Patents Represented by Law Firm Whitman, Curtis & Whitham
  • Patent number: 6138160
    Abstract: A wake up server permits both parties (the receiver and the responder) to be connected to the Internet only when a request or response is to be delivered. The wake up server consists of two parts; a server, which contains the telephone numbers of all machines (application partners) that dial to connect to the Internet, and on each application partner, a process monitor that monitors the telephone line and detects when a ring occurs. When an application partner is unable to deliver a request or response to another application partner, a request is sent to the wake up server to activate the target application partner. The wake up server dials the telephone number of the requested application partner and waits for ringing to occur. The wake up server then disconnects (i.e., hangs up the telephone line). The wake up monitor detects the ring and immediately dials to connect to the Internet. When the original application partner tries to send the response or request again, the process will now be successful.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen Joy Boies, Stephen Eric Levy, Michael J. Ryan
  • Patent number: 6110824
    Abstract: Capacitive coupling, and attendant cross-talk, is reduced by increasing the distance between wire surfaces in integrated circuit applications. This is done by changing wire shape from the conventional rectangular cross-section. A cross-section which consists of a rectangular portion and a shaped, triangular portion is created, having the effect of increasing the effective distance between adjacent conductors. Cross-sectional area of wires is maintained and thus the current carrying capacity is maintained. The wire shapes may be produced using several alternate methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas John Licata, Jack Allan Mandelman
  • Patent number: 6107995
    Abstract: An inflatable keyboard having a base and a keypad is provided. The base includes an embedded conduit having apertures or valves extending from a top surface of the base and pressure transducers surrounding the valves. Conductors connect the pressure transducers to an output mounted on the base.Each aperture or valve and pressure transducer corresponds to and communicates with individual inflatable keys. Each inflatable key forms a separate air tight compartment. The inflatable keys are made of a thin flexible and preferably polymer like material and may be formed on a single premolded sheet which is hermetically sealed to the base in order to form the separate air tight compartments.During the inflated state, the inflatable keys are in an extended upright position and are rigid enough so that a user can use the inflatable keys for typing thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Rowan L. Dordick
  • Patent number: 6070217
    Abstract: Data line loading on high density modules with multiple DRAMs is minimized permitting the maximum memory density of systems of otherwise limited density to be increased without an ensuing performance degradation due to data line capacitive loading. First the single or dual in-line memory module (SIMM or DIMM) includes in-line bus switches. The bus switches are between the SIMM or DIMM module tabs (system) and random access memory devices (RAM) and are either in a high impedance (off) or active state depending on the READ/WRITE state of the RAM. When in the high impedance state, the effective loading of the module is that of the bit switch device. The logic for determining the READ/WRITE state may be embedded in an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) that monitors bus activity and controls activation of the bus switches, be provided by a memory controller or, generated by the RAM itself. The bus switches are active when the RAM is performing a read or a write and inactive otherwise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brian J. Connolly, Bruce G. Hazelzet, Mark W. Kellogg
  • Patent number: 6035289
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for double auction trade-building by matching, based on feasibility and price/cost heuristics, a plurality of electronically posted bid with a plurality of electronically posted ask records. A one-pass sequential trade building method selects ask records one at a time and sequentially inserts, in one pass, as many of the bid records as possible while maintaining feasibility criteria. A two pass sequential trade building method inserts the bid records in two stages, the first terminating when the trade becomes feasible and the second when no further bids can be inserted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yu-Li Chou, Amit Garg, James Tien-Cheng Yeh
  • Patent number: 6021396
    Abstract: Sensitivity information about the average back-ordered sales and inventory levels of a back-order (R,s,S) inventory system is generated with respect to the two decision variables s and S. This information is used for what-if analysis and optimization of the decision variables s and S. The computer implemented algorithm provides sensitivity of both average inventory levels and average back orders with respect to changes in s and q (where q=S-s), for a back-order inventory simulation for any specified demand distribution. Further, the sensitivity information provided by the algorithm is exact when compared to a finite-difference simulation for the case of both discrete and continuous, stationary and non-stationary demands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sanjay Elathur Ramaswamy, Ying Tat Leung
  • Patent number: 5989258
    Abstract: An apparatus for bone drilling comprising a support member with a guide hole having an aperture of predetermined diameter attached to the side of an object of drilling, and a drilling device having a rotative cutting implement (drill) to be rotated. A guide member is integrally or separately provided on the outer periphery of the rotative cutting implement (drill), and the diameter of the outer periphery of the guide member substantially corresponds to that of the guide hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Inventor: Morihiro Hattori
