Xyggy Patent Search Tool

http://www.xyggy.com/

I came across the above website recently which does a fairly decent job of performing quick searching for similar patent information based on a given patent number or title. The search algorithm used seems to be a little more involved than simply text-based from my test searches. While the search interface does not allow field selection (i.e. assignee, date range, etc.), it does a pretty good job if all you are looking for is a simple tool to identify a listing of similar patents.

US Patent 7613538 - Distortion compensation for nanoimprint lithography

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7613538.html

This patent from HP teaches a quality control method for nanoimprint lithography based on choosing the mold design so as to minimize anticipated distortions. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method of contact lithography comprising:

predicting distortions likely to occur in transferring a pattern from a mold to a substrate during a contact lithography process; and

modifying said mold to compensate for said distortions.

US Patent 7612971 - MEMS switching for HVAC

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7612971.html

This patent from General Electric teaches a MEMS alternative to conventional switching and fuses used in heating, ventilation, and air condition systems. The MEMS switching is taught to produce less waste heat, less leakage current, and provide a more compact, lightweight system. Claim 1 reads:

1. A HVAC system, comprising:

a load motor;

a main breaker micro electromechanical system (MEMS) switch;

a voltage snubber circuit electrically coupled to the main breaker MEMS switch; and

a variable frequency drive (VFD) disposed between and electrically coupled to the load motor and the main breaker MEMS switch.

US Patent 7612883 - Dynamic plasmonics platform

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7612883.html

Plasmonics involves the study of electron oscillations and is important to Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) used in molecular analysis. In order to increase the sensitivity of SERS it is desirable to have a mechanism to tune the frequencies produced due to light scattering. This patent from General Electric teaches a MEMS or NEMS mechanism to provide such tuning. Claim 1 reads:

1. A plasmonics platform, comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of periodically spaced nanoholes and/or nanoparticles disposed upon the substrate, wherein an average first order of periodicity between the nanoholes and/or the nanoparticles is about 5 to about 1,000 nanometers; and

a microelectromechanical and/or a nanoelectromechanical system in operative communication with the substrate for varying the average first order of periodicity between the nanoholes and/or the nanoparticles.

US Patent 7612635 - MEMS resonator with 2 I/O ports

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7612635.html

This patent is from Kolo Technologies and includes some basic claims to a new type of micromachined ultrasonic transducer including multiple bidirectional input/output ports. Claim 1 reads:

1. A MEMS acoustic filter comprising:

a MEMS resonator; and

at least two acoustic I/O ports.

US Patent 7612358 - Nanochannel memristor

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7612358.html


Last year researchers at Hewlett Packard made headlines by announcing the development of a nanoscale realization of the memristor which was theoretically predicted in the 1970's and which may form a basic element for a new type of non-volatile memory called RRAM and a new type of A.I. based on physical neural networks. This patent is from Samsung and teaches an alternative nanoscale memristor device based on the transport of ions or nanoparticles in nanochannels. Claim 1 reads:

1. A memory device comprising:

a first electrode;

a second electrode; and

a memory layer disposed between the first and second electrodes, wherein the memory layer includes a mesoporous material and nanochannels, the nanochannels being comprised of metal nanoparticles or metal ions, and the memory layer showing bistable resistance values; and

a barrier layer disposed between the memory layer and the second electrode to control the concentration and distribution of the metal nanoparticles or metal ions in the nanochannels, wherein the barrier layer is formed on top of the nanochannels of the memory device, the barrier layer being configured such that the metal nanoparticles or metal ions can be fed into the nanochannels through the barrier layer.

US Patent 7612270 - CNT CMOS inverter

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7612270.html

CMOS is currently the dominant architecture in digital and analog microelectronics due to low power dissipation and ease of use in logic design and fabrication. This patent from IBM attempts to extend the CMOS concept to carbon nanotube electronics forming a basic inverter CMOS circuit. Claim 1 reads:

1. A digital inverter comprising:

a first carbon nanotube (CNT) extending from a substrate, and functioning as a first source (S1) for the digital inverter;

a second carbon nanotube (CNT) extending from the substrate, and functioning as a second source (S2) for the digital inverter;

a third carbon nanotube (CNT) extending from the substrate, and functioning as an input (G) of the digital inverter; and

a conductive structure disposed on the third CNT, and functioning as an output (D) of the digital inverter when either the first CNT or the second CNT are in contact with the conductive structure disposed on the third CNT.

