Patents Examined by MaryAnn Lastova
  • Patent number: 4810197
    Abstract: A device is disclosed for demonstrating the physical properties and chemical relationships between elements which includes three-dimensional models of the individual elements positioned within a chassis preferably in the same order as they are in the periodic chart. The models are magnetized spheres having model properties to indicate the size, coloration, density and electron affinity of the corresponding basic elements. The display chassis includes a plurality of retaining positions for holding the spheres and sensors for sensing the absence of the models or spheres such that an interfacing device can withdraw information from a computerized data bank for display of information concerning the element withdrawn from the chassis on a display device. Also information concerning possible molecular combinations will be displayed thereon responsive to simultaneous absence of two of the elemental models.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1989
    Inventor: Alfonza Hicks
  • Patent number: 4801268
    Abstract: A manikin for practicing artificial respiration by the mouth-to-mouth or mouth-to-nose method and comprising an inflatable lung element, a chest element and a head element having a cavity containing a replaceable bag surrounded by an elastically expandable cover having a predetermined internal volume in its state of rest, the bag having an air inlet which is airtightly connected with a replaceable mouth and nose element and the cavity in the head element being connected with the lung element through an air duct. The manikin does not malfunction in case of a leakage in the secondary air system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1989
    Assignee: Ambu International A/S
    Inventor: Ole B. Kohnke
  • Patent number: 4801141
    Abstract: The present invention is a light producing ball which produces a light in one or more areas of the ball depending upon the orientation of the ball with respect to gravity. A tone generator and speaker are included with the ball to provide unique audio tones for each orientation of the device. Switches and timers are provided to control the volume output and rate of generation of tones and light signals by movement of the ball through a predetermined series of positions, thereby obviating the need for external switches. Automatic turn-on and shut-off is provided to increase power source life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1989
    Inventor: Daniel Rumsey
  • Patent number: 4799683
    Abstract: A remote control system for playing a game upon a color television receiver, such that a broadcast received by the receiver may be viewed interchangeably with the game each without interference to the other, includes a supervisory transmitter to control viewing selection and a player transmitter to play the game. Infrared signals from the transmitters command a solid-state game board through an infrared receiver and decoder, with signals from the game board being output to a transfer unit which bypasses the television receiver's composite sync signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1989
    Assignee: Tekbilt, Inc.
    Inventor: George M. Bruner, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4799677
    Abstract: There is provided a video game system utilizing a video disk as a read only memory to store digital video image data for use in generating the video game images. The video data is stored by compressing digitized video data using color cell compression and then further compressing the data to multi-level data encoded with partial response coding. The data is retrieved from the video disk ROM by using an inverse of this compression process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1989
    Assignee: Bally Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventor: Jeffrey E. Frederiksen
  • Patent number: 4798387
    Abstract: A gaming board for recording numbers, letters and/or other symbols which are selected at random during the game by the game operator is disclosed; the gaming board has the capacity to display and record several symbolic arrays, each of which has been predetermined and inputted by the game player prior to the start of the game; the board also provides for the recording and display of subarrays of a specified shape or character any one of which, if completed as a result of the selection of random numbers which correspond to the predetermined numbers prior to or simultaneous with another player completing the subarray, wins the game; the board further provides for the input by the game player of the randomly selected symbols in such a way as to be recorded on each of the several predetermined arrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1989
    Assignee: Selectro-Vision, Ltd.
