Patents by Inventor Yunbo Liu

Yunbo Liu 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: 12072247
    Abstract: A thermocouple sensing structure for measurement of a temperature distribution inside of a vessel (10) filled fully or partially with multi-phase fluid consisting of residue oil, hydrogen, cracked oil/gas products, sulfur, catalyst particles or catalyst droplets, etc., the thermocouple sensing structure consists of a support structure (1) and a number of thermocouple sensing elements (3), the thermocouple sensing elements (3) are partially or fully covered by the support structure (1), and wherein the closed tip (3B,3C,3D,3M) of the thermocouple sensing element (3) is passed through the support structure (1) to the inside of the vessel (10). And a support structure (1) for fixation of a thermocouple sensing element (3) in a vessel (10), in particular suitable for use in thermocouple sensing structure, the support structure (1) has a protection portion for protection of at least a lower portion of at least one thermocouple sensing element (3) relative to an upward flow direction of a fluid in the vessel (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignees: Wika Alexander Wiegand SE & Co. KG, Wika Instrumentation Suzhou Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yunbo Liu, Michael Tier, Scott Coots, Robert Torgerson, Robert Francis Poteet, Song Zhang
  • Patent number: 11656484
    Abstract: Precise polarimetric imaging of polarization-sensitive nanoparticles is essential to resolving their accurate spatial positions beyond the diffraction limit. However, conventional technologies typically employ mechanically rotated optical components, causing beam deviation errors that cannot be corrected beyond the diffraction limit. To overcome this limitation, a spatially stable nano-imaging system is presented for polarization-sensitive nanoparticles. In this disclosure, it is demonstrated that by integrating a voltage-tunable polarizer into optical microscopy, one is able to achieve high precision nano-imaging without mechanically induced image shift. It is also demonstrated that by integrating a voltage-tunable polarizer into photographic imaging system, one can achieve high-speed suppression of reflection glare and/or high-speed variation light exposure to the imager.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
    Inventors: Somin Eunice Lee, Yipei Wang, Yunbo Liu
  • Publication number: 20230016861
    Abstract: A protective tube for sealed introduction into a process vessel at a process vessel port, the protective tube comprising a sealing base element which is connected onto the process vessel port and an elongate body with a bore. The elongate body comprises a closed distal end and an open proximal end, which is sealingly connected onto the sealing base element. The protective tube also comprises a receiving part, which is connected or attached onto the elongate body inside the process vessel so as to receive and hold a secondary temperature sensor from inside the process vessel. In addition, a reference temperature sensor is insertable into the bore from outside the process vessel. Also provided is a temperature measurement arrangement and a method for a temperature measurement in a process vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Applicant: WIKA Alexander Wiegand SE & Co. KG
    Inventors: Yunbo LIU, Song ZHANG, Tao LIN
  • Patent number: 11388350
    Abstract: A method is presented for reducing glare in images captured by an imaging system. As a starting point, multiple images of a scene are captured by an imaging system to form a set of images, where the imaging system includes a voltage tunable polarizer and each image in the set of images is captured with the voltage tunable polarizer set at a different polarization angle. The method further includes: partitioning each image in the set of images into a plurality of segments; for corresponding segments in the set of images, determining an amount of change in intensity across corresponding segments of images; quantifying the amount of intensity change for each image in the set of images; and identifying a given image from the set of images based on the quantified amount of intensity change, where the given image has least amount of intensity change amongst the set of images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
    Inventors: Somin Eunice Lee, Yunbo Liu, Young Geun Park
  • Patent number: 11327018
    Abstract: An image reconstruction method includes capturing a reference image of the specimen and capturing a set of original images based on the reference image. The method includes generating a set of analyzed images based on the set of original images by determining an intensity distribution for each pixel of each original image of the set of original images and combining the intensity distribution at each pixel location across the set of original images into an intermediate image. The method includes, identifying an object in the intermediate image. In response to identifying the object in the intermediate image, determining an intensity value of the object in each original image of the set of original images and generating an improved image of the object based on the determined intensity value of the object. The method includes generating a final image including the improved image of the object and displaying the final image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
    Inventors: Somin Eunice Lee, Yunbo Liu, Yipei Wang
  • Publication number: 20210389188
    Abstract: A thermocouple sensing structure for measurement of a temperature distribution inside of a vessel (10) filled fully or partially with multi-phase fluid consisting of residue oil, hydrogen, cracked oil/gas products, sulfur, catalyst particles or catalyst droplets, etc., the thermocouple sensing structure consists of a support structure (1) and a number of thermocouple sensing elements (3), the thermocouple sensing elements (3) are partially or fully covered by the support structure (1), and wherein the closed tip (3B,3C,3D,3M) of the thermocouple sensing element (3) is passed through the support structure (1) to the inside of the vessel (10). And a support structure (1) for fixation of a thermocouple sensing element (3) in a vessel (10), in particular suitable for use in thermocouple sensing structure, the support structure (1) has a protection portion for protection of at least a lower portion of at least one thermocouple sensing element (3) relative to an upward flow direction of a fluid in the vessel (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Applicants: WIKA Alexander Wiegand SE & Co. KG, WIKA Instrumentation Suzhou Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yunbo LIU, Michael TIER, Scott COOTS, Robert TORGERSON, Robert Francis POTEET, Song ZHANG
