Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Hickman Coleman & Hughes, LLP
  • Patent number: 6996609
    Abstract: A voice web browser system includes a telephone, an access system coupled to a TCP/IP network, a telephone system coupling the telephone to the access system, and a speech-to-text system for “reading” text that had been sent over the TCP/IP network to the telephone user. Preferably, the access system receives TCP/IP packets from web pages accessible over the TCP/IP network and parses the HTML code of the web pages into text and non-text portions, such that the text portion can be read to the telephone user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: G&H Nevada Tek
    Inventors: Paul L. Hickman, Michael Gough
  • Patent number: 6487242
    Abstract: A VCO modulator controller including a ROM memory storing a number of waveform maps, a counter coupled to the ROM memory and capable of developing a sequence of ROM addresses, a temporal bit generator responsive to a data stream to develop a next bit Nb, a current bit Cb, and a past bit Pb, control circuitry developing a digital waveform signal from selected waveform maps in the ROM memory using the Nb, Cb, and Pb bits and the sequence of ROM memory outputs, and a DAC that converts the digital waveform signal to an analog VCO control signal that encodes said data stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: VLSI Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: John C. Thomas
  • Patent number: 6442547
    Abstract: Telephone calls, data and other multimedia information is routed through a hybrid network system which includes transfer of information across the internet utilizing telephony routing information and internet protocol address information. The system includes an information services manager that provides data management and data communications between element managers and presentation managers. Information forward from the network element managers is utilized by the information services manager to provide information to network operators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: Andersen Consulting
    Inventor: Michel K. Bowman-Amuah
  • Patent number: 6324647
    Abstract: A system, method, and article of manufacture are provided for providing security management in a development architecture framework. Unauthorized attempts to access a network are detected and when an unauthorized attempt to access the network is detected, a user is notified. Access from the network is restricted to a separate wide area network. The identities of users of credit cards are verified during transactions carried out over the network. The content of electronic mail communicated over the network is also monitored so that the communication of the electronic mail over the network is prevent when the content thereof being deemed inappropriate. The electronic mail is also encrypted during the communication thereof over the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Inventor: Michel K. Bowman-Amuah
  • Patent number: 6281081
    Abstract: An ion implantation method useful for fabricating shallow trench isolation structureimplants phosphorus ions instead of arsenic ions into a substrate when the source/drain regions of an NMOS device are doped. Alternatively, low energy ions are used in the ion implantation for forming the source/drain regions of an NMOS device. Consequently lattice dislocations of the crystal structure within a substrate is reduced and unwanted device leakage current is eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Sun-Chieh Chien, Chien-Li Kuo, Tzung-Han Lee, Wei-Wu Liao
  • Patent number: 6262736
    Abstract: The present invention is a hyperspace (10) constructed of cells (12) having paired connectors (14) that define dimensions (16). Complex tissues (78) of the cells (12) in linear and cyclical ranks (32) can be navigated and manipulated by use of a stepper (84) and various view rasters (92). The types of cells (12) may include text cells (174), audio cells (172), video cells, and executable cells (118). By the use of clone cells (68) and a clone dimension (74), the cells (12) may be duplicated or referenced by transclusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Inventor: Theodor Holm Nelson
  • Patent number: 6244711
    Abstract: The teachings of the present invention aid a user in attaining an ergonomic position with respect to a remote object such as a display screen (e.g., VDT) or a manufacturing tool. To that end, various mechanisms which feedback to the viewer information related to position and orientation are taught. A first aspect incorporates a feedback mechanism into a display screen. The feedback mechanism could be formed in a variety of manners. In one embodiment, four lights are arranged such that a viewer in the proper orientation will perceive all four lights. However, as the viewer's orientation varies, one or more of the lights is concealed, thereby indicating to the user that the orientation is improper. In another embodiment, the cluster of lights is replaced with a cluster of four distinct pieces of diffraction grating. The diffraction grating could be such that the intensity of the reflected light varies as the viewer's orientation varies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: Vega Vista, Inc.
