Patents Represented by Law Firm Flehr, Hohbach, Test
  • Patent number: 6343050
    Abstract: An analog clock with a contiguous digital display is driven by radio signals from a WWVB or other time keeping radio station. To avoid using magnetic or optical feedback of the position of the hands of the analog clock if an erroneous time is shown (for example because of replacing the battery), the user of the clock physically resets the digital display to the analog setting (which of course is erroneous). Then an associated microprocessor speeds up or slows down the running of the analog clock until a match is made to the actual radio time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2002
    Assignee: Moneray International Ltd.
    Inventor: Joseph Tak Ming Kwok
  • Patent number: 6338437
    Abstract: An apparatus and process for individual adjustment of the temperature set points of a plurality of VAV devices (27, 29) in an HVAC system. The process includes the step of directly, or indirectly through a network server (61), coupling each of a plurality of computers (34) located in a plurality of offices or spaces (22) for input of a temperature set point based signal. The computers (34) are coupled to the VAV devices (27, 29) such that a selected computer can be used to adjust the temperature set point of only VAV devices (27, 29) located in the same space (22) as the selected computer (34). Such coupling can be wired or wireless, based upon the use of computer networks (36, 42) which are connected to the VAV devices (27, 29) directly or through the building HVAC control network (32) or through a network server (61), which also is accessed by the building control computer (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2002
    Assignee: Acutherm L.P.
    Inventors: James R. Kline, Matthew L. Costick
  • Patent number: 6336556
    Abstract: A unitary multi-cell partition for packaging articles for use with a multi-sided carton or tray having a circumscribed space therein. The partition is formed of molded pulp and is capable of being disposed in the space and is adapted to receive the articles within the cells of the partition. The partition comprises a plurality of wall portions which are inclined from the vertical when the partition is free standing and free of the space in the carton or tray. The plurality of wall portions are arranged to provide a plurality of vertically disposed spaced-apart cells. The wall portions have upper and lower extremities and hinge portions joining certain of said upper extremities of the wall portions and joining certain of the lower extremities of the wall portions to permit bending of certain of the wall portions with respect to other of the wall portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2002
    Assignee: Regale Corporation
    Inventor: Gregory W. Gale
  • Patent number: 6333584
    Abstract: A tiltable electrostatic microactuator comprising a substantially planar substrate and a rotatable member overlying the substrate for rotation about an axis of rotation extending perpendicular to the planar substrate. A plurality of comb drive assemblies are provided and each has a first comb drive member mounted on the substrate and a second comb drive member coupled to the rotatable member. Each of the first and second comb drive members is provided with comb drive fingers. First and second spaced-apart springs are included in the microactuator and each has a first end portion coupled to the substrate and a second end portion coupled to at least one of the second comb drive members for suspending the second comb drive members and the rotatable member over the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Iolon, Inc.
    Inventors: John H. Jerman, John D. Grade
  • Patent number: 6333174
    Abstract: Methods for the controllable expression in high yields of heterologous proteins under the control of a modified tryptophan promoter-operator system are disclosed. The system employed involves sequential resort to tryptophan repression and derepression, as well as deletion of an attenuator function native to the tryptophan operon. Means are also disclosed for effecting deletions at any given point within a gene fragment and for the ready identification of transformant bacteria via triple ligation procedures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Genentech, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis G. Kleid, Daniel G. Yansura, Herbert L. Heyneker, Giuseppe F. Miozzari
  • Patent number: 6330801
    Abstract: A cryopump in which the surface area of the condensing or adsorbing panels is increased without materially increasing the dimensions by applying a porous or roughened layer on the surface of the panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2001
    Inventors: Francis J. Whelan, Keith E. Reidy
  • Patent number: 6331454
    Abstract: An insulated lattice is prepared with a plurality of lattice oriented atoms to create a substantially planar surface having a lattice arrangement. Any unsatisfied chemical bonds are terminated along the substantially planar surface by placing atoms at the site of the unsatisfied chemical bonds to terminate the unsatisfied chemical bonds and insulate the surface to form a platform. In one aspect of the invention, the insulator atoms are removed at predetermined locations. Atoms to form the atomic chain are placed at predetermined locations on the insulated lattice platform to form a first atomic chain which behaves as one of a conductor, a semiconductor and an insulator. A second atomic chain is also placed at predetermined locations on the insulated lattice platform so that the second chain behaves as another of a conductor, a semiconductor and an insulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2001
    Assignees: Board of Regents of the Leland Stanford Junior University, Research Development Corp
    Inventors: Toshishige Yamada, Yoshihiro Takiguchi, Dehuan Huang, Yoshihisa Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 6329737
    Abstract: A rotary electrostatic microactuator that includes a substantially planar substrate and a rotatable member overlying the substrate for rotation about an axis of rotation extending perpendicular to the planar substrate. First and second spaced-apart springs and a plurality of comb drive assemblies are included. Each of the comb drive assemblies has a first comb drive member mounted on the substrate and a second comb drive member. Each of the first and second comb drive members are provided with arcuate comb drive fingers. Each of the first and second springs has a first end portion secured to the substrate and a second end portion secured to at least one of the second comb drive members for suspending the second comb drive members and the rotatable member over the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: Iolon, Inc.
