Jeffrey A Urban

US Patent:

20180126337, May 10, 2018

Filed:

Nov 3, 2017

Appl. No.:

15/803425

Inventors:

Christine M. Beavers - Pleasant Hill CA, US
David K. Britt - El Cerrito CA, US
Norman C. Su - Walnut Creek CA, US
Daniel T. Sun - Sion, CH
Wendy L. Queen - Grimisuat, CH
Jeffrey J. Urban - Emeryville CA, US

Assignee:

The Regents of the University of California - Oakland CA

International Classification:

B01D 67/00
B01D 69/14
B01D 53/22

Abstract:

A hybrid polymer/inorganic membrane with dual transport pathways overcomes traditional limitations. The inorganic phase consists of a metal-organic framework (MOF), which is an ideal inorganic dispersant to construct dual transport pathways as the crystalline porous structure of MOFs is more amenable to molecular diffusion than polymers. Previous hybrid membrane research has failed to achieve sufficiently high loadings to establish a percolative network necessary for dual transport, often due to mechanical failure of the membrane at high loading. Using polysulfone and UiO-66-NHMOF as a model system, we achieve high MOF loadings (50 wt %) and observe the evolution from single mode to dual transport regimes. The newly formed percolative pathway through the MOF acts as a molecular highway for gases. As the MOF loading increases to 30 wt %, COpermeability increases linearly from 5.6 barrers in polysulfone homopolymer to 18 barrers. Crucially, between 30 and 40 wt %, a percolative MOF network arises and the COpermeability dramatically rises from 18 to 46 barrers; an eight-fold increase over pure polysulfone, while maintaining selectivity over methane and nitrogen near the pure polymer at 24 and 26, respectively.

US Patent:

20170012711, Jan 12, 2017

Filed:

Sep 20, 2016

Appl. No.:

15/270886

Inventors:

- Mountain View CA, US
Jeffrey Stuart Urban - Mountain View CA, US

International Classification:

H04B 10/54
G08C 23/04
H04W 12/06
H04B 10/114

Abstract:

Disclosed systems and methods transmit and receive data encoded as optical signals that include a progression of symbols, with each symbol represented as a combination of light frequencies. Light is used as the carrier medium to limit reception to devices that are within visible range of the transmitting device. No mapping of data to symbols is required for generation of the symbol progression by the transmitter and no mapping of symbols to data for recognition of the symbols is required by the receiver. Disclosed embodiments allow arbitrary selection among a plurality of mappings between symbols sent and symbols received. Embodiments are robust to: ambient lighting conditions, differences in optical and temporal response of the first and second devices, and differences in relative orientation between the first and second devices. Embodiments enable a variety of functions including device discovery, feature discovery, beacon identification, status reporting, error readout, key exchange, and authentication.