Patents by Inventor Ian Andrew Maxwell
Ian Andrew Maxwell 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).
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Publication number: 20110117681Abstract: Methods and apparatus are presented for monitoring the deposition and/or post-deposition processing of semiconductor thin films using photoluminescence imaging. The photoluminescence images are analysed to determine one or more properties of the semiconductor film, and variations thereof across the film. These properties are used to infer information about the deposition process, which can then be used to adjust the deposition process conditions and the conditions of subsequent processing steps. The methods and apparatus have particular application to thin film-based solar cells.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2009Publication date: May 19, 2011Applicant: BT IMAGING PTY LTDInventors: Robert Andrew Bardos, Thorsten Trupke, Ian Andrew Maxwell
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Patent number: 7930347Abstract: A content distribution system, including: a registration module for receiving registration data for a digital item accessible, on a communications network such as a peer to peer (P2P) network, using a digital item client, such as a P2P client, on a first device; an activity module for receiving a request for content of the digital item from the client on a second device; and a transaction module for registering download of the content to the second device, for processing payment transactions with the second device, and for processing remuneration transactions with at least the first device. The system also has a search module for receiving queries for digital items and ranking results based on a user selected ranking criteria including at least one of: review of said digital items; use of said digital items; and purchase of said digital items. The digital item and a declaration for the item may comply with MPEG-21.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2005Date of Patent: April 19, 2011Assignee: Enikos Pty. LimitedInventors: Ian Andrew Maxwell, Ian Shaw Burnett
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Publication number: 20110069018Abstract: In the methods of the present invention a function is initiated with a first set of touches, then applied with a second set of touches. The methods are advantageous for touch input devices with limited or no ability to detect two or more simultaneous touch events, but are not limited to being used on such input devices.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2008Publication date: March 24, 2011Applicant: RPO Pty LimitedInventors: Graham Roy Atkins, Ian Andrew Maxwell
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Publication number: 20110012856Abstract: The invention provides a method for operation of a touch input device comprising a touch input area. The method comprises the steps of (i) detecting a touch or near-touch of an object on or near said touch input area; (ii) determining a parameter indicative of the size and/or shape of said object; (iii) comparing said parameter with at least one predetermined value; and (iv) enabling an operational state of said touch input device in response to said comparison. The parameter may be compared with one or more threshold values which delimit the operational state of the input device. Such operational states include a sleep mode or active mode, the use of a full QWERTY or reduced keyboard, translation or rotation of graphical elements, etc. The method is particularly suitable for differentiating between a touch by a stylus or touch by a finger.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2009Publication date: January 20, 2011Applicant: RPO Pty. LimitedInventors: Ian Andrew Maxwell, Dax Kukulj, Brigg Maund, Graham Roy Atkins
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Patent number: 7811640Abstract: This invention describes methods for fabricating polymer optical waveguides, and polymer optical waveguides themselves wherein at least one of the optical layers is deposited by a two-stage deposition process. In particular, the two-stage deposition process comprises spinning as the second step. Preferably, the polymer optical waveguide comprises a three layer structure comprising a lower cladding layer, a light guiding core layer and an upper cladding layer, supported on a substrate. The invention has particular application to the volume production of polymer optical waveguides on large area substrates.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2007Date of Patent: October 12, 2010Assignee: RPO Pty LimitedInventors: Robert Bruce Charters, Dax Kukulj, Ian Andrew Maxwell, Graham Roy Atkins
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Patent number: 7738746Abstract: A data input apparatus having at least one transmit element coupled to a source of light of a predetermined wavelength, at least one light receive element and a detection device to detect interruption of beams of the light of said predetermined wavelength extending from said transmit element to said receive element wherein at least one of said transmit element and said receive element comprises at least one waveguide having a light transmitting core and a non-core portion and one or more discontinuance means adapted to reduce transmission of stray light within the non-core portion. The discontinuance is adapted to scatter, absorb, divert or block stray light and can be applied to one or more of the upper cladding, lower cladding, substrate or common base.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2006Date of Patent: June 15, 2010Assignee: RPO Pty LimitedInventors: Robbie Charters, Ian Andrew Maxwell, Benjamin Cornish, Warwick Todd Holloway
