Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Brook & Kushman P.C.
  • Automatic emergency call language provisioning
    Patent number: 8224523
    Abstract: A method of language provisioning includes receiving a language designation as part of a packet sent from a communication point. The method also includes setting a local language emergency database (LLED) as a basis for a spoken language when placing emergency calls. According to this method, if an emergency call is originated by a vehicle computing system, outgoing communication from the vehicle computing system is performed at least substantially based on words and/or phrases stored in the LLED.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: David Anthony Hatton
  • VCT active lock pin control
    Patent number: 8220427
    Abstract: A spool valve 10 for a variable camshaft timing (VCT) phaser for an internal combustion engine comprises a spool 11 slidable in a bore 12 in a valve sleeve 13, the spool 11 having spaced apart lands 14-17 dividing the bore 12 into chambers 41, 42, 43 between adjacent lands. The valve sleeve 13 has fluid passages 22-27 including a lock passage 26 communicating with a lock pin 31, a vent passage 27 communicating with a fluid sump 35, and a lock pin oil feed passage 22, with the spool 11 being slidable in the bore 12 to interconnect select passages via particular chambers, wherein the vent passage 27 and the lock pin passage 26 are connectable with different chambers 43 and 42 respectively. The arrangement avoids unnecessary operation of the lock pin 31.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Jaguar Cars Limited
    Inventor: Matt James Child
  • Laser illumination device
    Patent number: 8224133
    Abstract: An Electrically Switchable Bragg Grating (ESBG) despeckler device comprising at least one ESBG element recorded in a hPDLC sandwiched between transparent substrates to which transparent conductive coatings have been applied. At least one of said coatings is patterned to provide a two-dimensional array of independently switchable ESBG pixels. Each ESBG pixel has a first unique speckle state under said first applied voltage and a second unique speckle state under said second applied voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: SBG Labs Inc.
    Inventors: Milan Momcilo Popovich, Jonathan David Waldern, John James Storey
  • Process and apparatus for producing a single crystal of semiconductor material
    Patent number: 8221550
    Abstract: A process for producing a single crystal of semiconductor material, in which fractions of a melt, are kept in liquid form by a pulling coil, solidify on a seed crystal to form the growing single crystal, and granules are melted in order to maintain the growth of the single crystal. The melting granules are passed to the melt after a delay. There is also an apparatus which Is suitable for carrying out the process and has a device which delays mixing of the molten granules and of the melt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventor: Wilfried von Ammon
  • Metropolitan area network resource control system and method, access resource admission and control device
    Patent number: 8223635
    Abstract: A metropolitan area network (MAN) resource control system, method and Access-Resource and Admission Control Function (A-RACF) device are disclosed, wherein, the A-RACF device comprises a MAN resource and policy control function (RPCF) module. The MAN network device comprises a MAN resource control enforcement function (RCEF) module. The system is connected via the MAN RPC module with the MAN RCEF module which needs to be controlled to control the QoS of the MAN resource. The MAN RPC module is used to make a MAN resource control strategy and generate the QoS policy. The MAN RCEF module is used to execute the QoS control according to the QoS policy sent by the A-RACF device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: ZTE Corporation
    Inventor: Jun Song
  • Polyvinyl alcohol as co-stabilizer for PVC
    Patent number: 8222325
    Abstract: Thermoplastically processable PVC mixtures having enhanced stability are prepared by incorporating at least one stabilizer containing metal ions and a modified polyvinyl alcohol co-stabilizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignees: Kuraray Europe GmbH, Kuraray Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Samuel Michel, Robert W. Fuss, Masaki Kato, Masato Nakamae, Akira Tsuboi
  • Rotary head data storage and retrieval system and method
    Patent number: 8225339
