Patents by Inventor Steven TO

Steven TO 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: 9475483
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes an engine, a motor, and a controller. The controller is programmed to inhibit a scheduled transmission downshift and increase a torque of the motor for a specified period of time in response to a torque demand being greater than a maximum torque capability of the engine but less than a maximum combined torque capability of the engine and motor. Upon expiration of the specified period of time, the controller may permit the downshift to occur. The specified period of time may be based on a state of charge of a battery at a time when the torque demand exceeds the maximum torque capability of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Rajit Johri, Ming Lang Kuang, Mark Steven Yamazaki, Xiaoyong Wang, Wei Liang, Jeffrey Allen Doering
  • Patent number: 9476139
    Abstract: Provided are cleaning methods and systems to remove unintended metallic deposits from electroplating apparatuses using reverse current deplating techniques. Such cleaning involves positioning a cleaning (deplating) disk in an electroplating cup similar to a regular processed substrate. The front surface of the cleaning disk includes a corrosion resistant conductive material to form electrical connections to deposits on the cup's surfaces. The disk is sealed in the cup and submerged into a plating solution. A reverse current is then applied to the front conductive surface of the disk to initiate deplating of the deposits. Sealing compression in the cup may change during cleaning to cause different deformation of the lip seal and to form new electrical connections to the deposits. The proposed cleaning may be applied to remove deposits formed during electroplating of alloys, in particular, tin-silver alloys widely used for semiconductor and wafer level packaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Lee Peng Chua, Steven T. Mayer, Thomas A. Ponnuswamy, Santosh Kumar
  • Patent number: 9474788
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and compositions for reactivating latent immunodeficiency virus in an immunodeficiency virus-infected cell. The methods generally involve contacting an immunodeficiency virus-infected cell with a synergistically effective amount of an inhibitor of cytosine methylation and an NF-?B activator. The present disclosure provides methods and compositions for reducing the reservoir of latent immunodeficiency virus in an individual, and for treating an immunodeficiency virus infection in an individual.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: The J. David Gladstone Institutes
    Inventors: Eric M. Verdin, Steven E. Kauder
  • Patent number: 9476636
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a main refrigeration loop and a canister configured in a parallel circuit with the main refrigeration loop between the compressor and evaporator, with a liquid-filled bladder within the canister. The canister is pressurized by high-pressure refrigerant from the compressor, which forces the liquid within the bladder out of the bladder and to a pressurized water reservoir in fluid communication with the bladder and configured to house the evaporator and then out to a dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Nihat O. Cur, Steven J. Kuehl, Mark M. Senninger, Douglas D. Leclear, Gregory Gene Hortin
  • Patent number: 9478850
    Abstract: An antenna for a cylindrical body may include a flexible substrate with the antenna on it with a first terminal and a second terminal electrically connected to an integrated circuit, the flexible substrate coupled to the cylindrical body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: DURACELL U.S. OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Jordan Todorov Bourilkov, Sergio Coronado Hortal, William Fitler Morris, Steven Jeffrey Specht, Calvin Giles, Konstantin Stefanov
  • Patent number: 9476970
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate generally to autonomous vehicles. Specifically, the features described may be used alone or in combination in order to improve the safety, use, driver experience, and performance of these vehicles. In particular, the disclosure includes a system and method of determining a vehicle's location based on a comparison of images captured from the vehicle with a database of images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Nathaniel Fairfield, Christopher Paul Urmson, Michael Steven Montemerlo
  • Patent number: 9477811
    Abstract: A measurement module for glucose testing includes a glucose testing measurement module housing, a test strip receptacle formed in the housing, and a connector portion formed in the housing and shaped to permit mechanical removable attachment of the housing to a hand-held computer. Electronics determine the amount of glucose present in a sample of body fluid, when the test strip is positioned in the receptacle and the body fluid is placed on a test strip, and communicate the glucose amount to the hand-held computer via the connector portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Drucker, Charles T. Liamos, Fredric C. Colman, Mark Lortz, Kelley Lipman, Feng Jiang, Henrik Bacho
  • Patent number: 9477395
