Patents Represented by Law Firm Lowe, Price, LeBlanc & Becker
  • Patent number: 6143027
    Abstract: An intraocular lens is described that includes an optic portion formed of an optically suitable polymer or glass material that has been coated by a fluorocarbon polymer. A haptic portion of the IOL is attached to the optic. The resulting low-energy IOL surface induces significantly reduced cell damage when contacted with corneal endothelial tissues. The fluorocarbon polymer coating is preferably applied by exposing IOL surfaces to a plasma formed from a gaseous fluorocarbon monomer. The resulting IOL causes substantially less damage to corneal endothelial cells during implantation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Washington Research Foundation
    Inventors: Buddy D. Ratner, Nancy B. Mateo
  • Patent number: 6131887
    Abstract: A mounting (1), which is used to attach one end of a shower rail (2) or similar long object to a wall, consists of an attachment part (3) which can be screwed to the wall. The attachment part (3) has a first toothed portion (8), the teeth of which run parallel to each other perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the shower rail (2) or at an angle to it. A mounting attachment (12) is connected to the shower rail (2) which as a complementary second toothed portion (13). In the mounted position, this mates with the first toothed portion (8) of the attachment part (3). The mounting attachment (12) is also contained in a holding fixture (16) on a linking part (15) so that it has axial movement, but which is shaped so that the intermeshing of the two sets of teeth (8, 13) can take place. One surface of the linking part (15) which runs perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the shower rail (2) is supported on a corresponding surface of the attachment part (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Hansa Metallwerke AG
    Inventor: Josef Kuhne
  • Patent number: 6125628
    Abstract: In a water-cooled engine comprising a catalyst for purifying exhaust in an exhaust pipe, a catalyst is rendered active at an early stage by arranging an air-fuel ratio of a fuel mixture supplied to the engine to be lean on startup. A catalyst activation water temperature corresponding to full activation of this catalyst is set, and the air-fuel ratio is arranged to be leaner than a theoretical air-fuel ratio during a period from engine startup to when a cooling water temperature reaches the catalyst activation water temperature. After the cooling water temperature reaches the catalyst activation water temperature, the air-fuel ratio is shifted to the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio. In this way, lean control is optimized to activate the catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takehiko Itami, Yoshiaki Yoshioka, Hatsuo Nagaishi
  • Patent number: 6110665
    Abstract: An amplification primer and probe which can be used in an in vitro diagnostic test for the presence of S. neurona in equine blood or cerebrospinal fluid. Sarcocystis neurona is responsible for the equine condition of protozoal myelitis. The amplification primer is seventeen nucleotides in length and complementary to a unique section of the small ribosomal subunit of Sarcocystis neurona. The primer encompasses nucleotide positions 1470-1487 of the small ribosomal subunit of S. neurona. The primer has the sequence 5' CCATTCCGGACGCGGGT SEQ ID NO:1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: University of Kentucky Research Foundation
    Inventors: Clara K. Fenger, David E. Granstrom, Alvin A. Gajadhar, Jitender P. Dubey
  • Patent number: 6087727
    Abstract: An object is to provide a structure of a semiconductor device which allows higher degree of integration both in vertical and horizontal directions, and to provide manufacturing method therefor. The semiconductor device includes source.drain electrodes connected to n.sup.- and n.sup.+ source.drain regions of an MISFET and has a function as a part of a bit line, and a gate electrode connected to a first interconnection as a word line. Electrodes are insulated from each other by a sidewall insulating film, silicon oxide film or a silicon nitride film provided inbetween. Since the word line and the bit line do not cross in the same plane, the difference in level in the vertical direction can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshiaki Tsutsumi
  • Patent number: 6046476
    Abstract: In an input protection circuit having an SOI structure for protecting a MOSFET against breaking caused by a high voltage such as static electricity, a trench is provided in an SOI substrate to vertically pass through a silicon layer and a buried oxide film and reach the interior of a P-type silicon substrate. An n.sup.+ polysilicon layer is buried in the trench, to be connected with the silicon substrate by a P-N junction. A wire is connected to the n.sup.+ polysilicon layer. An end of the wire is connected to an input pad, and another end thereof is connected to an internal circuit. An input voltage is limited by an avalanche breakdown at the P-N junction in the interface between the n.sup.+ polysilicon layer and the P-type silicon substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2000
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Fukashi Morishita, Kazutami Arimoto
  • Patent number: 6033120
