Patents Examined by Reinhard J. Eisenzopf
  • Patent number: 6285416
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for locking a focus position of a lens assembly without causing the lens cell to tilt, comprising: a spacer interposed between the lens cell and the focus mount. The spacer is received into a sleeve that is integral with the focus mount. The sleeve projects radially outward from the focus mount such that the spacer can be raised and lowered radially with respect to the focus mount. The spacer has a cylindrical body with a radial flange at one end. Moreover, the spacer has two ridges that extend downward from a lower surface of the flange, each of which is received into a corresponding groove on the sleeve, thus, preventing the spacer from rotating within the sleeve. The spacer also has an upwardly raised rim extending from an upper surface of the flange. The rim is slidably secured into a slot of the focus mount, which prevents lateral movement of the spacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Corning Precision Lens
    Inventors: John David Mitchell, Livyn Obiajuru Okorocha
  • Patent number: 6285401
    Abstract: Display apparatus includes a kinescope cathode current sensor (18) coupled to a load (200) for developing a beam current measurement pulse during a beam current measurement interval. Overshoots in the pulses are suppressed by a pulse correction circuit (300) comprising a first capacitor (Ca) coupled from the load circuit (200) to a source of reference potential (Gr) via a switch (Q300); and a control circuit (Ca, Ra, Rb), responsive to the presence of the overshoot, for closing the switch for a predetermined length of time and for opening the switch otherwise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing S.A.
    Inventor: Dal Frank Griepentrog
  • Patent number: 6285404
    Abstract: A systolic video encoding system processes image data from a frame buffer at a core clock rate that is independent of the sample rate of the image data. The video encoder of this invention uses the core clock rate of the host image processing system to process image from the frame buffer at this core clock rate. The image data is pumped out of the frame buffer, processed by each of the processes of the video encoder when the data reaches each of the processes, and the encoded samples are stored in a raster sample buffer for subsequent processing. The image data is continually pumped out of the frame buffer at the core clock rate until the raster sample buffer is full. As the samples are extracted from the raster sample buffer, subsequent image data is pumped into the video encoding system, producing a systolic processing effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: ATI Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Frank
  • Patent number: 6285411
    Abstract: A method and device for reducing moiré by preventing the production of the second harmonic of the video signal Nyquist frequency. A nonlinear function is applied to one of a) a digital video signal having a nonlinearity between an electrical video signal and luminance, and b) an analog video signal to create an output signal having a linearity between the electrical signal and luminance. The output signal is displayed on a display having a linearity between the electrical signal and luminance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Philips Electronics North America Corporation
    Inventor: Christian Hentschel
  • Patent number: 6285414
    Abstract: A channel selector for a television receiver has a device for deselecting specified channels for a predetermined period of time. When a channel has been deselected it will be skipped when a user “surfs” through the sequence of channels. After the predetermined period of time expires the deselected channel is returned to the sequence of available channels. Channels may be deselected for time periods corresponding to a standard timeslot, for example each half hour. Alternatively, channels may be deselected for periods corresponding to the actual length at the program determined from transmitted program scheduling data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Chenchu Lakshmi Chilamakuri
  • Patent number: 6285407
    Abstract: A multi-function TV receiver capable of performing the processing related to an object transmitted through the broadcasting and an object which is derived from accessible means other than the broadcasting and improving utility value for users and (broadcasting station) providers and achieving convenience. A first object data multiplexed in the vertical blanking interval is captured by communication means of a tuner 112 and a VBI decoder 120. A second object data which is used in a network including servers is captured by communication means of a CPU 133 and a modem 131. An linking operation associated the first and the second object data is executed by linking means using an I/O interface 137, a graphic controller 135, memories 134 and 136, a received optical data processor 138, a specification table 142, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Seijiro Yasuki, Kiyoshi Hoshino
  • Patent number: 6285397
