Patents Examined by Alexander Kosowski
  • Patent number: 7085616
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for atomic layer deposition (ALD) is described. The apparatus comprises a deposition chamber and a wafer support. The deposition chamber is divided into two or more deposition regions that are integrally connected one to another. The wafer support is movable between the two or more interconnected deposition regions within the deposition chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Barry L. Chin, Alfred W. Mak, Lawrence Chung-Lai Lei, Ming Xi, Hua Chung, Ken Kaung Lai, Jeong Soo Byun
  • Patent number: 7082352
    Abstract: Disclosed is a temperature control apparatus for a heater using an encoder switch and method thereof that controls an indoor temperature by driving a burner in accordance with a change of an indoor temperature and ventilating heated air indoors. The temperature control apparatus includes an encoder switch converting a user's set temperature value into a digital signal of a predetermined number of bits, a microcomputer for comparing the indoor temperature inputted in real time with the digital set temperature, driving the burner if the indoor temperature is lower than the set temperature by less than a predetermined temperature T1, and stopping the driving of the burner if the indoor temperature is high than the set temperature by more than a predetermined temperature T2, and a display unit for checking and displaying various kinds of error modes occurring while the burner is driven in accordance with a control signal inputted from the microcomputer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Paseco Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Soo-Hyun Lim
  • Patent number: 7082341
    Abstract: A home network system and a method for exchanging standards of the same are disclosed. The home network system includes a first electric home appliance group operated as a first operation system; a second electric home appliance group operated as a second operation system; and an exchanging part for exchanging standards between the first electric home appliance group and the second electric home appliance group so as to control appliances of the second electric home appliance group in the first electric home appliance group or to monitor an operational state of the second electric home appliance group in the first electric home appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Koon Seok Lee
  • Patent number: 7076314
    Abstract: A precision positioning device comprises a hydraulic cylinder extending along the vertical direction and a piston member accommodated in the cylinder. The inside of the cylinder is divided into two chambers by a piston head of the piston member. A hydraulic circuit supplies a fluid at a constant pressure to one of the two chambers and supplies the fluid at a controlled flow rate to the other of the chambers via a servo valve. A control system performs position control with respect to the piston member by controlling the servo valve based on a detection signal from the position sensor, a position command value, a velocity command value, and an acceleration command value. The control system also performs force control with respect to the piston member by controlling the servo valve using detection signals from the first and second pressure sensors and a load command value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiro Saitou
  • Patent number: 7058466
    Abstract: An apparatus 10 and a method 50 for the creation of a tool 40. The apparatus 10 and the method 50 allow for dynamic measurement of the tool 40 as it is being created and further allows for the use of positive feedback to increase the likelihood that the produced tool will be structurally similar to a certain model. The apparatus 10 and method 50 further allow sections of varying thicknesses to be used and provide a technique to create surfaces which further increase the likelihood that the produced tool will be structurally equivalent to a desired and modeled tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Inventors: Mark Manuel, Christopher Dean Kirkum, Robert Racklyeft
  • Patent number: 7058467
    Abstract: A monitor data acquisition section acquires a plurality of monitor data relating to a processing state of one sample in a processing apparatus, via sensors. A data selection section selects monitor data belonging to an arbitrary processing division included in a plurality of processing divisions for the sample, from among the plurality of monitor data. A monitoring signal generation section generates monitoring signals based on the monitor data belonging to the arbitrary processing division selected by the data selection section. A display setting controller displays a plurality of monitoring signals obtained with respect to samples processed in the processing apparatus, on a display section in a time series manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Tanaka, Hiroyuki Kitsunai, Hideyuki Yamamoto, Shoji Ikuhara, Kazue Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7050877
    Abstract: A method for modeling an implant to be applied to a defect of a bone comprises the steps of obtaining a plurality of tomographic image data of the bone based on measurement data by MRI, producing three-dimensional image data of the bone based on the plurality of tomographic image data, and estimating a shape of a missing born that was previously present or should have been present in the defect of the bone to obtain three-dimensional data of the implant. The estimating step comprises the steps of estimating a provisional shape of the implant which has a contour conformable with the shape of a contour of periphery of the side walls of the defect at the distal surface of the bone and has a predetermined thickness; and deleting data of portions of the provisional shape of the implant that overlap the bone from the data of the provisional shape of the implant so that the three-dimensional data of the implant has an outer peripheral shape that is conformable with the shape of the side walls of the defect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignees: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Iseki, Keita Abe, Yoshiyuki Ogawara
