Patents Examined by Tuyet T. Vo
  • Patent number: 6538385
    Abstract: A cathode-ray tube includes a plate having a first hole on a first surface of the plate and a second hole on a second surface of the plate. The first and second holes coupled together to allow electron beams to pass therethrough. The plate is a unitary structure. The first hole is formed by initiating a first hole formation from the first surface, and the second hole is formed by initiating a second hole formation from the second surface. The first surface is on an opposing side of the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Electronic Devices Co.
    Inventors: Osami Kanetoo, Takehisa Yoshikawa, Keii Ueno, Naozumi Hatada, Satoru Endo, Takeshi Mera, Yoshiaki Takahashi, Shinichi Kato
  • Patent number: 6534921
    Abstract: A method of removing metal-containing polymeric material and ion implanted or plasma damaged photoresist from a surface using a plasma jet system, by generating radicals having high energy and high density from atmospheric plasma by introducing a reactant gas to the plasma, and placing the surface at a distance from the plasma, whereby ionic reaction on the surface is minimized while the removing action of the radicals on the surface is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang-Hun Seo, Kyeong-Koo Chi, Ji-Soo Kim, Chang-Woong Chu, Seung-Pil Chung
  • Patent number: 6535234
    Abstract: A method for setting the amount of light in an array of light-emitting thyristors, each thyristor having I-L characteristic in which a luminous efficiency is decreased in a lower current field, is provided. According to the method, the amount of light emitted from a light-emitting thyristor is set so that a predetermined exposure energy may be obtained without decreasing a luminous efficiency of a light-emitting thyristor. The density D of a current to be supplied to the light-emitting thyristor to obtain a predetermined exposure energy is selected so as to satisfy the range of 3×Dth<D<100 MA/m2, wherein Dth is a threshold current density for light emission which is defined as a current density corresponding to the value of a current at a point where a tangent drawn at the value of a current corresponding to a current density of 50 MA/m2 with respect to the curve of the I-L characteristic intersects a current axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiji Ohno, Yukihisa Kusuda, Shunsuke Ohtsuka, Yasunao Kuroda, Takahisa Arima, Hideaki Saitou
  • Patent number: 6534928
    Abstract: A method for driving a cold cathode flat fluorescent lamp (CCFFL). The method comprises the steps of generating a pulse-combined signal, applying the pulse-combined signal to an inverter driver circuit which is electrically connected to the CCFFL and causes it to light up, and adjusting the pulse width and the pulse period so that the CCFFL is at a maximum luminance while a luminance uniformity thereof is maximum. Based on the pulse width and the pulse period, the luminance uniformity of the CCFFL is constant while the CCFFL is adjusted for a desired luminance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: Delta Optoelectronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Hsien Jen Li, Chih Jung Yu
  • Patent number: 6531835
    Abstract: A back lighting source module for a liquid crystal display comprises a pulse width modulation (PWM) controller for providing a pulse width signal to control output current of a lighting element. A half bridge converter includes two power transistors connected in series. An output is formed in a middle between the two power transistors. The output is controllable by the signal from the PWM controller to perform alternating opening and closing. A resonance circuit generates a sine-wave voltage to empower the lighting element. A feedback circuit includes a resistor. When a load varies, a voltage signal generated between two ends of the resistor of the feedback circuit timely changes a conductive time of the power transistors of the half bridge converter to complete regulation of current passing through the lighting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: Ambit Microsystems Corporation
    Inventors: Jason Chen, Peter Liu
  • Patent number: 6531836
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a light switch designed physically similarly to a present day conventional light switch having a face plate and on/off switching capability for connection to standard house current using 110/115 volts AC electricity. The present invention discloses the light switch having memory capability wherein the light usage patterns actually used by the household resident can be stored into memory so that when the household residents are away from home they can activate the memory of the present invention so that the light switches are operated in their absence according to the actual usage pattern which has been exhibited by them while present in the house.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Inventor: Kevin Jones
  • Patent number: 6528950
    Abstract: An electro-optical device is provided having a pixel portion with a novel structure, and in which display irregularities such as crosstalk, which develop due to a drop in voltage caused by the wiring resistance of electric current supply lines in an electro-optical device, are improved upon. Attention is drawn to the fact that during a period in which write in of a signal to a pixel from a signal line is not performed, a signal is not input to a source signal line and to a gate signal line, but are at a fixed electric potential. An electric current supply line and a source signal line, or an electric current supply line and a gate signal line, are connected through a switching transistor. A signal is input to a connection control line during a sustain period, and the connection transistor is made conductive. The source signal line or the gate signal line is therefore utilized as a pathway for supplying electric current to the EL element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hajime Kimura
  • Patent number: 6528955
    Abstract: A flasher ballast system includes a high frequency instant start ballast and one or more transformers. The high frequency instant start ballast may provide the strike voltage and perform the current limiting functions for a fluorescent lamp. The transformers may be electrically coupled to one or both of the filaments of a fluorescent lamp to provide a low voltage to the filaments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Q2100, Inc.
