Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Oliff & Berridge
  • Patent number: 8351102
    Abstract: An image-processing device includes: an integration unit that, if connection information has been assigned to predetermined corresponding end points of both a first image component and a second image component from among image components, integrates the adjacent image components; a calculation unit that calculates the sum of values, the values being assigned corresponding to the connection information assigned to each end point of the image components in an integrated image component that is composed of a plural image components integrated by the integration unit; and a tabular region extraction unit that, if the value calculated by the calculation unit is equal to or greater than a threshold value corresponding to the number of image components included in the integrated image component, extracts a region of the integrated image component as a tabular region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masakazu Fukunaga
  • Patent number: 8351019
    Abstract: An apparatus and method maintain immersion fluid in the gap adjacent to the projection lens during the exchange of a work piece in a lithography machine. The apparatus and method include an optical assembly that projects an image onto a work piece and a stage assembly including a work piece table that supports the work piece adjacent to the optical assembly. An environmental system is provided to supply and remove an immersion fluid from the gap between the optical assembly and the work piece on the stage assembly. After exposure of the work piece is complete, an exchange system removes the work piece and replaces it with a second work piece. An immersion fluid containment system maintains the immersion liquid in the gap during removal of the first work piece and replacement with the second work piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Michael Binnard
  • Patent number: 8350398
    Abstract: An open-rotor gas turbine engine comprising a starter/generator, a first spool and a second spool, the second spool is of a lower pressure than the first spool; wherein the starter/generator is connected to the first and second spools via first and second clutches respectively. The method of operating the open-rotor engine comprises the step of supplying power to the starter/generator to drive the first spool via the first clutch to start the engine and, once the engine is self-propelling, a step of driving the starter/generator from the second spool via the second clutch to generate electricity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce, PLC
    Inventor: David C. Butt
  • Patent number: 8348327
    Abstract: A fold down device for the windscreen of a vehicle and in particular for an armored windscreen, wherein said device incorporates two uprights hinged by a first end to the structure of the cab of said vehicle, each of said uprights being placed in the vicinity of the lateral edge of said windscreen, said windscreen being linked to each of said uprights by a connecting rod that is hinged on one side to the second end of each of said uprights and on the other to said windscreen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Nexter Systems
    Inventors: Olivier Germenot, Bernard Timmer
  • Patent number: 8352123
    Abstract: When the steered wheels are driven, there is a problem of the torque steering that the steering is disturbed by the difference in the driving forces between a pair of left and right steered wheels. Before such a problem, there is a problem that, since the vehicle is apt to run straight ahead more strongly as the driving force increases even when a uniform driving torque is given to a pair of steered wheels, a larger force is required to steer the vehicle leftward or rightward by overcoming such a tendency of running straight ahead. In view of the above, the steering assist force is increased according to an increase of the driving torque of the steered wheels in a manner of harmonizing the steering assist force to the magnitude of the steering resistance due to the driving torque of the steered wheels, so as to improve the steering feeling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 8347608
    Abstract: A degree of dispersion of a reducing agent added to an exhaust gas flowing into an exhaust gas purification apparatus is controlled. Before addition fuel is added, a valve opening Vd of a flow area changing valve is changed to generate pulsation of the exhaust gas, so that addition valve vicinity exhaust gas pressure Pg varies periodically. Addition timing TMad is controlled to synchronize with extremum arrival timing TMe. High or low dispersion type addition control adds fuel at timing (CP) when the addition valve vicinity exhaust gas pressure Pg becomes a maximum value Pgmax, at timing (TP) when at a minimum value Pgmin, or at both timings (CP, TP).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichi Tsujimoto
  • Patent number: 8351021
    Abstract: An optical system is able to achieve a substantially azimuthal polarization state in a lens aperture while suppressing loss of light quantity, based on a simple configuration. The optical system of the present invention is provided with a birefringent element for achieving a substantially circumferential distribution or a substantially radial distribution as a fast axis distribution in a lens aperture, and an optical rotator located behind the birefringent element and adapted to rotate a polarization state in the lens aperture. The birefringent element has an optically transparent member which is made of a uniaxial crystal material and a crystallographic axis of which is arranged substantially in parallel with an optical axis of the optical system. A light beam of substantially spherical waves in a substantially circular polarization state is incident to the optically transparent member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Omura
  • Patent number: 8348289
    Abstract: With a rack-and-pinion mechanism, an impact force is absorbed and reduction in assembling performance is suppressed. An annular fitting groove (51) that extends in the circumferential direction of a rack guide (41) is formed in an outer peripheral face (41a) of the rack guide (41), and an O-ring (52) is fitted in the fitting groove (51) in a state in which the axial movement of the O-ring (52) is restricted. A communication groove (61) that provides communication between an internal space (55), defined by the fitting groove (51) and the O-ring (52), and the outside of the rack guide (41) is formed in the rack guide (41).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Tanaka, Masahiko Hirose, Yoshiaki Izumi
  • Patent number: 8350512
    Abstract: An electric power tool is provided that includes a motor as a driving source, a first operation switch, a first semiconductor switch, and a second semiconductor switch. The first operation switch is operated by a user to be turned ON/OFF. The first semiconductor switch, provided on a current path from the power source to the motor, includes at least one semiconductor switching device. When the first operation switch is OFF, the first semiconductor switch is turned OFF to interrupt the current path. When the first operation switch is ON, the first semiconductor switch is turned ON to close the current path. The second semiconductor switch is provided on the current path in series with the first semiconductor switch and includes at least one semiconductor switching device. The second semiconductor switch closes/interrupts the current path by being turned ON/OFF in accordance with an input control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Makita Corporation
