Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Jenkins & Gilchrist
  • Patent number: 5907144
    Abstract: The invention is a method and apparatus for imprinting a microscopic code on a small surface, such as the edge of a magnetic disk, or the head used to read or write information to the disk and a magnetic disk imprinted with such microscopic identification codes. The invention provides a way to identify products using microscopic codes, such as bar codes, by using a laser to imprint such microscopic bar codes on a product. The identification meets the stringent cleanliness requirements of the computer industry without generating debris, and so is exceptionally suited for use in identifying hard disks and heads used in a disk drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1999
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Chie Ching Poon, Clarence Jacob Spector, Andrew Ching Tam
  • Patent number: 5899456
    Abstract: A progressive trivia game for two or more participants having a playing board with a path made of a plurality of symbolic positions, a six sided die, a plurality of question and answer cards and a timer. A player rolls the die to move to a symbolic position. The symbolic position defines a category of trivia. The card provides elements of an answer. The player scores a greater number of points by providing an answer before (a) time runs out and (b) by providing the answer by knowing a lesser number of elements. The object of the game is to be the first to score a predetermined amount of points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Inventors: Andrew D. Weinstock, Michael P. Trolman, Peter G. Weinstock
  • Patent number: 5883634
    Abstract: A system and method for performing efficient clipping to visible windows. A window clip buffer is established for each window being written directly to the front frame buffer. The window clip buffer is initialized as having the same dimensions as the window itself and each pixel position is initially set to False (not visible.) The visible regions are determined and the buffer updated to True (visible) for those visible regions. As each pixel is being drawn the window clip buffer is tested. The pixel is drawn to the frame buffer only where the window clip buffer pixel is true (visible.) Changes to window positions on the screen causes the visible regions to be updated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Chandrasekhar Narayanaswami
  • Patent number: 5879057
    Abstract: A horizontal remote mining system comprising a water jet cutting head, down hole crusher, jet pump, and guidance system for orchestrating select excavation of a horizontal borehole. The system is assembled on the end of a drill string comprised of multiple compartments accommodating various water pressures and functions in association with the remote excavation process. Selective tubing is also utilized to facilitate movement of air and ventilation of the borehole. In this manner, relatively thin coal seams can be economically mined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignee: Amvest Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Schwoebel, Carl W. Smith, William J. Peters
  • Patent number: 5874852
    Abstract: A current generator circuit with controllable frequency response has at least one current mirror formed of MOS transistors, being powered through a terminal held at a constant voltage, having an input leg through which a reference current (I1) is driven by a first current generator (G1), and having an output leg for generating, on an output terminal (OUT) of the mirror, a mirrored current (I.sub.out) which is proportional to the reference current (I1). The input leg includes at least a first transistor (M1) which is diode-connected and has a control terminal (Ga1) coupled to a corresponding terminal (Ga2) of a second transistor (M2) included in the output leg by an impedance matching circuit configured to hold the same voltage value at both terminals (Ga1 and Ga2). The impedance matching circuit has an adjustable output impedance, specifically lower in value than the value to be had without this circuit. It functions to regulate the impedance on the control node (Ga2) of the second transistor (M2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1999
    Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics, S.r.l.
