Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Shaffer & Culbertson, LLP
  • Patent number: 6358151
    Abstract: Pools of game play records (25) used in lottery-type games are stored at each player terminal (14) in a network which includes at least one player terminal and least one central processing system (12). The central processing system (12) is responsible for receiving game play requests from the player terminals (14) and, in response to each game play request, providing game play record identifying information (32) to the player terminal from which the game play request originated. This game play record identifying information (32) allows the player terminal (14) to access the identified game play record (25) and use information from the game play record to communicate to the player the result of the game play.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: Multimedia Games, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph R. Enzminger, Jefferson C. Lind, Clifton Lind
  • Patent number: 6359214
    Abstract: An EMI gasket (20) includes a plurality of serrations (34) along at least one edge (35, 36). The serrations (34) are arranged side-by-side so that each may be articulated individually. That is, one of the serrations (34) may be displaced significantly out of the plane of the gasket without affecting adjacent serrations. Thus, when the edge of the gasket (20) is compressed between two surfaces which include a discontinuity (40) such as a step or protuberance between them, the serration in contact with the discontinuity is displaced out of the plane of the gasket without displacing adjacent portions of the gasket. Allowing a portion of an EMI gasket (20) to be displaced out of the plane of the gasket without affecting adjacent portions of the gasket substantially reduces or eliminates gaps which occur due to the failure of the gasket to precisely follow the contour of a component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Richard N. Worley, Leroy Jones, Jr., Steve L. Williams
  • Patent number: 6357652
    Abstract: A shipping carton (10) is formed from a primary box (11) and an extension box (12) adapted to be joined together in a connected position. The primary box (11) may contain a base product while the extension box (12) provides room for optional items which may be purchased together with the base product. When joined together in the connected position, the combined boxes provide the unitary shipping carton (10) which accommodates both the base product and optional items. The extension box (12) includes at least two stabilizing tabs (16, 17). The stabilizing tabs (16, 17) extend from a connecting side (32) of the extension box (12) which is adapted to abut a side of the primary box (11) when the boxes are in the connected position. The stabilizing tabs (16, 17) function to stabilize the extension box (12) from lateral movement with respect to the primary box (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: Dell Products, LP
    Inventors: Timothy M. Evans, Michael T. Miller
  • Patent number: 6354065
    Abstract: A packaging device (10) includes two separate container portions. A first container portion (11) contains general documentation, while a second container portion (15) contains system setup material (30) having setup indicia (31) such as a COA which is required for setting up or installing the subject equipment. The second container portion (15) includes a window (22) through which the setup indicia (31) is visible when the material (30) is properly received in a display position. A locking arrangement (38) may be included with the second container portion (15) for locking the setup material (30) in the proper display position. Also, the packaging device (10) may include identifying indicia (35) printed on an exterior surface adjacent to the window (22) for drawing the customer's attention to the important setup indicia (31) visible through the window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Dell Products, LP
    Inventors: Beryl Hamilton Horton, Donna Moore, John Terwilliger
  • Patent number: 6351380
    Abstract: A fan mounting arrangement (10) includes at least one mounting member (14). Each mounting member (14) includes a resilient outer element (19) and an inner element (18) made from a substantially rigid material. The mounting members (14) are all arranged to extend generally parallel to each other. Each mounting member (14) is adapted to be received in a corresponding mounting receptacle (31) associated with a fan housing (11). Once the fan (11) is placed over the mounting members (14) with each mounting member received in its respective mounting receptacle (31), a retaining arrangement retains the fan in the installed position on the mounting members. In this installed position, the resilient elements (19) absorb vibrations from the fan (11) to mechanically isolate the fan from the remainder of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2002
    Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: James Don Curlee, Robert Warren Johnson
  • Patent number: 6346221
    Abstract: A waste tire processing apparatus (10) reacts waste tires (26) with a molten reactant metal (19) to recover primarily carbon and stainless steel. The apparatus (10) includes a tire positioning arrangement (20) for positioning the waste tires (26) in the molten reactant metal (19) for a reaction period. After the reaction period, the tire positioning arrangement (20) removes from the molten metal non-reacted solids remaining after the reaction. The non-reacted solids comprise primarily stainless-steel included in the waste tires. As the waste tires (26) are reacted in the molten reactant metal (19), a gas recovery arrangement (14) collects process gases released from the molten metal. The gas recovery arrangement (14) recovers primarily carbon, metal salts, hydrogen, and nitrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2002
    Assignee: Clean Technologies International Corporation
    Inventor: Anthony S. Wagner
  • Patent number: 6340087
    Abstract: A packaging device (1) including a flap retention arrangement (30). The packaging device incorporating the flap retention arrangement (30) includes a panel (22) and a flap member (26). The flap member (26) is connected to the panel (22) and adapted to move between a first position and a second position with respect to the panel (22). The flap retention arrangement (30) includes a retention member (33) and a capture element (37). The retention member (33) is mounted on one of the flap member (26) or the panel (22) while the capture element (37) is located on the other one of the flap member (26) or the panel (22). Regardless of which portion of the flap retention arrangement (30) is mounted on one of the flap member (26) or the panel (22), the retention member (33) and the capture element (37) are situated so as to make contact with each other when the flap member (26) is moved to the second position. This contact retains the flap member (26) in the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2002
    Assignee: Dell Products, LP.
