Patents Represented by Attorney Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe
  • Patent number: 6554616
    Abstract: This invention relates generally to the field of toy action figures, principally toy dolls and, more particularly, to dolls constructed for teaching young children specifically desired and selected words or phrases of a language other than the primary language spoken in the home. Accessories that can be used in combination with the toy for the enhanced learning of a language are also contemplated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Fluent Baby, Inc.
    Inventor: Tru Love
  • Patent number: 6555531
    Abstract: Pregnanes of formula I, and pharmaceutical compositions and products containing them, are useful in weight promotion by administration to the vomeronasal organ.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Pherin Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
    Inventors: David L. Berliner, Louis Monti, Clive L. Jennings-White
  • Patent number: 6554759
    Abstract: A targeting fixture allows for x-y-z movement of a targeting fixture with respect to a grid template. The targeting fixture includes a sheath unit, which accepts a seed implanting device. The sheath unit is maintained at a fixed relation with respect to the grid template.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Integrated Implant Systems LLC
    Inventors: Diego Y. Fontayne, Scott D. Salmon
  • Patent number: 6551310
    Abstract: An ablation catheter system and method of use is provided to endoscopically access portions of the human esophagus experiencing undesired growth of columnar epithelium. The ablation catheter system and method includes controlled depth of ablation features and use of either radio frequency spectrum, non-ionizing ultraviolet radiation, warm fluid or microwave radiation, which may also be accompanied by improved sensitizer agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Inventors: Robert A. Ganz, Brian D. Zelickson, Roger A. Stern
  • Patent number: 6551275
    Abstract: A grid sheath that holds a medical instrument in place in order to insert treatment seeds into a patient. The grid sheath includes a sheath unit in which the medical instrument is fitted therein, whereby the medical instrument is capable of sliding movement within the sheath unit. The grid sheath also includes at least one plate support rod, which is preferably adjustable and that is integral with a distal end of the sheath unit. The grid sheath further includes a push plate, that is integral with a distal end of the plate support rod. When the medical instrument is placed in position with respect to a grid template, the medical instrument is engaged with a needle in a hole of the grid template, and the push plate rests against a distal surface of the grid template.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Integrated Implant Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Diego Y. Fontayne, Steven Bellofatto, Edward J. Kaplan
  • Patent number: 6548068
    Abstract: The present invention is a composition of recombinant virus which has incorporated into its genome or portion thereof a gene encoding an antigen to a disease causing agent and a recombinant virus which has incorporated into its genome or portion thereof a gene encoding an immunostimulatory molecule(s) for the purpose of stimulating an immune response against the disease causing agent. Methods of treatment of diseases such as cancer and diseases caused by pathogenic microorganisms is provide using the composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services
    Inventors: Jeffrey Schlom, Judith Kantor, James W. Hodge
  • Patent number: 6544971
    Abstract: A method of increasing alertness in an individual by administering an effective amount of an alertness-increasing vomeropherin to the individual; and an alarm device that, when activated, emits an alertness-increasing vomeropherin. The method and device are especially useful in increasing alertness in individuals who are not readily responsive to usual external stimuli.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Pherin Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
    Inventors: David L. Berliner, Louis Monti, Clive L. Jennings-White
  • Patent number: 6545014
