Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Workman, Nydegger & Seeley
  • Patent number: 6556654
    Abstract: A system for securely maintaining a high voltage cable within an electrical device, such as an x-ray tube, is disclosed. The system is useful for ensuring a close fit between an x-ray tube cathode insulator and the high voltage cable assembly disposed therein, thereby reducing the chances for damaging electrical arcing to occur. A high voltage cable assembly and clamp body generally comprise the system. The high voltage cable comprises two sections disposed at a right angle with respect to one another. One section defines a cavity for receiving a plunger/spring assembly housed within the clamp body. The plunger/spring assembly compresses and expands in response to the thermal expansion and contraction of the high voltage cable assembly during tube operation. A calibration window and adjustment screws are provided with the clamp body to enable a technician to readily determine and adjust the level of compressive force imparted by the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne R. Hansen, John Richardson
  • Patent number: 6556916
    Abstract: A method for dynamically defining traffic lanes in a traffic monitoring system is presented. A traffic system sensor detects vehicles passing within the field of view and process the data into an estimation of the position of each of the detected vehicles. The positions are defined and recorded for use in a probability density function estimation. The traffic lane positions are defined such that further detection of vehicles may be assigned to a particular traffic lane without requiring manual set-up and definition of the traffic lane boundaries. The traffic lane boundaries may change or migrate based upon modification of traffic paths due to construction, weather, lane re-assignments and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Wavetronix LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan L. Waite, Thomas William Karlinsey, David V. Arnold
  • Patent number: 6555471
    Abstract: A method for depositing an aluminum film limits the growth of voids and notches in the aluminum film and forms and aluminum film with a reduced amount of voids and notches. The first step of the method is to form an underlying layer upon which is deposited an aluminum film having a first thickness. The surface of the aluminum film is then exposed to a passivation species which coats the aluminum grains and precipitates at the grain boundaries so as to prevent grain movement. The exposure of the aluminum film to the passivation species reduces void formation and coalescence of the voids. An aluminum layer having a second thickness is then deposited over the initially deposited aluminum layer. In a second embodiment of the invention, the passivation species is deposited with MOCVD and to form an electromigration-resistant alloy. A third embodiment involves multiple depositions of aluminum, with exposure to a passivation species conducted after each deposition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Gurtej S. Sandhu, Ravi Iyer
  • Patent number: 6554765
    Abstract: An adaptable, portable hand-held fiber optic camera for producing video images of an object having all of the necessary components for performing fiber optic procedures comprises a power source, a lens system, a light source, and a video camera assembly. The portable fiber optic camera is adaptable to a wide variety of lens systems. The lens system is electrically, removably coupled to the video camera assembly and the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: East Giant Limited
    Inventors: Don Yarush, Todd Devos, Martin G. Sosa, Gary Handelin
  • Patent number: 6553995
    Abstract: The patient positioning kit described herein is a set of vinyl-coated polyurethane foam forms and storage unit. The kit functions to support injured patient extremities during specific surgical procedures. The kit may be tailored to certain surgical specialties such as orthopedic traumatology or orthopedic sports medicine. For the given surgical specialty, each kit is composed of foam forms specifically for the most often performed surgical procedures within that specialty. Each kit contains a significant variety of support pieces such that various patient sizes and extremity positions may be stabilized. Both arm and leg associated procedures are facilitated by component pieces of the patient positioning kit. The kit pieces are coated with a polymeric material that forms a protective shell that increases piece durability and reduces fluid uptake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Inventors: Peter Alexander Cole, Douglas Eric Parsell
  • Patent number: 6550404
    Abstract: A pivotable folding utility table includes a table top having a pair of support pedestals pivotally attached thereto. A first pivotal support brace including a distal end and a proximal end attached to the first support pedestal. A second pivotal support brace including a distal end and a proximal end attached to the second support pedestal. The distal ends of the first and second pivotal support braces pivotally attached to a retaining assembly preferably mounted in relation to the table top. Specifically, the retaining assembly includes a cross-brace member operably disposed through openings formed in the distal ends of the first and second pivotal support braces, thus providing a pivotal engagement in relation to the table top.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Lifetime Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Carl R. Stanford
  • Patent number: 6553425
    Abstract: The present invention is a technique for doing an asynchronous, breadth-first expansion of e-mail distribution lists, while being able to control the amount of resources needed to complete the expansion operation. The breadth first DL expansion technique described here correctly handles circular references while expanding distribution lists asynchronously, in a breadth-first fashion, and without requiring large amount of resources. The present invention provides a mechanism to control how many lookup requests are performed in parallel and the maximum amount of memory resources required to complete the DL expansion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Milan M. Shah, Jeffrey C. Stamerjohn
  • Patent number: 6551940
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process of using undoped silicon dioxide as an etch mask for selectively etching doped silicon dioxide for forming a designated topographical structure. In one embodiment, a doped silicon dioxide layer is formed over a semiconductor substrate. An undoped silicon dioxide layer is formed and patterned over the doped silicon dioxide layer. Doped silicon dioxide is selectively removed from the doped silicon dioxide layer through the pattern by use of a plasma etch or another suitable etch that removes doped silicon dioxide at a rate greater than that of undoped silicon dioxide. The process may be used to form contacts to the semiconductor substrate. The process may also be used to form a structure with a lower and an upper series of parallel gate stacks, where the gate stacks have upper surfaces consisting essentially of undoped silicon dioxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Kei-Yu Ko
  • Patent number: 6547602
