Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm William J. Burke
  • Patent number: 7130178
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a corona charging device having a powder feed with an outlet. The device has an internal charging cavity having an inlet and a charged powder outlet. The powder feed outlet is positioned at the internal charging cavity inlet. The device is adapted to guide a powder stream downstream from the powder feed outlet to the charged powder outlet. The device also includes a corona charger having one or more needle projections (each having a tip) positioned and adapted to facilitate a corona ion flow from the needle projections and intersecting the powder stream. The device also includes a rotating ground electrode adapted to be charged or grounded to attract the corona flow from the needle projections, and to rotate segments of the ground electrode between the internal charging cavity and a ground electrode cleaner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy Allen Pletcher, David Keller, Wen Ho, Eugene Samuel Poliniak, John Paul Furda, John Thomas McGinn, Donald Chester Pultorak, Mortaza Kashef
  • Patent number: 7064393
    Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device having high holding current for latch-up immunity. The ESD protection circuit is formed in a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) having protected circuitry. The ESD protection device includes a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) coupled between a protected supply line of the IC and ground. A trigger device is coupled from the supply line to a first gate of the SCR, and a first substrate resistor is coupled between the first gate and ground. A first shunt resistor is coupled between the first gate and ground, wherein the shunt resistor has a resistance value lower than the substrate resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignees: Sarnoff Corporation, Sarnoff Europe
    Inventors: Markus Paul Josef Mergens, Cornelius Christian Russ, John Armer, Koen Gerard Maria Verhaege, Phillip Czeslaw Jozwiak
  • Patent number: 7020353
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an imager has an array of photodetectors, each of which accumulates charge during an integration period as a result of light detected during the integration period, the array having a charge capacity which increases during the integration period. A charge capacity controller coupled to the imager adjusts how the imager increases the charge capacity of the array based upon the brightness distribution detected by the imager during at least one previous integration period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation
    Inventors: Neil J. McCaffrey, Peter A. Levine, Frank P. Pantuso, Sr., Donald J. Sauer
  • Patent number: 7018565
    Abstract: Provided among other things is a method of forming a phosphor of the formula SrGa2S4:Eu:xGa2S3??(I) wherein x is 0.0001 to 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation
    Inventors: Yongchi Tian, Diane Zaremba, Perry Niel Yocom
  • Patent number: 7008547
    Abstract: Provided is a solid phase array of electrical sensors, each comprising a channel and electrical leads for attaching to a voltage, current or resistivity meter for measuring the voltage, current or resistivity through the pore, wherein the channels are formed of a single substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation
    Inventors: Jia Ming Chen, Yongchi Tian, Zilan Shen, Pradyumna Swain
  • Patent number: 7005708
    Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) MOS transistor including a plurality of interleaved fingers, where the MOS transistor is formed in an I/O periphery of and integrated circuit (IC) for providing ESD protection for the IC. The MOS transistor includes a P-substrate and a Pwell disposed over the P-substrate. The plurality of interleaved fingers each include an N+ source region, an N+ drain region, and a gate region formed over a channel region disposed between the source and drain regions. Each source and drain includes a row of contacts that is shared by an adjacent finger, wherein each contact hole in each contact row has a distance to the gate region defined under minimum design rules for core functional elements of the IC. The Pwell forms a common parasitic bipolar junction transistor base for contemporaneously triggering each finger of the MOS transistor during an ESD event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignees: Sarnoff Corporation, Sarnoff Europe
    Inventors: Markus Paul Josef Mergens, Koen Gerard Maria Verhaege, Cornelius Christian Russ, John Armer, Phillip Czeslaw Jozwiak, Bart Keppens
  • Patent number: 7006151
    Abstract: A data structure, such as a digital television signal, includes (a) a video stream representing a picture and (b) auxiliary information, such as a closed caption stream. In one embodiment, the picture has an inset window representative of a reduced version of the picture properly overlaid by the auxiliary information. In another embodiment, the data structure has two or more auxiliary information streams, and the picture is used to independently test the auxiliary information processing of each of the auxiliary information streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation
    Inventor: Charles B. Dieterich
  • Patent number: 6985163
