Patents by Inventor Chou

Chou has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5717871
    Abstract: An electronic crossbar switch employs a switch array for selectively routing signals between its terminals. A separate port provided for each terminal buffers signals flowing in and out of the switch. Each port can be configured to operate with or without tristate buffering under control of a tristate control signal, to optionally latch input or output signals in response to clock and clock enable signals, and to buffer signals passing in or out of the switch terminal in response to a direction control signal. A set of control inputs are provided in common to all ports, allowing an external host to transmit control signals in parallel to each port. Each port may be programmed to select any of its control inputs as its tristate, clock enable, clocking or direction control signal. A parallel "key" bus is also provided in common to all ports for conveying a key address from the host controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: I-Cube, Inc.
    Inventors: Wen-Jai Hsieh, Chi-Song Horng, Chun Chiu Daniel Wong, Gerchih Chou, Shrikant Sathe, Kent Dahlgren
  • Patent number: 5716132
    Abstract: An agricultural agitator used for disturbing matter such as compost includes a rod, a handle mounted on a top end of the rod, a first flat section formed at a middle portion thereof and a second flat section formed at a bottom end thereof. The second flat section is perpendicular to the first flat section and has a sharp tip at the bottom thereof. Two pairs of blades are respectively and pivotedly mounted on opposite sides of each of the first and second flat sections. Each blade resembles a tongue with a broad flat first end and a second end formed as two upright lugs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Inventor: Hwei-rung Chou
  • Patent number: 5713656
    Abstract: A screw driver includes a handle having a casing for receiving batteries. A switch is electrically connected to the battery. A socket is engaged in the handle for receiving a lamp. A transparent block is engaged in the front end of the handle for engaging with a driving tool. A ferrule is rotatably engaged to the handle for engaging with and for retaining the transparent block in place. A reflector is engaged around the lamp and a spring may bias may bias the reflector away from the socket for adjusting the light beam of the lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1998
    Inventor: Ching Chou Lin
  • Patent number: 5712951
    Abstract: An electric water heater including a control unit, and a heating unit having a water container and an electric heating coil inside the water container and being controlled by a control unit, wherein a perforated heat-conductive cylinder is mounted inside the water container around the electric heating coil to separate the inside space of the water container into a heating chamber on the inside and a pre-heating chamber on the outside; a perforated heat-conductive collar is mounted around the cylinder to separate the pre-heating chamber into a primary pre-heating chamber at the bottom and a secondary pre-heating chamber at the top; the solid-state variable resistor of the control unit has a heat sink attached to a water accumulation chamber of the cold water pipe which guides cold water to the primary pre-heating chamber, which heat sink transmitting heat from the solid-state variable resistor to cold water in the water accumulation chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1998
    Inventor: Martin Chou
  • Patent number: 5712142
    Abstract: The gene encoding Acidothermus cellulolyticus E1 endoglucanase is cloned and expressed in Pichia pastoris. A new modified E1 endoglucanase enzyme comprising the catalytic domain of the full size E1 enzyme demonstrates enhanced thermostability and is produced by two methods. The first method of producing the new modified E1 is proteolytic cleavage to remove the cellulose binding domain and linker peptide of the full size E1. The second method of producing the new modified E1 is genetic truncation of the gene encoding the full size E1 so that the catalytic domain is expressed in the expression product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1998
    Assignee: Midwest Research Institute
    Inventors: William S. Adney, Steven R. Thomas, John O. Baker, Michael E. Himmel, Yat-Chen Chou
  • Patent number: 5710214
    Abstract: Provided are novel thermosetting powder coating compositions which are useful for coating metal articles and protecting such articles from acidic corrosion. The compositions are comprised of an epoxy containing acrylic copolymer crosslinked with both an aliphatic dibasic acid and a blocked polyisocyanate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1998
    Assignee: PPG Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Chun-Tzer Chou, Robert B. Barbee
  • Patent number: 5710524
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a clock synthesizer IC which can produce clock signals with much lower radiated EMI.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1998
    Assignee: Myson Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Chun-Ming Chou, Jia-Der Hsieh, Tsen-Shau Yang
  • Patent number: 5710550
    Abstract: A field programmable interconnect device (FPID) selectively routes signals between signal ports in response to commands from a host controller. Each command includes an address and data. The FPID includes an array of switch cells, each interconnecting a separate pair of the ports and each having first and second control signal inputs. When the first and second control signals are both asserted, the switch cell provides a signal path between the pair of the ports it interconnects. The FPID includes first and second sets of memory cells for storing data. Each first memory cell corresponds to a separate one of the switch cells and selectively asserts or deasserts the first control signal input to the corresponding switch cell according to its stored data. Each second memory cell corresponds to a separate group of switch cells and selectively asserts or deasserts the second control signal input to each switch cell of the corresponding group according to its stored data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1998
    Assignee: I-Cube, Inc.
