Patents Examined by S. Paik
  • Patent number: 7445156
    Abstract: A data management device and library are provided for organizing, holding, and providing electrical connectivity to multiple memory cards. The data management device can comprise a device body, a plurality of sockets to accommodate the data storage media, an electrical connector, and a power management circuit. Data can be retrieved from or transferred to the selected memory cards utilizing the device. The data management library can be utilized to interconnect multiple devices and can be daisy chained to other libraries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Inventor: James A. McDonald
  • Patent number: 7445153
    Abstract: A method and a mobile terminal where reproduction of a security barcode in a mobile terminal including a special function is prevented. When a security function is executed, a security barcode corresponding to security barcode generation information is generated and the special function is controlled. When the security function is released, the generated security barcode is removed and the control of the special function is released. When the special function is executed, execution information of the special function is stored. When the security function is executed again, the execution information of the special function is added to the security barcode generation information so as to generate new security barcode generation information. A security barcode corresponding to the new security barcode generation information is generated, and the generated security barcode is displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mun-Ho Bae, Moon-Heui Lee
  • Patent number: 7434729
    Abstract: A method comprises the steps of: receiving, at a host computer, a request from a provider for payment for a charge incurred by a purchaser; identifying a plurality of funding sources of the purchaser from which to draw funds for payment of the charge; and causing at least one of the plurality of funding sources to be debited for at least a portion of the purchasing amount of the item based on the payment authorization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher P. Cracchiolo, Jason S. Jagatic, Ahana M. Kalappa, Mark C. Keck, Shari Pincock, Todd H. Reynders, Sunil Sachdev
  • Patent number: 7428999
    Abstract: A MEMS-based reader has an extended range of working distances for reading bar code symbols. A digitizer resolves the edges of bar code symbols when located at far-away distances from the reader within the working range. The digitizer includes a differentiator for differentiating the analog signal to generate a first derivative signal, a peak detector for detecting voltage peaks in the first derivative signal, and a comparator for comparing voltage drops after the voltage peaks with a predetermined voltage value, and for determining the presence of each edge when each voltage drop at least equals, and preferably exceeds, the predetermined voltage value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Edward Barkan
  • Patent number: 7427029
    Abstract: A valuable document comprising at least one security element that is provided with a marking layer in a marking region, the layer containing an electroluminescent pigment and being applied to a carrier body. The electroluminescence of the pigment of one such valuable document must be able to be excited even with comparably low, externally applied field intensities. To this end, a plurality of electrically insulated field displacement elements having a minimum dielectric constant of 100 are distributed over the surface of the marking region, the field displacement elements being at a distance of approximately between 5 ?m to 500 ?m from each other and compressing the applied field in the gaps thereinbetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: Bundesdruckerei GmbH
    Inventors: Anett Bailleu, Arnim Franz-Burgholz, Hans Demanowski, Daniel Grammlich, Manfred Paeschke, Konstantin Pötschke, Martin Sprenger
  • Patent number: 7416115
    Abstract: This invention provides a system and method for authorizing automated value transfers from an account available to users who do not have a pre-existing trust, business or financial relationship. In an embodiment of the present invention, a Sender at a first location purchases a PIN Card at a point of sale, such as a retail location or a bank teller. The Sender contacts an intended Recipient at a remote location and discloses a Transfer PIN associated with the PIN Card, as well as the amount being transferred, to that intended Recipient. The Recipient needs only the Transfer PIN and a Cash Card to receive the money transfer at a participating remote location. To receive the value associated with the PIN Card, the Recipient inserts or swipes the Cash Card at an ATM and enters the Transfer PIN. An authorization system then authorizes the dispensing unit to dispense that value amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignees: American Cash Exchange, L.L.C., American Cash Exchange, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald C. Licciardello, Lawrence Greenberg, Alex Peterhans, David Romero, Debra Lynn Licciardello
  • Patent number: 7417207
    Abstract: A hob comprising a plurality of radiant heating devices, each of which is further comprised of a support and a heat conductor mounted thereon. An elongate and tubular temperature sensor having a temperature sensitive element in a glass envelope extends along the support and is embedded therein to such a degree so as to project only slightly upwards. Ends of the temperature sensor with connections extend to the edge of the support or even project beyond.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: E.G.O. Elektro-Geraetebau GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Wittenhagen, Wolfgang Thimm, Eugen Wilde