  • Patent number: 5988908
    Abstract: A barrel for a implement adapted to be gripped by user's fingers in use, comprises a substantially cylindrical body having a finger gripping area and an outer circumferential recess portion provided around the finger gripping area, an elastic finger gripping member mounted the within the circumferential recess portion of the cylindrical body, the finger gripping member having a body of a substantially tubular shape, and a cooperating device for facilitating secure fitting of the finger gripping member within the recess portion of the cylindrical body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: Kotobuki & Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidehei Kageyama, Yoshihide Mitsuya
  • Patent number: 5975749
    Abstract: A carry select adder includes an adder for outputting a first sum of values based on a first presumed carry-in of zero and a second sum of the values based on a second presumed carry-in of one. A sum unit produces an actual sum comprising either the first sum or the second sum based on an actual carry-in and simultaneously determines whether the actual sum is all zeros or all ones. The sum unit selects the actual sum and determines whether the actual sum comprises all zeros or ones in the same time period such that there is no significant additional delay associated with the zero/one detection operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Roland A. Bechade
  • Patent number: 5932031
    Abstract: A mixture of a dye including one or more water soluble fluorescent dyes and a water soluble solder flux provides simple optical inspection under ultraviolet illumination with simple apparatus. The optical inspection is thus made highly sensitive to the presence of residual water soluble flux after washing and highly specific to the water soluble flux with which the dye is mixed. Thus, optical inspection can assure that all water soluble flux is removed to avoid subsequent corrosion while providing the possibility of leaving so-called "no clean" fluxes in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1999
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mark R. Hamilton, Marc V. Malone, Charles J. Merz, III, Joseph D. Poole
  • Patent number: 5892658
    Abstract: A dual-board host or main printed wiring structure of a circuit module with increased component mounting area is made plug-compatible with a backplane to which single-board host or main boards may be attached with connectors of differing dimensions and pin configurations, the center line of which are offset from each other. The connection sides of the two boards are respectively bonded to a heat sink frame structure having a thickness which corresponds to the connector offset on the backplane such that the total thickness of one of the printed wiring boards, the heat sink frame and the two bonding layers with respect to board to center line distances equals the connector offset on a given backplane. Direct connections to both boards of the dual-board structure can thus be made from the backplane to reduce connection length and reliability relating to a mezzanine board mounted on a single-board host.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Lockhead Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Eugene J. Urda, Magid Fazel, Jose R. Caceres, Daniel G. Rice
  • Patent number: 5863474
    Abstract: A method and system of controlling a screw engaging position adjuster provided in a complex mold clamping system. A theoretical deviation of a screw engaging position is theoretically calculated on the basis of a distance by which a movable die has been moved from an origin set for a mold thickness adjustment in clamping process. A measured deviation of the screw engaging position is measured from a distance between a mold clamping cylinder and a movable platen in clamping process. The screw engaging position adjuster is so controlled that a difference between the theoretical deviation and the measuring deviation is within an allowable deviation having previously been set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: Toshiba Machine Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuo Ito, Kiyoshi Sasaki
  • Patent number: 5858855
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a semiconductor substrate which is a composite substrate obtained by (1) forming, on one side of a first single-crystal silicon substrate of first conductivity and low impurity content, a polycrystalline silicon layer of first conductivity and higher impurity content than the impurity content of the first single-crystal silicon substrate, which layer later becomes a life-time killer of a second-conductivity carrier, (2) bonding, on the polycrystalline silicon layer, a second single-crystal silicon substrate of second conductivity and high impurity content, and (3) subjecting the resulting bonded wafer to a heat treatment, as well as to a process for production of the semiconductor substrate. The present invention relates particularly to a semiconductor substrate useful for formation of a vertical power semiconductor device and a process for production of the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Kenya Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 5815140
    Abstract: A pointing device includes a housing, a ball, and a cleaning member. Part of the ball protrudes from an opening of the housing. The cleaning member is pressed against the ball by a mechanism including a rod and a resilient member. The rod is made slidably movable in first and second directions. One end of the rod is connected to the cleaning member. The other end of the rod protrudes from a hole of the housing to form a button. The cleaning member is brought into contact with the ball when the button is pushed in the first direction. The resilient member forces the rod in the second direction to separate the cleaning member from the ball during normal operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Yukio Kitazawa
