Patents by Inventor Robert A. Blake

Robert A. Blake has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7494015
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a packaging assembly for containing and displaying a product. The packaging assembly includes an inner member that has a front face for displaying a product and one or several extension portions that extend from a back portion of the inner member toward the front. The assembly additionally includes an outer member that is configured to receive the inner member and has a window portion to expose the front face of the inner member. The outer member has one or several retention portions that extend inward from a front edge and engage the extension portions of the inner member in order to prevent removal of the inner member from the outer member through the window portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Inventors: Thomas M. Bacon, Raime Merriman, Robert Blake Leftwich
  • Patent number: 7464878
    Abstract: A wireless automatically-activated bar code symbol reading system for use in a work environment, the system including a device controller programmed to automatically detect when a wireless hand-supportable bar code symbol reader is located inside of a predetermined RF communication range based on measuring the strength of a detected reference signal, and thereupon to automatically transmit to a first RF-based transceiver, the symbol character data string produced while the wireless hand-supportable bar code symbol reader is located inside of the predetermined RF communication range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Metrologic Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Schmidt, Garrett Russell, David M. Wilz, Sr., Robert Blake, Donald T. Hudrick, Stephen J. Colavito, C. Harry Knowles, George Rockstein, Xiaoxun Zhu, John Bonanno, Sung Byun, Congwei Xu, Min Jiang, Lin Wang, Meng Hu, Hongjian Jin, MingQing Ji, Shamei Shi, Ka Man Au, Patrick Giordano
  • Publication number: 20080226154
    Abstract: Systems and methods for producing a carbonaceous paste are provided. The systems and methods may include a paste control system that obtains an image of the carbonaceous paste and determines whether operational parameters associated with paste production require adjustment. One or more operational variables may be adjusted based on the obtained images to facilitate production of the carbonaceous paste.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: Alcoa Inc.
    Inventors: Jay N. Bruggeman, Angelique Adams, David Coleman, Robert A. Blake
  • Publication number: 20080193438
    Abstract: Human EEF2K genes are identified as modulators of the PTEN/AKT pathway and thus are therapeutic targets for disorders associated with defective PTEN/AKT function. Methods for identifying modulators of PTEN/AKT comprising screening for agents that modulate the activity of EEF2K are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2006
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Applicant: EXELIXIS INC.
    Inventors: Arthur Brace, Robert A. Blake, Lori S. Friedman, Lynn Margaret Bjerke, Kevin M. Ward, Susana Nieto-Bergman
  • Publication number: 20080135621
    Abstract: A hand-supportable planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based code symbol reader includes: a hand-supportable housing having light transmission aperture; a linear image formation and detection module having a linear image detection array; and a planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) producing device having at least one visible laser diode (VLD) for producing a planar light illumination beam (PLIB). The code symbol reader further includes image grabber for grabbing digital linear images formed and detected by the image formation and detection module, an image data buffer for buffering the digital linear images grabbed by the image grabber and constructing a two-dimensional image from a series of buffered linear digital images, and an image processing computer for processing the buffered two-dimensional digital image so as to read code symbols graphically represented in the two-dimensional digital linear image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Inventors: Constantine J. Tsikos, C. Harry Knowles, Xiaoxun Zhu, Michael D. Schnee, Ka Man Au, Allan Wirth, Timothy A. Good, Andrew Jankevics, Sankar Ghosh, Charles A. Naylor, Thomas Amundsen, Robert Blake, William Svedas, Shawn Defoney, Edward Skypala, Pirooz Vatan, Russell Joseph Dobbs, George Kolis, Mark C. Schmidt, Jeffery Yorsz, Patrick A. Giordano, Stephen J. Colavito, David W. Wilz, Barry E. Schwartz, Steven Y. Kim, Dale Fisher, Jon Van Tassell
  • Publication number: 20080128508
