Patents Represented by Attorney Wells St. John P.S.
  • Patent number: 8152542
    Abstract: An electrical connector enclosure which includes a framework having at least one wall, and which at least partly defines an internal cavity; and a moveable panel mounted on the framework, the panel being moveable between an open position and a closed position relative to the internal cavity, and wherein the at least one wall and the moveable panel cooperate to define a conductor aperture when the moveable panel is located in the closed position relative to the internal cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Pantrol, Inc.
    Inventors: James P. Kucera, Paul N. Poshusta, Jonathan E. Gessele
  • Patent number: 8146448
    Abstract: Portable devices and related methods for collecting and storing atmospheric samples for subsequent chemical analysis are provided. A sample cartridge according to one implementation includes self-sealing inlet and outlet ports configured to close automatically when not in use, and a sample retention portion between the inlet and outlet ports that is adapted to trap an atmospheric sample. The sample cartridge may also include a memory device for recording data regarding the sample. Another embodiment provides a portable sampler configured to removably secure a self-sealing sample cartridge. A portable sampling device may also be used with an analytical instrument. The analytical instrument may analyze the sample and read the data recorded on the sample cartridge's memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Griffin Analytical Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Briscoe, Brent Rardin, Dennis Barket, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8148580
    Abstract: A method of forming a tellurium alkoxide includes providing a tellurium halide and a non-tellurium alkoxide in a liquid organic solvent. The liquid organic solvent has less moles of alcohol, if any, than moles of tellurium halide in the liquid organic solvent. The tellurium halide and the non-tellurium alkoxide within the liquid organic solvent are reacted to form a reaction product halide and a tellurium alkoxide. The liquid organic solvent is removed from the reaction product halide and the tellurium alkoxide to leave a liquid and/or solid mixture comprising the reaction product halide and the tellurium alkoxide. The mixture is heated effective to gasify the tellurium alkoxide from the reaction product halide. Other implementations are disclosed, including methods of forming a mixed halide-alkoxide of tellurium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Stefan Uhlenbrock
  • Patent number: 8147624
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrode composed of an Al-M-Cu based alloy, to a process for preparing the Al-M-Cu based alloy, to an electrolytic cell comprising the electrode the use of an Al-M-Cu based alloy as an anode and to a method for extracting a reactive metal from a reactive metal-containing source using an Al-M-Cu based alloy as an anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: University of Leeds
    Inventors: Animesh Jha, Xiaobing Yang
  • Patent number: 8141721
    Abstract: Jewelry support assemblies are provided that can include a substantially planar base portion having a member extending therefrom, the member including a plurality of openings; a plurality of arms extending from the openings, individuals ones of the arms being associated with individual ones of the openings; and a plurality of rods extending from the arms, the rods being staggered along the length of the arms. Other assemblies are also provided that include: a rod extending from a first end to a second end; flexible material at least partially wrapping the rod and extending therefrom, the material including multiple layers of overlapping material; and wherein exposed overlapping portions of material include openings. Jewelry storage assemblies are provided that can include: a case comprising at least two components configured to be coupled when in a closed position; and one of the two components configured to house a jewelry support assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Inventor: Jonna Harris-Bowman
  • Patent number: 8142255
    Abstract: A pad for relieving breast engorgement includes a material comprising absorbent fibers and an acidic agent. The pad is configured to insert within the cup of a bra. A bra pad has a layer of absorbent fiber material with a front surface and a back surface. A liquid barrier layer has a first side interfacing the back surface of the absorbent fiber material and an opposing second side. An acidic agent is disposed within the absorbent fiber material. A method of relieving breast engorgement includes providing an absorbent pad including absorbent fibers and an acidic agent shaped to insert within a cup of a bra and disposing the pad between the cup of the bra and an engorged breast to be relieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Inventor: Sharon Johnston
  • Patent number: 8138577
    Abstract: There is described a method of forming a through-silicon-via to form an interconnect between two stacked semiconductor components using pulsed laser energy. A hole is formed in each component, and each hole is filled with a plug formed of a first metal. One component is then stacked on another component such that the holes are in alignment, and a pulse of laser energy is applied to form a bond between the metal plugs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xunqing Shi, Wei Ma, Bin Xie, Chang Hwa Chung