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable medium for providing an audio file interface. In one implementation, a method is provided. The method includes, while playing an audio file on a mobile device and displaying a current view in a user interface of the mobile device, receiving first user input requesting that an audio interface be displayed, and displaying the audio interface as an overlay in the user interface, where the audio interface includes information associated with the audio file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Imran A. Chaudhri, Scott Herz, Sean Kelly, Scott Forstall, Gregory N. Christie, Kevin Tiene, Steven Jobs
  • Patent number: 9477263
    Abstract: An electronic device may have a display with a brightness that is adjusted based on ambient light data from one or more ambient light sensors. An ambient light sensor may be formed from a semiconductor substrate such as a silicon substrate. Sensor structures may be formed in the silicon substrate. Conductive vias or other conductive paths may be used to interconnect sensor structures on a frontside surface of the ambient light sensor to contacts on a backside surface of the ambient light sensor. The ambient light sensor may be mounted on a substrate layer in the electronic device. The substrate layer may be a planar layer of glass or plastic such as a transparent display layer. The contacts of the ambient light sensor may be mounted to corresponding contacts on the surface of the substrate layer. The substrate layer may be a thin-film transistor layer in a liquid crystal display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steven P. Hotelling, Dong Zheng
  • Patent number: 9474719
    Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention is concerned with a treatment where it is desired that an active agent is designed to be released in a pulse at a time point some time after administration of the active agent. The present invention is particularly suited to administering an agent which may be released while a subject is sleeping. As well as treating certain conditions by a particular regime, the invention also provides novel formulations for a delayed, followed by a pulsed release of drug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF STRATHCLYDE
    Inventors: Alexander Mullen, Howard Stevens, Sarah Eccleston
  • Patent number: 9475720
    Abstract: Hydrogen may permeate into an interior space of an article in response to molten glass being in contact with the outer surface of the article. The permeation may be restricted by having a fluid in a length of the interior space. The fluid may be in contact with the inner surface of the article, the fluid may fill at least about 33% of the volume of the length of the interior space, and the fluid may provide a predetermined partial pressure of hydrogen. Features may be provided for causing the fluid to flow within the interior space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: CORNING INCORPORATED
    Inventors: David Myron Lineman, Martin Herbert Goller, Steven Robert Moshier
  • Patent number: 9475798
    Abstract: Described herein are compounds that are estrogen receptor modulators. Also described are pharmaceutical compositions and medicaments that include the compounds described herein, as well as methods of using such estrogen receptor modulators, alone and in combination with other compounds, for treating diseases or conditions that are mediated or dependent upon estrogen receptors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Genentech, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven P. Govek, Mehmet Kahraman, Nicholas D. Smith, Jeffrey H. Hager, Edna Chow Maneval
  • Patent number: 9477337
    Abstract: Conductive trace routing techniques for display and bezel sensors are described. In one or more implementations, an apparatus includes display sensors, bezel sensors, and a plurality of conductive traces. The display sensors are configured to detect proximity of an object and are arranged in conjunction with a display area of a display device to support interaction with a user interface displayed by the display device. The bezel sensors are configured to detect proximity of an object and are disposed in a bezel that at least partially surrounds the display device and is outside the display area. The plurality of conductive traces are disposed between the display and bezel sensors and communicatively couple the display sensors and the bezel sensors to one or more computing components that are configured to process inputs received from the display sensors and the bezel sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew N. Cady, Christopher A. Whitman, Steven Nabil Bathiche, Thomas Charles Oliver, Rajesh Manohar Dighde
  • Patent number: 9475800
    Abstract: Compounds of formula (I) are inhibitors of fatty acid amide hydrolase, (FAAH), and which are useful in the treatment of diseases or medical conditions which benefit from inhibition of FAAH activity, such as anxiety, depression pain, inflammation, and eating, sleep, neurodegenerative and movement disorders: Wherein Ar1 is optionally substituted phenyl or optionally substituted monocyclic heteroaryl having 5 or 6 ring atoms; Ar2 is optionally substituted phenyl, optionally substituted monocyclic heteroaryl having 5 or 6 ring atoms or optionally substituted fused bicyclic heteroaryl having 5 or 6 ring atoms in each fused ring; and Ar3 is a divalent radical selected from the group consisting of optionally substituted phenylene and optionally substituted monocyclic heteroarylene radicals having 5 or 6 ring atoms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: VERNALIS (R&D) LTD.