  • Patent number: 7050878
    Abstract: Providing a semiconductor fabricating apparatus using a laser crystallization technique for enhancing the processing efficiency for substrate and for increasing the mobility of a semiconductor film. The semiconductor fabricating apparatus of multi-chamber system includes a film formation equipment for forming a semiconductor film, and a laser irradiation equipment. The laser irradiation equipment includes first means for controlling a laser irradiation position relative to an irradiation object, second means (laser oscillator) for emitting laser light, third means (optical system) for processing or converging the laser light, and fourth means for controlling the oscillation of the second means and for controlling the first means in a manner that a beam spot of the laser light processed by the third means may cover a place determined based on data on a mask configuration (pattern information).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Hisashi Ohtani, Masaaki Hiroki, Koichiro Tanaka, Aiko Shiga, Mai Akiba
  • Patent number: 7047098
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing a shaped body by selective laser melting, in which a shaped body is built up from pulverulent metallic material using CAD data of a model, in which a powder layer is applied using an applicator unit, and in which the applied powder layer is fixed to a layer below it using a focused laser beam, in which process the powder layer is levelled to a desired layer thickness as a result of a levelling device passing over the shaped body at least once, and during the levelling elevations that project above the desired layer height of the applied powder, of the layer which was last melted by the laser beam are uncovered by the levelling device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Trumpf Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH & Co., K.G.
    Inventors: Markus Lindemann, Daniel Graf
  • Patent number: 7047110
    Abstract: A method for controlling a power supply, the method comprising: forming a front-end to the power supply, the front-end comprising a plurality of digital-to-analog circuits under control of a controller; and programming the controller to control the digital-to-analog circuits to send a user-defined output reference voltage and a user-defined over voltage protection reference voltage to the power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Rodney Lenz, Gerard McSweeney
  • Patent number: 7043328
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for a semiconductor device which is capable of manufacturing the semiconductor device with a high quality in high yields while reducing variations in electric characteristic is disclosed. The manufacturing method according to the present invention includes a main body wafer manufacturing process for manufacturing a wafer on which a semiconductor device to be completed as a product is formed and a monitor wafer manufacturing process for manufacturing a wafer on which a monitor element is formed, the processes sharing a monitoring step alone, the main body wafer manufacturing process including a variation reduction step, the monitor wafer manufacturing process including a quality check step and a condition setting step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Ishii, Jun Osanai, Yuichiro Kitajima, Yukimasa Minami, Keisuke Uemura, Miwa Wake
  • Patent number: 7043321
    Abstract: A method for performing exception handling operates within a computer controlled multi-step production system for producing objects. The system includes a system controller, within which reside a planner/scheduler and module controller(s). The system controller receives a stream of object specifications for objects to be produced including the jobs to which they belong. The planner/scheduler plans and schedules the jobs incrementally, and the system controller sends commands to the module controller(s) directing production of the planned and scheduled objects by production system modules. The method includes receiving notice in the system controller of a problem situation present within the multi-step production system and halting planning for the production of subsequent objects. Plans are canceled plans for all objects that have not begun production, and all objects affected by the problem situation are marked as bad objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Wheeler Ruml, Robert M. Lofthus, Ronald J. Root, Markus P J. Fromherz, Marc W. Webster
  • Patent number: 7016741
    Abstract: A device for use in a process control system includes a first pair of electrical connections configured to couple to a two-wire process control loop. The loop includes a two-wire process variable transmitter. A second pair of electrical connections is configured to couple to an input channel of a process device having multiple input channels. An electrical component is connected in series in the loop for use in digital communication with the two-wire process variable transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Rosemount Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas W. Arntson
  • Patent number: 7016747
    Abstract: A furniture design support system comprises a computer system. The computer system comprises an HD unit, which stores a furniture design support program and data representing the basic forms of units and parts. An operator defines a size, a finishing color, a material (the kind of wood), etc. with respect to the unit to be used for furniture to be designed on the basis of the desires of a customer, and also defines a finishing color, a material, etc. with respect to the part (a drawer, a door leaf, etc.) (step 33). Completed furniture is displayed on a display screen by assembling the unit and the part on the display screen. An HD stores design data related to the completed furniture (step 34). The appearance of the completed furniture is displayed on the display screen on the basis of the design data, and a design drawing is outputted from a printer (step 35).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Inventor: Kenichi Ninomiya
