Patents Represented by Law Firm Synnestvedt & Lechner
  • Patent number: 7355451
    Abstract: A common-mode shifting circuit for shifting the common-mode output voltage of a CML device to an arbitrary voltage is disclosed. A constant current source is provided at each output of the CML device. The constant current may be a positive or negative current, tending to raise or lower the common-mode output voltage, respectively. The constant current sources are preferably connected to an alternate voltage supply having a higher voltage than that the supply for the CML device. The invention further provides a method for adjusting the output signal of a current-mode logic circuit having two or more output ports, comprising the step of providing a constant current at each output port of the current-mode logic circuit, whereby the common-mode voltage at the output ports of said current-mode logic circuit is level-shifted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Agere Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Kameran Azadet, Fuji Yang, Chunbing Guo
  • Patent number: 7355477
    Abstract: A low cost, robust method and apparatus for controlling the gain of a power amplifier to compensate for changes that are gradual with time. The bias circuit of a power amplifier is sent one of three signals in response to a measurement of the average output power level of the power amplifier. If the average output power lever is less than a desired value, a signal to increment the bias current by a set amount is sent, so that the output power increases. If the average output power lever is more than the desired value, a signal to decrement the bias current by a set amount is sent. A third signal may be sent that causes the bias circuit to reset to a default value. The three signals may be sent as a two bit digital signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Agere Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Syed Aon Mujtaba, Edward E. Campbell
  • Patent number: 7347141
    Abstract: A rotary machine including a substantially vertical rotatable drum having pellet-receiving receptacles in its peripheral sidewall. Gravity causes pellets to collect toward the drum's bottom. As the drum rotates, pellets received in the receptacles are carried upwardly from the bottom. A printing device positioned within the peripheral sidewall prints indicia on the inwardly exposed surfaces of the pellets. Optionally, the receptacles define apertures extending through the peripheral sidewall, and a printing device is positioned externally to the peripheral sidewall to print indicia on the outwardly exposed surfaces of the pellets. Drilling or inspection devices may be provided in addition to, or instead of, the printing devices. A support member may be provided adjacent the peripheral sidewall to prevent gravity from causing the pellets to exit the receptacles. Chutes may be provided to supply and remove pellets to and from the drum. An air stream may eject pellets from their receptacles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: R.W. Hartnett Company
    Inventor: Keith W. Boyce
  • Patent number: 7346517
    Abstract: Many compressed audio or video frames contain silence (if audio), or a blank image (if video); these essentially information content free (e.g. silent if audio or blank if video) frames can be both detected whilst still in compressed form and then used to carry the additional data. In an MPEG implementation, subbands associated with silent frames are rendered digitally silent and then used to carry PAD (Programme Associated Data).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Radioscape Limited
    Inventors: Gavin Robert Ferris, Michael Vincent Woodward
  • Patent number: 7341287
    Abstract: A deformable mechanical pipe coupling is disclosed. The coupling is formed from an arcuate band that surrounds and defines a central space. The band has first and second ends in facing relation. arcuate surfaces that engage outer surfaces of the pipe elements extend lengthwise along the band. The arcuate surfaces have radii of curvature greater than the radii of curvature of the pipe element outer surfaces, allowing pipe elements to be inserted within the central space. The band has adjustably tightenable connection members mounted at each end. When the connection members are tightened, the ends are drawn toward one another, and the arcuate surfaces on the band deform and conform to the radius of curvature of the outer surfaces of the pipe elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Victaulic Company
    Inventors: John Gibb, Douglas R. Dole, Michael S. Pigott
  • Patent number: 7342797
    Abstract: A heat sink device for conventional memory modules, such as DIMMs, that is configured to be positioned between adjacent memory modules mounted in substantially parallel connectors on a printed circuit board. Each heat sink device includes thermally conductive first and second members configured to thermally couple with electronic components of a conventional memory module. The first and second members may be resiliently biased away from one another so that the resilient bias causes the members to abut respective electronic components when placed between adjacent memory modules. A separate wedge, or a lever-mounted wedge, may be provided for insertion between the members to urge them away from one another and into abutting relationship with electronic components on facing surfaces of the adjacent memory modules. When abutting opposing electronic components, a single heat sink device facilitates heat dissipation from both of the adjacent memory modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Vinod Kamath, Beth F. Loebach
  • Patent number: 7340923