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Publication number: 20100084613Abstract: A doping process, including applying pressure to at least one first phase of a semiconductor containing an electrically inactive dopant and removing the pressure to cause at least one phase transformation of the semiconductor to at least one second phase, wherein the at least one phase transformation activates the dopant so that the at least one second phase includes at least one doped phase of the semiconductor in which the dopant is electrically active.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2007Publication date: April 8, 2010Applicant: WRiota Pty Ltd.Inventors: Ian Andrew Maxwell, James Stanislaus Williams, Jodie Elizabeth Bradby, Simon Ruffell, Naoki Fujisawa
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Publication number: 20090218720Abstract: A method and apparatus (20) for extruding fibre cement. The extruder comprises a casing (30) with a pair of inter-meshing self-wiping screws (40) rotatably mounted therein. The screws continuously mix and or knead the components of the fibre cement provided through various feed means (61, 62) to form a substantially homogeneous paste and force the paste through a die (50) to form a green cementitious extrudate suitable for curing.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2009Publication date: September 3, 2009Inventors: Hong Chen, Richard John Burwood, Ian Andrew Maxwell, Nilmini Sureka Goringe
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Publication number: 20090126589Abstract: A patterning process, including applying pressure to and removing pressure from one or more regions of a substance to transform a phase of one or more regions of the substance, the transformed one or more regions having respective predetermined shapes representing a predetermined pattern. The patterning process can be used to form nanoscale patterns in substances without requiring the use of photoresist or conventional optical or electron-beam lithography, thus avoiding the limitations of those techniques.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2006Publication date: May 21, 2009Inventors: Ian Andrew Maxwell, James Stanislaus Williams, Jodie Elizabeth Bradby
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Publication number: 20080278455Abstract: A user interface method is disclosed. For a particular interface, such as a touch input device, the method involves defining an enablement protocol for a function and recording and retaining the enablement protocol of said function, such that a user enables the function by substantially reproducing the enablement protocol in the absence of spatial or temporal indication of at least a portion of the enablement protocol.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 9, 2008Publication date: November 13, 2008Applicant: RPO Pty LimitedInventors: Graham Roy Atkins, Ian Andrew Maxwell
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Publication number: 20080278460Abstract: An apparatus and method for transmitting, collimating and redirecting light from a point-like source to produce a collimated optical signal in a substantially planar form are provided. In one embodiment, the apparatus is manufactured as a unitary transmissive body comprising a collimation element and a redirection element, and optionally a transmissive element. In another embodiment, the apparatus is assembled from one or more components. The apparatus and method are useful for providing sensing light for an optical touch input device or for providing illumination for a display.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2008Publication date: November 13, 2008Applicant: RPO Pty LimitedInventors: Kenneth Edmund Arnett, Robert Bruce Charters, Chan Hong Wang, Graham Roy Atkins, Ian Andrew Maxwell, Duncan Ian Ross
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Patent number: 7431814Abstract: A biosensor for use in determining a concentration of a component in an aqueous liquid sample is provided including: an electrochemical cell having a first electrically resistive substrate having a thin layer of electrically conductive material, a second electrically resistive substrate having a thin layer of electrically conductive material, the substrates being disposed with the electrically conductive materials facing each other and being separated by a sheet including an aperture, the wall of which aperture defines a cell wall and a sample introduction aperture whereby the aqueous liquid sample may be introduced into the cell; and a measuring circuit.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2004Date of Patent: October 7, 2008Assignee: LifeScan, Inc.Inventors: Alastair Hodges, Thomas W. Beck, Oddvar Johansen, Ian Andrew Maxwell
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Publication number: 20080216106Abstract: A content distribution system, including: a registration module for receiving registration data for a digital item accessible, on a communications network such as a peer to peer (P2P) network, using a digital item client, such as a P2P client, on a first device; an activity module for receiving a request for content of the digital item from the client on a second device; and a transaction module for registering download of the content to the second device, for processing payment transactions with the second device, and for processing remuneration transactions with at least the first device. The system also has a search module for receiving queries for digital items and ranking results based on a user selected ranking criteria including at least one of: review of said digital items; use of said digital items; and purchase of said digital items. The digital item and a declaration for the item may comply with MPEG-21.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2005Publication date: September 4, 2008Inventors: Ian Andrew Maxwell, Ian Shaw Burnett
