NJIT researchers awarded 15 new U.S. patents for research programs

University's total patent count rises to 97

NJIT researchers were awarded 15 new U.S. patents this past year, increasing the total number of issued patents for NJIT to 97. More than 150 applications are in process. With projected research expenditures greater than $90 million for 2010-11, NJIT ranks as a leader in size and growth of research programs among technological universities. The patents were awarded from July 1, 2009-June 30, 2010. Specifics follow.

Yeheskel Bar-Ness, distinguished professor of electrical and computer engineering and Foundation Chair of the Center for Communication and Signal Processing Research, received a patent for "Equal BER Power Control for Uplink MC-CDMA with MMSE Successive Interference Cancellation," a system designed to increase efficiency and reduce interference in wireless telecommunications.

Ken Chin, professor of physics, gained a patent for an "Aligned Embossed Diaphragm Based Fiber Optic Sensor" which can be used in optical, mechanical, pressure, temperature, chemical, biometric or acoustic sensing. One specific application is the detection of on-line acoustic signatures of sparking and arcing in a multitude of applications including: large electric utility transformers, auto-transformers, tap-changers, phase angle regulators, voltage regulators, reactors, circuit breakers, pipe-type high- voltage cables, and other oil insulated utilities.

Ivan Dentcho, research professor in biomedical engineering and director of the NJIT Microelectronics Fabrication Center, earned a patent in collaboration with Joseph R. Madsen, associate professor of neurosciences at Harvard Medical School, for a "Waveform Sensing and Regulating Fluid Flow Valve" that is used to drain excess cerebrospinal fluid from the brain in hydrocephalus patients.

Anthony East and Michael Jaffe, research professors of biomedical engineering, were awarded a patent for "Thermoset Epoxy Polymers from Renewable Resources," a substance made from sugar derived from corn that can be used commercially in adhesives and coatings.

Reginald Farrow, research professor of physics, was awarded a patent for "Method of Forming Nanotube Vertical Field Effect Transistor," a new technique to make nanoscale transistors that are oriented vertically from the surface of a silicon wafer.

Sergiu M. Gorun, associate professor of chemistry, was awarded a patent, "Functional Coating Compositions of Perfluoroalkyl Perfluoro-Phthalocyanine Compounds," disclosing a new self-contained subclass of molecules. These new materials are comprised of organic scaffolds with metal centers, which can be applied as either an opaque or transparent hydrophobic coating.

Professors Yehoshua Perl and James Geller, of computer science, were awarded a patent for "Intersection Ontologies for Organizing Data," a method for organizing sets of data into forms that are more easily usable.

Robert Pfeffer, professor emeritus of chemical engineering, gained patents for "System and Method for Nanoparticle and Nanoagglomerate Fluidization," as well as a filter composed of nanoparticles, "Fractal Structured Nanoagglomerates as Filter Media."

Nuggehalli Ravindra, professor of physics, received a patent for "Method of Assembly Using Array of Programmable Magnets," a new technique for assembling integrated circuits.

Yun-Qing Shi, professor of electrical and computer engineering, received four patents for his work in data hiding. The patents included: "Method For Identifying Marked Content, Such as By Using a Class-Wise Non-Principal Component Approach;" "System and Method for Data Hiding Using Inter-Word Space Modulation;" "System and Method for Robust Lossless Data Hiding and Recovering From the Integer Wavelet Representation;" and "System and Method for Reversible Data Hiding Based on Integer Wavelet Spread Spectrum."