    Inventor: John Richardson
  • Patent number: 4796891
    Abstract: A puzzle of the type having an array of movable tiles enclosed and supported by a frame structure includes circuitry for producing sound to identify each of the tiles. Each tile is formed with contact terminals formed on a surface that confronts a support surface of the frame. The support surface defines a number of predetermined locations at which the tiles can be positioned, each location being provided with contact terminals connected to the sound-producing circuitry. Each of the tiles is equipped with spring biasing so that when a tile is properly positioned at one of the predetermined locations and depressed, the contact terminals of the tile and the location are brought together. Each tile is provided with some electrical characteristic that causes a tone to be produced, identifying the tile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1989
    Assignee: Applied Design Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald E. Milner
  • Patent number: 4795155
    Abstract: A powder down door open memory latch circuit for a gaming device which determines whether a door on the gaming device has been opened during a power failure. The circuit includes a cam switch coupled to a lock on the door of the gaming device, the switch being actuated to provide a signal when the door is unlocked. The circuit also includes a hinge switch mounted adjacent a hinge connecting the door to the cabinet of the gaming device to provide a signal when the door is opened. Each of the switch signals is coupled to a respective battery powered memory latch to cause the latches to change from a cleared state to a second state when the door is unlocked and open. Upon the restoration of power after a powder failure, the main processor for the gaming device determines the states of the latches and if the memory latch states indicate that the door was unlocked and opened during a power failure, the processor tilts the gaming device to prevent further operation thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1989
    Inventor: Fulvio R. Grande
  • Patent number: 4793618
    Abstract: An electronic target game adapted for use with a display device which is disposed within the viewing region of the game. The preferred embodiment is a dart game employing "safe" darts and a dart board which is divided into a plurality of target sections and an associated pressure sensitive switch matrix. A microprocessor executes instructions stored in an EPROM memory unit which is easily removed and interchanged from the game. The EPROM memory unit contains instructions for a variety of dart games with different rules and procedures of play. The invention provides one or more displays for selecting a game and displaying scores, instructions and various game conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1988
    Assignee: Arachnid, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael L. Tillery, Paul F. Beall
  • Patent number: 4792137
    Abstract: An electronic implementation of the roulette wheel and the associate layout which provides electronic selection and automatic recognition and illumination of winning numbers and bets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1983
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1988
    Inventor: Ian C. McKechnie
  • Patent number: 4792145
    Abstract: A microprocessor based sound enhancement system in which frequencies outside of the auditory range of the human ear are translated into sound within the auditory range by translating each frequency component of the entire frequency spectrum of the input signal by a time scale compression factor. Preferably, a microprocessor transforms an electrical signal corresponding to the input signal into a frequency spectrum signal comprising frequency components having frequency, phase, and amplitude elements by performing a fast Fourier transform (FFT) operation on the input signal. The frequency components of this transformed signal are translated and the resulting translated frequency spectrum signal is transformed into a time varying output signal by performing an inverse FFT operation on the translated frequency spectrum signal. When heart pulses or similar periodic waveforms are monitored, the pulse rate of the signal is maintained in the output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1988
    Assignee: Sound Enhancement Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence Eisenberg, Michael Eisenberg
  • Patent number: 4789160
    Abstract: A device for insuring that the striking surface of a sports implement is properly oriented prior to the initiation and completion of a contact swing. Two position orientation sensors are affixed to the shaft of the sports implement. One sensor senses the roll position of the striking surface, and the second sensor senses the pitch position of the striking surface. When both of these sensors indicate that the striking surface is properly oriented, an audible signal is generated. This signal is maintained for as long as the striking surface is properly oriented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1988
    Inventors: William O. Dollar, Jr., Kenneth D. Smith
  • Patent number: 4784149
    Abstract: Infrared radiation emitted from tissue surface of body cavity is measured by an infrared sensor located within a probe which generates a signal voltage dependent on the difference in temperature between the tissue and the infrared sensor. An additional ambient sensor measures the ambient temperature of the infrared sensor. The signals of the two sensors are added. To calibrate and eliminate errors, the housing of the device is provided with a chamber shaped to receive the probe and containing a target viewed by the infrared sensor. An error signal is thus generated which is added to the signals of the two sensors when they view the body tissue. A disposable, sanitary cover for the probe is made of a truncated polyethylene member of substantially uniform thickness closed by an end window. A filter in the probe suppresses absorption bands of polyethylene to eliminate errors due to minor variations in cover thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1988
    Assignee: Optical Sensors, Inc.