    Inventors: John H. Jerman, John D. Grade
  • Patent number: 6329069
    Abstract: A composite structure comprising a body having a surface and cladding covering at least a part of said surface of the body and being in intimate contact with the surface. The body and cladding are formed of different materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: Surface Genesis, Inc.
    Inventors: Gholam Reza Zadno Azizi, Raj Subramaniam, Mir A. Imran, Jeffrey W. Simpson
  • Patent number: 6328680
    Abstract: Exercise wheel having a shaft, a pair of axially spaced wheels mounted on the shaft for rolling engagement with a surface, handle means adapted to be grasped by an exerciser to roll the wheels along the surface away from a starting position, and resilient means connected between the wheels and the handle means for urging the device to return to the starting position. In one disclosed embodiment, the resilient means comprises clock springs mounted inside the wheels, and in another it comprises torsion springs positioned within the handles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Inventor: Tessema Dosho Shifferaw
  • Patent number: 6330274
    Abstract: The present invention is a correlator for use in spread spectrum applications which utilizing continuous-time analog domain signal processing. The correlator include a multiplier which is coupled to an integration capacitance, and an integration reset circuit which is coupled to the integration capacitance. The correlator is designed to receive a first input signal and a second input signal. The multiplier multiplies the first input signal and the second input signal to produce a multiplier output current. The multiplier output current is then integrated by the integration capacitance which produces a correlator output voltage. The integration reset circuit then reset the integration capacitance to a reset voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: University of Hawaii
    Inventor: Gregory T. Uehara
  • Patent number: 6328885
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for increasing the current efficiency of suppressor and suppress-like pretreatment devices is disclosed for the purpose of suppressing a high concentration of eluent without the detrimental effects of excess heat generation. The method and apparatus may be used in ion chromatography.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: Dionex Corporation
    Inventors: Kannan Srinivasan, Victor Berber Barreto, Christopher A. Pohl, James R. Thayer, Nebojsa Avdalovic
  • Patent number: 6325976
    Abstract: An electrolyitic suppressor including (a) a suppressor bed of ion exchange resin, (b) an electrode chamber adjacent the suppressor, (c) a first electrode in the electrode chamber, (d) a barrier separating the suppressor bed from the first electrode chamber preventing significant liquid flow but permitting transport of ions only of the same charge as the suppressor bed resin, (e) a second electrode in electrical communication with the resin bed, and (f) a recycle conduit between the suppressor outlet port and said electrode chamber. The second electrode may be in contact with the ion exchange resin in the suppressor or located in second electrode chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: Dionex Corporation
    Inventors: Hamish Small, Yan Liu, John M. Riviello, Nebojsa Avdalovic, Kannan Srinivasan
  • Patent number: 6327410
    Abstract: A microsphere-based analytic chemistry system and method for making the same is disclosed in which microspheres or particles carrying bioactive agents may be combined randomly or in ordered fashion and dispersed on a substrate to form an array while maintaining the ability to identify the location of bioactive agents and particles within the array using an optically interrogatable, optical signature encoding scheme. A wide variety of modified substrates may be employed which provide either discrete or non-discrete sites for accommodating the microspheres in either random or patterned distributions. The substrates may be constructed from a variety of materials to form either two-dimensional or three-dimensional configurations. In a preferred embodiment, a modified fiber optic bundle or array is employed as a substrate to produce a high density array. The disclosed system and method have utility for detecting target analytes and screening large libraries of bioactive agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: The Trustees of Tufts College
    Inventors: David R. Walt, Karri L. Michael
  • Patent number: 6324977
    Abstract: A stamp assembly for use with an ink to create an image having an area on a surface of a workpiece. The stamp assembly comprises a handle member having a surface with an area at least approximating the area of the image. A flexible sheet-like embossing member is provided and has opposite first and second sides. The first side has a first side surface and the second side has an embossed portion with a substantially planar raised surface corresponding to the image. The first side of the embossing member is removably secured by interfacial tack to the surface of the handle member. The embossed portion is adapted to receive ink on the raised surface and the raised surface is adapted to thereafter engage the surface of the workpiece to form the image on the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: Arlo, Inc.
