Specific Signal Data Processing Patents (Class 702/32)
  • Publication number: 20030132117
    Abstract: High throughput electrophoresis having a plurality of samples migrating through a highly resistive separatory media under an electric field. Multiple electrophoresis runs are conducted using a single separatory media. Automated methods of data analysis yields quantitative and qualitative data using optical densitometer or other detection systems. Controlled operating temperatures and small geometry reduces dispersion inaccuracy in banded data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2002
    Publication date: July 17, 2003
    Inventors: Andras Guttman, Bart Wanders, Phil Alei
  • Patent number: 6594588
    Abstract: A system and method for handling laboratory information includes a graphical user interface with a plurality of windows. A palette of icons is provided in a first one of the windows, each icon representing a predetermined task to be executed by a processor in communication with the graphical user interface. The processor is also in communication with a database containing static laboratory data (such as the type of sample to be analysed) as well as dynamic laboratory data (such as the name of the specific sample to be tested and the results of that test). A user can select icons from the first window and “drag and drop” them into a second window. A sequence of tasks may thus be built up, in the form of a tree structure, and when run the processor executes the sequence of tasks in turn by reference to the static and dynamic laboratory data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: Thermo Bio Analysis Corp.
    Inventors: Joseph Martin Peden, Morgan Nicholas Skinner, Robin Dylan Jones, Andrew Martin Davis, Philip Ian Holt, Graham Stuart Taylor
  • Patent number: 6591203
    Abstract: An improved fault location method may be used to locate faults associated with one or more conductors of an electric power transmission and distribution system. The method includes the steps of detecting a fault; determining whether pre-fault data are available and, if so, using the pre-fault data to compute a load impedance and estimate the fault location using the computed load impedance; if pre-fault data are not available, determining whether pre-fault data are available in a first memory location and, if so, using the pre-fault data to compute a load impedance and estimate the fault location using the computed load impedance; and if pre-fault data are not available in the first memory location, using a pre-fault load impedance from a second memory location in estimating the fault location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: ABB, Inc.
    Inventors: Ratan Das, Joseph P. Benco
  • Patent number: 6591166
    Abstract: A power plant water chemistry analysis apparatus and method relies upon water chemistry sensors to obtain power plant water chemistry data characterizing the chemical activity of a power plant water system. An analytical model processor is used to generate model predictions for the power plant water system. A statistical data fitting processor selects screened data from the power plant water chemistry data that corresponds to the model predictions. The screened data is processed by an artificial intelligence processor to derive power plant water chemistry diagnostic information. The artificial intelligence processor includes an expert system, rule base, plant water chemistry system simulator, and pattern recognition module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Electric Power Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter J. Millett, Gary D. Burns, Gary E. Brobst
  • Patent number: 6591224
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for providing a standardized measure of accuracy of each biometric device in a biometric identity authentication system having multiple users. A statistical database includes continually updated values of false acceptance rate and false rejection rate for each combination of user, biometric device and biometric device comparison score. False acceptance rate data are accumulated each time a user successfully accesses the system, by comparing the user's currently obtained biometric data with stored templates of all other users of the same device. Each user is treated as an “impostor” with respect to the other users, and the probability of an impostor's obtaining each possible comparison score is computed with accumulated data each time a successful access is made to the system. The statistical database also contains a false rejection rate, accumulated during a test phase, for each combination of user, biometric device and biometric device comparison score.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
    Inventors: Brian M. Sullivan, Shi-Ping Hsu
  • Patent number: 6581020
    Abstract: A system for managing and reporting laboratory data wherein the data is obtained at remote data-taking stations, transferred instantaneously by wireless communication to a main data-storing/manipulating station for recording therein without being recorded at the remote data-taking stations, and reported only from the data-storing/manipulating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: VelQuest Corporation
    Inventors: William Buote, Kenneth N. Rapp, Burleigh M. Hutchins
  • Patent number: 6567765
    Abstract: A system and method for evaluating a biometric detection system, in accordance with the present invention, provides an edited database including a plurality of existing biometric images with corrected extracted features that were acquired with a sensor or sensors different from the sensor of the system under evaluation. A second database, smaller than the edited database, is edited which includes biometric images (that were acquired by the sensor of the system under evaluation) are employed to evaluate the biometric detection system. The second database has errors in extracted features corrected. A statistical perturbation model is constructed to describe degradation characteristics of the extracted features from the second database as provided in the editing step. The statistical perturbation model is applied to the edited database to construct a perturbed database sensitive to degradations of the biometric system under evaluation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Siemens Corporate Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhenyu Wu, Jianzhong Qian, Manfred Bromba