US Patent 7612138 - Carbon nano-onion EMI shielding

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7612138.html

One of the earliest proposed applications of fullerene (and later carbon nanotube) composites was in the formation of lightweight electromagnetic shielding. This patent from the International Technology Center teaches another variety of nanocomposite EMI shielding based on onion-like carbon particles. Claim 1 reads:

1. An electromagnetic radiation attenuating material for attenuation of electromagnetic radiation in at least a portion of the frequency range of approximately 500MHz to 30 THz, comprising:

a binding matrix; and

an operative quantity of electromagnetic radiation attenuating nano-particles suspended in the binding matrix, wherein, the electromagnetic radiation attenuating nano-particles comprise onion-like-carbon (OLC) particles.

US Patent 7611687 - Microwave welding of single walled carbon nanotubes

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7611687.html

This patent from Honda Motors teaches a large scale synthesis method for interconnected webs of single walled carbon nanotubes. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method for producing interconnected single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), the method comprising:

placing a sample of SWNTs in a microwave cavity wherein the electric field is maximum; and

exposing the sample to microwave field at a maximum temperature between about 1000° C. and about 1400° C. to produce the interconnected single-walled carbon nanotubes.

US Patent 7611628 - Aligned nanotubule membrane

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7611628.html

This patent form the University of Kentucky teaches a fabrication method for a molecular sieve having a uniform pore diameter with functionalization at the pore openings. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method for producing a permeable membrane, comprising the steps of:

aligning a plurality of hollow nanotubules to form a mat;

coating the mat with a continuous polymer matrix to form a membrane; and

etching the membrane to remove a layer of polymer from a surface of the membrane to (a) open the plurality of hollow nanotubules whereby the nanotubules define pores passing through the membrane, and (b) oxidize an end of the nanotubules to form carboxylate groups.

US Patent 7611562 - Triangular nanoframes

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7611562.html

This patent comes from Chad Mirkin's group at Northwestern University. The patent teaches methodology used to fabricate a new type of nanostructure called a "nanoframe" which is useful to investigating how nanoscale shapes effect the bulk physical and chemical properties of substances. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method of forming a triangular nanoframe comprising etching a nanoprism with a salt to form a nanotriangle.

US Patent 7610797 - Inductive CNT force sensor

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7610797.html

This patent from Xidex Corporation teaches a force sensing system for a scanning probe microscope that uses a carbon nanotube to improve sensitivity to vibrations in multiple directions. Claim 1 reads:

1. A device, comprising:

a support structure;

at least one carbon nanotube extending from the support structure; and

a detection system comprising an inductive pick-up coil and a tank circuit;

wherein the detection system is operable to detect vibrations from the at least one carbon nanotube.

US Patent 7609432 - Nanowire cantilever

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7609432.html

Cantilever structures are very common to microsensor and microactuator structures used in MEMS. This patent from HP includes some basic claims to using nanowires to form nanoelectromechanical cantilevers. Claim 1 reads:

1. A nanoelectromechanical (NEM) device comprising:

a support block extending vertically from a horizontal surface of a substrate, the support block having a vertical side;

a nanowire extending laterally from the vertical side of the support block, the nanowire being spaced from the horizontal surface of the substrate; and

a component that influences the nanowire.

Although not cited in this patent, a similar nanocantilever based on a carbon nanotube was earlier described in published patent application US2005/0230710.

US Patent 7609086 - Memristive transfer function circuitry

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7609086.html

Adaptive control circuitry is important for electrical control systems which are required to respond to unpredictable changes in the environment or changes in the system requirements. However, when conventional processors are used to perform adaptive control the processor speed can limit responsiveness of the system to changing conditions. The memristor (memory resistor) has been proposed as a nanoscale circuit element which offers an alternative to conventional processor based adaptive control by integrating memory storage with signal flow control. This patent teaches memristor junctions integrated into a crossbar circuit architecture to provide a new type of parallel processing adaptive control. Claim 1 reads:

1. A control circuit including:

a crossbar array having input columns and output rows configured to store first stored data in the form of high or low resistance states,

wherein the input columns are connected to a common electrical input having an input voltage signal and the output rows are connected to a common summing circuit configured to sum signals from the rows to produce an output voltage signal,

wherein the control circuit is configured to produce a transfer function based on the ratio of the output voltage signal to the input voltage signal which is determined by the resistance states of the crossbar array.

