Patents by Inventor Robert G. Wodnicki
Robert G. Wodnicki 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: 20240019404Abstract: A system and method for imaging biological material is disclosed. The imaging system may comprise: a multi-well assay plate having a plurality of wells, each well of the plurality of wells defining a cavity that is configured to hold a biological material; an imaging module having a plurality of transducers; and a processor coupled to the imaging module. The processor may be configured to: activate the plurality of transducers to emit energy within the plurality of wells to stimulate the biological material, and generate an image of or analyze the biological material within each well. The method may comprise: adding a thin layer of acoustic coupling material; inserting the microwell plate into a support frame of an enclosure; mechanically translating the support frame; interrogating each of the wells of the microwell plate with ultrasound; and outputting results of the interrogation to an output device.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2021Publication date: January 18, 2024Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAInventors: Robert G. Wodnicki, Haochen Kang
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Publication number: 20220079559Abstract: A modular array includes modular array includes one or more array modules. Each array module includes one or more transducer arrays, where each of the one or more transducer arrays includes a plurality of piezoelectric elements; a conducting interposer arranged and configured to provide acoustic absorbing backing for the one or more transducer arrays; and one or more Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs). The conducting interposer and the one or more ASICs are in electrical contact with each other at a first direct electrical interface. Additionally, the conducting interposer and the one or more transducer arrays are in electrical contact with each other at a second direct electrical interface.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2021Publication date: March 17, 2022Applicants: University of Southern California, The Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: Robert G. Wodnicki, Qifa Zhou, Thomas Matthew Cummins, Douglas N. Stephens, Katherine W. Ferrara
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Publication number: 20220071594Abstract: Two-dimensional transducers arrays for ultrasound imaging is disclosed. The two-dimensional arrays are suitable for formation of two-dimensional (2D) and/or three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound images. The two-dimensional arrays are suitable for real-time 2D and/or 3D ultrasound imaging. The bowtie transducer arrays and the rectangular transducer arrays are suitable for real-time 2D and/or 3D ultrasound imaging.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 3, 2021Publication date: March 10, 2022Inventors: Jesse Tong-Pin Yen, Robert G. Wodnicki
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Patent number: 11134918Abstract: A modular array includes modular array includes one or more array modules. Each array module includes one or more transducer arrays, where each of the one or more transducer arrays includes a plurality of piezoelectric elements; a conducting interposer arranged and configured to provide acoustic absorbing backing for the one or more transducer arrays; and one or more Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs). The conducting interposer and the one or more ASICs are in electrical contact with each other at a first direct electrical interface. Additionally, the conducting interposer and the one or more transducer arrays are in electrical contact with each other at a second direct electrical interface.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2017Date of Patent: October 5, 2021Assignees: University of Southern California, The Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: Robert G. Wodnicki, Qifa Zhou, Thomas Matthew Cummins, Douglas N. Stephens, Katherine W. Ferrara
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Publication number: 20200046320Abstract: A modular array includes modular array includes one or more array modules. Each array module includes one or more transducer arrays, where each of the one or more transducer arrays includes a plurality of piezoelectric elements; a conducting interposer arranged and configured to provide acoustic absorbing backing for the one or more transducer arrays; and one or more Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs). The conducting interposer and the one or more ASICs are in electrical contact with each other at a first direct electrical interface. Additionally, the conducting interposer and the one or more transducer arrays are in electrical contact with each other at a second direct electrical interface.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 18, 2017Publication date: February 13, 2020Applicants: University of Southern California, Regents of the University of California, DaavisInventors: Robert G. WODNICKI, Qifa ZHOU, Thomas Matthew CUMMINS, Douglas N. STEPHENS, Katherine W. FERRARA