    Inventors: Yutaka Matsunaga, Hidekazu Suda, Takeshi Nishimiya
  • Patent number: 8349533
    Abstract: A resist lower-layer composition configured to be used by a multi-layer resist method used in lithography to form a layer lower than a photoresist layer acting as a resist upper layer film. The resist lower-layer composition is insoluble or poorly-soluble in an alkaline developer after formation of the lower layer, and the resist lower-layer composition comprises, at least, a thermal acid generator for generating an acid by heating at a temperature of 100° C. or higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Youichi Ohsawa, Jun Hatakeyama, Takeru Watanabe, Takeshi Kinsho
  • Patent number: 8352124
    Abstract: A steering control device for a vehicle includes a steering characteristic setting unit setting the range of a steering manipulation angle corresponding to a tire angle in a predetermined range (near an induction target tire angle for guiding to a target locus), which is determined on the basis of the target locus upon vehicle traveling, to be wider than the range of a steering manipulation angle corresponding to a tire angle outside of the predetermined range. A reduction gear ratio of a steering mechanism in the predetermined range increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koji Taguchi
  • Patent number: 8352860
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image processing device and an image processing method, which prevent printing mishaps from occurring in printed matter when a user performs a printing process without knowing a compressed image is included on a page layout. When a compressed image is detected, a warning is generated to request selection of the next process. For this reason, when interruption of printing is designated, the printing process may be interrupted. The use of a warning color or application of an outline may be designated, and a drawing setting may also be performed according to the designation. An output of a warning page is designated, and a setting may also be performed such that a print output is obtained by either extracting the compressed image or by deleting the compressed image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuichi Ishizuka, Mari Kodama, Yasushi Nishide
  • Patent number: 8348259
    Abstract: An apparatus, method and system for a feeding a sheet in a document reproduction machine. A feedbox is contained within a document reproduction machine. Within the feedbox, an elevator moves at least one sheet to the upper portion of the feedbox, to a stack height finger, for feeding the sheet into a feed device. At least one sensor, located at the upper portion of the feedbox, detects the location of the sheet. The location information is sent from the sensor to a data processing device. The data processing device sends information to an actuating device. The actuating device may cause one or more plungers to move through apertures in the elevator. The plungers will result in a substantially flat sheet. The sheet is then fed into the feed device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph Marasco, Brian C. Cyr
  • Patent number: 8347604
    Abstract: The degree of deterioration of a catalyst is obtained accurately in cases where a plurality of catalysts is disposed at an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine. Under the assumption that the degree of deterioration of a catalyst which is disposed at a location upstream of an NOx selective reduction catalyst and has an oxidizing ability is at a predetermined value, the ratio of NO2 in the NOx which inflows into the NOx selective reduction catalyst is estimated; the NOx removal rate of the NOx selective reduction catalyst is calculated a plurality of times at least until a local maximum value is obtained; and the degree of deterioration of the catalyst having an oxidizing ability is determined by comparison between the ratio of NO2 observed when the NOx removal rate of the NOx selective reduction catalyst reaches the local maximum value and a reference value of the ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Taiga Hagimoto, Daisuke Shibata
  • Patent number: 8352109
    Abstract: A vehicle control device for controlling a vehicle drive apparatus, the vehicle control device configured with a release control mechanism that provides feedback controlling supplied oil pressure to a release side element, and an engagement control mechanism that increases supplied oil pressure to an engagement side element as an engagement element on a side to be engaged in a state that the differential rotation speed is substantially constant. The control device is further configured with a phase determining mechanism that determines if the torque phase has started when a condition that a phenomenon accompanying a change of the differential rotation speed due to increase of the supplied oil pressure to the engagement side element is detected is met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kohei Tsuda, Yomei Hakumura, Masahiro Asai, Yoichi Tajima, Tomokazu Ito
  • Patent number: 8349069
    Abstract: Black particles include a black pigment; and a cyan pigment, wherein when the reflectance to light of wavelength of 420 nm and the reflectance to light of wavelength of 770 nm of plural samples are measured, the standard deviations (1?) of the measured values are about 1 or less with respect to both wavelengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shigeru Seitoku
  • Patent number: 8348003
    Abstract: There is provided an occupant detection correction system including: a load detection section that detects load imparted to a vehicle seat and outputs a load signal representing the load; an occupant detection section that detects an occupant based on the load signal and is capable of resetting the load signal to a reference point based on a predetermined reset instruction; a tilt angle detection section that detects a predetermined tilt angle of a seatback; and a permitting section that permits execution of resetting the load signal to the reference point by the occupant detection section when the predetermined tilt angle is detected by the tilt angle detection section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kentaro Morishita, Yosuke Kubota, Isao Hagiwara, Koki Terashima, Muneto Inayoshi
  • Patent number: 8350656
    Abstract: A rotary transformer includes a primary core having a primary coil wound thereon, and a secondary core having a secondary coil wound thereon, the cores being mounted for relative rotation about an axis of rotation. The transformer is characterized in that one of the cores includes a plurality of core segments arranged in spaced-apart relation relative to one another in a substantially circular array about the axis, and the other core has a substantially annular configuration. In a particular embodiment, the primary core is fixed and hence remains static during operation, and includes a plurality of spaced apart core segments arranged in a circular array around the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: John J A Cullen, Ellis F H Chong, Felix L Langley
  • Patent number: D674010
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Nanno
  • Patent number: D674126
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yosuke Mase