  • Patent number: 8138541
    Abstract: Some embodiments include memory cells that contain floating bodies and diodes. The diodes may be gated diodes having sections doped to a same conductivity type as the floating bodies, and such sections of the gated diodes may be electrically connected to the floating bodies. The floating bodies may be adjacent channel regions, and spaced from the channel regions by a dielectric structure. The dielectric structure of a memory cell may have a first portion between the floating body and the diode, and may have a second portion between the floating body and the channel region. The first portion may be more leaky to charge carriers than the second portion. The diodes may be formed in semiconductor material that is different from a semiconductor material that the channel regions are in. The floating bodies may have bulbous lower regions. Some embodiments include methods of making memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Chandra Mouli
  • Patent number: 8140464
    Abstract: Hypothesis analysis methods, hypothesis analysis devices, and articles of manufacture are described according to some aspects. In one aspect, a hypothesis analysis method includes providing a hypothesis, providing an indicator which at least one of supports and refutes the hypothesis, using the indicator, associating evidence with the hypothesis, weighting the association of the evidence with the hypothesis, and using the weighting, providing information regarding the accuracy of the hypothesis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
    Inventors: Antonio P. Sanfilippo, Andrew J. Cowell, Michelle L. Gregory, Robert L. Baddeley, Patrick R. Paulson, Stephen C. Tratz, Ryan E. Hohimer
  • Patent number: 8137307
    Abstract: A syringe device includes a syringe barrel and piston having a fluid passageway extending from a vial port. Another syringe device includes a syringe barrel, a piston sleeve and an insert. A channel extends along a side of the insert. A valve controls fluid communication between the channel and the syringe barrel. Another syringe device has a syringe barrel, a piston sleeve and an insert. A valve controls fluid communication between a compartment within the insert and the syringe barrel. A method of preparing a medication includes providing a component within a syringe barrel and another component within a compartment of a piston insert. A seal is over-molded onto a tip of the insert and an end of a piston sleeve. The sleeve is rotated relative to the insert to establish fluid communication between the compartment and the barrel chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Hyprotek, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick O. Tennican, L. Myles Phipps
  • Patent number: 8134194
    Abstract: Some embodiments include memory cells including a memory component having a first conductive material, a second conductive material, and an oxide material between the first conductive material and the second conductive material. A resistance of the memory component is configurable via a current conducted from the first conductive material through the oxide material to the second conductive material. Other embodiments include a diode including metal and a dielectric material and a memory component connected in series with the diode. The memory component includes a magnetoresistive material and has a resistance that is changeable via a current conducted through the diode and the magnetoresistive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Chandra Mouli
  • Patent number: 8134137
    Abstract: Memory device constructions include a first column line extending parallel to a second column line, the first column line being above the second column line; a row line above the second column line and extending perpendicular to the first column line and the second column line; memory material disposed to be selectively and reversibly configured in one of two or more different resistive states; a first diode configured to conduct a first current between the first column line and the row line via the memory material; and a second diode configured to conduct a second current between the second column line and the row line via the memory material. In some embodiments, the first diode is a Schottky diode having a semiconductor anode and a metal cathode and the second diode is a Schottky diode having a metal anode and a semiconductor cathode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Jun Liu
  • Patent number: 8133664
    Abstract: Some embodiments include methods of forming patterns of openings. The methods may include forming spaced features over a substrate. The features may have tops and may have sidewalls extending downwardly from the tops. A first material may be formed along the tops and sidewalls of the features. The first material may be formed by spin-casting a conformal layer of the first material across the features, or by selective deposition along the features relative to the substrate. After the first material is formed, fill material may be provided between the features while leaving regions of the first material exposed. The exposed regions of the first material may then be selectively removed relative to both the fill material and the features to create the pattern of openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Sills, Gurtej S. Sandhu, John Smythe, Ming Zhang
