Patents by Inventor Vincent Joseph Sieben
Vincent Joseph Sieben 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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Patent number: 11964278Abstract: A microfluidic lab-on-a-chip (LOC) device, microfluidic systems, and associated methodology are described that allow for intelligently collecting environmental DNA (eDNA) and their associated metadata. Optical spectroscopy is integrated with filtration membranes on the microfluidic device. The microfluidic LOC device and systems can be used for selectively capturing targeted species based on optical characteristics and for recording relevant metadata on eDNA acquired by the filtration membranes.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2021Date of Patent: April 23, 2024Assignee: DARTMOUTH OCEAN TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventors: Joshua Johannes Creelman, Edward Arthur Luy, Gabryelle Cecile Henderson Beland, Sean Christopher Morgan, Marie Evelyn Julie LaRoche, Mahtab Tavasoli, Robert Gerald Beiko, Roger Edmund Race, Arnold Furlong, Vincent Joseph Sieben
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Patent number: 11906501Abstract: A method of determining saturate, aromatic, resin, and asphaltene (SARA) fractions of a hydrocarbon fluid sample, including: i) microfluidic mixing that forms a mixture including the hydrocarbon fluid sample and a solvent fluid that dissolves asphaltenes; ii) performing optical spectroscopy on the hydrocarbon fluid sample-solvent fluid mixture resulting from i); iii) microfluidic mixing that forms a mixture including the hydrocarbon fluid sample and a titrant fluid that precipitates asphaltenes; iv) microfluidically precipitating asphaltenes from the hydrocarbon fluid sample-titrant fluid mixture resulting from iii); v) performing a microfluidic filtering operation that removes precipitated asphaltenes from the mixture resulting from iv) while outputting permeate; vi) performing optical spectroscopy on the permeate resulting from v); vii) determining an asphaltene fraction percentage of the hydrocarbon fluid sample based on the optical spectroscopy performed in ii) and vi); viii) sequentially separating saType: GrantFiled: June 14, 2021Date of Patent: February 20, 2024Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATIONInventors: Vincent Joseph Sieben, Farshid Mostowfi, Nejib Hamed, Alexander Stickel, Collins Obiosa-Maife
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Patent number: 11644408Abstract: An optical cell for performing light spectroscopy (including absorbance, fluorescence and scattering measurements) on a liquid sample in microfluidic devices is disclosed. The optical cell comprises an inlaid sheet having an opaque material inlaid in a clear material, and a sensing channel that crosses the clear material and the opaque material provides a fluidic path for the liquid sample and an optical path for probe light. Integral optical windows crossing a clear-opaque material interface permit light coupling into and out of the sensing channel, and thus light transmission through the sensing channel is almost entirely isolated from background light interference. A microfluidic chip comprising one or more optical cells is also disclosed. The optical cells may have different lengths of sensing channels, and may be optically and fluidly coupled. A method of manufacturing an optical cell in a microfluidic chip is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2021Date of Patent: May 9, 2023Assignee: DARTMOUTH OCEAN TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventors: Edward Arthur Luy, Sean Christopher Morgan, Vincent Joseph Sieben
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Publication number: 20220082490Abstract: An optical cell for performing light spectroscopy (including absorbance, fluorescence and scattering measurements) on a liquid sample in microfluidic devices is disclosed. The optical cell comprises an inlaid sheet having an opaque material inlaid in a clear material, and a sensing channel that crosses the clear material and the opaque material provides a fluidic path for the liquid sample and an optical path for probe light. Integral optical windows crossing a clear-opaque material interface permit light coupling into and out of the sensing channel, and thus light transmission through the sensing channel is almost entirely isolated from background light interference. A microfluidic chip comprising one or more optical cells is also disclosed. The optical cells may have different lengths of sensing channels, and may be optically and fluidly coupled. A method of manufacturing an optical cell in a microfluidic chip is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2021Publication date: March 17, 2022Inventors: Edward Arthur LUY, Sean Christopher MORGAN, Vincent Joseph SIEBEN
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Publication number: 20220072547Abstract: A microfluidic lab-on-a-chip (LOC) device, microfluidic systems, and associated methodology are described that allow for intelligently collecting environmental DNA (eDNA) and their associated metadata. Optical spectroscopy is integrated with filtration membranes on the microfluidic device. The microfluidic LOC device and systems can be used for selectively capturing targeted species based on optical characteristics and for recording relevant metadata on eDNA acquired by the filtration membranes.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 8, 2021Publication date: March 10, 2022Inventors: Joshua Johannes Creelman, Edward Arthur Luy, Gabryelle Cecile Henderson Beland, Sean Christopher Morgan, Marie Evelyn Julie LaRoche, Mahtab Tavasoli, Robert Gerald Beiko, Roger Edmund Race, Arnold Furlong, Vincent Joseph Sieben
