Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm The Hecker Law Group
  • Patent number: 6952706
    Abstract: A method for providing stand-in objects, where relationships among objects are automatically resolved in an object oriented relational database model without the necessity of retrieving data from the database until it is needed. A “fault” class is defined, as well as fault objects whose data haven't yet been fetched from the database. An object that's created for the destination of a relationship whenever an object that includes the relationship is fetched from the database. When an object is fetched that has relationships, fault objects are created to “stand-in” for the destination objects of those relationships. Fault objects transform themselves into the actual enterprise objects—and fetch their data—the first time they're accessed. Subsequently, messages sent to the target objects are responded to by the objects themselves. This delayed resolution of relationships occurs in two stages: the creation of a placeholder object for the data to be fetched, and the fetching of that data only when it's needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: Apple Computer
    Inventors: Richard Williamson, Linus Upson, Daniel Willhite, Jack Greenfield
  • Patent number: 6947967
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for integrating applets running on a client with the application logic for applications running on a server. The mechanism of the present invention provides two significant advantages over the prior art: the synchronization of state, and the recognition of user actions in the browser including the invocation of the appropriate application logic in the server. Instead of using the FORM element available in HTML, individual active applets are available and may be created that obtain user input (e.g. a checkbox, textbox, button, etc.). A hidden applet called the Applet Group Controller is created which handles communication between the applets on the browser and the application logic on the server. The Applet Group Controller maintains an association with each applet that maintains the keys and values of any parameters and variables for the applet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Apple Computer
    Inventors: Michael Ferris, Nicolas Popp, Scott Forstall, Charles D'Harcourt
  • Patent number: 6943714
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for obtaining power computation parameters is presented. Accurate computation of power requires multiplying voltage and current at the same instant of time and integrating the results over time. The present invention provides a method of using a single Analog to Digital Converter to convert both voltage and current for all the phases of any electrical system and then digitally compensating for the phase error caused by the non-simultaneous sampling of the current and voltage signals. The compensating filter could be implemented as a simple interpolator, an all-pass filter, or a combination of both. A single multiplexer is used to select which signal is processed by the Analog to Digital Converter. By scheduling and converting the voltage and analog signals one at a time, potential for crosstalk is significantly reduced, power requirement is reduced, and die size requirement is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: TDK Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Bert White
  • Patent number: 6942501
    Abstract: A concealable mount for connectors, such as input/output jacks or ports, is presented. The mount comprises a base with and opening for mounting to a support structure. A front panel that is movably connected to the base, is moveable between a first closed position in which the front panel extends along the front face of the base over the opening therein, and a second open position in which at least a portion of the front panel is positioned outwardly from the base. A support extends rearwardly from the front panel and is adapted to mount connectors associated with the panel. A piston arrangement is used to bias the front panel to its open position, and a latch mechanism selectively maintains the front panel in its closed position. In its closed position, the front panel conceals the connectors, and when in its open position, the front panel exposes the support and the connectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: RGB Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: John Kissinger, David Pincek, Michael Fitzgerald, Quan Do
  • Patent number: 6931549
    Abstract: A method and system for secure real time storage and retrieval of data by a first computer with the aid of a second computer via a secure communication link between the first and second computers. The method and system enable a user at the remote first computer to secure a data file for storage by connecting to the second computer and by exchanging certain parameters between the two computers. The method and system also enable the user at the first computer to retrieve the stored secure data file by connecting to the second computer and by exchanging certain parameters between the two computers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Stamps.Com
    Inventor: Mohan Ananda
  • Patent number: 6910052
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for distributing and synchronizing objects. One or more embodiments of the invention provide for distributing copies of the objects locally. By copying objects (including the data and behavior for the object) into local address space, the object's methods may be executed locally thereby avoiding excessive network traffic. The state of the various object copies across a network may not be synchronized due to local changes and modifications. To synchronize the objects, one or more embodiments of the invention provide for the use of a policy that specifies conditions as to when objects are synchronized. Embodiments of the invention provide flexibility in setting the policy to accommodate varying applications. For example, a policy may provide for synchronization that is based temporally (e.g., every 10 minutes or daily at 10:00 P.M.). Alternatively, a policy may provide for synchronization based on the type or number of messages transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick Gates, Craig Federighi, Eric Noyau
  • Patent number: 6898287
    Abstract: The invention is a cryptographic system using chaotic dynamics. A chaotic system is used to generate a public key and an adjustable back door from a private key. The public key is distributed and can be used in a public key encryption system. The invention can also be used for authentication purposes. The adjustable back door of the invention can be used in conjunction with the public key to derive the private key. The degree of difficulty involved in deriving the private key is dependent on the adjustable back door. That is the value of the back door can be adjusted to vary the difficulty involved in deriving the private key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Eugene Crandall
  • Patent number: 6895170
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a method and apparatus for playback of programs and other works recorded on random access storage media. One embodiment of the invention relates to random access storage media such as a DVD (“digital versatile disk” or “digital video disk”) used to distribute motion pictures and other audio/video programs or works. The invention involves a manner of utilizing secondary storage space of the storage media not used by the primary program being distributed to store secondary programs such as movie trailers and product advertisements, and to present the secondary programs to the user in a topical and interesting manner. In one embodiment, storage space of a random access storage medium such as a DVD is allocated to a number of variously sized programs or program portions called “chapters.” In one embodiment, each primary and secondary program constitutes a separate chapter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Lambert, W. Daniel Hillis
