Patents Examined by A. Thomas
  • Patent number: 8097177
    Abstract: Providing a piezoelectric vibrating reed which is capable of decreasing variation in the amount of etching residue as much as possible and suppressing influence of vibration loss on the vibration characteristics as much as possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventor: Takashi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8098030
    Abstract: A drive unit for a door or a gate includes an electric motor, a detection unit for detecting the position of the door or gate, the detection unit being coupled to the motor and providing an identical pulse sequence with every rotation of the motor, wherein the duration of one pulse in the sequence is different from the duration of the other pulses in the sequence, which are equal. All detected pulses are stored in a non-volatile memory. The drive unit includes an electronic control and regulating circuit including an output stage for the electric motor and at least one memory, in which an operational program is stored providing a programmable learning procedure for an opening and closing movement of the door or gate based on the pulses provided by the detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Novoferm tormatic GmbH
    Inventors: Ulrich Theile, Christian Dietz
  • Patent number: 8098190
    Abstract: An emergency locator beacon testing and communication system is described. The system uses privately-owned Local User Terminals which provide direct feeds to a privately-operated beacon information processor having dedicated on-line servers for consolidating and providing access to beacon test information. The system receives beacon signals relayed through the Cospas-Sarsat satellite system, correlates the beacons' unique identification numbers (UIN's) in the received signals to the UIN's of beacons known to be undergoing testing, collects the data transmitted by beacons under test, and displays beacon test results in a useful format on a user-friendly website.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: ACR Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald D. Bishop, Gordon W. Johnston, Christopher P. Hoffman, Scott P. Morgan
  • Patent number: 8097588
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are compositions and methods useful for promoting sperm motility, promoting embryonic stem cell formation, promoting trophoblast formation, or promoting neuronal growth. The compositions and methods are based on peptide sequences that bind trophinin, inhibit bystin-mediated arrest of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor, and promotes EGF receptor autophosphorylation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute
    Inventor: Michiko Fukuda
  • Patent number: 8098854
    Abstract: A speaker module for a personal communication device includes two transducers for generating sound on the basis of an electrical signal. One transducer outputs sound to the surroundings from a sound output thereof and the other transducer outputs sound to the surroundings via the first transducer. In this manner, two transducers require only one sound output. The sound from the second transducer may be transmitted through and filtered by an opening in a diaphragm of the first transducer. Filtering elements may be provided between the two transducers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Sonion Nederland BV
    Inventors: Aart Zeger van Halteren, Onno Geschiere
  • Patent number: 8096993
    Abstract: Improved instruments for modifying a shape of a proximal femur of a patient for installation of a stem of a femoral component of a prosthetic hip during hip replacement surgery, comprising a handle including an elongated shaft extending downward approximately in a z-direction, a first offset extending from a bottom of the elongated shaft approximately in a y-direction, a second offset extending from the second offset approximately in an x-direction, and a shaping member elongated downward from the second offset approximately in the z-direction. Provided is an improved femoral broach and an improved osteotome. Also provided is a method of improving a patient's positioning during hip replacement surgery by using a variable configuration mattress for positioning the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Smith & Nephew, Inc.
    Inventor: David C. Kelman
  • Patent number: 8096780
    Abstract: Single piece dual jet pump comprising at least one pressurized fluid inlet orifice and 2 separate outlet orifices which are built has two separate jet pumps. Fuel system for an internal combustion engine including a fuel tank, a reservoir within said tank, a pump for supplying the engine with fuel drawn from the reservoir and such a single piece dual jet pump designed to allow the filling of the reservoir with fuel from at least two different locations in said tank outside the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Inergy Automotive Systems Research (S.A.)
    Inventors: Larry Tipton, Paul Daniel Reuther
  • Patent number: 8096122
    Abstract: An electric booster according to the present invention comprises a booster piston disposed around an input piston so as to movable relative to the input piston. The booster piston and input piston also serve as a primacy piston of a tandem master cylinder. A brake fluid pressure is generated in the tandem master cylinder by an input thrust force provided from a brake pedal to the input piston and a booster thrust force provided from the electronic actuator to the booster piston. In this electric booster, a slide hole is formed through the secondary piston of the tamed master cylinder in the axial direction therefore, and a rod member is slidably disposed through the slide hole. When the fluid pressure is not increased in the primary pressure chamber, due to the fluid pressure in the secondary pressure chamber, the rod member comes to abut against the input piston, and a reactive force in the secondary pressure chamber is returned to the brake pedal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Ikeda, Hirotaka Oikawa, Takayuki Ohno
  • Patent number: 8098193
    Abstract: An ultra wide band (UWB) millimeter (mm) wave radar system includes a signal source having a control input, a GHz signal output and a frequency controlled output. A control loop is coupled between the GHz signal output and the control input including a frequency divider and a digitally controlled PLL that provides a locked output coupled to the control input of the signal source to provide frequency locked output signals that are discrete frequency swept or hopped. A frequency multiplier is coupled to the frequency controlled output of the signal source for outputting a plurality of mm-wave frequencies. An antenna transmits the mm-wave frequencies to a surface to be interrogated and receives reflected mm-wave signals therefrom. A mixer mixes the reflected mm-wave signals and mm-wave frequencies and processing circuitry determines at least one parameter relating to the surface from the mixing output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Bin Sai, Laurent Mauduit
  • Patent number: 8096113
    Abstract: The exhaust purification system for an internal combustion engine according to the present invention includes fuel supply means for supplying fuel to the NOx storage-reduction catalyst from the upstream side thereof, and SOx poisoning recovery control executing means that uses the fuel supply means to supply fuel to the NOx storage-reduction catalyst thereby executing the SOx poisoning recovery control at a predetermined interval during operation of the internal combustion engine. In addition, according to the present invention, the execution of the SOx poisoning recovery control by the SOx poisoning recovery control executing means is prohibited during a predetermined period DELTA Qfen2 starting from a point in time that the operation of the internal combustion engine is initially started. The predetermined period DELTA Qfen2 is longer than a predetermined interval DELTA Qfen1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Taro Aoyama, Mikio Inoue
  • Patent number: 8097969
    Abstract: A control system of a vehicle comprises a current estimation module, a current sensor, and a current diagnostic module. The current estimation module determines an estimated output current of a generator of the vehicle based on an engine speed when the generator is operating in a steady-state condition. The current sensor measures an output current of the generator. The current diagnostic module diagnoses a condition of the current sensor based on the estimated output current and the measured output current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Inventors: Julian R. Verdejo, Michael G. Reynolds
  • Patent number: 8099610
    Abstract: A device for injecting electric power for an Ethernet network comprising at least one switch, one switching board, communication ports, and Ethernet cables, the device including a power supply, a power injecting circuit, a control circuit, and a module including a body bearing at least one Ethernet connector capable of being removably inserted in one of the network communication ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignees: Legrand France, Legrand SNC
    Inventor: Jean-Pierre Cousy
  • Patent number: 8099309
    Abstract: The invention relates to a computer implemented method of estimating a first financial outcome. The computer implemented method involves obtaining financial data associated with an entity, selecting a first proposed financial policy impacting the entity, applying the first proposed financial policy to the financial data to estimate the first financial outcome, and presenting the first financial outcome to the entity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Intuit Inc.
