Patents Represented by Attorney Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C.
  • Patent number: 8350262
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device having self-presence diode characteristics, and/or a nonvolatile memory array including the nonvolatile memory device may be provided. The nonvolatile memory device may include a lower electrode, a first semiconductor oxide layer on the lower electrode, a second semiconductor oxide layer on the first semiconductor oxide layer, and/or an upper electrode on the second semiconductor oxide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Myoung-Jae Lee, In-Kyeong Yoo, Eun-Hong Lee, Jong-Wan Kim, Dong-Chul Kim, Seung-Eon Ahn
  • Patent number: 8351318
    Abstract: An apparatus for converging voltages of an optical recording medium may include a first converging unit, a second converging unit, and/or a switching unit. The first converging unit may be configured to converge a voltage level of a first input signal to a reference voltage. The second converging unit may be configured to converge a voltage level of a second input signal to the reference voltage. The switching unit may be configured to determine whether to short-circuit output terminals of the first and second converging units during a period when the voltage levels of the first and second input signals are being converged to the reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sang-woog Byon
  • Patent number: 8352734
    Abstract: A method for updating the firmware of a security module allowing it to “jump” towards a dedicated separate patch message stream thanks to a trigger messages stream broadcasted in a main stream of management messages. The trigger messages comprise version information allowing establishing whether the security module is up-to-date, and an identifier indicating to the security module the suitable patch stream. If the current version of the firmware of the security module is inferior to the patch version, the security module is directed towards the stream of patch messages designated by the identifier included in the trigger messages. Once the update of the firmware is complete, the security module is again directed towards the main stream. This return can be carried out automatically, namely with a switch message comprising an identifier of the first stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Nagravision S.A.
    Inventors: Xavier Carrel, Olivier Brique, Henri Kudelski, Nicolas Fisher
  • Patent number: 8349647
    Abstract: A TFT includes a zinc oxide (ZnO)-based channel layer having a plurality of semiconductor layers. An uppermost of the plurality of semiconductor layers has a Zn concentration less than that of a lower semiconductor layer to suppress an oxygen vacancy due to plasma. The uppermost semiconductor layer of the channel layer also has a tin (Sn) oxide, a chloride, a fluoride, or the like, which has a relatively stable bonding energy against plasma. The uppermost semiconductor layer is relatively strong against plasma shock and less decomposed when being exposed to plasma, thereby suppressing an increase in carrier concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Myung-kwan Ryu, Tae-sang Kim, Jang-yeon Kwon, Kyung-bae Park, Kyung-seok Son, Ji-sim Jung
  • Patent number: 8348434
    Abstract: A projection display device having a projection device projecting an image on a surface, and a position detection function of detecting an object's position between the surface and the projection device, includes: a light source emitting light beams toward the object; a light detector detecting the light beams reflected by the object; and a position detector detecting the object's position in an imaginary plane based on the light detector's result, wherein the light source emits, as the light beams, first through third light beams having first through third intensity distributions, the second intensity distribution having a highest intensity at a position failing to overlap a highest intensity of the first intensity distribution, and the third intensity distribution having a highest intensity portion at a position failing to overlap a straight line connecting the highest intensity portions of the first and second intensity distributions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Daisuke Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 8347978
    Abstract: A driving tool having a driver, a power source, a sensor and a controller. The power source selectively provides an input to the driver to cause the driver to translate along an axis. The sensor senses a condition in the power source that is indicative of a level of kinetic energy of an element in the power source and generates a sensor signal in response thereto. The controller is coupled to the power source and the sensor and is responsive to the sensor signal for deactivating the power source to inhibit the power source from providing the input to the driver when the level of kinetic energy of the element in the power source is below a predetermined threshold. A method for operating a driving tool is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Forster, Craig A. Schell, Paul Gross, Charles L. Bradenbaugh, IV, Nathan Cruise, Erik Ekstrom
  • Patent number: 8350224
