Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm McAndrews, Held & Malloy, Ltd.
  • Patent number: 8177124
    Abstract: An online system uses, in various embodiments of the invention, credit report information, loan affordability screening and credit approval and management functionality to facilitate the purchase and finance of products online. The online system may include both sellers of products and lenders that offer financing to buyers seeking to purchase the products. The system may automatically obtain a buyer's credit report information and use that information to determine if the buyer is pre-approved, for example, to obtain financing for a particular product or products. The system also enables use of buyer credit information to identify only those of a seller's products for which the buyer is pre-approved, for example, to finance using one or more loans. The system then enables selection of an identified product or products for purchase, and selection of a loan, for example, for financing of the selected product or products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Inventors: James D. Bennett, Christopher C. Winslade
  • Patent number: 8179396
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a method for clinical presentation of a radiological study including: associating a customizable set of rules with image data corresponding to at least a portion of the radiological study; and rendering automatically the image data to form volumetric data; and navigating automatically the volumetric data with the customizable set of rules to present a navigated the at least a portion of the radiological study to a user. In an embodiment, the system further includes halting the navigating automatically the volumetric data from an interaction by the user. In an embodiment, the rendering automatically the image data is initiated from an interaction by the user. In an embodiment, the navigating automatically the volumetric data is initiated from an interaction by the user. In an embodiment, both the rendering automatically the image data and the navigating automatically the volumetric data are initiated an interaction by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Murali Kumaran Kariathungal, Mark Ricard
  • Patent number: 8177630
    Abstract: A gaming machine is provided, which awards loyalty points to players playing the game who have identified themselves to the machine. The machine is arranged to award loyalty points to the player and to play two game means wherein, the first or base game may be provided by the slot machine game as a stand alone function with no dependence upon a supporting communications network, the second game may be linked game in which a plurality of network connected machines (50) participate with control of the game being provided by a central game controller (60), while the communications network (62) is controlled by a network controller (61). A first game mode is available to all players and a second enhanced game mode is made available to players who have reached a predetermined threshold of loyalty points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Ltd.
    Inventors: Natalie Bryant, Olive Scott
  • Patent number: 8178340
    Abstract: The present invention relates to human specific Escherichia coli strains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: INSERM (Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale)
    Inventors: Olivier Clermont, Erick Denamur, Tony Le Gall, Olivier Tenaillon
  • Patent number: 8180276
    Abstract: An electronic infrastructure consisting a plurality of client mobile devices, a distribution server and a media creator computer, wherein the client mobile devices present interactive media upon user request. The plurality of client mobile devices support dynamic screen display and, contain a plurality of soft keys. The distribution server that supports delivery of interactive media to the client mobile devices. The media creator is a personal computer that generates interactive media and sends them to the distribution server for distribution. A network such as combination of Internet and mobile network communicatively couple the plurality of client mobile devices, distribution server and personal computer (media creator). The personal computer sends interactive media to the distribution server, the distribution server processes and sends the interactive media to the client mobile device and the client mobile devices presents the interactive media in a series of screens to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Inventor: Bindu Rama Rao
  • Patent number: 8172667
    Abstract: A gaming system comprises a game controller arranged to control play of a game having a player skill aspect, and a display arranged to display a representation of the game, the game controller being arranged to control the display to display a set of symbols for selection, the game controller being responsive to the player skill aspect to facilitate selection of at least one of the symbols, a skill level factor of the player skill aspect being variable depending on operation of a game, whereby to vary a skill level required by the player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited
    Inventor: Chi We Chim
  • Patent number: 8174234
    Abstract: Inductively coupled battery charging systems and methods are provided. Transmit circuitry can include a transmit coil operatively part of a transmit resonant circuit that exhibits resonance at a transmit resonant frequency and an unloaded Q value of at least about 20. Transmit coil can generate a magnetic field at about the transmit resonant frequency. Rechargeable battery assembly can include a receive coil configured to receive inductively coupled current, and circuitry configured to rectify the current and communicate charging power to a storage cell. Receive coil can be part of a receive resonant circuit that exhibits resonance at about the transmit resonant frequency. Transmit circuitry can be configured to detect the rechargeable battery assembly by monitoring a load on the transmit coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Etymotic Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Drake Julstrom, Timothy Scott Monroe
  • Patent number: 8172557
    Abstract: A high-pressure gas compressor comprises a single-acting cam driven piston with a pressure compensation chamber disposed between the piston and the cam. A roller tappet assembly transmits reciprocating motion from the cam to the piston. A pressurized gas directed to the pressure compensation chamber offsets forces acting on the piston from the compression chamber gas pressure, thereby reducing Hertzian pressure between the tappet roller and the cam. Overall efficiency and durability can be improved by reducing friction between compressor components, for example by employing thin film coatings to reduce friction, pressurized oil lubrication systems and higher cylinder bore diameter to piston stroke ratios. The service life of gas seals and compression efficiency can be improved by thermal management strategies, including liquid-cooled compressor cylinder liners and intercoolers between compression stages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Westport Power Inc.
