Patents by Inventor David A. Kirk

David A. Kirk 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: 7305014
    Abstract: A flexible and expandable system bus for connecting traffic mapping devices to SONET/SDH framing devices. The system bus passes control signals generated by a master device to multiple tributaries to orient them relative to a SONET/SDH frame. These control signals obviate the need for each tributary to perform its own SONET/SDH reconstruction and framing using the A1/A2 bytes. The control signals synchronize the tributaries to a common clock cycle, indicate during which clock cycles the tributary can add or drop data relative to the system bus, and an interface identification signal that transmits values on the system bus. The tributaries monitor the values on the system bus, and when the value associated with each tributary appears on the bus, and the system bus indicates that the current clock cycle is within the SPE portion of the SONET/SDH frame, the tributary adds or drops data relative to the system bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Inventors: David Kirk, Erik Trounce, Matthew Coakeley, Nizar Rida, Ingrid Zorgdrager
  • Patent number: 7274369
    Abstract: Digital Image compositing using a programmable graphics processor is described. The programmable graphics processor supports high-precision data formats and can be programmed to complete a plurality of compositing operations in a single pass through a fragment processing pipeline within the programmable graphics processor. Source images for one or more compositing operations are stored in graphics memory, and a resulting composited image is output or stored in graphics memory. More-complex compositing operations, such as blur, warping, morphing, and the like, can be completed in multiple passes through the fragment processing pipeline. A composited image produced during a pass through the fragment processing pipeline is stored in graphics memory and is available as a source image for a subsequent pass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Rui M. Bastos, Daniel Elliott Wexler, Larry Gritz, Jonathan Rice, Harold Robert Feldman Zatz, Matthew N. Papakipos, David Kirk
  • Patent number: 7267112
    Abstract: An evaporative emissions control system for small internal combustion engines, including a charcoal canister which is in fluid communication with the air space above the liquid fuel within the carburetor of the engine and the air space above the liquid fuel within the fuel tank of the engine. The charcoal canister contains charcoal media, and when the engine is not running, fuel vapors from the carburetor and the fuel tank migrate to, and are trapped within, the charcoal media of the charcoal canister. The charcoal canister may comprise a separate component, or may be integrally formed with an engine component such as the air cleaner, the carburetor, or the body of the fuel tank, for example. During running of the engine, vacuum within the carburetor induces a flow of atmospheric air through the charcoal canister to purge the collected fuel vapors from the charcoal media, and the fuel vapors pass into the engine for consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Tecumseh Products Company
    Inventors: Ronald J. Donahue, Todd L. Carpenter, J. David Kirk, Gregory C. Hintz
  • Patent number: 7235274
    Abstract: Described is a packaged dough product comprising a dough composition in a flexible package and including encapsulated basic chemical leavening agent and non-encapsulated acidic chemical leavening agent, the packaged dough product containing a carbon dioxide scavenger to reduce bulging of the packaged product during storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: General Mills Marketing, Inc.
