Patents Represented by Attorney Steptoe & Johnson LLP
  • Patent number: 7943552
    Abstract: A novel encoding system, compositions for use therein and methods for determining the source, location and/or identity of a particular item or component of interest is provided. In particular, the present invention utilizes a collection of one or more sizes of populations of semiconductor nanocrystals having characteristic spectral emissions, to “track” the source or location of an item of interest or to identify a particular item of interest. The semiconductor nanocrystals used in the inventive compositions can be selected to emit a desired wavelength to produce a characteristic spectral emission in narrow spectral widths, and with a symmetric, nearly Gaussian line shape, by changing the composition and size of the semiconductor nanocrystal. Additionally, the intensity of the emission at a particular characteristic wavelength can also be varied, thus enabling the use of binary or higher order encoding schemes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Moungi G. Bawendi, Klavs F. Jensen
  • Patent number: 7944059
    Abstract: In a semiconductor device, a pad metal has at least a portion located immediately under a probe region, and the portion is divided into a plurality of narrow metal layers each arranged in parallel with a traveling direction of a probe. Thus, it is possible to enhance surface flatness of the pad metal and to prevent a characteristic of a semiconductor device from deteriorating without complication in processing and increase in chip size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Noriyuki Nagai, Toshihiko Sakashita
  • Patent number: 7942736
    Abstract: The present invention is a player participatory bonus game intended for use in a gaming environment. After a primary game event triggers play of the bonus game, the player is presented with a game arena which shows start points, end points, and locations in between where game pieces may be placed. The game pieces are specially themed so that the player wins by created a path or flow from a start point to an end point, using selected bonus pieces and placing them on the indicated location points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Bally Gaming International, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeff Mincey, Michael DePalma
  • Patent number: 7942648
    Abstract: Lifetime required of mobile-use fuel cells is secured and prolonged, stabilized pump performance is maintained by preventing bearing seizure and abnormal wear. The shaft (101) of a pump mechanism section (100) and the shaft (201) of a motor section (200) are integrated, and the shafts (101, 201) are supported by two or more ball bearings disposed in the pump mechanism section (100), thereby making it possible to fill grease in the closed spaces of the ball bearings (300), and secure a sufficient lifetime basically with almost no possibility of the grease leaking out, even if it is used at a relatively high environmental temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Sakuda, Noboru Iida, Tatsuya Nakamoto, Ryuichi Ohno, Kiyoshi Sawai, Hiroyuki Fukuhara, Hideki Murakami
  • Patent number: 7938541
    Abstract: The laser picture formation device includes a two-dimensional modulation element performing video image modulation as well as four or more laser light sources having different center wavelengths. The video images which have no speckle noises at the wavelength region that has high visibility, which are realized by simultaneously emitting the laser lights of green (G) and yellowish green (Y) which have particularly high visibility, and video images which are vivid as cannot be represented by the conventional display, and which can be realized by controlling the laser lights of respective colors independently, can be displayed. Particularly, by modulating the two-dimensional modulation element and the laser light output with synchronized with each other, various video displays are enabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuro Mizushima, Ken'ichi Kasazumi, Akihiro Morikawa, Hiroyuki Furuya, Kazuhisa Yamamoto, Yoshimasa Fushimi
  • Patent number: 7938723
    Abstract: A system and method for providing multiple, primary games in a gaming device are disclosed. In one embodiment a gaming machine comprises a memory means for storing two or more primary games. A central processing unit is operatively connected to a player input mechanism, wherein the central processing unit receives a trigger to select one of the primary games for game play. A primary game selection means selects one of the primary games from the memory means, and the selected primary game is displayed on a game display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Marvin A. Hein, Michael J. Mitchell, John R. Vallejo, David B. Schultz
  • Patent number: 7938030
    Abstract: An analytical device according to the present invention comprises a liquid accommodating chamber 9 for accommodating a sample solution of a quantity required for analyzing; a volume measuring chamber 10 connected to the liquid accommodating chamber 9 with a connecting path 13 and disposed in the exterior of the liquid accommodating chamber 9 in a radial direction; an overflowing chamber 11 connected to the volume measuring chamber 10 for accommodating an excessive quantity of the sample solution; and a measuring cell 12 for transferring and measuring the sample solution measured in the volume measuring chamber 10; wherein an overflowing port 14 of the volume measuring chamber 10 is connected to a flow-in port 16 of the overflowing chamber 11 by a capillary path 17.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Saiki
  • Patent number: 7940064
    Abstract: A temperature regulation plate 106 is divided into at least two areas, a heater 408 for applying a temperature load in correspondence with such areas and its control system are divided and controlled independently to set temperatures, and a cooling source is controlled by comparing the measurements from temperature sensors 409 arranged in respective areas for controlling the heater 408 and switching the measurement for calculating the control output sequentially thus reducing variation in in-plane temperature of a wafer due to heating when an electric load is applied. Since consumption and burning of a probe are prevented, highly reliable wafer level burn-in method and apparatus can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Terutsugu Segawa, Minoru Sanada
  • Patent number: 7940031
