Patents Issued in August 12, 2008
  • Patent number: 7411450
    Abstract: In a circuit and a method for amplification of an electrical input signal, a signal splitter divides the input signal into a first partial signal in a first signal path and a second partial signal in a second signal path. The first signal path has a first amplification stage for amplification of the first partial signal and the second signal path has a second amplification stage for amplification of the second partial signal. Each of the two amplification stages is supplied with current by a current supply device. Both amplified partial signals are recombined into an output signal by a signal combination element downstream from the amplification stages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Adam Albrecht
  • Patent number: 7411451
    Abstract: An amplifier circuit includes an pair of input transistors, the drains of which are connected to emitters of first and second cascode transistors. First and second controlled current sources are connected to the emitters of the first and second cascode transistors, respectively, and third and fourth controlled current sources are connected to the collectors thereof. A bias circuit controls the 4 controlled current sources in response to the emitter voltage of a pair of input transistors of an output stage the inputs of which are connected to the drains of the first and second cascode transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Sergey V. Alenin, Henry Surtihadi
  • Patent number: 7411452
    Abstract: A low DC power rail-to-rail buffer amplifier is suitable for liquid crystal display application. The buffer amplifier comprises: a dc bias stage, a pair of complementary differential amplifiers, a second stage amplifier, and output stage. The dc bias stage is used for the dc bias of the differential amplifiers and the second stage to obtain a rail-to-rail operation. This buffer amplifier can be operated in the power supply ranges of 5.5 V to the breakdown voltage. Simulated results show that the circuit draws only 5.3 ?A static current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: New Vision Micro Inc.
    Inventors: Chih-Wen Lu, Peter H. Xiao
  • Patent number: 7411453
    Abstract: An amplifier includes first and second pairs of differentially coupled input transistors. The first current mirror generates a reference current which is mirrored by a second current mirror to produce a mirrored reference current. Current steering circuitry steers the mirrored reference current as a first tail current through the first pair when a common mode voltage associated with a differential input voltage exceeds a first reference voltage. A first portion of the mirrored reference current flows from the first current steering circuitry when the common mode voltage is greater than the first reference voltage to produce a second tail current for the second pair. A second portion of the mirrored reference current is fed back to an output of the first current mirror and summed with the reference current so as to reduce the second portion when the common mode voltage is greater than the first reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Vadim V. Ivanov, David R. W. Spady
  • Patent number: 7411454
    Abstract: An electron turbulence damping circuit (40) for a complimentary-symmetry unit (10?) includes a first output device (12?) having a first conductivity and a second output device (14?) having a second conductivity that is opposite the conductivity of the first output device (12?). A common load connector (28?) is secured in electrical communication between a load (30?), a first current output (18?) of the first output device (12?) and a second current output (24?) of the second output device (14?). First and second resistive elements (42, 46) are secured in parallel between current inputs (16?, 22?) of the output devices (12?, 14?) and the common load connector (28?). The first and second resistive elements have a virtually identical resistance value that is greater than ten times a minimum impedance of the load (30?). The output devices (12?, 14?) may be transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Inventor: Daniel A. Chattin
  • Patent number: 7411455
    Abstract: A bipolar high output current buffer is disclosed using a negative feedback current mirror to supply the base drive to an output transistor. Small quiescent currents are used wherein the buffer demonstrates low quiescent power dissipation. The current mirror supplies the incremental base drive to the output transistor to support high output currents. When the output drive may source or sink the high output currents, two current mirrors may be used, one for each of the source and the sinking circuitry. This invention provides for minimal loss of dynamic range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Steven O. Smith
  • Patent number: 7411456
    Abstract: An AGC circuit includes: a variable gain amplifier circuit having a gain controlled with a gain control signal; a rectifier circuit for rectifying an output signal of the variable gain amplifier circuit; a voltage comparator for comparing a rectified signal with a threshold voltage; an up/down counter that switches between up-counting and down-counting according to the level of an output voltage of the voltage comparator; and a D/A converter circuit for outputting a voltage corresponding to a count value of the up/down counter. The gain control signal supplied to the variable gain amplifier circuit corresponds to the voltage output from the D/A converter circuit, and the threshold voltage for the voltage comparator is a voltage corresponding to the voltage output from the D/A converter circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takuma Ishida