    Abstract: A color display apparatus and method for displaying colors using radiation sources uses displays that may include multiple radiation sources, a display surface and control hardware and software that enable accurate and reproducible color display. Another apparatus provides means for generating colors upon request and communicating digital information regarding the generation of the color spectrum to local or remote display devices. The apparatus may be used in selecting and ordering colors subject to supplier constraints. Methods for displaying colors and enabling display of the colors in remote locations, as well as methods for conducting business by communicating the color display information are all provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignees: Sarnoff Corporation, Algen Design Services Incorporated
    Inventors: George Herbert Needham Riddle, Glenn Reitmeier, Carl Charles Steinmetz, Ralph Anthony Stanziola, Herschel Clement Burstyn
  • Patent number: 6985620
    Abstract: The present invention is embodied in a video flashlight method. This method creates virtual images of a scene using a dynamically updated three-dimensional model of the scene and at least one video sequence of images. An estimate of the camera pose is generated by comparing a present image to the three-dimensional model. Next, relevant features of the model are selected based on the estimated pose. The relevant features are then virtually projected onto the estimated pose and matched to features of the image. Matching errors are measured between the relevant features of the virtual projection and the features of the image. The estimated pose is then updated to reduce these matching errors. The model is also refined with updated information from the image. Meanwhile, a viewpoint for a virtual image is selected. The virtual image is then created by projecting the dynamically updated three-dimensional model onto the selected virtual viewpoint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation
    Inventors: Harpreet Singh Sawhney, Rakesh Kumar, Steve Hsu, Supun Samarasekera
  • Patent number: 6980272
    Abstract: An improved two layer electrode structure is fabricated on a surface. According to one aspect of the invention, the first layer of the electrode structure is designed to provide electrical contact to a fluid electronic material and the second layer of the electrode structure is formed so as to constrain the fluid electronic material in a precise pattern. Alternatively, the second layer of the two-layer electrode structure includes a low surface energy material to further assist in constraining the fluid electronic material to the desired pattern. In another alternative, the first layer of the electrode structure includes a transparent electrode material, that is coupled to an electro-optical device. The second layer of this electrode structure includes a high conductivity material that is coupled to the first layer of the electrode structure in an area not directly over the electro-optical device to improve the conductivity of the transparent electrode structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation
    Inventor: Dennis Lee Matthies
  • Patent number: 6970654
    Abstract: An apparatus for optically generating signals comprises a mode-locked optical radiation source that generates mode-locked optical radiation with emitted modes separated by approximately 10 to approximately 300 GHz. Coupled to the optical radiation source is an optical demultiplexer with a demultiplexer input, a first demultiplexer output, and a second demultiplexer output, the demultiplexer input being coupled to said mode-locked radiation source. Additionally, the apparatus comprises an optical modulator having a modulator input and a modulator output, the modulator input being coupled to the first demultiplexer output, and an optical multiplexer having a first multiplexer input, a second multiplexer input, and a multiplexer output, the first multiplexer-input being coupled to the modulator output, the second multiplexer input being coupled to said second demultiplexer output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Wayne Paglione, Arye Rosen, Giora Griffel, Stewart Mark Perlow
  • Patent number: 6968494
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for transmitting an input data signal over an information channel. The input data signal comprises a sequence of data blocks. A puncture coded signal is generated for each data block in the sequence of data blocks. The total number of bits in the puncture coded signal is equal to the number of bits in a particular data block plus additional error correcting bits used to perform error correction at a receiver. The number of error correcting bits is adaptively adjusted for each data block in response to a channel quality measure for the information channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation
    Inventor: Yumin Zhang
  • Patent number: 6963887
    Abstract: A method and system for identifying a bit pattern in a data stream including a plurality of bits each having a first or second state, the method includes identifying a number of mismatching bits, within a subset of the plurality of bits, having the first state and corresponding to a bit having the second state within the pattern; identifying a number of bits in the subset having the first state; and, identifying a number of bits in the pattern having the second state. A number of matches of between the subset and the pattern is dependent on the identified number of mismatching bits, the identified number of bits in the subset having the first state and the identified number of bits in the pattern having the second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation
