Patents by Inventor Robert A. Owen

Robert A. Owen 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: 10391789
    Abstract: A negotiable instrument such as a check includes a unique microprint identifier that allows for authentication while preventing unauthorized reproduction and alternation. A printing system generates the identifier after receiving a customer order for printing a plurality of negotiable instruments, to allow inclusion of information that is specific to the customer order and/or the printing process. In various embodiments, the identifier is unique to each or each subset of the plurality of negotiable instruments and facilitates authentication of each of the negotiable instruments when needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Deluxe Corporation
    Inventors: David S. Davies, Robert A. Owen
  • Publication number: 20170217208
    Abstract: A negotiable instrument such as a check includes a unique microprint identifier that allows for authentication while preventing unauthorized reproduction and alternation. A printing system generates the identifier after receiving a customer order for printing a plurality of negotiable instruments, to allow inclusion of information that is specific to the customer order and/or the printing process. In various embodiments, the identifier is unique to each or each subset of the plurality of negotiable instruments and facilitates authentication of each of the negotiable instruments when needed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: DAVID S. DAVIES, ROBERT A. OWEN
  • Patent number: 9597895
    Abstract: A negotiable instrument such as a check includes a unique microprint identifier that allows for authentication while preventing unauthorized reproduction and alternation. A printing system generates the identifier after receiving a customer order for printing a plurality of negotiable instruments, to allow inclusion of information that is specific to the customer order and/or the printing process. In various embodiments, the identifier is unique to each or each subset of the plurality of negotiable instruments and facilitates authentication of each of the negotiable instruments when needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Deluxe Corporation
    Inventors: David S. Davies, Robert A. Owen
  • Patent number: 9126400
    Abstract: A negotiable instrument such as a check includes a unique microprint identifier that allows for authentication while preventing unauthorized reproduction and alternation. A printing system generates the identifier after receiving a customer order for printing a plurality of negotiable instruments, to allow inclusion of information that is specific to the customer order and/or the printing process. In various embodiments, the identifier is unique to each or each subset of the plurality of negotiable instruments and facilitates authentication of each of the negotiable instruments when needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Deluxe Corporation
    Inventors: David S. Davies, Robert A. Owen
  • Publication number: 20150154478
    Abstract: A negotiable instrument such as a check includes a unique microprint identifier that allows for authentication while preventing unauthorized reproduction and alternation. A printing system generates the identifier after receiving a customer order for printing a plurality of negotiable instruments, to allow inclusion of information that is specific to the customer order and/or the printing process. In various embodiments, the identifier is unique to each or each subset of the plurality of negotiable instruments and facilitates authentication of each of the negotiable instruments when needed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Inventors: David S. Davies, Robert A. Owen
  • Patent number: 8978990
    Abstract: A negotiable instrument such as a check includes a unique microprint identifier that allows for authentication while preventing unauthorized reproduction and alternation. A printing system generates the identifier after receiving a customer order for printing a plurality of negotiable instruments, to allow inclusion of information that is specific to the customer order and/or the printing process. In various embodiments, the identifier is unique to each or each subset of the plurality of negotiable instruments and facilitates authentication of each of the negotiable instruments when needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Deluxe Corporation
    Inventors: David S. Davies, Robert A. Owen
  • Publication number: 20130112759
    Abstract: A negotiable instrument such as a check includes a unique microprint identifier that allows for authentication while preventing unauthorized reproduction and alternation. A printing system generates the identifier after receiving a customer order for printing a plurality of negotiable instruments, to allow inclusion of information that is specific to the customer order and/or the printing process. In various embodiments, the identifier is unique to each or each subset of the plurality of negotiable instruments and facilitates authentication of each of the negotiable instruments when needed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Inventors: David S. Davies, Robert A. Owen
  • Publication number: 20120126451
    Abstract: The present invention relates to molds used to manufacture concrete block having customizable color and textures. The present invention also relates to the methods of making the molds and to methods of manufacturing the substitute blocks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Inventor: Robert A. Owen
  • Patent number: 7122788
