Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Pearne & Gordon
  • Patent number: 8068160
    Abstract: Provided is an imaging device capable of appropriately displaying or printing a combined image including a print image and a captured image. The device includes: an imaging sensor for receiving an optical image of a photographing object and converting the optical image into an electric image signal; a focus position detection unit for detecting a focus position for the object; and a control unit for recording the image signal while correlating it with focus position information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Naoto Yumiki
  • Patent number: 8066428
    Abstract: A stop watch (1) includes a time indicator comprising a hand (2), a first scale (31) and a second scale (41). A first part of a time indication is shown by the hand (2) on the first scale (31) and a second part of said time indication is shown by said second scale (41) in combination with said first scale (31). The first scale (31) is fixed and said second scale (41) is movably mounted around said first scale (31). The first part of said time indication corresponds to seconds of a duration counted by said stop watch (1), and the second part of said time indication corresponds to tenths of seconds of said duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: LVMH Swiss Manufactures SA
    Inventor: Christoph Behling
  • Patent number: 8068286
    Abstract: A variable focal lens which does not require a reduction of a zoom factor and eliminates an origin sensor is provided. A microcomputer 15 functions as a focus adjustment section which controls a stepper motor 13 to move a focusing ring 5 for a focus adjustment. The microcomputer 15 causes the focusing ring 5 to move by a first moving distance in a first moving direction toward one of a FAR side and a NEAR side, and then to move the focusing ring 5 by a second moving distance in a second moving direction opposite to the first moving direction, and set the point where the focusing ring reaches after the movement in the second moving direction as a reference point for adjustment, and the microcomputer 15 causes the focusing ring 5 to move from the reference point for adjustment in the first moving direction within a range equal to or less than the second moving distance to carry out the focus adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Shuichi Horiguchi, Gentarou Irisawa, Yuichiro Mori, Masafumi Mizuno, Yasuji Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8068294
    Abstract: A lens barrel includes a fourth lens, a prism, and a sixth lens. The fourth lens receives a light flux incident along a first optical axis. The prism includes a reflecting surface reflecting the light flux passing through the fourth lens to a direction along a second optical axis intersecting with the first optical axis. The sixth lens receives the light flux reflected by the prism. A second group frame includes an opening portion, a prism retaining frame that is arranged in a more inner position than the opening portion and in which the prism is contained, and a plurality of adhesive pockets arranged on an area around the prism retaining frame and being open to the side of the opening portion. Adhesive agent is filled in the adhesive pockets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Eiichi Nagaoka, Takayuki Hayashi, Keiji Sakamoto, Kenichi Hayashi, Daisuke Ito
  • Patent number: 8066498
    Abstract: The objects of the present invention are to provide a magnetic field molding device capable of improving yield in a production and stabilizing product quality, and a method for producing a ferrite magnet. In molding in a magnetic field, the mortar-shaped die 19 provided with a plurality of the cavities 13 is heated by the heater member 20, provided in the heater block located under the mortar-shape die 19, under control of a controller at varying temperature depending on the position of the mortar-shape die 19, to keep uniform temperature of the slurry in the cavities 13. This assures good and stable slurry dehydration properties and improves product yield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Hideo Kurita, Yasuhiro Nagatsuka, Kiyoyuki Masuzawa, Masayuki Ohtsuka, Kazuyuki Sato
  • Patent number: 8065908
    Abstract: Provided is an atomic force microscope capable of increasing the phase detection speed of a cantilever vibration. The cantilever (5) is excited and the cantilever (5) and a sample are relatively scanned. Displacement of the cantilever (5) is detected by a sensor. An oscillator (27) generates an excitation signal of the cantilever (5) and generates a reference wave signal having a frequency based on the excitation signal and a fixed phase. According to vibration of the cantilever (5), a trigger pulse generation circuit (41) generates a trigger pulse signal having a pulse position changing in accordance with the vibration of the cantilever (5). According to the reference wave signal and the trigger pulse signal, a phase signal generation circuit (43) generates a signal corresponding to the level of the reference wave signal at the pulse position as a phase signal of vibration of the cantilever (5). As the reference wave signal, a saw tooth wave is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: National University Corporation Kanazawa University
    Inventors: Takayuki Uchihashi, Toshio Ando, Hayato Yamashita
  • Patent number: 8068936
