Patents Represented by Attorney Banner & Witcoff, Ltd.
  • Patent number: 8351091
    Abstract: An image processing system includes an information processing device configured to externally receive image data and display thereon an image based on the image data, and an image scanner connected with the image processing device. The image scanner includes a scanning unit configured to scan an image on a document set thereon and to create image data of the scanned image, a detector configured to detect whether the document is removed from the scanning unit, and a controller configured to, in response to the detector detecting that the document is removed from the scanning unit after the image on the document is scanned by the scanning unit, transmit the image data created by the scanning unit to the information processing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsushi Kojima
  • Patent number: 8350708
    Abstract: Articles of clothing or pieces of athletic equipment include modules, e.g., for sensing physical and/or physiological characteristics associated with use of the clothing or athletic equipment or for performing other functions. Such systems and methods may use physical or other interaction(s) between the module and the article of clothing or piece of athletic equipment for activating and/or deactivating the module and/or sensing devices included with the module, for confirming whether the module and clothing or piece of athletic equipment are authorized for use with one another, and/or for automatic data algorithm selection methods. Additionally, such systems and methods also may use the activation and/or authentication systems for data input to the module. Some examples of such systems and methods may utilize magnets and magnetic sensing systems and/or light (or other radiation) sources and sensing systems for activation, authentication, data input, and/or algorithm selection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles Whipple Case, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8351082
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus for improved image forming quality is provided. The image processing apparatus includes a storage unit to store image data representing a colored image, an extracting unit to selectively extract objective data representing an object to be formed on a recording medium in a specific color, a modifying unit to modify the extracted objective data to enlarge an area represented by the extracted objective data, and a composition unit to combine the modified objective data with the image data stored in the storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuji Miyata
  • Patent number: 8351819
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an endless belt, a plurality of processing units, a cleaning unit, a waste toner retainer, and a waste toner conveying unit. The plurality of processing units is juxtaposed above the endless belt. The cleaning unit is disposed above the endless belt to collect a waste toner deposited on the endless belt. The waste toner retainer is provided in one processing unit in the plurality of processing units. At least one of the other processing units in the plurality of processing units is interposed between the cleaning unit and the one processing unit. The waste toner conveying unit conveys the waste toner collected by the cleaning unit to the waste toner retainer, and extends from the cleaning unit to the waste toner retainer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Susumu Sakuma
  • Patent number: 8347438
    Abstract: Textile Components, such as upper members for articles of footwear, include: (a) a first portion having a first edge, wherein the first edge includes a first portion of material engaged with a first seam support material via a first thermoplastic material; (b) a second portion having a second edge, wherein the second edge includes a second portion of material engaged with a second seam support material via a second thermoplastic material; and (c) structure to engage the first and second edges in an abutting edge joint (such as a zig-zag stitch). The resulting textile components may be lightweight and breathable (e.g., due to use of lightweight upper fabric), having a comfortable fit (e.g., due to the abutting edge joint), while still providing a strong, stable, and durable construction (e.g., due to the presence of the seam support member(s)).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas G. Bell
  • Patent number: 8348361
    Abstract: An additive dispenser drawer includes roller assemblies located on opposite sides near a rear portion of the dispenser drawer. Each roller assembly moves within a guide rail attached to a side of a housing. Bearing fixtures are attached to the housing near the front and act upon surfaces of the dispenser drawer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Joerger, Jason Miller, Stefano DePaoli
  • Patent number: 8349569
    Abstract: A method for measuring a fibronectin fragment which is easy to handle and has excellent measuring accuracy, specificity and reproducibility is provided. An anti-fibronectin fragment monoclonal antibody which reacts with a human fibronectin fragment but does not react with human fibronectin, a measuring reagent containing the monoclonal antibody, a method for measuring a fibronectin fragment which uses the monoclonal antibody and a hybridoma which produces the monoclonal antibody are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Takara Bio Inc.
