Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Louis Woo
  • Patent number: 8352007
    Abstract: An oximeter has a housing configured to have a cavity defining portion that is adapted to be fitted with covers of various dimensions to effect receptacles of different dimensions for accommodating differently sized sensor of sensor assemblies that are matable to the oximeter for sensing physical attributes of a patient. Each of the covers, once fully fitted to the housing, is fixedly latched thereto unless a force that overcomes the latching is applied to remove the cover. The effected receptacle is adapted to biasedly retain a corresponding sensor placed therein. The holstered sensor therefore would not accidentally fall out or be removed from the receptacle, until the user deliberately applies a force to remove the sensor from the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Smiths Medical ASD, Inc.
    Inventors: Dave Donars, Robert Rammel, Matthew L. Brown, Guy A. Smith
  • Patent number: 8352539
    Abstract: A technology that makes a program line-up related to contents distributed to a user side, depending on various conditions, preferences, and communication environments of the user side that views and listens to the content is disclosed. According to the technology, an on-board device (content receiving and reproducing device) 1 receives, from a service server 5, potential content list information of contents that can be distributed from a content server 7. The on-board device 1 sorts appropriate content from among the contents in the potential content list information and decide on a reproducing order of the contents, based on conditions of the user side, such as user preferences and vehicle conditions, conditions related to an environment on the user side, such as the communication environment, and conditions related to the contents, such as the genre of the content. The on-board device 1 creates program table information (timetable) and transmits the program table information to the content server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Denso It Laboratory, Inc.
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Mizuno
  • Patent number: 8348908
    Abstract: A regional anesthesia catheter used with a guide such as for example a needle cannula has a distal portion integrally connected to a main portion of the catheter by a junction portion that has a cross-sectional profile different from the distal and main portions, so as to predispose the distal portion of the catheter to move in a given direction when the distal portion is not guided by or constrained by the needle cannula. The cross-sectional profile of the junction portion may be configured in a particular shape, or be constructed to have a flexibility that predisposes the distal portion to bend, curve or move toward a given direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Smiths Medical ASD, Inc.
    Inventor: David Jason Tucker
  • Patent number: 8352054
    Abstract: There is a sequence of samples having values representative of a waveform. Samples corresponding to extrema including maximums and minimums in the waveform are detected. A decision is made as to whether values of successive samples between every two extremum-corresponding samples are in an upward slope or a downward slope. The number of these successive samples is detected. One is selected from coefficients in response to the detected sample number. A first group has one or more samples adjacently preceding a maximum-corresponding sample. A second group has one or more samples adjacently following the maximum-corresponding sample. A third group has one or more samples adjacently preceding a minimum-corresponding sample. A fourth group has one or more samples adjacently following the minimum-corresponding sample. Each of specified samples among the samples in the first to fourth groups is corrected in response to the slope decision result and the selected coefficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoya Ooue
  • Patent number: 8331756
    Abstract: Video data pieces are classified into groups according to prescribed rules. A cut number assigned to each of the groups is decided on the basis of the length or lengths of a video data piece or pieces in each of the groups and the number of the video data piece or pieces in each of the groups. A cut or cuts are extracted from the video data piece or pieces in each of the groups. Regarding each of the groups, the number of the extracted cut or cuts is equal to the decided cut number. Digest data is generated from the extracted cuts for all the groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shin Nakate, Wataru Inoha
  • Patent number: 8317849
    Abstract: An underbody convective warming blanket that may be used by a pediatric or neonate patient includes a head portion configured with multiple substantially U-shaped channels each having a plurality of adjacent rows of apertures that circumscribe the head of the patient positioned on the blanket. The adjacent rows of apertures are configured on the upper layer of the blanket so as to be positioned at an orientation or angle relative to the base plane of the blanket or the head of the patient such that those apertures would substantially face the head of the patient when the blanket is inflated, so that the heated air output from the apertures is directed substantially towards the head of the patient to thereby effect an invisible dome of heated air that envelopes the head of the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Smiths Medical ASD, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Pierre, Rachel Starr, Gregory Hughes
  • Patent number: 8308785
