Patents by Inventor Thomas Colpitts

Thomas Colpitts 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).

  • Thin film thermoelectric devices for hot-spot thermal management in microprocessors and other electronics
    Patent number: 7997087
    Abstract: A structure, system and method for controlling a temperature of a heat generating device in a solid medium, wherein heat is extracted from the medium into at least one heat extraction device, the heat extraction device dissipates heat into an environment apart from the medium by a heat sink thermally coupled to the heat extraction device; and heat from the medium is dissipated into the heat sink by a first thermal interface material thermally coupling the heat sink to the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Inventors: Rama Venkatasubramanian, Randall G. Alley, Pratima Addepalli, Anil J. Reddy, Edward P. Siivola, Brooks C. O'Quinn, Kip D. Coonley, John Posthill, Thomas Colpitts
  • Trans-thermoelectric device
    Patent number: 7838760
    Abstract: A thermoelectric device having at least one unipolar couple element (22) including two legs (22a) of a same electrical conductivity type. A first-temperature stage (24) is connected to one of the two legs. A second-temperature stage (28) is connected across the legs of the at least one unipolar couple element. A third-temperature stage (30) is connected to the other of the two legs. Methods for cooling an object and for thermoelectric power conversion utilize the at least one unipolar couple element to respectively cool an object and produce electrical power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Nextreme Thermal Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Rama Venkatasubramanian, Kip D. Coonley, Edward P. Siivola, Michael Puchan, Randall G. Alley, Pratima Addepalli, Brooks C. O'Quinn, Thomas Colpitts, Mary Napier
  • Thin film thermoelectric devices for power conversion and cooling
    Publication number: 20100257871
    Abstract: A thermoelectric device having at least one thermoelectric unit including at least one thermoelectric pair of n-type and p-type thermoelements, a first header coupled to one side of the thermoelectric pair, and a second header coupled to a second side of the thermoelectric pair. The thermoelectric pair has a thermal conduction channel area smaller than an area of the first header or the second header such that the thermal conduction area is a fraction of the area of the first header or the second header.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Inventors: Rama Venkatasubramanian, Brooks C. O'Quinn, Edward P. Siivola, Kip D. Coonley, Pratima Addepalli, Randall G. Alley, John Posthill, Thomas Colpitts, Anil J. Reddy, James Christopher Caylor, Peter Thomas
  • Thin Film Thermoelectric Devices for Hot-Spot Thermal Management in Microprocessors and Other Electronics
    Publication number: 20090282852
    Abstract: A structure, system and method for controlling a temperature of a heat generating device in a solid medium, wherein heat is extracted from the medium into at least one heat extraction device, the heat extraction device dissipates heat into an environment apart from the medium by a heat sink thermally coupled to the heat extraction device; and heat from the medium is dissipated into the heat sink by a first thermal interface material thermally coupling the heat sink to the medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2009
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Inventors: Rama Venkatasubramanian, Randall G. Alley, Pratima Addepalli, Anil J-Reddy, Edward P. Siivola, Brooks C. O'Quinn, Kip D. Coonley, John Posthill, Thomas Colpitts
  • Thin film thermoelectric devices for hot-spot thermal management in microprocessors and other electronics
    Patent number: 7523617
    Abstract: A structure, system and method for controlling a temperature of a heat generating device in a solid medium, wherein heat is extracted from the medium into at least one heat extraction device, the heat extraction device dissipates heat into an environment apart from the medium by a heat sink thermally coupled to the heat extraction device; and heat from the medium is dissipated into the heat sink by a first thermal interface material thermally coupling the heat sink to the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Nextreme Thermal Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Rama Venkatasubramanian, Randall G. Alley, Pratima Addepalli, Anil J. Reddy, Edward P. Siivola, Brooks C. O'Quinn, Kip D. Coonley, John Posthill, Thomas Colpitts
  • Phonon-blocking, electron-transmitting low-dimensional structures
    Patent number: 7342169
    Abstract: A thermoelectric structure and device including at least first and second material systems having different lattice constants and interposed in contact with each other, and a physical interface at which the at least first and second material systems are joined with a lattice mismatch and at which structural integrity of the first and second material systems is substantially maintained. The at least first and second material systems have a charge carrier transport direction normal to the physical interface and preferably periodically arranged in a superlattice structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Nextreme Thermal Solutions
    Inventors: Rama Venkatasubramanian, Edward Siivola, Thomas Colpitts, Brooks O'Quinn
  • Trans-thermoelectric device
    Publication number: 20060225773
    Abstract: A thermoelectric device having at least one unipolar couple element (22) including two legs (22a) of a same electrical conductivity type. A first-temperature stage (24) is connected to one of the two legs. A second-temperature stage (28) is connected across the legs of the at least one unipolar couple element. A third-temperature stage (30) is connected to the other of the two legs. Methods for cooling an object and for thermoelectric power conversion utilize the at least one unipolar couple element to respectively cool an object and produce electrical power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2003
    Publication date: October 12, 2006
    Inventors: Rama Venkatasubramanian, Kip Coonley, Edward Siivola, Michael Puchan, Randall Alley, Pratima Addepalli, Brooks O'Quinn, Thomas Colpitts, Mary Napier
  • Thin film thermoelectric devices for hot-spot thermal management in microprocessors and other electronics
    Publication number: 20060086118
    Abstract: A structure, system and method for controlling a temperature of a heat generating device in a solid medium, wherein heat is extracted from the medium into at least one heat extraction device, the heat extraction device dissipates heat into an environment apart from the medium by a heat sink thermally coupled to the heat extraction device; and heat from the medium is dissipated into the heat sink by a first thermal interface material thermally coupling the heat sink to the medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2004
    Publication date: April 27, 2006
    Applicant: Research Triangle Insitute
    Inventors: Rama Venkatasubramanian, Randall Alley, Pratima Addepalli, Anil Reddy, Edward Siivola, Brooks O'Quinn, Kip Coonley, John Posthill, Thomas Colpitts
  • Phonon-blocking, electron-transmitting low-dimensional structures
    Publication number: 20030099279
    Abstract: A thermoelectric structure and device including at least first and second material systems having different lattice constants and interposed in contact with each other, and a physical interface at which the at least first and second material systems are joined with a lattice mismatch and at which structural integrity of the first and second material systems is substantially maintained. The at least first and second material systems have a charge carrier transport direction normal to the physical interface and preferably periodically arranged in a superlattice structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2002
    Publication date: May 29, 2003
    Applicant: Research Triangle Insitute
    Inventors: Rama Venkatasubramanian, Edward Siivola, Thomas Colpitts, Brooks O'Quinn