Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Jenkens & Gilchrist
  • Patent number: 7109804
    Abstract: A relaxation oscillator for generating an oscillator output signal having a predetermined frequency. The relaxation oscillator includes an interleaved charge pump for providing a restoring charge to an integrator in response to at least one charge pump control signal. The relaxation oscillator further includes an integrator having an integrator input connected to the current summing node. The integrator is adapted to produce an integrator output signal having the predetermined frequency at an integrator output. A comparator having an input connected to the integrator output is adapted to generate the oscillator output signal having the predetermined frequency in response to the integrator output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Urs H. Mader, Yvonne Ko, Franco Cocetta, Jeff Kotowski, Xiaoying Yu
  • Patent number: 7106183
    Abstract: A rearview system component for a vehicle including a housing for attachment to the vehicle, a camera positioned in the housing to have a first axial direction, a first sensor positioned in the housing to have a second axial direction, and a second sensor positioned in the housing to have a third axial direction, wherein the first, second and third axial directions are in different directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: NESA International Incorporated
    Inventor: Suk Ki Hong
  • Patent number: 7104418
    Abstract: A dispenser for paper, plastic, foil and other goods that are supplied on rolls or tubes. The dispenser includes a rotation mechanism including a plurality of flexible wires for receiving a first end portion of the plurality of flexible wires. The rotation mechanism further includes a freely rotating cap, a freely rotating spinner and a mechanism for providing resistance to the freely rotating spinner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Lifetime Hoan Corporation
    Inventor: Matthew Kamenstein
  • Patent number: 7106546
    Abstract: A system controls the speed of a Voice Coil Motor (VCM) in order to perform the ramp loading of hard disk heads with low noise. This system includes a generator for generating a discontinuous PWM drive signal to a power stage. A sampling block is clocked by a synchronization signal issued from the generator and receives as an input a signal related to the electromotive force (Bemf) provided by the VCM motor. An adder node placed at the sampling block output receives a signal related to a reference electromotive force (Bemf_ref). A filtering block placed downstream of the adder node generates a power supply voltage signal to the power stage. The control system further includes a control block having at least one voltage divider and controlled switches. The control block is input the signal issued from the filtering block and control signals from the generator block to selectively operate the controlled switches and set the value of the power-on signal of the power stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.R.L.
    Inventor: Ezio Galbiati
  • Patent number: 7100543
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing the emissions and improving the performance of an internal combustion engine (40). An input air stream is separated into an oxygen-enriched air stream and a nitrogen-enriched air stream. The nitrogen-enriched air stream is received by a holding chamber (35). The oxygen-enriched air and a combustible fuel are provided to a combustion chamber (45) of the internal combustion engine (40) and a combustion process is initiated. After a predefined time delay, a volume of nitrogen-enriched air is provided from the holding chamber (35) to the combustion chamber (45) to be used during the rest of the combustion process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: World Air Energy Corporation
    Inventor: James G. Davidson
  • Patent number: 7103438
    Abstract: A method of processing barcoded tickets in a document processing device including receiving a stack of barcoded tickets in an input receptacle of a document processing device. Each barcoded ticket includes a document-identifier or ticket number that identifies the barcoded ticket. At least one specific document-identifier is inputted by the operator to search for a specific document in a stack of documents. Each of the documents are transported, one at a time, past a detector, which detects the document-identifier of each ticket. A determination is made whether a detected document-identifier matches the specific document-identifier requested by the operator, and if so, the ticket in question is directed to a pre-programmed or user-specified output receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: Curtis W. Hallowell, Robert Fitzgerald
  • Patent number: 7103206
    Abstract: A doubles detection system for detecting doubled documents. The system comprises one or more light sources disposed on a first side of a test document and one or more reflected light sensors disposed along the first side of the test document. The reflected light sensors are adapted to generate reflected light signals. The system also comprises one or more transmitted light sensors disposed along a second side of the test document which are adapted to generate transmitted light signals. The system also comprises a memory having a master reflected light value and a master transmitted light value stored therein. The system comprises a processor adapted to receive the reflected light signal, generate a reflected light value for the test document, and calculate a reflectance ratio between the reflected light value of the test document and a master reflected light value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: Bradford T. Graves, Sanjay A. Shivde
  • Patent number: 7100337
    Abstract: A sheathing adapted to be fastened to at least one wall supporting structure comprises at least two layers. The first layer comprises a polymeric foam layer. The second layer comprises a polymeric scrim and is located adjacent to the first layer. The second layer has a first portion and a second portion. The second portion is located near the periphery of the polymeric scrim layer. The first portion has a first machine direction (MD) scrim count number and a first transverse direction (TD) scrim count number, and the second portion has a second MD scrim count number and a second TD scrim count number. At least one of the second MD scrim count number and the second TD scrim count number is greater than the respective first MD scrim count number or the first TD scrim count number so as to inhibit failure of the scrim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: PACTIV Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas S. Nordgren, John W. Lubker II, Kenneth Franklin
  • Patent number: 7098831