    Inventors: Wee Mon Wong, Maurice David Caldwell
  • Patent number: 6956469
    Abstract: A vehicle vision system that identifies pedestrians located proximate a vehicle. The system comprises a sensor array that produces imagery that is processed to generate disparity images. A depth map can be produced from the disparity images. Either the depth map or the disparity images are processed and compared to pedestrian templates. A pedestrian list is produced from the results of that comparison. The pedestrian list is processed to eliminate false pedestrians as determined by inverse eccentricity. The pedestrians are then tracked, and if a collision is possible, that information is provided to the driver and/or to an automated collision avoidance or damage or injury mitigation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignees: Sarnoff Corporation, Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: David Hirvonen, Theodore Armand Camus
  • Patent number: 6956573
    Abstract: A method and concomitant apparatus for comprehensively representing video information in a manner facilitating indexing of the video information. Specifically, a method according to the inveniton comprises the steps of dividing a continuous video stream into a plurality of video scenes; and at least one of the steps of dividing, using intra-scene motion analysis, at least one of the plurality of scenes into one or more layers; representing, as a mosaic, at least one of the pluraliy of scenes; computing, for at least one layer or scene, one or more content-related appearance attributes; and storing, in a database, the content-related appearance attributes or said mosaic representations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation
    Inventors: James Russell Bergen, Curtis R. Carlson, Rakesh Kumar, Harpreet S. Sawhney
  • Patent number: 6947498
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for performing joint timing recovery in a digital receiver using multiple input signals. The apparatus comprises a plurality of phase detectors, a summer, a level shifter, a loop filter and a numerically controlled oscillator NCO. The phase detectors produce a phase signal by comparing a timing signal produced by the NCO with the input signals. The phase signals are then summed and the level shifter adjusts the summed value to compensate for the number of signals used to form the sum, i.e., the summed value is adjusted to be within the input range of the NCO.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation
    Inventor: Charles Reed, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6943892
    Abstract: An instrument including a scannable mirror employs multimode optical fibers and an optical coupler. Modal dispersion, e.g., from the multimode optical fiber, is reduced by a method employing deconvolution. The scannable mirror may employ a mirror movable in an optical waveguide or an optical fiber wound on an expandable core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation
    Inventor: Winston Kong Chan
  • Patent number: 6939737
    Abstract: An electronic device and coupled flexible circuit board and method of manufacturing. The electronic device is coupled to the flexible circuit board by a plurality of Z-interconnections. The electronic device includes a substrate with electronic components coupled to it. The substrate also has a plurality of device electrical contacts coupled to its back surface that are electrically coupled to the electronic components. The flexible circuit board includes a flexible substrate having a front surface and a back surface and a plurality of circuit board electrical contacts coupled to the front surface of the flexible substrate. The plurality of circuit board electrical contacts correspond to plurality of device electrical contacts. Each Z-interconnection is electrically and mechanically coupled to one device electrical contact and a corresponding circuit board electrical contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation
    Inventor: Ponnusamy Palanisamy
  • Patent number: 6924887
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating charge from a light pulse. In one example, a light sensor includes an active region for generating an electric charge in response to a light pulse. A drift region is formed within a substrate and receives the electric charge from the light sensor. A spatial charge distribution is produced within the drift region in response to an electric field. The drift region includes an outer edge and an inner edge. The volume of the drift region decreases from the outer edge to the inner edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation
    Inventors: Taner Dosluoglu, Robert Amantea, Peter Alan Levine, Robin Mark Adrian Dawson
  • Patent number: 6917719
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for classifying regions of an image, based on the relative “importance” of the various areas and to adaptively use the importance information to allocate processing resources and input image formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation
    Inventors: Ravi Krishnamurthy, Sriram Sethuraman, Ya-Qin Zhang