    Inventor: Paul M. Bober
  • Patent number: 8098187
    Abstract: An imager comprising a sphere of dielectric material and a geodesically configured substrate disposed adjacent said sphere. The geodesically configured substrate comprises a plurality of triangularly shaped elements, at least selected ones of the triangularly shaped elements having an array of detectors disposed thereon, the detectors in the array also being disposed adjacent the dielectric sphere for receiving and detecting incoming electromagnetic waves delivered via said sphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan J. Lynch, James H. Schaffner, Phillip H. Lawyer, Daniel F. Sievenpiper
  • Patent number: 8098476
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention relates to a variable capacitor that operates without moving mechanical parts. In this capacitor electrically conductive electrodes are separated by an enclosed chamber filled with an electrically conductive material. The electrically conductive material can freely vary its position within the chamber. The capacitance of the device will vary as position of the conductive material changes due to external mechanical motion (ex: rotation, vibration, etc.) of the device. Other embodiments of this device are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Markus Loehndorf, Terje Kvisteroey, Horst Theuss, Bjoern Blixhaven
  • Patent number: 8096879
    Abstract: A block game program and a block game apparatus that can improve interest therein by using a new block removal method and a new block movement method are achieved. The game program sequentially produces blocks in a playing field displayed on a display screen to form a block group. The game program causes the game apparatus to function as a mouse that receives an operation, and a block removal control unit that removes blocks satisfying a removal condition from among the block group in accordance with timing at which the mouse receives an operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Square Enix
    Inventor: Kento Takeda
  • Patent number: 8098900
    Abstract: A device for detecting the presence of human skin including an illuminator source for providing an IR band at a predetermined frequency known as a blue LED. The IR band frequency ranges from about 400 nanometers (nm) to about 500 nm, and preferably from about 450 nm to about 485 nm. Most preferred is a blue LED with a frequency of about 468 nm. The band is reflected off a target and received by a sensor such as a photo detector. The value for human skin is compared to the signal detected. Other materials that have been used to spoof detectors have different values and thus are distinguished from human skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Gary E. Determan, David J. Wunderlin
  • Patent number: 8098192
    Abstract: A terrain awareness system includes a processor for receiving radar returns and providing terrain and/or obstacle alerts or warnings in response to the radar returns. The processor receives information from a database and the information is used to select the radar transmit function and/or the radar reception function to optimize the performance of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Joel M. Wichgers, Richard D. Jinkins, Richard M. Rademaker, Daniel L. Woodell
  • Patent number: 8096868
    Abstract: A method and system is provided for conducting a wagering game. A spin result is determined, the spin result including a set of symbols positioned within a set of symbol positions. The symbol positions may be arranged in rows and columns or another arrangement. The spin results and associated symbol positions may be displayed on a viewable display area. A prize associated with the spin result may be awarded. The wagering game may include a first trigger condition, a second trigger condition and an end condition. If the spin result meets the first trigger condition, additional symbol positions may be added. If the spin result meets the second trigger condition, symbol positions may be removed. If the spin result meets the end condition, the wagering game ends. If the spin result does not meet the end condition, the wagering game continues by determining a next spin result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Spielo Manufacturing ULC
    Inventors: Bethany Joy Trainor, P. Jay Alexander
  • Patent number: 8097184
    Abstract: A conductive composition comprises a ? conjugated conductive polymer, a dopant, and a nitrogen-containing aromatic cyclic compound. A capacitor comprises an anode composed of a porous material of valve metal, a dielectric layer formed by oxidizing the surface of the anode, and a cathode provided on the dielectric layer and having a solid electrolyte layer containing a ? conjugated conductive polymer, which comprises an electron donor compound containing an electron donor element provided between the dielectric layer and the cathode. Another capacitor is based on the above-described capacitor, wherein the solid electrolyte layer further comprises a dopant and a nitrogen-containing aromatic cyclic compound. An antistatic coating material comprises a ? conjugated conductive polymer, a solubilizing polymer containing an anion group and/or an electron attractive group, a nitrogen-containing aromatic cyclic compound, and a solvent. An antistatic coating is formed by applying the antistatic coating material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Polymer Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Yoshida, Tailu Ning, Yasushi Masahiro, Yutaka Higuchi, Rika Abe