Patents Represented by Attorney Sierra Patent Group, Ltd.

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  • Surgical light
    Patent number: 6964490
    Abstract: A surgical light has a device for the variation of the light field and a device for the setting of the luminous flux, with additionally a device being provided for the detection of a variation in the light field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: Berchtold Holding GmbH
    Inventor: Manfred Scholz
  • Controlling the response domain of a bootP/DHCP server by using network physical topology information
    Patent number: 6963909
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for assigning IP addresses to occupants in a communications system chassis with an Ethernet backplane and at least one internal chassis occupant, comprising receiving a request for an IP address from a component, determining whether the component is an internal chassis occupant, if the component is an internal chassis occupant, assigning an IP address to the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Andy T. Huey, James E. Kracht
  • Method and apparatus for cascade programming a chain of cores in an embedded environment
    Patent number: 6960935
    Abstract: A system for clearing and programming the memory of an FPGA IC, when the IC is comprised of a plurality of cores. The system clears the memory of the of cores. The system then sequentially verifies completion of clearing memory of each core. The system then provides a programming ready signal to all cores when the memory of a last core has has been cleared. The system then sends the bitstream data to a first core. After the first core is programmed, the balance of the bitstream data is sent to a next core. This process is repeated until all of the cores are programmed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventor: Chung Sun
  • Simplified wiring schemes for vertical color filter pixel sensors
    Patent number: 6960757
    Abstract: Vertical-color-filter pixel sensors having simplified wiring and reduced transistor counts are disclosed. In an embodiment, a single line is used for reference voltage, pixel reset voltage, and column-output signals in a VCF pixel sensor. In another embodiment, row-reset signals and row-enable signals are sent across a line that is shared between adjacent rows in an array of VCF pixel sensors. The present invention also provides an optimized layout for a VCF pixel sensor with shared row-reset, row-enable, reference voltage and column-output lines as well as a VCF pixel sensor in which source-follower voltage, source-follower amplifier voltage and row-enable signals all share a common line. These combined line embodiments can be used with a single column-output line as well as two row-enable lines. The embodiments can also be implemented in a VCF pixel sensor without a row-enable transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Foveon, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard B. Merrill, Robert S. Hannebauer, Glenn J. Keller, James Tornes
  • Method and apparatus for dynamic link driver configuration
    Patent number: 6959343
    Abstract: A method and apparatus embodied in transaction layer software suitable for use with serial bus devices, such as IEEE standard 1394 serial bus devices for supporting multiple link device drivers. The invention acquires or otherwise ascertains the capabilities of link devices and provides link device driver configurations to such link devices based on the link device's capabilities and behaviors, among other factors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven W. Brown
  • Use of a lenslet array with a vertically stacked pixel array
    Patent number: 6958862
    Abstract: An improved optical imaging system includes a vertically stacked pixel array and a lenslet array for capturing images while minimizing the focal length. The vertically stacked pixel array is configured to operate as an image sensor. The lenslet array is configure to focus the image on the image sensor. Each lens of the lenslet array focuses an image on a sub-array of the image sensor. Each sub-array is shifted from one another so that additional data obtained for each equivalent pixel in each sub-array. An image is obtained by combining the data of each sub-array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: Foveon, Inc.
    Inventor: Domenick Montalbo Joseph
  • Working chamber
    Patent number: 6958007
    Abstract: A working chamber for a blasting process has a robot arm for the manipulation of a workpiece to be blasted, with the working chamber having a chamber wall with an access opening for the introduction of the robot arm. A sealing device rotatably fastened to the robot arm is provided in the region of the access opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: Rosler Oberflachentechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Matthias Dangel
  • Imager with improved sensitivity
    Patent number: 6958194
    Abstract: An imaging cell reduces recombination losses and increases sensitivity by forming a low resistance lateral path with a silicon germanium layer of a conductivity type that is sandwiched between silicon layers of the same conductivity type. The silicon germanium layer also provides a quantum well from which photo-generated electrons find it difficult to escape, thereby providing a barrier that reduces cross-talk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: Foveon, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter J. Hopper, Philipp Lindorfer, Michael Mian, Robert Drury
  • Cryptography private key storage and recovery method and apparatus
    Patent number: 6959091
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system and method for storage and recovery of a private key in a cryptographic system by providing a parameterization of the private key that uses less storage space than the full CRT parameter set {p, q, dp, dq, v} and that provides better computational efficiency than the minimal parameter set {p, q}. Also disclosed is a system and method for storage and recovery of a private key in a cryptographic system by providing a parameterization of the private key that uses less storage space than the full non-CRT parameter set {n, d} and that provides better computational efficiency than the minimal parameter set {p, q}. Furthermore, disclosed herein is a means for computing the parameters dp, dq, and d in a manner such that the computational sequence is independent of the values of the prime factors p and q, thereby reducing vulnerability to attacks that exploit such dependence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventor: Michael John Sabin
  • Method and apparatus for smoothing current consumption in an integrated circuit
    Patent number: 6954866
    Abstract: The invention includes a system for smoothing current consumption in a digital logic module. A processing circuit is configured to receive an input and manipulate the input during a processing time period to produce an output. A non-processing time period follows production of the output. The processing circuit is further configured to draw an active range of current during the processing time period and an inactive range of current during the non-processing time period. The system comprises a smoothing circuit coupled to the processing circuit and configured to engage the processing circuit during the non-processing time period. The smoothing circuit is also configured to cause the processing circuit to draw an active range of current during the non-processing time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventor: Alain Vergnes