    Abstract: A tunnel-type digital imaging system for use within retail shopping environments such as supermarkets. The system includes a tunnel configuration arranged about a conveyor structure for transporting objects therethrough, and an image capturing and processing subsystem embodied within the tunnel configuration, for generating a 3D digital imaging volume above the conveyor structure and within the tunnel configuration, for capturing digital images of objects transported through the 3D imaging volume. The image capturing and processing subsystem includes a plurality of coplanar illumination and imaging stations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Inventors: Constantine J. Tsikos, C. Harry Knowles, Xiaoxun Zhu, Michael D. Schnee, Ka Man Au, Allan Wirth, Timothy A. Good, Andrew Jankevics, Sankar Ghosh, Charles A. Naylor, Thomas Amundsen, Robert Blake, William Svedas, Shawn Defoney, Edward Skypala, Pirooz Vatan, Russell Joseph Dobbs, George Kolis, Mark C. Schmidt, Jeffery Yorsz, Patrick A. Giordano, Stephen J. Colavito, David W. Wilz, Barry E. Schwartz, Steven Y. Kim, Dale Fisher, Jon Van Tassell
  • Publication number: 20080128512
    Abstract: A wireless code symbol reading system including a wireless hand-supportable code symbol reader in two-way RF communication with a base station operably connected to a host system, by way of an RF-based wireless data communication link having a predetermined RF communication range over which two-way communication of data packets can occur. The wireless hand-supportable code symbol reader is programmed to automatically detect when it is located inside and outside of the predetermined RF communication range. When the wireless reader is inside the RF communication range, then symbol character data is automatically transmitted to the base station, and when the wireless reader is located outside of the RF communication range, then symbol character data is automatically collected and stored in a data packet buffer, until the wireless reader has re-entered its RF communication range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Applicant: Metrologic Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Schmidt, Garrett Russell, David M. Wilz, Robert Blake, Donald T. Hudrick, Stephen J. Colavito, C. Harry Knowles, George Rockstein, Xiaoxun Zhu, John Bonanno, Sung Byun, Congwei Xu, Ming Jiang, Lin Wang, Meng Hu, Hongjian Jin, MingQing Ji, Shamei Shi, Ka Man Au, Patrick Giordano
  • Publication number: 20080128507
    Abstract: A tunnel-type digital imaging system for use within retail shopping environments such as supermarkets. The system includes a tunnel configuration arranged about a conveyor structure for transporting objects therethrough, and an image capturing and processing subsystem embodied within the tunnel configuration, for generating a 3D digital imaging volume above the conveyor structure and within the tunnel configuration, for capturing digital images of objects transported through the 3D imaging volume. The image capturing and processing subsystem includes a plurality of illumination and imaging stations. Each station includes a 2D imaging array having optics providing a 3D field of view (FOV) on the 2D imaging array that is projected and extends into the 3D imaging volume, and one or more light emitting devices configured together to produce a illumination beam that extends into the 3D FOV of the 2D imaging array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Inventors: Constantine J. Tsikos, C. Harry Knowles, Xiaoxun Zhu, Micheal D. Schnee, Ka Man Au, Allan Wirth, Timothy A. Good, Andrew Jankevics, Sankar Ghosh, Charles A. Naylor, Thomas Amundsen, Robert Blake, William Svedas, Shawn Defoney, Edward Skypala, Pirooz Vatan, Russell Joseph Dobbs, George Kolis, Mark C. Schmidt, Jeffrey Yorsz, Patrick A. Giordano, Stephen J. Colavito, David W. Wilz, Barry E. Schwartz, Steven Y. Kim, Dale Fisher, Jon Van Tassell
  • Publication number: 20080128506
    Abstract: A hand-supportable planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based code symbol reader includes: a hand-supportable housing having light transmission aperture; a linear image formation and detection module having a linear image detection array; and a planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) producing device having at least one visible laser diode (VLD) for producing a planar light illumination beam (PLIB). The code symbol reader further includes image grabber for grabbing digital linear images formed and detected by the image formation and detection module, an image data buffer for buffering the digital linear images grabbed by the image grabber and constructing a two-dimensional image from a series of buffered linear digital images, and an image processing computer for processing the buffered two-dimensional digital image so as to read code symbols graphically represented in the two-dimensional digital linear image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Inventors: Constantine J. Tsikos, C. Harry Knowles, Xiaoxun Zhu, Michael D. Schnee, Ka Man Au, Allan Wirth, Timothy A. Good, Andrew Jankevics, Sankar Ghosh, Charles A. Naylor, Thomas Amundsen, Robert Blake, William Svedas, Shawn Defoney, Edward Skypala, Pirooz Vatan, Russell Joseph Dobbs, George Kolis, Mark C. Schmidt, Jeffrey Yorsz, Patrick A. Giordano, Stephen J. Colavito, David W. Wilz, Barry E. Schwartz, Steven Y. Kim, Dale Fisher, Jon Van Tassell
  • Patent number: 7337672
    Abstract: This invention discloses a method of evaluating the internal structure of a grinding wheel through ultrasonic inspection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Alcoa Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. Blake, Neville Whittle, Michelle M. Teichman
  • Publication number: 20080041962