    Abstract: A head carriage unit in a data storage and retrieval system and method has a substantially planar working surface and multiple heads disposed at the working surface. The head carriage unit is adapted for rotational motion about an axis oriented substantially normal to the working surface. A tape drive unit moves a tape media past the working surface of the head carriage unit, the tape media having a width approximately equal to a width of the working surface of the head carriage unit. The multiple heads record multiple data tracks on or retrieve multiple data tracks from the tape media as the head carriage unit rotates while the tape media moves past the working surface of the head carriage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Oracle International Corporation
    Inventors: Carl T. Madison, Jr., Timothy C. Ostwald
  • System and method for stereo photography
    Patent number: 8218135
    Abstract: A system and method for stereo photography is provided. The system comprises a first light source, a second light source and a photodetector. The first light source is configured to illuminate one or more first non-white colors on an object. The second light source is configured to illuminate one or more second non-white colors that are different from the first non-white colors on the object. The photodetector is configured to detect a three dimensional representation of the object at a single moment in time in response to the first light source illuminating the first non-white colors and the second light source illuminating the second non-white colors on the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Larry Dean Elie, Dieter Giese, John Matthew Ginder
  • Method and apparatus for determining item orientation
    Patent number: 8217938
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method and computer software for calculating an orientation for an item. A bounding cube is constructed which encompasses a mesh representation of the item. The bounding cube is divided into a plurality of voxel elements. A data structure may be used to subdivide the bounding cube. Calculations are performed to determine which of the plurality of voxel elements intersect with the mesh, defining a voxel representation of the item. A statistical analysis is performed on the voxel representation to determine an orientation for the item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Yifan Chen, Basavaraj Tonshal, Pietro Buttolo
  • Process for the fermentative production of antibodies
    Patent number: 8216573
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing a correctly folded and assembled full-length antibody using an E. coli strain, which comprises fermenting an E. coli strain which leaks periplasmic proteins into the medium, comprising a gene coding for the heavy chain of an antibody functionally linked to a signal sequence coding for a signal peptide, and a second gene coding for the light chain of an antibody, functionally linked to a signal sequence coding for a signal peptide, in a culture medium, where the E. coli strain secretes a full-length antibody into the culture medium, and the full-length antibody is removed from the culture medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Wacker Chemie AG
    Inventors: Guenter Wich, Tobias Dassler
  • Monocrystalline semiconductor wafer comprising defect-reduced regions and method for producing it
    Patent number: 8216361
    Abstract: Monocrystalline semiconductor wafers have defect-reduced regions, the defect-reduced regions having a density of GOI-relevant defects within the range of 0/cm2 to 0.1/cm2 and occupy overall an areal proportion of 10% to 100% of the planar area of the semiconductor wafer, wherein the remaining regions of the semiconductor wafer have a significantly higher defect density than the defect-reduced regions. The wafers may be produced by a method for annealing GOI relevant defects in the wafer, by irradiating defined regions of a side of the semiconductor wafer by laser wherein each location is irradiated with a power density of 1 GW/m2 to 10 GW/m2 for at least 25 ms, wherein the laser emits radiation of a wavelength above the absorption edge of the wafer semiconductor material and wherein the temperature of the wafer rises by less than 20 K as a result of irradiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventors: Dieter Knerer, Andreas Huber, Ulrich Lambert, Friedrich Passek
  • Storage area network and method for provisioning therein
    Patent number: 8219714
    Abstract: A storage array includes at least one target and a logical unit having a logical unit number. The storage array is configured to receive input defining a host group comprising at least one initiator and receive input defining a target group comprising the at least one target. The host group, target group and logical unit number define a view entry. The storage array is further configured to apply the view entry to the logical unit to provide a logical unit inventory that is provisioned for the at least one initiator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Oracle America, Inc.