    Inventors: John William Bridges, Nancy Shubeck Romano
  • Patent number: 6339440
    Abstract: A method for positioning a cursor (20) on a display (16) includes receiving a store signal from a user input arrangement associated with a computer system (10). In response to the store signal, a set of display location data is stored in a display location memory array. The set of display location data defines the position of the cursor (20) at the time of the store signal. The user may then move the cursor (20) to any other position on the display (16). In response to a jump signal produced by the user, the stored set of display location data is read from the display location memory array and the cursor (20) is immediately repositioned from its current position to the location defined by the stored set of display location data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2002
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Craig H. Becker, Dave W. Glass, Clifford A. Pickover
  • Patent number: 6303882
    Abstract: A load cell system (10) having a frame (12) to which upper compliance assembly (14) is connected. A load cell (16) is connected to upper compliance assembly (14) and lower compliance assembly (18) is connected to load cell (16). In preferred embodiments, load cell system (10) includes fixed overload limit (26), moving overload limit(28), and anti-rotation device (24). In a still further embodiment, load cell system (10) includes a data transmission and receiver device (65) for transmitting and receiving data to and from load cell (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: Cranium Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas W. Stephens, Donald R. Zrudsky
  • Patent number: 6303864
    Abstract: A cable management arm (10) according to the invention attaches to a receiver arrangement (15) associated with some structure adapted to slide with a component (12) mounted in a rack structure (11). The receiver arrangement (15) includes an edge feature (40) and a tab receiving feature (41). A connector arrangement (14) includes a connector base (45) with a connector member (46, 47) extending from one side of the connector base and having an intermediate section (51) and a distal section (50). The distal section (50) of the connector member (46, 47) is adapted to hook over the edge feature when the intermediate section is positioned adjacent to, or flush against the edge feature. A retainer member (54) is also connected to the connector base with a retainer tab (55) extending from the retainer member. The retainer tab (55) cooperates with the tab receiving feature (41) to hold the connector member (46, 47) in a connected position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Chris Stephen Johnson, Robert F. Gontarek
  • Patent number: 6298379
    Abstract: A network computer (12) receives instructions from a network manager (11), including a control interrupt instruction, a system management instruction, and a release instruction. A processor (16) associated with the network computer (12) executes the control interrupt instruction first to produce a control interrupt signal. This control interrupt signal causes an operating status controller (17) associated with the network computer (12) to disable local operational status control at the network computer. After local operational status control is disabled at the network computer (12), the processor (16) executes the system management instruction and performs a system management operation at the network computer. Finally, after the system management operation is completed, the processor (16) executes the release instruction to produce a release signal. The release signal causes the operational status controller (17) to enable local operational status control at the network computer (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2001
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Maximino Aguilar, James A. Brewer, John William Gorrell, Jr., Sanjay Gupta, James Michael Stafford
  • Patent number: 6295369
    Abstract: A multidimensional color image mapping apparatus (10) has an image input and output device (12) connected to at least one computer system (16). An operator monitor (14) for operating and monitoring the device is connected to the image input and output device (12) through at least one computer system (16) for processing an input image. Computer software (78) is provided on the computer system (16) for applying any image processing operation and any mathematical function to an image as a function of at least two input variables where the input variables are distinct color components from one or more color models. In the preferred embodiment, the input image is a video and is processed in a digital format. Further, in a preferred embodiment, there is a master computer (16) and a plurality of additional computers and/or processors (28) for manipulating the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2001
    Assignee: Shapiro Consulting, Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin K. Gordon
  • Patent number: 6288823
    Abstract: A highly efficient electrooptic means and method of light modulation utilizing slow wave optical propagation is provided. A grating structure (35) integrated with a single mode optical waveguide (32) on an electrooptic substrate (30) induces coupling between forward- and reverse-propagating light waves. This contradirectional coupling leads to a reduction in the optical propagation speed in the forward direction. Electrodes (38a and 38b) are provided for applying an electric field to modulate the light propagating in the waveguide (32) via the linear electrooptic (Pockels) effect. In a preferred embodiment, a modulating radio frequency or microwave signal applied to the electrodes (38a and 38b) propagates in the same direction as the modulated light wave at substantially the same velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: Texas A&M University System
    Inventor: Henry F. Taylor
  • Patent number: 6280342