  • Patent number: 7414224
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods of thermally treating a wafer or other substrate, such as rapid thermal processing (RTP) apparatus and methods are disclosed. An array of radiant lamps directs radiation to the back side of a wafer to heat the wafer. In one or more embodiments, the front side of the wafer on which the patterned integrated circuits are being formed faces a radiant reflector. In one or more embodiments, the wafer is thermally monitored for temperature and reflectivity from the side of the reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Wolfgang Aderhold, Sundar Ramamurthy, Aaron Hunter
  • Patent number: 7411161
    Abstract: A susceptor for deposition process equipment is provided. The susceptor includes a heater that heats the susceptor. The heater includes a sheath. The sheath surrounds a heating wire and is filled with an insulating ceramic material. An isolation layer is formed opposing ends of the sheath to isolate the ceramic material from the ambient environment. The isolation layer is formed from a lead/glass mixture that blocks moisture in the ambient environment from being absorbed by the insulating material. Input/output terminals are connected to the heating wire. The input/output terminals pass through the isolation layer and are exposed to the ambient environment. Current is supplied to the heating wire through the input/output terminals to heat the heating wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: LG. Display Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Hong Yeol Kim
  • Patent number: 7407105
    Abstract: A laser scanner with a 2D resonant electrostatic micro-mirror has improved aiming visibility, reduced tilt dependence and improved read range. The laser scanner has a field of view that defines a 3D volume and utilizes a laser beam in a light path that is thin relative to the 3D volume. Physical pixel height is enlarged to aid optical imaging plane alignment. A selective filter centered on the lighting wavelength is placed in the image path. The height of the pixel may be artificially induced to be m*w, where m is the lens magnification and w is the light thickness. Diagonal progressive scanning is used to maximize the frequency values so shock resistance of the mirror is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Intermec IP Corp.
    Inventor: Jean-Louis Massieu
  • Patent number: 7407104
    Abstract: A two-dimensional code detector detecting a two-dimensional code including a plurality of position identifying patterns and an information pattern and generating control information for an object provided with the two-dimensional code, the two-dimensional code detector includes: an image input unit which inputs an acquired image obtained by an image pickup of the object; a pattern detection unit which detects position identifying patterns within the acquired image; a position/posture calculation unit which calculates position/posture information indicating a position and posture of the two-dimensional code in a three-dimensional space based on a two-dimensional position of the position identifying patterns detected by the pattern detection unit; a decoding device which decodes the information pattern; and a control information generating unit which generates the control information based on the decoded information decoded by the decoding device and the position/posture information calculated by the position/p
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chiaki Aoyama
  • Patent number: 7401733
    Abstract: The present invention discloses systems and methods for a smart card including: a first card having a device; and a second card having an aperture that is configured to allow a device to be inserted into an aperture when the second card is properly aligned with the first card, thereby allowing a device to protrude into an aperture. Optionally, the first card includes an aperture, and the second card includes a device, so that an aperture of the first card accommodates a device of the second card when the first card is properly aligned with the second card. Optionally, the apertures and the devices are configured to allow a stack of a plurality of the first and second cards to be densely packed Optionally, a card includes a magnetic stripe, an electronic circuit, and/or an embedded electrically-conductive wire for operationally connecting a device to a connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: SanDisk Il Ltd
    Inventor: Itzhak Pomerantz
  • Patent number: 7401730
    Abstract: A self-service deposit terminal for bank notes, in the deposited notes are subjected to an acceptance procedure in which the deposited notes are passed through a note validator and a decision is made regarding the validity of the notes, so as to differentiate between: a) authentic notes; b) counterfeit notes; and c) suspect notes. Reject notes are then separated from authentic notes and diverted to a purge bin. On route to the purge bin counterfeit notes are marked, so as to render them unusable and suspect notes are marked without rendering them unusable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Chao He, Gary Ross
  • Patent number: 7401736
