Lucent Technologies Inc.

Alcatel-lucent USA Inc.

Alcatel Lucent

Donald Weiss

Joseph Ashley Taylor

Timofei Nikita Kroupenkine

Mary Louise Mandich

Thomas Nikita Krupenkin

Alan Michael Lyons

Paul Robert Kolodner

Marc Scott Hodes

Arman Gasparyan

Shu Yang

Avinoam Kornblit

Tobias Manuel Schneider

David John Bishop

Todd Richard Salamon

Susanne C Arney

Herbert Rudolf Shea

Wonsuck Lee

An implantable stent comprises a tubular member having an interior surface and an exterior surface, with a region of at least one of the surfaces being hydrophobic. The region is provided with an array of microstructures or nanostructures that covers first portions of the surface but leaves second portions exposed in the interstices of the array. These structures cause the region to have a dynamically controllable hydrophobicity. In one embodiment, a control device, which is affixed to the tubular member, varies the hydrophobicity of the region. In another embodiment, which is particularly applicable to the delivery of a medicinal substance to fluids in body vessels, the stent also includes such a medicinal substance that adheres to the exposed portions until the control device alters the hydrophobicity of the region and causes the substance to be released into a body fluid in contact with the stent. Various ways to load the stent are described. In yet another embodiment, the tubular member is provided with a mechanism that enables the shape of the stent (e.g., its diameter) in vivo to be controlled dynamically, again by means of external wireless communication. In one more embodiment, sensors are affixed to the tubular member to enable fluid parameters (e.g., pressure, flow rate) to be monitored remotely.

Drug delivery stent

A battery includes a plurality of closed cells disposed in a predetermined feature pattern on at least a first surface of an electrode. Each of the closed cells has an inner surface. The battery also includes a plurality of cell electrodes. Each of the cell electrodes is disposed along a portion of the inner surface of a respective one of the closed cells in the plurality of closed cells.

Reversibly-activated nanostructured battery

A battery having an electrode with at least one nanostructured surface is disclosed wherein the nanostructured surface is divided into cells and is disposed in a way such that an electrolyte fluid of the battery is prevented from contacting the portion of electrode associated with each cell. When a voltage is passed over the nanostructured surface associated with a particular cell, the electrolyte fluid is caused to penetrate the nanostructured surface of that cell and to contact the electrode, thus activating the portion of the battery associated with that cell. The current/voltage generated by the battery is controlled by selectively activating only a portion of the cells. Multiple cells can be active simultaneously to produce the desired voltage. The more cells that are active, the higher the current/voltage and the lower the overall life of the battery. The life of the battery can be extended by activating fewer cells simultaneously.

Reserve cell-array nanostructured battery

A battery having a nanostructured battery electrode is disclosed wherein it is possible to reverse the contact of the electrolyte with the battery electrode and, thus, to return a battery to a reserve state after it has been used to generate current. In order to achieve this reversibility, the nanostructures on the battery electrode comprise a plurality of closed cells and the pressure within the enclosed cells is varied. In a first embodiment, the pressure is varied by varying the temperature of a fluid within the cells by, for example, applying a voltage to electrodes disposed within said cells. In a second illustrative embodiment, once the battery has been fully discharged, the battery is recharged and then the electrolyte fluid is expelled from the cells in a way such that it is no longer in contact with the battery electrode.

An apparatus comprising a liquid switch. The liquid switch comprises a substrate having a surface with first and second regions thereon and a fluid configured to contact both of the regions. The regions each comprise electrically connected fluid-support-structures, wherein each of the fluid-support-structures have at least one dimension of about 1 millimeter or less. The regions are electrically isolated from each other.

Liquid switch

A method and apparatus is disclosed wherein nanostructures or microstructures are disposed on a surface of a body (such as a submersible vehicle) that is adapted to move through a fluid, such as water. The nanostructures or microstructures are disposed on the surface in a way such that the contact between the surface and the fluid is reduced and, correspondingly, the friction between the surface and the fluid is reduced. In an illustrative embodiment, the surface is a surface on a submarine or other submersible vehicle (such as a torpedo). Illustratively, electrowetting principles are used to cause the fluid to at least partially penetrate the nanostructures or microstructures on the surface of the body in order to selectively create greater friction in a desired location of the surface. Such penetration may be used, for example, to create drag that alters the direction or speed of travel of the body.

Method and apparatus for controlling friction between a fluid and a body

A method and apparatus are disclosed wherein a battery comprises an electrode having at least one nanostructured surface. The nanostructured surface is disposed in a way such that an electrolyte fluid of the battery is prevented from contacting the electrode, thus preventing discharge of the battery when the battery is not in use. When a voltage is passed over the nanostructured surface, the electrolyte fluid is caused to penetrate the nanostructured surface and to contact the electrode, thus activating the battery. In one illustrative embodiment, the battery is an integrated part of an electronics package. In another embodiment, the battery is manufactured as a separate device and is then brought into contact with the electronics package. In yet another embodiment, the electronics package and an attached battery are disposed in a projectile that is used as a military targeting device.

Electrowetting battery having a nanostructured electrode surface

An ordnance fuse apparatus is described that uses electrical and mechanical, and optical devices. The ordnance fuse apparatus includes a controller to control an optical switch and a laser to detonate an explosive charge of the ordnance. Other embodiments include an accelerometer and/or spin detector for detecting that the ordnance has been fired and an optical detector for detecting the proper operation of the laser and a position sensor for detecting correct positioning of the optical switch. Another embodiment includes a microlens to focus the laser optical signal onto the ignitor. In yet other embodiments, the explosive charge is detonated either by ignition of an ignitor or by a shock wave from the ignitor. The resulting ordnance fuse apparatus has significantly reduced size and improved performance and safety.

Fuse for projected ordnance

Techniques for heat transfer are provided. In one aspect of the invention, a heat-transfer device is provided. The heat-transfer device comprises one or more microchannels suitable for containing a heat-transfer fluid, one or more of the microchannels having protruding structures on at least one inner surface thereof configured to affect flow of the heat-transfer fluid through the one or more microchannels. The structures may comprise posts coated with a hydrophobic coating.

Techniques for microchannel cooling

A liquid electrical switch is disclosed that uses a plurality of droplets of conducting liquid to form an electrical path. In a first embodiment, at least a first voltage differential is used to create a separation distance between two droplets. The droplets are illustratively contained within a housing and surrounded by an immiscible, insulating liquid. In this embodiment, the at least a first voltage differential draws at least a portion of at least one of the droplets away from a second droplet, thus preventing electrical current from flowing from the at least one droplet to the second droplet. In another embodiment, the at least a first voltage differential is changed in a way such that at least one liquid droplet is made to come into contact with a second droplet, thus creating an electrical path between the two droplets.

Growing community of inventors

Cresskill, NJ, United States of America

Donald Weiss