Patents

The following is a sample list of some U.S. patents written by Patrick M. Boucher. Many patent applications that he has prepared, both in similar and other areas, are still actively being considered by the Patent Office and are being prosecuted in other countries.

Design Patents

D600,450: Luggage
D565,444: Testing device for acoustic probes and systems
D495,194: Food warmer

Utility Patents

Acoustics and ultrasound

7,285,092: Computerized ultrasound risk evaluation system
7,278,289: Apparatus and methods for testing acoustic systems
7,155,957: Apparatus and methods for testing acoustic probes and systems
7,028,529: Apparatus and methods for testing acoustic probes and systems
7,007,539: Apparatus and methods for interfacing acoustic testing apparatus with acoustic probes and systems
6,928,856: Apparatus and methods for interfacing acoustic testing apparatus with acoustic probes and systems
6,926,672: Electret acoustic transducer array for computerized ultrasound risk evaluation system
6,920,776: Apparatus and methods for interfacing acoustic testing apparatus with acoustic probes and systems
6,728,567: Method and apparatus for high-resolution detection and characterization of medical pathologies
6,672,165: Real-time three dimensional acoustoelectronic imaging and characterization of objects
6,540,678: Real-time three dimensional acoustoelectronic imaging and characterization of objects
6,450,960: Real-time three-dimensional acoustoelectronic imaging and characterization of objects

Biometrics

7,751,594: White-light biometric sensors
7,735,729: Biometric sensor
7,668,350: Comparative texture analysis of tissue for biometric spoof detection
7,627,151: Systems and methods for improved biometric feature definition
7,620,212: Electro-optical sensor
7,613,504: Spectroscopic cross-channel method and apparatus for improved optical measurements of tissue
7,545,963: Texture-biometrics sensor
7,539,330: Multispectral liveness determination
7,508,965: System and method for robust fingerprint acquisition
7,460,696: Multispectral imaging biometrics
7,394,919: Multispectral biometric imaging
7,386,152: Noninvasive alcohol sensor
7,347,365: Combined total-internal-reflectance and tissue imaging systems and methods
7,263,213: Methods and systems for estimation of personal characteristics from biometric measurements
7,203,345: Apparatus and method for identification of individuals by near-infrared spectrum
7,147,153: Multispectral biometric sensor
6,816,605: Methods and systems for biometric identification of individuals using linear optical spectroscopy

Business Methods

7,424,441: Systems and methods for integrating loyalty and stored-value programs
7,228,292: Card-based system and method for issuing negotiable instruments
7,225,154: Methods and systems for coordinating pooled financial transactions
7,117,178: Systems and methods to facilitate payment for shipped goods
7,085,774: Active profiling system for tracking and quantifying customer conversion efficiency
7,072,868: Methods and systems for negotiable-instrument fraud prevention
6,994,251: Cash payment for remote transactions
6,975,999: Methods and systems for managing business representative distributions
6,947,902: Active transaction generation, processing, and routing system
6,877,657: Methods and systems for production of transaction cards
6,779,319: Real-time intelligent packet-collation systems and methods
6,758,394: Identity verification and enrollment system for self-service devices

Cryogenics

7,410,484: Cryotherapy probe
7,273,479: Methods and systems for cryogenic cooling
7,083,612: Cryotherapy system

Cryptography

7,222,365: Non-algorithmic vectored steganography

Electromagnetics and Radar

7,482,908: Radio-frequency-device personalization
6,853,327: Method and system for analyzing overhead line geometries
6,590,519: Method and system for identification of subterranean objects
6,246,355: Radar cross-section measurement system for analysis of wooden structures

Electronic Circuit Design

6,993,731: Optimization of digital designs
6,792,589: Digital design using selection operations
6,594,824: Profile driven code motion and scheduling
6,549,903: Integrity of tagged data

Geophysical Exploration

7,668,044: Data offload and charging systems and methods
7,298,671: Seismic-data acquisition methods and apparatus
7,092,824: Methods and systems for interactive investigation of geophysical data
6,999,377: Acquiring seismic data
6,934,219: Methods and systems for acquiring seismic data
6,677,757: Method and apparatus for determination of electromagnetic properties of underground structure

Hardware

6,491,546: Locking F terminator for coaxial cable systems

Magnetic Materials

6,277,211: Cu additions to Nd-Fe-B alloys to reduce oxygen content in the ingot and rapidly solidified ribbon
6,261,387: Rare-earth iron-boron magnet containing cerium and lanthanum
6,136,100: Rare-earth allow powders for magnets and process for making magnets from rare-earth alloy powders

Media Broadcasting

6,983,480: Method for authorizing limited programming distribution
6,973,662: Method for providing programming distribution

Medical Devices

6,575,941: Permanent locking mechanism for sharp-instrument safety guard

Microelectromechanical Systems

7,153,440: Surfactant-enhanced protection of micromechanical components from galvanic degradation
7,042,609: Two-dimensional stepwise-controlled microstructure
7,030,537: Movable MEMS-based noncontacting device
7,019,885: Hidden flexure ultra planar optical routing element
7,002,215: Floating entrance guard for preventing electrical short circuits
6,969,996: Methods for affirming switched status of MEMS-based devices
6,954,563: Optical routing mechanism with integral fiber input/output arrangement on MEMS die
6,939,574: Method for reducing leaching in metal-coated MEMS
6,909,530: Movable microstructure with contactless stops
6,829,069: Two-dimensional free-space optical wavelength routing element based on stepwise controlled tilting mirrors
6,793,209: MEMS die holder
6,778,304: Bistable micromirror with contactless stops
6,750,655: Methods for affirming switched status of MEMS-based devices
6,701,037: MEMS-based noncantacting free-space optical switch
6,657,759: Bistable micromirror with contactless stops
6,600,591: Micromirror array having adjustable mirror angles
6,535,319: Free-space optical wavelength routing element based on stepwise controlled tilting mirrors
6,525,352: Method to reduce release time of micromachined devices
6,517,734: Grating fabrication process using combined crystalline-dependent and crystalline-independent etching
6,439,728: Multimirror stack for vertical integration of MEMS devices in two-position retroreflectors