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Patent number: 11231356Abstract: An optical cell for performing light spectroscopy (including absorbance, fluorescence and scattering measurements) on a liquid sample in microfluidic devices is disclosed. The optical cell comprises an inlaid sheet having an opaque material inlaid in a clear material, and a sensing channel that crosses the clear material and the opaque material provides a fluidic path for the liquid sample and an optical path for probe light. Integral optical windows crossing a clear-opaque material interface permit light coupling into and out of the sensing channel, and thus light transmission through the sensing channel is almost entirely isolated from background light interference. A microfluidic chip comprising one or more optical cells is also disclosed. The optical cells may have different lengths of sensing channels, and may be optically and fluidly coupled. A method of manufacturing an optical cell in a microfluidic chip is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2020Date of Patent: January 25, 2022Assignee: DARTMOUTH OCEAN TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventors: Edward Arthur Luy, Sean Christopher Morgan, Vincent Joseph Sieben
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Publication number: 20210318230Abstract: An optical cell for performing light spectroscopy (including absorbance, fluorescence and scattering measurements) on a liquid sample in microfluidic devices is disclosed. The optical cell comprises an inlaid sheet having an opaque material inlaid in a clear material, and a sensing channel that crosses the clear material and the opaque material provides a fluidic path for the liquid sample and an optical path for probe light. Integral optical windows crossing a clear-opaque material interface permit light coupling into and out of the sensing channel, and thus light transmission through the sensing channel is almost entirely isolated from background light interference. A microfluidic chip comprising one or more optical cells is also disclosed. The optical cells may have different lengths of sensing channels, and may be optically and fluidly coupled. A method of manufacturing an optical cell in a microfluidic chip is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2020Publication date: October 14, 2021Inventors: Edward Arthur LUY, Sean Christopher MORGAN, Vincent Joseph SIEBEN
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Publication number: 20210302404Abstract: A method of determining saturate, aromatic, resin, and asphaltene (SARA) fractions of a hydrocarbon fluid sample, including: i) microfluidic mixing that forms a mixture including the hydrocarbon fluid sample and a solvent fluid that dissolves asphaltenes; ii) performing optical spectroscopy on the hydrocarbon fluid sample-solvent fluid mixture resulting from i); iii) microfluidic mixing that forms a mixture including the hydrocarbon fluid sample and a titrant fluid that precipitates asphaltenes; iv) microfluidically precipitating asphaltenes from the hydrocarbon fluid sample-titrant fluid mixture resulting from iii); v) performing a microfluidic filtering operation that removes precipitated asphaltenes from the mixture resulting from iv) while outputting permeate; vi) performing optical spectroscopy on the permeate resulting from v); vii) determining an asphaltene fraction percentage of the hydrocarbon fluid sample based on the optical spectroscopy performed in ii) and vi); viii) sequentially separating saType: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2021Publication date: September 30, 2021Inventors: Vincent Joseph Sieben, Farshid Mostowfi, Nejib Hamed, Alexander Stickel, Collins Obiosa-Maife
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Patent number: 11035839Abstract: A method of determining saturate, aromatic, resin, and asphaltene (SARA) fractions of a hydrocarbon fluid sample, including: i) microfluidic mixing that forms a mixture including the hydrocarbon fluid sample and a solvent fluid that dissolves asphaltenes; ii) performing optical spectroscopy on the hydrocarbon fluid sample-solvent fluid mixture resulting from i); iii) microfluidic mixing that forms a mixture including the hydrocarbon fluid sample and a titrant fluid that precipitates asphaltenes; iv) microfluidically precipitating asphaltenes from the hydrocarbon fluid sample titrant fluid mixture resulting from iii); v) performing a microfluidic filtering operation that removes precipitated asphaltenes from the mixture resulting from iv) while outputting permeate; vi) performing optical spectroscopy on the permeate resulting from v); vii) determining an asphaltene fraction percentage of the hydrocarbon fluid sample based on the optical spectroscopy performed in ii) and vi); viii) sequentially separating saturType: GrantFiled: June 8, 2015Date of Patent: June 15, 2021Assignee: Schlumberger Technology CorporationInventors: Vincent Joseph Sieben, Farshid Mostowfi, Nejib Hamed, Alexander Stickel, Collins Obiosa-Maife
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Patent number: 10850277Abstract: A microfluidic device for evaluation of an organic/inorganic scale inhibitor is provided. The device comprises a substrate mountable to a disc for rotation about an axis. The device further comprises a proximal end and a distal end. The substrate defines a sample reservoir, a solvent reservoir, an inhibitor reservoir, and a precipitant reservoir at the proximal end and an analysis chamber at the distal end in fluid communication with the sample, solvent, inhibitor, and precipitant reservoirs. The substrate is constructed to direct one or more of fluids in the sample reservoir, solvent reservoir, inhibitor reservoir, and precipitant reservoir radially outwardly towards the analysis chamber under the influence of centrifugal force when the microfluidic device rotates.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2018Date of Patent: December 1, 2020Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATIONInventors: Vincent Joseph Sieben, Cedric Floquet, Farshid Mostowfi