    Abstract: A scintillator arrangement for detecting X-ray radiation includes a plurality of pixels separated from one another by reflectors and made of a scintillator ceramic, doped in particular by cerium, for converting the X-ray radiation into visible light. In at least one embodiment, the reflectors are designed for absorbing light with a wavelength range which corresponds to a selected emission band of the scintillator ceramic. Thus, the concentration of cerium in the scintillator ceramic can be reduced and this leads to an increased light yield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Jürgen Leppert
  • Patent number: 8350992
    Abstract: A polarization element includes: a substrate; a plurality of thin metal wires provided to the substrate in a striped manner; and a plurality of protruding sections made of metal provided to each of the thin metal wires, and arranged in a longitudinal direction of the thin metal wire at a pitch shorter than a wavelength of incident light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Daisuke Sawaki
  • Patent number: 8351506
    Abstract: In one embodiment the method includes selecting a list 0 motion vector of the co-located block in a first reference picture as the motion vector if the co-located block has the list 0 motion vector and a list 1 motion vector. The first reference picture is a type of reference picture permitted to be located temporally before or after the current picture. The method further includes selecting the list 1 motion vector of the co-located block in the first reference picture if the co-located block only has the list 1 motion vector, scaling the selected motion vector based on temporal distance between the current picture and the first reference picture, and deriving at least one motion vector of the bi-predictive block by applying a bit operation to the scaled motion vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Byeong Moon Jeon
  • Patent number: 8348695
    Abstract: A power tool having a housing, a motor disposed in the housing, a power cord connected to the motor, and a cord protector operably engaging the power cord for movement therewith. The cord protector comprises a cam follower bracket having a camming slot sized to receive a cam follower. The cam follower bracket being biased into an initial position and exerting a biasing force upon the power cord in response to a load being applied to the power cord.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Puzio, Robert Opsitos, Richard C. Nickels, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8350854
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus are disclosed for visualizing a tomographic volume data record of an object volume. In at least one embodiment of the method, the gradient magnitude is additionally determined for each voxel of the volume data record and an at least two-dimensional transfer function is provided which assigns a color value and an opacity value to each combination of gradient value and scalar of the voxel. Here, at least the opacity value and the color value are modulated by the gradient value. The transfer function is applied to the previously determined gradient values and scalar values and the volume data record is displayed with the respective color and opacity values of the voxels by way of a volume rendering technique. The method permits an improved recognizability of structures, in particular in volume data records from medical imaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Stefan Röttger
  • Patent number: 8352546
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method is provided for notifying a user having an association with a plurality of computing devices. A notification service is configured to receive notifications intended for the user and forward the notifications to one or more of the computing devices associated with the user. The notification service may determine a present location of the user and select a computing device to send the notification in accordance with the present location of the user. The notification service may also identify one of the computing devices that is currently being interacted with by the user from amongst the computing devices associated with the user and send the notification to the identified computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Morgan Francois Stephan Dollard
  • Patent number: 8348632
    Abstract: A compressor shaft has a fluid inlet that leads into a fluid inlet tube, is perpendicular to a longitudinal hole in the length of the shaft. An intermediate inlet into the longitudinal hole is located between the fluid inlet and an outlet at an end of the longitudinal hole. A drive plate mounted to the compressor shaft has a protruding drive arm, which uses a holding mechanism to connect to a swash plate. At certain swash plate angles, the intermediate inlet is covered and sealed by the swash plate, or uncovered. The drive arm defines an internal bore and a through slot. At opposite ends, the bore merges into the longitudinal hole and open into the through slot. The holding mechanism and/or swash plate guide covers the bore in the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Craig Soliz, Christopher Carleton Bartholomew
  • Patent number: 8347897
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for hot and cold processing (1), the apparatus comprising: a heat pump (74) configured to pump heat from a first part of the heat pump to a second part of the heat pump, thereby cooling the first part of the heat pump for cold processing (73); a first heat sink (72) arranged to be in thermal contact with the second part of the heat pump such that heat may be transferred from the second part of the heat pump to the first heat sink and thereby cool the second part of the heat pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Hot-Stixx Limited