    Abstract: A convective warming blanket has a head portion and a plurality of peripheral sections extending orthogonally from each side of a central section that extends uninterrupted from a proximal end below the head portion to a distal foot end of the blanket. Each peripheral section is separable from its adjacent peripheral section by a frangible or tearable common seal. At least one through passage connects each peripheral section to the central section, so that the peripheral sections are inflated when heated air is input to the blanket. The multiple peripheral sections each are movable relative to the central section, so that different body parts of the patient may be selectively accessed. The head portion of the blanket is formed by two tubular sections that extend from the proximal portion of the blanket to encircle the head of the patient, when the blanket is placed over the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Smiths Medical ASD, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Pierre, Rachel Starr, Alan Stec
  • Patent number: 8305313
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus is composed of a plurality of pixels, a plurality of switches and a driver circuit for driving the plurality of switches. Each of the plurality of pixels is provided with a liquid crystal element in which a liquid crystal layer is sandwiched between a pixel driving electrode and a common electrode confronting with each other, a first sampling and holding circuit, a second sampling and holding circuit and a switching device. The switching device switches a positive image signal voltage and a negative image signal voltage, and supplies the positive and negative image signal voltages alternately to the pixel driving electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masato Furuya, Shuichi Konno, Manabu Endou, Yoshihiro Hori, Takashi Kozakai, Aiichiro Fujiyama, Taku Katayama, Hideo Kurogane
  • Patent number: 8307446
    Abstract: In a data using apparatus, first data use history information is generated in accordance with every use of data. The first data use history information represents a starting time and an ending time of every use of data. The first data use history information is sent toward an external apparatus. Second data use history information is received from the external apparatus. Calculation is made as to first data use terms between the starting times and the ending times represented by the first data use history information. Calculation is made as to second data use terms between starting times and ending times represented by the second data use history information. Multiple apparatus use notice information is generated when at least one of the calculated first data use terms and at least one of the calculated second data use terms overlap each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.
    Inventor: Joji Naito
  • Patent number: 8281789
    Abstract: A cuffed silicone tracheostomy tube has two tapered recesses (17) and (18) on its outer surface in which opposite ends (7) and (8) of a resilient cuff 6 are bonded using an adhesive or solvent. Two shallow ribs (22) and (23) extend around the tube on the inner edge of each recess (17) and (18), projecting outwardly to prevent the adhesive or solvent spreading onto the inflatable portion (10) of the cuff (6). The cuff (6) has several shallow ribs (9) extending around the cuff and spaced along its inflatable portion (10) to promote even inflation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Smith Group plc
    Inventor: Daniel Jay Coates
  • Patent number: 8270653
    Abstract: A microphone-unit supporting structure comprises a microphone unit and a holder. The microphone unit includes a substantially-cylindrical microphone element, a printed circuit board fixed to a back of the microphone element, and at least two projections extending radially outward from the printed circuit board and being circumferentially spaced at such an angular interval that when one of the projections is assumed to be on a reference line for line symmetry, the other projection or projections are off the reference line. The holder includes a microphone-unit supporting portion for supporting the microphone unit. The holder has a first groove for receiving first one of the projections, and a second groove for receiving second one of the projections. The first groove is open in a backward direction. The second groove is open in a frontward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kenwood
    Inventors: Atsuko Yamagushi, Keita Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8250735
    Abstract: A motor adopting an improved mechanism is composed of a stator having a shaft and a rotor provided with a sleeve and a hub, wherein the shaft is inserted into the hub and the hub is fixed on an outer circumferential surface of the sleeve. The outer circumferential surface of the sleeve is provided with a first outer circumferential surface, a second outer circumferential surface and a receiving surface that links between the first and second outer circumferential surfaces. The hub is provided with a base section, a through hole and a first protruded section protruding downward from the base section. A tip end portion of the first protruded section is provided with a hitting surface that contacts with the receiving surface of the sleeve and a second protruded section that links to the contacting surface and protrudes downward from the contacting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Alphana Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuo Kodama, Yuji Omura
  • Patent number: 8251961
    Abstract: A safety needle assembly has a needle hub and a collar. Integrally formed from the proximal portion of the needle hub is a ring that surrounds its luer base. At the distal portion of the needle hub there are coaxially formed circumferential flanges which act to allow the collar to be rotatable about the needle hub. A needle protection housing is connected to the collar and is pivotable to cover the needle that extends from the distal end of the needle hub. Before use, the needle extending from the needle hub is covered by a needle sheath that has a groove formed circumferentially at its proximal end that snap-fits to a circumferential rib formed at the distal end of the collar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Smiths Medical ASD, Inc.
