Patents Examined by Gerald L. Brigance
  • Patent number: 4811006
    Abstract: In order to attain that in an LCD display arrangement (TV) the voltage across the picture element (12) is inverted during each TV field period, two diodes (9, 19) per picture element are used, which are each connected to a separate row electrode (8). Each row electrode (8) is common to two rows of picture elements (12). Thus, arbitrary LCD liquids may be used, while the number of row connections is equal to the number of rows of picture elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1989
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Karel Kuijk
  • Patent number: 4811405
    Abstract: The mounting support (2) consists of a U-shaped clamping strap. A holder (4) carrying the microphone (5) is mounted displaceably to the curved portion (3) of the clamping strap (2). The axial direction (7) of the microphone (5) wherein the latter has its maximum sensitivity can be adjusted with respect to the sound source by displacing the microphone holder (4) along the curved strap portion (3).The extremely simple, economically producible microphone mounting support permits accurate adjustment of the direction of maximum sensitivity to the sound source, independently of the position of the object to which the mounting support is fastened; this is important for a transmission free of feedback, especially during hand-free two-way communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1989
    Inventor: Andreas Peiker
  • Patent number: 4811008
    Abstract: Graphics information display panels made up of basic picture elements running to hundreds, or more, are useful for being viewed for advertising, transportation information, traffic control, news, weather, financial data and other information normally generated by computers. The system has capability in alphanumeric and also for color graphics designs in four colors through use of a basic display element with a transparent cylinder having four different color pigment enclosing compartments (or cavities) rotatable about a center rod mounting thereof. A six cavity transparent cylinder provides for design displays in six colors. Color pigments, either liquid or powder, are used to fill pixel cylinder cavities as fade resistant color medias where exposure to sunlight or ultraviolet radiation otherwise tends to cause deterioration of color pigment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1989
    Inventor: Robert L. Woolfolk
  • Patent number: 4808980
    Abstract: A cursor positioning device for a computer system having a projection display monitor including a screen. A light pointer in the form of an elongated housing is positioned with its tip at a selected location on the screen. A light sensor detects the raster scan trace and transmits a timed electrical signal to an interface, which determines the coordinates of the selected location for use by a computer in controlling the position of the cursor on the projection screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1989
    Assignee: Wang Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald E. Drumm
  • Patent number: 4808982
    Abstract: A facility for monitoring the operation of a signal lamp in the outdoor installation of an interlocking. Such signal lamps are powered through lamp transformers located in the immediate vicinity of the lamps. Monitoring for filament breaks is done on the primary side in the interlocking station. The monitoring poses problems in the case of great control distances because leading reactive currents occur on long leads. The invention uses a modulator in the secondary circuit of the lamp transformer which impresses on the lamp current a unique modulation pattern that is recognized in the interlocking station. In addition, the modulator may be turned on via a photocell responsive to the light of the signal lamp, and may perform additional control functions, such as turning on auxiliary light sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1989
    Assignee: Alcatel N.V.
    Inventor: Hans J. Knapp
  • Patent number: 4808991
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display is capable of displaying intermediate, partial or half tones of images, while at the same time preventing the occurrence of flicker and the decay of the liquid crystal panel. The display operation for data to be displayed in an intermediate tone has one or more lines of a repeating frame of display data that are prohibited from being displayed during in each frame. Such inhibited display lines are designated differently on a sequential basis over consecutive frames, and the sequence of designation is varied in successive frames in accord with changing patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1989
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuguji Tachiuchi, Hiroyuki Mano, Terumi Takashi
  • Patent number: 4808989
    Abstract: A display control apparatus comprises area specifier, area determiner and signal selector. The area specifier specifies at least one area of a bit map memory. The area determiner determines whether the scan position on the bit map memory is in the specified area or not, and, according to the determination, controls the signal selector so as to send the output of the bit map memory directly or through a look-up table to a display unit. In a modification, the signal selector selects the signal to be sent to the display unit from among the outputs of different look-up tables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1989
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kuniaki Tabata, Tetsuo Machida, Masatoshi Hino, Kunihiro Nomura
  • Patent number: 4808988
    Abstract: A graphics display system digital vector generator system includes three position vector generators generating position information for each of three different pixel location dimensions and three visual characteristic vector generators operating synchronously with the position vector generators to generate dynamic intensity information for three different dimensions of visual characteristics. Optical processing of visual characteristic vectors includes normalization to generate Phong shading intensity vectors, pattern shape generation, and mixing of hue and intensity information with selectable resolution to obtain a desired visual characteristic pixel data representation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1989
    Assignee: Megatek Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory M. Burke, Michael E. Jones
  • Patent number: 4808987