    Inventors: Galen R. Powers, Mathew C. Lattis
  • Patent number: 6525493
    Abstract: A high-instantaneous, low-average current ballast is used in an accelerated weathering apparatus. The ballast includes a DC voltage generator or front end, to generate a high DC voltage, which produces a charging current to charge an arc capacitor. The energy on the arc capacitor is selectively released into a xenon lamp as short, high-current pulses. A starting transformer acts to strike an arc in the lamp. A switch is connected between the capacitor and the lamp, and is used to control generation of current pulses developed for the xenon lamp. A timer is implemented to control operation of the transformer and switch to selectively generate the current pulses for the xenon lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Q-Panel Lab Products
    Inventors: Douglas M. Grossman, Kenneth A. Roll, Gregory Fedor
  • Patent number: 6522092
    Abstract: A structure in which first to third diodes cause signal beams which are produced by modulating image signals to be incident upon corresponding first to third light deflection scanning sections. The first to third light deflection scanning sections perform line scanning operations using the incident light signal beams. First to third light amplifiers amplify the light signal beams used for the line scanning to necessary brightnesses. A light-wave synthesizer synthesizes the amplified light signal beams into one light beam. A light post scanning section performs frame scanning using the synthesized light beam in order to project it onto a screen. Accordingly, it is possible to display a highly bright image at a low cost on a large screen that realizes high definition and color reproducibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Michihiko Sakurai, Kazuhito Hori, Takuya Makino
  • Patent number: 6522086
    Abstract: A photo-curing light system in which a modulation of the light intensity or output is controlled via an analogue control voltage to the control line output of the lamp power supply. The control signal results in the lamp current being reduced from its maximum value to a lower value on a continuous and repeated basis thereby modulating the light and reducing the heating value to surrounding material such as tooth structure during the curing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Air Techniques, Inc.
    Inventors: Elliot R. Gemunder, Hyeok-Jae Chi
  • Patent number: 6522079
    Abstract: A single shared line (VLc) is provided as a power source line (VL) between two display pixels disposed adjoining each other in a row direction. Such a layout with the shared line (VLc) makes it possible to set the width of the shared line (VLc) equal to the sum of twice the width (Wd) of the power source line and the space (Ws) between the lines, even with the area of a single pixel is the same as in a conventional design. As a result, an increase in line resistance of the power source line can be suppressed, and variation in display luminance in accordance with the distance from a power source terminal due to a voltage drop can be reliably reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsutomu Yamada
  • Patent number: 6522084
    Abstract: An electrodeless discharge lamp operating apparatus includes a transparent discharge vessel (1) in which a luminescent substance is enclosed; a coil (3) for generating an alternating electromagnetic field that discharges the luminescent substance; a power source (4) for supplying alternating current to the coil (3). The coil (3) comprises at least a magnetic material, and is disposed on an inner side than the outer side wall of the discharge vessel (1), and the luminescent substance comprises at least a rare gas, and does not comprise mercury.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Miyazaki, Toshiaki Kurachi, Mamoru Takeda, Katsushi Seki, Young-Jae Cho
  • Patent number: 6518707
    Abstract: A string of miniature holiday lamps connected in a series circuit with each lamp having an indicating device connected in parallel to its respective lamp. The indicating device is operated in response to the non functioning of the lamp with which it is connected in parallel. When the lamp fails, the full line voltage of the series circuit passes through the indicating device causing it to activate, signaling the non functioning lamp. The signaling device can be a resistor associated with a thermochromic paint that changes color when activated by the heat from the resistor, a sound alarm, an odor activated device or an electroluminescent light. In another embodiment the signaling device can be used to indicate a circuit having a resistive load is energized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: DG Partnership An Illinois General Partnership
    Inventors: Bernard J. Gershen, John DeCosmo
  • Patent number: 6519548
    Abstract: Provided is a diver's information processing device for notifying a diver of a change in a pressure decrease ratio, at which pressure decreases during surfacing, for the purpose of minimizing the risk of a diver's decompression sickness and excess pulmonary expansion. In particular, when diving is performed at a high altitude, notification is made so that a pressure decrease ratio will be held lower than a pressure decrease ratio permitted at a low altitude. A diver's information processing device 1 includes means that uses a pressure meter 61 and a timer 68 to calculate a pressure decrease ratio. Moreover, the diver's information processing device 1 includes means that uses an acoustic notifier 37, a vibration generator 38, and a display panel 11 to continuously notify a pressure decrease ratio, at which pressure applied to a diver decreases during surfacing, for the purpose of minimizing the dangers of diver's surfacing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masao Kuroda, Hitomi Aizawa