  • Patent number: 6567751
    Abstract: There is disclosed a method and a computer system enabling high-throughput combinatorial synthesis and screening of lighting phosphors. The system links hardware instrumentation for synthesis and screening. It records, sorts, and analyzes photo-metric data gathered from the combinatorial studies, along with the characteristics of the combinatory processes. The system provides a database as the data storage and query engine, an analysis module as the processor for analytical operations, and an interface for accepting the user's input and displaying the analysis results and other information requested by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Xiao-Dong Sun
  • Patent number: 6564153
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for predicting the presence of an abnormal level of one or more proteins in the clotting cascade from at least one time-dependent measurement profile. At least one time-dependent measurement on an unknown sample is performed and a respective property of said sample is measured over time so as to derive a time-dependent measurement profile. A set of a plurality of predictor variables are defined which sufficiently define the data of the time-dependent measurement profile. A model is then derived that represents the relationship between the abnormality and the set of predictor variables. Subsequently, the model is utilized to predict which protein or proteins in the clotting cascade are at an abnormal level, with the prediction being a more informative prediction than clot time alone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: bioMerieux
    Inventors: Paul Braun, Thomas B. Givens, Timothy J. Fischer
  • Publication number: 20030088370
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and processes are disclosed for determining emissions outputs. One method communicates with a communications network and acquires at least one of energy usage information associated with sources of emissions and emissions information associated with sources of emissions. The energy usage information and the emissions information is acquired as each occurs in real time. The method reports emissions outputs based upon the acquired real time information. Another method communicates with a communications network and acquires at least one of energy usage information associated with sources of emissions and emissions information associated with sources of emissions. This embodiment stores the acquired information as each occurs in real time. Emissions outputs are reported for the industrial process, the emissions outputs based upon the acquired real time information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2001
    Publication date: May 8, 2003
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Srinivas Krishnasnamy Bagepalli, Lynn Ann DeRose, Stephen Lan-Sun Hung, Bang Mo Kim, Tara Healy Wight, Joseph James Salvo
  • Patent number: 6560546
    Abstract: Spectrographic instruments at remote site locations measure near infrared absorbance spectra for unknown materials and transmit the absorbance spectra to a central web site where, the measurements are standardized to be the same as if they were measured by a master instrument. The standardized absorbance spectra are then compared with a library of spectra stored at the central web site to select a subset of absorbance spectra from the library which most closely correlate with the absorbance spectrum received from the remote sites. The library spectra are obtained from measurements on materials, the measurable characteristics of which are known. From the selected subset, equations are developed relating the measurable characteristics of the unknown material to the absorbance spectra and from these equations, the measurable characteristics of the unknown materials are determined. The results of this analysis are then transmitted back to the remote site locations electronically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: Infrasoft LLC
    Inventors: John S. Shenk, Mark O. Westerhaus
  • Patent number: 6556923
    Abstract: Techniques for analyzing an array of compounds utilizing a high throughput microfluidic system are provided. The system can translate a plurality of multiwell plates through various stations for analysis. Effects to sample compounds can be identified according to deviations in a steady state signal. Also, a user can enter the dwell times for sample compounds and a buffer solution so that the system will alternatingly inject the sample compounds and buffer solution into a microfluidic device according to the specified dwell times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Caliper Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: Steven J. Gallagher, J. Wallace Parce
  • Patent number: 6553318
    Abstract: There is disclosed a material characterization method. The method may include any combination of several potential steps. According to one of the steps multiple material samples are applied to multiple sensors in an array of sensors. In another step, one or more of the sensors of the array are electrically contacted. In another step, electrical connections are formed between selected sensors and electronic test and measurement apparatus. In another step, electric signals are sent to and received from the sensors in the array wherein the signals correspond to thermal, electrical, mechanical or other properties of the material samples. Preferably, some of the equipment (e.g., the electrical connections) used in the method are standardized to allow equipment such as sensor arrays to be interchangeable with equipment such as the electronic test and measurement apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Symyx Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Mansky
  • Patent number: 6546341