    Inventors: William E. Archibald, David A. Kirk
  • Publication number: 20070141201
    Abstract: Described are dough compositions, dough products, and related methods for preventing discoloration of dough compositions, including particular embodiments involving a packaged dough product suitable for storage under low pressure conditions, and embodiments wherein the dough comprises an oxidoreductase enzyme such as glucose oxidase, and optionally catalase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2007
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: David Domingues, David Kirk
  • Patent number: 7165536
    Abstract: An evaporative emissions control system for small internal combustion engines. The system generally includes a charcoal canister and a carburetor with a fuel circuit shutoff valve. The charcoal canister is in fluid communication with the air space above the liquid fuel within the engine fuel tank, and optionally, with the air space above the liquid fuel within the fuel bowl of a fuel bowl-type carburetor. The charcoal canister contains charcoal media which absorbs fuel vapors when the engine is not running. During running of the engine, vacuum within the carburetor induces a flow of atmospheric air through the charcoal canister to purge the collected fuel vapors from the charcoal media, and the fuel vapors pass into the engine for consumption. The carburetor of the engine, which may be either a fuel bowl-type carburetor or a diaphragm carburetor, includes a fuel circuit shutoff valve controlled either by a vacuum signal produced within the engine or by a user-actuated mechanical linkage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Tecumseh Products Company
    Inventors: J. David Kirk, Ronald J. Donahue, Todd L. Carpenter
  • Patent number: 7136068
    Abstract: A method and apparatus which includes a graphics accelerator, circuitry responsive to pixel texture coordinates to select texels and generate therefrom a texture value for any pixel the color of which is to be modified by a texture, and a cache for texels for use by the circuitry to generate texture value for any pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Curtis Priem, Gopal Solanki, David Kirk
  • Patent number: 7038692
    Abstract: A method for caching data defining vertices of a polygon to be displayed by an input/output display device including the steps of providing an index by a vertex for which data is to be cached, storing data defining attributes of a polygon at a vertex in a cache under the index provided, issuing a command signifying a polygon to be manipulated by indicating indices of the vertices of the polygon for which data is cached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Curtis Priem, David Kirk
  • Patent number: 7031355
    Abstract: In a stabilized laser system, a an output signal is to be generated having a desired central wavelength. At least one laser, which, while emitting light and having a preselected portion thereof fed back thereto, causes the output signal of the laser to be shifted in wavelength in a first direction which is spaced apart from the center wavelength of the fed back signal. A feedback generating arrangement processes a first portion of the output signal from each laser and generates a feedback signal having a spectral response peaking at a wavelength shifted in an opposite direction to the first direction generated by each laser. The feedback signal each laser to provide an output signal at the output of the stabilized laser system having a spectral response that peaks essentially at the desired wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Optovia Corporation
    Inventors: Hamid R. Khazaei, Hongmin Chen, David Kirk Lewis, Hsing Cheng
  • Publication number: 20060044254
    Abstract: A display for a computer system, such as an LCD, is configured to consume less power when compared to conventional designs. The display includes a screen and at least one backlight configured to illuminate the screen. An input to the at least one backlight is adjustable to produce a desired level of brightness. The input may be computed based on a generated source image and a defined constraint. An input to the display is computed based on the input to the at least one backlight and the source image. The input to the display modifies the level of brightness provided by the at least one backlight to produce a viewable image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2005
    Publication date: March 2, 2006
    Inventor: David Kirk
  • Publication number: 20050252194
    Abstract: A method facilitates assembling a gas turbine engine including a compressor and a rotor assembly coupled in axial flow communication downstream from the compressor. The method comprises coupling a bypass system in flow communication with the compressor to channel a portion of flow discharged from the compressor towards the rotor assembly is channeled through the bypass system, and coupling a downstream end of the bypass system within the gas turbine engine such that the flow entering the bypass system flows past the rotor assembly and is discharged downstream from the rotor assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2004
    Publication date: November 17, 2005
    Inventors: Robert Orlando, Thomas Moniz, John Brauer, John Henry, Raymond Patt, Randy Vondrell, James Dolan, Erich Krammer, David Kirk
  • Patent number: 6931034
    Abstract: An optical system has a transmission filter device, a feedback mechanism, and one or more radiation sources. Each radiation source generates an output signal with a predetermined wavelength band and polarization and is coupled to a separate input port of the transmission filter device. The transmission filter device, which is responsive to output signal from each radiation source, generates an output signal from at least one output port thereof. The feedback mechanism is coupled to at least one output port of the transmission filter device for providing a feedback signal that is directed back through the transmission filter device to each of the radiation sources for stabilizing each of the radiation sources. The apparatus is polarization maintaining wherein the one or more radiation sources, the transmission filter device, and the feedback mechanism are interconnected such that principle axes of polarization thereof are substantially aligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Optovia Corporation
    Inventors: Hamid R. Khazaei, Harmeet Singh, Emily M. Squires, David Kirk Lewis
  • Patent number: 6920604
    Abstract: Systems and methods for encoding and decoding serial bit streams are provided. A parity bit is computed for each nibble, with the parity alternating between odd and even in a regular manner for normal data, and with parity having predetermined different patterns to indicate the start of a packet or the end of a packet. Special code words indicate the idle state and an error state. In some systems an extra vertical parity channel is provided in association with a group of data channels, the vertical parity channel effectively providing a protection channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Galazar Networks, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Coakeley, Erik Trounce, David Kirk, Michael Vandegriend, Richard DeBoer, Nizar Rida
  • Publication number: 20050079871
    Abstract: A system includes a database, a controller, and multiple nodes. The database is capable of storing information. The controller is capable of facilitating access to the database. The controller is also capable of detecting a new node in the network and, if necessary, communicating a network protocol to the new node to allow the new node to participate in the network. The information in the database could represent medical-related information. The nodes could include fixed nodes and portable nodes. The network could represent a mesh network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2004
    Publication date: April 14, 2005
    Applicant: RF Monolithics, Inc.