    Abstract: According to one aspect, the present invention provides a method of controlling operation of a plurality of different model variants of a refrigeration appliance using a commonly-configured control board for the plurality of different model variants. The method includes identifying the first model variant as being one of the plurality of model variants to be controlled; and responsive to this identifying, selecting a suitable control routine from among a plurality of available control routines that are accessible to the control board for controlling operation of the plurality of model variants. The plurality of available control routines includes at least a first control routine to be executed for controlling operation of a portion of a refrigeration circuit provided to the first model variant and a second control routine to be executed for controlling operation of a portion of a refrigeration circuit provided to the second model variant. The first control routine is different than the second control routine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Jay E. Eichman
  • Patent number: 8064192
    Abstract: A capacitor element includes a positive electrode body made of valve metal, a dielectric oxide layer on the positive electrode body, a solid electrolytic layer made of conductive polymer on the dielectric oxide layer, and a negative electrode layer on the solid electrolytic layer. A solid electrolytic capacitor includes the capacitor element, a package made of insulating resin covering the capacitor element, a base electrode provided at an edge surface of the package and made of non-valve metal coupled with the positive electrode body, a diffusion layer for connecting the positive electrode body to the base electrode, an external electrode on the base electrode, and an external electrode connected to the negative electrode layer. The solid electrolytic capacitor reduces the number of components and processes to reduce its cost and to have a small size, and has a small equivalent series resistance and a small equivalent series inductance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Kuranuki, Katsuyuki Nakamura, Mikio Kobashi
  • Patent number: 8064609
    Abstract: The method comprises the steps of automatically monitoring and detecting indications indicative of a forthcoming event concerning hearing systems; if such an indication is detected, retrieving identification data identifying at least one device of the hearing system concerned, referred to as specific device, or a user of said hearing system concerned, referred to as specific user; and using said identification data for retrieving further data related to said specific device as device data or related to said specific user as user data. The method and the corresponding system can be used for adjusting said specific hearing system or other support actions, like dispensing consumables for said specific hearing system, or preparatory actions, like launching a suitable fitting program or loading audiological data related to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Phonak AG
    Inventors: Herbert Baechler, Stefan Launer, Bernd Waldmann
  • Patent number: 8061203
    Abstract: A combined detection element (6) of the present invention includes an acceleration detection element (2) and an angular velocity detection element (4) stacked on the acceleration detection element (2) in such a manner as to avoid contacting with the weight parts (12) of the acceleration detection element (2). The angular velocity detection element (4) includes a recess (26) in a surface thereof facing the weight parts (12) of the acceleration detection element (2) so as to avoid contacting with the weight parts (12). At least part of the recess (26) has a depth not exceeding the vertical range of motion of weight parts (12), thereby suppressing the upward movement of weight parts (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Aizawa, Satoshi Ohuchi
  • Patent number: 8063925
    Abstract: A multi-media printer includes an engine controller, a printhead controller, and a pulse activation table. The engine controller transmits a row of energy values. The printhead controller receives the row of energy values and transmits an activation signal. The activation signal is transmitted based on a comparison of an activating energy level for each pulse position in a pulse stream with the energy values in the row of energy values. Comparison logic performs the comparison and transmits an activation signal if the energy value for the row of energy values is greater than or equal to the activating energy level for the corresponding pulse positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Codonics, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Tainer, Jeremy Audino, James Bias
  • Patent number: 8063709
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of operating a spin-transfer torque structure to generate voltage oscillations, said structure comprising a first layer of magnetic material having a fixed magnetization vector, a spacer of non magnetic material and a second layer of magnetic material having a free magnetization vector. The method includes the application of a current (jop) through said structure and a magnetic field (Hext) in the plane of the second layer. It makes use of a region of bistability and hysteretic behaviour to trigger and stop the voltage oscillations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
    Inventors: Ioana Firastrau, Ursula Ebels, Bernard Dieny
  • Patent number: 8064245
    Abstract: A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ)-based magnetic random access memory (MRAM) cell with a thermally assisted switching (TAS) writing procedure and methods for manufacturing and using same. The TAS MTJ-based MRAM cell includes a magnetic tunnel junction that is formed with an anisotropic shape and that comprises a ferromagnetic storage layer, a reference layer, and an intermediate insulating layer. The ferromagnetic storage layer has a magnetization that is adjustable above a high temperature threshold; whereas, the reference layer has a fixed magnetization. The ferromagnetic storage layer is provided with a magnetocrystalline anisotropy that is oriented essentially perpendicular to a long axis of the anisotropic shape of the magnetic tunnel junction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Crocus Technology S.A.
