Patents Represented by Attorney Bell, Boyd & Lloyd LLP
  • Patent number: 7489229
    Abstract: A fuse component includes an electrically insulating substrate having a top surface, a thick film fuse element applied to the top surface and a cover layer. The cover layer is made of an electrically insulating material having good caloric conductivity. The cover layer can be directly applied to the thick film fuse element and the adjoining zones of the top surface of the substrate. The cover layer can contain a glass having a specific caloric conductivity of >2 W/mK. The cover layer can have a window disposed above a section of the fuse element, the section of the fuse element located within the window being at least partially covered by a solder containing layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Wickmann-Werke GmbH
    Inventors: André Jöllenbeck, Uwe Röder, Andreas Baus
  • Patent number: 7488253
    Abstract: A gaming device including a mechanical display device including a main housing and a plurality of movable symbol displays mounted in the main housing, wherein each of the symbol displays includes at least one symbol. The main housing includes a substantially horizontal first axis which extends from the rear of the housing to the front of the housing. Each of the symbol displays are positioned on a separate second axis, which each intersect and are transverse to the first axis. Upon a triggering event in a game, each of the symbol displays move about its second axis and then stop and display at least one symbol to a player. The gaming device indicates one of the displays symbols and provides the indicated symbol to the player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Dennis Nordman, James M. Gray
  • Patent number: 7488249
    Abstract: A gaming device having a game which displays an award distributor and a sequence of groups to a player. A processor causes the award distributor to indicate an award. Furthermore, the gaming device enables the player to pick one of the groups in the sequence. The processor reveals at least one element associated with the picked group in the sequence. A multiplier provided to the player changes based on the number of elements revealed in the sequence. The processor provides an activation award to the player, which equals the indicated award multiplied by the multiplier. The player continues to play the game until all of the groups are picked in the sequence. In another embodiment, at least one risk symbol is associated with the award distributor wherein the risk symbols modify one or more game components in the game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Andrea C. Hughs-Baird, Joseph E. Kaminkow, Anthony J. Baerlocher
  • Patent number: 7488247
    Abstract: A gaming device having a game which displays an award distributor and a sequence of groups to a player. A processor causes the award distributor to indicate an award. Furthermore, the gaming device enables the player to pick one of the groups in the sequence. The processor reveals at least one element associated with the picked group in the sequence. A multiplier provided to the player changes based on the number of elements revealed in the sequence. The processor provides an activation award to the player, which equals the indicated award multiplied by the multiplier. The player continues to play the game until all of the groups are picked in the sequence. In another embodiment, at least one risk symbol is associated with the award distributor wherein the risk symbols modify one or more game components in the game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Andrea C. Hughs-Baird, Joseph E. Kaminkow, Anthony J. Baerlocher
  • Patent number: 7488245
    Abstract: A game, and in particular an electronic game that simulates trading securities on an exchange. The game is preferably played as a video gaming machine for gambling purposes. A computing device is provided having, among other things, a video screen display on which a line chart is displayed. The computing device also includes a selection device, which provides a means by which the player interacts with the computing device to “buy” or “sell”. The line chart includes a vertical axis that corresponds to the value or price of one or more securities, and a horizontal axis that corresponds to time. A segmented line is plotted on the line chart during a round of play. A random number generator randomly determines the vertical axis value for each point plotted along the segmented line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Eugene Jarvis, Andrew Eloff
  • Patent number: 7489900
    Abstract: Communication systems, communication terminals and communication methods are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Daisuke Kawakami, Akihiro Kikuchi, Masatoshi Ueno
  • Patent number: 7488251
    Abstract: The present invention includes an apparatus and method for operating a gaming device that enables or activates one or more poker hands upon the receipt or wager of a single credit from the player. 3 The gaming device of the present invention maintains and displays a plurality of poker hands and an input device that enables a player to bet one or more credits. When the player wagers a credit, the processor of the gaming device activates a number of the poker hands, the number pre-selected or player selected to be one or more and preferably each of the poker hands maintained by the gaming device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: Joseph E. Kaminkow
  • Patent number: 7488248
    Abstract: A gaming device having a game which displays an award distributor and a sequence of groups to a player. A processor causes the award distributor to indicate an award. Furthermore, the gaming device enables the player to pick one of the groups in the sequence. The processor reveals at least one element associated with the picked group in the sequence. A multiplier provided to the player changes based on the number of elements revealed in the sequence. The processor provides an activation award to the player, which equals the indicated award multiplied by the multiplier. The player continues to play the game until all of the groups are picked in the sequence. In another embodiment, at least one risk symbol is associated with the award distributor wherein the risk symbols modify one or more game components in the game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Andrea C. Hughs-Baird, Joseph E. Kaminkow, Anthony J. Baerlocher
  • Patent number: 7488511
    Abstract: A method for coating glass, and specifically for manufacturing perfluoroalkoxy copolymer coated glass and tetrafluoroethylene perfluoromethyl vinyl ether copolymer coated glass. The method includes placing a glass substrate on an electrically grounded support and cleaning it with a solvent to remove impurities and prepare the surface of the substrate to be coated. The method also includes coating the surface with a primer and uniformly applying an electro-conductive enhance to the primer so that the surface of the glass substrate is wet, but not uneven. The method includes powder spraying periluoroalkoxy copolymer or tetrafluoroethylene perfluoromethyl vinyl ether copolymer on the electro-conductive enhancer while the enhancer is still wet. The method also includes securing the perfluoromethyl vinyl ether copolymer to the glass substrate by evaporating the electro-conductive enhance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Orion Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Adino D. Caballero, George F. Osterhout