  • Patent number: 7411457
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide a technique which optimizes a gate resistor of a bias circuit to thereby make it possible to greatly improve a distortion characteristic of a power amplifier. A bias circuit used as for biasing the gate of a final-stage power transistor is included in a power amplifier provided in a communication mobile system. In the bias circuit, an inductance and a resistor are series-connected between a power supply voltage and the gate of the power transistor. The resistance value of the resistor is set to approximately the same order as an input impedance of the power transistor. When the input impedance of the power transistor is about 10? or so, for example, the resistor is set to about a few ? to about 100?. Thus, the gain of the power transistor at a low-frequency band can greatly be suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Ono, Toru Fujioka, Masahito Numanami
  • Patent number: 7411458
    Abstract: Power amplifier (PA) apparatus that includes: a PA device operating at a fundamental frequency and having a maximum operating frequency that is higher than the fundamental frequency, an output current having a fundamental component at the fundamental frequency and a plurality of harmonic components at different harmonic frequencies of the fundamental frequency, and an output voltage based on the output current; a first matching circuit coupled to the PA device and corresponding to the fundamental component; and a second matching circuit coupled between the PA device and the first matching circuit and corresponding to at least one of the harmonic components, wherein the first and second matching circuits maintain the PA output voltage at a value that is no more than a predetermined maximum value, which is less than a breakdown voltage for the PA device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Frei, Enver Krvavac
  • Patent number: 7411459
    Abstract: A transconductor tuning device tuning a transconductance using a current. The transconductor tuning device includes a tuning section that applies a tuning current and a reference voltage to a transconductor converting an input voltage signal into a current signal and thereby tunes a level of transconductance. The tuning section includes a tuning current generator that converts a bias signal supplied from a bias current source into a certain level of tuning current and outputs the tuning current to the transconductor. The transconductor includes a control voltage generator that generates a certain level of control voltage using the tuning current. Accordingly, the transconductance of the plurality of transconductors are tuned at the same level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jeong-won Lee
  • Patent number: 7411460
    Abstract: A voltage reference forces a constant voltage at the inputs to an amplifier, thereby negating a need for a dummy detector on the non-active input of the amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Exar Corporation
    Inventor: Richard W. Randlett
  • Patent number: 7411461
    Abstract: A control loop (10) for producing an output signal with a stable nominal frequency is provided. The control loop includes inputs for reference (11) and oscillator (25) output signals, a beat frequency generator (12) for producing a signal with a frequency that is the difference between the oscillator and reference signal frequencies, an ADC (14) to convert the beat frequency to a digital beat frequency signal, an estimator (17) for estimating the frequency or phase of the beat signal, an adder (18) for combining an offset and modulation signal and the estimated frequency or phase of the beat signal into an added signal, and a DAC (23) for generating an analogue control signal for controlling the oscillator output frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Tait Electronics Limited
    Inventor: William Mark Siddall
  • Patent number: 7411462
    Abstract: A novel testing mechanism operative to test large capacitor arrays such as those used in a digitally controlled crystal oscillator (DCXO). The invention is adapted for use in DCXO circuits that employ dynamic element matching in their array decoding circuits. The invention combines the use of DEM during regular operation of the DCXO with a testing technique that greatly reduces the number of tests required. The invention tests the capacitors in the array on a row by row, wherein all the capacitors in a row are tested lumped together and treated as a single entity, which results in significantly reduced testing time. This permits the measurement of significantly higher frequency deviations due to the larger capacitances associated with an entire row of capacitors being tested.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: John Wallberg, Robert B. Staszewski, Vanessa M. Bodrero
  • Patent number: 7411463
    Abstract: A method for measuring the damping factor of an Nth-order phase-locked loop, wherein N>1, and a system, apparatus, and program that operate in accordance with the method. The method includes applying a modulation source at an input to the phase-locked loop. The method also includes measuring the output response to various levels of frequency modulation, measuring the ?3 dB cutoff frequency of the phase-locked loop, and measuring the peak frequency of the phase-locked loop. The method further includes calculating the damping factor of the phase-locked loop as a function of the ?3 dB cutoff frequency and the peak frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Tellabs Operations, Inc.