    Abstract: A laboratory technique for rapidly predicting the long-term hydrophobic organic contaminant (HOC) desorption behavior in a contaminated soil or sediment useful for planning remediation schemes and/or assessing alternative remediation endpoint decisions employs a superheated water extraction technique for rapid prediction of long-term HOC desorption. The proposed method has great practical significance because desorption at ambient temperatures requires months or years, while high temperature experiments are accomplished in hours or days.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of Michigan
    Inventors: Walter J. Weber, Jr., Martin D. Johnson
  • Patent number: 6539311
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring chemical, biological, nuclear agents in an environment includes several detectors capable of measuring concentrations of the agents in the environment and a processor capable of operating an algorithm which, based on two sequential measures of concentration of the agent, estimates decay or elevation rate of the concentrations of the agent and feeds this estimated change rate to a Kalman filter which predicts the next measurement. The predicted next measurement of concentration is compared with the measured concentration and the error is calculated based on the discrepancy between the measured and predicted concentrations of the agent in the environment. Using this error, the attributes of the Kalman filter are adjusted to lower noise signals and improve further predictions of the concentration of the agent during the mission time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignee: The Mitre Corporation
    Inventor: Eugene L. Berger
  • Publication number: 20030055577
    Abstract: A method to approximate descriptive parameters of an interaction of a coherent light source with an arbitrary wavelength and energy mode with an arbitrary material of known properties, the method comprising providing a data file with characteristics of the coherent light source, providing a data file with characteristics of the material, providing a data file describing a resolution of a subset of the material, and calculating at least one of an energy distribution and a beam projection of the coherent light source specific to the material with a parallel processing technique.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2002
    Publication date: March 20, 2003
    Inventors: Andreas Gartner, Anthony Pappalardo
  • Patent number: 6535822
    Abstract: A sensor-array based materials characterization apparatus includes a sensor array disposed on a substrate; electronic test circuitry for sending and receiving electrical signals; electronic circuitry for routing signals between selected sensors and the electronic test circuitry; and a computer or processor. Preferably, all or part of the electronic test and signal routing circuitry is contained on the same substrate as the sensor array. Additional circuitry and a processor or computer may be physically separate from the substrate carrying the sensor array, and may be connected to the sensor array substrate. During use, multiple samples are applied to the multiple sensors in the array, and signals are sent to and received from selected sensors. Integration of the electronic test and signal routing circuitry onto the same substrate as the sensor array allows for a high density of sensors on a single substrate, permitting rapid analysis of combinatorial libraries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Inventors: Paul Mansky, James Bennett
  • Patent number: 6529836
    Abstract: A method of properly correcting a base line. A concept of flexibility of a base line is introduced as an input index and a gravitation is presumed between the base line and signal data which is measured, thereby constructing a method of correcting the base line which changes gentler than a change in signal with respect to time in a peak area and which is sensitive to an area where a value of the signal data is small. A base line like a natural and smooth curve which isn't easily influenced by a local change in signal such as noise or the like can be set by an input of the flexibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Instruments Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahito Ito, Kisaburo Deguchi, Yoshiaki Seki
  • Patent number: 6526355
    Abstract: A process chamber with a computer system that controls the process chamber is connected to one or more spectrometers. The spectrometers may be part of an interferometer or may be an optical emission spectrometer. The spectrometers may be CCD or photodiode arrays of 2,048 elements. An input board forms part of the computer system and is directly connected to the spectrometers. The input board provides data from the spectrometers to dual port memory, which is directly accessible to the CPU of the computer system. The use of a state machine and adder on the input board allows computation and placement of the data from the spectrometers on to the dual port memory, so that the CPU is not needed for such placement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Tuqiang Ni, Tuan Ngo, Chung-Ho Huang, Andrew Lui, Farro Kaveh
  • Patent number: 6522977
    Abstract: A computer implemented method for matching paint on a vehicle, having the steps of receiving in a central computer, from a remote terminal, vehicle identifying information relating to a specific vehicle and a first set of paint color data from a portion of the body of the vehicle. The central computer includes a processor, an electronic storage device in which a database is stored. The database includes vehicle identifying information for a plurality of vehicles, paint color data associated with respective vehicle identifying information, and paint formulations associated with paint color data. A first process by software in the computer determines a first best match paint formulation which relates submitted vehicle identifying information and submitted paint data to a paint formulation. The software in the computer determines a first best match paint formulation which is transmitted to the remote terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.
