Patents Represented by Attorney IP Strategies
  • Patent number: 7658095
    Abstract: An electronic device having an enclosure is disclosed. The electronic device includes a hole disposed at least partially through the enclosure. The electronic device also includes a detector configured to provide at least one visual indication after being immersed in water. The detector may include a moisture-indicating portion and a light-permitting moisture-proof membrane. The detector may be disposed inside at least one of the enclosure and the hole such that at least a portion of the detector is visible through the hole from outside of the enclosure without dismantling or opening the electronic device. The distance between the light-permitting moisture-proof membrane and an opening of the hole in the enclosure may be less than the distance between the moisture-indicating portion and the opening of the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Emery Sanford, Stephen P. Zadesky, Philip M. Hobson, M. Evans Hankey, Stephen Brian Lynch, Tang Yew Tan, Erik L. Wang
  • Patent number: 7660104
    Abstract: A user interface component for use in an electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device includes a first part and a second part. The user interface component may include a structural part configured to provide structural stiffness for the user interface component. The structural part may include an aperture. The aperture may allow a fastener to pass through the structural part to couple the first part with the second part without removing the structural part from the electronic device. The aperture may also allow the fastener to be removed from the electronic device through the structural part without removing the structural part from the electronic device. The user interface component may also include a cover detachably coupled with the structural part. The cover may cover the aperture and may receive user input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Chris Ligtenberg
  • Patent number: 7651585
    Abstract: An apparatus generating a plasma for removing an edge polymer from a substrate is disclosed. The embodiment includes a powered electrode assembly, including a powered electrode, a first dielectric layer, and a first wire mesh disposed between the powered electrode and the first dielectric layer. The embodiment also includes a grounded electrode assembly disposed opposite the powered electrode assembly so as to form a cavity wherein the plasma is generated, the first wire mesh being shielded from the plasma by the first dielectric layer when the plasma is present in the cavity, the cavity having an outlet at one end for providing the plasma to remove the edge polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Hyungsuk Alexander Yoon, Yunsang Kim, Jason A. Ryder, Andrew D. Bailey, III
  • Patent number: 7649363
    Abstract: A diagnostic tool for performing electrical measurements to calibrate a plasma processing chamber probe is provided. The diagnostic tool includes an RF generator. The diagnostic tool also includes a first impedance circuit. The first impedance circuit is a voltage-load network, configured to deliver RF voltage outputs from the RF generator for voltage measurements when RF power from the RF generator is delivered to the first impedance circuit. The diagnostic tool further includes a second impedance circuit. The second impedance circuit is a current-load network, configured to deliver RF current outputs from the RF generator for current measurements when the RF power from the RF generator is delivered to the second impedance circuit. The diagnostic tool further includes a coaxial switch network arrangement configured to provide switchable RF delivery paths to deliver the RF power from the RF generator to one of the first impedance circuit and the second impedance circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventor: Gary M. Lemson
  • Patent number: 7646613
    Abstract: A latch mechanism for removably securing a module in a bay of an electronic device. The latch mechanism includes a first wireform configured to move along a first wall of the bay to latch a first side of the module and a tang configured to move substantially perpendicularly to a second side of the module to latch the second side of the module. The latch mechanism includes a control member operatively connected with the first wireform and the tang to actuate the first wireform and the tang simultaneously in response to user input such that when the module is inserted into the bay, the first wireform and the tang simultaneously latch the first side of the module and the second side of the module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Chris Ligtenberg, Brett William Degner, Bartley K. Andre
  • Patent number: 7644663
    Abstract: An inactive aerial ballistic element for exercises includes a main hollow body and a ballast element. The main hollow body has an ogive, disposed in the front portion, and a closure bottom, disposed in the rear portion. The ballast element is disposed in the main hollow body, and gives to the inactive ballistic element the same ballistic features of active ballistic elements. The ballast element includes at least a monolithic body coaxially disposed in the main hollow body of the inactive ballistic element and extending at least between the ogive and the closure bottom. The ogive includes the end of the monolithic body, which protrudes from the main hollow body of the inactive ballistic element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Industria Meccanica Zane' SRL
    Inventor: Giuliano Illesi
  • Patent number: 7641498