    Inventors: David Kirk, Frank Perkins, Terry Hinkle
  • Publication number: 20040241283
    Abstract: Described are dough compositions, dough products, and related methods for preventing discoloration of dough compositions, including particular embodiments involving a packaged dough product suitable for storage under low pressure conditions, and embodiments wherein the dough comprises an oxidoreductase enzyme such as glucose oxidase, and optionally catalase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2003
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Inventors: David J. Domingues, David A. Kirk
  • Publication number: 20040213282
    Abstract: A flexible and expandable system bus for connecting traffic mapping devices to SONET/SDH framing devices. The system bus passes control signals generated by a master device to multiple tributaries to orient them relative to a SONET/SDH frame. These control signals obviate the need for each tributary to perform its own SONET/SDH reconstruction and framing using the A1/A2 bytes. The control signals synchronize the tributaries to a common clock cycle, indicate during which clock cycles the tributary can add or drop data relative to the system bus, and an interface identification signal that transmits values on the system bus. The tributaries monitor the values on the system bus, and when the value associated with each tributary appears on the bus, and the system bus indicates that the current clock cycle is within the SPE portion of the SONET/SDH frame, the tributary adds or drops data relative to the system bus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2003
    Publication date: October 28, 2004
    Inventors: David Kirk, Erik Trounce, Matthew Coakeley, Nizar Rida, Ingrid Zorgdrager
  • Publication number: 20040169650
    Abstract: Digital Image compositing using a programmable graphics processor is described. The programmable graphics processor supports high-precision data formats and can be programmed to complete a plurality of compositing operations in a single pass through a fragment processing pipeline within the programmable graphics processor. Source images for one or more compositing operations are stored in graphics memory, and a resulting composited image is output or stored in graphics memory. More-complex compositing operations, such as blur, warping, morphing, and the like, can be completed in multiple passes through the fragment processing pipeline. A composited image produced during a pass through the fragment processing pipeline is stored in graphics memory and is available as a source image for a subsequent pass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2003
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Inventors: Rui M. Bastos, Daniel Elliott Wexler, Larry Gritz, Jonathan Rice, Harold Robert Feldman Zatz, Matthew N. Papakipos, David Kirk
  • Publication number: 20040093552
    Abstract: Systems and methods for encoding and decoding serial bit streams are provided. A parity bit is computed for each nibble, with the parity alternating between odd and even in a regular manner for normal data, and with parity having predetermined different patterns to indicate the start of a packet or the end of a packet. Special code words indicate the idle state and an error state. In some systems an extra vertical parity channel is provided in association with a group of data channels, the vertical parity channel effectively providing a protection channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2002
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Inventors: Matthew Coakeley, Erik Trounce, David Kirk, Michael Vandegriend, Richard DeBoer, Nizar Rida
  • Publication number: 20040076722
    Abstract: Described are packaged dough products comprising a dough composition in a flexible package, the packaged dough product contains a carbon dioxide scavenger to reduce bulging of the packaged product during storage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2002
    Publication date: April 22, 2004
    Inventors: William E. Archibald, David A. Kirk
  • Patent number: D560490
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: General Mills Marketing, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Kirk, Craig A. Dowd, Thomas M. Hockenberry