Patents by Inventor John W. Miller

John W. Miller 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: 5903917
    Abstract: A computer system and method for aligning blocks within source program image in accordance with alignment constraints. The source program image is divided in pages. The alignment system receives an indication of which of the blocks are accessed during each time interval while the source program image is executed. The alignment system determines from the received indications which of the pages are accessed during each time interval. The alignment system then identifies the first block of the source program image that has an alignment constraint and repeats the following until all blocks have been aligned. The alignment system identifies a group of contiguous blocks that are adjacent to the identified block such that the identified blocks can be rearranged without increasing the number of pages that are accessed during each time interval. The alignment system then determines an arrangement of the blocks that tends to minimize the amount of padding that is needed to satisfy the alignment constraints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: John R. Douceur, Robert P. Fitzgerald, John W. Miller
  • Patent number: 5896321
    Abstract: A text completion system that automatically displays a list of completion suggestions for a partial data entry in response to a pause in receipt of the data entry. To avoid annoying the user by displaying an excessive number of wrong suggestions, the text completion system applies search criteria to the partial data entry. If the partial data entry satisfies the search criteria, the text completion system obtains a prioritized list of word predictions for the partial data entry from a word prediction system. To further avoid annoying the user by displaying very short completion suggestions, the text completion system applies display criteria to the word predictions to obtain a prioritized list of completion suggestions that satisfy the display criteria. This prioritized list of completion suggestions is then displayed in a pop-up list box, typically immediately under and to the right of the partial data entry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: John W. Miller, Jossef Goldberg
  • Patent number: 5805911
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method of providing and selecting multiple text prediction from text entered from multiple windows of a computer system using an application-independent text prediction system. Application-independence is the ability to work with many different applications without being customized for each applications. Because different prediction methods are appropriate for different applications, multiple prediction components called "prediction modules" provide text predictions based on each prediction module's prediction method from which the best prediction may be displayed. The best prediction from the results of the multiple methods may be displayed. In accordance with providing multiple predictions from various modules, a method is provided for choosing which modules' predictions should be used from the set of possibly contradictory predictions. Each prediction module produces a weighted list of predictions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: John W. Miller
  • Patent number: 5755148
    Abstract: A workpiece-supporting fence has a pair of movable fences movably attached to a fixed fence which is secured to a base of the device in which the fence is being used. The pair of movable fences are located on opposite sides of a working tool such as a saw blade. A fixed clamping arrangement is associated with each movable fence and provides a single point actuation member for each movable fence to clamp the movable fence to the fixed fence such that the movable fence is vertically aligned and flush with the fixed fence. In one embodiment, each movable fence is provided with a gap-filling flap which is pivotably secured to the movable fence to be movable between a lower and an upper position. In its lower position, the gap-filling flap minimizes the gap between the movable fence and the working tool. In its upper position, the gap-filling flap provides additional support when working with taller or thicker workpieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: William R. Stumpf, Daryl S. Meredith, John W. Miller, Michael L. O'Banion
  • Patent number: 5572206
    Abstract: A method and system for compressing an input stream of data bytes into a compressed stream of data bytes using an LZ77-based compression scheme. The method and system also includes a decompressor for decompressing the compressed stream into a decompressed stream of data bytes that is identical to the input stream. The compression system encodes matches using token offsets rather than the byte offsets used by prior art LZ77-based compression schemes. The compression system uses knowledge of the internal format of the input stream to identify tokens that are used to determine the token offsets. Preferably, the method parses the input stream by dividing it into tokens and assigning a token type to each token. The method searches the input stream for a matching sequence of already processed tokens that is identical to a current sequence of tokens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1996
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: John W. Miller, Ben W. Slivka
  • Patent number: 5203166
    Abstract: An emission control system for reducing particulates from exhaust gases from a diesel engine includes dual catalyzed diesel particulate filters in joint communication with the exhaust stream and a pair of heater elements each associated with one of the filters, through which exhaust gas is transmitted and uniformly heated. According to predetermined alternating heating sequence, the exhaust gas stream through first one of the pair of filters and then through the other is heated. The differing pressure differentials across the filters, determined by the heating sequence, effectively shift the major portion of the flow of exhaust gas between the filters, so that over the alternating heating sequence the heat generated by the heating elements is sufficient to clean the filters, without the requirement for any auxiliary source of combustion air or any mechanical switching means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1993
    Inventor: John W. Miller
  • Patent number: 5063319
    Abstract: In a 2 pole universal motor for a circular saw a secondary winding provides dynamic braking. Both run and brake windings are split electrically with respect to the armature. All windings are double-ended and wiring and winding is arranged so that all windings may be terminated directly to fixed termination points, four at each end of the stator, providing for axially oriented plug-in connection of brushes at the commutator end and switch and line at the fan end. There are no jumpers within the stator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1991
    Assignee: Black & Decker, Inc.