  • Publication number: 20210208427
    Abstract: Precise polarimetric imaging of polarization-sensitive nanoparticles is essential to resolving their accurate spatial positions beyond the diffraction limit. However, conventional technologies typically employ mechanically rotated optical components, causing beam deviation errors that cannot be corrected beyond the diffraction limit. To overcome this limitation, a spatially stable nano-imaging system is presented for polarization-sensitive nanoparticles. In this disclosure, it is demonstrated that by integrating a voltage-tunable polarizer into optical microscopy, one is able to achieve high precision nano-imaging without mechanically induced image shift. It is also demonstrated that by integrating a voltage-tunable polarizer into photographic imaging system, one can achieve high-speed suppression of reflection glare and/or high-speed variation light exposure to the imager.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Applicant: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
    Inventors: Somin Eunice LEE, Yipei WANG, Yunbo LIU
  • Publication number: 20210203824
    Abstract: A method is presented for reducing glare in images captured by an imaging system. As a starting point, multiple images of a scene are captured by an imaging system to form a set of images, where the imaging system includes a voltage tunable polarizer and each image in the set of images is captured with the voltage tunable polarizer set at a different polarization angle. The method further includes: partitioning each image in the set of images into a plurality of segments; for corresponding segments in the set of images, determining an amount of change in intensity across corresponding segments of images; quantifying the amount of intensity change for each image in the set of images; and identifying a given image from the set of images based on the quantified amount of intensity change, where the given image has least amount of intensity change amongst the set of images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Inventors: Somin Eunice LEE, Yunbo Liu, Young Geun Park
  • Publication number: 20210148824
    Abstract: An image reconstruction method includes capturing a reference image of the specimen and capturing a set of original images based on the reference image. The method includes generating a set of analyzed images based on the set of original images by determining an intensity distribution for each pixel of each original image of the set of original images and combining the intensity distribution at each pixel location across the set of original images into an intermediate image. The method includes, identifying an object in the intermediate image. In response to identifying the object in the intermediate image, determining an intensity value of the object in each original image of the set of original images and generating an improved image of the object based on the determined intensity value of the object. The method includes generating a final image including the improved image of the object and displaying the final image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Applicant: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
    Inventors: Somin Eunice LEE, Yunbo LIU, Yipei WANG
  • Publication number: 20170370783
    Abstract: A nanoscale temperature sensor is presented that is based on mechano-optical sensing. The temperature sensor features a nanoscale bilayer sensing member with a footprint of <100 nm. The sensing member is composed of two layers of materials with similar elastic modulus but different coefficients of thermal expansion. This difference in coefficients of thermal expansion causes the sensing member to mechanically deform upon temperature change. The deformation of the sensing member alters its optical properties, allowing the temperature measurement to be achieved by far field imaging with high throughput. Both the mechanical and optical properties of the sensing member are reversible thus allow stable and repeatable measurement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2017
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Inventors: Somin Eunice LEE, Yunbo LIU
  • Patent number: 8999146
    Abstract: Hydrocarbon feed to a catalytic reactor can be heat exchanged with flue gas from a catalyst regenerator. This innovation enables recovery of more energy from flue gas thus resulting in a lower flue gas discharge temperature. As a result, other hot hydrocarbon streams conventionally used to preheat hydrocarbon feed can now be used to generate more high pressure steam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Yunbo Liu, Xin X. Zhu, Daniel N. Myers, Patrick D. Walker
  • Patent number: 8007729
    Abstract: Hydrocarbon feed to a catalytic reactor can be heat exchanged with flue gas from a catalyst regenerator. This innovation enables recovery of more energy from flue gas thus resulting in a lower flue gas discharge temperature. As a result, other hot hydrocarbon streams conventionally used to preheat hydrocarbon feed can now be used to generate more high pressure steam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Yunbo Liu, Xin X. Zhu, Daniel N. Myers, Patrick D. Walker
  • Publication number: 20100236982
    Abstract: Hydrocarbon feed to a catalytic reactor can be heat exchanged with flue gas from a catalyst regenerator. This innovation enables recovery of more energy from flue gas thus resulting in a lower flue gas discharge temperature. As a result, other hot hydrocarbon streams conventionally used to preheat hydrocarbon feed can now be used to generate more high pressure steam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Inventors: Yunbo Liu, Xin X. Zhu, Daniel N. Myers, Patrick D. Walker
  • Publication number: 20100239475
    Abstract: Hydrocarbon feed to a catalytic reactor can be heat exchanged with flue gas from a catalyst regenerator. This innovation enables recovery of more energy from flue gas thus resulting in a lower flue gas discharge temperature. As a result, other hot hydrocarbon streams conventionally used to preheat hydrocarbon feed can now be used to generate more high pressure steam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Inventors: Yunbo Liu, Xin X. Zhu, Daniel N. Myers, Patrick D. Walker