    Abstract: Collecting samples to adjust a signal includes providing a shutter in an opened position to allow a detector of an infrared camera to detect infrared radiation and generate a signal corresponding to the infrared radiation. A first touchup iteration is initiated by moving the shutter to a closed position, and samples of a reference frame are collected according to a collection instruction. The shutter is then moved to the opened position. If there is a change in a state of the infrared camera, the collection instruction is adjusted in response to the change. A second touchup iteration is initiated by moving the shutter to the closed position, and samples are collected according to the adjusted collection instruction. A modification of the signal is determined in accordance with at least some of the samples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: L-3 Communications Corporation
    Inventors: Robert A. Owen, Vicki D. Paul, Humphrey W. Ha, Roger C. Knott, Mark A. Gohlke, Charles M. Hanson
  • Patent number: 6460553
    Abstract: A tank-cleaning device, having a housing (1) insertable into an opening of a tank, which housing has a rotationally fixed housing part (2) communicating with an ink for the cleaning fluid and a nozzle holder (4) rotatable relative to the rotationally fixed housing part (2) about a first pivot axis (5), and having at least one nozzle assembly with four nozzles (8, 9, 10, 11) that is disposed on the nozzle holder (4) rotatably about a second pivot axis (7), while having a simple structure, enables thorough cleaning of tanks with narrow tank openings, if two nozzles at a time (8, 9; 10, 11) of the nozzle assembly (6) are disposed at an acute angle (12) to one another in the form of respective V-formations (13, 14), and the two V-formations (13, 14) have essentially opposed directions (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Assignee: Alfa Laval LKM A/S
    Inventors: Robert A. Owens, Poul Anton Daugaard
  • Patent number: 6368654
    Abstract: A method for making fruit and vegetables purees includes selecting raw produce of the type having meat with a cell structure that is not ruptured by cooking or macerating, and seeds and/or skins. The seeds and/or skins are separated from the meat at substantially ambient temperature by extruding the meat through perforations to form a cold break. The cold break is heated to a temperature which cooks the same into a puree. The puree is then finished to the desired texture and consistency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: Gerber Products Company
    Inventors: Willis DeWayne Evans, Tracy A. Baker, William P. Burnaw, Richard H. Friday, Randall L. McDaniel, Robert A. Owens, Allen Bruce Zerlaut
  • Patent number: 6210931
    Abstract: Circular RNAs may be synthesized by inserting DNA fragments into a plasmid containing sequences having the capability of spontaneous cleavage and self-circularization. Insertion of the DNA fragments allows RNAs of predetermined size to be constructed. In addition, a two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis system having a second dimension more highly cross-linked than the first dimension permits the separation and analysis as well as the precise sizing of both linear and circular RNAs produced by the synthetic method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture
    Inventors: Paul A. Feldstein, Robert A. Owens, Laurene Levy, John W. Randles
  • Patent number: 6087661
    Abstract: A thermal sensor (36, 84, 114) comprising a thermal assembly (44, 88, 118) and a signal flowpath (46, 90, 120). The thermal assembly (44, 88, 118) may comprise a thermally sensitive element (50) and a pair of electrodes (52, 54). The thermally sensitive element (50) may generate a signal representative of an amount of thermal radiation incident to the thermally sensitive element (50). The electrodes (52, 54) may collect the signal generated by the thermally sensitive element (50). The signal flowpath (46, 90, 120) may transmit the signal collected by the electrodes (52, 54) to the substrate (34, 82, 112). The signal flowpath (46, 90, 120) may comprise a pair of arms (56, 58, 92, 122) each extending from an electrode (52, 54) and be connected to the substrate (34, 82, 112). The arms (56, 58, 92, 122) may support the thermal assembly (44, 88, 118) in spaced relation with the substrate (34, 82, 112). The arms (56, 58, 92, 122) may be formed of a thermally insulating material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Robert A. Owen, Charles M. Hanson, Steven N. Frank, Howard R. Beratan, Scott R. Summerfelt
  • Patent number: 5959298
    Abstract: A novel reticulated array comprises islands of ceramic (e.g. BST 40) which are fabricated from novel materials using unique methods of patterning. A shallow etch stop trench (46) is first ion milled around each ceramic island on front side and then filled with an etch stop material (e.g. parylene 48). An optical coat (e.g transparent metal layer 54, transparent organic layer 56 and conductive metallic layer 58) is elevated above the etch stop material by an elevation layer (e.g. polyimide 49). For some applications, it has been experimentally verified that there is no loss, and sometimes a measured increase, in optical efficiency when the optical coating is not planar in topology. Novel fabrication methods also provide for the convenient electrical and mechanical bonding of each of the massive number of ceramic islands to a signal processor substrate (e.g. Si 86) containing a massive array of sensing circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: James F. Belcher, Robert A. Owen
  • Patent number: 5737818
    Abstract: This is a system and method of forming an electrical contact to the optical coating of an infrared detector. The method may comprise: forming thermal isolation trenches 22 and contact vias 23 in a substrate 20; depositing a bias contact metal 32 into the vias 23 forming biasing contact areas around a periphery of the substrate 20; depositing a first trench filler 24 in the trenches 22 and vias 23; replanarizing; depositing a common electrode layer 25 over the thermal isolation trenches and the biasing contact areas; mechanically thinning the substrate 20 to expose the biasing contact area 32 and the trench filler 24; depositing a contact metal 34 on the backside of the substrate 20, the exposed trench filler 24 and the exposed bias contact area; and etching the contact metal 34 and the trench filler 24 to form pixel mesas of the contact metal 34 and the substrate 20. The thermal isolation trenches 22 and the bias contact vias 23 may be formed by ion milling or laser vaporization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Texas Instrument Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven N. Frank, James F. Belcher, Charles E. Stanford, Robert A. Owen, Robert J. S. Kyle