    Inventors: Sina Fateh, James F. Flack
  • Patent number: 6234487
    Abstract: A game apparatus allowing a player to position a pick-up device over an offered prize, to pick up the prize with the pick-up device, and to reposition the pick-up device and release the prize from the pick-up device to the player. The pick-up device includes a claw with fingers and a gauge between the fingers to facilitate more securely grasping the offered prize between the fingers. The pick-up device is connected to a movement device to facilitate player positioning of the pick-up device. The pick-up device and movement device are located within a housing above the offered prizes which are also within the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Inventor: Stephen P. Shoemaker, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6221218
    Abstract: An inductive write head includes a first pole and a second pole that form a yoke having a write gap between the first pole and second pole. The second pole is formed of a particular Co100-a-bZRaCRb compound. More specifically, the second pole is formed where “a” is in the range of about 2 atomic percent to about 18 atomic percent, and “b” is in the range of about 0.5 atomic percent to about 6 atomic percent. The magnetic write element also includes a conductive coil which lies between the first pole and the second pole. The inductive write head also includes a first yoke pedestal attached to the first pole, and a second yoke pedestal attached to the second pole, with the write gap formed therebetween. Further, the first yoke pedestal has a pedestal width that defines the write element trackwidth and that is smaller than the pedestal width of the second yoke pedestal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: Read-Rite Corporation
    Inventors: Zhupei Shi, Chun He, Syed Hossain, Mark S. Miller
  • Patent number: 6219747
    Abstract: Disclosed is a SDRAM system including a SDRAM having multiple banks of memory, a plurality of bank state machines associated the multiple banks of memory of the SDRAM, and a data control state machine. The data state machine is responsive to a memory request for a variable length data transfer with the SDRAM and as well as the bank state machines. The data control state machine determines the current state of a first bank of memory of the SDRAM. The current state may be either a read in progress, a write in progress, or idle. The data control state machine then handles the memory request with a different bank of memory RAM depending upon the current state of the first bank of memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Inventors: Jano D. Banks, Dale R. Adams, Albert M. Scalise
  • Patent number: 6212369
    Abstract: The present invention teaches parallel coupling what are herein termed a “switching stage” and a “steering stage,” thereby arranging the mixer and variable gain amplifier circuitry as a single merged circuit. The merged variable gain mixers of the present invention provide mixing and gain functionality utilizing only that power needed for a basic mixer function and only the transconductance of the basic mixer function (thereby eliminating non-linearities introduced by additional transconductance stages of prior art circuitry). Further, in the merged variable gain mixers described herein, no additional headroom is needed other than what is required by the basic mixer function. The present invention contemplates a variety of merged variable gain mixers including AC and DC coupled merged variable gain mixer of both single and double balanced configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Madhu Avasarala
  • Patent number: 6211909
    Abstract: This camera has a plurality of light-emitting devices such as LED, which flicker in response to the number of shots which can be photographed. Also, while having no liquid crystal display for showing an error when it occurs, this camera has a non-volatile memory for writing an error code. When the camera is connected to a computer, the error code can be displayed on the computer screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: Chinon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Maeshima, Kazuki Itoh, Urato Aruga, Hideo Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6202291
    Abstract: An apparatus (10) for aligning device interconnections, which includes a structure (20) having at least one reference plane (38, 39). The structure (20) further includes a number of device bays (22). The apparatus (10) also includes at least one interconnect assembly (40), and at least one clamp (71) for locking the interconnect assembly (40) in fixed spatial relation to the reference plane (38). A clamp release (72) is provided for releasing the clamp (71) so that the interconnect assembly (40) is free to move with respect to the reference plane (40). A positioning guide (98) is provided for positioning the interconnect assembly (40) at an appropriate location with respect to the at least one reference plane (38, 39) for proper alignment while the clamp (71) is released, before again being clamped in a fixed position with respect to the reference plane (38). A method for aligning device interconnections is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: Greystone Peripherals
    Inventor: Thomas Toedtman
  • Patent number: 6202062
    Abstract: An agent based system assists in obtaining information from an article of interest and utilizes the information to take user directed action based on the information from the target article. The system obtains input text in character form indicative of the target meeting from the a calendar program that includes the time of the meeting. As the time of the meeting approaches, the calendar program is queried to obtain the text of the target event and that information is utilized as input to the agent system. Then, the agent system parses the input meeting text to extract its various components such as title, body, participants, location, time etc. The system also performs pattern matching to identify particular appropriate information. This information is utilized to query various sources of information on the web and obtain relevant stories about the current meeting to send back to the calendaring system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: AC Properties B.V.