    Inventors: Marius Hauri, Frank Blinkhorn, David Maclean, Lawrence P. Hudon, Robert Simas, Jr., Troy M. Derby
  • Patent number: 8249118
    Abstract: A compressively-encoding-resultant video signal resulting from compressively encoding a video signal, a first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal resulting from compressively encoding a first audio signal having a synchronized relation with the video signal, a reference clock information signal relating to synchronization between the compressively-encoding-resultant video signal and the first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal, and an indication timing information signal designating an indication timing of the video signal are multiplexed to get an AV multiplexing-resultant signal. A second audio signal is compressively encoded to get a second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal. A sound-production-timing information signal is added to the second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal to get a substitution playback audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takayuki Sugahara
  • Patent number: 8249421
    Abstract: An information recording medium includes a recording area for an auxiliary signal, and a recording area for a main signal. The auxiliary-signal recording area and the main-signal recording area are successively arranged. The main-signal recording area stores first information, second information, and third information. The first information represents plural tunes. The second information includes playback control information for separating the tunes into groups and implementing playback of the tunes group by group. The third information includes interactive data for permitting an access to the first information of the tunes group by group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Tanaka, Shoji Ueno
  • Patent number: 8243763
    Abstract: A compressively-encoding-resultant video signal resulting from compressively encoding a video signal, a first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal resulting from compressively encoding a first audio signal having a synchronized relation with the video signal, a reference clock information signal relating to synchronization between the compressively-encoding-resultant video signal and the first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal, and an indication timing information signal designating an indication timing of the video signal are multiplexed to get an AV multiplexing-resultant signal. A second audio signal is compressively encoded to get a second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal. A sound-production-timing information signal is added to the second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal to get a substitution playback audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takayuki Sugahara
  • Patent number: 8243762
    Abstract: A compressively-encoding-resultant video signal resulting from compressively encoding a video signal, a first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal resulting from compressively encoding a first audio signal having a synchronized relation with the video signal, a reference clock information signal relating to synchronization between the compressively-encoding-resultant video signal and the first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal, and an indication timing information signal designating an indication timing of the video signal are multiplexed to get an AV multiplexing-resultant signal. A second audio signal is compressively encoded to get a second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal. A sound-production-timing information signal is added to the second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal to get a substitution playback audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takayuki Sugahara
  • Patent number: 8244108
    Abstract: An audio signal is compressively encoded into encoding-resultant audio data. A video signal is compressively encoded into encoding-resultant video data. An audio time stamp for audio-vide synchronous reproduction is added to every unit of the encoding-resultant audio data. A video time stamp for audio-video synchronous reproduction is added to every unit of the encoding-resultant video data. The time-stamp-added audio data and the time-stamp-added video data are multiplexed into main data. To a plurality of first after-recording-purpose data for at least one of (1) the encoding-resultant audio data and (2) the encoding-resultant video data which form the main data, time stamps for reproduction synchronous with a portion of the main data and identification information for identifying the plurality of first after-recording-purpose data are added to convert the first after-recording-purpose data into second after-recording-purpose data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Sugahara, Norihiko Fuchigami, Harukuni Kobari, Toshio Kuroiwa
  • Patent number: 8238382
    Abstract: A compressively-encoding-resultant video signal resulting from compressively encoding a video signal, a first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal resulting from compressively encoding a first audio signal having a synchronized relation with the video signal, a reference clock information signal relating to synchronization between the compressively-encoding-resultant video signal and the first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal, and an indication timing information signal designating an indication timing of the video signal are multiplexed to get an AV multiplexing-resultant signal. A second audio signal is compressively encoded to get a second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal. A sound-production-timing information signal is added to the second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal to get a substitution playback audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takayuki Sugahara
  • Patent number: 8238384
    Abstract: A compressively-encoding-resultant video signal resulting from compressively encoding a video signal, a first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal resulting from compressively encoding a first audio signal having a synchronized relation with the video signal, a reference clock information signal relating to synchronization between the compressively-encoding-resultant video signal and the first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal, and an indication timing information signal designating an indication timing of the video signal are multiplexed to get an AV multiplexing-resultant signal. A second audio signal is compressively encoded to get a second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal. A sound-production-timing information signal is added to the second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal to get a substitution playback audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takayuki Sugahara