Patents Represented by Attorney Robert D. Varitz
  • Patent number: 6711766
    Abstract: A plural-panel articulated (segmented) foldable/unfoldable (in a zigzag fashion) structure which can be unfolded and deployed in the form of a rectangular mat, and which can be folded to form plural other shapes, including a fully-folded shape which takes the form of a stack-cube of panels which is very compact in overall size. Each panel includes a central, anti-projectile barrier structure, and a cushioning foam structure, which offers features and advantages relating to fluid buoyancy, thermal insulation, and cushioning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: MJD Innovations, LLC
    Inventors: Russell A. Monk, Michael R. Dennis
  • Patent number: 6712275
    Abstract: A UPC identification device for affixation to a product includes a label-bearing portion having a side bearing UPC information; and a tail portion fixed to said label-bearing portion and extending outwardly therefrom for attaching the identification device to a product. The tail portion is held in place by expanding the distal portion thereof, or by forming the tail portion into a loop for capturing the label-bearing portion thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Targus Fly and Feather, LLC
    Inventor: James C. Borg
  • Patent number: 6704346
    Abstract: A RF communications system and method having improved RF interference characteristics for use with at least a pair of RF transceivers which communicate using a packet transfer protocol, in a frequency hopping scheme, wherein the packets may be of various lengths, wherein each frequency occupies a frequency channel slot in a RF band, and wherein a subsequent frequency is known, including, in at least one of the transceivers: a detector for detecting distressed channel frequencies having an unacceptable level of interference thereon; a tracker for keeping track of the distressed channel frequencies and of channel frequencies which are not distressed; a look-ahead mechanism for maintaining a list of bad channel frequencies of future slots; a scheduling algorithm to avoid beginning packet transmission on bad channel frequency slots; and a frequency selector for selecting a next transmission frequency from the available non-distressed channel frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Carl Mansfield
  • Patent number: 6697169
    Abstract: A method for reproducing a continuous-tone image in a reduced medium includes a comparison step, a diffusing step, and determining a threshold value for the comparison step from a matrix of threshold values, wherein the matrix has a spatial-chromatic correlated noise pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaofan Feng, Jon Mathew Speigle
  • Patent number: 6697109
    Abstract: A method of field sequential color image capture includes optically capturing a scene; filtering the scene through an active color filter to product first color components, thereby modifying the spectral transmission of the scene as a function of time; detecting the scene with a single, monochrome sensor and dividing the scene into multiple second color components, whereby each first color component of the scene is detected at a different point in time; aligning the second color components in time for each frame interval; storing each color component in a memory unit; combining the stored second color components into a frame image; and processing the frame image for color reproduction and format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott J. Daly
  • Patent number: 6690422
    Abstract: A method of field sequential color image capture includes: optically capturing a scene frame-by-frame; filtering the scene through an active color shutter to produce a first color component set having plural first color components therein; detecting the scene with a color filter array area sensor, wherein each first color component of the first color component set of the scene is detected at different points in time within a frame; dividing the detected scene into a second color component set having plural second color components therein; aligning the second color component set in time for each frame interval; and combining the stored second color components into a frame image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott J. Daly, Xiaofan Feng
  • Patent number: 6681409
    Abstract: A unitary helmet liner suspension structure which is designed for easy and quick and correct fitment into differently sized helmet shells whose specific sizes reside within a known and defined range of such sizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Inventors: Mike Dennis, Russell A. Monk, Bruce L. Thede
  • Patent number: 6671889
    Abstract: A multilayer helmet shell wherein inner and outer, structural, load-bearing semi-rigid layers, each formed from an affinity-bonded agglomeration of mechanically interactive, spray-deposited particles, jacket a viscoelastic, acceleration-rate-sensitive, microcellular foam core layer. The mechanical interfaces between the inner and outer jacketing, and the intermediate core, materials take the form of regions of inter-material suffusement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Inventors: Michael R. Dennis, Russell A. Monk
  • Patent number: 6650438
    Abstract: A method of transforming scanned RGB values into a colorimetric color space includes identifying multiple input media types to be scanned; assigning a weighting factor to each input media type; dividing input color space into segments; assigning a weighting factor to each input color space segment; applying regression and interpolation techniques to minimize color error; and generating a colorimetric output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc,
    Inventors: William C. Kress, James Z. Chang
  • Patent number: 6643522
    Abstract: A dual mode RF radio includes a first transceiver operating under a first transmitter/receiver protocol, and having a first receiver portion and a first transmitter portion therein; and a second transceiver operating under a second transmitter/receiver protocol, and having a second receiver portion and a second receiver portion therein; wherein both transmitter/receiver protocols are spread spectrum protocols; a shared antenna operatively connected to both said first transceiver and said second transceiver; and an isolation mechanism for isolating said first and second receiver portions from a transmitter portion while said transmitter portion is transmitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Song-Lin Young
  • Patent number: 6631410
    Abstract: A system for synchronizing a multimedia content stream signal, emanating from at least one multimedia source, for play through a plurality of output devices, wherein the output devices are connected to the multimedia source by wired connections and wireless connections; the system including plural output realms, including wired realms and wireless realms; and which includes delay synchronizers and for determining a buffer delay for streaming the multimedia content stream signal from a buffer to an output device. A method of synchronizing a multimedia content stream for output to a plurality of wired and wireless output device in a network having plural realms, wherein each realm includes a CTL, includes buffering the multimedia content stream in a first realm; determining a buffer delay; transmitting the buffer delay to all CTLs in all realms of the network; and transmitting the multimedia content stream to all realms in the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: John Michael Kowalski, Atsushi Ishii
  • Patent number: 6618743
    Abstract: A system of multiple work areas for operating within a computer system, wherein the computer system includes a CPU, a memory module and a disc storage facility, includes plural autonomous resource units (ARUs), for running user processes, wherein each ARU includes a discrete IP address, and wherein a process running in one ARU is inaccessible by another ARU; a discrete identifier assigned to each ARU; and a connector which extends between each ARU and the computer system CPU and memory module. A method of providing multiple, discrete, secure work areas in a computer system having a disc storage facility, a CPU, a memory module, and a set of IP addresses, includes designating plural autonomous resource units in the disc storage facility; providing a barrier to prevent inter-ARU communications; assigning a discrete identifier to each ARU; and connecting each ARU to a CPU and memory module associated with the disc storage facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: OneWorld Internetworking, Inc.
