Patents Represented by Law Firm Banner, Birch, McKie & Beckett
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Process for transecting remote constrained surgical locations such as the transverse carpal ligament
Patent number: 5423804Abstract: This invention relates to a process for incising the transverse carpal ligament in the hand for relief of the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. More specifically, a process is disclosed in which incising energy, preferably laser energy, is introduced from under the ligament for transecting the transverse carpal ligament while permitting the surgeon to view the interface of transection. A probe, preferably attached to a pistol-type grip, includes at least one tube containing an optic viewing device (preferably fiber-optic), and a conduit for directing incising radiation for the ligament transection. The fiber-optic viewing device, energy conduit, and an optional suction tube commence at the pistol grip where they are connected to the requisite viewing device, energy source, and suction pump. The fiber-optic viewing device terminates at a sufficient distance from the pistol grip to permit extension from the insertion at the wrist to pass under the entire length of the transverse carpal ligament.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 1994Date of Patent: June 13, 1995Assignee: LaserscopeInventor: Michael I. Kulick -
Patent number: 5425101Abstract: A decoder in a multiservice communication system receives a plurality of services as data streams, including video, audio, teletext, and utility data, multiplexed in sequence of frames. Each service defines a virtual channel. Virtual channel packets contained in the multiplex include information for locating the data streams that compose the virtual channels and information for decrypting the data streams. Each virtual channel packet is transmitted in the multiplex each session of frames. When a user selects more than one virtual channel at a given time, the decoder extracts a virtual channel packet for a first selected virtual channel in a first session. The decoder can then provide the decrypted data streams for the first selected virtual channel to peripheral equipment. The decoder stores the information for locating and decrypting such data streams.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 1993Date of Patent: June 13, 1995Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta, Inc.Inventors: Arthur S. Woo, Wayne S. Sheldrick, Gary W. C. Chan
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Patent number: 5424990Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor memory with which the duty ratio of column selection lines can be raised as well as that of word lines so that the word lines and the column selection lines of the semiconductor memory may be subjected to a screening test along with the peripheral circuits under a same condition for all these components (in terms of electric field and time) while operating the peripheral circuits.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 1993Date of Patent: June 13, 1995Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventor: Takashi Ohsawa
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Patent number: 5424984Abstract: A read-write semiconductor memory comprises a first data input buffer which takes in external data and which has a pair of signal output nodes for outputting a pair of signals corresponding to the taken-in data, a pair of signal lines connected to a pair of signal output nodes of the first data input buffer, and second data input buffers which are connected to the pair of signal lines and which have internal data set according to the signals on the pair of signal lines.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 1994Date of Patent: June 13, 1995Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Yousei Nagahama, Kimimasa Imai
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Patent number: 5424785Abstract: A system for encoding, storing, and displaying captions includes a modem for transmitting a signal including one or more closed captions generated in real time, a videotape player for playing a videotape of a television program including both a video signal and a time code signal corresponding to a time position of the video tape, an encoder for receiving the video signal and a caption input and integrating the video signal and the caption input into one integrated signal for transmission, and a computer that receives captions from the modem and a time code output from the video tape player. The computer transmits the received captions to an encoder and simultaneously generates data records storing the received captions with a time code stamp corresponding to the time code signal input when the caption was received.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 1994Date of Patent: June 13, 1995Assignee: National Captioning InstituteInventor: David W. Orphan
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Patent number: 5424750Abstract: A device for rotating a parabolic antenna (10) by an actuator (20) to enable reception of electric waves transmitted from a plurality of satellites with the antenna (10). A data for rotating the antenna (10) to enable reception from each satellite at a predetermined receiving position is stored in a ROM (24). A CPU 22 sets the antenna (10) in a position corresponding to the data in the ROM (24) for each satellite different initial receiving from the former for each satellite. From this state, the antenna (10) is moved east and west to detect disappearance of a synchronizing signal which is part of a signal from a tuner (18) by a synchronizing signal detector (50), and the midpoint of the positions of disappearance of the synchronizing signal in the east and west is stored in a RAM (26) as a position of the best receiving condition. The data in the RAM (26) is read out by a control unit (36) and the position of the antenna (10) is changed correspondingly.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 1993Date of Patent: June 13, 1995Assignee: DX Antenna Company, LimitedInventor: Makoto Akisada
