Patents Represented by Attorney Nikolai & Mersereau, P.A.
  • Patent number: 7398499
    Abstract: A method of searching paths that are susceptible to electrostatic discharge (ESD) at the beginning of an integrated circuit (IC) design is disclosed that includes a circuit spreading out algorithm, a matrix closure algorithm, and a supernode algorithm. The found paths are required to satisfy conditions including that (a) they are connected from a gate of a transistor to a source or a drain thereof, and (b) the head node and the tail node of each path are pins of a top level of the IC. ?1/0/1 matrix multiplication is employed by both the circuit spreading out algorithm and the matrix closure algorithm so as to obtain a result of node connections after a plurality of matrix self-multiplications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Chang Gung University
    Inventors: Ming-Hong Lai, Chao-Yi Cho, Chia-Chi Chu, Wu-Shiung Feng
  • Patent number: 7392995
    Abstract: A driving device for a wheelbarrow includes a motor assembly which has a shaft and a driving gear is connected to the shaft. The driving gear is engaged with planet gears of a gear set to drive a collar which is connected to a rim with a tire connected to the rim. Therefore, the wheel rotates when the motor assembly is activated. A brake mechanism an adjustment nut which is threadedly connected to a motor frame of the motor assembly such that when the user pulls a brake lever, the adjustment nut is moved to shift a brake lining to brake the wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Inventor: Chiu-Hsiung Lin
  • Patent number: 7395136
    Abstract: A robot device includes a sensor on its base plate capable of sensing rotation of the base plate occasioned by decoupling of a detachable joint that joins a forearm member of the robot to the base plate. The sensor produces an output signal which, if above a preset threshold, shuts off the motors driving the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: SIG Doboy Inc.
    Inventor: Gabriel F. Osten
  • Patent number: 7393657
    Abstract: A method of diagnosing cancer comprising the steps of (i) obtaining a sample containing nucleic acid and/or protein from the patient; and (ii) determining whether the sample contains a level of SCN5A (and optionally also SCN9A) voltage-gated Na+ channel nucleic acid or protein associated with cancer. A method of diagnosing breast cancer comprising the steps of (i) obtaining a sample containing nucleic acid and/or protein from the patient; and (ii) determining whether the sample contains a level of voltage-gated Na+ channel nucleic acid or protein, preferably SCN5A or 5CN9A, associated with cancer. A method of treating cancer comprising the step of administering to the patient an agent which selectively prevents the function of SCN5A (and optionally also SCN9A) voltage-gated Na+ channel. A method of treating breast cancer comprising the step of administering to the patient an agent which selectively prevents the function of a voltage-gated Na+ channel, preferably SCN5A or 5CN9A.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Imperial College Innovations Limited
    Inventors: James K. J. Diss, Raoul C. Coombes, Mustafa B. A. Djamgoz, Scott P. Fraser
  • Patent number: 7392829
    Abstract: A yarn carrier (30) for presenting a selected yarn (16) to a pair of gripper jaws (26,28). The yarn carrier (30) includes a yarn guide passageway (14) defining a path along which the selected yarn (16) is longitudinally guided. The passageway (14) has a yarn inlet end, a yarn outlet end and adjacent to the yarn outlet end yarn guides (32) to constrain the tail of the yarn (YT) against lateral deflection in a longitudinal direction of the yarn carrier (30). The yarn guides (32) are depressible on contact with open gripper jaws (26,28) to enable the gripper jaws (26,28) to grip the yarn tail (YT).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Griffith Textile Machines Limited
    Inventor: John Dalton Griffith
  • Patent number: 7390630
    Abstract: A method of identifying a compound with efficacy in the treatment of chronic inflammatory disease by testing the compound for an ability to selectively inhibit the ability of Tck cells to induce pro-inflammatory cytokine release from a monocyte is disclosed. The method includes pre-incubatin Tck cells with a compound to be tested, optionally resuspending the Tck cells in the absence of the test compound, co-culturing the Tck cells with monocytes, and assaying for the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines by the monocytes. The Tck cells are produced by incubating a population of T cells with one or more cytokines or the Tck cells are isolated from synovial tissue. The Tck cells have not been contacted with an anti-CD3 antibody. The ability to selectively inhibit cytokine release indicates that the compound has efficacy in the treatment of chronic inflammatory disease.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Mathilda and Terence Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology Trust
    Inventors: Fionula Mary Brennan, Marc Feldmann, Brian Maurice John Foxwell
  • Patent number: 7390304
    Abstract: A device for directly measuring a person's respiratory exchange ratio (RER) utilizes a Zn-air battery cell and a constant current load circuit as an O2 pump capable of drawing oxygen from expired air. A thermistor located in the flow path forms a leg of a bridge circuit whose output is proportional to oxygen concentration in the expired air and, therefore, to oxygen uptake. The thermistor flowmeter circuit utilizes the thermal conductivity differences between O2 and CO2 to provide a measure at the relative ratio of the two gases present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Medical Graphics Corporation
    Inventors: Yu Chen, C. Peter Howard, Michael G. Snow
  • Patent number: 7380669
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is employed to create a mixture having a desired composition. A raw material is separated in a pair of density separators into constituent parts. Those parts are then recombined in a desired fashion using a pair of splitters to create an intermediate mixture and delivered to a third density separator. The third density separator processes the intermediate mixture to create a final mixture having the desired composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Inventors: Earl L. Hacking, Jr., Thomas A. Swaninger