    Abstract: A slide (10) with a pair of suspension cables (12) and flexible material (14) connected to the cables (12). At least one lift (16) and one fall (18) is provided in the slide (10) from beginning to end. In the preferred embodiments, slide (10) includes lifts (16), falls (18), tunnels, loops and curves. Additionally, in a preferred embodiment, free hanging spreader bars (70) are provided to hold suspension cables (12) and flexible material (14) in their original spaced apart hanging position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Inventor: Robert Powell Tod
  • Patent number: 6272604
    Abstract: Each processor (101, 102, 103) in a multiple processor system (100) includes a contingent response unit (121, 122, 123). Each contingent response unit (121, 122, 123) includes a pending operation unit (200) for identifying each pending address bus operation from the respective processor which specifies an address matching a snoop address from another processor. A snoop pipeline is associated with the pending operation unit (200) and includes a plurality of pipeline stages (206). Each snoop pipeline stage (206) has a contingent response flag location (207) and an identifier location (208). When a pending operation from the processor specifies an address which is matched by a younger operation from another processor, a contingent response flag control arrangement uses information from the pending operation unit (200) to set a contingent response flag in a first snoop pipeline stage (206).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jose Melanio Nunez, Robert Charles Podnar, Jr., Marie Jeannette Sullivan
  • Patent number: 6269444
    Abstract: A system reset arrangement (12) resides alternately in an enabled condition or a disabled condition. When the system reset arrangement (12) is in the disabled condition, a switching input provided through a switch (11) does not effect a system reset. However, in the enabled condition, the switching input through the switch (11) causes system reset arrangement (12) to produce a reset output which resets the system. A reset disable arrangement (14) maintains the system reset arrangement (12) in the disabled condition in response to a disable input. When the disable input is removed, reset disable arrangement (14) maintains system reset arrangement (12) in the enabled condition. An interrupt output (15) develops an interrupt signal in response to the switching input. This interrupt signal prompts an interrupt controller (16) to issue a desired system management command to be processed by the system processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Maximino Aguilar, James A. Brewer, John William Gorrell, Jr., Sanjay Gupta, James Michael Stafford
  • Patent number: 6266767
    Abstract: A processor (100) includes a preload queue (160) for storing a plurality of preload entries. Each preload entry is associated with a preload instruction and includes the address and byte count defined by the respective preload and an identifier associated with the respective preload. A comparison unit (170) associated with the preload queue (160) identifies each conflicting preload entry, that is, each preload entry associated with a preload instruction that conflicts with an older store instruction. The oldest preload instruction associated with one of the conflicting preload entries represents a target preload. The processor (100) may flush this target preload along with all instructions executed after the target preload in order to correct for the conflict between the target preload and store instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kurt Alan Feiste, John Stephen Muhich, Steven Wayne White
  • Patent number: 6260273
    Abstract: A method of providing venturi based vacuum valve (10) includes the step of providing a plug (12) formed with first (14), second (16) and third (18) openings. The first opening (14) formed in the plug (12) acts as an inlet and is smaller than the second opening (16). The first (14) and second (16) openings are connected within the plug (12) so that a small diameter space (20) is connected with a large diameter space (22) within the plug (12). A third opening (18), open to the atmosphere and forming a suction hole, intersects the small (20) and large (22) diameter space after the small diameter space (20) and before the second opening (16). The second opening (16) forms an outlet in the plug (12). The plug (12) in a preferred embodiment, is form fitted within a shower pipe (26) so that water is received first at the first opening (14). Thereafter, small diameter space (20) opens into large diameter space (22) and air through third opening (18) is mixed therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Inventor: John L. Brice
  • Patent number: 6257891
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for creating a structure (10) with complex external and internal shapes (12 and 14) includes a unitary flexible mold of a structure (10) with complex external shapes (12). A unitary flexible male mold (24) of the interior of the structure with complex internal shapes (14) that mirror the complex external shapes (12) is created. A keying device (42) connected to the molds (16 and 24) is utilized so that the unitary flexible female mold (16) and the unitary flexible male mold (24) are maintained in a predetermined, fixed relationship (40) when pressed together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: Aqua Innovators Inc.
    Inventors: Tom Moore, George M. Blackburn, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6240536
    Abstract: A latch circuit (10) includes a feedback path which is isolated from a circuit critical path (12). A scan input component (22) is coupled to the feedback path for providing scan test data to the latch circuit (10). A scan output component (23) may also be coupled to the feedback path for providing a separate scan out signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Donald George Mikan, Jr., Johnny James LeBlanc