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Patent number: 5421556Abstract: A plastic fence post and cap are secured to each other by a spring tab arrangement which is completely concealed after assembly. In one embodiment, a bottom section of the cap fits over the end of the post and tabs projecting inwardly from opposed panels of the bottom section extend into holes extending through opposed sides of the post. In a second embodiment, a bottom part of the cap is received within the tubular post and has outwardly extending tabs that spring into recesses provided along inner sidewall surfaces of the post.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 1993Date of Patent: June 6, 1995Assignee: Associated Materials Inc.Inventors: Mark E. Dodge, Michael A. Fiume, Brian K. McGarry
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Patent number: 5422951Abstract: A low profile telephone set which may be used as a table type model or as a wall mount-type model. The telephone set includes a casing and a holder. The casing is formed with a front bottom surface and a back bottom surface forming a predetermined angle there between. The holder is secured to the front bottom surface or back bottom surface in a designated direction depending on the manner of usage.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 1993Date of Patent: June 6, 1995Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Yoshiya Takahashi, Katsumi Itoyama, Kouichiro Suda, Yoshio Fujinami
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Patent number: 5422133Abstract: An edible material comprising partially gelled mannan paste prepared by adding an alkali to a mass of mannan paste to cause gelation thereof to proceed, and adding an acid to said mannan paste thereby to suppress the gelation of said mannan paste. The material has a high degree of affinity for fish meat protein paste or gel.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 1993Date of Patent: June 6, 1995Assignee: Sugiyo Co., Ltd.Inventors: Iwao Yamamoto, Yamamoto Norihiko, Yoshito Sugino
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Patent number: 5422843Abstract: A method of this invention is applied to a nonvolatile memory device composed of first memory cells connected to one of a first word-line pair and second memory cells connected to the other of the first word-line pair, and a single source shared by the first memory cells and the second memory cells. First, a positive potential of, for example, 5 V is applied to the source, a negative potential of, for example, -10 V is applied to the one of the word-line pair, and the ground potential to the other of the word-line pair. This permits electrons to move from the floating gate of the first memory cells into the source, with the result that the erasing of information is achieved. Next, the positive potential is applied to the source, the negative potential is applied to the other of the word-line pair, and the ground potential to the one of the word-line pair.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 1993Date of Patent: June 6, 1995Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventor: Seiji Yamada
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Patent number: 5420640Abstract: A receiver is provided for receiving a digital data stream over a communication path. The digital data is arranged as a sequence of frames, each frame including a plurality of lines of data. The beginning of each frame is indicated by a frame synchronization word; the beginning of each line is indicated by a horizontal synchronization byte. The data is interleaved by an encoder prior to transmission. The decoder contains circuitry for locating the horizontal and frame synchronization data and contains circuitry for deinterleaving the digital data. Both the synchronization locating circuitry and the deinterleaving circuitry require access to a memory, but not at the same time. Therefore, a single memory is used with the synchronization recovery circuitry and deinterleaving circuitry alternately addressing the memory.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 1993Date of Patent: May 30, 1995Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta, Inc.Inventors: Randy K. Munich, Tsai Lo, Paul D. Nicholas
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Patent number: 5420816Abstract: According to this invention, a semiconductor apparatus includes a word line group consisting of four word lines, a bit line pair group, word line drive circuits, arrangement patterns of which are alternately inverted, for outputting boosted word line signals to the word line group, and memory contact portions provided to the bit line pair group in a 1/4-pitch system, wherein output terminals of the word line drive circuit having an inverted arrangement pattern are connected to memory cells so as to be aligned in the same order as in output terminals of the word line drive circuit having a non-inverted arrangement pattern.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 1994Date of Patent: May 30, 1995Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Masaki Ogihara, Syuso Fujii
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Patent number: 5420177Abstract: A method for producing colored and exactly spherical fine-grains of polymer by carrying out the suspension and polymerization of ethylenic unsaturated monomers containing a pigment in water under the presence of a suspension stabilizer, wherein an inorganic pigment treated with silane-coupling agent is used as said pigment. According to the present invention, the pigments are homogeneously dispersed in said exactly spherical fine-grains of polymer and a loss of color is prevented.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 1993Date of Patent: May 30, 1995Assignee: Dainichi Seika Color & Chemicals Mfg. Co., Ltd.Inventors: Ken Ohkura, Yukio Shinagawa, Tamiaki Shibata
