electric current. The buffer solution includes HEPES and at least 10 mmol*1?1 magnesium ions (Mg2+). The buffer solution has a buffer capacity of at least 20 mmol*1?1*pH?1 at a change in the pH from pH 7 to pH 8 and at a temperature of 25° C. The buffer solution also has an ionic strength of at least 200 mmol*1?1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicant: AMAXA AG
    Inventors: Gudula Riemen, Elke Lorbach, Juliana Helfrich, Gregor Siebenkotten, Herbert Muller-Hartmann, Kirsten Rothmann-Cosic, Corinna Thiel, Meike Weigel, Heike Wessendorf, Helmut Brosterbus, Michael Nix
  • Patent number: 7376199
    Abstract: An example embodiment is directed to an arrangement and method for phase-aligning digital data to be sent by transmit-data modules over respectively-situated serial links. A reference clock signal is communicatively coupled to each transmit-data module, each transmit-data module having a data driver and a clock circuit. At the serial links, each respective data driver sends digital data in response to a clock-output signal and a phase-adjusted clock-load signal that is used to load the data driver. The phase of the clock-load signal is adjusted relative to misalignment between the clock-load signal and the reference clock signal so that each data driver loads the digital data in a time-aligned manner for link transmission. The present invention is useful in applications involving programmable logic devices and other skew-susceptible parallel transmission arrangements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael A. Nix
  • Publication number: 20080113436
    Abstract: A buffer solution for suspending animal or human cells and for dissolving biologically active molecules in order to introduce said biologically active molecules into the cells using electric current. The buffer solution includes at least one of sodium succinate, mannitol and sodium lactobionate. The buffer solution has a buffer capacity of at least 20 mmol*l?1*pH?1 at a change in the pH from pH 7 to pH 8 and at a temperature of 25° C., and an ionic strength of at least 200 mmol*l?1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Applicant: amaxa AG
    Inventors: Gudula Riemen, Elke Lorbach, Juliana Helfrich, Gregor Siebenkotten, Herbert Muller-Hartmann, Kirsten Rothmann-Cosic, Corinna Thiel, Meike Weigel, Heike Wessendorf, Helmut Brosterbus, Michael Nix
  • Patent number: 7332332
    Abstract: The invention relates to a buffer solution for suspending animal or human cells and for dissolving biologically active molecules in order to introduce biologically active molecules into cells using an electric current. The inventive buffer solution has a buffering capacity of at least 20 mmol?1×pH?1 and an ionic strength of at least 200 mmol×1?1 during a change to the pH value from pH 7 to pH 8 and at a temperature of 25° C. The use of a buffer solution of this type allows biologically active molecules to be introduced into animal and human cells with a high degree of transfection efficiency and at the same time a low cell mortality. Different cell types, in particular dormant and actively dividing cells of low activity, can be successfully transfected in the buffer solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Amaxa AG
    Inventors: Gudula Riemen, Elke Lorbach, Juliana Helfrich, Gregor Siebenkotten, Herbert Müller-Hartmann, Kirsten Rothmann, Corinna Thiel, Meike Weigel, Heike Wessendorf, Helmut Brosterbus, Michael Nix
  • Patent number: 7265640
    Abstract: An example embodiment is directed to shifting the common mode voltage of an analog oscillation stage toward a center line between the upper and lower power-supply rails of a first digital circuit. The first digital circuit has a digital input port adapted to respond to signal transitions defined between the supply rails, and the analog oscillation stage generates an oscillating analog signal that has a common-mode voltage that is not centered between the upper and lower power-supply rails. The oscillating analog signal, which drives the digital input port, changes alternately with the phases of the oscillating analog signal. To shift the common mode voltage of an analog oscillation stage toward the center line between the rails, a feedback circuit generates a contending digital signal that drives the digital input port with alternating states as defined by opposite phases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael A. Nix
  • Publication number: 20070110736