    Inventors: Victor G. Corrigan, Bernard L. Mabrey, Mark D. Lewis
  • Publication number: 20030031597
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring a glucose concentration is noninvasive, accurate, and compact. The apparatus includes a detection unit (10) and a principal component analysis (PCA) unit (20). The detection unit includes a light source (11) to emit mid-infrared light, an ATR prism (12) to receive the mid-infrared light with a measuring object placed on the ATR prism, and a spectrum detector (13) to detect an absorption spectrum from the mid-infrared light from the ATR prism. The PCA unit includes a loading memory (24) to store a glucose corresponding loading and a personal data memory (28) to store personal data in the form of a calibration curve. According to the detected absorption spectrum, stored loading, and stored personal data, the PCA unit computes a glucose concentration of the measuring object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2002
    Publication date: February 13, 2003
    Applicant: Waseda University
    Inventors: Takayuki ` Sota, Atsushi Nakamura, Katsuo Aizawa, Masao Kanazawa, Takeshi Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 6519545
    Abstract: A mathematical relation between base variables (x1, x2, . . . , xp), when a set of input data d is composed of p base variables (x1, x2, . . . , xp), and a plurality of data sets d (i) of such data set d is inputted, the data sets d(i) are distinguished by an input data distinguishing parameter i. When victors in a q dimensional space, mapped from the input data through q base functions (f1, . . . , fq), form a plane, a mathematical relation can be a linear combination of the base functions. A set of base functions (f1, . . . , fq) are prepared. Sets of the values F(i)=(F1i, . . . , Fqi) of the base functions corresponding to the input data d (i) are acquired. The sets F(i) are considered points in a q dimensional space. Direction cosine of a mapping plane is acquired through cofactors of a determinant of these points, or by solving an eigenvalue problem for determining a plane, the square sum of the perpendicular lines from these points to the plane is minimum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: Amano Koki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kageaki Amano
  • Patent number: 6516277
    Abstract: This invention relates to methods and apparatus for determining the multi-dimensional topology of a substance (system) within a volume (space). A method according to a preferred embodiment of the invention comprises the steps of: acquiring a set of relative values for the density (scalar properties) of the volume, each value for a given location (point) within the volume; interpolating a set of functions to generate a continuous relative density for the volume; identifying critical points of the continuous relative density by using an eigenvector following method; and associating critical points with one another by following a gradient path of the continuous relative density between the critical points. The method is applicable to a wide range of data relating to fields such as crystallography, fluid dynamics, edge detection, and financial markets, to determine the topology of structures contained therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: Queen's University at Kingston
    Inventors: Kenneth E. Edgecombe, Alan D. Ableson
  • Publication number: 20030004655
    Abstract: A method for creating a customized pet food additive formula for a pet includes receiving, through an electronic interface, a user input including an individual pet profile for the pet, receiving an analysis from a biological sample of the pet, and electronically processing the individual pet profile and the biological sample analysis to create a pet food additive formula utilizing information obtained from the user input individual pet profile and the biological sample analysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2001
    Publication date: January 2, 2003
    Inventors: Bhajmohan Ricky Singh, Diane S. Kalishman, Monique Nielsen, Bryan Wilson Badger, Brigitte Martineau, Robert Carvalho
  • Patent number: 6502040
    Abstract: A method for presenting relationships between data from a thrombosis-hemostasis assay on an unknown sample and data from a purality of assays on known samples, which can be in the form of a topological feature map wherein spatial locations within the map correspond to intrinsic features of the known samples. The position of the unknown sample is superimposed on the positions of the known samples. An alternative presentation is showing the distance of each of a purality of predictor variables from an unknown sample to the mean values of a known population.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: bioMerieux, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Givens, Paul Braun, Lisa Beck
  • Patent number: 6493641
    Abstract: A method for creating a customized pet food additive formula for a pet includes receiving, through an electronic interface, a user input including an individual pet profile for the pet, receiving an analysis from a biological sample of the pet, and electronically processing the individual pet profile and the biological sample analysis to create a pet food additive formula utilizing information obtained from the user input individual pet profile and the biological sample analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Nestec, Ltd.