    Abstract: A system for automatically aligning video images on display devices such as cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors that use the processor and memory of a host computer to implement the alignment process. The system uses a host computer processor and previously generated correction factor data, representative of specific display distortion characteristics, to produce driver signals necessary to affect the alignment of video images on a CRT screen. The previously stored correction factor data may be retrieved from a characterization module within the display device or from any other convenient storage location. The correction factor data is processed by the host computer to produce correction control data which is transmitted, over a bi-directional serial connector, or a video connector, to the display device where the data is read by correction and driver circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Display Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: James R. Webb, Ron C. Simpson
  • Patent number: 6285406
    Abstract: A power management system for a converged functionality apparatus enables primary control to be effected through an actuating mechanism. In general operation, the actuating mechanism switches between “on” and “suspended” states. The power management system includes various defaults, memories, and priority setting schemes that enable fully integrated, but wholly intelligent, operation of the converged functionality apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation
    Inventor: Kevin J. Brusky
  • Patent number: 6281942
    Abstract: Frames of a digital video signal are spatially filtered to remove impulse and other noise from the video signal. The spatially filtered frame is temporally filtered to further remove noise from the digital video signal. The spatial filter is adaptive, heavily filtering portions of low detail in the represented subject matter while lightly filtering or not filtering portions of moderate to high detail in the represented subject matter. As a result, clarity and detail in the subject matter of the digital video signal are preserved. The temporal filter is similarly adaptive and determines if and to what degree the subject matter of portions of the spatially filtered frame correlate with corresponding portions of a previous frame. By previously spatially filtering the frame, determinations regarding the correlation of the current frame with corresponding portions of the previous, which is also spatially and temporally filtered, are more accurate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Albert S. Wang
  • Patent number: 6281946
    Abstract: In a television receiver having a tuner 2 for converting a received signal from an antenna 1 to an intermediate frequency signal and supplying the intermediate frequency signal to a homodyne detector circuit through a filter device to extract a video signal, a variable frequency oscillator is provided for changing the frequency of the intermediate frequency signal such that the frequency of beat components between a local oscillating signal of the tuner and a harmonic signal of the intermediate frequency signal is coincident with a trap frequency of the filter device. The occurrence of interference due to the intermediate frequency signal introducing into the antenna can be prevented by a simple configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Osamu Hisada, Genichiro Kuboji
  • Patent number: 6281948
    Abstract: In a device for the deflection of a light bundle generated by a light source, wherein this device has a nonmechanical deflection device in which the light bundle enters and exits at a different angle determined by a controlling variable, which angle depends on the wavelength of every light component in the light bundle, it is provided that an optically dispersively active system is provided behind the nonmechanical deflection device in the light propagation direction, wherein the angular dispersion of this system is dependent on the angle of the light bundle entering the system, wherein the angular dispersion compensates for the wavelength dependence of the angle of the nonmechanical deflection device determined by the controlling variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: LDT GmbH & Co. Laser-Display-Technologies KG
    Inventor: Christhard Deter
  • Patent number: 6281933
    Abstract: A two-dimensional (2D) filter is disclosed that accomplishes flicker filtering with virtually no loss of image resolution. The 2D filter operates without adaption and only on the non-detail portions of the original image. The filter works first in the horizontal (x-axis) direction by separating the high-pass (detail, high-resolution) image elements from the low-pass (blurred, low-resolution) elements. A vertical (y-axis) flicker filter is applied to the low-pass elements and the result is summed with the high-pass elements. Thus, the detail elements are not subjected to flicker filtering and, as a result, remain well-defined while flicker is eliminated from the overall image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: Chrontel, Inc.