    Inventor: Erik J. Bennett
  • Patent number: 6609454
    Abstract: A method of forming a floating piston includes fabricating a piston cup, wherein the piston cup includes a top, a sidewall void of any seal-gripping irregularities, and an open end, and forming an elastomer seal over the sidewall of the piston cup. A floating piston includes a piston cup having a top, a sidewall extending about the periphery of the top and an open end, wherein the sidewall is void of any seal-gripping irregularities; and an elastomer seal formed about the sidewall of the piston cup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: AFM, Incorporated
    Inventor: Stanley A. Frost
  • Patent number: 6595935
    Abstract: A cervical support structure which includes an elongate collar that is removably wrappable about a user's neck, a size-adjustable, pillow-receiving sling structure effectively joined to the outside surface of the collar, and pillow structure which can be removably received by the sling structure to function as a pillow support element cooperating with the collar in the providing of cervical support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Caddy Company, LLC
    Inventor: Gail L. Gerstmar
  • Patent number: 6556825
    Abstract: A method of configuring an RF transceiver to receive a geographic-region specific message within a RF signal from a communications network, includes detecting the geographic-region specific message in a first RF transceiver operating in a first RF frequency spectrum; associating the detected geographic-region specific RF signal with a geographic region; generating a configuration command signal for the geographic region; and configuring a second RF transceiver to receive and transmit RF signals in a second RF frequency spectrum particular to the geographic region from the configuration command signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Carl Mansfield
  • Patent number: 6512168
    Abstract: A fingerboard for stringed musical instrument having a series of predetermined grooves located at every position in which a series of consecutive frets would have otherwise occurred, in accordance with a predetermined tonal scale, providing the facilities of a fretted fingerboard and maintaining the characteristics of a fretless fingerboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Inventor: Marco Antonio Ferreira Cortes
  • Patent number: 6496122
    Abstract: An image display system capable of displaying two distinct images at the same time. One image is shown on an image display device such as a television or computer monitor which is coupled to the image display system. The other image is shown on a remote control included in an image display system. A docking station is also part of the image display system. It is connected by standard audio-visual coaxial cable to the TV and associated video devices and sends compressed digital video signal information to the video remote control by RF communication. Both the docking station and the video remote control have RF antennas and receivers capable of sending digital RF signals. Digital command and information signals are exchanged between the docking station and video remote control to allow control from the remote control of the functions of the TV and other video devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey B. Sampsell
  • Patent number: 6481711
    Abstract: An output mechanism for use with an inkjet printer for printing a multi-page document, including plural paper-receiving output trays; a controller for determining the total number of pages, the number of copies of each page to be printed, and the paper-receiving tray which will receive each printed page, wherein each page is provided with sufficient time to dry before a subsequently printed page is stacked on top thereof; and a paper directing mechanism for directing the paper to a specific paper-receiving tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles Michael Pickett
  • Patent number: 6480712
    Abstract: An improved system of short message tracking in a wireless communications network, wherein a tracking system includes a status field bit definition having an 8-bit field wherein only three bits of the status field are used in a basic message status set, wherein the basic message status set consists of free space; used space; message received by mobile station from network—message read; message received by mobile station from network—message to be read; mobile station originating Message—message sent to the network; and mobile station originating message to be sent as text; the improvement including an enhanced message status set including the basic message status set and an extended message status set, wherein all eight bits of the status field bit (definition are used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeff S. Vigil
  • Patent number: 6459459
    Abstract: A method of detecting transitions in a video sequence includes inputting a digital video sequence into a video processor; detecting a monotonically varying image intensity profile of the digital video sequence; and tagging the digital video sequence associated with such an intensity profile as a transition event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Krishna Ratakonda