Patents Represented by Attorney Robert Platt Bell
  • Patent number: 7838846
    Abstract: A toothbrush or the like may be inserted, bristles downward, into an aperture in a cap removably attached to a body of the apparatus. A peg may be inserted into any one of the apertures in order to allow an electric toothbrush head or other non-standard type of toothbrush to be used. An internal ultraviolet (UV) bulb is located in the apparatus to sanitize the toothbrushes. A timer/control circuit may activate the UV bulb for three minutes and then shut off. To prevent the recurrence of bacterial growth over time, the UV bulb may be automatically reactivated by the timer/control circuit after six hours and activated for another 3 minutes or another amount of time, as programmed. A safety mechanism may interact with a spring-loaded microswitch coupled to the timer/control circuit to disable the unit if the cap is removed. The body has a rounded bottom and is weighted such that the sanitizing apparatus sits upright on a flat surface and returns to an upright position if tipped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Inventor: Joel Pinsky
  • Patent number: 7823321
    Abstract: The DNA Sampling Hook is a significant improvement on a method of obtaining a tissue sample from a live fish in situ from an aquatic environment. A tissue sample taken from a live fish can be used for DNA analyses, which can identify the species of fish, as well as the unique individual fish. Taking a small tissue sample without bringing the fish to the surface is important as it allows for observing the fish community without harming the individual fish by inducing barotrauma or other stresses associated with bringing a fish up from depth, which can be lethal to the animal. These tissue samples are obtained by hook and line methods and do not capture or traumatize the fish resulting in a non-lethal and non-destructive method of observing fish individuals and species. The DNA Sampling Hook is specifically designed to virtually eliminate a condition called double bites, in which more than one individual fish gives up tissue to the same hook.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Commerce
    Inventors: Stan D. Tomich, Marjory E. Clarke, John H. Harms, Jennifer A. Hempelmann
  • Patent number: 7813621
    Abstract: A “tag” is attached to streaming video data as it is streamed from the streaming layer to the presentation engine. Each frame containing a button or other user feature also has a “tag” associated with it. When the presentation engine processes a packet of data, it updates a state variable with the tag associated with the packet of data. The streaming layer can query this state variable at any point to get the tag associated with the currently rendered unit. When the user clicks on a button or feature, the streaming layer, rather than utilizing an associated operation in the data being streamed, instead uses the tag associated with the frame being displayed and then takes the appropriate action. The invention may also be used to provide frame-accurate editing features to allow streaming video data to be indexed or reversed to a frame-accurate level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Magnum Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Aravind C. Agrahara
  • Patent number: 7782256
    Abstract: A system and technique is described which has the capability to track and identify, in real time, various aircraft and objects including Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs), and Micro Aerial Vehicles (MAVs). The system uses a combination of techniques including conventional automatic dependent surveillance broadcast (ADS-B), transponder multilateration, broadband emitter multilateration, primary and secondary radar, and passive coherent location. A series of enhancement to conventional passive coherent location are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Era Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Alexander E. Smith
  • Patent number: 7777675
    Abstract: In a first, preferred embodiment of the present invention, integrated tracking is provided using passive broadband. The invention takes the system for deployable passive broadband detection and extends it by incorporating the capability to decode position for ADS-B, SSR multilateration, and broadband multilateration. In a second embodiment, validation of a self-reported position is provided. The invention takes the system for deployable passive broadband detection and extends it by incorporating the capability to decode self-reported position for ADS-B, and compare it to line of calculated position, or line of precision, derived from multilateration techniques applied to various signals received from the aircraft. In a third embodiment, validation of a self-reported ADS-B position using independent surveillance is provided by the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: ERA Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander E. Smith, Russell Hulstrom, Carl A. Evers
  • Patent number: 7739167
    Abstract: A solution is described which provides an airport with the tools to accurately manage all sources of airside revenues, including operational revenues and capital programs. The system of the present invention relies on the acquisition of any and all data related to the operations, property, lease, and revenue management of an airport, including aircraft tracking data. This data is then stored in a central database where it is processed, sorted, and stored for later retrieval. The data may exist in a number of forms including real-time streams, tabular, or in the form of a database. From this data, airport revenue information can be accurately managed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: ERA Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas J. Breen, Alexander E. Smith
  • Patent number: 7734020
    Abstract: Security systems typically communicate with alarm monitoring centers using a telephone connection. The present invention offers a system and technique for monitoring a security system connected using a Voice-over-IP connection, in real time, and alerting the owner of the security system, or the alarm-monitoring center, when the connection is broken. This alert can be used, for example, to issue a telephone call to the police, informing them of the breach of line integrity and possible compromise of the premise. In addition, the present invention allows for one-way or two-way voice communication between the alarm panel and an alarm operator and/or a 3rd party. Such voice communication helps the alarm operator and/or 3rd party to determine whether an alarm is a real alarm or a possible false alarm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: NextAlarm International, Inc.