    Inventors: Wen-Jai Hsieh, Chi-Song Horng, Chun Chiu Daniel Wong, Gerchih Chou, Shrikant Sathe
  • Patent number: 5705554
    Abstract: A coating composition for use as an overcoat or heat resistant coating having improved heat resistance comprised of an aqueous latex polymer emulsion and a water soluble or water-dispersible resin which containing a sufficient number of either (a) carboxyl groups or (b) carboxyl and amide groups which will form at least one anhydride ring or imide, in the presence of sufficient heat, and release water molecules, with the latex polymer having a particle size of less than about 1600 Angstroms and containing an effective amount of a nitrogen containing volatile base to achieve a pH of greater than about 7.5 to keep the resin solubilized or dispersed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1998
    Assignee: The B.F. Goodrich Company
    Inventors: Ti Chou, James Stanley Dodge, George Kletecka
  • Patent number: 5706364
    Abstract: A method for producing, or training, a set of character templates uses as the source of training samples an image source of character images, called glyphs, that are not previously segmented or isolated for training. Also used is a labeled glyph position data structure that includes, for each glyph in the image source, a glyph image position in the image source associating an image location of the glyph with a character label paired with the glyph image position that indicates the character in the character set being trained. The labeled glyph position data is used to identify a collection of glyph sample image regions in the image source for each character in the character set; each glyph sample image region is large enough to contain a glyph and typically contains adjacent glyphs for other characters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1998
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Gary E. Kopec, Philip Andrew Chou
  • Patent number: 5703781
    Abstract: An automatic marker making system and method are provided in which the creation of a new marker is facilitated through the use of already existing marker designs. A computer database of existing markers is searched for markers that are "similar" to the marker being created. An existing marker is considered "similar" if it meets certain user-specified, marker making criteria. Initially, position and orientation data from pattern pieces in the "similar" marker are used to position and orient corresponding pieces in the new marker. Then, the new marker is "compacted" using a software routine to nest all of the new pieces simultaneously, instead of nesting one or two pieces at a time. The compacting routine corrects overlaps between pieces and assures that the new pieces are nested as efficiently as possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1997
    Assignee: Gerger Garment Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles R. Martell, Michael J. Cassidy, Anita K. Ramsey, Zih-Fang Liu, Chou Ling Ting, H. Anderson McKellar
  • Patent number: 5703751
    Abstract: An electrical apparatus with a detachable power supply base, including a power supply base which holds a rechargeable battery and a control circuit on the inside and has two coupling channel bars at the top, and an electrical apparatus having a base and two outward coupling flanges raised from two opposite sides of the base and adapted for detachably coupling to the coupling channel bars of the power supply base to become electrically connected to the battery of the power supply base. The control circuit detects the power level of the battery and shows it through a display for example an indicator light on the outside of the power supply base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1997
    Inventor: Ming-Chou Huang
  • Patent number: 5702281
    Abstract: A two-part field emission structure, and a method for making such a structure, is described. A substrate is provided having a first conductive layer thereon, a first insulating layer over the first conductive layer, a second conductive layer over the first insulating layer, and an opening formed in the first insulating and second conductive layers. A sacrificial layer is formed over the second conductive layer. A bottom portion of the field emitter structure is formed in the opening, by vertical deposition of a conductive material, whereby a third conductive layer, having a collimated channel over the bottom portion, is formed over the sacrificial layer. The formation of the field emitter structure is completed by vertical deposition of a tip material on to the top of the bottom portion of the field emitter structure, whereby a top conductive layer is formed over the third conductive layer. Lastly, the sacrificial layer, the third conductive layer, and the top conductive layer are removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1997
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Jammy Chin-Ming Huang, David Nan-Chou Liu
  • Patent number: 5699892
