Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080229756 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PASSIVE VALVING FOR PULSE DETONATION COMBUSTORS - A pulse detonation device contains a pulse detonation combustor which detonates a mixture of oxidizer and fuel. The fuel is supplied through fuel ducts and the fuel flow is controlled by fuel flow control devices. Oxidizer flow is provided through a main inlet portion and a flow control device directs the oxidizer flow to either the combustor or to a bypass duct, or both. The combustor further contains an ignition source. Each of the flow control devices, fuel flow control devices and ignition source are controlled by a control system to optimize performance at different thrust/power settings for the device. | 09-25-2008 |
20080310981 | POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT FLOW SEPARATOR - A positive displacement flow separator contains a rotor portion positioned inside a casing portion to act as a least area rotor which captures a volume and moves the volume along the length of the separator. The rotor portion contains a plurality of lobes which interact with grooves in the casing portion, such that the interaction of the lobes and grooves create barriers which capture the volume The creation of the volume creates a flow barrier between a downstream end of the separator and an upstream end of the separator. The flow separator is coupled to a combustion portion to provide a flow of material to the combustion portion. | 12-18-2008 |
20090139199 | PULSE DETONATION COMBUSTOR VALVE FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE AND HIGH PRESSURE OPERATION - A pulse detonation combustor valve assembly contains at least one pulse detonation combustor having an inlet portion through which air and/or fuel enters the chamber of the combustor. An annular rotating valve portion is positioned adjacent to an outer surface of the pulse detonation combustor and concentrically with the pulse detonation combustor so that the annular rotating valve portion can be rotated with respect to the combustor. The annular rotating valve portion contains at least one inlet portion through which air and/or fuel passes to enter the inlet portion of the pulse detonation combustor. | 06-04-2009 |
20090139203 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TAILORING THE EQUIVALENCE RATIO IN A VALVED PULSE DETONATION COMBUSTOR - A pulse detonation combustor assembly contains at least one PDC tube, a mechanical air flow valve which directs an air flow into the PDC tube, where the mechanical air flow assembly changes a rate of the air flow into the PDC tube during a fill stage of the PDC tube. The assembly also contains a fuel flow control valve which directs fuel to the PDC tube and changes the rate of the fuel flow into PDC tube. By controlling the flow of the fuel and air into the PDC tube the equivalence ratio profile of the PDC tube can be tailored and controlled. | 06-04-2009 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090074266 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING AN OPTIMAL DILUTION OF A REAGENT - A system and method for automatically and quantitatively determining the optimal dilution of a reagent is provided. In one embodiment of the claimed method, a plurality of dilution sets are received, where each of the dilution sets consist of a different respective dilution value and a respective plurality of immunoassay staining intensity values. A respective dynamic range metric is determining for each of the plurality of dilution sets relative to the respective plurality immunoassay staining intensity values. Having found the respective dynamic range metric, a dilution set having the numerically optimal dynamic range metric is selected and the dilution value of that dilution set is selected as being representative of an optimal dilution level of the reagent for use in a quantitative immunoassay. In one embodiment, a system is provided with a microscope, an image sensor, and processor module configured determine an optimal dilution of a reagent for use in an quantitative immunoassay. | 03-19-2009 |
20090074282 | METHODS AND SYSTEM FOR VALIDATING SAMPLE IMAGES FOR QUANTITATIVE IMMUNOASSAYS - A method and system for automatically evaluating quality of a slide-mounted tissue sample includes receiving a digital image of a magnified portion of the slide-mounted tissue sample. At least one quantitative quality indicator is automatically determined for at least one of the samples, and the digital image of the magnified portion of the sample. Each of the quantitative quality indicators is automatically compared to a respective minimum acceptable quality threshold. The quantitative quality indicators and associated quality thresholds are selected for suitability with an automated quantitative immunoassay. Failure of one or more of the quantitative quality indicators to meet its respective minimum acceptable quality threshold suggests that the sample is unsuitable for subsequent automated pathological evaluation. Results can be examined at a user interface allowing for user inspection of samples determined to be unsuitable, the user interface also having provisions for manual override of the determination. | 03-19-2009 |