    Inventors: Harvey Alexander Elliot, Bryan Field-Elliot, Daniel Elliot
  • Patent number: 7667647
    Abstract: At most airports, responsibility of air traffic control starts and stops at the entrance or exit to the runway movement areas, which are taxiways and runways. In the non-movement areas, such as hangers, ramps, and aprons, aircraft movements and separation are no longer the responsibility of air traffic control, but is the responsibility of other parties such as the airport itself, airlines, or other parties. The use of tracking technologies for air traffic control is therefore focused on the movement areas, not the non-movement areas, where there are limitations in aircraft tracking. Furthermore, many of the aircraft transmitting devices are switched off in non-movement areas exacerbating tracking problems in these areas. The present invention includes several methods including broadband multilateration, to extend aircraft tracking from the movement areas into non-movement areas without the need to extend special air traffic control equipment into those areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: ERA Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas J. Breen, Alexander E. Smith, Christopher F. Rossano
  • Patent number: 7664276
    Abstract: Multiple passes are executed in the setup of an equalizer, and modification of the equalization is performed after each pass of an analysis phase. After an initial pass, the equalization is adjusted, based upon the location of peaks and valleys in the system response. This initial adjustment of equalization may tend to flatten most of the peaks and valleys to produce the desired uniform linear response. Inexact application of equalization corrections may introduce other artifacts into the system response and/or may not sufficiently normalize equalization. A second pass is then performed to measure the system response using the new equalization settings. The new peaks and valleys are measured, and the equalization adjusted to try to flatten response further. A proximity range may be applied to each pass, to reduce the likelihood that adjustment of one equalizer coefficient will create artifacts in the resulting system response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventor: Joel C. McKee Cooper
  • Patent number: 7621073
    Abstract: The present invention comprises four embodiments of an apparatus, which allows fishing poles or other items to be carried with a standard sized tackle box in combination with one hand. The present invention also allows fishing poles to be stored on the lid (or elsewhere) on a tackle box so that the tackle box and poles form one compact unitary package. The rods are arranged longitudinally with the tackle box, and are attached to the lid of the tackle box, not the handle, such that the handle is left clear. In each embodiment, a tube or tube portion secures the handle end of the pole, while an optional cutout may be provided to secure the reel portion to on side of the box lid. The apparatus may be built into the box lid, or may be provided as an aftermarket or OEM attachment. Optional rod clips may be used to hold the upper portion of the rod if a multi-piece rod is disassembled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Inventor: Michael O'Keeffe
  • Patent number: 7612716
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing live display of aircraft flight information obtains aircraft data from at least two data sources selected from aircraft position and flight information from an ASDI (aircraft situational awareness display to industry) data source, aircraft location and identification from multilateration of an aircraft transponder data source, flight information from an ACARS (Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System) data source, and flight information from an airline flight information system data source. The data is then fused together to integrate aircraft information from at least two of the data sources to produce integrated aircraft information, and providing a real-time display of the integrated aircraft flight information over a network, a physically connected display, a cockpit display, or an airport ground vehicle display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Era Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander E. Smith, Bennett Cohen
  • Patent number: 7613278
    Abstract: Alarm System Activation Platform (ASAP) is a customer relationship management system for activating and maintaining a large number of alarm monitoring accounts with a minimum of work per account. It differs from standard alarm customer relationship management systems in that it is designed from the ground up to be entirely automated. ASAP eliminates most or all of this partly through automation of account processing and partly through providing tools to the customer to allow “self-service” activation and maintenance. It allows large numbers of accounts to be quickly activated and maintained with only a very small amount of work required per account.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Inventors: Harvey Alexander Elliot, Bryan Field-Elliot, Daniel J. Elliot
  • Patent number: 7600941
    Abstract: The shaft clamping mechanism clamps a cylindrical shaft such that it will not rotate in a housing. Using ordinary machine tools or the like, portions of the housing that surround the shaft are removed, leaving thin areas that act as hinges. The housing may not be cut all the way through so that the hinged or moving portion of the housing that exerts the clamping force is contiguous with the rest of the housing. Applying force in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the shaft, toward the shaft, in the middle of this hinged portion allows that part of the housing to move very slightly. The housing and shaft may be a close fit so that only a slight amount of movement of the moving part of the housing will be required to clamp the shaft. In order for this mechanism to work, the housing material has to flex slightly at the “hinges”. The stationary portions of the housing must also deflect very slightly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Inventor: David L. Wimberley
  • Patent number: 7593512
    Abstract: Security systems typically communicate with alarm monitoring centers using a telephone connection. Security systems will check in with the alarm monitoring center with a diagnostic signal at a predetermined interval—typically once per day. When a security system is connected to a Voice-over-IP service (using Broadband Internet), rather than a standard telephone line, the opportunity exists to poll in real-time the status of the connection, and alert the owner (or alert the alarm monitoring center) that the customer's connection has been broken. The present invention offers a system and technique for monitoring a security system connected using a Voice-over-IP connection, in real time, and alerting the owner of the security system, or the alarm-monitoring center, when the connection is broken. This alert can be used, for example, to issue a telephone call to the police, informing them of the breach of line integrity and possible compromise of the premise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Next Alarm, Inc.