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Patent number: 7314445Abstract: A low-voltage transmit/receive switch that acts to protect sensitive low-voltage electronics from high-voltage pulse signals used to drive an ultrasonic transducer. The low-voltage transmit/receive switch comprises a series resistor and a parallel MOSFET pair. The parallel MOSFETs are low-voltage devices. The low-voltage transmit/receive switch is placed between the output of a high-voltage pulser and the input of a receive pre-amplifier. If dual high- and low-voltage pulsers are used, then the low-voltage pulser is connected so that it is also protected from the high-voltage pulse signals by the low-voltage transmit/receive switch. In an alternative embodiment, the low-voltage pulser and the receive pre-amplifier are protected from the high-voltage pulse signals by a high-voltage transmit/receive switch.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2003Date of Patent: January 1, 2008Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Robert G. Wodnicki, Rayette A. Fisher
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Patent number: 7052464Abstract: An integrated circuit is fabricated by micromachining a hexagonal array of cMUT elements on top of a substrate comprising a hexagonal array of CMOS cells. Each cMUT element overlies a respective CMOS cell in one-to-one correspondence. During layout of the mask for micromachining the cMUT layer, either the hexagonal pattern or the alignment key is rotated until an axis of symmetry of the hexagonal pattern is aligned with an axis of the alignment key. Later, when the mask is superimposed on the CMOS substrate, the alignment key on the mask is aligned with an alignment key on the substrate. This ensures that the cMUT elements formed by optical lithography will be matched to the CMOS cells.Type: GrantFiled: January 1, 2004Date of Patent: May 30, 2006Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Robert G. Wodnicki
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Patent number: 6865140Abstract: An ultrasound transducer array includes a multiplicity of subelements interconnected by a multiplicity of microelectronic switches, each subelement comprising a respective multiplicity of micromachined ultrasound transducer (MUT) cells. The MUT cells within a particular subelement are hard-wired together. The switches are used to configure the subelements to form multiple concentric annular elements. This design dramatically reduces complexity while enabling focusing in the elevation direction during ultrasonic image data acquisition.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2003Date of Patent: March 8, 2005Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Kai Thomenius, Rayette A. Fisher, David M. Mills, Robert G. Wodnicki, Christopher Robert Hazard, Lowell Scott Smith
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Patent number: 6856175Abstract: In an ultrasound transmit ASIC, the rise and fall times of the output pulse can be controlled by varying the gate-source voltage used to drive the output-stage transistors. Control of the rise/fall times can be effected either by trimming on-chip during fabrication or by changing the gate-source voltage that drives the output-stage transistors, either on-chip or off-chip. In all cases it will be necessary to first test the manufactured device to determine how much calibration voltage needs to be applied.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2002Date of Patent: February 15, 2005Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Robert G. Wodnicki
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Publication number: 20040174773Abstract: An ultrasound transducer array includes a multiplicity of subelements interconnected by a multiplicity of microelectronic switches, each subelement comprising a respective multiplicity of micromachined ultrasound transducer (MUT) cells. The MUT cells within a particular subelement are hard-wired together. The switches are used to configure the subelements to form multiple concentric annular elements. This design dramatically reduces complexity while enabling focusing in the elevation direction during ultrasonic image data acquisition.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2003Publication date: September 9, 2004Inventors: Kai Thomenius, Rayette A. Fisher, David M. Mills, Robert G. Wodnicki, Christopher Robert Hazard, Lowell Scott Smith
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Patent number: 6759888Abstract: A high-voltage switching circuit comprising: a switch having ON and OFF states and having a parasitic gate capacitance and a control circuit for turning the switch on and off. The switch comprises a pair of DMOS FETs having a shared gate terminal, the sources of the DMOS FETs being connected to each other and the drains of the DMOS FETs being connected to the input and output terminals of the switch respectively, and biased at a bias voltage level. The control circuit comprises: a programming transistor having its drain connected to the shared gate terminal of the switch, its source connected to receive a programming voltage, and its gate connected to receive a programming transistor gate voltage; first circuitry for causing a first transition from a first level to a second (lower) level of the programming voltage; and second circuitry for causing a second transition from a first level to a second level of the programming transistor gate voltage.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2003Date of Patent: July 6, 2004Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Robert G. Wodnicki
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Publication number: 20040113669Abstract: In an ultrasound transmit ASIC, the rise and fall times of the output pulse can be controlled by varying the gate-source voltage used to drive the output-stage transistors. Control of the rise/fall times can be effected either by trimming on-chip during fabrication or by changing the gate-source voltage that drives the output-stage transistors, either on-chip or off-chip.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2002Publication date: June 17, 2004Inventor: Robert G. Wodnicki