  • Fast dynamic mirror sense amplifier with separate comparison equalization and evaluation paths
    Patent number: 6954102
    Abstract: A memory cell sensing circuit to sense data from a memory cell includes a reference memory cell coupled to pass a reference current. A sense amplifier has a first input and a second input coupled to a bias circuit of the data memory cell. A first mirror mirrors the reference current to a voltage coupled to the first input of the sense amplifier. A second mirror mirrors the reference current to a voltage coupled to the bias circuit of the data memory cell. A third mirror mirrors the reference current to a voltage coupled to the second input of the sense amplifier through a pass gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Lorenzo Bedarida, Andrea Sacco, Mirella Marsella, Massimiliano Frulio
  • Concentrating solar energy system
    Patent number: 6953038
    Abstract: A concentrating solar energy system with a reflector having a specularly reflecting inner side and realized as a parabolic mirror with two axis steering which is carried by a base frame arranged in a support plane and which is provided with a receiver arranged in operation at, in front of or after the focal point of the parabolic mirror, with the parabolic mirror moreover being rotatable about an axis which stands at least substantially perpendicular to the support plane. The parabolic mirror is pivotable upwardly and downwardly about a pivot axis arranged in at least one of the region of the support plane and at a distance above or below the support plane. The pivot axis being displaceably arranged in at least one of a plane parallel to the support plane and in the support plane and with the displacement of the pivot axis contributing to the corresponding pivotal movement of the parabolic mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Inventor: Andreas Nohrig
  • Subsystem application notification method in a centralized router database
    Patent number: 6952703
    Abstract: A method and system for notifying router subsystems of configuration changes made to router configuration information which are maintained by a centralized information provider or database system. The centralized database provides registration and unregistration for notification of changes made to the router configuration information. The centralized database further provides router configuration change notifications to subsystems registered to receive such notifications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Pradeep K. Kathail, Carl Sutton, Andrew Valencia, Joel Bion
  • Changing color object
    Patent number: 6944983
    Abstract: A device displaying a polychromatic effect, comprising a light source a first linear polarizing layer optically coupled to said light source a first bi-refringent layer a second linear polarizing layer a motor coupled to said first linear polarizing layer so that said first linear polarizing layer rotates, varying the polarizing angle between said first linear polarizing layer and said bi-refringent layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Inventor: Adam Rasmussen
  • Chip carrier substrate with a land grid array and external bond terminals
    Patent number: 6946726
    Abstract: A carrier for a semiconductor die has a substrate with a cavity formed in the substrate. The cavity has a bottom and sidewalls, and the sidewalls have a stepped tier. Electrically conductive contacts are disposed on an underside of the substrate. Electrically conductive tabs are disposed on the stepped tier, and electrically conductive external bond terminals are disposed on an edge of the substrate. Electrically conductive paths are formed in the substrate and electrically coupled between the electrically conductive tabs, the electrically conductive contacts, and the electrically conductive external bond terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventor: Raymond Kuang
  • Multi-level routing architecture in a field programmable gate array having transmitters and receivers
    Patent number: 6946871
    Abstract: A routing architecture in a field programmable gate array (FPGA) having a plurality of logic clusters wherein each logic cluster has at least two sub-clusters. The logic clusters are arranged in rows and columns and each logic clusters has a plurality of receiver components, a plurality of transmitter components, at least one buffer module, at least one sequential logic component and at least one combinatorial logic component. A first-level routing architecture is programmably coupled to the logic clusters and a second-level routing architecture is programmably coupled to the logic clusters and to the first-level routing architecture through at least one of the transmitter components and at least one of the receiver components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: Arunangshu Kundu, Venkatesh Narayanan, John McCollum, William C. Plants
  • Method and apparatus for automatic detection and healing of signal pair crossover on a high performance serial bus
    Patent number: 6944705
    Abstract: An automatic crossover and healing process is disclosed for the P1394b standard. In particular, a crossover process is disclosed which comprises coupling the transmitting logic of a PHY to TPA, and coupling the receive logic of a PHY to TPB.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventor: Colin Whitby-Strevens
  • Active pixel sensor with noise cancellation
    Patent number: 6940551
    Abstract: A CMOS active pixel sensor with noise reduction employs a photodetector. A reset switch is coupled between a reset potential line and the photodetector and is controlled by a reset line. An amplifier is coupled to the photodetector. A kTC noise reducing circuit is disposed within the pixel sensor. A readout circuit is coupled to the kTC noise reducing circuit and is controlled by a row-select line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Foveon, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard B. Merrill
  • Method and apparatus of memory clearing with monitoring RAM memory cells in a field programmable gated array
    Patent number: 6937063
    Abstract: A field-programmable gate array (FPGA) having an array of RAM memory cells comprising at least one row of RAM memory cells, each RAM cell of the at least one row of RAM memory cells coupled to a row driver line; a row decoder coupled to a first end of the row driver line of each at least one row of RAM memory cells. A monitoring memory cell is coupled to a row driver line. Each monitoring memory cell is also coupled to a memory writing line. An FPGA also has RAM memory cells that act as the programming mechanism. The FPGA further has erase circuitry for clearing the RAM memory cells for reprogramming of the FPGA. The FPGA is erased by providing at least one monitoring memory cell coupled to the erase circuitry. A memory clear phase is initiated on at least one monitoring memory cell. The monitoring memory cell then indicts the cell has been cleared.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: Chung Sun, Eddy C. Huang
  • Tire sealant kit
    Patent number: D509838
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Good Hope (Hong Kong) Limited
    Inventor: Wai Kan Wong