Optics and Optical Networking

7,212,723: Monolithic waveguidearrays
7,124,206: Variable-density optical cross-connect architectures and upgrades
7,136,782: Optical measurements in fluids using distributed sensor networks
7,080,528: Method of forming a phosphorus doped optical core using a PECVD process
7,079,723: Optical wavelength cross connect architectures using wavelength routing elements
7,062,141: Deposition of thick BPSG layers as upper and lower cladding for optoelectronics applications
7,054,561: Reduction of polarization-dependent loss from grating used in double-pass configuration
7,003,225: Survivable ring transmission system with multiple protection classes
6,995,910: Diffraction grating with reduced polarization-dependent loss
6,990,268: Optical wavelength crosss connect architectures using wavelength routing elements
6,959,132: One-to-M wavelength routing element
6,924,923: Nonmechanical wavelength-independent beam steerer
6,873,755: Wavelength router with staggered input/output fibers
6,873,447: Two-dimensional free-space optical wavelength routing element based on stepwise controlled tilting mirrors
6,853,811: Dual-wave optical shared protection ring
6,845,187: Linear optical beam translator for optical routing
6,813,408: Methods for performing in-service upgrades of optical wavelength cross connects
6,781,730: Variable wavelength attenuator for spectral grooming and dynamic channel equalization using micromirror routing
6,766,081: Focal length dispersion compensation for field curvature
6,751,415: Reduction of polarization-dependent loss from grating used in double-pass configuration
6,747,799: High-efficiency low-polarization-dependent-loss lamellar diffraction-grating profile and production process
6,690,853: Tunable DWDM demultiplexer
6,674,584: Optical surface-mount lens cell
6,542,657: Binary switch for an optical wavelength router
6,535,664: 1 X 2 optical wavelength router
6,490,089: Diffraction grating with reduced polarization-dependent loss
6,449,096: Diffraction grating with reduced polarization-dependent loss

Satellites and Outer-Space Applications

7,030,824: MEMS reflectarray antenna for satellite applications
6,865,616: Flexible media access control and section filter hardware engine for satellite data receiver
6,831,600: Intermodulation suppression for transmit active phased array multibeam antennas with shaped beams

Semiconductors and Semiconductor Processing

7,534,714: Radial temperature control for lattice-mismatched epitaxy
7,459,380: Dislocation-specific mask deposition and lateral epitaxial overgrowth to reduce dislocation density of nitride films
7,455,893: Staggered in-situ deposition and etching of a dielectric layer for HDP-CVD
7,364,991: Buffer-layer treatment of MOCVD-grown nitride structures
7,363,876: Multi-core transformer source
7,354,501: Upper chamber for high density plasma CVD
7,294,588: In-situ-etch-assisted HDP deposition
7,294,205: Method for reducing the intrinsic stress of high density plasma films
7,244,658: Low stress STI films and methods
7,229,931: Oxygen plasma treatment for enhanced HDP-CVD gapfill
7,205,240: HDP-CVD multistep gapfill process
7,196,021: HDP-CVD deposition process for filling high aspect ratio gaps
7,192,486: Clog-resistant gas delivery system
7,183,227: Use of enhanced turbomolecular pump for gapfill deposition using high flows of low-mass fluent gas
7,132,134: Staggered in-situ deposition and etching of a dielectric layer for HDP CVD
7,094,313: Universal mid-frequency matching network
7,087,536: Silicon oxide gapfill deposition using liquid precursors
7,087,497: Low-thermal-budget gapfill process
7,081,414: Deposition-selective etch-deposition process for dielectric film gapfill
7,049,211: In-situ-etch-assisted HDP deposition using SiF4
7,036,453: Apparatus for reducing plasma charge damage for plasma processes
6,958,112: Methods and systems for high-aspect-ratio gapfill using atomic-oxygen generation
6,946,368: Reduction of native oxide at germanium interface using hydrogen-based plasma
6,926,926: Silicon carbide deposited by high density plasma chemical-vapor deposition with bias
6,903,031: In-situ-etch-assisted HDP deposition using SiF4 and hydrogen
6,890,597: HDP-CVD uniformity control
6,869,880: In situ application of etch back for improved deposition into high-aspect-ratio features
6,821,577: Staggered in-situ deposition and etching of a dielectric layer for HDP CVD
6,808,748: Hydrogen assisted HDP-CVD deposition process for aggressive gap-fill technology
6,803,325: Apparatus for improving barrier layer adhesion to HDP-FSG thin films
6,514,870: In situ wafer heat for reduced backside contamination
6,511,922: Methods and apparatus for producing stable low k FSG film for HDP-CVD
6,335,288: Gas chemistry cycling to achieve high aspect ratio gapfill with HDP-CVD