Patents Examined by Robin C. Clark
  • Patent number: 6006600
    Abstract: The invention herein relates to a kind of tire pressure alarm device that mainly consists of a cap installed on a connector body, with a trigger device and a power supply fixture installed within the internal space surrounded by the said connector body and the said cap; a pressure switch that includes an active recessed seat having a circular contact edge and which is capable of upward and downward movement within the confines of a guide ring mount, with the lower section positioned against the top of a diaphragm; a hollow threaded base that is fastened onto a mounting base at the upper extent of the active recessed seat and in which the coil spring contained inside the active recessed seat is secured with an adjustment screw; and a conductive ring, the circular edge of which contacts the outer circumference of the active recessed seat such that electric power is conducted between the conductive ring and the trigger device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Inventor: Li-Hua Cheng
  • Patent number: 5974859
    Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for measuring coupled flow, transport and reaction processes under liquid unsaturated flow conditions. The method and apparatus of the present invention permit distinguishing individual precipitation events and their effect on dissolution behavior isolated to the specific event. The present invention is especially useful for dynamically measuring hydraulic parameters when a chemical reaction occurs between a particulate material and either liquid or gas (e.g. air) or both, causing precipitation that changes the pore structure of the test material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
    Inventors: Bernard P. McGrail, Paul F. Martin, Clark W. Lindenmeier
  • Patent number: 5965813
    Abstract: A flow sensor comprises a heater module, a fluid temperature sensor and a Wheatstone bridge module. In the heater module, a heater is disposed very close to a heater temperature sensor and an insulation layer electrically isolates these two elements. The heater and the heater temperature sensor are disposed together on a floating membrane positioned normally to the fluid flow. The Wheatstone bridge module regulates electric current supplied to the heater, based on a constant temperature difference between the heater and the fluid, and provides voltage information of the electric current. A microprocessor converts the voltage information into velocity of fluid to be measured. A bypass channel is designed to adjust flow impedance of the fluid. Further disclosed is a fluid temperature sensor with the same design of the heater module whereby the factor of flow direction of the fluid may be ignored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: Industry Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Yue-Min Wan, Ching-Yi Wu
  • Patent number: 5957580
    Abstract: A method is provided for judging whether an ink-containing medium which is used for absorbing an ink is applicable to an ink cartridge. The method includes steps of (a) getting a first value A of a physical parameter of the ink-containing medium, (b) immersing the ink-containing medium into an ink container containing the ink under an immersion temperature for an immersion time, (c) washing the ink-containing medium, (d) drying the ink-containing medium under a dry temperature and a dry pressure, (e) getting a second value B of the physical parameter of the ink-containing medium, (f) calculating a relative change of the physical parameter of the ink-containing medium from the values of the physical parameters of the ink-containing medium, and (g) rejecting the ink-containing medium when the relative change of the physical parameter of the ink-containing medium is larger than a specific value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Microjet Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tse-Chi Mou, Yi-Jing Leu, Arnold Chang-Mou Yang, Ta-Wei Hsueh, Li-Hsing Peng, Ya-Hui Wang
  • Patent number: 5948959
    Abstract: A method is presented to calibrate the transfer function for a fluid-filled compliant cylinder as a function of wavenumber and frequency. An air-filled compliant cylinder has a first linear array of force sensors coupled to the cylinder's exterior surface. A turbulent flow field is generated in a fluid environment about the first linear array which generates an output indicative of pressure incident thereupon. A fluid-filled compliant cylinder identical in diameter to the air-filled compliant cylinder houses a second linear array of force sensors. A similar turbulent flow field is generated in the fluid environment about the fluid-filled complaint cylinder to generate an output indicative of pressure incident upon the second linear array. The ratio of outputs is indicative of the transfer function of the fluid-filled compliant cylinder. Each output can be further adjusted by a calibrated sensitivity of the corresponding first and second linear arrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Mark S. Peloquin
  • Patent number: 5943423