    Inventors: Roger Sydney Benest, Richard Gilmore
  • Patent number: 8347702
    Abstract: A testing machine tests the durability of backer pads on the track shoe assembly and the surface of the road wheel. The test machine utilizes two eccentric drives to move a section of a road wheel to simulate actual vehicle conditions. A positioning system positions the track shoe assembly with respect to the road wheel to adjust the loading between the two components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: The Pullman Company
    Inventor: Kenneth A. McGill
  • Patent number: 8351807
    Abstract: A fixing unit includes a fixing member, a pressing member, a heating device, a sheet width detector, and a heating area adjustor. The pressing member faces the fixing member to form a fixing nip between the fixing member. An un-fixed toner image is fixed on a recording medium when the recording medium passes through the fixing nip. The heating device heats the fixing member while maintaining a non-contact condition with the fixing member. The sheet width detector detects sheet width of the recording medium. The heating area adjustor changes a heating area of the fixing member, heatable by the heating device, based on the sheet width detected by the sheet width detector. The heating area adjustor is moveable in a space between the fixing member and the heating device along a sheet width direction to change a size of the heating area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takayuki Seki
  • Patent number: 8351505
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the method includes selecting a list 1 motion vector of the co-located block in a first reference picture if the co-located block only has the list 1 motion vector. The first reference picture is a type of reference picture permitted to be located temporally before or after the current picture, and the selected list 1 motion vector points to a second reference picture, which is a reference picture of the first reference picture. The method further includes deriving the list 0 and list 1 motion vectors of the bi-predictive block based on the selected list 1 motion vector of the co-located block. This deriving includes deriving a first temporal distance from a difference between the current picture and the first reference picture, deriving a second temporal distance from a difference between the first reference picture and the second reference picture, and scaling the selected list 1 motion vector of the co-located block based on the first and second temporal distances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Byeong Moon Jeon
  • Patent number: 8350935
    Abstract: A color filter array includes a plurality of white filters, a plurality of yellow filters, a plurality of cyan filters and a plurality of green filters. The plurality of white filters transmits incident light. The plurality of yellow filters transmits a green component and a red component of the incident light. The plurality of cyan filters transmits the green component and a blue component of the incident light. The plurality of green filters transmits the green component of the incident light. An image sensor including the color filter array has high sensitivity and high SNR by increasing transmittance of the incident light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin-Hak Kim, Tae-Chan Kim, Bum-Suk Kim, Jung-Hoon Jung, Tae-Sub Jung
  • Patent number: 8350873
    Abstract: A method of controlling a vehicle navigation system may entail inquiring if the navigation system is displaying a road map in a first map scale on a display, inquiring if a scrolling feature was used to pan the road map in the first map scale on the display to a specific scrolled point, concluding that the scrolling feature was used, calculating a detail road display area based on the specific scrolled point of the display; loading detailed road link data in a second map scale from memory of the navigation system, the detailed road link data corresponding in actual geographic area to the detail road display area, converting the detailed road link data from the second map scale to the first map scale to create converted detail road link data, and displaying the converted detail road link data together with the road map in the first map scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignees: DENSO International America, Inc., Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Naohiro Sakashita
  • Patent number: 8351943
    Abstract: In response to a determination that a received pilot signal identification is not present in a current neighbor list of a mobile station, a network controller identifies one of a plurality of sectors associated with the missing pilot signal identification that is a most likely handoff candidate. In one embodiment, the most likely handoff candidate is determined as the sector that is closest to the mobile station. When the most likely candidate is identified, a handoff may be initiated between the mobile station and the identified sector. The handoff may be accomplished by activating a traffic channel for the mobile station in the identified sector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventor: Vladan Jovanovic