  • Patent number: 7010367
    Abstract: An operator interface for a work machine having a machine display system and a mechanical linkage is disclosed. The interface includes an input device having a series of input mechanisms that are adapted to generate a linkage input signal to control the motion of the mechanical linkage and that are adapted to generate a display input signal to input information to the machine display system. A control module is adapted to operate in a linkage control mode, where the motion of the mechanical linkage is controlled, and a display control mode, where the input of information to the machine display system is controlled. A switch may also be associated with the interface. The switch may be adapted to switch the operating mode between the linkage control mode and the display control mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Roger Dale Koch, Jeffrey Stephen Alig
  • Patent number: 7010374
    Abstract: A method for controlling a semiconductor processing apparatus including a vacuum processing chamber, a plasma apparatus for generating plasma inside the vacuum processing chamber, and a process controller for controlling a process by holding a process recipe including plasma cleaning of inside of the vacuum processing chamber constant, comprises the steps of detecting process abnormality of the process on the basis of sensor data detected by sensors arranged in the semiconductor processing apparatus, and executing a recovery step for removing deposition deposited inside the vacuum processing chamber when abnormality is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Junichi Tanaka, Hideyuki Yamamoto, Shoji Ikuhara, Akira Kagoshima
  • Patent number: 7010393
    Abstract: Often, an application or process calls for multiple pumps operating within a piping network. Pump load, such as flow rate or pressure, is shared between these multiple pumps. The present disclosure relates to effective means of distributing the pumping load in a manner that satisfies the process requirements while keeping the pumping machinery safe from functioning in damaging operating regions. It also discloses a method of operating pumps in an efficient or optimal fashion. An additional aspect is a method of using an open-loop response to deal with large transients threatening to force a pump into an operating region that might result in damage or destruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Compressor Controls Corporation
    Inventors: Saul Mirsky, Krishnan Narayanan
  • Patent number: 7006887
    Abstract: The present invention provides an optical modeling method capable of inhibiting distortion in an object to be modeled and modeling with higher precision. A square exposure region is divided into a plurality of pixels which are further divided into first and second pixel sub-groups, the first pixel sub-group is exposed such that neighboring pixels or more are not exposed at one time, and then unexposed pixels incorporated in the second pixel sub-group are exposed two neighboring pixels or more are not exposed at one time. A photo-curable resin is exposed twice, and then cured in an amount of one photo-curable resin layer. Accordingly, the neighboring pixels are not exposed at one time, the producing of curing shrinkage is limited within one pixel, and distortion due to the curing shrinkage does not spread to the pixels neighboring the one pixel, whereby distortion in the object to be modeled can be inhibited significantly, and modeling with higher precision is made possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Nagano, Yoji Okazaki
  • Patent number: 6999825
    Abstract: A user access the control center by a user terminal, and send a request for searching an available locker box in a desired area. The control center has database storing data representing which locker box is available. The control center searches the database for the available locker box which matches the user's request. The control center transmits information of the available locker to the user terminal. As the user reserves the locker, the control center generates one time password (OTP). The control center sends the OTP to the locker controller, and a display unit of the locker displays the OTP. The user inputs the displayed OTP to the user terminal and sends it to the control center. If the OTP is successfully authenticated, the control center sends commands to unlock the locker, thus, the user can use the reserved locker box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Inomata
  • Patent number: 6996450
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to an automated manufacturing system and method for manufacturing photomasks wherein information provided by a customer at a remote location is interfaced, via a network, to a photomask manufacturer's computer system and automatically processes data for manufacturing a photomask and automatically formats and routes data to processing equipment. The present invention reduces the need for manual intervention, thereby avoiding costly delays and transcription errors associated therewith. The software of the present invention provides for automatic generation of data arrays, which can be used to process and monitor the status of a photomask during manufacture. Further, the software is capable of automatically modifying design data provided by a photomask user. Additionally, the software of the present invention includes an automatic messaging system which can notify users of the system, of status and errors in manufacture of photomasks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Photronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward J. Suttile, Charles Croke, James P. Morrison, Ryan T. Vo, Peter F. Jones, Mary R. Spano, Edward Arthur Mills