    Abstract: A compound bearing assembly for a swing arm of a hard disc drive is disclosed, which comprises a stepped shaft 1 having a large-diameter portion and a small-diameter portion 1b, the large-diameter portion 1a having an inner raceway groove 2a directly formed in the outer periphery, a distinct-component outer race ring 3 disposed around the large-diameter portion 1a and having an outer raceway groove 2b formed in the inner periphery, a plurality of balls provided between the inner and outer raceway grooves 2a and 2b, a ball bearing unit 5 having an inner and an outer race ring 5a and 5b and a plurality of balls 6 provided therebetween, the inner race ring 5a being fitted on the small-diameter portion 1b of the stepped shaft, and a sleeve-like spacer 1 between the distinct-component outer race ring 3 and the outer race ring 5b of the ball bearing unit 5 and having opposite end small-diameter portions, on which the outer race rings 3 and 5b are fitted, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Minebea Kabushiki-Kaisha
    Inventor: Rikuro Obara
  • Patent number: 6023266
    Abstract: Motion video may be imported into a personal or portable computer through an I/O port having a limited data bandwidth, such as a PCMCIA interface. Motion video data is compressed by sub-sampling both luminance and chrominance difference data for different sized groups of pixels. The compression apparatus may be formed on a PCMCIA card which interfaces with a personal or portable computer. Motion video data, compressed by as much as 5:1 or 6:1, is transferred through the PCMCIA card to a host computer. The host computer may serialize the compressed data and store the data in serialized compressed format in a video memory of a video controller. The video controller is provided with decompression circuitry to decompress the motion video data into luminance and chrominance difference data. The luminance and chrominance difference data is converted into RGB data and displayed in a video display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2000
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Eglit, Rakesh Kumar Bindlish, Vlad Bril
  • Patent number: 6006491
    Abstract: The invention concerns equipment receiving continuously and individually delivered objects and arranging these objects into sets for discharge to a packaging station. Two conveyor chains (3, 4) fitted with compartments to receive the objects are mounted transversely to the objects' conveyor belt (2) so that these compartments shall be colinear in the direction of object delivery. A stop (7, 8) is mounted between the two conveyor chains (3, 4) in the extension of the objects' direction of delivery and is designed to open and close the compartment of the conveyor chain (4) located at the rear as seen in the direction of object delivery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Inventor: Siegfried Mache
  • Patent number: 5983275
    Abstract: In an interrupt-driven data frame stream receiver, an interrupt to a host processor is applied by an interrupt system that comprises a timer logic circuit, an address match circuit, a data frame counter, a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) logic circuit, a frame length logic circuit, and a frame content detector. Each of these circuits is coupled to an OR gate. A Start Frame Delimiter (SFD) detector is connected to the inputs of the other circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter Ecclesine
  • Patent number: 5962463
    Abstract: Stimulating non-amyloidogenic processing by the activation of cell surface serotonin receptors linked to phospholipase and protein kinase C is described. Activation of the cell surface serotonin receptors is accomplished by contacting the cell with an agent which is a serotonin agonist or which increases the intrasynaptic concentration of serotonin. Also described is the activation of cell surface serotonin receptors by dexnorfenfluramine. Agents which cause the activation of cell surface serotonin receptors can be administered to an individual to stimulate non-amyloidogenic processing in the brain of the individual, thereby inhibiting the deposition of amyloid in the brain of the individual.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute Of Technology
    Inventors: Roger M. Nitsch, Richard J. Wurtman
  • Patent number: 5926055
    Abstract: An output circuit for producing 5 volt output signals from a chip that is manufactured in a 3 volt process, is provided with a control signal logic circuit, a pseudoground generating circuit, and an output signal generation circuit. The control signal logic circuit receives 3 volt data signals from the internal logic circuitry of the chip, and produces control signals as a function of these 3 volt data signals. The pseudoground generating circuit is coupled to the control signal logic circuit and generates a pseudoground greater than zero volts and intermediate output signals as a function of the control signals produced by the control signal logic circuit. The output signal generation circuit is coupled to the pseudoground generating circuit and generates the 5 volt output signals as a function of the intermediate output signals generated by the pseudoground generating circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Abdual Q. Kashmiri, Mahmud Assar
  • Patent number: 5916773
    Abstract: It is described a hybrid molecule of formula GM-CSF-L-EPO or EPO-L-GM-CSF useful for the stimulation of hematopoiesis, comprising GM-CSF and EPO molecules fused together by means of a linker L having a variable length of amino acids, GM-CSF and EPO molecules being either complete molecules or fragments thereof. Such hybrid molecules exhibit a higher specifity of action on erythroid differentiation if compared to that of an equimolar mixture of not-linked GM-CSF and EPO molecules. Further, the present invention describes: DNA sequences encoding such hybrid molecules, which stimolate the hematopoiesis; plasmid vectors containing the genes encoding hybrid molecules and directing their synthesis in host cells; the use of such hybrid molecules for the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition and such pharmaceutical composition useful for stimolation of hematopoiesis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Assignee: Menarini Ricerche S.p.A.