    Abstract: Disclosed is an automatically-activated code symbol reading system comprising a bar code symbol reading mechanism contained within a hand-supportable housing having a manually-activatable data transmission switch. During symbol reading operations, the bar code symbol reading mechanism automatically generates a visible laser scanning pattern for repeatedly reading one or more bar code symbols on an object during a bar code symbol reading cycle, and automatically generating a new symbol character data string in response to each bar code symbol read thereby. During system operation, the user visually aligns the visible laser scanning pattern with a particular bar code symbol on an object (e.g. product, bar code menu, etc.) so that the bar code symbol is scanned, detected and decoded in a cyclical manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2007
    Publication date: February 21, 2008
    Applicant: Metrologic Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: David Wilz, George Rockstein, Robert Blake, Mark Schmidt, Garrett Russell, Donald Hudrick, Stephen Colavito, Carl Knowles
  • Patent number: 7325740
    Abstract: An automatically-activated laser scanning 2-D bar code symbol reading system employing a visible linear-type laser scanning pattern and an audible feedback signal during scan data capturing and buffering operations. The system includes a laser scanning 2-D bar code symbol reading mechanism that automatically produces a visible linear-type laser scanning pattern for scanning a 2-D bar code symbol structure on an object as its hand-supportable housing is manually transported past a 2-D bar code symbol along a height-wise direction by an operator, automatically capturing lines of scan data from the scanned 2-D bar code symbol structure, decode processing the scan data, and generating a symbol character data string representative of the read 2-D bar code symbol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Metrologic Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Schmidt, Garrett Russell, David M. Wilz, Sr., Robert Blake, Donald T. Hudrick, Stephen J. Colavito, C. Harry Knowles, George Rockstein, Xiaoxun Zhu, John Bonanno, Sung Byun, Congwei Xu, Min Jiang, Lin Wang, Meng Hu, Hongjian Jin, MingQing Ji, Shamei Shi, Ka Man Au, Patrick Giordano
  • Patent number: 7281663
    Abstract: A wireless automatically-activated bar code symbol reading system having a wireless hand-supportable bar code symbol reader in two-way RF communication with a base station, by way of an RF-based wireless data communication link having a predetermined RF communication range. A manually-operated data transmission activation switch is integrated with the hand-supportable housing, for generating a data transmission control activation signal in response to the activation of the data transmission switch within a first predetermined time period. A device controller is programmed to automatically detect when the wireless reader is located inside of the predetermined RF communication range, and thereuponautomatically transmit to a first RF-based transceiver, the symbol character data string produced at substantially the same time when the data transmission control activation signal is generated while the wireless reader is located inside of the predetermined RF communication range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Metrologic Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Schmidt, Garrett Russell, David M. Wilz, Sr., Robert Blake, Donald T. Hudrick, Stephen J. Colavito, C. Harry Knowles, George Rockstein, Xiaoxun Zhu, John Bonanno, Sung Byun, Congwei Xu, Min Jiang, Lin Wang, Meng Hu, Hongjian Jin, MingQing Ji, Shamei Shi, Ka Man Au, Patrick Giordano
  • Patent number: 7278578
    Abstract: Disclosed is an automatically-activated wireless code symbol reading system comprising a bar code symbol reading mechanism contained within a hand-supportable housing having a manually-activatable data transmission switch. During symbol reading operations, the bar code symbol reading mechanism automatically generates a visible laser scanning pattern for repeatedly reading one or more bar code symbols on an object during a bar code symbol reading cycle, and automatically generating a new symbol character data string in response to each bar code symbol read thereby. During system operation, the user visually aligns the visible laser scanning pattern with a particular bar code symbol on an object (e.g. product, bar code menu, etc.) so that the bar code symbol is scanned, detected and decoded in a cyclical manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Metrologic Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Schmidt, Garrett Russell, David M. Wilz, Sr., Robert Blake, Donald T. Hudrick, Stephen J. Colavito, C. Harry Knowles, George Rockstein, Xiaoxun Zhu, John Bonanno, Sung Byun, Congwei Xu, Min Jiang, Lin Wang, Meng Hu, Hongjian Jin, MingQing Ji, Shamei Shi, Ka Man Au, Patrick Giordano
  • Publication number: 20070205118
    Abstract: A kit provides implements for applying a decorative laminate to a target surface. The kit comprises an applicator adapted to hold a roll of surface covering material and to apply the surface covering material to a target surface. The kit also comprises instructions for the application of a surface covering material to the target surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Publication date: September 6, 2007