    Inventors: Herbert L. Berman, Richard W. Singer
  • Patent number: 4783073
    Abstract: A savings bank gaming apparatus in which a game is played by inserting a coin and then by operating a keyboard and the game and results appear on a liquid crystal display. When a control circuit determines the game has been won, the inserted coin is returned to a coin return and when lost, directed to a coin storage box. The coin after insertion is held at a fork by a gate which then directs the coin to one of the two forks in accordance with the game results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1988
    Inventor: Chiba Kazumi
  • Patent number: 4773647
    Abstract: A slot machine of the type having a plurality of reels and pulse motors for rotating the respective reels wherein the pulse motors can be stopped individually by touching stop switches provided one for each of the respective reels. Every stop switch is provided with a light-emitting indicator for indicating that the stop switch is operable, and the stop switch becomes operable only when its corresponding pulse motor, and hence the associated reel, has reached a predetermined speed of rotation. In this way, the display of selected symbols cannot be controlled by the player stopping the reels during an initial phase of their movement when they are turning only very slowly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1988
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Universal
    Inventors: Kazuo Okada, Toshio Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 4772023
    Abstract: A slot machine having X series of symbols arranged side by side which selects a combination of symbols on a winning line. For the selection of a combination of symbols, a random number is sampled from a series of random numbers the number of which is 2.sup.n and is referred to symbol tables associated with each symbol series wherein are coded data on symbols of which the number is equal to the Xth root of 2.sup.n. A combination of symbols is thus selected with the same probability as for sampling a random number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1988
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Universal
    Inventor: Kazuo Okada
  • Patent number: 4772027
    Abstract: A board game which comprises a board on which objects can be placed by participating players. An electrically powered sensor/indicator device is mounted to the board, the device incorporating electronic logic circuitry and indicator elements connected to the logic circuitry. A plurality of triggering devices are electrically connected to the logic circuitry. The triggering devices are operable by players of the game and the logic circuitry is actuatable by the triggering devices to electrically operate the indicator elements to signify a player who has first operated one of the triggering devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1988
    Inventors: Robert J. Martel, Thomas G. Bishop
  • Patent number: 4772022
    Abstract: An apparatus for stopping a reel of a slot machine is provided, wherein the reel is rotated by a stepping motor which is driven with multi-phase drive pulses sequentially offset in phase. The apparatus includes a stop signal generator for generating a stop signal to be used for stopping the reel and a stop pulse generator circuit for simultaneously supplying stop pulses of the same phase to respective phases of the stepping motor to which the drive pulses are supplied. All of the respective phases of the motor are simultaneously magnetically excited responsive to the stop pulses received by the stepping motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1988
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Universal
    Inventor: Taihei Yoshitomi
  • Patent number: 4770416
    Abstract: A vocal game apparatus records arbitrary sounds and messages from game players. These recorded sounds correspond to input switches, which are different colors and contain a lamp for lighting. Players respond to the reproduced player recorded messages and the lighting of the lamps of the input switches in playing any of a plurality of games, all of which use the messages and light in some form, stored in memory of the vocal game apparatus. In a match game, the players must hit an input key in response to a match of a reproduced player message and lighting of a lamp of an input key. In a memory game, a player must correctly repeat a sequence of the colored input keys voiced by the vocal game apparatus by hitting the corresponding input keys in the proper order. The recorded messages may be changed as often as the players desire, thus giving the players a continuous interest in the vocal game apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1988
    Assignee: Tomy Kogyo Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Yousuke Shimizu, Ichirou Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 4767121
    Abstract: A golf simulating apparatus is capable of simulating play on a golf course and/or a driving range. A pivotally mounted resilient ball member (38) is arranged to be impacted with the head of a golf club as the club is swung by the player. Special sensors are associated with the ball member (38) to sense its velocity and any lateral deviation from a fixed plane of movement (Y-Y) thereby to provide signals representing a probable distance and direction of ball travel. These signals are applied to the input ports of a computer (80) which is programmed to provide output signals to a monitor (20) so that it displays a simulated golf course or driving range, with the simulated path of ball travel and/or landing position being displayed on the golf course or driving range. The program provides the golf course or driving range with selected hazards (water, sand, trees etc.).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1985
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1988
    Assignee: Joytec Ltd.
    Inventor: Peter S. Tonner