    Inventor: David W. Ritter
  • Patent number: 6282407
    Abstract: An active electrostatic transceiver is provided that has electrostatic electrodes, an energy storage means such as a battery and a transceiver circuit for communication within an electrostatic RFID communication system. The transceiver circuit includes power management features so that the energy storage means is not quickly depleted. Additionally the transceiver circuit includes amplifiers and filters so that the read range is further increased and noise sources are better filtered out. In a first embodiment, the transceiver circuit has a clock extractor that extracts a clock from the incoming data signal such that the clock and the data signal are synchronized so that demodulating the data from the data signal is simplified. In a second embodiment, the transceiver circuit has its own clock generator for initiating transmission of signals so that a reader need not have an exciter to generate an excitation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Victor Allen Vega, John Howard Rolin
  • Patent number: 6278485
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is an apparatus for receiving sweep testing signals and generating frequency response values therefrom. The apparatus includes a test input, a controller, a receiver circuit and a measurement circuit. The test input has a first connection arrangement for connecting to a test output of the sweep transmitter and also has a second connection arrangement for connecting to a terminal of the communication system to be tested. The controller is operable to generate a sweep control signal responsive to a sweep plan. The receiver circuit has a control input connected to receive the sweep control signal from the controller, and is operable to tune to a plurality of frequencies responsive to the sweep control signal. The measurement circuit is coupled to the receiver circuit and is operable to generate measurement signals corresponding to the plurality of frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Wavetek Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas J. Franchville, Andrew E. Bowyer
  • Patent number: 6278496
    Abstract: In the &ggr; correction circuit, a crossover point arithmetic processing unit performs arithmetic processing for each region on crossover points y in the output data direction of a &ggr; correction crossover line based on a plurality of slope data A respectively specified for each of a plurality of regions and crossover point positions X in the input data direction set in advance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Kitagawa, Mitsugu Kobayashi, Makoto Fujioka, Yusuke Tsutsui, Hisao Uehara
  • Patent number: 6278494
    Abstract: This invention suppresses overshoot and undershoot at an edge of a video signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Izumi Kanai, Yukio Masuda, Kohei Inamura
  • Patent number: 6278497
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing a moving image displayed on a display unit. Images representative of sets of frame images forming said moving image to be processed are displayed on a display unit. The moving image includes a plurality of scene images. Each of said scene images is divided into a cut image which comprises a set of frame images, and each cut image is divided into a plurality of sub-areas. The representative frame images of said respective sub-area of the frame images are designated as representative images. Data of the representative images are linked to respective predetermined keys of an input device. In response to an operation of one of the keys, the representative image linked to the operated one of said keys is displayed on the display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitashi Denshi Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masanori Sumiyoshi, Hirotada Ueda, Takafumi Miyatake
  • Patent number: 6275270
    Abstract: A video display system utilizing a video source and an image intensifier having a substrate. A video image source positions at the substrate to provide a photon signal. A photocathode element at the substrate converts the photon signal into electrons. An optically transparent body having first and second surfaces is placed opposite the substrate spaced therefrom. A vacuum chamber is formed between the substrate and the first surface of the second optically transparent body. A fluorescing layer is positioned on said first surface of the second optically transparent body. A source of electrical power provides a voltage potential between the photocathode layer and said fluorescing layer. The intensified video image exits the second surface of the second optically transparent body for viewing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Calvest Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph Bradley Culkin
  • Patent number: 6275272
    Abstract: A projection television receiver for embodying a high definition and high quality projection television receiver by processing an image of an image source. A red, a green and a blue image are formed and emitted into a red, a green and a blue colors at a cathode ray tube. The emitted red, green and blue images are received and gathered for reiterating the red, the green and the blue images at a mirror unit. The reiterated red, green and blue images unit are displayed onto a screen by enlarging and projecting the images through a lens assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jong-bae Park
  • Patent number: 6275681
    Abstract: The wireless electrostatic charging and communicating system includes an electrostatic reader, an electrostatic charger and an electrostatic rechargeable device or electrostatic transceiver such as such as a smart card or radio frequency identification (RFID) card without requiring physical contact to electrodes. The electrostatic system is capacitance based and the charging and communicating occurs over capacitively coupled electrostatic electrodes or electrostatic electrodes. The electrostatic rechargeable device or transceiver includes a charge receiver and an energy storage means, for being charged or communicated with in the electrostatic system. The energy storage means may be any energy storage device including a rechargeable battery or capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Victor Allen Vega, John Howard Rolin