    Inventor: Terrence J. Tanis
  • Patent number: 7411464
    Abstract: An oscillator circuit can generate a periodic signal, and a frequency adjustment circuit can adjust the frequency of the periodic signal. The periodic signal may include phase jitter. In one aspect of the invention, the phase jitter may be mitigated by connecting other circuitry to the oscillator circuit and allowing the other circuitry to draw current. In one embodiment, the other circuitry is connected in parallel with the oscillator circuit. In one embodiment, the other circuitry is configured to draw greater current to mitigate more phase jitter and to draw less current to mitigate less phase jitter. In one embodiment, a greater portion of the other circuitry is connected to the oscillator circuit for higher frequencies and a lesser portion of the other circuitry is connected to the oscillator circuit for lower frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Tim T Hoang, Sergey Shumarayev
  • Patent number: 7411465
    Abstract: A drive circuit apparatus for use in generating a drive signal for energizing an actuator about a natural resonant frequency is disclosed. The circuit has a counter that generates a count sequence derived from a drive sense signal. Additionally, a demodulator is further coupled to the counter and generates a voltage level signal from the drive sense signal based on the count sequence. A digital to analog (D/A) converter is coupled to both the counter and demodulator. The D/A converter generates the drive signal in a substantially constant phase relationship with respect to the drive sense signal as derived from the voltage level signal and based on the count sequence. In addition, a method of generating a drive signal for energizing an actuator about a natural resonant frequency is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Watson Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: William S. Watson
  • Patent number: 7411466
    Abstract: An overtone crystal oscillator including a crystal, multiple amplifiers and an RC network. The crystal has a fundamental resonance frequency and at least one overtone resonance frequency. The amplifiers are coupled in series between terminals of the crystal and the RC network is coupled to the amplifiers. The amplifiers and the RC network are collectively configured to suppress oscillation of the crystal at the fundamental resonance frequency and to enable oscillation at an overtone resonance frequency of the crystal. The amplifiers and the RC network may be configured to cause a phase shift between the fundamental resonance frequency and the overtone resonance frequency. The overtone resonance frequency may be any odd harmonic of the fundamental frequency, such as a third overtone of the crystal. The overtone crystal oscillator may be integrated with CMOS processes and does not require an inductor to suppress the fundamental mode of oscillation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald C. Alford
  • Patent number: 7411467
    Abstract: An overtone crystal oscillator automatic calibration system including an overtone crystal oscillator with multiple programmable resistors and multiple amplifiers with supply voltage inputs and a calibration system. The calibration system adjusts the programmable resistors and the supply voltage inputs and detects oscillation of the overtone crystal oscillator. The calibration system adjusts the programmable resistors and the supply voltage input for each of multiple sequential steps to adjust the frequency bandwidth, such as from a higher bandwidth and lower gain to a lower bandwidth at higher gain. For example, each resistance level is tested for each of multiple supply voltage levels. The range of resistances and voltages is designed to ensure oscillation at a selected overtone frequency while avoiding oscillation at a fundamental frequency of the oscillator crystal. Oscillation may be detected by a counter which counts to a predetermined count value indicating successful oscillation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald C. Alford, Gary A. Kurtzman, Shobak R. Kythakyapuzha
  • Patent number: 7411468
    Abstract: There is a disclosed an oscillator for generating a periodic signal, comprising a transistor and two electro-magnetically coupled inductors in positive feedback configuration, one of the inductors is connected to the drain or gate of the transistor, and the other being connected to the source to maintain the same phase of the two voltages at the two nodes. Two or more of such single ended oscillators can be connected together to form a differential oscillator, and the invention can be generalized by the use of any active device and not just transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Howard Cam Luong, Ka-Chun Kwok
  • Patent number: 7411469
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement having a plurality of variable capacitance elements such as varactors is described, the varactors having associated electronic control means which controls the capacitance of the variable capacitance elements over a control range. The control range is such that for any particular variable capacitance element a complete variation from a lowest to a highest capacitance is obtained from only a portion of the control range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Colin Leslie Perry, Stephen John Parry, Alessandro F. Deidda, Christopher R. Shepherd