    Inventors: John Forte, Sumit Gupta
  • Cargo access and retention system for a passenger vehicle
    Patent number: 8215691
    Abstract: An improved access and retention system for sedans includes a protective cover for safeguarding a lower peripheral region of a rear cargo region while loading, unloading, and transporting cargo. The protective cover can conveniently and remotely stow within the cargo region. An integral tie-down assembly, exposed by deploying the protective cover, secures cargo loaded in the rear cargo region and cargo placed along the protective cover. The system also includes a double hinging rear closure member which has a rear facing portion which can be locked in open and closed positions. Arranging the rear facing portion in the open position is particularly advantageous for hauling oversized cargo articles which may extend from the rear of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Kip Alan Ewing
  • System and method for integration of crash signature sensor in vehicle side impact sensing
    Patent number: 8219287
    Abstract: A system and method for performing side impact sensing in a vehicle including at least one side impact zone is provided. The system comprises a controller and at least one crash signature sensor. The controller is configured to deploy one or more safety restraints in response to at least one crash signature signal. The one crash signature sensor is positioned in the side impact zone. The crash signature sensor is configured to detect an impact with an object at the side impact zone. The crash signature sensor is further configured to generate the crash signature signal which corresponds to measured structural impact energy of the vehicle in the side impact zone deformed by the impact at frequencies above 2 kHz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jialiang Le, Paul Simmons, Manoharprasad K. Rao, Clifford C. Chou
  • Generator power-based cold start strategy
    Patent number: 8215429
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling engine starting in a hybrid electric vehicle that includes a battery, an engine and a generator acting as a motor control generator power during engine starting so that generator torque complements or assists the engine to develop a stable running speed throughout an engine start event, particularly a cold engine start event, without violating battery power limits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Paul Stephen Bryan, Christopher Adam Ochocinski, Kenneth Frederick, Shunsuke Okubo
  • Vehicle seat having active head restraint system
    Patent number: 8215709
    Abstract: A vehicle seat assembly having a seatback frame, an upper armature that is movable relative to the seatback frame and a head restraint mounted on the upper armature. A linkage assembly operatively interconnects the upper armature and an impact body such that movement of the impact body relative to the seatback frame acts on the linkage assembly to move the upper armature relative to the seatback frame to cause the head restraint to move toward the occupant. The linkage assembly includes a linkage and a coupler movably connected to the linkage. The coupler includes a first member movably connected to the seatback frame and a second member movably connected to the first member at a location below the upper end of the impact body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Mladen Humer, Nagarjun Yetukuri, Gerald Locke, Dale Smallwood
  • Vehicle seat assembly with interlocking layered seating system
    Patent number: 8215714
    Abstract: A vehicle seat transitional composite with a structural reinforcement member adapted to be mounted within a vehicle seat to provide support to an occupant. The structural reinforcement member has at least two edge regions and an inner region at least partially bound within the at least two edge regions. The at least two edge regions have a plurality of keying apertures. A compliant layer is adjacent to the structural reinforcement member and has a plurality of projections sized to be received within the plurality of keying apertures of the structural reinforcement member for minimizing lateral movement of the compliant layer relative to the structural reinforcement member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Ashford A. Galbreath, Asad S. Ali
  • Self-tuning transmitter
    Patent number: 8218608
    Abstract: A self-tuning duplicating transceiver is provided. The transceiver includes a microprocessor, a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter includes an electrically tunable radio frequency oscillator, and the receiver includes a counter for determining an edge count associated with a received signal. The microprocessor is programmed to receive an unknown signal with the receiver and use the counter to determine the edge count thereof, and electrically tune the transmitter oscillator to a carrier frequency corresponding to the edge count for the unknown signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: John S. Nantz, Qingfeng Tang, Riad Ghabra, Ronald O. King, Bruce Conner, Art Turovsky, Keith Walker, Thomas Bejster
  • Method and system for distributing and activating a non-personalized purchase card
    Patent number: 8219474
    Abstract: The system includes a first and second computer systems and a purchase card associated with a major credit card organization. The card does not include information about any prospective card holder and is provided with a card number so that when activated, has an initial monetary value. The first computer system, located at a purchase outlet, is configured to transmit the card number over a communication network to the second computer system to activate the account, without requiring information from any person acquiring the card. The activated card is usable at retail establishments that accept credit cards. A method includes the steps of authorizing distribution of a plurality of non-activated purchase cards to purchase card outlets and authorizing activation of the purchase card account without requiring information from any person acquiring the card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Privacash, Inc.
    Inventors: David B. Sutton, Douglas B Blasiman
  • Vehicle wheel cover
    Patent number: D663671
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Solomon H Song, Darrell Paul Behmer, Shawn Wehrly