    Abstract: An image data file storing and retrieval system is disclosed. In registering an image, partial areas of the image are enlarged and/or reduced at an independent magnification for each partial area, the enlarged and/or reduced partial areas are combined to prepare an index image, and the image and the index image is stored. In retrieving the image, a desired image is retrieved based on a list of the index images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1989
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Haruo Takeda, Kuniaki Tabata, Masao Nakamura
  • Patent number: 4808990
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display unit integrally assembling both the liquid crystal elements and the drive circuit boards that drive the liquid crystal elements. In particular, the liquid crystal display unit has a configuration wherein the liquid crystal cell is connected to the drive circuit board through a flexible printed circuit board, and the drive circuit board and the liquid crystal cell are structured to sandwich a chassis so that all the elements thereof are integrally assembled together therebetween into a single unit by employing an angle that covers the elements from the front surface of the liquid crystal cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1989
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koshi Kamigaki, Toshimichi Katsube
  • Patent number: 4806908
    Abstract: A plurality of keys are mounted in parallel columns on a key supporting panel for reciprocation between upper, inactive positions and lower, active positions. Each key comprises a translucent core having a legend on its upper end, a conductor on its lower end, and an opening therethrough intermediate its ends. Each core is mounted for reciprocation at its lower end in a plastic sleeve, which is removably mounted by a flexible detent in one of the openings in the panel, and is surrounded adjacent its upper end by a flexible sleeve or hood which resiliently urges the key core to its upper position. In each column of key cores the openings in the latter register with each other, and an elongate electroluminescent strip extends through the registering openings and beneath the panel to prevent accidental withdrawal of the keys, and to illuminate the legends on a column of keys when energized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1989
    Assignee: Astronics Corporation
    Inventor: Elliot Krupnik
  • Patent number: 4806920
    Abstract: In an image rotating device, an input data processor processes an input signal representative of an original image into a processed signal successively representative of words wherein bits representative of picture elements of the original image are arranged according to an angle of rotation of 90.degree., 180.degree., or 270.degree. which should be given to the original image. When the rotation is 90.degree. or 270.degree., a block of bits is set in a shift register array which successively produces groups of bits. The groups of bits are stored in a random access memory and then read therefrom as successive group sets in a predetermined manner. An output data processor processes the group sets into an output signal representative of a desired rotated output image. When the rotation is 180.degree., the processed signal is processed by the output data processor directly into the output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1989
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Hachiro Sawada
  • Patent number: 4807277
    Abstract: Apparatus for disconnecting and reconnecting equipment to a telephone line in response to a signal sent over the telephone line. The apparatus includes a voltage threshold circuit, a voltage regulator circuit and a switching and timing circuit. The switching and timing circuit includes a first energy storage capacitor and a first discharge circuit. The switching and timing circuit further includes a second energy storage capacitor and a second discharge circuit and further includes a third energy storage capacitor and timing resistor. The first discharge circuit includes a first semiconductor switching device and a relay coil of a latching relay. The second discharge circuit includes a second semiconductor switching device and a second relay coil of the latching relay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1989
    Assignee: Keptel, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven B. Perry
  • Patent number: 4806919
    Abstract: A multi-window display method and system for displaying a plurality of overlapping windows so that only portions of windows that are not covered by other windows are displayed. In displaying the first window and then the second window over the first window, the first partial area which belongs to the first window and is covered by the second window, and the second partial area which belongs to the first window but is not covered by the second window are detected; the first partial area is registered as a non-display area; the second partial area is registered as a display area; if reversal of the positional relationship between the first and second windows is instructed, the first partial area, which has been registered as a non-display area, is registered as a display area; and the newly registered display area is displayed on the display unit. The method and system enable speed-up of displaying overlapping windows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1989
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Nakayama, Kunihiro Yanagi, Kenjiro Mori
  • Patent number: 4804950
    Abstract: A method and system for patient monitoring wherein data acquired by parameter measuring modules is downloaded to an information processing and display station. Table data structures resident within the modules are downloaded to the display station during initialization of the module on the link. The tables completely define the number, functionality and visual attributes of all control keys associated with each channel of the module. The tables include: text and parse tables which define the number, size, attributes and text for each key; a process table which contains a plurality of control programs which are executed by an interpreter portion of the display software in response to activations of a control key; and a channel control table which modifies the operating conditions of the channel in response to preselected control keys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1989
    Assignee: SpaceLabs, Inc.
