Patents Represented by Attorney Ballard Spahr, LLP
  • Patent number: 8229755
    Abstract: A system and method to permit foreign or interstate wagering from remote locations where the wager is placed, accepted and settled all within a state, territory or other forum where wagering and other gaming is sanctioned. An organization situated in the forum location (the “forum host”) establishes and maintains a business entity to bestow an intra-forum presence to the foreign or interstate player. Through the business entity, the forum host can account for the player's wagers, winnings and losses, while at the same time, allocating and/or collecting the appropriate federal, state and/or local taxes and fees on the member/player's account. The process is automated via a host computer system, which manages betting activities of a plurality of members/players, and enables one or more players at a remote location to participate in intrastate gaming for purposes of the local forum's laws, rules and regulations affecting the gaming industry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Inventor: David A. Felice
  • Patent number: 8228492
    Abstract: There is provided a solar powered light intensity measurement device which includes one or more photovoltaic cells, one or more resistors and one or more light emitting diodes. The one or more photovoltaic cells convert light to electricity, the output corresponding to the intensity of incident light. Electrically activated from the photovoltaic cells, through the one or more resistors, the light emitting diodes emit a signal color, further corresponding to their electrical activation and hence to the intensity of light incident upon the one or more photovoltaic cells. The signal color is compared to reference color or chart for use in determining the relevant light intensity. In one embodiment, the device further includes an analog switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Inventor: Chad E. Brokopp
  • Patent number: 8222175
    Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the preparation of an olefin polymerization catalyst, to the use of the catalyst in olefin polymerization and to the catalyst and polymers obtained. In particular, the invention relates to the preparation of a catalyst comprising an organometallic compound of a transition metal of Group 3 to 10 of the Periodic Table (IUPAC) by a semi-continuous or continuous process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Borealis Technology Oy
    Inventors: Michael Bartke, Peter Denifl
  • Patent number: 8220552
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of inhibiting formation of solid hydrates in a conduit used to contain a flowing, water-containing hydrocarbon, which method comprises introducing into said hydrocarbon in said conduit a gas which raises the pressure threshold for hydrate formation for said water-containing hydrocarbon, said gas being introduced in a manner which causes it to travel along at least part of said conduit in the direction of hydrocarbon flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Statoil ASA
    Inventors: Keijo J. Kinnari, Catherine Labes-Carrier, Knud Lunde, Leif Aaberge
  • Patent number: 8219188
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for treating a medical condition of a patient, involving detecting a physiological cycle or cycles of the patient and applying an electrical signal to a portion of the patient's vagus nerve through an electrode at a selected point in the physiological cycle(s). The physiological cycle can be the cardiac and/or respiratory cycle. The selected point can be a point in the cardiac cycle correlated with increased afferent conduction on the vagus nerve, such as a point from about 10 msec to about 800 msec after an R-wave of the patient's ECG, optionally during inspiration by the patient. The selected point can be a point in the cardiac cycle when said applying increases heart rate variability, such as a point from about 10 msec to about 800 msec after an R-wave of the patient's ECG, optionally during expiration by the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Catholic Healthcare West
    Inventor: Arthur D. Craig
  • Patent number: 8218841
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a rotate-and-slant projector that takes advantage of symmetries in the geometry to compute truly volumetric projections to multiple oblique sinograms in a computationally efficient manner. It is based upon the 2D rotation-based projector using the fast three-pass method of shears, and it conserves the 2D rotator computations for multiple projections to each oblique sinogram set. The projector is equally applicable to both conventional evenly-spaced projections and unevenly-spaced line-of-response (LOR) data (where the arc correction is modeled within the projector). The LOR-based version models the exact location of the direct and oblique LORs, and provides an ordinary Poisson reconstruction framework. Speed optimizations of various embodiments of the projector include advantageously utilizing data symmetries such as the vertical symmetry of the oblique projection process, a coarse-depth compression, and array indexing schemes which maximize serial memory access.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: University of Utah Research Foundation
    Inventor: Dan J. Kadrmas
  • Patent number: 8216446
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of labelling and analysing nucleic acids. More specifically, the invention relates to a method of analysing nucleic acids, which comprises contacting the nucleic acids to be detected, which are in the form of single-stranded nucleic acid strands partially (i.e. over a part of the total length of the nucleic acid strands) hybridized with protective strands, with substances which specifically react with nucleobases of the single-stranded sections of the nucleic acid strands, and which are capable of subsequently participating in a reversible redox reaction in electroanalytical processes known to the skilled worker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Universität Rostock
    Inventors: Gerd-Uwe Flechsig, Thomas Reske
  • Patent number: 8216491
    Abstract: A method of producing a thin film comprising uniformly dispersed carbon nanotubes, the method comprising the steps of: adapting a molecular semiconductor to make it soluble; adapting the molecular semiconductor to facilitate the formation of a high degree of molecular order and frontier orbital overlap between adjacent molecules; adapting carbon nanotubes to make them soluble; combining the soluble carbon nanotubes and the soluble molecular semiconductor in a solvent to form a solution; producing the thin film from the solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: University of Surrey
    Inventors: Ross Andrew Hatton, Sembukutiarachilage Ravi Silva
  • Patent number: 8219177