    Inventors: Harvey Alexander Elliot, Daniel Elliot
  • Patent number: 7584644
    Abstract: The inventive device comprises scaled vessels mounted on a vehicle and making it possible, while filling a liquid medium in the vessels, to recycle the vapors thereof through a circuit of casings beginning form he reading sights of the vessels and extending to an air-vent pipe provided wit a removable valve, wherein the bottom of each vessel is embodied such that it is inclined and is followed by a valve, a transparent dripping reference unit and a second valve open into a common tube and ending by an ultimate valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Inventors: Guy LaMontagne, Jacques LaMontagne
  • Patent number: 7576695
    Abstract: Multilateration techniques are used to provide accurate aircraft tracking data for aircraft on the ground and in the vicinity of an airport. From this data, aircraft noise and operations management may be enhanced. Aircraft noise may be calculated virtually using track data in real-time and provided to a user to determine noise violations. Tracking data may be used to control noise monitoring stations to gate out ambient noise. Aircraft emissions, both on the ground and in the air may be determined using tracking data. This and other data may be displayed in real time or generated in reports, and/or may be displayed on a website for viewing by airport operators and/or members of the public. The system may be readily installed in a compact package using a plurality of receivers and sensor packages located at shared wireless communication towers near an airport, and a central processing station located in or near the airport.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: ERA Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander E. Smith, Thomas J. Breen
  • Patent number: 7574580
    Abstract: A Hard Disk Drive (HDD) is provided two FATs and two cluster sizes, a regular cluster and a “Supercluster”. In one example, each Supercluster is the size of four regular clusters. A second Supercluster FAT is added (FAT2) which works in a similar manner to the original FAT (hereinafter FAT1), but instead points to the next Supercluster in the chain. Since there are far fewer Superclusters than clusters, the Supercluster FAT (FAT2) can be stored in a cache memory. When data is streamed to and from the hard drive, it can be streamed to Superclusters and no seeks on the HDD to a FAT are required, as the FAT2 is cached in memory. Access time to and from the hard drive is decreased. The original cluster configuration is still supported. During lulls in system operation, the FAT2 data may be written to the drive and moreover, FAT1 data created and “flushed” to the hard drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Magnum Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Mahashin, Matthieu Jeanson, John Su, Jeremy Alves
  • Patent number: 7570214
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed to track aircraft or other vehicles using techniques including multilateration and elliptical surveillance. Unlike conventional approaches that use time difference of arrival for multilateration at a fixed set of reception points, this technique allows targets to be tracked from a number of dynamic or moving reception points. This allows for triangulation/multilateration and elliptical surveillance of targets from combinations of fixed, fixed and moving or only moving ground-based receivers, sea-based receivers, airborne receivers and space-based receivers. Additionally this technique allows for ADS-B validation through data derived from only two receivers to assess the validity and integrity of the aircraft self-reported position by comparing the time of arrival of the emitted message at the second receiver to the predicted time of message arrival at the second receiver based on the self-reported position of the aircraft and the time of arrival at the first receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: ERA Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander E. Smith, Russell Hulstrom, Carl A. Evers, Thomas J. Breen
  • Patent number: 7525214
    Abstract: A wave energy conversion system or device is provided which includes a hull that serves as a float, moving up and down with incoming waves. The power take-off system contained within the hull comprises a longitudinal main rotary shaft upon which a series different diameter sets of dual same-diameter pinions interact with the main rotary shaft through their corresponding freewheels. This interaction only allows the main rotary shaft to rotate in only one direction. A fork-like rod system member that is either fixed directly to a base on the seabed or to a supporting underwater taut moored floating platform. This fork-like rod system member has an alternate rod in permanent contact with each pinion (two rods per each set of dual same-diameter pinions).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Nova Oceanic Energy Systems
    Inventors: Alvaro Jose Atilano Medina, Rafael Uzcategui Trinkl
  • Patent number: D593014
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Inventor: Gorazd Marovi{hacek over (c)}