    Inventors: John G. Mason, John W. Miller, William D. Sauerwein, Stephen L. Vick
  • Patent number: 4982501
    Abstract: In a portable circular saw depth of cut adjustment is effected by pivoting movement between a shoe 24 (which supports the saw on a workpiece) and a motor and gear case housing 26 (carrying the saw blade 12) about a pivot connection 28 rearward of the motor and gear case housing. Forward of the housing 26 an upwardly extending arcuate depth slide 38, fixed to the shoe 24, slidably engages an arcuate depth guide 40 carried by the motor and gear case housing 26. Towards the upper end of the depth slide 38, and in generally fixed relation to it, a clamping assembly 42 selectively clamps the depth slide 38 and depth guide 40 together to establish a depth of cut adjustment setting. The essentially fixed relationship of the locking knob 100 of the clamping assembly 42 to the shoe 24 mean that the operations of changing depth adjustment setting may be made without changing operator's hand positions on the saw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 8, 1991
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: William D. Sauerwein, John W. Miller, Stephen L. Vick, Rosemarie Bean
  • Patent number: 4765601
    Abstract: A hydraulic-elastomeric vehicle engine mount basically comprising a pair of rigid mounting members, a hollow elastomeric body connecting the members, an elastomeric diaphragm cooperating with the body to form a closed cavity that is filled with a liquid, a partition dividing the cavity into a chamber enclosed by the body and a chamber enclosed by the diaphragm, a damping orifice connecting the chambers so as to provide hydraulic damping as one mounting member is forced to vibrate relative to the other in opposite directions, and a damping decoupler mounted for limited movement on the partition so as to effect cyclic volume change in the chambers and thereby permit vibratory amplitudes without hydraulic damping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1988
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: John W. Miller, Linn A. Peterson, Charles A. Kingsley
  • Patent number: 4707644
    Abstract: A fluid-powered auxiliary starting system for electric motors is disclosed which includes an accumulator means for supplying an amount of fluid at high pressure to a fluid-operated motor and a clutch of similar device for connecting the output shaft of the fluid-operated motor to transfer rotational torque to the shaft of the prime mover motor to be started. The system may be either hydraulic or pneumatic and may be used to bring one or more electric motors substantially up to spaced before electric power is applied to the motors themselves. The same motor or a hydraulic or pneumatic pump may be used to recharge the accumulator between uses for electric motor starting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1987
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventors: John W. Miller, Melvin F. Mittelmark, Roger N. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 4672562
    Abstract: An orthogonally related target point array is provided in fixed relationship to an object. A photo detector image plane obtains images of the target points projected through a lens located a fixed distance from the image plane. Simple algebraic manipulation of image plane position coordinates of the images corresponding to the target points provides for the establishment of a vector replica of the target point array. The vector replica, in turn, is sufficient data to provide spatial information about the object including position and orientation information with full six-degrees-of-freedom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1984
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1987
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventors: Werner H. Egli, John W. Miller, Jeffrey M. Setterholm
  • Patent number: 4672564
    Abstract: A target plane in fixed relationship to an object provides a first triad of three collinear target points which lie on a first line projection and a second triad of target points which lie on a second line projection which is in nonalignment with the first triad. A photo detector image plane obtains images of the target points projected on the image plane through a lens located a fixed distance from the image plane. Simple algebraic manipulation of image plane position coordinates of the images corresponding to the target points provides for the establishment of vector replicas of the position of the target points. The vector replicas, in turn, are sufficient data to provide spatial information about the object including position and oriention information with full six-degrees-of-freedom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1984
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1987