    Inventors: Bhajmohan (Ricky) Singh, Diane S. Kalishman, Monique Nielsen, Bryan Wilson Badger, Brigitte Martineau, Robert Carvalho
  • Patent number: 6477479
    Abstract: A sensor-array based materials characterization apparatus for characterizing one or more material properties of at least five test samples, wherein the apparatus includes a sensor array disposed on a substrate; electronic test circuitry for sending electrical signals to and receiving electrical signals from the sensor array; electronic circuitry for routing signals between selected sensors and the electronic test circuitry; and a computer or processor electrically coupled to electronic test circuitry and electronic circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Symyx Technologies
    Inventors: Paul Mansky, James Bennett
  • Publication number: 20020161530
    Abstract: A computer implemented method for matching paint on a vehicle, having the steps of receiving in a central computer, from a remote terminal, vehicle identifying information relating to a specific vehicle and a first set of paint color data from a portion of the body of the vehicle. The central computer includes a processor, an electronic storage means in which a database is stored. The database includes vehicle identifying information for a plurality of vehicles, paint color data associated with respective vehicle identifying information, and paint formulations associated with paint color data. A first process by software in the computer determines a first best match paint formulation which relates submitted vehicle identifying information and submitted paint data to a paint formulation. The software in the computer determines a first best match paint formulation which is transmitted to the remote terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2002
    Publication date: October 31, 2002
    Inventors: Victor G. Corrigan, Bernard L. Mabrey, Mark D. Lewis
  • Publication number: 20020143476
    Abstract: The invention provides for in silico analysis of a virtual combinatorial library. Mapping coordinates for a training subset of products in the combinatorial library, and features of their building blocks, are obtained. A supervised machine learning approach is used to infer a mapping function ƒ that transforms the building block features for each product in the training subset of products to the corresponding mapping coordinates for each product in the training subset of products. The mapping function ƒ is then encoded in a computer readable medium. The mapping function ƒ can be retrieved and used to generate mapping coordinates for any product in the combinatorial library from the building block features associated with the product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2002
    Publication date: October 3, 2002
    Inventors: Dimitris K. Agrafiotis, Victor S. Lobanov, Francis R. Salemme
  • Publication number: 20020138213
    Abstract: A spirometer for determining a metabolic rate for an individual includes a flow pathway and a flow sensor disposed in the flow path, such that the flow sensor senses a flow rate of exhaled gas from the individual through the flow path. The spirometer also includes a processor having a memory in communication with the flow sensor. A method of metabolic rate measurement for the individual includes the steps of measuring an exhaled gas volume for the individual using the spirometer, determining a respired gas volume for the individual using the exhaled gas volume and a ventilatory equivalent, and determining a metabolic rate for the individual from the respired volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2002
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Inventor: James R. Mault
  • Patent number: 6456944
    Abstract: An automatic analyzer for the assay of liquid samples pipetted from a container into a mixing chamber includes a controller for controlling the operation of the analyzer in response to sensors that monitor the functions of the analyzer. Within the analyzer, the responses of the sensors are evaluated and, when such responses do not meet prescribed criteria, error messages are provided. In the disclosed embodiments, the controller is implemented using at least one program-controlled processor. In order to monitor the pipetting operations in an effective manner, the automatic analyzer, in one embodiment, uses a plurality of operation and monitoring control units which operate independently of one another. Each of these units is by a central processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Corporation
    Inventors: Claudius Burkhardt, Fritz Gödl
  • Patent number: 6453246
    Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for representing precise or imprecise measurements of similarity/dissimilarity (relationships) between objects as distances between points in a multi-dimensional space that represents the objects. Self-organizing principles are used to iteratively refine an initial (random or partially ordered) configuration of points using stochastic relationship/distance errors. The data can be complete or incomplete (i.e. some relationships between objects may not be known), exact or inexact (i.e. some or all of the relationships may be given in terms of allowed ranges or limits), symmetric or asymmetric (i.e. the relationship of object A to object B may not be the same as the relationship of B to A) and may contain systematic or stochastic errors. The relationships between objects may be derived directly from observation, measurement, a priori knowledge, or intuition, or may be determined indirectly using any suitable technique for deriving proximity (relationship) data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: 3-Dimensional Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
