Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Watts Hoffmann Fisher & Heinke
  • Patent number: 6014518
    Abstract: A terminating polymorphic type inference program analysis helps to better optimize, understand, and/or browse computer programs. The analysis represents parameter values for each function call in the program with separate types and modifies the types to comply with typing constraints. The analysis also determines whether a potential non-terminating loop has been entered. If so, the analysis modifies the types such that the types comply with the typing constraints and such that the type inference analysis will terminate. In this manner, the analysis will generate a usable finite set of types for programs regardless of whether the principal typing for the program is infinite in size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Bjarne Steensgaard
  • Patent number: 6012144
    Abstract: A method for performing secure transactions, such as credit card purchases, using two or more non-secure networks (such as the Internet and the public telephone system) in such a way that security is insured. A person wishing to initiate a secure transaction sends a message over one of the non-secure networks to a computer. That computer automatically uses the second non-secure network to contact the person back to verify the transaction. The call-back mechanism employs a method to authenticate the identity or authority of the person initiating the transaction. No single wire-tapping or network snooping device sees the entire transaction. No single database contains the entire set of information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2000
    Inventor: Thomas E. Pickett
  • Patent number: 6012058
    Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment the invention provides a data mining system for use in evaluating data in a database. Before the data evaulation begins a choice is made of a cluster number K for use in categorizing the data in the database into K different clusters and initial guesses at the means, or centriods, of each cluster are provided. Then a portion of the data in the database is read from a storage medium and brought into a rapid access memory. Data contained in the data portion is used to update the original guesses at the centroids of each of the K clusters. Some of the data belonging to a cluster is summarized or compressed and stored as a summarization of the data. More data is accessed from the database and assigned to a cluster. An updated mean for the clusters is determined from the summarized data and the newly acquired data. A stopping criteria is evaluated to determine if further data should be accessed from the database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2000
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Usama Fayyad, Paul S. Bradley, Cory Reina
  • Patent number: 6007270
    Abstract: A manhole frame assembly for supporting a member that can obstruct an access opening when the level of a construction material around the opening is raised, includes an outer frame member having a support surface and a side wall extending from the support surface. The side wall is constructed and arranged with an upper surface that is substantially flush with an original level of the construction material. An inner frame member can be received on the support surface and includes a surface for supporting a member for obstructing the access opening. The side wall includes an abutment device for preventing upward movement of the inner frame member when the original level of construction material around the outer frame member is raised. A portion of the inner frame member is movable in a direction transverse to a direction of a length of the access opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Inventor: Harold M. Bowman
  • Patent number: 6006990
    Abstract: A imaging based dataform reader utilizes a method of compensating for image offset between consecutive image fields comprising an interlaced image frame. The method includes determination of a disparity vector corresponding to the direction and magnitude of the offset between portions of successive fields. The disparity vector is determined by trial matching feature recognition data for a template area of a second image field to feature recognition data for a reference area of a first image field. The second field feature recognition data is trial matched to first field data at a plurality of offsets typical of hand jittering. The offset position providing the best feature match between the first and second fields is used to derive a disparity vector. The disparity vector is then applied to provide enhanced decoding by use of first field image data and registration-corrected second field image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: Telxon Corporation
    Inventors: Angi Ye, C. Jim Li
  • Patent number: 6003168
    Abstract: Apparatus 10 for moving a person into and out of a bath 12. The apparatus comprising a seat 48 mounted by pivotal linkages 38 and 62. The seat 48 can be raised using a ram 56. The linkages 38,62 are arranged such that when the seat 48 is raised beyond a particular height the seat 48 tilts rearwardly whereby to raise the legs of a person on the seat 48 to permit same to be pivotted over the side of a bath without the requirement of lifting the seat 48 far above the bath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Inventor: William David Steadman