    Abstract: A pressing plunger mechanism for a glassware forming machine has at least one pressing plunger which in normal operation can be moved axially in a reciprocating manner together with a pressing plunger receiver between an inoperative position and a pressing position. A piston rod of a piston is fastened to each pressing plunger receiver, which piston can be displaced in a cylinder of a pressing plunger holder. The pressing plunger holder can be moved axially in a reciprocating manner by a first drive and is connected in a non-rotatable manner to a threaded spindle. A nut which can be rotationally driven by the first drive is engaged with the threaded spindle and is coupled to a driven shaft of an angular gear. An input shaft of the angular gear can be rotationally driven by an electric servo motor of the first drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Heye International GmbH
    Inventors: Hermann Bögert, Waldemar Kässner, Norbert Monden
  • Patent number: 7339793
    Abstract: A heat sink device for conventional memory modules, such as DIMMs, that is configured to be positioned between adjacent memory modules mounted in substantially parallel connectors on a printed circuit board. Each heat sink device includes thermally conductive first and second members configured to thermally couple with electronic components of a conventional memory module. The first and second members may be resiliently biased away from one another so that the resilient bias causes the members to abut respective electronic components when placed between adjacent memory modules. A separate wedge, or a lever-mounted wedge, may be provided for insertion between the members to urge them away from one another and into abutting relationship with electronic components on facing surfaces of the adjacent memory modules. When abutting opposing electronic components, a single heat sink device facilitates heat dissipation from both of the adjacent memory modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jimmy G. Foster, Sr., Michael S. June, Albert V. Makley, Jason A. Matteson
  • Patent number: 7339118
    Abstract: In a printed wiring board, an odd number (n) of conductive layers (11-13) and insulating layers (21-23) are alternately laminated upon each other. The first conductive layer (11) is a parts connecting layer and the n-th conductive layer (13) is an external connecting layer which is connected to external connecting terminals (7). The second to (n?1)-th conductive layers (12) are current transmitting layers for transmitting internal currents. The surface of the n-th insulating layer (23) in a state where the external connecting terminals (7) are exposed on the surface. It is preferable to make the initial insulating layers of a glass-cloth reinforced prepreg and the external insulating layers of a resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Ibiden Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaru Takada, Hisashi Minoura, Kiyotaka Tsukada, Hiroyuki Kobayashi, Mitsuhiro Kondo
  • Patent number: 7336157
    Abstract: An illuminated wind indicator that provides visual indication of wind motion even at night. One or more chime members and a pendulum assembly are suspended from a support or housing, and arranged so that the chime members and the pendulum assembly are capable of colliding with each other. In addition, there is a light source situated such that a portion of the pendulum assembly emits light. Power for the light source is provided by a solar cell and a rechargeable battery. A light sensor may be used to automatically detect the ambient light and switch the rechargeable battery from accumulating charge to powering the light when predetermined levels of ambient light are detected. The light source may be a suitable light emitting diode. The pendulum assembly may contain the solar panel. The light source may include a luminescent material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Inventor: Simon Nicholas Richmond
  • Patent number: 7331635
    Abstract: The invention relates to a seat part for a vehicle seat, in particular a motor vehicle seat, having a seat pan (1) made of sheet metal, a seat cushion applied to the seat pan (1) and a cable assembly (17) running in the seat cushion. In order to make possible simple and economical installation of the cable assembly and manufacture of the seat part, the invention provides that the seat pan (1) is formed as a deep-drawn part and channels (8, 11, 12) are formed in the seat part (1), in which the cable assembly (17) is accommodated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Faurecia Autositze GmbH
    Inventors: Tobias Schwarz, Frederic Meyer, Andre Dohm, Ulrich Riegler, Titus Falbesaner
  • Patent number: 7332593
    Abstract: The present invention relates to variants of TRAF2 which demonstrate the ability to inhibit the TNF ? signaling pathway. In particular, applicants have isolated a splice variant of TRAF2 referred to hereinafter as “TRAF2 truncated” or “TRAF2TR” and a TRAF2 expression construct with enhanced dominant negative properties, hereafter referred to as “TRAF2 truncated-deleted” or “TRAF2TD”. Both TRAF2TR and TRAF2TD have the ability to inhibit the TNF ? signaling pathway and in TRAF2TD, this ability is greatly enhanced, greatly reducing the response to TNF ? binding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC
    Inventors: George H. Searfoss, III, Marco F. Pagnoni, Yuri D. Ivashchenko, Kun Guo, Kenneth L. Clark
  • Patent number: 7331508
    Abstract: A container is disclosed having a plurality of interconnected panels forming sidewalls surrounding a central space. Flaps extend from lower sidewall edges and fold along fold lines to form a bottom. Support flanges are arranged along upper sidewall edges on oppositely facing sidewalls. The support flanges are oriented at right angles to the sidewalls and provide a support surface allowing the containers to be stacked one atop another without collapsing or nesting within each other. Each support flange is supported by a truss formed by a panel segment extending angularly from the support flange to a support panel biased against the sidewall to which the support flange is attached by a retaining flap extending from an inner sidewall layer. Locking tabs at the ends of each panel segment are received within recesses positioned in sidewall panels perpendicular to the support flanges. The container is transformed from a knockdown formed from a unitary blank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Innovative Packaging Designs L.P.