    Inventors: Dimitris K. Agrafiotis, Victor S. Labanov, Francis R. Salemme
  • Publication number: 20020128782
    Abstract: A laboratory technique for rapidly predicting the long-term hydrophobic organic contaminant (HOC) desorption behavior in a contaminated soil or sediment useful for planning remediation schemes and/or assessing alternative remediation endpoint decisions employs a superheated water extraction technique for rapid prediction of long-term HOC desorption. The proposed method has great practical significance because desorption at ambient temperatures requires months or years, while high temperature experiments are accomplished in hours or days.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2001
    Publication date: September 12, 2002
    Inventors: Walter J. Weber, Martin D. Johnson
  • Patent number: 6442506
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for spectral analysis of a sampled signal are provided. According to the method, a first time interval &Dgr;T is determined which represents a sample set over which the signal can be averaged for purpose of decomposing the signal into instantaneous mean and random components. From random component of the signal, the optimal time-dependent time interval AW over which the random component should be averaged to obtain the instantaneous frequency spectrum (IFS) is then calculated based upon the instantaneous signal memory. Signal memory specifies the extent in time beyond which the signal “forgets” its past behavior and thus is a measure of its degree-of-randomness. Defining AW in this way reduces the likelihood that short-lived events are lost (or masked) due to uncharacteristically short (or long) averaging intervals. Importantly, both time intervals &Dgr;T and AW are dynamic and vary randomly with time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Inventor: George Treviño
  • Patent number: 6438497
    Abstract: A method for characterizing one or more material properties for each of five (5) or more samples, comprising the steps of depositing five or more samples on a substrate having 5 or more sensors arranged in a sensor array, wherein each sensor supports at least one sample of five or more samples and characterizes at least one material property of the sample supported thereby and measures at least one material property of the five or more samples at a rate of at least one sample every 2 minutes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Symyx Technologies
    Inventors: Paul Mansky, James Bennett
  • Publication number: 20020103606
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a method for processing a scattered acoustic wavefield is provided. The scattered acoustic wavefield (230) is received by at least two receivers (201). These receivers (201) are offset (250) and located at approximately the same depth (205). The method comprises transforming (101) the scattered acoustic wavefield (230) to the frequency domain (101). The method also comprises transforming (105) the scattered acoustic wavefield (230) from the frequency domain to the spectral domain. The method also comprises deghosting (110) the scattered acoustic wavefield (230) in the spectral domain. The method further comprises transforming (115) the substantially deghosted transformed acoustic wavefield to the space-time domain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2000
    Publication date: August 1, 2002
    Inventors: Jacob T. Fokkema, Peter M. van den Berg
  • Patent number: 6426225
    Abstract: A modular vial autosampler has a storage area for vials containing samples to be analyzed and at least one modular sampling station. A vial transfer mechanism includes an arm having a gripper that lifts a sample vial from the storage section, and the arm moves it to a station for identification and then to a sampling station, and under central control activates the sampling station for obtaining a sample for analysis. The vial transfer mechanism gripper is movable in X, Y, and Z directions to capture and move a selected vial and includes an alignment guide for the vials. Potentiometers are used for providing signals indicating arm position and the control is provided with updated information for calibration of the potentiometers and also updated position information for the arm relative to a fixed home position is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2002
    Assignee: Tekmar Company
    Inventors: Edmund T. Lewis, Thomas B. Green, Harry W. Schmidt, Larry J. DaPrato, Greg J. Herman, Michael A. Hill
  • Patent number: 6421614
    Abstract: A system for obtaining reliable data from a chemical sample for at least one variable environmental condition utilizing a photometer. The photometer obtains sample characteristic data at a plurality of discrete wavelengths. The reliability of the data is determined by obtaining a training set of data, and obtaining a number representing the variation between the mean center of the training set of data and the data representing the sample characteristic obtained by the photometer. Such number represents the basis of determining outliers of the data representative of the reliability of the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Inventors: Donald S. Goldman, Nelson Wayne Lytle
  • Patent number: 6415038