    Abstract: A digital-to-analog converter includes a first section (MSB) that converts the more significant bits of a digital code into a first voltage (Vin) of a multiplicity of discrete voltages that are integral multiples of a predetermined first voltage step (?V1). A second section (LSB) of the converter converts the less significant bits of the digital code into a current. The current is transformed into a second voltage of a multiplicity of discrete voltages that are integral multiples of a second voltage step (?V2) equal to ½L of the product of the first voltage step (?V1) multiplied by a predetermined coefficient, where L is the number of the less significant bits of the digital code to be converted. A summer generates an output voltage (Vout) that is the sum of the second voltage and the product of the first voltage multiplied by the predetermined coefficient. With a view to obtaining a low consumption, the summer has a resistive feedback circuit including a voltage divider (R3, R4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Pierangelo Confalonieri, Germano Nicollini, Riccardo Martignone
  • Patent number: 7099552
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an optical terminator device suitable for terminating high energy optical signals. The device includes a heat sink cap having an internal surface. An optical absorbing layer is positioned on the internal surface of the heat sink cap. A scattering core having a fiber or waveguide connection is positioned within the heat sink cap such that a thermal barrier is maintained between the optical absorbing layer and the scattering core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: KiloLambda Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Ram Oron, Ariela Donval, Anatoly Patlakh, Sharon Goldstein, Moshe Oron
  • Patent number: 7097562
    Abstract: A method and a system of using a gaming network having a server in communication with a plurality of gaming terminals to share gaming applications directly between selected gaming terminals using a peer-to-peer type communications architecture. The method and system are a combination of hardware and software, that controls the initiation of a shared game, determines the gaming terminals eligible to participate in the game, accepts or rejects their participation, and subsequently establishes virtual communication network directly between participating gaming terminals. The virtual communication network is established allow a gaming terminal to act as a server of the shared application to all other participating gaming terminals. Once the application has been run to completion, the server terminates the session and returns each gaming terminal back to its normal operating mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventor: Mark B. Gagner
  • Patent number: 7093409
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for making reclosable plastic bags is provided. In the method and apparatus, a fastener is attached to a moving flat web of plastic film, preferably in the direction of web movement and near the center of the web. A plurality of sliders are mounted to the fastener either before or after the fastener is attached to the flat web, but prior to conveying the web to a FFS machine. The flat web, with the slider-operated fastener already attached thereto, is then conveyed to a vertical or horizontal FFS machine where the flat web is formed into bags, and the bags are successively filled and sealed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Pactiv Corporation
    Inventors: William Mark Dutt, Toby R. Thomas
  • Patent number: 7093397
    Abstract: A sheathing adapted to be fastened to at least one wall supporting structure comprises at least two layers. The first layer comprises a polymeric foam layer. The second layer comprises a polymeric scrim and is located adjacent to the first layer. The second layer has a first portion and a second portion. The second portion is located near the periphery of the polymeric scrim layer. The first portion has a first machine direction (MD) scrim count number and a first transverse direction (TD) scrim count number, and the second portion has a second MD scrim count number and a second TD scrim count number. At least one of the second MD scrim count number and the second TD scrim count number is greater than the respective first MD scrim count number or the first TD scrim count number so as to inhibit failure of the scrim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Pactiv Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas S. Nordgren, John W. Lubker, II, Kenneth Franklin
  • Patent number: 7093387
    Abstract: A fish luring system for luring fish to a fishing lure attached to an end of a fishing line attached to the fishing pole. The fish luring system includes a fishing pole that includes a rod portion and a handle portion. A plurality of eyelets is mounted on the rod portion and a vibrating assembly for vibrating the rod portion of the fishing pole is mounted in the fishing pole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Inventors: Kenneth R. Spencer, Sr., Steven O. Moon, Sr.
  • Patent number: 7092560
    Abstract: A document processing system comprises an input receptacle for receiving documents. A transport mechanism receives the documents from the input receptacle and transports the documents past an image scanner and a discrimination unit. An output receptacle receives the documents from the transport mechanism after being transported past the image scanner and the discrimination unit. The image scanner operates to obtain a video image of the transported documents, or the image of a selected area of the documents. The document images are further processed to obtain field information contained in selected areas of the document. The discrimination unit operates to determine the value and authenticity of the document. A system controller directs the flows of documents over the transport mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: John E. Jones, Paul A. Jones, William J. Jones, Douglas U. Mennie
  • Patent number: 7092895
    Abstract: A system and method for determining the stability of a project. One embodiment includes computing at least two project progress parameters of a project for numerically describing elements of the project. Regression parameters are computed based upon the project progress parameters and correlation coefficients are computed utilizing the regression parameters. The correlation coefficients describe the strength of the correlation of the project progress parameters for indicating the stability of the project as project develops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Perot Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Oscar A. Chappel, Chris Creel
  • Patent number: 7092633
    Abstract: A system and method for configuring lightpaths within an optical circuit wherein the source node stores requests for a lightpath between the source node and the destination node. Upon receipt of a token at the source node indicating an available space within a wavelength, the source node selects a request stored within the queue based upon a best fit window protocol. A lightpath is then established between the source node and the destination node responsive to a selected request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: University of Texas System Board of Regents
    Inventors: Andrea Fumagalli, Qingzhong Cai
  • Patent number: D526533
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Lifetime Hoan Corporation
    Inventors: David L. Burnett, Reid M. Hecker
  • Patent number: D526853
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Pactiv Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas J. Hayes, Scott D. Brown
  • Patent number: D527584
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Pactiv Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas J. Hayes, Scott D. Brown