    Abstract: A Universal Serial Bus socket-equipped arrangement (USB-SEA) configured for mating with a Universal Serial Bus (USB) plug having a plug metal housing and an aperture disposed in the plug metal housing. The arrangement includes a plug-receiving cavity configured to receive the USB plug. The arrangement further includes a spring-loaded mechanism disposed within the plug-receiving cavity. The spring-loaded mechanism is biased toward an interior region of the plug-receiving cavity. The spring-loaded mechanism is also configured to slide along the connector metal housing of the USB plug when the USB plug is inserted into the plug-receiving cavity and to movably mate with the aperture disposed in the plug metal housing when the USB plug is in a terminal mating position with the USB socket assembly. The spring-loaded mechanism represents one of a spring-loaded ball and a spring-loaded pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Apple Inc
    Inventors: Evans Hankey, Rico Zorkendorfer, John Benjamin Filson, Douglas Joseph Weber, Stephen Zadesky
  • Patent number: 7642518
    Abstract: A detector for the measurement of radiation, preferably ionizing radiation, includes a medium, means for the conversion of the radiation energy absorbed by the medium into electrical charge, means for digital sampling of the charge signals, means for the determination of a calibration factor K, and means for the stabilization of the output signals of the detector. The medium at least partly absorbs the radiation to be measured. The electric charge is at least partially proportional to the energy of the radiation. The sampling is done preferably with a sampling rate between 1 and 1000 MHz. Further signal processing is digital. The calibration factor K has a fixed relation with respect to the decay time ? of the medium. The output signals of the detector are mainly proportional to the radiation energy, and are stabilized with the help of the calibration factor K.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: ICx Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Jürgen Stein, Guntram Pausch
  • Patent number: 7642516
    Abstract: Method for correction of the temperature dependency of a light quantity L emitted by a light emitting diode (LED), being operated in pulsed mode with substantially constant pulse duration tP, and measured in a light detector, using a predetermined parameter X, correlated to the temperature T of the LED in a predetermined ratio, whereby a correction factor K is determined from the parameter X, preferably using a calibration table, especially preferred using an analytic predetermined function, whereby the measured emitted light quantity L is corrected for the temperature contingent fluctuations of the emitted light quantity, whereby the parameter X is determined from at least two output signals of the LED, which are related to each other in a predetermined manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: ICx Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Juergen Stein, Guntram Pausch, Karen Saucke
  • Patent number: 7634479
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving the system response time when URL filtering is employed to provide security for web access. The method involves gathering the attributes of the user, and pre-populating a local URL-rating cache with URLs and corresponding ratings associated with analogous attributes from a URL cache database. Thus, the cache hit rate is higher with a pre-populated local URL rating cache, and the system response time is also improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Trend Micro Incorporated
    Inventor: Shuosen Robert Liu
  • Patent number: 7628168
    Abstract: An optimized activation prevention assembly for a gas delivery system is disclosed. The apparatus includes a pneumatically operated valve assembly. The apparatus also includes a toggle switch mechanically attached to the pneumatically operated valve assembly, the toggle switch includes a toggle arm, the toggle arm being positioned in one of an activation zone and a deactivation zone, wherein when the toggle arm is positioned in the activation zone, the pneumatically operated valve is activated, and wherein when the toggle arm is positioned in the deactivation zone, the pneumatically operated valve is deactivated. The apparatus further includes an activation prevention mechanism attached to the toggle switch, wherein when the activation prevention mechanism being configured for preventing the toggle arm from being repositioned from the deactivation zone to the activation zone without at least bypassing a lockout function of the optimized activation prevention mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventor: Mark Taskar
  • Patent number: 7622051
    Abstract: A method of etching a substrate in a plasma processing chamber is disclosed. The method includes introducing the substrate having thereon an underlying layer, an anti-reflective layer above the underlying layer, and a photo-resist layer above the anti-reflective layer into the chamber. The method also includes flowing a gas mixture into the chamber, the gas mixture includes a flow of a hydrofluorocarbon gas, a flow of fluorocarbon gas, a flow of a halogen-containing gas other than the hydrofluorocarbon gas, and a flow of oxygen gas. The method further includes striking a plasma from the gas mixture. The method additionally includes etching at least through the anti-reflective layer with the plasma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: David M. Schaefer, Gowri P. Kota
  • Patent number: 7612311
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling a heater to drive a load temperature to approximate a setpoint. At the beginning of each ½ AC cycle, a sigma delta modulation algorithm is computed to determine whether the AC cycle should be turned on or off. The running estimate of the past actual duty cycle is compared to the desired output duty cycle, and the difference between the two is used to adjust the next ½ cycle's output. This results in a pseudo-random pulse sequence output which does not contain significant periodic components that could cause undesirable small periodic thermal ‘ripples’ on the element being heated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Norton, John Distinti