    Inventors: Davide Brambilla, Daniela Nebuloni, Giorgio Rossi, Sergio Lecce
  • Patent number: 5859481
    Abstract: An apparatus for sensing the presence of an auxiliary battery connected to a cellular telephone is disclosed. An internal battery and a removable auxiliary battery are connected to the power system of the cellular telephone through first and second switches respectively. Connection of the auxiliary battery creates a current flow that is detected by a current sensing circuit which generates a current signal indicating the detection of current flow. A voltage sensing circuit determines whether the auxiliary battery can provide a predetermined voltage level and generates a voltage signal indicating the results of this test. A processor then utilizes the signals from the voltage sensing circuit and the current sensing circuit to control the pair of switches to connect the main and auxiliary batteries to the power circuitry of the cellular telephone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: Ericsson Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy Banyas
  • Patent number: 5854790
    Abstract: A network (10) includes several local networks (32, 34, 36). Each local network (32, 34, 36) includes a repeater (12, 16, 20) coupled to data devices (14, 18, 22). The combination of the repeater (12, 16, 20) and the data devices (14, 18, 22) form a collision domain for managing communications within the local network (32, 34, 36). Uplink modules (40, 44) manage communications between the local networks (32, 34, 36) by isolating collision domains and generating collision indications when messages cannot be transmitted. The uplink modules (40, 44) may also implement bridging, routing, or filtering capabilities that inhibit transmission of an intra-network message beyond its local network (32, 34, 36).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1998
    Assignee: Compaq Computer Corp.
    Inventors: Craig M. Scott, Li Tung Wang, Arthur T. Bennett, Ahmad Nouri
  • Patent number: 5848436
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for causing a data line to be fetched in an order consistent with the data structure of a processor's modified little endian mode or big endian mode of operation is accomplished when the processor requests a particular word that is not currently stored in cache memory. The request includes an address of the particular word and an indication is provided as to whether the processor is operating in the modified little endian mode or the big endian mode. A memory manager, upon receiving the request, retrieves a line of data from memory (storage device) based on the address and the mode of operation. For example, when the big endian mode is used, the line of data is retrieved using a target word first ordering and when the modified little endian mode is used, the line of data is retrieved using a reverse target word first ordering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Andrew Sartorius, Mark Michael Schaffer
  • Patent number: 5847317
    Abstract: An improved RF shielding apparatus includes a shield frame having a nonconductive gasket mounted to the edges thereof. A conductive layer is deposited on the gasket and shield frame such that a substantially continuous layer surrounds the gasket and shield frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: Ericsson Inc.
    Inventor: Craig Phelps
  • Patent number: 5838674
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for increasing the communication capacity of a communication system utilizing a time-division, multiple-access communication scheme. A broadcast carrier is defined which is divided into time slots which include a control channel and traffic channels. The traffic channels are used to communicate traffic signals with remote subscriber units. When the traffic channel is not used to communicate traffic signals, carrier signals, whether modulated with information or not, are instead generated, thereby to ensure that signal energy is detected by a mobile subscriber unit when tuning to the broadcast carrier. Two or more signals can be transmitted concurrently upon a single traffic channel utilizing antenna forming techniques wherein the antenna beam pattern used to transmit the two or more traffic signals together encompass an entire cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson
    Inventors: Ulf Goran Forssen, Carl Fredric Ulf Kronestedt
  • Patent number: 5832207
    Abstract: An electronic module having at least a microprocessor and co-processor on a single integrated circuit. The electronic module can be contained in a small housing. The electronic module provides secure bidirectional data communication via a data bus. The electronic module may include integrated circuit comprising a microprocessor, and a co-processor adapted to handle 1,024-bit modulo mathematics primarily aimed at RSA calculations. The electronic module is preferably contained in a small token sized metallic container and will preferably communicate via a single wire data bus which uses a one-wire protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: Dallas Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Wendell Little, Andreas Curiger, Stephen N. Grider, David A. Bunsey, James E. Bartling, Shyun Liu, Bradley M. Harrington
  • Patent number: 5819091
    Abstract: A data processing system stores and maintains a plurality of security levels for dynamically linked libraries. Upon loading of an application, and upon determination of which dynamically linked libraries are required by the application, the data processing system determines the predefined security level assigned to the application and loads dynamically linked libraries previously encoded with the predefined security level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Inventors: James Wendell Arendt, Ravindranath Kasinath Manikundalam, James Michael Phelan
  • Patent number: 5809506