    Inventors: Ulrich Hilger, Bernd Bartunek, Martin Blank
  • Patent number: 8174233
    Abstract: Inductively coupled battery charging systems and methods are provided. Transmit circuitry can include a transmit coil operatively part of a transmit resonant circuit that exhibits resonance at a transmit resonant frequency and an unloaded Q value of at least about 20. Transmit coil can generate a magnetic field at about the transmit resonant frequency. Rechargeable battery assembly can include a receive coil configured to receive inductively coupled current, and circuitry configured to rectify the current and communicate charging power to a storage cell. Receive coil can be part of a receive resonant circuit that exhibits resonance at about the transmit resonant frequency and an unloaded Q value of at least about 10. Transmit circuitry can include multiple transmit coils and can selectively discontinue production of alternating current in the coils generating fields that are not most strongly coupled to the receive coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Etymotic Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Drake Julstrom, Timothy Scott Monroe
  • Patent number: 8172845
    Abstract: A drill bit including a shaft which has a pyramidal shaped end defining a drill tip with a plurality of edges defining the pyramidal shape. One or more recesses are provided for directing away debris produced while drilling, the at least one recess having a first portion extending along the shaft and a second portion having a first portion extending along the shaft and a second portion which extends along the drill tip; wherein the. The second portion which extends along the drill tip. The second portion of the at least one recess extends along an edge of the drill tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Surgibit IP Holdings Pty Limited
    Inventor: Liam Patrick Ellis
  • Patent number: 8176361
    Abstract: A processing circuit has functional units (10a-c) configured to perform operations each in response to a respective command. The functional units (10a-c) are configured to execute at least one of the operations with a selectable level of susceptibility to incurring an error during execution. Different functional units may be provided, designed to execute the same operation with different levels of susceptibility at the cost of more circuit area, power consumption or execution time in the case of less susceptibility. The less susceptible functional unit may comprise additional error correction circuits, or more pipeline stages for example. The program directs commands to execute the operation to different functional units according to the required level of susceptibility. High level programs may be provided wherein variables are declared with a specified level of reliability. These declarations may be used during compilation to select how instructions will be executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Nytell Software LLC
    Inventor: Jan Hoogerbrugge
  • Patent number: 8172663
    Abstract: A gaming machine for playing a multi-line spinning reel game has a display and a game controller arranged to control images of symbols displayed on the display. In the game at least one random event, in particular a spin of the reels, is caused to be displayed on the display. If a winning event occurs the machine awards a prize. The player is constrained to wager a single amount on each play of the game and may not vary the amount. This single wager amount provides eligibility to play all available lines of the game and eligibility to bonus features. No choice of other wagering options is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Scott C. Olive
  • Patent number: 8168427
    Abstract: The present invention provides antibodies useful as therapeutics for treating and/or preventing diseases associated with cells expressing CLD18, including tumor-related diseases such as gastric cancer, esophageal cancer, pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, colon cancer, hepatic cancer, head-neck cancer, and cancer of the gallbladder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignees: Ganymed Pharmaceuticals AG, Johannes Gutenberg-Universitat Mainz
    Inventors: Ugur Sahin, Ozlem Tureci, Dirk Usener, Stefan Fritz, Cristoph Uherek, Gunda Brandenburg, Harald-Gerhard Geppert, Anja Kristina Schroder, Philippe Thiel
  • Patent number: 8170310
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a system for analyzing a treatment of a patent including: an interactive image editor for allowing a user to interact with a first set image data corresponding to a pre-treatment radiological study of a patient, the first set of image data including an untreated clinical area of interest, such that the user is capable of interacting with the first set of image data to form a target outcome image for the clinical area of interest; a criterion determination module for allowing the user to determine a target outcome criterion; processing module for performing a comparison by comparing the first set of image data with a second set of image data corresponding to a post-treatment radiological study of the patient, the second set of image data including a treated clinical area of interest; and a criterion evaluation module for automatically evaluating the comparison to determine a post-treatment effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Yijin Woo