    Abstract: A chain type transfer device, particularly suitable for use with roller conveyors for shifting operation, comprises a motor, two supporting plates, a plurality of rotating shafts, a plurality of driving sprockets, a plurality of guiding plates and a plurality of composite chains; wherein each rotating shaft is pivoted between the two supporting plates and the driving sprockets are secured to the two ends of each of the rotating shafts to be associated with the respective guiding plate for the extension of the respective endless composite chain. The composite chain is formed by combining a regular chain with a roller chain which has a plurality of free rollers pivoted to an outer side thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Duen-Jyh Shyr, Kuan-Chou Chen
  • Patent number: 5700890
    Abstract: New ethylene/acid copolymer ionomers which contain both (meth)acrylic acid and certain dicarboxylic acid monomers are described. The polymers may be melt processed as readily as ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid dipolymer ionomers, in contrast to ethylene/acid copolymer ionomers containing only dicarboxylic acid monomer derived in-chain acid units. Polymers with typical levels of (meth)acrylic acid and low levels of diacid provide ionomers comparable to existing ionomers, but which have adhesive and polymer blend compatibilizing characteristics, while polymers with higher levels of diacid will exhibit properties which depend on in-chain diacid derived units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Assignee: E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventor: Richard Tien-Hua Chou
  • Patent number: 5695109
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) package includes solder paste inter-layer and alignment apparatus 100 for applying and aligning solder paste 150 with corresponding solder pads 160 on the IC package carrier 200. The apparatus 100 includes a thin layer 100 which is composed of high-temperature-resistant, non-solder-wetting, and electrical-insulating materials. The apparatus further has a plurality of apertures 110, each disposed on and penetrating through the thin layer 100 for applying solder paste 150 therein and for aligning with the corresponding solder pads 160 on the IC package carrier 200. The apparatus 100 further includes a removable thin film tape 120 disposed on a bottom surface of the thin layer 100 for temporarily maintaining the solder paste 150 in the plurality of apertures 110.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 9, 1997
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Ping-Huang Chiang, Lung-Tai Chen, Yu-Kon Chou
  • Patent number: 5696402
    Abstract: An integrated circuit device comprising: a body of a semiconductor material having an upper surface and a bottom major surface; wall means defining in said semiconductor material body a microscopically precise depression or groove of a selected shape and size and extending for a selected length or depth from a selected position on said upper surface toward without reaching said bottom major surface; and a material chemically different from said semiconductor material and introduced into said semiconductor material through ?a selected portion of an exposed wall of! said groove to modify, in a predetermined manner, a selected electronic property of said semiconductor material the vicinity of said exposed wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 9, 1997
    Inventor: Chou H. Li
  • Patent number: 5692814
    Abstract: A computer casing including an upper frame having two downwardly depending legs one at a side thereof, a lower frame having two upwardly extending lugs one at a side thereof, a front frame secured between front ends of the upper frame and the lower frame, a rear frame fitted between rear ends of the upper frame and the lower frame, an upper board adapted to engage with a top of the upper frame, and a pair of side covers each engaged with one side of the casing, whereby a plurality of similar computer casings can be conveniently connected together so as to allow for an expansion of its internal space to be readily accommodated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1997
    Inventor: Shen-Chung Chou
  • Patent number: 5693438
    Abstract: A new method for forming an anode plate for a color flat panel Field Emission Displays (FEDs) having improved gettering, was accomplished. The method involves forming on a transparent insulating plate (glass) an array of pixels of three phosphors comprising the primary colors and having in or/and around the array of pixels gettering material to provide more efficient gettering of volatile material from the FED cavity. The electrons are injected into the pixels when the electron field emitters are electrically accessed via the address and image forming circuits. The injected electrons heat and activate the gettering material in and around the pixels and provide very effective gettering in the FED cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1997
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: David Nan-Chou Liu, Jammy Chin-Ming Huang, Jyh-Haur Tyan
  • Patent number: D388680
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1998
    Inventor: Ching Chou Lin