  • Patent number: 8129240
    Abstract: A method of forming a plurality of capacitors includes an insulative material received over a capacitor array area and a circuitry area. The array area comprises a plurality of capacitor electrode openings within the insulative material received over individual capacitor storage node locations. The intervening area comprises a trench. Conductive metal nitride-comprising material is formed within the openings and against a sidewall portion of the trench to less than completely fill the trench. Inner sidewalls of the conductive material within the trench are annealed in a nitrogen-comprising atmosphere. The insulative material within the array area is etched with a liquid etching solution effective to expose outer sidewall portions of the conductive material within the array area. The conductive material within the array area is incorporated into a plurality of capacitors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Vishwanath Bhat, Kevin R. Shea
  • Patent number: 8129781
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of forming memory devices employing halogen ion implantation and diffusion processes. In one illustrative embodiment, the method includes forming a plurality of word line structures above a semiconducting substrate, each of the word line structures comprising a gate insulation layer, performing an LDD ion implantation process to form LDD doped regions in the substrate between the word line structures, performing a halogen ion implantation process to implant atoms of halogen into the semiconducting substrate between the word line structures, and performing at least one anneal process to cause at least some of the atoms of halogen to diffuse into the gate insulation layers on adjacent word line structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kirk D Prall, Behnam Moradi, Seiichi Aritome, Di Li, Chris Larsen
  • Patent number: 8124326
    Abstract: A method of patterning positive photoresist includes providing positive photoresist over a substrate. An area of the positive photoresist is exposed to a pattern of activating radiation at a dose which is below the Dose To CD of the pattern with the positive photoresist. The area of the positive photoresist is flood exposed to activating radiation at a dose from 1% to 75% of E0. A sum of the flood dose and the pattern dose is less than the Dose To CD yet effective to resolve the pattern in the positive photoresist upon develop. After exposing the area to the flood dose and the pattern dose, the area of the positive photoresist is developed to resolve the pattern in the positive photoresist. Other embodiments are contemplated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Shirley, Hiroyuki Mori
  • Patent number: 8124545
    Abstract: The invention includes methods in which one or more components of a carboxylic acid having an aqueous acidic dissociation constant of at least 1×10?6 are utilized during the etch of oxide (such as silicon dioxide or doped silicon dioxide). Two or more carboxylic acids can be utilized. Exemplary carboxylic acids include trichloroacetic acid, maleic acid, and citric acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Niraj B. Rana, Kevin R. Shea, Janos Fucsko
  • Patent number: 8120184
    Abstract: The invention includes methods of forming layers conformally over undulating surface topographies associated with semiconductor substrates. The undulating surface topographies can first be exposed to one or more of titanium oxide, neodymium oxide, yttrium oxide, zirconium oxide and vanadium oxide to treat the surfaces, and can be subsequently exposed to a material that forms a layer conformally along the treated surfaces. The material can, for example, comprise one or both of aluminum silane and aluminum silazane. The invention also includes semiconductor constructions having conformal layers formed over liners containing one or more of titanium oxide, yttrium oxide, zirconium oxide and vanadium oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: John Smythe
  • Patent number: 8120951
    Abstract: Some embodiments include memory devices having a wordline, a bitline, a memory element selectively configurable in one of three or more different resistive states, and a diode configured to allow a current to flow from the wordline through the memory element to the bitline responsive to a voltage being applied across the wordline and the bitline and to decrease the current if the voltage is increased or decreased. Some embodiments include memory devices having a wordline, a bitline, memory element selectively configurable in one of two or more different resistive states, a first diode configured to inhibit a first current from flowing from the bitline to the wordline responsive to a first voltage, and a second diode comprising a dielectric material and configured to allow a second current to flow from the wordline to the bitline responsive to a second voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Chandra Mouli
  • Patent number: D655572
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Inventor: Scott Evans