Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Tuttle
  • Digital asset format transformation
    Patent number: 8078760
    Abstract: A method for providing a digital asset to a remote recipient via a network. An unmodified digital asset is received in a native format, transformed into a derived digital asset having a non-native format, and offered to a remote recipient via the network. The method further includes sending the derived digital asset to the remote recipient in response to a request of the remote recipient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Brian King, Robert S. Dietz, Kathleen P. Mulcahy
  • Progressive stall timer
    Patent number: 8070606
    Abstract: A progressive stall timer is disclosed. For example, in one disclosed embodiment, a participant in an online turn-based social experience is provided with a time interval in which to take an action in a current turn. If the participant does not take an action in the current turn during the time interval, then the participant is provided a shortened time interval during which to take an action in a later turn. In this manner, the negative impact a stalling participant has on the experience is reduced each time the participant stalls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Thames Rowan, Eric Heutchy, Brian Ostergren
  • Jet pump of personal watercraft
    Patent number: 8070538
    Abstract: A jet pump of a personal watercraft of the present invention includes a pump casing 10 provided with a fairing vane part including a plurality of fairing vanes 12, and the front portion of each of the fairing vanes 12 has two attack angles which are an attack angle ? of the fairing vane and the front end attack angle ? which is larger than the attack angle ?. Thereby, the attack angle of the fairing vane is adapted to the water jet flow so that reduction of pump efficiency is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kunihiko Kamio
  • Spark timing adjustment based on vehicle acceleration
    Patent number: 8069838
    Abstract: Systems, methods and a processor are provided for adjusting the spark timing of an internal combustion engine. The systems, methods and processor include adjusting the spark timing of an internal combustion engine configured to power a vehicle toward peak torque timing based on an output of a longitudinal acceleration sensor configured to sense a longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Hongtei Eric Tseng, Diana Yanakiev, Davor David Hrovat, Mrdjan J. Jankovic
  • Radiative heat transfer via fins in a steam reformer
    Patent number: 8071247
    Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that relate to increasing radiative heat transfer in a steam reformer from an exterior shell which includes a diffusion burner to an interior reactor via angled fins coupled to the exterior shell. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a steam reformer, comprising an exterior shell which includes a diffusion burner and angled fins, the angled fins extending away from an inner surface of the exterior shell and downward toward the diffusion burner. The steam reformer further comprises an interior reactor positioned at least partly within the exterior shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: ClearEdge Power, Inc.
    Inventors: Bob Sorensen, Craig E. Evans, Brian Sonnichsen
  • Method for determining faults during the operation of a pump unit
    Patent number: 8070457
    Abstract: A method is provided for determining faults during the operation of a pump unit. At least two electric variables that determine the electric output of the motor and at least one fluctuating hydraulic variable of the pump are detected. The detected values or values formed from these variables by algorithms are automatically compared to predefined stored values using electronic data processing and the results of this comparison are used to determine whether or not faults have occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Grundfos a/s
    Inventor: Carsten Kallesøe
  • Stored compressed air management for improved engine performance
    Patent number: 8069665
    Abstract: A method for providing air to a combustion chamber of an engine, the engine including a compressor and a boost tank selectably coupled to an intake manifold. The method includes varying a relative amount of engine exhaust in air pressurized in the boost tank based on engine operating conditions, and discharging the air pressurized in the boost tank to the intake manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ross Dykstra Pursifull, Ralph Wayne Cunningham, Gopichandra Surnilla
  • Hybrid vehicle system having engine with variable valve operation
    Patent number: 8069829
    Abstract: A method for operating a vehicle, the vehicle including an internal combustion engine coupled in the vehicle, the engine having at least one cylinder with an intake and an exhaust valve, where the opening and closing timing of the intake valve is adjustably retardable and the opening and closing timing of the exhaust valve is adjustably retardable via camshaft adjustments, during engine operation, an energy conversion device coupled in the vehicle capable of selectively supplying and absorbing torque during vehicle operation, and a transmission, the method comprising: adjustably retarding intake valve opening timing and intake valve closing timing from piston top dead center; and adjusting operation of the transmission and the energy conversion device to maintain engine speed sufficient to enable adjustment of said intake and exhaust valve timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas G. Leone
  • Method and system for pre-ignition control
    Patent number: 8073613
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for mitigating engine pre-ignition based on a feed-forward likelihood of pre-ignition and feedback from a pre-ignition event. In response to an indication of pre-ignition, a cylinder may be enriched while an engine load is limited. The enrichment may be followed by an enleanment to restore exhaust catalyst feed-gas oxygen levels. The mitigating steps may be adjusted based on engine operating conditions, a pre-ignition count, as well as the nature of the pre-ignition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John Eric Rollinger, Robert Roy Jentz, Robert Sarow Baskins, Chris Paul Glugla, Karen Willard
  • Method and system for turbocharging an engine
    Patent number: 8069663
    Abstract: A method for improving operation of a turbocharged engine is presented. In one embodiment, the method may reduce engine emissions and improve engine efficiency during an engine start.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Norman Ulrey, Ross Dykstra Pursifull
  • Electrostatic separation method and electrostatic separation device
    Patent number: 8071904