    Inventors: James B. Moon, Don L. Clark
  • Patent number: 4803480
    Abstract: According to the present invention, in a liquid crystal display apparatus, there are provided second horizontal switching elements M.sub.Bl to M.sub.Bm, which are driven at the advanced phase relative to picture element switching signals .phi..sub.Hl to .phi..sub.Hm, at columns L.sub.l to L.sub.m to which a video signal is supplied, a signal, which is derived through said second horizontal switching elements M.sub.Bl to M.sub.Bm, is fed back through an inverting circuit (14) and the like to an input terminal (1), and there are provided third switching elements M.sub.Rl to M.sub.Rm which are turned on at every predetermined period. According to this apparatus, since a signal derived from a liquid crystal cell C is returned to the same liquid crystal cell C, the displacement of the picture and the like can be avoided, any special scanning and the like are not required and a prior art driving circuit and so on can be used as they are.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1989
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuo Soneda, Yoshikazu Hazama
  • Patent number: 4803478
    Abstract: A horizontal scrolling apparatus that provides scrolling on a character-by-character basis including a screen memory and associated visual attribute memory having associated therewith a scroll control memory for storing at least one bit for controlling horizontal scrolling. A latch controls writing into the scroll control memory to provide an enable bit therein, only in those locations corresponding to characters that are to be scrolled. An offset number is stored in an offset register, which number is variable under computer control. Operation of an adding circuit is responsive to sensing of the enable bit for adding the offset number to the present screen address to provide an offset address. The offset address is coupled to the video memory for display of the character associated with the offset address in the screen address position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1989
    Assignee: Prime Computer, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Olsen
  • Patent number: 4803477
    Abstract: A graphic data management system including a segment table in which several kinds of graphic data placed in a multi-dimensional space are stored correspondingly to graphic element numbers, and an index table in which, for each of the cell numbers provided when the multi-dimensional coordinate system is partitioned into predetermined cells, and all the graphic element numbers at least a part of which included in a cell are stored. The graphic data management system carries out the search, addition and deletion referring to a segment table and the index table. The index table includes a cell pointer table in which pointers indicative of the addresses where the graphic element numbers are stored are listed for each cell number, a cell table in which the graphic element number and concatenation pointers which indicate the storing addresses of the subsequent graphic element numbers are listed as pairs, and a space management pointer indicative of the address of a free space area in the cell table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1989
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takafumi Miyatake, Hitoshi Matsushima, Shigeko Ohtani, Junichi Higashino
  • Patent number: 4801933
    Abstract: A multiplex-driven liquid crystal X-Y matrix display in which the electrodes are divided into several blocks and a driving voltage is independently applied to each of the blocks. Each driving voltage has a magnitude that is different from the remaining drive voltages. The display panel is free from nonuniform or deteriorated contrast even if it has a large number of scanning electrodes. Besides, for a color display, the color balance is favorably adjusted, realizing a high quality picture image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1989
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kunihiko Yamamoto, Yutaka Ishii, Hiroshi Take
  • Patent number: 4801930
    Abstract: A video information transfer processing system in which the contents of a video memory are transferred to a main memory device. This system comprises a color extraction circuit including comparison circuits having logical circuits between the video memory and the main memory device and a DMA controller. Each comparison circuit extracts color information to be transferred in response to designated color factor information and the extracted output is supplied to the main memory device. The DMA controller performs timing control, supply of address information and the like in the above-mentioned processing. By using this system, coloring can be carried out during the transference of the video information and a high speed coloring processing is possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1989
    Assignee: Panafacom Limited
    Inventors: Haruhiko Tsuchiya, Hiroshi Yamamoto, Shinji Ogawa, Shinji Kyoe