  • Patent number: 7485038
    Abstract: A gaming device having a display with multiple rotating award reels and an award indicator that moves in multiple directions to indicate one of the awards on one of the award reels is provided. In one embodiment, the reels rotate horizontally and in different directions. The indicator resides at the distal end of a member. The member is attached to a base. The base moves at least vertically so that the indicator covers or reaches each rotating award reel. The base can also move horizontally or rotate to change in both X and Y directions. When the indicator and reels stop moving, the indicator points to or indicates an award that is provided to a player as either a primary or bonus award of the gaming device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Markus Rothkranz, Kirk A. Tedsen, Kehl T. LeSourd
  • Patent number: 7486750
    Abstract: A system and device for wireless data transmission where information about interference in a message transmission system is obtained in a receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Paul Walter Baier, Martin Weckerle, Martin Haardt
  • Patent number: 7485391
    Abstract: Proton conductors, electrochemical devices employing same and methods of manufacturing same are provided. The proton conductor includes silicon oxide, bronsted acid and a derivative of a carbonaceous material predominantly composed of carbon and proton (H+) dissociating groups introduced to carbon atoms of the carbonaceous material. The proton conductor is produced by a step of forming a compound predominantly composed of silicon oxide and bronsted acid by a sol-gel method, and a step of mixing the compound with a derivative of a carbonaceous material obtained on introducing proton (H+) dissociating groups to carbon atoms forming a carbonaceous material predominantly composed of carbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuya Shirai, Toru Kihira
  • Patent number: 7486209
    Abstract: A demodulation table for converting variable length code (d, k; m, n; r) is provided. The variable length code has a maximum constraint length r>1, has a minimum run of d (d>0), has a maximum run of k, and a basic codeword length of n bits into data having a basic data length of m bits. The demodulation table includes: a basic table for converting code patterns composed of basic codes having a basic codeword length of n bits into data patterns composed of basic data having a basic data length of m bits; and a substitution table for converting code patterns of a plurality of different minimum run successive occurrence limiting patterns determined so as to limit successive occurrences of the minimum run to a maximum of N (N>1) times into a corresponding identical data pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 7487221
    Abstract: A network system by which the processing speed of the entire system can be enhanced. The network system includes a number of information processing apparatus connected to each other through a network such that a process can be executed in a distributed fashion. One of the information processing apparatus is set as a master apparatus while the other information processing apparatus are set as slave apparatus. The master information processing apparatus manages information regarding available hardware resources of the individual information processing apparatus connected to the network as apparatus information and manages communication speeds of the individual information processing apparatus connected to the network. One or more of the information processing apparatus by which the process should be executed are specified based on the management information, and a request for execution of the process is issued to the specified information processing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Araki
  • Patent number: 7486633
    Abstract: A network system, radio communication device, radio communication method, and computer program for same are provided. The present invention enables formation of a network topology with sensor nodes each having a traveling function and operating in the self-directive and dispersive state without using positional information. Each sensor nodes periodically transmits a HELLO message to neighboring nodes to exchange information therewith. In an area where the node density is high, the nodes are set in the Expand state and in the Bridge state. A node in the Expand state shifts to the Stay state when the node can be connected to only one neighboring node to becomes a component of the topology. A node in the Bridge state shifts to the Stay state together with neighboring nodes each having hidden terminals not less than a prespecified number to become a component of the topology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Yosuke Tamura
  • Patent number: 7486877
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a device for the heating of a liquid in a beverage machine comprising at least one set of at least two resistors, wherein said resistors are electrically linked together so as to use one resistor of each set individually or in serial with one or more of the resistors of the same set, at least one individual resistor and at least one set of two resistors, wherein said resistors are electrically linked together so as to use the first resistor of a set individually or in serial with one or more of the following resistors of the same set, said resistors transferring the maximum of energy to the flow of liquid and allowing a finer control of the liquid temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Christophe Boussemart, Ruguo Hu, Jean-Bernard Pulzer
  • Patent number: 7485710
    Abstract: The present invention is related to nucleic acids coding for adhesion factors of group B streptococcus, adhesion factors of group B streptococcus and uses thereof. More particularly, the present invention is related to a polypeptide being such adhesion factors and comprising an amino acid sequence, whereby the amino acid sequence is selected from the group comprising SEQ ID NO 11 to SEQ ID NO 20, and the use of such polypeptide for the manufacture of a vaccine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: InterCell AG
    Inventors: Dieter J. Reinscheid, Heike Gutekunst, Axel Schubert, Bernhard J. Eikmanns, Andreas Meinke
  • Patent number: 7484388
    Abstract: An appliance supply distribution and dispensing system and method for distributing appliance supplies to a home or business and which involves a computerized system which facilitates dispensing or using one or more supplies from an appliance. The computerized system monitors the supply level(s) and, when necessary, automatically orders and delivers additional supplies. In addition, the computerized system automatically detects dispensing, use or appliance problems and orders and arranges for repair service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Beverage Works, Inc.
    Inventor: Harry Lee Crisp, III
  • Patent number: D585846
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Littelfuse, Inc.
    Inventors: Kerri Michelle Hood, Julio Cesar Urrea, Edwin J. Harris, IV, Ronald Michael Rygiel
  • Patent number: D586286
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Standard Car Truck Company
    Inventors: John D. Anderson, Walter J. Peach