    Inventors: Allen Kanter, Peter S. Jaffe, Brian J. Tibbels
  • Patent number: 7334228
    Abstract: A runtime-resource management method, system, and product for managing resources available to application components in a portable device. The method, system, and product provide for loading one or more new application components into a portable device only if maximum runtime resources required by the one or more new application components are available in the portable device assuming loaded application components within the device are using the maximum runtime resources reserved by the loaded application components, reserving maximum runtime resources required by application components when application components are loaded into the portable device, and running loaded application components using only the runtime resources reserved for the loaded application components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kim Clohessy, John Duimovich, Trent Gray-Donald, Berthold Lebert, Ryan Sciampacone, Peter Duncan Shipton
  • Patent number: 7331294
    Abstract: A rifled slug is provided with a metal head (1) and a plastic rear part (2), which is made as a single piece from a pin-shaped front part (5), with a rod-shaped middle part (6) joined to the rear of the front part, and with a plunger-shaped rear part (7). The front part (5) is inserted from the rear into a pocket hole of the metal head (1) and is joined thereto in a captive manner. This improves a rifled slug of the aforementioned type by increasing the precision, i.e. reducing the dispersion in the target. To this end, the front part (5) is provided in the form of a hollow body and is joined to the middle part (6) via a predetermined breaking point (14), whereby when shooting, the middle part (6) slides into the cavity of the front part (5) until the upper surface (19) of the rear part (7) strikes the lower surface (20) of the front part (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Brenneke GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Peter Mank
  • Patent number: 7332337
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of introducing an expressible non-viral nucleic acid sequence into a T lymphocyte cell, a B-cell, or a mast cell, comprising contacting the cell with a viral particle containing a modified viral coat proteins containing adenoviral amino acid sequence from an adenoviral serotype Ad35 or Ad51 fiber protein, arrays of subpopulations of cells made by such methods, and a method for a ex vivo transduction of a population of cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Galapagos NV
    Inventors: Helmuth Hendrikus Gerardus van Es, Marlijn van Zutphen, Libin Ma, Menzo Jans Emko Havenga
  • Patent number: 7331042
    Abstract: A fault-tolerant method of bottom-up editing whereby simultaneous display of the GUI view and source code view are available, and wherein real-time bottom-up editing is provided. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, changes to the source code are isolated, first by isolating and analyzing source code according to groupings associated with the structure of the language used for the source code and then isolating and analyzing individual lines of source code within these groupings. If there are no errors in a particular grouping of source code, the changes in the grouping are automatically applied to the GUI. If errors are found in a grouping, the grouping is further analyzed to determine which lines contain the error. Semantic and syntactic errors are thereby isolated and, where found, are ignored. However, correct lines of the source code are also identified and thereby applied to the GUI for interpretation and display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard L. Kulp, Gili Mendal, L. Scott Rich, Gunturi Srimanth, Peter A. Walker, Joseph R. Winchester
  • Patent number: 7326425
    Abstract: A formulation containing a biologically active compound having a structure with hydrogen bonding sites blended with a first polymer having a structure with complementary hydrogen bonding sites and a second polymer that degrades to form degradation products that promote the release of the active compound from the first polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Rutgers, The State University
    Inventors: Joachim B. Kohn, Deborah M. Schachter
  • Patent number: 7328409
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product is disclosed that enables a user to customize selection elements of a GUI. For example, menu entries in a GUI can be customized so that the user can specify the font, the language, character sets, color, and other attributes of the text of one menu item (or less than all menu items); to have the ability to selectively activate multimedia options associated with selected menu items (e.g., to play a sound whenever the cursor/pointer passes over a particular menu item); and/or to assign an animation sequence that is unique to selected menu items. The menu item properties are defined by the user, using, for example, a dialog box that allows specification of the attributes. When the application is installed, a default set of menu item properties is defined by the software manufacturer, which can be further customized by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Faisal M. Awada, Herman Rodriguez
  • Patent number: D564128
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Inventor: Michael S. Hartman