Patents by Inventor Steven Derek Pringle

Steven Derek Pringle 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).

  • SETTING ION DETECTOR GAIN USING ION AREA
    Publication number: 20150212132
    Abstract: A control system and method of determining a signal to noise (S/N) ratio of an ion detector system, including an ion detector, electron multiplier or photomultiplier, operates by determining an area of a noise peak, determining an area of a signal peak and determining a ratio of the area of the signal peak to the area of the noise peak. Based thereon, the signal to noise ratio can be optimised. The system has particular applicability for use in mass spectrometry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Inventors: Martin Raymond Green, Jason Lee Wildgoose, Steven Derek Pringle, Keith Richardson
  • Glow discharge ion source
    Patent number: 9080936
    Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a glow discharge device within the initial vacuum chamber of the mass spectrometer. The glow discharge device may comprise a tubular electrode (14) located within an isolation valve (15) which is provided in the vacuum chamber. Reagent vapor may be provided through the tubular electrode (14) which is then subsequently ionized by the glow discharge. The resulting reagent ions may be used for Electron Transfer Dissociation of analyte ions generated by an atmospheric pressure ion source. Other embodiments are contemplated wherein the ions generated by the glow discharge device may be used to reduce the charge state of analyte ions by Proton Transfer Reaction or may act as lock mass or reference ions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Micromass UK Limited
    Inventors: Jeffery Mark Brown, Martin Raymond Green, Steven Derek Pringle
  • Diathermy knife ionisation source
    Patent number: 9053914
    Abstract: A method of detecting one or more compounds, chemicals or contaminants in a substrate by mass spectrometry is disclosed. A non-living substrate is analyzed by contacting the substrate with a diathermy knife. An electric current is applied to the diathermy knife such that the diathermy knife vaporizes a portion of the substrate. The vapor is aspirated via a sampling tube pumped by a venturi pump into a vacuum chamber of a mass spectrometer. Analyte molecules are aspirated into the vacuum chamber whereupon they impact a surface of the vacuum chamber and are ionized to form analyte ions which are then mass analyzed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Micromass UK Limited
    Inventors: Steven Derek Pringle, Michael Raymond Morris, Stephen Smith, Michael McCullagh
  • Mass Spectrometer
    Publication number: 20150155150
    Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a first ion trap or ion guide, a single ion mobility spectrometer or separator stage and a second ion trap or ion guide arranged downstream of the ion mobility spectrometer or separator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Inventors: Robert Harold Bateman, Kevin Giles, Steven Derek Pringle, Jason Lee Wildgoose
  • Mass spectrometer
    Patent number: 9048073
    Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an ion mobility spectrometer or separator and an ion guide arranged downstream of the ion mobility spectrometer or separator. A plurality of axial potential wells are created in the ion guide so that ions received from the ion mobility spectrometer or separator become confined in separate axial potential wells. The potential wells maintain the fidelity and/or composition of ions received from the ion mobility spectrometer or separator. The potential wells are translated along the length of the ion guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Micromass UK Limited
    Inventors: Robert Harold Bateman, Kevin Giles, Steven Derek Pringle, Jason Lee Wildgoose
  • Method of MS/MS Mass Spectrometry
    Publication number: 20150144780
    Abstract: A method of mass spectrometry is disclosed comprising alternating between a first mode in which parent ions are mass analysed and a second mode in which the parent ions are subjected to Electron Capture Dissociation (“ECD”) at atmospheric pressure so as to produce fragment ions which are then mass analysed. The parent ions are associated with their fragment ions based on the times at which they were detected. This method enables parent ions to be associated with their fragment ions, even when the ECD fragmentation is performed at atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Jeffery Mark Brown, Martin Raymond Green, Steven Derek Pringle
  • Droplet manipulation using gas-phase standing-wave ultrasound fields in MS sources
    Patent number: 9040906
    Abstract: An ion source for a mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an ionization device which emits a stream of droplets and one or more ultrasonic transmitters which create one or more acoustic standing waves. The acoustic standing waves may be used to further nebulize the stream of droplets and induce internal mixing of the droplets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Micromass UK Limited