    Abstract: An image analyzing apparatus for forming images on a CRT based on image data and effecting quantitative analysis includes an image density lower limit setting section for setting a lower limit value of image density, an image density upper limit setting section for setting an upper limit value of image density and an image area specifying section for specifying image areas having density equal to or higher than the lower limit value of image density set by the image density lower limit setting means and equal to or lower than the upper limit value of image density set by the image density upper limit setting means from among the images displayed on the CRT. According to the thus constituted image analyzing apparatus, it is possible to specify a desired image area and quantitatively analyze the image area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Kaneko, Masato Some
  • Patent number: 6415235
    Abstract: A sensor control and data analysis system (100) for detecting and analyzing various (bio)chemical properties of a given sample substance (107) using an integrated SPR sensor (50) or other miniaturized sensor configuration. In one embodiment, raw sensor data from the sensing device (105) is transferred to a remote processing system (111), such as a desktop computer, having a display (125), keyboard or other user control and data entry device (123), internal storage area (127), internal microprocessor (117) and a communications means (129). The processing system (111) runs a software application program (115) that receives the raw sample data and perform qualitative and quantitative analysis to render meaningful information about the sample substance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Dwight U. Bartholomew, Jose L. Melendez, Richard A. Carr
  • Patent number: 6415232
    Abstract: A chromatogram analyzer is provided which analyzes a chromatogram obtained by applying a sample containing an analyte. The chromatogram analyzer can be used after peak detection, for example, based on predicted peak emergence times for respective analytes of interest and can determine proper baselines even in the presence of peaks attributable to components other than the analytes or ghost peaks. The chromatogram analyzer is used for an analysis of a chromatogram developed by chromatography, namely by separating and detecting analytes in a sample. Although chromatography is divided into various types of liquid chromatography and gas chromatography according to the principles for separation and development, a chromatogram obtained by any type of chromatography can be analyzed. For example, an electrophoretically obtained result stained with a proper dye can be analyzed by using the present invention after photometric scanning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: Tosoh Corporation
    Inventor: Hidechika Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20020077757
    Abstract: Reaction steps are organized as belonging to particular reaction protocols within a database. Each reaction may represent a discrete step in a multi-step protocol for making a final product from a starting reactant. To populate the database, a system receives information separately from a plurality of references (e.g., literature articles, patent publications, etc.). Such information typically includes descriptions of reaction steps presented in the references (e.g., detailed recipes for performing the reaction steps). Alternatively, or in addition, the methodology includes identifying at least one protocol specified in the reference, which protocol comprises two or more reaction steps, and then specifying that the two or more reaction steps belong to the protocol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2001
    Publication date: June 20, 2002
    Applicant: Libraria, Inc.
    Inventors: Barry A. Bunin, Stephan C. Schurer, Steve M. Muskal
  • Patent number: 6385549
    Abstract: A method for calibration of an IR spectrometry apparatus for providing and evaluating IR spectra in order to determine very low contents of specific components in a fluid, such as milk, and especially low contents of acetone, in a measuring range above 0, such as from 0.5 mM to 2.0 mM acetone in milk, using at least 50, such as from 50-300 known samples including at least 10 samples representing the fluid without any substantial content of the specific component for the calibration. Preferably, a good calibration for acetone shall be based on spectral information including the spectral ranges 1712-1697, 1419-1396, 1378-1353 and 1249-1226 cm−1, or at least a substantial portion/part of said ranges. By use of the new calibration of a FT-IR-spectrometry apparatus it will be possible to determine the acetone content during the sane IR measurement process used for determining other milk parameters such as fat and protein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Foss Electric A/S
    Inventor: Per Waaben Hansen
  • Publication number: 20020049548
    Abstract: Chemical software tools employ databases and associated systems that store, manipulate, and investigate chemical information that is organized by reaction chemistry. Specific procedures and methods are associated with specific reactions. Further, such tools may associate reliability ratings with individual reactions to identify robust reactions from among groups of related reactions. For example, a particular benzyl amine may be given a high reliability rating because it is superior to other aromatic primary amines in its ability to form amides (the reaction chemistry under consideration). Further, the software tools may automatically suggest/generate diverse libraries for particular precursors, classes of precursors, or reaction chemistries. This is accomplished by automatically generating a flexible group of reaction chemistries based on like procedures and methods for a particular precursor or class of precursors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2001
    Publication date: April 25, 2002
    Applicant: Libraria, Inc.