    Abstract: Smart token technology, using a smart card, PCMCIA card or any other medium containing storage or processing capability is used to facilitate a variety of secure business transactions, including those which might occur over an unsecured network such as the Internet. Application programs can obtain a variety of smart token services using a common application programming interface. Applications of the smart token technology to electronic cash, banking, credit, computer and network access, software distribution, medical handling and issuance of credentials are presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1999
    Assignee: Entegrity Solutions Corporation
    Inventor: Sead Muftic
  • Patent number: 5933501
    Abstract: A `virtual` encryption scheme combines selected ones of plurality of different encryption operators stored in an encryption operator database into a compound sequence of encryption operators. Data to be transported from a data source site, such as a user workstation, to a data recipient site, such as another workstation, is sequentially encrypted by performing a compound sequential data flow through this sequence prior to transmission. Because of the use of successively different encryption operators, the final output of the sequence will be a compound-encrypted data stream that has no readily discernible encryption footprint. Therefore, even if a skilled data communications usurper possesses a decryption key for each encryption operators, there is a very low likelihood that he would be able to recognize the characteristics of any individual encryption operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1999
    Assignee: Harris Corporation
    Inventor: James Leppek
  • Patent number: 5932815
    Abstract: A monitoring system measures the tensile load on a ship's rode (the cable, chain or rope connecting the ship to its anchor) and also measures the velocity and direction of the wind and the velocity of the current that produce the rode load. From those measured values, the system calculates wind and current resistance factors enabling it to model rode load as a function of wind and current velocity. When the behavior of the monitored rode load departs from the behavior predicted by the model in a manner that is symptomatic of a catastrophic or dragging anchor system failure, the anchor monitoring system signals an alarm. An alarm is also produced if the rode load approaches the tensile strength of the rode. The system also tests the anchor holding strength of the sea bed and provides anchor load information helpful to a skipper when motoring into the wind. The monitoring system senses rode load by using a load cell to laterally deflect the rode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1999
    Inventor: Donald J. Dodds
  • Patent number: 5933504
    Abstract: A cryptosystem utilizes the properties of discrete logs in finite groups, either in a public key message exchange or in a key exchange and generation protocol. If the group selected has subgroups of relatively small order, the message may be exponentiated by a factor of the order of the group to place the message in a subgroup of relatively small order. To inhibit such substitution, the base or generator of the cryptosystem is chosen to be a generator of a subgroup of prime order or a subgroup of an order having a number of relatively small divisors. The message may be exponentiated to each of the relatively small divisors and the result checked for the group identity. If the group identity is found, it indicates a vulnerability to substitution and is rejected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1999
    Assignee: Certicom Corp.
    Inventors: Scott A. Vanstone, Alfred John Menezes, Minghua Qu
  • Patent number: 5929332
    Abstract: A sensor shoe attached to a power source for sensing conditions of a foot positioned within the sensor shoe. The sensor shoe includes a base, a foot receiving portion extending from the base and an inner sole positioned within the foot receiving portion and atop the base. The inner sole includes a plurality of sensors positioned about an area of the inner sole for sensing conditions within the foot receiving portion and generating signals representative of the sensed conditions. A microcomputer is connected to receive the generated signals from the plurality of sensors and analyzes the signals to determine if a critical situation exists. A medication reservoir containing medication therein is connected to the microcomputer for releasing the medication upon a determination by the microcomputer that a critical situation exists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Inventor: Norma Brown
  • Patent number: 5922973
    Abstract: Apparatus for sample volatilization and collection has a housing which includes volatilization and collection equipment mounting adaptation(s) and a pressure gage for monitoring internal pressure of such equipment. The housing can contain power and/or power line(s) to include for heating the equipment and/or providing a vacuum for the equipment, and/or a device for providing an internal vacuum for the equipment; additional condition monitoring gage(s), and so forth. The apparatus can include the equipment, which can be especially adapted for Noack-type testing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Assignee: Tannas Co.