    Inventors: Roxanne Drago Westendorf, Julie Ann Toms, Michael Bernard Dugas, Amy Michelle Martini, Troy Lee Nimrick, Jonathan Javier Calderas, Kubica Penelope Guevara, Mark John Steinhardt, Grady Daniel McCarthy, John Vincent Fontana, Penny Michelle Bakhit, Erin Carmel Daley, Jose A. Baldan, Robert Blake Leftwich
  • Publication number: 20070181685
    Abstract: An automated package dimensioning subsystem comprising a Laser Detecting and Ranging (LADAR-based) scanning apparatus for capturing two-dimensional range data maps of the space above a conveyor structure, along which packages are transported, and an image contour tracing apparatus for extracting package dimension data from the two-dimensional range data maps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Publication date: August 9, 2007
    Applicant: Metrologic Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaoxun Zhu, Ka Au, Gennady Germaine, George Kolis, Timothy Good, Michael Schnee, Robert Blake, Carl Knowles, Sankar Ghosh, Charles Naylor, David Wilz, Constantine Tsikos, Francis Lodge, Stephen Colavito, George Rockstein
  • Publication number: 20070145147
    Abstract: A wireless automatically-activated bar code symbol reading system for use in a work environment, the system including a device controller programmed to automatically detect when a wireless hand-supportable bar code symbol reader is located inside of a predetermined RF communication range based on measuring the strength of a detected reference signal, and thereupon to automatically transmit to a first RF-based transceiver, the symbol character data string produced while the wireless hand-supportable bar code symbol reader is located inside of the predetermined RF communication range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Publication date: June 28, 2007
    Applicant: Metrologic Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Schmidt, Garrett Russell, David Wilz, Robert Blake, Donald Hudrick, Stephen Colavito, C. Knowles, George Rockstein, Xiaoxun Zhu, John Bonanno, Sung Byun, Congwei Xu, Min Jiang, Lin Wang, Meng Hu, Hongjian Jin, MingQing Ji, Shamei Shi, Ka Au, Patrick Giordano
  • Publication number: 20070138276
    Abstract: A scanner flipper oscillation frequency analyzing method, computer-readable medium, and apparatus is provided. In one embodiment, the method turns a laser off if the laser is on and receives a signal indicative of a flipper oscillation frequency. The method then compares the signal with stored parameters. Based on the comparison, the method adjusts the flipper oscillation frequency when a percentage variation between the signal and the parameters is above a predetermined value. If the flipper oscillation frequency is adjusted a Digital-to-Analog Conversion value associated with the adjustment is stored in memory. The signal received can be transition signals. In other embodiments, an apparatus and computer-readable medium is also provided which performs the similar features recited by the above method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: Robert Blake, Donald Hudrick
  • Publication number: 20070119947
    Abstract: A scanner flipper integrity checking method, computer-readable medium, and apparatus is provided. In one embodiment, the method powers a motor for a predetermined amount of time. After the predetermined time has expired a wave is received indicative of the frequency of the oscillation of the flipper. Thereafter, the method uses the wave signal to determine whether there are two consecutive transitions indicative of movement by said flipper. In another embodiment, an apparatus is also provided which performs the similar features recited by the above method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Publication date: May 31, 2007
    Inventors: Robert Blake, Donald Hudrick
  • Patent number: 7172126
    Abstract: Disclosed is an automatically-activated wireless code symbol reading system comprising a bar code symbol reading mechanism contained within a hand-supportable housing having a manually-activatable data transmission switch. During symbol reading operations, the bar code symbol reading mechanism automatically generates a visible laser scanning pattern for repeatedly reading one or more bar code symbols on an object during a bar code symbol reading cycle, and automatically generating a new symbol character data string in response to each bar code symbol read thereby. During system operation, the user visually aligns the visible laser scanning pattern with a particular bar code symbol on an object (e.g. product, bar code menu, etc.) so that the bar code symbol is scanned, detected and decoded in a cyclical manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Metrologic Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Schmidt, Garrett Russell, David M. Wilz, Sr., Robert Blake, Donald T. Hudrick, Stephen J. Colavito, C. Harry Knowles, George Rockstein, Xiaoxun Zhu, John Bonanno, Sung Byun, Congwei Xu, Min Jiang, Lin Wang, Meng Hu, Hongjian Jin, MingQing Ji, Shamei Shi, Ka Man Au, Patrick Giordano