    Inventors: Stephen Roughley, Steven Walls, Terance Hart, Rachel Parsons, Paul Brough, Christopher Graham, Alba Macias
  • Patent number: 9477352
    Abstract: A method of making a display device includes providing a first substrate having an array of pixels located in correspondence thereto, the pixels separated by inter-pixel gaps in at least one dimension. A first electrode having a length and width is formed and located over the first substrate and extends across at least a portion of the array of pixels, the first electrode including a plurality of electrically connected micro-wires formed in a first micro-pattern. The method further includes locating the gap micro-wires of the first micro-pattern between the pixels in the inter-pixel gaps so that the gap micro-wires substantially extend continuously along the first electrode length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventor: Ronald Steven Cok
  • Patent number: 9478700
    Abstract: A scalable method for the manufacture of narrow, bright, monodisperse, photo-luminescent quantum dots prepared in the presence of a Group II-VI molecular seeding cluster fabricated in situ from a zinc salt and a thiol or selenol compound. Exemplary quantum dots have a core containing indium, phosphorus, zinc and either sulfur or selenium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Nanoco Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Steven Daniels, James Harris, Paul Glarvey, Katherine Orchard, Arun Narayanaswamy
  • Patent number: 9475434
    Abstract: A technique for providing localized stiffening of a vehicle trim panel, especially for high curvature areas. The vehicle trim panel includes an outer panel having an outer show surface and an inner surface. A plurality of discrete reinforcement elements are bonded to the inner surface of the outer panel at locations where localized stiffening is desired. The discrete elements can come in a variety of different shapes and sizes, where the combination of elements and the number of elements is selected for a particular trim panel stiffness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Nilesh D. Mankame, Mark O. Vann, Julien P. Mourou, Steven C. Lang
  • Patent number: 9476257
    Abstract: A formation-engaging assembly includes a formation-engaging structure holder with a side surface between a proximal end and a distal end, a receptacle in the distal end, and a lateral protrusion extending from a portion of the side surface of the formation-engaging structure holder adjacent the distal end. A formation-engaging structure may include a formation-engaging surface at a distal end, a proximal end and a sidewall therebetween. The proximal end and at least a portion of the sidewall of the formation-engaging structure may be received within the receptacle of the formation-engaging structure holder. Earth-boring tools may include such formation-engaging assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Juan Miguel Bilen, Steven C. Russell
  • Patent number: 9475710
    Abstract: A point of use irrigation water fertigation system utilizes plasma production of nitrogen-bearing species. Soluble nitrogen-bearing species are generated using an atmospheric air plasma treatment of an irrigation water supply. A plasma is generated by a tube having an air intake. A high frequency generator generates atmospheric plasma. The end of the tube is placed above the surface of the irrigation water supply and the plasma emanating from the tube generates nitrogen species in the water. The non-thermal plasma discharge efficiently produces highly reactive radicals and NOx species that have impact on water chemistry including inactivation of microorganisms with high efficacy and accelerated removal of persistent organic pollutants such as perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) from water samples. Plasma ignition can be initiated with a low flow of helium gas injection. Upon ignition, the gas is transitioned to a helium/room air mix, immediately followed by a transition to ambient room air only.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: North Carolina State University
    Inventors: Steven C. Shannon, Detlef Knappe, Brandon Byrns, Daniel Wooten, Alexander Lindsay
  • Patent number: 9476907
    Abstract: An accelerometer comprises a support (12), a proof mass (14) supported for movement relative to the support (12) by a plurality of mounting legs (16), a plurality of fixed capacitor fingers associated with the support (12) and a plurality of movable capacitor fingers associated with the proof mass (14), the fixed capacitor fingers being interdigitated with the movable capacitor fingers, the mounting legs (16) being of serpentine shape, each mounting leg (16) comprising at least a first generally straight section (16a), a second generally straight section (16a), and an end section (16b) of generally U-shaped form interconnecting the first and second generally straight sections (16a), wherein the thickness Te of the end section (16b) is greater than the thickness Tc of a central part (16c) of both of the first and second generally straight sections (16a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Atlantic Inertial Systems Limited
    Inventors: Alan Malvern, Louise Snell, Steven Westbury