    Inventors: Chika Kato, Yuka Sano, Kyoko Kamihagi, Ikunoshin Kato
  • Patent number: 8352983
    Abstract: A user interface for interactive television services is represented as a visual overlay that provides a viewer with knowledge of a library of available content relating to a currently tuned to television channel and navigation options for selecting desired portions of the available content from the library, the available content being designated according to business rules specified by a provider of the interactive television services. The visual overlay may be displayed over full-screen or embedded television programming, which may be broadcast television programming or on-demand television programming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: TVWORKS, LLC
    Inventors: Lena Chane, Samuel Moreau, Darrell Haber, Matt Marenghi
  • Patent number: 8351607
    Abstract: A wireless communication device to be wirelessly connected to a wireless network is provided. The wireless communication device includes a password obtainer to obtain a password designated by a user for connecting the wireless communication device to the wireless network, and a wireless connector to connect the wireless communication device to the wireless network with the use of the obtained password. The wireless connector sequentially selects one set from two or more sets, and sequentially attempts to connect the wireless communication device to the wireless network with the use of the sequentially selected one set. Each set of the two or more sets has an authorization method and an encryption method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoko Ando, Takanobu Suzuki, Takeshi Nagasaki, Hideki Nogawa
  • Patent number: 8349064
    Abstract: A water-based ink for ink jet recording, containing: a coloring agent; water; and a water-soluble organic solvent. The coloring agent contains a phosphate group-modified self-dispersing pigment. The water-based ink further contains at least one of a reducing sugar and a sugar alcohol and a calcium ion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Michiko Aoyama, Narumi Koga, Shunichi Higashiyama, Masashi Tsuda, Hiromitsu Sago, Kazuma Goto, Akihiko Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 8348780
    Abstract: A golf club head in which a top surface of the body includes an actual top surface visible profile region and a varied top surface visible profile region is provided. The varied top surface visible profile region may provide a visual impression of a varied profile of the body distinct from an actual profile of the body. The visual impression is oriented in a manner that allows the golfer to address the ball at the heel region of the golf club. The perimeter of the top surface visible profile region may be complementary in shape to the perimeter of the top surface of the body and the varied top surface visible profile region and the actual top surface visible profile region may be distinct in shape, size, color, and/or finish etc. An associated golf club and a method for fitting a golf club are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: John T. Stites
  • Patent number: 8352295
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the amount of premium, policies, or quotations needed to improve market share in various geographic locations based on user selected criteria. The method comprises calculating a total estimated expenditure on insurance by zip code, an estimated market share for an insurance provider by zip code, a year-to-date sale-to-quote ratio by zip code, and finally the amount of premiums, policies, or quotations needed to achieve a market share in a zip code. The method and apparatus will also display or output demographic data, market data, insurance provider information, and calculated amounts of premiums, policies, or quotations needed to achieve a market share in a given zip code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company
    Inventors: Larry Shigeo Kobori, Wynee Chai-Wei Lin
  • Patent number: 8350309
    Abstract: A select gate transistor has a select gate electrode composed of a first-level conductive layer and a second-level conductive layer. The first-level conductive layer has contact areas. The second-level conductive layer has its portions removed that are located above the contact areas. Two adjacent select gate electrodes that are adjacent to each other in the column direction are arranged such that the contact areas of one select gate electrode are not opposed to the contact areas of the other select gate electrode. One select gate electrode has its first- and second-level conductive layers removed in their portions that are opposed to the contact areas of the other select gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiroshi Watanabe, Hiroshi Nakamura, Kazuhiro Shimizu, Seiichi Aritome, Toshitake Yaegashi, Yuji Takeuchi, Kenichi Imamiya, Ken Takeuchi, Hideko Oodaira
  • Patent number: D673765
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Goodwin Parker, Benjamin A Shaffer
  • Patent number: D673921
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Isao Ozawa
  • Patent number: D673922
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takakatsu Moriai, Isao Ozawa, Toyokazu Eguchi
  • Patent number: D673924
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Edward D. Mitchell, Christine Oh, Jan Stillerman
  • Patent number: D673952
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: King Jim Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naotoshi Toda, Shinji Higashiyama
  • Patent number: D673972
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Aaron N. Woo
  • Patent number: D674038
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Toto Ltd.
    Inventors: Lea Mari Mendoza, Steven Chen, Mitsuya Obara