    Inventor: David M. Hadden
  • Patent number: 6326151
    Abstract: The present invention relates to novel methods for identifying antiviral agents which selectively interfere with viral proteins that override the interferon(IFN)-induced cellular defense mechanisms against viral infection. In particular, the present invention relates to screening assays that identify agents which selectively inhibit the interaction between viral proteins containing an interferon sensitivity determining region (ISDR) and IFN-induced PKR protein kinase. The present invention more particularly relates to screening assays that identify agents which selectively inhibit the interaction between hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural 5A protein (NS5A), which contains an ISDR, and IFN-induced PKR protein kinase. The interaction between the viral ISDR and IFN-induced PKR protein kinase results in the override of IFN-induced cellular defense mechanisms to combat viral infection. Therefore the agents identified using the assays of the invention may have utility as antiviral agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: University of Washington
    Inventors: Michael G. Katze, Michael J. Gale
  • Patent number: 6321761
    Abstract: A machine for washing bottles has a conveyor which advances intermittently from station to station. The conveyor has a carriage extending transversely thereof formed to receive at least one inverted bottle. Full cone spray nozzles located above and below the bottles as they pass along the conveyor spray warmed detergent solution on the exteriors of the bottles at each station. High pressure or solid stream jet nozzles at each stage project a jet of water from below into the inverted open mouth of each bottle at the stage to thoroughly clean the interior of each bottle. To counterbalance the forces of the jets below, which tend to lift the bottles off the conveyor, a jet of fluid from above impacts the inverted bottom of each bottle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: Portola Packaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank M. Brenkus, Craig B. Garrett
  • Patent number: 6322979
    Abstract: An article suitable for use as a biosensor includes a molecule of a formula X—R—Ch adhered to a surface of the article as part of a self-assembled monolayer. X is a functionality that adheres to the surface, R is a spacer moiety, and Ch is a chelating agent. A metal ion can be coordinated by the chelating agent, and a polyamino acid-tagged biological binding partner of a target biological molecule coordinated to the metal ion. A method of the invention involves bringing the article into contact with a medium containing or suspected of containing the target biological molecule and allowing the biological molecule to biologically bind to the binding partner. The article is useful particularly as a surface plasmon resonance chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Cynthia C. Bamdad, George B. Sigal, Jack L. Strominger, George M. Whitesides
  • Patent number: 6322377
    Abstract: A connector for use with a printed circuit board having a plurality of traces extening to an array of interconnect holes. The connector includes a connector housing adapted for mounting to the printed circuit board in a position overlying the array of interconnect holes and at least one male connector means of an electrically conductive material carried by the male connector housing. The male connector means is formed from a unitary body having first and second blade members and first and second central members. Each of the first and second blade members extends in juxtaposition and has first and second ends. The first ends of the first and second blade members are joined together to form a forward end of the male connector means and the second ends of the first and second blade members are joined to respective first and second central members. The first and second central members are spaced apart and each has an end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: TVM Group. Inc.
    Inventors: Richard J. Middlehurst, Donald E. Wood, Robert S. Jetter, Robert G. Foley
  • Patent number: 6322540
    Abstract: A needle stick safety syringe includes a outer tubular protective cover or sleeve for the inner syringe body where a concentric coil spring is compressed against the normal flange of the inner syringe body and retained there by a stop which is cantilevered from a collar affixed to the distal end of the inner syringe body. This cantilevered stop also includes a convenient button which may be easily depressed by a finger of one hand holding the outer tubular body to allow the sleeve to be slid over the needle under the bias of the spring. The cantilevered button and stop rides in a groove in the inner diameter of the tubular outer protective body and is captured by a slot which effectively prevents reuse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: International Technology Group
    Inventors: Dietrich W. Grabis, Mary Anne Kaehler, Kenneth Mellberg