    Inventor: Barry A. Bunin
  • Patent number: 6377895
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method and apparatus are provided for planning the generation of combinatorial chemical libraries produced by a series of chemical reaction stages, each stage involving a multiplicity of simultaneous chemical reactions utilizing a set of potential synthons. The disclosed method and apparatus involve enumerating the members of the proposed library and determining which of the members meet desired criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignee: Pharmacopeia, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric G. Horlbeck
  • Patent number: 6366924
    Abstract: A method is provided for displaying chromatographic data using a graphical user interface. This method is preferably implemented as a software package which takes chromatographic data generated by varying fluorescence levels in a sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Caliper Technologies Corp.
    Inventor: J. Wallace Parce
  • Patent number: 6366860
    Abstract: A method of making a synthetic nucleic acid sequence comprises providing a starting nucleic acid sequence, which optionally encodes an amino acid sequence, and determining the predicted &Dgr;Gfolding of the sequence. The starting nucleic acid sequence can be a naturally occurring sequence or a non-naturally occurring sequence. The starting nucleic acid sequence is modified by replacing at least one codon from the starting nucleic acid sequence with a different corresponding codon to provide a modified nucleic acid sequence. As used herein, a “different corresponding codon” refers to a codon which does not have the identical nucleotide sequence, but which encodes the identical amino acid. The predicted &Dgr;Gfolding of the modified nucleic acid sequence is determined and compared with the &Dgr;Gfolding of the starting nucleic acid sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Biocatalytics, Inc.
    Inventors: J. David Rozzell, Jr., Peter Bui
  • Patent number: 6354145
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for analyzing mixtures of components by a process selected from the group consisting of flow based separation processes and flow analysis processes. The method comprising the steps of: obtaining measurement signals by measuring process conditions at a plurality of positions throughout the system; applying signal processing to the measurement signals, said signal processing comprising multivariate data analysis for condensing the plurality of measurement signals to a smaller number of main signals being non-correlated; logging said main signals; and displaying said main signals versus time, where changes of said system conditions are indicated by one or more of the displayed main signals; detecting any error occurrence during an on going process, and determining what part of said system cause said error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: AstraZeneca AB
    Inventors: Magnus Fransson, Lars Karlsson, Bengt Lagerholm, Anders Sparén
  • Patent number: 6351712
    Abstract: A method for fluorophore bias removal in microarray experiments in which the fluorophores used in microarray experiment pairs are reversed. Further, a method for calculating the individual errors associated with each measurement made in nominally repeated microarray experiments. This error measurement is optionally coupled with rank based methods in order to determine a probability that a cellular constituent is up or down regulated in response to a perturbation. Finally, a method for determining the confidence in the weighted average of the expression level of a cellular constituent in nominally repeated microarray experiments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2002
    Assignee: Rosetta Inpharmatics, Inc.
    Inventors: Roland Stoughton, Hongyue Dai
  • Patent number: 6345235
    Abstract: This invention relates to methods and apparatus for determining the multi-dimensional topology of a substance (system) within a volume (space). A method according to a preferred embodiment of the invention comprises the steps of: acquiring a set of relative values for the density (scalar properties) of the volume, each value for a given location (point) within the volume; interpolating a set of functions to generate a continuous relative density for the volume; identifying critical points of the continuous relative density by using an eigenvector following method; and associating critical points with one another by following a gradient path of the continuous relative density between the critical points, The method is applicable to a wide range of data relating to fields such as crystallography, fluid dynamics, edge detection, and financial markets, to determine the topology of structures contained therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: Queen's University at Kingston
    Inventors: Kenneth E. Edgecombe, Alan D. Ableson