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Publication number: 20070258691Abstract: This invention describes methods for fabricating polymer optical waveguides, and polymer optical waveguides themselves wherein at least one of the optical layers is deposited by a two-stage deposition process. In particular, the two-stage deposition process comprises spinning as the second step. Preferably, the polymer optical waveguide comprises a three layer structure comprising a lower cladding layer, a light guiding core layer and an upper cladding layer, supported on a substrate. The invention has particular application to the volume production of polymer optical waveguides on large area substrates.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2007Publication date: November 8, 2007Applicant: RPO Pty LimitedInventors: Robert Bruce Charters, Dax Kukulj, Ian Andrew Maxwell, Graham Roy Atkins
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Publication number: 20070256029Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for interfacing a user with a touch-screen. In overview, some embodiments provide for an array of conventional numerical keys to be graphically represented as a primary menu on a touch-screen of a cellular phone or PDA. The graphically represented keys arranged as sectors or annular sectors in a contiguous array around a central origin. To provide text-based input (for example in the process of authoring a text-message or email), a user touch-selects one of the keys, and is provided with a secondary menu for allowing selection of a particular alphanumeric character associated with the selected numerical key. This association is optionally based on a protocol such as ETSI ETS 300 640 or ITU-T Recommendation E.161. In some embodiments the secondary menu, or a similar tertiary menu, is used to provide additional predictive text functionality.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2007Publication date: November 1, 2007Applicant: RPO Pty LlimitedInventor: Ian Andrew Maxwell
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Patent number: 7218812Abstract: Integrated optical waveguides and methods for the production thereof which have a patterned upper cladding with a defined opening to allow at least one side or at least one end of a light transmissive element to be air clad. The at least one side or at least one end is, for preference, a lens structure unitary with the waveguide, or a bend.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2003Date of Patent: May 15, 2007Assignee: RPO Pty LimitedInventors: Ian Andrew Maxwell, Dax Kukulj, Robert B. Charters
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Patent number: 7045046Abstract: The invention relates to a sensor adapted for electrical connection to a power source having an electrical contact means (3). The sensor has a first insulating substrate (1) carrying a first electrode (2) and a second insulating substrate (7) carrying a second electrode (6). The electrodes are disposed to face each other in spaced apart relationship, sandwiching a spacer (4) therebetween. A first cut-out portion extends through the first insulating substrate (1) and a spacer (4) to expose a first contact area (23) on the second insulating substrate (7). This permits the electrical contact means (31) to effect electrical connection with the first contact (23) which in turn is in electrically conductive connection with the second electrode (6). A similar contact arrangement may be disposed on the opposite side of the sensor.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2001Date of Patent: May 16, 2006Assignee: LifeScan, Inc.Inventors: Garry Chambers, Alastair McIndoe Hodges, Thomas William Beck, Ian Andrew Maxwell
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Patent number: 6863801Abstract: A biosensor for use in determining a concentration of a component in an aqueous liquid sample is provided including: an electrochemical cell having a first electrically resistive substrate having a thin layer of electrically conductive material, a second electrically resistive substrate having a thin layer of electrically conductive material, the substrates being disposed with the electrically conductive materials facing each other and being separated by a sheet including an aperture, the wall of which aperture defines a cell wall and a sample introduction aperture whereby the aqueous liquid sample may be introduced into the cell; and a measuring circuit.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2001Date of Patent: March 8, 2005Assignee: LifeScan, Inc.Inventors: Alastair McIndoe Hodges, Thomas William Beck, Oddvar Johansen, Ian Andrew Maxwell
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Patent number: 6852212Abstract: This invention relates to a method for analyzing the concentration of an analyte in a sample and to automatic analyzing apparatus. The invention will be described herein with particular reference to a method and apparatus for measuring the concentration of glucose or other analytes in blood but is not limited to that use.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2001Date of Patent: February 8, 2005Assignee: LifeScan, Inc.Inventors: Ian Andrew Maxwell, Thomas William Beck, Alastair McIndoe Hodges
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Patent number: RE42567Abstract: A biosensor for use in determining a concentration of a component in an aqueous liquid sample is provided including: an electrochemical cell having a first electrically resistive substrate having a thin layer of electrically conductive material, a second electrically resistive substrate having a thin layer of electrically conductive material, the substrates being disposed with the electrically conductive materials facing each other and being separated by a sheet including an aperture, the wall of which aperture defines a cell wall and a sample introduction aperture whereby the aqueous liquid sample may be introduced into the cell; and a measuring circuit.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2010Date of Patent: July 26, 2011Assignee: LifeScan, Inc.Inventors: Alastair M. Hodges, Thomas W. Beck, Oddvar Johansen, Ian Andrew Maxwell