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Patent number: 10379100Abstract: A method for determining the asphaltene content of oil includes obtaining an oil sample, determining an optical spectrum of the oil sample and removing asphaltenes from the oil sample by precipitating asphaltenes using a first alkane precipitant. The method also includes determining an optical spectrum of maltenes of the oil sample and subtracting the optical spectrum of the maltenes of the oil sample from the optical spectrum of the oil sample to yield an optical spectrum of asphaltenes of the oil sample. The method further includes using the optical spectrum of asphaltenes of the oil sample to determine asphaltene content of the oil sample using a second alkane precipitant.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2015Date of Patent: August 13, 2019Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATIONInventors: Farshid Mostowfi, Vincent Joseph Sieben
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Patent number: 10281397Abstract: An optical sensor and corresponding method of operation can detect a phase transition and/or related property of a hydrocarbon-based analyte. The optical sensor includes an optical element with a metallic film coupled or integral thereto, with a sample chamber holds the hydrocarbon-based analyte such that the hydrocarbon-based analyte is disposed adjacent the metallic layer. The optical sensor further includes a light source configured to direct light through the optical element such that the light is reflected by the metallic layer under conditions of surface plasmon resonance. The optical sensor analyzes the reflected light to detect a phase transition and/or related property of a hydrocarbon-based analyte.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2016Date of Patent: May 7, 2019Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATIONInventors: Vincent Joseph Sieben, Kenneth John Chau, Shahnawaz Hossain Molla, Cailan Libby, Mohammed Al-Shakhs, Farshid Mostowfi, Simon Ivar Andersen, Elizabeth Jennings Smythe
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Patent number: 10254216Abstract: An optical sensor includes a flow cell permitting flow of a hydrocarbon-based analyte therethrough. A metallic film is disposed adjacent or within the flow cell. At least one optical element directs polychromatic light for supply to an interface of the metallic film under conditions of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and directs polychromatic light reflected at the interface of the metallic film (which is sensitive to SPR at such interface and thus provides an SPR sensing region within the flow cell) for output to at least one spectrometer that measures spectral data of such polychromatic light. A computer processing system is configured to process the measured spectral data over time as the hydrocarbon-based analyte flows through the flow cell to determine SPR peak wavelength over time and to process the SPR peak wavelength over time to determine at least one property related to phase transition of the analyte.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2017Date of Patent: April 9, 2019Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATIONInventors: Vincent Joseph Sieben, Kenneth John Chau, Shahnawaz Hossain Molla, Farshid Mostowfi, Elizabeth Jennings Smythe
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Publication number: 20180333720Abstract: A microfluidic device for evaluation of an organic/inorganic scale inhibitor is provided. The device comprises a substrate mountable to a disc for rotation about an axis. The device further comprises a proximal end and a distal end. The substrate defines a sample reservoir, a solvent reservoir, an inhibitor reservoir, and a precipitant reservoir at the proximal end and an analysis chamber at the distal end in fluid communication with the sample, solvent, inhibitor, and precipitant reservoirs. The substrate is constructed to direct one or more of fluids in the sample reservoir, solvent reservoir, inhibitor reservoir, and precipitant reservoir radially outwardly towards the analysis chamber under the influence of centrifugal force when the microfluidic device rotates.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 27, 2018Publication date: November 22, 2018Inventors: Vincent Joseph Sieben, Cedric Floquet, Farshid Mostowfi
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Patent number: 10065187Abstract: A method of evaluating an asphaltene inhibitor includes providing a centrifugal microfluidic system including: a disc mounted to rotate about an axis; a microfluidic device mounted on the disc, the device having sample, solvent, inhibitor, and precipitant reservoirs and an analysis chamber in fluid communication with the sample, solvent, inhibitor, and precipitant reservoirs; and an optical detection system coupled to the analysis chamber and configured to measure the optical transmission of fluid in the analysis chamber. The method includes filling the sample, solvent, inhibitor, and precipitant reservoirs, respectively, with a sample, solvent, inhibitor, and precipitant; rotating the disc to generate centrifugal force to cause the sample, solvent, inhibitor, and precipitant to travel radially outward to the analysis chamber; and measuring the optical transmission of a mixture of the sample, solvent, inhibitor, and precipitant in the analysis chamber as a function of radial distance of the analysis chamber.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2016Date of Patent: September 4, 2018Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATIONInventors: Vincent Joseph Sieben, Cedric Floquet, Farshid Mostowfi