    Abstract: Methods, compositions, and compounds for modulating the activity of an endothelin peptide are provided. The methods use compositions that contain compounds that include those of the formula: where X is selected from groups that include O, S, and NH; Y is selected from O+ and N, and R1 and R2 are each selected independently from among alkyl, lower alkenyl, lower alkynyl, lower haloalkyl, halide, pseudohalide or H, except that R2 is not halide. R3, R4 and R5 are selected from among groups that include hydrogen, halide, alkoxy, alkyl, haloalkyl; and R7 is selected from groups that include (CH2)rR18, in which r is 0 to 6 and R18 is selected from groups that include aryl, particularly pyrmidinyl and phenyl. The methods are effected by contacting endothelin receptors with one or more of the compounds or with compositions containing one or more of the compounds prior to, simultaneously with, or subsequent to contacting the receptors with an endothelin peptide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Texas Biotechnology Corporation
    Inventor: Erik Joel Verner
  • Patent number: 6545797
    Abstract: This invention relates to the field of electrophoretic displays. In particular, it relates to imagewise opening, filling, and sealing multicolor display components and the manufacture of multicolor displays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Sipix Imaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Xianhai Chen, HongMei Zang, Zarng-Arh George Wu, Rong-Chang Liang
  • Patent number: 6540656
    Abstract: A targeting fixture allows for x-y movement of a targeting fixture with respect to a grid template. The targeting fixture includes a cradle unit, which accepts a seed implanting device. The cradle unit is hingedly connected to a housing surrounding the grid template. The housing is capable of x-y movement by actuation of x-y knobs provided on the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Integrated Implant Systems LLC
    Inventors: Diego Y. Fontayne, Scott D. Salmon, Christopher J. Claypool
  • Patent number: 6541039
    Abstract: The invention relates to nanoscale particles suited especially for use in tumor therapy by hyperthermia. Said particles comprise a (preferably superparamagnetic) iron oxide-containing core and at least two shells surrounding said core. The (innermost) shell adjoining the core is an envelope which comprises groups capable of forming cationic groups and is broken down by human or animal tissue at such a slow rate as to allow for association of the core surrounded by said envelope with the surface of cells and/or for absorption of said core into the inside of cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Institut für Neue Materialien gem. GmbH
    Inventors: Christoph Lesniak, Thomas Schiestel, Helmut Schmidt, Andreas Jordan
  • Patent number: 6540992
    Abstract: Elk ligand (Elk-L) polypeptides as well as DNA sequences, vectors and transformed host cells useful in providing elk-L polypeptides are used in methods for enhancing the survival or inhibiting the death of neurons, particularly hippocampal neurons. The elk-L polypeptides bind to a cell surface receptor that is a member of the tyrosine kinase receptor family.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Genentech, Inc.
    Inventors: Stewart Lyman, M. Patricia Beckmann, Peter R. Baum, Melissa K. Carpenter
  • Patent number: 6541498
    Abstract: N-(5-isoxazolyl)benzenesulfonamides and N-(3-isoxazolyl)benzenesulfonamides and methods for modulating or altering the activity of the endothelin family of peptides are provided. In particular, N-(5-isoxazolyl)biphenylsulfonamides and N-(3-isoxazolyl)biphenylsulfonamides and methods for inhibiting the binding of an endothelin peptide to an endothelin receptor or increasing the activity of endothelin peptides by contacting the receptor with a sulfonamide are provided. N-isoxzolyl-4-biphenylsulfonamides are particularly preferred. These compounds exhibit activity as endothelin receptor B antagonists. Methods for treating endothelin-mediated disorders, particularly inflammatory diseases, such as asthma, by administering effective amounts of one or more of these sulfonamides or prodrugs thereof that inhibit or increase the activity of endothelin are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Texas Biotechnology
    Inventors: Ming Fai Chan, Bore Gowda Raju, Adam Kois, Erik Joel Verner, Chengde Wu, Rosario Silvestre Castillo, Venkatachalapathi Yalamoori, Vitukudi Narayanaiyengar Balaji, Kalyanaraman Ramnarayan
  • Patent number: 6540391
    Abstract: An optical system is provided for use with a target site and includes a laser source producing an output beam and a reflector. A beam splitter is positioned to receive the output beam and splits the output beam into a first beam incident on the reflector and a second beam incident on at least one point of the target site. The reflector is adjustably positioned and movable along the reference optical path moveable along the reference optical path to change a length of the reference optical path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Iridex Corporation
    Inventors: Paolo Lanzetta, Giorgio Dorin
  • Patent number: 6537672