    Inventor: Ioan Lucian Prejbeanu
  • Patent number: 8064345
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for optimizing the control of the traffic in a packet telecommunications network comprising at least one transmitter terminal (2), at least one receiver terminal (4), and one traffic regulator (6) arranged between the transmitter terminal (2) and the receiver terminal (4), said transmitter (2) and receiver (4) terminals exchanging data packet segments via a connection-oriented link employing a transport protocol with acknowledgement of receipt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Ipanema Technologies
    Inventor: Frederic Griffoul
  • Patent number: 8062705
    Abstract: It is shown a method and apparatus for distributing a viscous liquid over a surface of a substrate, e.g. a semiconductor wafer or a datastorage media, by conditioning the substrate thermally, locally specific before or during the spin coating process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Singulus Technologies AG
    Inventor: Chieh Ou-Yang
  • Patent number: 8065586
    Abstract: A radio communication apparatus of the present invention aims at improving an error rate characteristic in the end receiver. A repeater (radio relay device) RS2 receives a signal transmitted from a repeater RS1 at a point of time of signal transmission from the repeater RS1, and detects whether or not an error exists in the signal at a point of time of transmission. Also, when the repeater RS2 detects the error from a systematic bit S of the transmitted signal from the repeater RS1, such repeater RS2 generates error position information EI, replace a part of a parity bit P with the error position information EI, and transmits a resultant signal. The error detection result is notified through the control channel. The mobile station (mobile terminal) MS makes an error correction based on the error position information EI, and demodulates the signal by executing an error correction decoding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Miyoshi, Ayako Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 8062141
    Abstract: A metal clinch fastener has portions thereof selectively hardened to enable use of the fastener with metal members of differing hardness values. The selective hardening of the fastener enables mounting with application of required forces for piercing and/or plastic deformation of the metal member without undesirable deformation or distortion of the fastener. The screw thread region or zone of the fastener has a relatively lesser hardness suitable and may be pre-threaded or later threaded by engagement with a thread forming screw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: R B & W Manufacturing LLC
    Inventor: W. Richard Pamer
  • Patent number: 8064558
    Abstract: A receiving apparatus includes a first receiver, a second receiver, a received signal synthesizer connected to the first and second receivers, a synchronizing signal synthesizer connected to the first and second receivers, and a synchronization detector connected to the synchronizing signal synthesizer. In this structure, synchronization determination is performed using a synchronizing signal of either the first or second receiver, and diversity reception is performed using the received signals of the first and second receivers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunobu Tsukio, Hiroaki Ozeki
  • Patent number: 8064144
    Abstract: A zoom lens system according to the present invention, from an object side to an image side, comprises a first lens unit having positive optical power, a second lens unit having negative optical power, a third lens unit having positive optical power, and a fourth lens unit having positive optical power. In zooming, the first to the fourth lens units all move along the optical axis. The condition (8): 0.15<dG3/dG<0.27 is satisfied (where, 16<fT/fW, ?>35; dG3 is an optical axial center thickness of the third lens unit; dG is a sum of the optical axial thicknesses of the first to the fourth lens units; ? is a half view angle at a wide-angle limit; fT is a focal length of the entire system at a telephoto limit; and fW is a focal length of the entire system at a wide-angle limit). As a result, the zoom lens system has a reduced size and still realizes a wide view angle at a wide-angle limit, as well as a remarkably high zooming ratio and high performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Katsu Yamada, Keiki Yoshitsugu, Shunichiro Yoshinaga
  • Patent number: 8056359
    Abstract: A refrigeration appliance includes an insulated cabinet forming an interior cavity and a refrigeration system for cooling the interior cavity. A thermally conductive shelf forms a support surface within the interior cavity, and a thermal sink is operatively coupled to the conductive shelf. The thermal sink is adapted to facilitate the transfer of thermal energy from the thermally conductive shelf. In one example, the thermal sink includes a plurality of thermal sinks operatively coupled to the conductive shelf. In another example, the thermal sink is removable from the interior cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
    Inventors: John R. Smith, Joel Benjamin Kelso, Mary Catherine Stommes