Patents Examined by Thien Mai
  • Patent number: 7165715
    Abstract: A coding scheme is provided that relates to a dimension of a user. The dimension may be a hand size. Depending on the dimension, a code in the coding scheme may be determined. The code indicates an optimal ergonomic setup for a user. A user may thus use the determined code to adjust the product to a position corresponding to the code. At this position, the product may be in an optimal ergonomic setup for the user. Alternatively, the user may select a product according to the determined code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: ACCO Brands USA LLC
    Inventors: Richard James Elgie, Timothy James Brophy, Adam Ackley Carr, David Pitcher, Vito Lore
  • Patent number: 7111775
    Abstract: A system and method for generating well qualified sales leads to a service provider, using a novel buckslip, brochure or coupon promoting a product or service not usually carried by a retailer. The buckslip has a universal product code (UPC) barcode which can be scanned at a retailer's point-of-sale device, along with the customer's retail loyalty card or other unique identifier that is linked to a database of customer contact information. The buckslip provides instructions to the customer to contact the service provider to purchase the service. In a daily process, the service provider sends a list of the customers who have purchased the service, to the retailer. The retailer then sends a list to the provider with contact information for interested customers who have not yet purchased the service, within a predetermined time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: PetCare Insurance Brokers Limited
    Inventors: Glen Tennison, Edward Mark Warren, Robert James Metras
  • Patent number: 7080776
    Abstract: Transaction card assemblies, systems and methods of making are provided. One such assembly includes a card carrier having a card integrally formed within. The card peripherally engages the card carrier and is adapted to be removed from the card carrier. An encodable strip is disposed on the card. The strip has first and second encodable tracks. The first encodable track is positioned to be read by a point-of-sale device when the card is engaged with the card carrier, and the second encodable track is positioned to be read by the point-of-sale device after the card is separated from the carrier. In this manner, the card can be read using the same point-of-sale device whether or not the card has been separated from the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: First Data Corporation
    Inventors: Cynthia M. Lewis, Kenneth Algiene, James F. Price, John R. Duesenberg
  • Patent number: 7059522
    Abstract: An object detecting apparatus comprises a case, a light radiation unit and a light receiver unit. The case has a light radiating window and a light receiving window. The light radiating window has a hydrophilic layer on the outermost surface of the light radiating window. The hydrophilic layer restricts water droplets remaining on the light radiating window from functioning as light collecting lenses, so that the light is radiated outward without being scattered by the water droplets. Specifically, the light radiating window further has a glass substrate at an innermost side and a photo-catalyst layer between the glass substrate and the hydrophilic layer. The hydrophilic layer is made of silicon dioxides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventor: Makoto Inomata
  • Patent number: 7059535
    Abstract: A transponder inlay for a document for personal identification is provided which has at least one ID page with a layered construction. The layered construction has a transponder substrate for positioning a transponder unit, and includes a chip unit and an antenna, and two inlay cover layers, which receives the transponder substrate between them. The transponder substrate is formed from a thermoplastic, and the inlay cover layers are made of a foamed plastic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Intec Holding GmbH
    Inventor: Manfred Rietzler
  • Patent number: 7055756
    Abstract: A method of fabricating an RFID antenna, the method comprising: (a) depositing a slurry upon a substrate in a predetermined pattern, the substrate including a plurality of micropores operative to drain a fluid component of the slurry from the surface of the substrate, while maintaining conductive particles of the slurry on a surface of the substrate; and (b) drying the conductive particles to secure the conductive particles upon a surface of the substrate and provide a conductive antenna. The invention also includes an RFID tag comprising: (a) a substrate including a plurality of micropores; (b) a microchip; and (c) an RFID antenna in electrical communication with the microchip and contacting the substrate, the RFID antenna comprising conductive particles deposited upon the substrate by ejecting a slurry from an inkjet printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank E. Anderson, Yimin Guan
  • Patent number: 7055742
    Abstract: A voting application on a computing device of a voter sends a challenge including data identifying and verifying the voter, the challenge is validated to ensure that the identified voter allowed to vote, and a response is sent with a vote identification value identifying the voter as being activated. A ballot is then sent to the voting application and presented thereby to the voter based on which voting information is gathered from the voter. The voting application then sends a vote package with the vote identification value and the gathered voting information, and the vote package is validated to ensure that the vote identification value matches the vote identification value matches. The voting information from the vote package is then tallied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Suyash Sinha
  • Patent number: 7028910
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method of manufacturing a module intended to create a portable object with chip and antenna. The portable object comprises an antenna and a chip placed on an insulating substrate. The antenna comprises a plurality of turns. The method comprises a first step in which an insulating substrate with at least one side is provided. The method is characterised in that it further comprises a second step in which an individual housing opening in the said side is made for each of the said turns and a third step in which said antenna comprising a plurality of turns is made by placing a conducting material in each individual housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Schlumberger, Systemes
    Inventors: Yves Reignoux, Joseph Leibenguth, Stephane Provost, Jocelyne Chesneau, Fabrizio Serra
  • Patent number: 7021548
    Abstract: A photosensor cover and kit for detecting a malfunction in a lighting system, wherein the lighting system comprises an illuminator and a photosensor. The photosensor comprises a photocell that detects a threshold amount of light and electronic circuitry in communication with the photocell that signals the illuminator to turn on/off when the threshold amount of light has been detected by the photocell. The photosensor cover comprises a cap comprising: a barrier layer comprising an opening, wherein the barrier layer is disposed over the housing body such that the barrier layer covers the photocell. The photosensor cover further comprises an adjustment element that allows for the expansion or contraction of the opening, and wherein the adjustment element assists in preventing the threshold amount of light from reaching the photocell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Inventor: Jason A. Rocca
  • Patent number: 7014121
    Abstract: A method of self-detecting and dynamically displaying detected results for a card reader used to read flash memory cards includes the steps of sending out a detecting code to each card slot or any flash memory card inserted therein via detecting circuits provided on and controlled by a control chip in the card reader; storing a detected state code sent back by the detecting circuits in a state register of the control chip; sending the state code from the state register to a computer; comparing and determining the state code in the computer; displaying a current state of the card slot or the flash memory card inserted therein on a screen of the computer; and periodically repeating the self-detecting and displaying to always show the most current state of the card slots on the card reader or the inserted flash memory card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Alcor Micro, Corp.
    Inventors: Chi-Tung Chang, HUng-Chou Tsai, Chao-Yu Chen