  • Patent number: 6003198
    Abstract: A brushroll having a pulley driven spindle with an end assembly at each end rotatably mounting the spindle in a vacuum cleaner nozzle. On the pulley end of the spindle, a projecting pin is knurled at one end and inserted into the end of the spindle. An outboard portion of the pin is threaded. The knurling on the pin forms an abutment shoulder outboard of the end of the spindle. The drive pulley is threaded onto the threaded end of the pin until it contacts a bearing and presses it against the abutment shoulder, so as to prevent the pin from being jacked out of the spindle when the pulley is threaded onto the pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: The Scott Fetzer Company
    Inventor: Alfred H. Stegens
  • Patent number: 6000612
    Abstract: A portable data collection device providing for optical character recognition. A housing defines an internal region and includes a user handle that allows a user to position the housing relative to an indicia carrying target. An imaging assembly includes a two dimensional imaging array supported within the internal region of the housing. The imaging assembly includes a capture circuit that generates a video signal representative of an image of a target zone. An optics assembly supported by the housing focuses an image of the target area onto the photosensor array. A character recognition processing circuit receives the video signal and categorizes the indicia on the target into a set of predefined characters. The character recognition processing circuit includes a discriminator for identifying a text region of the target and identifying individual character regions within the text region and a categorizer for identifying a character from a set of possible characters for an individual character region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: Metanetics Corporation
    Inventor: Jianhua Xu
  • Patent number: 5998798
    Abstract: An ion implanter includes an dosage control apparatus for measuring and controlling ion beam dosage applied to workpieces disposed in an implantation station of the implanter. The dosage control apparatus permits the direct calculation of a calibration function. The calibration function includes at least one calibration factor, called a K value. The K value is used by dosage control circuitry of the dosage control apparatus to convert from a measured ionized beam current, I.sup.f, as measured by a Faraday cage disposed in the implantation station, to a true or effective beam current, I.sup.T. The K value is determined from a relationship between the measured ionized beam current, I.sup.+, and a pressure, P, in the implantation station. The relationship between the effective beam current, I.sup.T, the measured ionized beam current, I.sup.f, and the implantation station pressure, P, will normally take the form of an exponential relationship, e.g., I.sup.T =I.sup.f [e.sup.-(KP) ].
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Alfred Mike Halling, Wade Krull
  • Patent number: 5996319
    Abstract: A packaging machine and process for loading bags of a novel web of side connected bags are disclosed. The web is fed through a bagger section by a pair of grooved main transport belts and a pair of lip transport belts each disposed in the groove of the associated main belt to trap bag lips in the grooves. Adjustable belt spreaders space reaches of the transport belt as they move through a load station whereby to sequentially open the bags into rectangular configurations. A closure section in the form of a novel and improved heat sealer is releasably connectable to the bagger section. The sections are adjustable together between horizontal and vertical orientations. Processes of opening, closing and sealing side connected bags are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Automated Packaging Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Hershey Lerner, Dana J. Liebhart
  • Patent number: D417519
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: The L. D. Kichler Co.
    Inventor: Frank T. Cutler
  • Patent number: D417523
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: The L. D. Kichler Co.
    Inventor: Kevin Von Kluck
  • Patent number: D417741
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: The L.D. Kichler Co.
    Inventor: Libbe A. Milicia
  • Patent number: D417742
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: The L. D. Kichler Co.
    Inventor: Kevin Von Kluck
  • Patent number: D417892
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Inventor: Stella R. Spence
  • Patent number: D418198
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: Fairey Industrial Ceramics Limited
    Inventor: Michael Bainton
  • Patent number: D418245
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: The L.D. Kichler Co.
    Inventor: Kevin Von Kluck
  • Patent number: D418619
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2000
    Assignee: The L. D. Kichler Co.
    Inventor: David H. Porter
  • Patent number: D418628
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2000
    Assignee: The L. D. Kichler Co.
    Inventor: Melissa S. Kay
  • Patent number: D418928
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignees: Mule Lighting, Inc., Shanghai Baoshan Import & Export Trade Corp., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhou Kui Zhang, Zhang Qi Xiang