    Inventors: Richard Neill Cameron, Loic Jaouen Feinbier, Alexander Peter Van den Hondel
  • Patent number: 6198609
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive (MR) device includes a sensor that has a first surface electrically coupled to a first lead structure, and a second surface electrically coupled to a second lead structure. The first lead structure and second lead structure each include an insulation layer with an aperture that is aligned with the sensor. Conductive materials, disposed within the apertures, are electrically coupled to said first and second surfaces of the sensor, respectively, thereby restricting the current flow of an applied current as it passes through the sensor. The first lead structure can further include a shield and a sense lead, each of which are electrically coupled with the conductive material disposed within the first aperture, while the second lead structure can further include a shield and sense lead which are electrically couple with said conductive material disposed with the second aperture. Also, the conductive material can form part of the shield or sense lead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Read-Rite Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald A. Barr, Billy W. Crue, Ming Zhao
  • Patent number: 6199099
    Abstract: A system, method, and article of manufacture are provided for obtaining information on a mobile computing environment utilizing a distributed communication network. A pattern template is generated. This pattern template is stored on a thin client computer. A query is then created on the thin client computer based in part on user input. A network is queried for information utilizing a distributed communication network. A response is then received to the query from the distributed communication network. This response is processed utilizing an application tool on the thin client computer. The response is filtered by the application tool based on the pattern template. Information is then displayed to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: AC Properties B.V.
    Inventors: Anatole Vitaly Gershman, Kishore Sundaram Swaminathan, James L. Meyers, Andrew Ernest Fano
  • Patent number: 6195697
    Abstract: According to a broad aspect of a preferred embodiment of the invention, a Customer Interface Process is provided. First, a service level agreement is received for a hybrid network customer. Next, the service level agreement is stored after which inquiries are received from network customers reflecting occurrences related to the hybrid network. Thereafter, events are generated based on the customer inquiries and the service level agreement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: AC Properties B.V.
    Inventor: Michel K. Bowman-Amuah
  • Patent number: 6195651
    Abstract: A system is disclosed that facilitates a web-based user interface to a particular application program that is enabled by obtaining user profile information, parsing the content of the particular application, matching the parsed content to user profile information and presenting the parsed content matches in a format based on information in the user's profile on a display. An innovative pattern matching system is integrated into the match processing to provide improved matching capability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Andersen Consulting Properties BV
    Inventors: Sean Handel, Brian Day, Miya Yuen
  • Patent number: D438491
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: NorthPole US LLC
    Inventor: Mads Odgard
  • Patent number: D439570
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: CTX Opto-Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: Jimmy Tsao, Jonny Chen
  • Patent number: 4682988
    Abstract: A grinding wheel is described which is bonded with a phenol formaldehyde resin based bond containing hexamethylenetetramine as the curing agent. The wheels are made by first wetting the abrasive with furfural in varying quantities relative to the amount of hexamethylenetetramine in the phenol formaldehyde resin. Different amounts of the curing agent require different specific amounts of furfural to produce optimum properties in the finished grinding wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1987
    Assignee: Norton Company
    Inventors: Kesh S. Narayanan, Gordon E. Hickory