US Patent 7608905 - Interdigitated nanowire antenna array

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7608905.html

This patent from HP teaches a nanostructured dipole antenna formed from interdigitated metallic nanowires. Claim 1 reads:

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first set of nanowires; and

a second set of nanowires interdigitated with the first set of nanowires, wherein the first set of nanowires and the second set of nanowires are formed of electrically conductive material, and wherein the first set of nanowires is independently electrically addressable and electrically isolated from the second set of nanowires.

US Patent 7608902 - Nanowire composite resonant sensor

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7608902.html

This patent from Samsung teaches a fabrication method for resonant sensors based on metallic nanowires formed in a cylindrical template. Claim 1 reads:

1. A nanowire composite comprising:

a template having a first surface, a second surface opposite to and parallel to the first surface, and a third surface extending from the first surface to the second surface;

a plurality of hollow channels disposed in the template and extending therein from the first surface and the second surface;

nanowires disposed in the plurality of hollow channels; and

a functional element comprising a portion of one or more of the nanowires exposed through an etched portion of the third surface of the template, wherein the functional element does not directly touch the first surface or the second surface of the template.

US Patent 7608854 - Branched nanowire with diffusion doping

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7608854.html

This patent from Hewlett Packard teaches a method to grow pn junction nanowire structures useful for the fabrication of bipolar and field effect transistors. Claim 1 reads:

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a primary nanowire of a first conductivity type;

a secondary nanowire of a second conductivity type grown from and extending outwardly in one direction from the primary nanowire; and

a doped region of the second conductivity type diffused from and extending from the secondary nanowire into at least a portion of the primary nanowire.

US Patent 7608852 - Strained nanowire light emitter

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7608852.html

Strained silicon is used to increase the switching speed of semiconductor devices. This patent from Samsung teaches that using strained silicon nanowires can also improve ohmic contacts and enhance light emission efficiency for laser diodes and LEDs. Claim 1 reads:

1. A luminous device, comprising:

a light emitting layer; and

a first electrode and a second electrode each connected to the light emitting layer,

wherein the light emitting layer is a strained nanowire and the strained nanowire has a lattice constant that increases in a lengthwise direction thereof compared to a non-strained nanowire.

US Patent 7608824 - Doped carbon nanostructrure for infrared imaging

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7608824.html

This patent from UT-Battelle teaches the use of the field emission properties of carbon nanotubes to achieve infrared imaging. Claim 1 reads:

1. A detector for detecting infrared photons comprising:

at least one anode;

at least one cathode further comprising a substrate electrically connected to a plurality of doped carbon nanostructures; and

bias circuitry for applying an electric field between said anode and said cathode such that when infrared photons are absorbed by said nanostructures the emitted field current is modulated for use in a readout portion of said circuitry.

US Patent 7608556 - CNT catalysts for redox reactions

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7608556.html

This patent from E.I. duPont has priority going back to 2004 and includes some basic claims to carbon nanotube assisted redox reactions. Claim 1 reads:

1. A process to catalyze a redox reaction comprising:

contacting at least one carbon nanotube in solution with:

a) an oxidizing agent and an oxidizable compound or

b) a reducing agent and a reducible compound

wherein the redox reaction is catalyzed.

Related prior art not considered during the examination includes the article "Spontaneous Reduction of Metal Ions on the Sidewalls of Carbon Nanotubes" published in the Journal of Applied Chemical Society in 2002.

US Patent 7608240 - Cancer treatment with boron nitride nanotubes

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7608240.html

Subjecting boron atoms to low energy neutrons has been found to disintegrate malignant cells. This patent from the University of Arkansas teaches the use of boron nitride nanotubes to achieve this effect for cancer treatment. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method for treating cancer, said method comprising:

a) attaching a first antibody species to nanovessels to form a nanovessel-antibody composite species;

b) introducing said nanovessel-antibody composite species into a mammal such that said nanovessel-antibody composite species selectively targets at least one type of cancerous cell; and

c) exploding said nanovessels using at least one frequency of ultrasonic waves; wherein said at least one frequency of ultrasonic waves is adjusted to be absorbed by said nanovessels;

d) attaching a second antibody species to BN nanostructures to form a BN nanostructure-antibody composite species, wherein said first antibody species and said second antibody species are selected from the group consisting of the same antibody species, different antibody species, and combinations thereof;

e) administering said BN nano structure-antibody composite species to said mammal such that said BN nanostructure-antibody composite species selectively targets at least one tumor within said mammal; and

f) activating at least some of the boron atoms in said BN nanostructure-antibody composite species.