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Patent number: 5420923Abstract: A method of transmitting addressed messages to subscribers comprises the steps of defining the group or individual subscriber to be addressed, creating the message, assigning the message to the individual or group to be addressed, scheduling the message for transmission, transmitting the message, and recording the transmission of the message. The message creating step further includes the steps of defining message attributes such as background color, creating sets of instructions for the subscriber, if required, setting a data field related to alerting the subscriber and compressing the data length of the message using a predetermined compression code. A system control computer, according to the present invention, comprises a billing computer interface for interfacing with a billing computer and a user interface for providing access to messaging services to a system operator, each of the billing and user interfaces for providing data to a group queuing subsystem and a system event scheduler, respectively.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 1993Date of Patent: May 30, 1995Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta, Inc.Inventors: Robert J. Beyers, II, Gregory S. Durden, M. Kent Ivey, Curt M. Kuban
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Patent number: 5420462Abstract: An element separating oxide film is formed on a P-type semiconductor substrate by means of a selective oxidation method, and then a gate oxide film is formed on the element separating oxide film by a thermal oxidation method. A gate electrode film made of an N-type polysilicon material is formed so as to extend along a step portion of the element separating oxide film on the semiconductor substrate. The upper surface of the gate electrode film is flattened by means of a surface polishing method. Then, isotropic etching is performed by using a resist pattern as a mask, thereby forming a gate electrode. Since in the method the upper surface of the gate electrode film in the flattened, the semiconductor substrate is prevented from being subject to over-etching when a gage electrode is formed, so that the changes of characteristics of MOS transistors are prevented whose gate insulative films have been becoming thinner as their elements have been finer.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 1994Date of Patent: May 30, 1995Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventor: Akira Sudo
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Patent number: 5420074Abstract: In a method for burying a contact hole according to the present invention, first, a polycrystalline silicon film is formed on a region including a contact hole. Impurities are introduced into the polycrystalline silicon film. Next, a metal film is formed on the polycrystalline silicon film. Next, a polycrystalline silicon film is formed on the metal film. Impurities are introduced into the polycrystalline silicon film. Next, a metal film is formed on the polycrystalline silicon film. A polycrystalline silicon film is formed on the metal film, and the contact hole is completely buried. Thereafter, a heat treatment is performed, thereby the impurities are diffused to the above two polycrystalline silicon films and all or a part of the metal film is changed to a metal silicide film. Next, an etchback is performed, thereby the polycrystalline silicon film and the metal silicide film are kept in only the contact hole.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 1994Date of Patent: May 30, 1995Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventor: Yoich Ohshima
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Patent number: 5419482Abstract: The invention relates to a soldering apparatus comprising: a vessel for liquid solder; at least one soldering tower placed in the vessel for causing liquid solder to leave the soldering tower on the upper side, wherein the soldering tower is adapted to cause the liquid solder to run off on all sides; a conveyor for carrying objects for soldering along the top side of the soldering tower such that the objects for soldering come into contact with the liquid solder; and a cover for maintaining an atmosphere with a reduced oxygen content at least in the surrounding area of the liquid solder.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 1993Date of Patent: May 30, 1995Assignee: Soltec B.V.Inventor: Adrianus J. M. Hendrikx
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Patent number: 5420263Abstract: A human gene has been discovered which is genetically altered in human tumor cells. The genetic alteration is gene amplification and leads to a corresponding increase in gene products. Detecting that the gene, designated hMDM2, has become amplified or detecting increased expression of gene products is diagnostic of tumorigenesis. Human MDM2 protein binds to human p53 and allows the cell to escape from p53-regulated growth.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 1993Date of Patent: May 30, 1995Assignee: The Johns Hopkins UniversityInventors: Marilee Burrell, David E. Hill, Kenneth W. Kinzler, Bert Vogelstein
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Patent number: D359034Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 1994Date of Patent: June 6, 1995Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventor: Osamu Kondo
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Patent number: D359113Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 1994Date of Patent: June 6, 1995Assignee: Jason International, Inc.Inventor: Remo Jacuzzi