    Abstract: An integrated modular plug receptacle package is disclosed wherein one or more modular plug receptacles, or jacks, are defined by bringing two or more PC cards into operable communication, such as within the card slot cavity of a portable computer, for instance. Each PC card has formed on a posterior edge thereof one or more modular jack portions. The jack portions on one card coordinate with complimentary jack portions on the other card(s) to form an integrated modular jack to which may be connected a modular plug, such as an RJ series connector. In addition to PC cards, various electronic device components may have formed on a surface thereof modular jack portions enabling them to be operably connected to a similarly equipped component, thereby also defining a modular connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: 3Com Corporation
    Inventors: Tim Urry Price, David Oliphant
  • Patent number: 6547314
    Abstract: A system for anchoring and/or positioning a camper within a bed of a truck. The system comprising an anchoring assembly, a positioning assembly, and tie-down means for interconnecting the camper with said anchoring assembly. The anchoring assembly is attached to the bed of the truck and includes a mounting bracket, guide plate, stabilizing bar, and support bracket. The mounting bracket is configured to be mountable to the bed of the truck. The guide plate is connected to the mounting bracket and is configured to receive the stabilizing bar therein. The stabilizing bar is configured to connect two or more guide plates. A support bracket is attached to a load bearing member of the truck below the bed of the truck. A positioning assembly is also mounted in the bed of the truck. The positioning assembly is configured to guide the camper within the bed of the truck, while preventing lateral movement of the camper during movement of the truck. A tie-down assembly interconnects the camper with the anchor assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Happijac Company
    Inventor: C. Martin Rasmussen
  • Patent number: 6547072
    Abstract: A guidewire holder is provided that stores a coiled guidewire substantially immersed in a storage fluid and allows for a facilitated retrieval of the guidewire. The guidewire holder is generally configured as a shallow pan in a circular shape with an outer periphery to retain the coiled guidewire. The outer periphery includes a concave inner wall and a set of ribs that generally retain the coiled guidewire on the outer periphery. An access area is provided to suspend a portion of the guidewire away from the outer periphery to enable a medical practitioner to reach into the guidewire holder and grasp a portion of the guidewire in order to easily extract the coiled guidewire from the holder. An inner periphery reduces the amount of storage fluid needed to immerse the guidewire and is used in combination with the outer periphery to provide a location for comfortably holding the guidewire holder. Multiple holders may be coupled together so as to be stacked on top of each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Merit Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: John Whiting, Jim Mottola, Fred Lampropoulos
  • Patent number: 6546811
    Abstract: Multiphase flow calculation software and computer-readable media carrying computer executable instructions for calculating liquid and gas phase mass flow rates of high void fraction multiphase flows. The multiphase flow calculation software employs various given, or experimentally determined, parameters in conjunction with a plurality of pressure differentials of a multiphase flow, preferably supplied by a differential pressure flowmeter or the like, to determine liquid and gas phase mass flow rates of the high void fraction multiphase flows. Embodiments of the multiphase flow calculation software are suitable for use in a variety of applications, including real-time management and control of an object system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Bechtel BWXT Idaho, LLC
    Inventor: James R. Fincke
  • Patent number: 6549862
    Abstract: A vector network analyzer using sliding correlator techniques and multi-user detection techniques. The sliding correlator technique is based on the time domain sliding effect caused by a small clock frequency offset in the pseudo random code generators of a transmitter and a receiver. A time scaled version of the impulse response of the device under test can be obtained from the time domain slided pseudo random code signals by using a correlator. A multi-user detection method is introduced using two uncorrelated pseudo random codes. One of the uncorrelated pseudo random codes measures the D.U.T. and another code is a reference channel. These codes can be demodulated and despread with one receiver module. A Fast Fourier Transform of the measured impulse response is the frequency response of the measured signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: National Science Council
    Inventors: Chia-Chi Huang, Yuh-Maiw Jong, Jian-Hui Shen
  • Patent number: 6545809
    Abstract: A color shifting multilayer interference film is provided which may be used to produce foils or flakes for use in pigment compositions and colorants having color shifting properties. The flakes can be interspersed into a pigment medium to form paints, inks, or cosmetic preparations which can subsequently be applied to objects, papers, or people. Three and five layer designs of the interference film include alternating layers of a dielectric material and carbon in various configurations. The dielectric layers are formed to have an optical thickness at a design wavelength that provides a color shift as the angle of incident light or viewing angle changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Flex Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Roger W. Phillips
  • Patent number: 6544466
    Abstract: Surface modifications of a mold used during semiconductor device fabrication provide non-stick characteristics and a mold surface that is resistant to abrasion or wear. Such surface modifications are particularly useful in a mold having a quartz planar surface adapted to contact a photocurable polymer material applied to a semiconductor wafer surface during a fabrication process. The planar surface of the mold is capable of allowing transmission of ultraviolet light therethrough to cure the polymer material. A non-stick film is formed on the planar surface of the mold by a coating or deposition process in order to modify the mold surface. The non-stick film can be formed of a fluoroalkylsilane compound. or a hard material such as diamond or diamond-like carbon. The non-stick film of diamond or diamond-like carbon provides protection against abrasion or wear on the planar surface of the mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Micron Technology
    Inventor: Donald L. Westmoreland
  • Patent number: D472721
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Lifetime Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Thayne B. Haney, Kent Ashby
  • Patent number: D472745
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Lifetime Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Thayne B. Haney, Kent Ashby, Jacob Kearl
  • Patent number: D473059
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Lifetime Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Thayne B. Haney, Kent Ashby
  • Patent number: D473391
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Lifetime Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Thayne B. Haney, Kent Ashby
  • Patent number: D473450
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Lifetime Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Lynn Curtis Strong