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventors: Werner H. Egli, John W. Miller, Jeffrey M. Setterholm
  • Patent number: 4651954
    Abstract: An autothrottle system for an aircraft includes a throttle lever actuator which is easily retrofitted to an existing throttle quadrant and employs a D.C. stepping motor to slew the throttle levers and eliminate the need for a feedback loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1987
    Assignee: Lockheed Corporation
    Inventor: John W. Miller
  • Patent number: 4652917
    Abstract: A system for monitoring the attitude of an object with respect to a fixed based without any material connection to the object, comprising imaging apparatus mounted on the base so that a surface of the object is in the field of view, targets on the surface of such spaced sites, remote from the imaging apparatus that the apparatus images the targets in relative positions determined by the locations of the sites, and computing apparatus determining from changes in the relative positions of the images the causative changes in the attitude of the object with respect to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1987
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventor: John W. Miller
  • Patent number: 4647260
    Abstract: A depth-adjusting system for a power tool includes a housing nose portion on which is snapped a two-piece, molded plastic depth-adjusting subassembly. Each member of the subassembly engages a respective area of the nose portion. An adjustment member is rotatably connected to the nose portion, but is releasably restrained from axial movement upon engagement with a split-ring detent on the nose portion. A locator member is threadably connected inside the adjustment member, but is restained from rotating through the interaction of integral keys formed on its interior cylindrical surface with mating longitudinal keyways formed on the nose portion. Thus when the operator rotates the adjustment member, the locator member is forced to move axially forwardly or rearwardly, depending upon the direction of rotation of the adjustment member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1987
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Frank O'Hara, John W. Miller
  • Patent number: 4427374
    Abstract: A recirculation device for recirculating a selected volume of preheated gas exhausted from a heating chamber in a mixture with fresh air back to the heating chamber. The device comprises a first passageway having an entrance and a pair of exits; a second passageway having a pair of inlets and an outlet; and a third passageway connecting one exit and one inlet. The other exit communicates with a preheated gas exhaust, and the other intake communicates with a source of fresh air. A back pressure damper is secured adjacent the other exit. A manual control assembly is connected to the back pressure damper so that the volume of preheated gas flowing into the preheated gas exhaust may be selectively determined. A mixing damper is secured adjacent the other intake. An automatic temperature dependent control assembly is connected to the mixing damper so that the mixture of preheated gas and fresh air entering the heating chamber is dependent upon the temperature in the heating chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1981
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1984
    Assignee: Phelps Dodge Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: John W. Miller
  • Patent number: 4333779
    Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus and a process for manufacturing a bio-oxidation and nitrification module useful in treating sewage and industrial wastewater. Paired thermoplastic flat sheet and corrugated sheet are nested in a cradle and advanced beneath a bank of ultrasonic welders to produce a sonic weld along those interfacial zones of the sheets which are in contact. Welded units of flat and corrugated sheets are stacked to a height equal to the height of the module and the edges of opposite sides of the stack are softened by heated platens to form an edge-seam which bonds the welded units together to form the finished module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1982
    Assignee: The B. F. Goodrich Company
    Inventors: William R. Rinker, Harry R. Ayers, John W. Miller
  • Patent number: D388142
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Inventor: John W. Miller
  • Patent number: D391973
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1998
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Price, John W. Miller, Daryl S. Meredith, Thomas Kaye, William R. Stumpf, Mark Brunson, Robert P. Welsh
  • Patent number: D400215
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Price, John W. Miller, Daryl S. Meredith, Thomas R. Kaye, Jr., William R. Stumpf, Mark E. Brunson, Robert P. Welsh