    Abstract: The invention relates to a buffer solution for suspending animal or human cells and for dissolving biologically active molecules in order to introduce said biologically active molecules into the cells using an electric current and to a method for introducing biologically active molecules into animal or human cells using an electric current and a buffer solution. The inventive buffer solution has a buffering capacity of at least 20 mmol*I?1*pH?1 and an ionic strength of at least 200 mmol* I?1 during a change to the pH value from pH 7 to pH 8 and at a temperature of 25 ° C. The use of a buffer solution of this type in the corresponding method allows biologically active molecules to be introduced into animal and human cells with a high degree of transfection efficiency and at the same time a low cell mortality. Different cell types, in particular dormant and actively dividing cells of low activity, can be successfully transfected in said buffer solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Publication date: May 17, 2007
    Inventors: Gudula Riemen, Elke Lorbach, Juliana Helfrich, Gregor Siebenkotten, Herbert Muller-Hartmann, Kirsten Rothmann-Cosic, Corinna Thiel, Meike Weigel, Heike Wessendorf, Helmut Brosterhus, Michael Nix
  • Patent number: 7106099
    Abstract: A decision feedback equalization (“DFE”) technique is suitable for use in a serializer-deserializer (“SERDES”) receiver in an integrated circuit (IC). The IC has a summing node coupled to a return-to-zero (“RTZ”) data latch register. The RTZ data latch register has a first (“even”) series of RTZ data latches and a second (“odd”) series of RTZ data latches. A first even tap is coupled to the first even RTZ data latch and provides a feedback signal to the summing node on a first portion of a local clock cycle. A first odd tap is coupled to the first odd RTZ data latch and provides an odd feedback signal to the summing node on a second portion of the local clock cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael A. Nix
  • Patent number: 7091773
    Abstract: A limiting circuit includes an input transconductance stage, an output transconductance stage, a feedback transconductance stage, first and second resistive loads, and a level limiting circuit. The input transconductance stage is operably coupled to convert an input voltage signal into an input current signal. The first resistive load is operably coupled to convert the input current signal and a feedback current signal into an intermediate output voltage signal. The output transconductance stage is operably coupled to convert the intermediate output voltage signal into an output current signal. The second resistive load is operably coupled to convert the output current signal into an output voltage signal. The feedback transconductance stage is operably coupled to produce the feedback current signal based on the output voltage signal. The level limiting module is operably coupled to limit at least one voltage level of the feedback transconductance stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian T. Brunn, Michael A. Nix
  • Patent number: 7084683
    Abstract: A differential flip-flop (400) has an output stage (402) with first and second input terminals (X1, X2), first and second output terminals (Q, Qb), a first voltage supply terminal (Vss), a first transistor (435) having a first current-handling terminal connected to the first output terminal (Q), a second current-handling terminal connected to the second output terminal (Qb), and a first control terminal connected to a clock signal (C). A second transistor has a third current-handling terminal connected to the first output terminal (Q), a fourth current-handling terminal connected to the voltage supply terminal (Vss), and a second control terminal connected to a first input terminal (X1) of the output stage. A third transistor (440) has a fifth current-handling terminal connected to the first output terminal (Q), a sixth current-handling terminal connected to the voltage supply terminal (Vss), and a third control terminal connected to the second output terminal (Qb).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael A. Nix
  • Patent number: 7058120
    Abstract: A transceiver includes a receiver section and a transmitter section. The receiver section includes a clocking circuit, a serial-to-parallel module, and compensation. The transmitter section includes a clocking circuit, parallel-to-serial module, and compensation. The compensation within the receiver section and transmitter section compensates for integrated circuit (IC) processing limits and/or integrated circuit (IC) fabrication limits within the clocking circuits, serial-to-parallel module, and parallel-to-serial module that would otherwise limit the speed at which the transceiver could transport data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Jinghui Lu, Shahriar Rokhsaz, Stephen D. Anderson, Michael A. Nix, Ahmed Younis, Michael Ren Kent, Yvette P. Lee, Firas N. Abughazaleh, Brian T. Brunn, Moises E. Robinson, Kazi S. Hossain