    Inventors: Antonio Mele, Rita De Santis, Cristina Carloni, Annamaria Coscarella
  • Patent number: 5908532
    Abstract: A method for destroying chlorine dioxide includes irradiating the chlorine dioxide to effect conversion to chlorine and then reacting at least part of the resulting chlorine to form chloride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1999
    Assignee: EKA Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventor: Joel Tenney
  • Patent number: 5896179
    Abstract: In a graphics card of a computer, a circuit is provided for displaying graphic presentations generated by the card on an external TV set. A TV adapter controls a horizontal state machine of a CRT controller so as to delay generation of CRT timing signals by a time period variable with horizontal lines. As a result, a composite video signal is provided with a time-base variable front porch to simulate VTR video signals. In response to the generated composite video signal, the TV set switches into a VTR mode to disable a comb filter used for separating luminance and chrominance components of a broadcast television signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventor: Alexander J. Eglit
  • Patent number: 5892972
    Abstract: A system of ISA bus cards compatible with plug and play protocol stores common resource data in a plurality of programmable read only memories which are each installed on the individual bus cards. A random access memory is also provided on each one of the bus cards. In order to comply with the plug and play protocol, each of the random access memories is programmed independently from the read only memories with a unique identification that identifies the individual bus card. The separation of the storage location of the unique identification from the resource data common to all of the bus cards allows for mass production and programming of the read only memories, while still providing the unique identification for each bus card that is required by the plug and play protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Sharath C. Narahari, Nagesh Sreedhara, Ramchandra Nadkarni, Shahin Hedayat
  • Patent number: 5892590
    Abstract: A corrected data generator for an image taking device includes a training plate having a reference pattern. A memory stores predetermined image information corresponding to the reference pattern on the training plate. A photoelectric section converts a light signal into a corresponding electric signal. Corrective information is generated in response to an electric signal of the reference pattern which is outputted from the photoelectric section, and in response to the image information stored in the memory. An electric signal of an object which is outputted from the photoelectric section is corrected in response to the corrective information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Ida, Ichiroh Ogawa, Nobuo Kamanaka, Yoshikazu Naitoh, Takahiro Sugawara
  • Patent number: 5880703
    Abstract: In an apparatus which previously displays a television program or the like most desired for each person on an individual timetable, or enables the family to look at the TV channel number displayed on the timetable, it provides means for storing data of the timetable for one day or a week into a storage device, such as a wrist watch, to be always carried by each person and for displaying the data by pressing the button of the wrist watch as occasion demands. Accordingly, a viewer can find on which channel the most desired program is aired by pressing the button of the wrist watch while he/she is out or is at work, whereby he/she can watch the program on the nearest television.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignee: Hashimoto Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuo Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 5881038
    Abstract: A recording and reproducing system for performing the reproduction using an optical recording medium. A physical feature of a ROM type disk is extracted and enciphered before being recorded in an optical disk. The cipher reproduced and converted into a plain text physical feature, which in turn, is compared with the physical feature information detected from the ROM disk. When both are coincident with each other, the operation of the system stops, thereby preventing the use of an illegally duplicated disk. The physical feature information, recorded on a magnetic recording layer 4 of the optical recording medium 2, is reproduced by an optical head 8 and compared with the information measured by a physical feature information detector, thereby detecting a duplicated medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Oshima, Yoshiho Gotoh
  • Patent number: 5878217
    Abstract: A network controller has a default non-DMA mode of data transfer that transfers received data frames to a desired location in internal memory under control of a host CPU. A DMA mode of data transfer is engaged to transfer accumulated data frames via a DMA controller to system memory when the host CPU is not available to handle the frame processing. An automatic switch back mechanism is provided to allow the network controller to automatically switch back to the non-DMA data transfer mode as soon as the host CPU is able to return to processing of received frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventor: Ravi K. Cherukuri