    Abstract: An output voltage VC obtained by boosting an input voltage VIN by means of a charge pump control circuit 3 of a charge pump 102 is supplied as a power supply voltage to a control circuit 4 of a step-up converter. It is thus possible to eliminate the need for a conventional self-bias method, eliminate switching from startup oscillation to main oscillation of the conventional self-bias method upon startup, and overcome problems caused by the switching of oscillation states, thereby achieving switching power supply circuitry starting in a reliable and stable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhito Kimura, Takuya Ishii
  • Patent number: 7937464
    Abstract: A modified form of the UDP multicast protocol is disclosed to implement a one-way download progress notification method between a server and one or more clients. The UDP multicast download progress notification method enables UDP messages to be sent only to registered clients, not broadcasted to all clients. This architecture minimizes network traffi c and enhances system security, since only registered clients receive the UDP message. The configuration of the UDP multicast download progress notification method does not require the configuration of network devices in order to support a UDP multicast. Furthermore, any number of the clients may be on a different network domain than the DCM engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Ruppert, Geethanand Vellore, Christopher R. Arbogast
  • Patent number: 7931924
    Abstract: A method of improving the rheological properties of a flour dough and the quality of the finished product made from such a dough, comprising adding an effective amount of an oxidoreductase capable of oxidizing maltose, in particular a hexose oxidase, e.g. isolated from an algal species such as Iridophycus flaccidum, Chondrus crispus or Euthora cristata and a dough improving composition comprising the oxidoreductase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Danisco A/S
    Inventors: Jørn Borch Søe, Charlotte Horsmans Poulsen, Pernille Bak Høstrup
  • Patent number: 7927659
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for depositing a film on a substrate includes introducing a material and a carrier gas into a heated chamber. The material may be a semiconductor material, such as a cadmium chalcogenide. A resulting mixture of vapor and carrier gas containing no unvaporized material is provided. The mixture of vapor and carrier gas are remixed to achieve a uniform vapor/carrier gas composition, which is directed toward a surface of a substrate, such as a glass substrate, where the vapor is deposited as a uniform film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: First Solar, Inc.
    Inventors: Ricky Charles Powell, Andrew Kelly Gray, Todd Alden Coleman
  • Patent number: 7927639
    Abstract: The invention concerns a mixture of bacteria. Said mixture is a non starter culture which is free from metabolites and comprises at least one first bacterium selected from the species <i>Propionibacterium jensenii</i> and at least one second bacterium selected from the genus <i>Lactobacillus</i>. Furthermore, food, feeding stuff and medicaments comprising such a mixture, a method for manufacturing and storing such goods and the use of the mixture to inhibit fungi and bacteria are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Eidgenossische Technische Hochschule Zurich
    Inventors: Susanne Miescher Schwenninger, Leo Meile
  • Patent number: 7923424
    Abstract: A method of cleaning a substrate includes contacting a surface of a semiconductor substrate with a composition comprising a superacid. The semiconductor substrate may be a wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Advanced Process Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Robert J. Small
  • Patent number: 7923671
    Abstract: A device for driving in rotation fins of a projectile, the fins being of the deployable type integral with fin heads which are able to be oriented along an axis of spin (X, Y) substantially orthogonal to a projectile's longitudinal axis (Z), wherein the fin heads are driven in rotation by motors and substantially ring sector-shaped sliders which slide in a circular groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Nexter Munitions
    Inventors: Simon Huguenin, Richard Roy
  • Patent number: 7918731
    Abstract: A system and method for providing centralized control of the audio output for one or more gaming machines in a casino gaming network are disclosed herein. The system comprises one or more noise level detectors positioned in a casino gaming floor environment to obtain noise level data. The system also includes a system server connected to the one or more noise level detectors to receive the obtained noise level data and to determine the appropriate audio output for one or more gaming machines. The system also includes an audio hub positioned within each gaming machine and connected to the system server, wherein each audio hub receives audio instructions from the system server and adjusts the audio output for one or more gaming machines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Balley Gaming International, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul R. Osgood
  • Patent number: 7919277
    Abstract: Methods for the detection and typing of bacterial strains from food products and dietary supplements, environmental samples, in vivo/in vitro samples, and for studying the natural diversity of the species are disclosed. Potential applications also include product development and/or detection and differentiation of new bacterial strains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Danisco A/S
    Inventors: W. Michael Russell, Rodolphe Barrangou, Philippe Horvath
  • Patent number: 7919739
    Abstract: The invention relates to a locking device for a deployable surface or fin of a projectile characterized in that it incorporates at least one flexible tongue, one end of which protrudes in the groove, a recess to the side of the groove enabling the tongue to bend in a first direction to enable the fin to enter the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Nexter Munitions
    Inventor: Christian Trouillot
  • Patent number: D635474
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Trimble Jena GmbH
    Inventors: Torsten Kludas, Martin Stohr, Christian Schmidt, Dirk Albrecht, Marwin Kock, Michael Winterot, LaVonne Lynette Frazier
  • Patent number: D635475
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Trimble Jena GmbH
    Inventors: Torsten Kludas, Martin Stohr, Christian Schmidt, Dirk Albrecht, Marwin Kock, Michael Winterot, LaVonne Lynette Frazier