    Abstract: A method and system for performing invasive procedures includes a surgical robot which is controlled by a guidance system that uses time of flight calculations from RF transmitters embedded in the robot, surgical instrument, and patient anatomy. Sensors around the room detect RF transmissions emitted by the RF transmitters and drive the robot according to a preprogrammed trajectory entered into the guidance system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Catholic Healthcare West
    Inventors: David W. Smith, Regina DeSanctis-Smith, Alan M. Pitt, Nicholas Theodore, Neil R. Crawford
  • Patent number: 8219178
    Abstract: A method and system for performing invasive procedures includes a surgical robot which is controlled by a guidance system that uses time of flight calculations from RF transmitters embedded in the robot, surgical instrument, and patient anatomy. Sensors around the room detect RF transmissions emitted by the RF transmitters and drive the robot according to a preprogrammed trajectory entered into the guidance system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Catholic Healthcare West
    Inventors: David W. Smith, Regina DeSanctis-Smith, Alan M. Pitt, Nicholas Theodore, Neil R. Crawford
  • Patent number: 8215449
    Abstract: A method of controlling a discharge of an exhaust gas from a pneumatic device includes directing the exhaust gas from an exhaust port of the pneumatic device into proximity with a heated portion of the pneumatic device, expanding the exhaust gas in proximity with the heated portion of the pneumatic device to heat the exhaust gas, and discharging the exhaust gas to atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Longyear TM, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Lee Case, Tolulope Kayode Ajibola, Shakeel Khalfan
  • Patent number: 8210261
    Abstract: A method of well construction or treatment comprising the introduction of a settable cement that contains pulverulent aplite down a borehole is provided, together with a cement composition comprising at least 30% by weight of cement pulverulent aplite on a dry solid basis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Statoil ASA
    Inventors: Rune Godøy, Hallvar Eide, Arild Saasen
  • Patent number: 8214061
    Abstract: A distributed intelligence lighting system is comprised of a global controller, one or more local controllers, wall stations, sensors and lighting fixtures. In one aspect, the lighting system provides schedule-based, occupancy-based, and/or daylight-responsive automated control and multi-level or ON/OFF manual control of lighting loads. System components communicate over a topology-free and polarity-free modular low voltage digital network that combines power and control wiring in an easily installed labeled and keyed cable. Embodiments according to the system do not require any components to be addressed, manually configured, or programmed (beyond setting the project location and current time and date) for energy code compliance. Manual and after-hours override control is accomplished via local low voltage wall stations or occupancy sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC
    Inventors: Rich L. Westrick, Jr., Stephen H. Lydecker, Mark Norton
  • Patent number: 8213412
    Abstract: A communications system and method is configured to provide multimedia services utilizing a signaling protocol such as a session initiated protocol (SIP), via a local access network. The method includes providing a local proxy having an internet protocol (IP) address, wherein the local proxy is integrated with the local access network. The method further includes providing a client device having a signaling protocol client, wherein the client device is coupled to a remote access network that is external to the local access network. Additionally, the method includes initiating a session by the client device accessing the IP address of the local proxy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Veeru N. Ramaswamy, Franklyn Athias
  • Patent number: 8204565
    Abstract: Disclosed is an implantable microspectrometer for the reagentless optical detection of an analyte in a sample fluid. The microspectrometer comprises an optical sampling cell having a cell housing defining a fluid inlet port and a fluid outlet port, the fluid inlet port configured to receive an optical sampling fluid from a test subject; an electromagnetic radiation source in communication with a first portion of the optical sampling cell housing and configured to irradiate at least a portion of the optical sampling fluid with electromagnetic radiation; and an electromagnetic radiation detector in communication with a second portion of the optical sampling cell housing and configured to detect electromagnetic radiation emanating from the optical sampling cell. In use, the implantable microspectrometer can optically detect at least one parameter of an analyte contained within the optical sampling fluid in the absence of an added reagent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: University of Iowa Research Foundation
    Inventors: Mark A. Arnold, Jonathon T. Olesberg, Chris Coretsopoulos
  • Patent number: 8202701
    Abstract: Compositions and methods for producing encapsulated cells having an average diameter of less than about 200 ?m are provided. Methods for using the disclosed encapsulated cells are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
    Inventors: Barbara Dale Boyan, Ramsey Christian Kinney, Zvi Schwartz
  • Patent number: 8191646
    Abstract: A method of protecting a hydrocarbon conduit during a period of reduced hydrocarbon flow is disclosed, where nitrogen is introduced into the conduit at a pressure of 1 to 350 bar g and at a rate of (1.5 to 35)A kg/sec (where A is the internal cross sectional area of the conduit in square meters) for a period of t hours where t=(p×d)/n where d is the length in km of the conduit from the nitrogen introduction location and n is 10 to 400.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Statoil ASA
    Inventors: Keijo J. Kinnari, Catherine Labes-Carrier, Knud Lunde, Leif Aaberge
  • Patent number: 8194936
    Abstract: Methods and systems for image registration implementing a feature-based strategy that uses a retinal vessel network to identify features, uses an affine registration model estimated using feature correspondences, and corrects radial distortion to minimize the overall registration error. Also provided are methods and systems for retinal atlas generation. Further provided are methods and systems for testing registration methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: University of Iowa Research Foundation
    Inventors: Michael Abramoff, Meindert Niemeijer, Sangyeol Lee, Joseph Reinhardt
  • Patent number: D663237
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Inventor: Scott Eben Dunn
  • Patent number: D663238
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Inventor: Scott Eben Dunn