  • Patent number: 8170250
    Abstract: A hearing-aid device comprising a housing and circuitry module, wherein the circuitry module comprises a battery, a microphone, and a receiver, and the circuit module is inserted in the hearing aid housing. The hearing aid device further comprises a retractable battery sleeve, wherein a battery slot is exposed when the battery sleeve is retracted, and a battery can be inserted into the battery slot from either side of the battery slot with either polarity. The hearing aid housing may comprise an ear-tip, wherein a microphone is mounted in the hearing aid housing near the ear-tip and the microphone receives sounds through at least one sound inlet located on a side surface of the hearing aid housing. The ear-tip additionally comprises three flanges decreasing in size toward the flange closest to the ear canal, and the hearing aid can be inserted into the ear canal in any orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Etymotic Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Gail Gudmundsen, Mead C. Killion, Viorel Drambarean
  • Patent number: 8167943
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an improved Bone Tendon Bone graft for use in orthopedic surgical procedures. Specifically exemplified herein is a Bone Tendon Bone graft comprising one or more bone blocks having a groove cut into the surface thereof, wherein said groove is sufficient to accommodate a fixation screw. Also disclosed is a method of harvesting grafts that has improved efficiency and increases the quantity of extracted tissue and minimizes time required by surgeon for implantation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: RTI Biologics, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin C. Carter, Michael Esch, Paul LaRochelle, Jim Gross
  • Patent number: 8166129
    Abstract: For providing to a user on a communication terminal (1) media content (31) from a content server (3), a Session Initiation Protocol message, addressed to a resource identifier identifying the media content (31), is transmitted from the communications terminal (1) to a Call Session Control Function unit (S-CSCF), in response to the user activating a hyperlink associated with the media content (31). If there are filter criteria (iFC) associated with the user and associating the first message with an application server (SIP-AS), the resource identifier is transmitted from the Call Session Control Function unit (S-CSCF) to the application server (SIP-AS). The application server (SIP-AS) transmits to the communication terminal (1) accessing means for the user to retrieve the media content (31) from the content server (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Swisscom AG
    Inventor: Christophe Gourraud
  • Patent number: 8165358
    Abstract: A system and method for displaying a set of data with a virtually dissected anatomical structure. In an embodiment, the anatomical structure is a colon and various attributes of the colonic lumen are assigned a color. In an embodiment, a virtual dissection of the colon is created by mapping a three-dimensional data set to a two dimensional data set. A plurality of display index values are computed which correspond to the three-dimensional data set. Various colors are assigned to specific display index values. The three-dimensional display index values are mapped to a two-dimensional set of display index values. As directed by a user, various color cues may be displayed with the virtually dissected lumen to provide color highlights to various aspects of the colon, such as highlighting shape, fluid, or fecal presence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Co., LLC
    Inventors: Saad Ahmed Sirohey, Gopal B. Avinash, Jerome Francois Knoplioch, Laurent Launay, Renaud Capolunghi
  • Patent number: 8163591
    Abstract: A backside illuminated image sensor includes a photodiode, formed below the top surface of a semiconductor substrate, for receiving light illuminated from the backside of the semiconductor substrate to generate photoelectric charges, a reflecting gate, formed on the photodiode over the front upper surface of the semiconductor substrate, for reflecting light illuminated from the backside of the substrate and receiving a bias to control a depletion region of the photodiode, and a transfer gate for transferring photoelectric charges from the photodiode to a sensing node of a pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Intellectual Ventures II LLC
    Inventors: Sung-Hyung Park, Ju-Il Lee
  • Patent number: RE43371
    Abstract: This invention relates to the use in the treatment of HCV infection, either as single active agents or in combination with another active agent, of a cyclosporin having increased cyclophilin binding activity and essentially lacking immunosuppressive activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Inventors: Pietro Scalfaro, Jean-Maurice Dumont, Gregoire Vuagniaux, Rolland-Yves Mauvernay