  • Patent number: 5795830
    Abstract: A method of forming sub-lithographic elements and spaces therebetween where the pitch may be reduced with continuously adjustable line and space dimensions, and a structure resulting from the method, are disclosed. A plurality of spaced convertible members are formed on a substrate. A portion of each member is then converted, thereby reducing the dimensions of the unconverted portion of the member while increasing the width of the member plus its converted layer. A conformal layer of material is then deposited over the converted members, followed by directional etching of the conformal layer. The unconverted portion of the member is then removed. The line and space dimensions can be continuously adjusted by altering either or both of the member's converted layer and conformal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1998
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John E. Cronin, Carter W. Kaanta
  • Patent number: 5793948
    Abstract: An apparatus for recording an interaction log includes an event detector for determining whether a reference event occurred in an interactive system. A state detector detects a parameter indicating a state of the interactive system when the event detector determined that the reference event occurred. A recorder records the parameter detected by the state detector. A latching mechanism latches information to be transferred from an input unit to a processing unit so that the processing unit does not respond to the reference event. A judging mechanism releases the information latched by the latching mechanism when the state detector completes detection. Thus, the state detector detects the parameter in synchronization with occurrence of the reference event. The apparatus also may include a plurality of imaging units and a controller. Each of the imaging units generates an image including graphical items corresponding to reference events recorded in the recorder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1998
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Asahi, Hidehiko Okada
  • Patent number: 5767903
    Abstract: In a solid-state image pickup device comprises a solid-state image pickup section (10) including a substrate and a plurality of photoelectric converting sections formed on the substrate, the photoelectric converting sections accumulates, in response to incident light, electric charges during a controllable accumulating time interval in each frame period as signal charges in synchronism with a frame rate. Connected to the substrate, electronic shutter means discards disused charges during a discarding time interval in the frame period from the photoelectric converting sections to the substrate. The discarding time interval is equal to a difference between the frame period and the controllable accumulating time interval. Connected to the solid-state image pickup section, a timing pulse generating section (20) controls the controllable accumulating time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Toshihiro Kawamura, Yukio Taniji
  • Patent number: 5667938
    Abstract: Proton sponge, berberine, and cetyltrimethyl ammonium hydroxide base compounds are used as additives to chemically amplified photoresists based on modified polyhydroxystyrene (PHS). The base additives scavenge free acids from the photoresist in order to preserve the acid labile moieties on the modified PHS polymer. The base additives are well suited to industrial processing conditions, do not react with the photoacid compounds in the photoresist composition to form byproducts which would hinder photoresist performance, and extend the shelf-life of the photoresist composition. In addition, the proton sponge and berberine base additives have a different absorption spectra than the modified PHS polymer, therefore, the quantity of base additive within the photoresist can be easily assayed and controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1997
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nageshwer Rao Bantu, William Ross Brunsvold, George Joseph Hefferon, Wu-Song Huang, Ahmad D. Katnani, Mahmoud M. Khojasteh, Ratnam Sooriyakumaran, Dominic Changwon Yang
  • Patent number: 5606269
    Abstract: A circuit for detecting an input signal, the circuit having an input node and an output node, includes a first latch having a set input coupled to the input node, for detecting falling transitions at the input node. A second latch having a set input coupled to the input node, detects rising transitions at the input node. A first logic device, responsive to outputs of the first and second latches, detects that an input signal has been received at both the first and second latches. A second logic device, responsive to a complement output of both the first and second latches, resets both the first and second latches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 25, 1997
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dale E. Pontius, Robert Tamlyn
  • Patent number: 5586182
    Abstract: For a portable telephone set having a display portion for displaying various information associated with call or origination and reception, a gyro for detecting inclination of a main body is provided. When substantially horizontal position of the main body for dialing is detected by the gyro, power supply for the display portion is initiated. On the other hand, when the vertical position of the main body for speaking is detected by the gyro, supply for the display portion is shut off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1996
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Toshikazu Miyashita