  • Patent number: 6880078
    Abstract: Access to the XAUI lanes of a 10 Gigabit Ethernet device is provided when needed for testing of the XAUI electrical interface. Access is provided by extending the XAUI interface contained in a XENPAK interface connector. An embodiment of the present invention uses an extension of the XENPAK connector to generate and receive XAUI signals thus making it possible for any device with a XENPAK connector to become a XUAI tester with minimal components between the test equipment and the device under test. The reduction of components (only an AC-Coupling capacitor resides between the XENPAK connector and the SMA connector) results in significant reduction in insertion loss and signal degradation. Also, the availability of any device with a XENPAK interface as a XAUI tester eliminates any requirement for specialized test equipments. The XAUI Extender card fits in the slot in the test equipment that would normally house the XENPAK module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Spirent Communications
    Inventor: Ricardo O. Rabinovich
  • Patent number: 6871312
    Abstract: The invention discloses a method and apparatus for time stamping data packets under controlled conditions. Embodiments of the invention eliminate or minimize the error, caused in existing applications, by the elapsed time between the moment of a data packet generation and a the transmission of the data packet. Embodiments of the invention insert an initial data value, in lieu of the time stamp, into the data packet. Embodiments of the invention delay time stamp insertion to just prior to data transmission. A time stamp is inserted in time stamp location, and using a set of correction equations, embodiments of the invention generate a final error checking value that is attached to the data packet. Embodiments of the invention insert a precision time stamp into the data packet and apply a correction to the error checking value. At the end of the processing of the data packet, the latter contains a time stamp that has been introduced with a high precision, and has a correct error checking value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Spirent Communications
    Inventor: Tom Hatley
  • Patent number: 6845293
    Abstract: This invention comprises a baggage transport system for handling passenger baggage for transport. In accordance with one or more embodiments of this invention, when a passenger makes a reservation to travel, a passenger identifier number, which may be a ticket or reservation number, is issued and placed in a data collection together with the passenger's transport number, date of travel, time of travel and method of carrier compensation. When the passenger obtains a ticket to a destination, the ticket identifies the passenger identifier, the transport number and date of departure. Rather than check baggage for carriage at the transport check-in counter, under one embodiment of this invention, baggage is checked for carriage to a destination before departure at a baggage collection facility that is separate from the departure and arrival facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Inventor: Mohan Ananda
  • Patent number: 6839094
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting and correcting motion artifacts in interlaced video signal converted for progressive video display. A correction is applied where interlaced video material is determined to originate from film source, thereby having been converted to video using a process known as 3-2 pulldown. Where the video material is not a result of the 3-2 pulldown process, a check is made for the presence of “pixel motion” so that corrections may be applied to smooth out the pixel motion. To determine 3-2 pulldown or field motion, a video field is compared to the field prior to the previous field to generate field error. Field errors are generated for five consecutive fields and a local minimum error repeated every five fields indicate the origination of the video material from film source using the 3-2 pulldown process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: RGB Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Che Wing Tang, Dung Duc Truong
  • Patent number: 6820268
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a method for allowing a data controlling object to interface with any number of user interface objects without requiring separate interface code for each user interface object and without restricting the user interface to certain predetermined designs. The present method provides objects called association objects that are interposed between a data controlling object and each user interface object. Each kind of user interface object has a corresponding association object. The association object for a particular kind of user interface object contains code that allows the association object to interact with the specific kind of user interface object with which it is associated. Each association object also presents a standard interface to a data controlling object, regardless of the kind of user interface object with which the association object is associated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: NeXT Computer, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Williamson, Linus Upson, Jack Greenfield, Daniel Willhite
  • Patent number: 6795450
    Abstract: A link-suspend operation between network nodes in a point-to-point data communications link is presented. Individual network links will have a full power operational mode for supporting full high-bandwidth communication, and a low power “link-suspend” (LS) operational mode for temporary operation when only limited communication is occurring. The communications link is maintained, while cycling transmitter power on and off during idle periods with a duty cycle that substantially reduces physical layer device (PHY) power, using LSPs. LS mode may be negotiated by advertising capabilities between two network devices. Thus, PHYs at either end of a link can notify the other of the capability to support a LS mode of operation and can negotiate parameters for communications using the LS mode. Further, transmitting and receiving continuous idles, valid data frames, and Wake-on LAN (WOL) packets is supported.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: TDK Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Mills, Ralph Andersson
  • Patent number: 6757438
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for symmetrically compressing and decompressing video information in real time by coupling block and wavelet techniques. In the compression pipeline, the image is divided into blocks comprising 2k×2k pixels (in the preferred embodiment, k=1). The average color of each block is computed. The system computes an average luminance for each block and differential luminances of each pixel of the plurality of pixels of each block. A first plurality of frequency details of each block are determined by Haar transforming the differential luminances. The system computes an average color difference between each block and the preceding block, and quantizes the average color difference and the first plurality of frequency details using Lloyd-Max quantization. In an alternate embodiment, skip codes are generated for blocks having the same quantized average color difference and second plurality of frequency details.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: NeXT Software, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter N. Graffagnino
  • Patent number: D495540
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Inventor: Gisele Lipsztein
  • Patent number: D495541
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Inventor: Gisele Lipsztein
  • Patent number: D495542
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Inventor: Gisele Lipsztein
  • Patent number: D495543
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Inventor: Gisele Lipsztein
  • Patent number: D497068
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Inventor: Gisele Lipsztein