  • Patent number: 7613205
    Abstract: A token-assignment network implemented out of existing computers that are interconnected in an Ethernet network. The token-assignment mode ensures that each computer in the token-assignment network has a turn at transmitting, thus preventing starvation of any particular computer in the token-assignment network. In this manner, computers of the token-assignment network are able to continue functioning even during a virus outbreak, thereby enabling business to continue and/or virus remedial actions to be taken via the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Trend Micro Incorporated
    Inventor: Chih-Ming Chen
  • Patent number: 7611640
    Abstract: A plasma processing chamber for processing a substrate to form electronic components thereon is disclosed. The plasma processing chamber includes a plasma-facing component having a plasma-facing surface oriented toward a plasma in the plasma processing chamber during processing of the substrate, the plasma-facing component being electrically isolated from a ground terminal. The plasma processing chamber further includes a grounding arrangement coupled to the plasma-facing component, the grounding arrangement including a first resistance circuit disposed in a first current path between the plasma-facing component and the ground terminal. The grounding arrangement further includes a RF filter arrangement disposed in at least one other current path between the plasma-facing component and the ground terminal, wherein a resistance value of the first resistance circuit is selected to substantially eliminate arcing between the plasma and the plasma-facing component during the processing of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Arthur M Howald, Andras Kuthi, Andrew D. Bailey, III, Butch Berney
  • Patent number: 7599301
    Abstract: A communications network tap, comprises a first terminal and a second terminal adapted to couple the tap in-line in the network and communicate data packets with network devices. A heartbeat generator is configured to generate a heartbeat signal, and a heartbeat insert circuit coupled to the first terminal and the heartbeat generator and configured to insert the heartbeat signal into data packets. A third terminal is coupled to the heartbeat insert circuit and adapted to couple the tap to a network monitor and communicate data packets with network monitor. A heartbeat remove circuit is coupled to the third terminal and configured to receive data packets from a network monitor and remove the heartbeat signal from the data packets. A heartbeat detector coupled to the heartbeat remove circuit and configured to detect whether the data packets include the heartbeat signal, and if not, to generate an alarm signal. A switch is coupled to the second terminal and configured to transmit data packets onto the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Net Optics, Inc.
    Inventors: Eldad Matityahu, Robert E. Shaw, Stephen H. Strong
  • Patent number: 7596276
    Abstract: A method of processing digitized picture data includes providing an hierarchical structure graph which is applied to the picture data in that, starting with the lowermost level, at least one node is processed. The provided hierarchical structure graph includes nodes, a specified number of levels, with at least one node located in each level, and edges connecting pairs of predetermined nodes of different levels and defining, for each pair of nodes, a lower father node and an upper son node. Processing of a node includes matching of its at least one picture matching model to the picture data by variation of the model parameters, determination of a matching quantity for each parameter variation, and determination of an assessment for each parameter variation. The assessment found for each parameter variation is applied as a criterion for the processing of a son node of the processed node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Viisage Technology AG
    Inventors: Michael Rinne, Martin Werner, Stefan Gehlen
  • Patent number: 7592587
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for stabilizing the signals generated by a scintillation detector for measuring radiation, especially ionizing radiation, using the radiation which is at least partially absorbed in the detector, said signals depending on the operating temperature of the detector. According to said method, the temperature-dependent calibration factor K is determined from the signal shape of the signals generated by the radiation to be measured itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: ICx Technologies GmbH, Inc.
    Inventors: Jürgen Stein, Guntram Pausch
  • Patent number: 7588622
    Abstract: A method of forming metal spheres includes ejecting a precisely measured droplet of molten metal from a molten metal mass, buffering the molten metal droplet to reduce the internal kinetic energy of the droplet without solidifying the droplet and cooling the buffered droplet until the droplet solidifies in the form of a metal sphere. An apparatus for fabricating metal spheres includes a droplet generator that generates a droplet from a molten metal mass, a buffering chamber that receives the droplet from the droplet generator, and diminishes internal kinetic energy of the droplet without solidifying the droplet, and a cooling drum that receives the droplet from the buffering chamber, and cools the droplet to the extent that the droplet solidifies into a metal sphere. The apparatus may further include a collector arrangement that receives the metal spheres from the cooling drum and makes the metal sphere available for collection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Henkel of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Hubert Chow
  • Patent number: D599663
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Inventor: Antonio Pieriboni