    Abstract: A card reader for reading magnetic stripe cards which are manually inserted, and withdrawn, by a user. The card is constrained to follow a path which displaces the card laterally while the card is outside the reader, and before the magnetic stripe reaches a magnetic sensor within the reader. The lateral displacement prevents an illicit magnetic sensor, positioned externally to the reader by a hacker, from reading the magnetic stripe, since the stripe is moving in an incorrect direction while the card is external to the reader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventor: David C. C. May
  • Patent number: 7398928
    Abstract: A coded target used in photogrammetry, the target being circular and including at least two concentric coding rings with at least two equal angular sectors, arranged around a central area including a central disk with a uniform color surrounded by a ring with a complementary color, itself surrounded by a ring the same color as the central disk. A photogrammetry process automatically detects and identifies targets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Francois Gaspard, Sylvie Naudet, Eric Noirfalise, Patrick Sayd
  • Patent number: 7395964
    Abstract: Methods, systems and program products for securely voting by providing a secure voting module in communication with a voting device. A voter signs onto the voting device using a unique voter identification, and the voter's voting selections are written to the voting device. A scrambled voter identification is generated using the unique voter identification and a unique encryption value of the secure voting module, whereby the voting selections and the scrambled voter identification are stored in the secure voting module. Once voting has ended, first and second fuses are blown within the secure voting module for destroying the unique encryption value and for permanently storing the voting selections and scrambled voter identification in a read only secure voting module that maintains voter anonymity while preventing any further physically writing thereto. The voting results may then be counted, re-counted or validated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jay H. Anderson, Edward E. Kelley, Franco Motika
  • Patent number: 7395965
    Abstract: A free-standing bulk depositor includes wheels or other mechanical contrivances that enable the unit to be moved from place to place, for example to different tables on the floor of a casino, and includes various currency and/or document processing devices, including a transport mechanism that feeds a stack of documents past at least one sensing/imaging device, a logic unit that sends the documents to appropriate cassettes or drop boxes depending on the type of document and whether the document can be authenticated, and an escrow spool that holds suspect documents while images of the suspect documents are being reviewed in case the logic unit cannot determine whether a document is authentic. The documents may be banknotes, tickets, vouchers, coupons, or other documents having an identifiable value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient America, Inc.
    Inventor: Thedfred E. Franks, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7395968
    Abstract: A holographic laser scanner of ultra-compact design capable of reading bar and other types of graphical indicia within a large scanning volume using holographic optical elements and visible laser diodes. The holographic optical elements are arranged on the scanning disc in such a manner so that none of the laser scanning planes generated within the 3-D scanning volume of the system are spatially and temporally coincident with any other laser scanning plane within the 3-D scanning volume. This novel feature of the present invention ensures that there is substantially zero cross-talk at the plurality of photodetectors provided within the system, significantly improving the performance of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Metrologic Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: LeRoy Dickson, Frank Check, John Groot, C. Harry Knowles
  • Patent number: 7392944
    Abstract: In one embodiment, at least one information control device manages the content displayed on multiple separate portable, content adjustable personal identification devices. The information control device automatically selects at least one content specification for transmission to any portable, content adjustable personal identification devices moving either into or out of a particular area delimited by a boundary secured by the information control device. The information control device then transmits the selected content specification for detection by portable, content adjustable personal identification devices, wherein the content specification directs display of identification content on each of the portable, content adjustable personal identification devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Johnny M. Shieh
  • Patent number: RE40449
    Abstract: A voting system provides for a computer-prepared and computer-printed election ballot generated by input from the voter, and provides for auto-verification whereby the voter has the opportunity and the responsibility to inspect the computer-printed ballot with his or her votes. The voting system also provides for correction of the votes of the voter in the computer station and correction of the votes of the voter shown on the printed ballot if such votes are not shown on the printed ballot as intended by the voter. Ultimately, the voter is presented with a printed ballot prepared by the voting station and its connected printer which accurately presents the votes of the voter for submission by the voter for final tabulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Inventors: Anthony I. Provitola, Michael R. McDermott