  • Patent number: 7411470
    Abstract: A controller sends signals to an electromagnetic coupler associated with a bus. The signals are arranged to set a coupling strength of the coupler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas D. Simon, Rajeevan Amirtharajah, John R. Benham
  • Patent number: 7411471
    Abstract: A high-frequency switch operating in a millimeter wave band that includes a signal path having a ?/4 transmission path, for part of two or more branch signal paths that branch from an input connection path via a branch point; an FET, which is shunt-connected between a grounding end and the branch signal paths that are positioned between the ?/4 transmission path and a terminal end, as viewed from the branch point, and used to connect or disconnect the branch signal paths and the grounding end; an output matching circuit, which is positioned on the branch signal paths that are positioned between a terminal end and a connection point for the FET as viewed from the branch point, and includes a shunt-connected stub; and a matching FET, which is connected between the stub and the grounding end and used to connect or disconnect the stub and the grounding end in accordance with the FET's connection/disconnection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Tsukahara
  • Patent number: 7411472
    Abstract: A wafer-scale heterogeneous layered active electronically scanned array (ESA) utilizes a low-loss integrated waveguide feed. The ESA is formed from wafer-scale subarray modules each of which comprises a multilayer stack to form transmit/receive (T/R) modules. Waveguide subarray combiners feed the T/R modules. A subarray combiner is a waveguide assembly bonded to a bottom layer in the multilayer stack. The bottom layer is a ground plane forming a top waveguide broadwall of the combiner. The waveguide subarray combiner may be formed from a variety of waveguide types and feeds the T/R modules using electric field probe coupling or an aperture slot coupling. A second layer feed structure forms the subarray modules into the ESA and feeds the waveguide subarray combiners. The second layer feed structure uses waveguides to feed the waveguide subarray combiners using E-field probes or aperture slot coupling on the bottom waveguide broadwall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: James B. West, Ross K. Wilcoxon
  • Patent number: 7411473
    Abstract: An elastic boundary wave device includes an IDT including laminated conductor layers disposed between a first medium and a second medium, wherein a plane that divides the IDT in half in the thickness direction defines an interface, the energy of an elastic boundary wave present on the side of the first medium of the interface is denoted as E1, and the energy of an elastic boundary wave present on the side of the second medium of the interface is denoted as E2, and wherein if the IDT included only a conductor having the highest density among the laminated conductor layers of the IDT, when the energy of an elastic boundary wave present on the side of the first medium of the interface is denoted as E1? and the energy of an elastic boundary wave present on the side of the second medium of the interface is denoted as E2?, the energies of an elastic boundary wave would satisfy the relationship of E1/E2<E1?/E2? so that the sonic velocity of an elastic boundary wave in the IDT including the laminated conductor lay
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hajime Kando
  • Patent number: 7411474
    Abstract: A multi-layer printed circuit board includes a first conductive layer including at least one conductor pattern and a plated through hole extending into the first conductive layer and intersecting the conductor pattern. A current diverting cutout in the conductor pattern is positioned proximate the intersection of the plated through hole and conductor pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Andrew Corporation
    Inventor: James L. Alford
  • Patent number: 7411475
    Abstract: A superconductor filter comprises a plurality of resonance elements arranged between input-output lines formed on a substrate. Metal conductor sections serving to inhibit the spatial coupling between the adjacent resonance elements are arranged between prescribed resonance elements, and a prescribed resonance element is coupled with another resonance element by a coupling transmission line. It follows that each resonance element is coupled with another resonance element by the direct coupling via the coupling transmission line or by the spatial coupling via the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Fuke, Yoshiaki Terashima, Fumihiko Aiga, Mutsuki Yamazaki, Hiroyuki Kayano, Tatsunori Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 7411476
    Abstract: A combination of an electromagnetic switching device and a printed circuit board incoming and outgoing connecting conductors associated with switchable conducting paths in the switching device. The connecting conductors are each associated with a connecting terminal for connecting an external electrical conductor. Pin contacts are connected to the printed circuit board for establishing a connection to the switching device. Each of the connecting conductors includes a contact receptacle accessible from the front of the switchgear housing for providing a contact connection to one of the pin contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Moeller GmbH