  • Patent number: 6515428
    Abstract: A pixel structure of an active matrix full-color OLED display device and its manufacturing method are provided. The pixel structure of the display device comprises two thin film transistors, a storage capacitor, a color filter, and an OLED device structure constructed on a top surface of a substrate, a black matrix region outside the color filter region and under the thin film transistors. In this pixel, structure of the OLED display device, the OLED device structure and the color filter are integrated in a thin-film-transistor array. This simplifies the process, reduces the leakage of light and increases the contrast of the display device. A white OEL device is used to emit light. A light then passes a color filter to get red, green or blue color of light. Therefore, a full-color OLED is formed. A poly-silicon thin film transistor is used to provide current to the OLED device structure and served as an active drive device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Yung-Hui Yeh, Wen-Chun Wang, Chai-Yuan Sheu
  • Patent number: 6512337
    Abstract: Each cell of a PDP is provided with a pair of narrow and substantially U-shaped plane electrodes, which are connected to a corresponding trace electrode at the open ends thereof (located at the respective non-discharging gap sides) to operate as scan electrode and common electrode. A plane discharging gap is defined between the closed front ends of the plane electrodes. The plane electrodes have a curved profile at the front ends thereof with the highest point located at the longitudinal central axis of the cell. With this arrangement, the effective length of the plane electrodes can be increased without increasing the surface area of the plane electrodes so that the plane electrodes overlap the data electrode at the front ends thereof over an expanded area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Naoto Hirano, Hiroshi Hasegawa, Nobumitsu Aibara
  • Patent number: 6512335
    Abstract: Methods for performing cathode burn-in with respect to an FED display that avoid display non-uniformities near and around the spacer wall structures. In a first method, the anode is floated or receives a negative voltage with respect to the electron emitter. A positive voltage is then applied to the focus waffle structure with respect to the electron emitter. The cathode is then energized thereby preventing emitted electrons from escaping the focus well. Under these conditions, cathode burn-in conditioning can occur but electrons are energetically forbidden from hitting the anode or the spacer walls except for a small region near the focus waffle. Under the second method, the anode is grounded or allowed to float. A negative bias is applied to the focus waffle. This causes electrons to be collected at the M2 layer of the gate. Electrons are energetically forbidden from hitting any portion of the tube except the M2 layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Assignee: Candescent Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: James C. Dunphy, William J. Cummings, Colin D. Stanners, Lawrence S. Pan
  • Patent number: 6509696
    Abstract: A capacitively coupled fluorescent lamp package having a capacitively coupled fluorescent lamp; an inverter circuit for driving the lamp; and supply nodes for receiving a supply voltage is disclosed. The capacitively coupled fluorescent lamp package includes a resonant circuit lamp driving scheme for driving the capacitively coupled fluorescent lamp. The driving scheme reduces parasitic capacitance leakage current; compensates the reactive power using the secondary side leakage inductance in order to have the resonant frequency approximately equal the inverter circuit operating frequency for current source-type driven circuits; and forms a series resonant sub-circuit with the embedded ballasting capacitor and the secondary side leakage inductance for voltage source-type driven circuits, such that the resonant frequency is substantially less than the inverter circuit operating frequency and that the lamp current is properly shaped along with current ballasting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2003
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Gert Bruning, Chin Chang
  • Patent number: 6509879
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an antenna. To improve transmission and reception in a mobile telephone, it has what is termed a diversity antenna. The invention relates to an antenna suitable as a diversity antenna. The antenna has a plate of insulating material with a foil coating on both sides. In the foil there are provided two slots, one on each side. The slots have meander formations or windings in order that their electric length exceed their physical length. The one slot is 1-3 % longer than the other. At one closed end of the one slot, there are connections for a supply line. The foil coatings are in contact with one another through a plate which is soldered fast on the side of the carrier at right angles thereto. Laterally in relation to the longitudinal direction of the slots, there is an earth plane. The foil coatings extend out on this, and both sides are in galvanic communication with one another. In order to increase the electric length of the earth plane, slots are provided in the foil coatings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2003
    Assignee: Moteco AB
    Inventor: Erland Cassel