    Abstract: The invention relates to domestic appliances bearing on a powder-coated surface a scratch-resistant and abrasion-resistant topcoat of a coating material which comprises: a) condensates based on hydrolysable silanes containing at least one non-hydrolysable substituent, the hydrolysable silanes having an epoxide group on at least one non-hydrolysable substituent; b) a curing catalyst selected from Lewis bases and alkoxides of titanium, zirconium or aluminium; c) nanoscale particulate inorganic solids having a particle size in the range from 1 to 100 nm; and d) at least one organic monomer, oligomer or polymer containing at least one epoxide group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignees: Institut für Neue Materialien gem. GmbH, BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH
    Inventors: Carola Dittfurth, Stefan Sepeur, Ralf-Peter Winkler, Helmut Schmidt, Frank Joerdens, Gerhard Schmidmayer
  • Patent number: 6537767
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for screening antimycotically active substances, in which process essential mycete genes, in particular Saccharomyces cerevisae genes and functionally homologous and/or sequentially homologous mycete genes, are employed as targets. A process for finding antimycotically active substances, wherein essential mycete genes are employed as targets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignee: Aventis Pharma Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Albert Hinnen, Johannes Hegemann, Thomas Munder, Tillman Schuster, Horst Feldmann, Wilfried Kramer, Friedrich Karl Zimmermann, Karl-Dieter Entian, Matthias Rose, Peter Kötter
  • Patent number: 6533966
    Abstract: Suspensions and powders based on indium tin oxide are prepared by a method in which indium tin oxide precursors are precipitated from solutions in one or more solvents in the presence of one or more surface-modifying components, the solvent(s) are removed from the precipitate, which is then calcined, one or more surface-modifying components and one or more solvents are added, the mixture is comminuted or dispersed to form a suspension, and the liquid components are separated from the suspension to give a powder. The powder may be converted into a moulding by a shaping process. The materials prepared by this method are especially suitable as coating materials for use in microelectronics and optoelectronics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: Institut für Neue Materialien gem. GmbH
    Inventors: Ralph Nonninger, Christian Goebbert, Helmut Schmidt, Robert Drumm, Stefan Sepeur
  • Patent number: 6535541
    Abstract: A vertical cavity apparatus includes first and second mirrors, a substrate, first and second active regions and a plurality of individual active regions. Each of an individual active region is positioned between the first and second active regions. A first oxide layer is positioned between the first mirror and the second mirror. A plurality of tunnel junctions are positioned between the first and second mirrors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: Bandwidth 9, Inc
    Inventors: Julien Boucart, Constance Chang-Hasnain, Michael Jansen, Rashit Nabiev, Wupen Yuen
  • Patent number: 6534288
    Abstract: The invention relates to a precursor of human insulin or of an insulin analog of the formula I: Fus-B(1-30)-RDVP-Yn-A(1-21)  (I); wherein Fus is an optionally present fusion portion; B(1-30) is a B chain of human insulin, Y is an amino acid chain which terminates with a basic amino acid at the C terminus; n is from 2 to 50 and indicates the length of the amino acid chain Y; and A(1-21) is an A chain of human insulin, and the A chain and/or the B chain can be modified by amino acid substitution, deletions and/or additions. The present invention also provides DNA coding for the above precursors, preparation and use of the instant precursors and DNA, and a process for preparing human insulin or an insulin analog.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: Aventis Pharma Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Paul Habermann, Johann Ertl, Johannes Meiwes, Gerhard Seipke
  • Patent number: 6532096
    Abstract: A Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filter for suppressing ringing in tunable, or adjustable, members of MEMS devices is described. In embodiments of the invention, the FIR filter includes staggered proportional plus delay filters, or posicast filters. The FIR filter of the present invention is applicable to an adjustable mechanical member in a MEMS device which can be modeled as single mode second order system characterized by a resonance frequency &ohgr;0 and damping constant &zgr;<<1, i.e., a highly underdamped, single mode, second order system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: Bandwidth 9, Inc.
    Inventors: Bereket Berhane, Dan Guthrie, David Walker