    Inventors: Stephan Stanke, Ulrich Trapp
  • Patent number: 7411477
    Abstract: An inductor using a rectangular wire wound in an axial direction roughly parallel with a mounted substrate, and enabling an increase in connection strength in mounting. The inductor (10) comprises a core member (20) formed of a magnetic material, the rectangular wire (30) formed in a flat shape so that the contact faces thereof are positioned along the longitudinal direction and forming winding structures (31) by winding them on the outer peripheral surface of the core member (20) by edgewise winding, and a case body (40) in which the core member (20) and the rectangular wire (30) are disposed. The rectangular wire (30) is wound, by multiple turns, on the core member (20), and the multiple winding structures (31) are disposed, in a stacked state, along the axial direction of the core member (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Sumida Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshito Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7411478
    Abstract: A coil component including a connection part not excessively welded to a terminal electrode. End portion of a conducting wire of a common mode filter is laser-welded, while being held by a holding piece and a surface of the terminal electrode. A portion melted by laser-welding includes a bulge portion which bulges in a direction away from a core. There is provided a lower insulation covering portion between a foundation and the portion corresponding to the end portion of the conducting wire. For the bulge portion, the lower insulation covering portion is provided only between the foundation and the portion corresponding to the end portion of the conducting wire, thereby preventing excessive welding to a terminal electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Yutaka Hatakeyama, Kouzou Kajiwara
  • Patent number: 7411479
    Abstract: An inductive coil assembly having multiple coils arranged at distinct orientations to provide efficient inductive coupling of power or communications or both to a device when the device is arranged at different orientations with respect to the inductive primary coil. In one embodiment, the inductive coil assembly includes three coils, each oriented along one of the x, y and z axes of a standard Cartesian three-dimensional coordinate system. The three separate coils provide effective transfer of power and communication when the device is at essentially any orientation with respect to the primary coil. In an alternative embodiment, the multi-axis inductive coil assembly of the present invention can function as a primary to inductively transmit power or communication or both over a plurality of magnetic fields at distinct orientations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC
    Inventors: David W. Baarman, Terry L. Lautzenheiser
  • Patent number: 7411480
    Abstract: A security apparatus (2) monitors movement of users carrying security controllers (3a) through (3c) into and out of a security area (50), and controls security operations. The security apparatus (2) includes a communication unit (4) for communicating with each of the security controllers (3a) through (3c) and obtaining position information on the respective security controllers (3a) through (3c), a storage unit (11) for storing a security controller monitoring table (30), and a left-controller determining section (26) for judging whether any of the security controllers (3a) through (3c) has been left within the security area (50) and determining whether setting or canceling of the security mode is commanded automatically or based on the input operations by the users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Omron Corporation
    Inventors: Tanichi Ando, Hisashi Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 7411481
    Abstract: An ECU of a vehicle is activated to communicate with a user validation apparatus while a specific signal such as an ignition signal is being produced, and to perform a first control operation when positive validation occurs, and can be activated by a request signal for a second control operation while the specific signal is off, without performing the communication. Erroneous detection of a communication error is avoided in a case when communication is interrupted due to switch-off of the specific signal and the request signal for the second control operation is received during that communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventor: Hirotaka Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7411482
    Abstract: A wireless tag reader and writer includes: a plurality of read and write boxes each having an opening at one end, through which an article with a wireless tag is accommodated, and a read antenna and a write antenna on parts of the side wall at the end opposite to the opening; and a box storage having a plurality of storage compartments for storing the read and write boxes. Each of the read and write boxes is fixed in the storage compartment with a fixing screw fixed to the side wall of the read and write box adjacent to the opening in such a manner the fixing screw is fixed in an inclined slide slit in the outer wall of the box storage adjacent to the opening such that the opening is higher than the opposite end. Thus, the wireless tag can be located close to the reading antenna and the write antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshiaki Oshiro