    Inventors: Michael Raymond Morris, Steven Derek Pringle, Keith Richardson
  • Mass spectrometer
    Patent number: 9006647
    Abstract: A collision or fragmentation cell is disclosed comprising a plurality of electrodes wherein a first RF voltage is applied to an upstream group of electrodes and a second different RF voltage is applied to a downstream group of electrodes. The radial confinement of parent ions entering the collision or fragmentation cell is optimized by the first RF voltage applied to the upstream group of electrodes and the radial confinement of daughter or fragment ions produced within the collision or fragmentation cell is optimized by the second different RF voltage applied to the downstream group of electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Micromass UK Limited
    Inventors: Daniel James Kenny, Robert Harold Bateman, Martin Raymond Green, Jason Lee Wildgoose, Steven Derek Pringle
  • Ion inlet for a mass spectrometer
    Patent number: 8987663
    Abstract: An ion inlet for a mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a housing having a sampling orifice and an atmospheric pressure orifice. One or more gas outlets are provided in the housing. Gas is drawn through the sampling orifice by a pump so that the gas exits via the one or more gas outlets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Micromass UK Limited
    Inventors: David Gordon, Daniel James Kenny, Steven Derek Pringle
  • Mass spectrometer
    Patent number: 8952320
    Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a quadrupole rod set ion guide or mass filter device (6). A broadband frequency signal (10) having one or more notches (11a, 11b, 11c) is applied to the rods of the quadrupole rod set (6). The notched broadband frequency signal (10) causes undesired ions to be resonantly ejected from the ion guide (6). The notched broadband frequency signal (10) has frequency components missing which correspond with the resonance frequency of ions which are desired to be onwardly transmitted. The ion guide or mass filter device (6) enables a plurality of desired ions having different mass to charge ratios to be simultaneously transmitted by the ion guide or mass filter device (6) whilst other ions are resonantly ejected from the ion guide or mass filter device (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Micromass UK Limited
    Inventors: Robert Harold Bateman, Kevin Giles, Steven Derek Pringle, Jason Lee Wildgoose
  • Mass spectrometer
    Patent number: 8952323
    Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a first ion trap or ion guide (2), a single ion mobility spectrometer or separator stage (3) and a second ion trap or ion guide (4) arranged downstream of the ion mobility spectrometer or separator (3). In a mode of operation ions from the second ion trap or ion guide (4) are passed from the second ion trap or ion guide back upstream to the ion mobility spectrometer or separator (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Micromass UK Limited
    Inventors: Robert Harold Bateman, Kevin Giles, Steven Derek Pringle, Jason Lee Wildgoose
  • Controlling Hydrogen-Deuterium Exchange on a Spectrum by Spectrum Basis
    Publication number: 20150034813
    Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a liquid chromatography device for separating ions. A gas phase ion-neutral reaction device is arranged downstream to perform a gas phase ion-neutral reaction such as Hydrogen-Deuterium exchange. A control system is arranged to automatically and repeatedly switch the reaction device back and forth between a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation, wherein in the first mode of operation at least some parent or precursor ions are caused to react within the reaction device and wherein in the second mode of operation substantially fewer or no parent or precursor ions are caused to react.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Jeffery Mark Brown, Steven Derek Pringle, Keith Richardson
  • Mass spectrometer
    Patent number: 8941056
    Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed wherein an ion signal is split into a first and second signal. The first and second signals are multiplied by different gains and are digitized. Arrival time and intensity pairs are calculated for both digitized signals and the resulting time and intensity pairs are combined to form a high dynamic range spectrum. The spectrum is then combined with other corresponding spectra to form a summed spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Micromass UK Limited
    Inventors: Martin Raymond Green, Steven Derek Pringle, Jason Lee Wildgoose
  • Droplet Manipulation Using Gas-Phase Standing-Wave Ultrasound Fields in MS Sources
    Publication number: 20150001388