  • Patent number: 7377459
    Abstract: A tooth construction for a mineral bear, the tooth construction including a tooth shaped support body covered by a shell which defines the outer shape of the tooth construction, the shell being composed of a plurality of covers which are fixedly secured to one another and/or to the support body by welding to define a unitary tooth construction the support body having a front face and an opposed rear face and the plurality of covers including at least a front cover which is weldingly secured to and seated in face to face contact with the front face of the support body and a separate rear cover which is weldingly secured to and seated in face to face contact with the rear face of the support body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: NMD Design & Consultancy Limited
    Inventor: Alan Potts
  • Patent number: 7377219
    Abstract: A single-carriage reversing train positioning system which includes an extending spike-type car engaging member for engaging and moving one or more railcars. An extending chuck assembly may be provided with the ability to operate gates in bottom-discharging railcars. The system uses a single self-propelled carriage with an on-board carriage drive system that includes a drive motor which operates the car along a fixed chain situated along a guideway. A generally horizontally disposed, laterally extendable pin car-engaging assembly is mounted on the car-moving carriage for aligning with and engaging a hook loop on a railcar for moving the car. A gate-operating assembly which includes a laterally extendable chuck system which aligns with, engages and rotates gate-operating capstans on bottom discharging railcars may also be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Calbrandt, Inc.
    Inventor: Calvin J. Brandt
  • Patent number: 7370871
    Abstract: A shock absorbing member includes a first member composed of a first tube and a second tube which is located at a center of the first tube. Shock absorbing material is filled between the first tube and the second tube. Two second members are located below the first member and connected to the first member by at least one board. Each second member has a third tube and a fourth tube which extends through the third tube. Shock absorbing material is filled between the third tube and the fourth tube. Four shock absorbing member are connected between a first frame and a second frame. The first members are connected with the first frame which carries power system such as engine, and the second members are connected to a second frame which is connected to wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Shine Far Metal Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jih-Kuei Cho
  • Patent number: 7373367
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for designing low-order linear-phase IIR filters is disclosed. Given an FIR filter, the method utilizes a new Krylov subspace projection method, called the rational Arnoldi method with adaptive orders, to synthesize an approximated IIR filter with small orders. The method is efficient in terms of computational complexity. The synthesized IIR filter can truly reflect essential dynamical features of the original FIR filter and indeed satisfies the design specifications. In particular, the linear-phase property is stilled remained in the passband.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Chang Gung University
    Inventors: Herng-Jer Lee, Chia-Chi Chu, Wu-Shiung Feng
  • Patent number: 7370904
    Abstract: A cover assembly for a vehicle carried open top container wherein a cover is connected at one end to a vertically adjustable tower and an opposite end to a cross member connected to a pair of pivot arms that are mounted at their lower ends to be pivoted by at least one hydraulic actuator that is mounted to the vehicle intermediate opposite ends of the container and adjacent the bottom thereof. An effective length of each pivot arm may be adjusted and locked in adjusted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: McNeilus Truck and Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. Wood, Jr., Douglas Howell
  • Patent number: 7361834
    Abstract: A lightweight plastic cover for an electric handhole or pullbox having a plurality of vertical channels in a circular array at a radius about halfway from the center to the circumference. The channels allow the cover to bend when a large weight is applied and to rebound when the weight is removed. The cover may also have a second circle of vertical channels for strength nearer the center and horizontal channels crossing the center for added strength. The cover has a metal plate attached in the center for finding the cover with a metal detector and may also have a GPS device for locating it. The electric handhole or pullbox may have an open bottom portion with a ledge around the circumference for helping to set and maintain the electric handhole or pullbox at a desired depth. The cover may have extendable handles for ease of holding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: JDT Concepts, LLC
    Inventors: Julian P. Trangsrud, David E. Erickson
  • Patent number: 7360922
    Abstract: A light tube assembly includes a light tube and a stabilizer which includes a tubular body with copper members that are slidably engaged with curved slots in a base. A core with terminal plates is received in the tubular body and two locking pin 51s extend through grooves in the tubular body and are removably inserted into the base. An end cap is rotatably connected to the core and is positioned at three positions. The three positions allow the user to replace the base, to replace the light tube and to secure the light tube respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Weico (Asia) Industries Ltd.
    Inventor: Jerry Yeh
  • Patent number: D567702
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Inventor: Brian L. Walters
  • Patent number: D568004
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Nifty Home Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank Tiemann
  • Patent number: D568684
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Nifty Home Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank R. Tiemann
  • Patent number: D569757
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Inventor: Arlan R. Abel
  • Patent number: D572280
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Inventor: I-Min Hsiao