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Patent number: 10031122Abstract: A method and apparatus for analyzing solubility of asphaltenes of a hydrocarbon fluid sample involves a sequence of operations including: i) performing microfluidic mixing operations that form a mixture that includes the hydrocarbon fluid sample, a solvent that dissolves asphaltenes and a precipitant that precipitates asphaltenes; ii) using microfluidic processes that result in precipitation of asphaltenes from the mixture resulting from i); iii) performing microfluidic filtering operations that remove precipitated asphaltenes resulting from ii) and passes permeate; and iv) performing optical spectroscopy on the permeate resulting from iii). The operations of i)-iv) can be repeated over iterations that vary the amount of solvent relative to the precipitant in the mixture. These iterations can cause varying fractional precipitation of asphaltenes in each given iteration.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2014Date of Patent: July 24, 2018Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATIONInventors: Vincent Joseph Sieben, Simon Ivar Andersen, Farshid Mostowfi, Abdel M. Kharrat
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Publication number: 20180164273Abstract: A method of determining saturate, aromatic, resin, and asphaltene (SARA) fractions of a hydrocarbon fluid sample, including: i) microfluidic mixing that forms a mixture including the hydrocarbon fluid sample and a solvent fluid that dissolves asphaltenes; ii) performing optical spectroscopy on the hydrocarbon fluid sample-solvent fluid mixture resulting from i); iii) microfluidic mixing that forms a mixture including the hydrocarbon fluid sample and a titrant fluid that precipitates asphaltenes; iv) microfluidically precipitating asphaltenes from the hydrocarbon fluid sample titrant fluid mixture resulting from iii); v) performing a microfluidic filtering operation that removes precipitated asphaltenes from the mixture resulting from iv) while outputting permeate; vi) performing optical spectroscopy on the permeate resulting from v); vii) determining an asphaltene fraction percentage of the hydrocarbon fluid sample based on the optical spectroscopy performed in ii) and vi); viii) sequentially separating saturType: ApplicationFiled: June 8, 2015Publication date: June 14, 2018Inventors: Vincent Joseph SIEBEN, Farshid MOSTOWFI, Nejib HAMED, Alexander STICKEL, Collins OBIOSA-MAIFE
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Publication number: 20180113108Abstract: A method for determining the asphaltene content of oil includes obtaining an oil sample, determining an optical spectrum of the oil sample and removing asphaltenes from the oil sample by precipitating asphaltenes using a first alkane precipitant. The method also includes determining an optical spectrum of maltenes of the oil sample and subtracting the optical spectrum of the maltenes of the oil sample from the optical spectrum of the oil sample to yield an optical spectrum of asphaltenes of the oil sample. The method further includes using the optical spectrum of asphaltenes of the oil sample to determine asphaltene content of the oil sample using a second alkane precipitant.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 7, 2015Publication date: April 26, 2018Inventors: Farshid Mostowfi, Vincent Joseph Sieben
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Publication number: 20180003619Abstract: An optical sensor includes a flow cell permitting flow of a hydrocarbon-based analyte therethrough. A metallic film is disposed adjacent or within the flow cell. At least one optical element directs polychromatic light for supply to an interface of the metallic film under conditions of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and directs polychromatic light reflected at the interface of the metallic film (which is sensitive to SPR at such interface and thus provides an SPR sensing region within the flow cell) for output to at least one spectrometer that measures spectral data of such polychromatic light. A computer processing system is configured to process the measured spectral data over time as the hydrocarbon-based analyte flows through the flow cell to determine SPR peak wavelength over time and to process the SPR peak wavelength over time to determine at least one property related to phase transition of the analyte.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2017Publication date: January 4, 2018Inventors: Vincent Joseph Sieben, Kenneth John Chau, Shahnawaz Hossain Molla, Farshid Mostowfi, Elizabeth Jennings Smythe Jennings Smythe
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Publication number: 20170232435Abstract: A method of evaluating an asphaltene inhibitor includes providing a centrifugal microfluidic system including: a disc mounted to rotate about an axis; a microfluidic device mounted on the disc, the device having sample, solvent, inhibitor, and precipitant reservoirs and an analysis chamber in fluid communication with the sample, solvent, inhibitor, and precipitant reservoirs; and an optical detection system coupled to the analysis chamber and configured to measure the optical transmission of fluid in the analysis chamber. The method includes filling the sample, solvent, inhibitor, and precipitant reservoirs, respectively, with a sample, solvent, inhibitor, and precipitant; rotating the disc to generate centrifugal force to cause the sample, solvent, inhibitor, and precipitant to travel radially outward to the analysis chamber; and measuring the optical transmission of a mixture of the sample, solvent, inhibitor, and precipitant in the analysis chamber as a function of radial distance of the analysis chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2016Publication date: August 17, 2017Inventors: Vincent Joseph SIEBEN, Cedric Floquet, Farshid Mostowfi