    Abstract: An ion source for a mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an ionisation device which emits a stream of droplets and one or more ultrasonic transmitters which create one or more acoustic standing waves. The acoustic standing waves may be used to further nebulise the stream of droplets and induce internal mixing of the droplets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2012
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Michael Raymond Morris, Steven Derek Pringle, Keith Richardson
  • Method of Screening a Sample for the Presence of One or More Known Compounds of Interest and a Mass Spectrometer Performing this Method
    Publication number: 20140367565
    Abstract: A method of screening a sample for the presence of one or more known compounds of interest is disclosed. A fragmentation device is repeatedly switched between a fragmentation mode of operation and a non-fragmentation mode of operation. A determination is made whether a candidate parent ion of interest is present in a non-fragmentation data set and whether one or more corresponding fragment ions of interest are present in a fragmentation data set. A further determination is made to check if the candidate parent ion of interest and the one or more corresponding fragment ions of interest have substantially similar elution or retention times and/or ion mobility drift times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventors: Jeffrey Alan Goshawk, Steven Derek Pringle, Steve Smith
  • Mass Spectrometer
    Publication number: 20140326867
    Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed wherein an ion signal is split into a first and second signal. The first and second signals are multiplied by different gains and are digitised. Arrival time and intensity pairs are calculated for both digitised signals and the resulting time and intensity pairs are combined to form a high dynamic range spectrum. The spectrum is then combined with other corresponding spectra to form a summed spectrum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: Micromass UK Limited
    Inventors: Martin Raymond Green, Steven Derek Pringle, Jason Lee Wildgoose
  • Diathermy Knife Ionisation Source
    Publication number: 20140326865
    Abstract: A method of detecting one or more compounds, chemicals or contaminants in a substrate by mass spectrometry is disclosed. A non-living substrate is analysed by contacting the substrate with a diathermy knife. An electric current is applied to the diathermy knife such that the diathermy knife vaporises a portion of the substrate. The vapour is aspirated via a sampling tube pumped by a venturi pump into a vacuum chamber of a mass spectrometer. Analyte molecules are aspirated into the vacuum chamber whereupon they impact a surface of the vacuum chamber and are ionised to form analyte ions which are then mass analysed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: MICROMASS UK LIMITED
    Inventors: Steven Derek Pringle, Michael Raymond Morris, Stephen Smith, Michael McCullagh
  • Low Cross-Talk Fast Sample Delivery System Based Upon Acoustic Droplet Ejection
    Publication number: 20140319335
    Abstract: An ion source for a mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an ultrasonic transducer which focuses ultrasonic energy onto a surface of a sample fluid without directly contacting the sample fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2012
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventors: Michael Raymond Morris, Steven Derek Pringle, Keith Richardson, Ian Sinclair
  • Ion Inlet For A Mass Spectrometer
    Publication number: 20140306103
    Abstract: An ion inlet for a mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a housing having a sampling orifice and an atmospheric pressure orifice. One or more gas outlets are provided in the housing. Gas is drawn through the sampling orifice by a pump so that the gas exits via the one or more gas outlets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicant: MICROMASS UK LIMITED
    Inventors: David Gordon, Daniel James Kenny, Steven Derek Pringle
  • Method of screening a sample for the presence of one or more known compounds of interest and a mass spectrometer performing this method
    Patent number: 8822914
    Abstract: A method of screening a sample for the presence of one or more known compounds of interest is disclosed. A fragmentation device is repeatedly switched between a fragmentation mode of operation and a non-fragmentation mode of operation. A determination is made whether a candidate parent ion of interest is present in a non-fragmentation data set and whether one or more corresponding fragment ions of interest are present in a fragmentation data set. A further determination is made to check if the candidate parent ion of interest and the one or more corresponding fragment ions of interest have substantially similar elution or retention times and/or ion mobility drift times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Micromass UK Limited
    Inventors: Jeffrey Alan Goshawk, Steven Derek Pringle, Steve Smith