  • Patent number: 5696002
    Abstract: This is a system and method of forming an electrical contact to the optical coating of an infrared detector. The method may comprise: forming thermal isolation trenches 22 in a substrate 20; depositing a trench filler 24 in the thermal isolation trenches 22; depositing a common electrode layer 31 over the thermal isolation trenches 22; depositing an optical coating 26 above the common electrode layer 31; mechanically thinning the substrate to expose the trench filler 24; etching to remove the trench filler 24 in the bias contact area; depositing a contact metal 34 on the backside of the substrate 20, wherein the contact metal 34 connects to the common electrode layer 31 at bias contact areas 34 around a periphery of the thermal isolation trenches; and etching the contact metal 34 and the trench filler 24 to form pixel mesas of the contact metal 34 and the substrate 20. Bias contact vias 23 may be formed in the bias contact areas and then filled with bias contact metal 49.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 9, 1997
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven N. Frank, James F. Belcher, Charles E. Stanford, Robert A. Owen, Robert J. S. Kyle
  • Patent number: 5679267
    Abstract: A novel reticulated array comprises islands of ceramic (e.g. BST 40) which are fabricated from novel materials using unique methods of patterning. A shallow etch stop trench (46) is first ion milled around each ceramic island on the front side and then filled with an etch step material (e.g. parylene 48). An optical coat (e.g transparent metal layer 54, transparent organic layer 56 and conductive metallic layer 58) is elevated above the etch step material by an elevation layer (e.g. polyimide 49). For some applications, it has been experimentally verified that there is no loss, and sometimes a measured increase, in optical efficiency when the optical coating is not planar in topology. Novel fabrication methods also provide for the convenient electrical and mechanical bonding of each of the massive number of ceramic islands to a signal processor substrate (e.g. Si 86) containing a massive array of sensing circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1997
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: James F. Belcher, Robert A. Owen
  • Patent number: 5653892
    Abstract: A novel reticulated array comprises islands of ceramic (e.g. BST 40) which are fabricated from novel materials using unique methods of patterning. A front side optical coating (e.g. transparent metal layer 44, transparent organic layer 46 and conductive metallic layer 48) is elevated above the substrate between the ceramic islands. This allows additional material (e.g. polyimide 38) between the optical coating and the substrate above the regions where cavities are to be etched. Etching of the cavities (72) is performed from the back side of the substrate without damaging the front side optical coating. Novel fabrication methods also provide for the convenient electrical and mechanical bonding of each of the massive number of ceramic islands to a signal processor substrate (e.g. Si 80) containing a massive array of sensing circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1997
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: James F. Belcher, Robert A. Owen
  • Patent number: 5646066
    Abstract: This is a system and method of forming an electrical contact to the optical coating of an infrared detector. The method may comprise: forming thermal isolation trenches 22 in a substrate 20; depositing a trench filler 24 in the thermal isolation trenches 22; depositing a common electrode layer 31 over the thermal isolation trenches 22; depositing an optical coating 26 above the common electrode layer 31; mechanically thinning the substrate to expose the trench filler 24; etching to remove the trench filler 24 in the bias contact area; depositing a contact metal 34 on the backside of the substrate 20, wherein the contact metal 34 connects to the common electrode layer 31 at bias contact areas 34 around a periphery of the thermal isolation trenches; and etching the contact metal 34 and the trench filler 24 to form pixel mesas of the contact metal 34 and the substrate 20. Bias contact vias 23 may be formed in the bias contact areas and then filled with bias contact metal 49.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1997
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven N. Frank, James F. Belcher, Charles E. Stanford, Robert A. Owen, Robert J. S. Kyle
  • Patent number: 5631467
    Abstract: A novel reticulated array comprises islands of ceramic (e.g. BST 40) which are fabricated from novel materials using unique methods of patterning. A front side optical coating (e.g. transparent metal layer 44, transparent organic layer 46 and conductive metallic layer 48) is elevated above the substrate between the ceramic islands. This allows additional material (e.g. polyimide 38) between the optical coating and the substrate above the regions where cavities are to be etched. Etching of the cavities (72) is performed from the back side of the substrate without damaging the front side optical coating. Novel fabrication methods also provide for the convenient electrical and mechanical bonding of each of the massive number of ceramic islands to a signal processor substrate (e.g. Si 80) containing a massive array of sensing circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1997
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: James F. Belcher, Robert A. Owen