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electrostatic separation method and an electrostatic separation device each of which, even in a case where the concentration of unburned components of coal ash produced by a boiler of a coal-fired power plant is as high as 15% to 30%, can stably separate the ash (into high unburned component ash and low unburned component ash) without generating spark, reuse the high unburned component ash as fuel, and reuse the low unburned component ash as, for example, an auxiliary material of concrete.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noboru Takikawa, Keiichi Mashio, Manabu Masamoto, Kouji Fukumoto, Yasuhiro Mayumi
  • Using handwriting recognition in computer algebra
    Patent number: 8073258
    Abstract: Systems and methods for use in handwriting recognition in computer algebra are provided. One disclosed method includes receiving handwriting input from a user via a handwriting input device, the handwriting input representing a mathematical expression. The method further includes, at a recognizer, processing the handwriting input to recognize a plurality of candidates and ranking the plurality of candidates to form initial candidate data. The method may further include, at an application program, scanning the plurality of candidates for segments that match application-level criteria, and adjusting a rank of one or more of the plurality of candidates based on the matching, to form a processed candidate list. The method may further include displaying the processed candidate list via a graphical user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Jinsong Yu, Seth Atkinson, Xin Li, Luke Kelly, Larry Israel
  • Digital content billing via multiple channels
    Patent number: 8073749
    Abstract: Embodiments related to billing for digital content via multiple billing channels with different permissible prices are disclosed. One disclosed embodiment comprises a digital content server configured to receive from a content provider an input of a digital content item, send to the content provider a list of suggested prices that are permissible in each billing channel, and then receive an input of a selected price for the content item. If the selected price is from the list of suggested prices, then billing is enabled via each of the billing. On the other hand, if the selected price for the digital content item is not from the list of suggested prices, then billing is enabled via a first subset of billing channels for which the selected price is permissible, and not enabled via a second subset of billing channels for which the selected price is not permissible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Kamran R. Zargahi, John Bruno, Daniel Bouie
  • Structural oil baffle for engine covers
    Patent number: 8065993
    Abstract: An oil baffle, a system, and a method are disclosed for separating a gaseous component from oil in a blow-by vapor for an internal combustion engine. An example system may include a cam cover configured to be mounted on a cylinder head. The system may also include an oil baffle including a first face coupled to the cam cover and may define an oil separation chamber between the cam cover and the first face. The oil baffle may include one or more stiffening members coupled to and extending from and substantially normal to an opposite face in order to reduce noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Georg Festag, Philip Damian Cierpial, Abdelhakim Baghdadi
  • On-board water addition for fuel separation system
    Patent number: 8065979
    Abstract: A fuel delivery system for an internal combustion engine including a fuel tank, a membrane dividing the fuel tank into at least a first and second portion, the membrane preferentially diffusing a substance from a mixture, the substance having an increased knock suppression relative to the mixture, and a controller adjusting delivery of condensed water to the tank responsive to an operating condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas G. Leone, Mark Allen Dearth
  • Method and system for extending life of a vehicle energy storage device
    Patent number: 8063609
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for controlling a power transfer rate in to and/or out of a vehicle energy storage device to affect a current state of charge of the energy storage device. The vehicle may be on a mission comprising a plurality of future power transfer opportunities. In one example, the method comprises adjusting the power transfer rate based on an estimated duration of a future power transfer opportunity. Further, the method may include, if the estimated duration of the future power transfer opportunity is different from a predetermined threshold, changing the power transfer rate at the future power transfer opportunity. The method allows the operating life of the energy storage device to be extended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Lembit Salasoo, Robert Dean King, Charles Iacovangelo, Wolfgang Daum
  • Diesel particulate filter overstress mitigation
    Patent number: 8061128
    Abstract: Methods and systems for reducing overstress of a DPF are provided herein. One example of such a method is based on radial temperature gradient near the exit face of the diesel particulate filter. In this way, it becomes possible to more closely correlate radial stresses to actual risk of DPF fracture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Gary M. Crosbie
  • Identification of devices on touch-sensitive surface
    Patent number: 8063888
    Abstract: The identification of a data storage device detected on a touch-sensitive display surface of a display device is described. In one embodiment, the presence and location of the data storage device is detected on the display surface and the data storage device is detected on a wireless communications channel. It is then confirmed that the data storage device detected on the wireless communications channel is the data storage device detected on the surface of the display device by communicating with the data storage device over a second communications channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Craig McFarlane, Dana L. Silverstein, Victor Drake, Kevin Kennedy, Cyra Richardson, Nigel Keam, Neal Bangerter
  • Lift pump control for a two pump direct injection fuel system
    Patent number: 8061329
    Abstract: An economical method for controlling a lift pump operating as part of a direct injection fuel system is described. According to the method, at least two distinct operating modes are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ross Dykstra Pursifull, Joseph Norman Ulrey
  • Mowing head with peripheral members for engagement of the cutting line
    Patent number: 8061042
    Abstract: The mowing head (1) comprises: a body (3), which can be engaged to a motor shaft and defines a peripheral edge (3C); at least one member for anchorage (9) of a cutting line (F), with an elastically loaded eccentric oscillating element, which co-operates with a surface of contrast fixed to the body for anchoring said cutting line. The oscillating element (11) projects from the peripheral edge of the body of the mowing head with a knurled edge (11Z), which forms a gripping surface for causing oscillation of the oscillating element and release of the cutting line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Arnetoli Motor S.r.l.
    Inventor: Fabrizio Arnetoli