    Inventors: Theodore W. Selby, Richard H. Hall, Joseph S. Trombley, James R. Cotter, Marc J. Hildebrandt
  • Patent number: 5918982
    Abstract: A temperature detecting circuit detects the rise of ambient temperature, using a forward voltage drop across a diode. The temperature detecting circuit comprises a temperature detecting diode whose cathode is grounded, a first constant current supply device connected with the anode of the temperature detecting diode, for supplying a constant current Ia to the temperature-detecting diode, a rectifying diode whose cathode is connected with the anode of the temperature detecting diode, a second constant current supply device connected with the anode of the rectifying diode, for supplying a constant current Ib to the temperature-detecting diode, a comparator, and a transistor. When the voltage at the anode of the temperature-detecting diode is lower than a reference voltage, the comparator produces a high-level signal indicative of overheating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Junichi Nagata, Junji Hayakawa, Hiroyuki Ban
  • Patent number: 5917908
    Abstract: A file protection system for protecting a file which is stored in a storage unit includes a storage position deciding unit for deciding a positional-information corresponding to an area in which information of the file is stored in the storage unit and an encryption unit for encrypting the information of the file in accordance with a predetermined algorithm using at least a part of the positional-information decided by the storage position deciding unit. Information obtained by the encryption unit is stored in the area identified by the positional-information in the storage unit. A file protection system is operable when information of a file which was encrypted as described above is read out from a storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Masahiko Takenaka, Takayuki Hasebe, Naoya Torii, Noboru Iwayama
  • Patent number: 5917145
    Abstract: Apparatus for and a method of measuring the temperature of molten aluminum or aluminum alloys. The apparatus comprises a temperature measuring device, usually a thermocouple, contained within a protective tubular sheath, the sheath enclosing the temperature measuring device at least to a point above the point of maximum immersion in molten aluminum during use of the apparatus. The sheath comprises at least one inner layer closed at one end, and an outer layer, the outer layer being made of steel or cast iron, and the inner layer being made of a continuous refractory material. The outer layer and the at least one inner layer are free of discontinuous (refractory) refractory materials between them. The continuous refractory material may be, for example, a carbon fiber-reinforced carbon or graphite fiber-reinforced calcium silicate refractory, and is resistant to failure in, i.e. penetration by, molten aluminum or aluminum alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Assignee: Alcan International Limited
    Inventors: Luc Parent, Sylvain P. Tremblay
  • Patent number: 5918277
    Abstract: Present invention provides an apparatus for measuring directional rainfall or snow incorporating variables of a drainage basin including slope of topography and vertical barriers and direction of wind vector all of which are calibrated to the drainage basin. The apparatus includes an angular collection unit having a main angle and a secondary angle and a vertical capture plate adjusted at the height representative of vertical and a positioning unit which positions the angular collection unit in the direction of wind. Using the apparatus, rainfall or snowfall is measured as a function of basin topography and wind conditions eliminating a large number of rainfall and snowfall gauges for averaging purposes to obtain more representative and accurate measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Inventor: G. George Yilmaz
  • Patent number: 5913241
    Abstract: An apparatus for estimating an air pressure of a tire of a tired wheel of a motor vehicle, on the basis of a temperature of the tire as well as a motion of the tired wheel, preferably including a temperature-related variable sensor for detecting a temperature-related variable related to the temperature of the tire, and an estimating device for estimating the air pressure of the tire on the basis of the temperature-related variable as well as the motion of the tired wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1999
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideki Ohashi, Hiroyuki Kawai, Hiroyoshi Kojima, Takeyasu Taguchi, Kenji Fujiwara, Takaji Umeno
  • Patent number: 5907097
    Abstract: A tire pressure drop detecting method, which executes a pneumatic pressure drop judging processing for autocruise traveling when the vehicle is in a state of autocruise traveling. It is judged based on a front/rear acceleration of the vehicle whether the vehicle is in a state of autocruise traveling or not. Furthermore, the pneumatic pressure drop judging processing for autocruise traveling is performed by using a judging threshold value which is set to become smaller as the speed of the vehicle becomes larger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1999
    Assignees: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Sumito Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Mikao Nakajima
  • Patent number: 5901227
    Abstract: A key escrow technique reliably notifies an encrypting principal about escrow authorities requiring access to a secret key used to encrypt information and, further, about how much of that key is required by the authorities. The technique comprises a mechanism for storing escrow instructions pertaining to the authorities' keys in a designated location accessible by the encrypting principal. For example, the designated location may comprise a licensing string of a hardware or software add-on module needed to activate a cryptographic system of a data processing system. The escrow instructions may be further stored in an escrow formation field of a certificate. Here, the certificate may be the encrypting principal's certificate, a recipient principal's certificate and/or any certificate authority's certificate needed for the encrypting principal to verify the recipient principal's certificate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: Novell, Inc.
    Inventor: Radia J. Perlman