20120133930 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR STANDARDIZING MICROSCOPE INSTRUMENTS - Methods and apparatus for standardizing quantitative measurements from a microscope system. The process includes a calibration procedure whereby an image of a calibration slide is obtained through the optics of the microscope system. The calibration slide produces a standard response, which can be used to determine a machine intrinsic factor for the particular system. The machine intrinsic factor can be stored for later reference. In use, images are acquired of a target sample and of the excitation light source. The excitation light source sample is obtained using a calibration instrument configured to sample intensity. The calibration instrument has an associated correction factor to compensate its performance to a universally standardized calibration instrument. The machine intrinsic factor, sampled intensity, and calibration instrument correction factor are usable to compensate a quantitative measurement of the target sample in order to normalize the results for comparison with other microscope systems. | 05-31-2012 |
20120176487 | METHODS AND SYSTEM FOR VALIDATING SAMPLE IMAGES FOR QUANTITATIVE IMMUNOASSAYS - A method and system for automatically evaluating quality of a slide-mounted tissue sample includes receiving a digital image of a magnified portion of the slide-mounted tissue sample. At least one quantitative quality indicator is automatically determined for at least one of the samples, and the digital image of the magnified portion of the sample. Each of the quantitative quality indicators is automatically compared to a respective minimum acceptable quality threshold. The quantitative quality indicators and associated quality thresholds are selected for suitability with an automated quantitative immunoassay. Failure of one or more of the quantitative quality indicators to meet its respective minimum acceptable quality threshold suggests that the sample is unsuitable for subsequent automated pathological evaluation. Results can be examined at a user interface allowing for user inspection of samples determined to be unsuitable, the user interface also having provisions for manual override of the determination. | 07-12-2012 |
20120201435 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING AN OPTIMAL DILUTION OF A REAGENT - A system and method for automatically and quantitatively determining the optimal dilution of a reagent is provided. In one embodiment, a plurality of dilution sets are received, where each of the dilution sets consist of a different respective dilution value and a respective plurality of immunoassay staining intensity values. A respective dynamic range metric is determining for each of the plurality of dilution sets relative to the respective plurality immunoassay staining intensity values. Having found the respective dynamic range metric, a dilution set having the numerically optimal dynamic range metric is selected and the dilution value of that dilution set is selected as being representative of an optimal dilution level of the reagent for use in a quantitative immunoassay. In one embodiment, a system is provided with a microscope, an image sensor, and processor module configured determine an optimal dilution of a reagent for use in an quantitative immunoassay. | 08-09-2012 |
20130216111 | COMPARTMENT SEGREGATION BY PIXEL CHARACTERIZATION USING IMAGE DATA CLUSTERING - The present invention relates generally to improved methods of defining areas or compartments within which biomarker expression is detected and quantified. In particular, the present invention relates to automated methods for delineating marker-defined compartments objectively with minimal operator intervention or decision making. The method provides for precise definition of tissue, cellular or subcellular compartments particularly in histological tissue sections in which to quantitatively analyzing protein expression. | 08-22-2013 |
20130310268 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR STANDARIZING MICROSCOPE INSTRUMENTS - Methods and apparatus for standardizing quantitative measurements from a microscope system. The process includes a calibration procedure whereby an image of a calibration slide is obtained through the optics of the microscope system. The calibration slide produces a standard response, which can be used to determine a machine intrinsic factor for the particular system. The machine intrinsic factor can be stored for later reference. In use, images are acquired of a target sample and of the excitation light source. The excitation light source sample is obtained using a calibration instrument configured to sample intensity. The calibration instrument has an associated correction factor to compensate its performance to a universally standardized calibration instrument. The machine intrinsic factor, sampled intensity, and calibration instrument correction factor are usable to compensate a quantitative measurement of the target sample in order to normalize the results for comparison with other microscope systems. | 11-21-2013 |