    Abstract: A method for building an objectbase of persistent objects, includes naming an objectbase collection of objects, naming each object relative to a first collection of objects using a first key, assigning, to each new object to be added to the objectbase collection, a second key, generating a third key from the first and second keys, storing each object with the associated keys generating a reference to each object in the objectbase collection from the third key and one or more system identifiers, creating an instance of an object collection in a database client, identifying a class of each object in the object collection to the instance collection, generating a stream class for persistence of element objects, identifying to the instance collection a mapping between its attributes that are persistent and the corresponding database fields, identifying to the instance collection access control information in the form of one or more predicates, and activating the element objects using the stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: George Prentice Copeland
  • Patent number: 5809293
    Abstract: A system and method for tracing program code within a processor having an embedded cache memory. The non-invasive tracing technique minimizes the need for trace information to be broadcast externally. The tracing technique monitors changes in instruction flow from the normal execution stream of the code. The tracing technique monitors the updating of processor branch target register contents in order to monitor branch target flow of the code. A FIFO and serial logic circuitry is utilized to minimize the number of chip pins required to broadcast the information from the chip. The tracing technique utilizes instruction and data breakpoint debug functions to signal an external trace tool that a trace event has occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Todd Bridges, Thomas K. Collopy, James N. Dieffenderfer, Thomas Joseph Irene, Harry I. Linzer, Thomas Andrew Sartorius
  • Patent number: 5796587
    Abstract: A method is provided for producing a capacitor to be embedded in an electronic circuit package comprising the steps of selecting a first conductor foil, selecting a dielectric material, coating the dielectric material on at least one side of the first conductor foil, and layering the coated foil with a second conductor foil on top of the coating of dielectric material. Also claimed is an electronic circuit package incorporating at least one embedded capacitor manufactured in accordance with the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1998
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John M. Lauffer, Konstantinos Papathomas
  • Patent number: 5787427
    Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture, for improving object security in an object oriented system, includes one or more processors, a memory system, one or more I/O controllers, each controlling one or more I/O devices, a bus connecting the processors, the memory system and the I/O controllers, an operating system controlling operation of the processors, the memory system and the I/O controllers, and an object oriented control means which includes means for grouping objects which share common access control policies, where an access control list becomes associated with each object group and the policy applicable to the members of the group. An object may be part of multiple groups, and based upon an environment's policy, granting access to the object may be based on a single default object group or on the access granted by the union of all of its object groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1998
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Messaoud Benantar, George Robert Blakley, III, Anthony Joseph Nadalin
  • Patent number: 5774063
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for remote control of electronic devices includes one or more processing units, a memory system, one or more I/O controllers, controlling various input/output devices such as a keyboard, a mouse, a display device, communications adapters and the like, a bus which connects the processing units, the memory system, and the I/O controllers, one or more transducers adapted to convert electronic signals to wireless communications signals and one or more application programs executable by the processor units for controlling generation and transmission of wireless communications signals for remote control of one or more electronic devices. A typical application is the control of transmission of infrared signals to remotely control consumer electronics equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Edmond Berry, Jimmie Darius Edrington
  • Patent number: 5769661
    Abstract: The body of a connector assembly is attached to the ground of a cable internally disposed within an enclosure. The connector body has a radial flange positioned on the outside surface of the enclosure and a nut, threaded onto a portion of the connector extending internally into the enclosure, is used to secure the connector body whereby a ground connection is established between the connector body and the enclosure. The enclosure panel on which the body is mounted is connected to ground. A mating connector is attachable to a portion of the connector body extending outwardly from the enclosure. In normal service, the slot in which the connector assembly is mounted is covered. However, when necessary to access the interior of the enclosure, the connector and attached cables can be removed from the enclosure panel by removing the cover, loosening the nut disposed on the internal end of the connector body, and sliding the assembled connector and cable pair out of the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1998
    Assignee: Ericsson, Inc.
    Inventor: Edwin J. Nealis
  • Patent number: D402360
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: Minka Lighting, Inc.
    Inventor: Jan Jasper-Fayer
  • Patent number: D407516
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Assignee: Minka Lighting, Inc.
    Inventor: David Pham