  • Patent number: 7411483
    Abstract: A protective cover assembly is provided. The protective cover assembly includes a flexible cover and an alarm assembly. The flexible cover includes an outer layer of flexible material, an inner layer of flexible material, and at least one layer of tear resistant material positioned between the outer and inner layers. The alarm assembly includes a pair of conductor plates positioned between the outer layer of flexible material and the inner layer of flexible material, a power source, and an alarm system electrically connected to the power source and at least one of the first and second conductor plates such that upon an electrical conducting implement piercing the first conductor plate and contacting the second conductor plate an electrical connection is established between the first conductor plate and the second conductor plate thereby causing the alarm system to emit an alerting signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Hard 2 Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Roy Ramirez, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7411484
    Abstract: A steering wheel lock having an ultrasonic-wave alarm system includes a lock main body to be mounted on a steering wheel so that the rotation of the steering wheel is constrained and an anti-theft alarm circuit located within an outer shell of the lock main body, which is activated upon the engagement of the lock main body and the steering wheel. The anti-theft alarm circuit further includes at least a set of detecting unit and a central processing unit (CPU) for detecting a moving body in the automobile. The detecting unit consists of an ultrasonic wave emitter for sending ultrasonic waves toward the inner space of the automobile and an ultrasonic wave receiver for receiving and treating the reflected waves. The treated signals are sent to the CPU for recognition. If the signals are anomalous, the anti-theft alarm circuit will start a predetermined alarming process to scare away suspicious people and to notify the automobile owner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Inventor: Chen-Kuei Hsieh
  • Patent number: 7411485
    Abstract: Method and apparatus (2) of a vehicle for alerting a driver of a vehicle when the vehicle deviates from a predefined driving area in a lane. The apparatus includes an image display unit (6) and a control unit (5) connected to each other to enable the apparatus to provide a visual warning via the image display unit when the vehicle is outside the predefined driving area and where the visual warning is displayed in the form of a solid or broken line on the side of the image display unit (6) that corresponds to the side of the vehicle where the deviation occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB
    Inventor: Johan Jarlengrip
  • Patent number: 7411486
    Abstract: A driver assistance device for warning a driver of a motor vehicle of a risk of departure from the lane or from the lane is described, having at least one image-transmitting sensor, an evaluation device, connected to the image-transmitting sensor, for detecting edge-of-lane and/or lane markings and/or edges of lanes in the area sensed by the image-transmitting sensor, and a warning device which is connected to the evaluation device, in which driver assistance device in addition at least one distance-transmitting sensor is connected to the evaluation device, with which sensor the distance from objects which are elevated with respect to the surface of the lane can be determined in the region of the edge of the lane, in particular of a structural boundary of the edge of the lane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Axel Gern, Alfred Lotter, Rainer Moebus, Volker Oltmann, Bernd Woltermann, Zoltan Zomotor
  • Patent number: 7411487
    Abstract: A tire-information administration system includes a plurality of sensor modules installed in tires; at least one reception module configured to receive data from the sensor modules; and a central control module configured to command the reception module to acquire data from the sensor modules. The central control module includes a predetermined number of connection ports for the reception module, assigned in advance to each sensor modules; and a specifically configured control means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Takao, Tatehiko Yamada, Yoshinori Imamura
  • Patent number: 7411488
    Abstract: A tire location detecting apparatus for a vehicle with four wheels includes four rotation direction detecting devices, four transmitters, a triggering device, a receiver, and a controller. Each of the rotation direction detecting devices outputs a rotation direction signal which is then transmitted by an associated one of the transmitters. The triggering device triggers the transmitter on a first one of the four wheels to transmit an identification signal specific thereto. The receiver receives all of the signals transmitted from transmitters and provides those signals to the controller. The controller identifies the transmitter and tire on the first wheel based on the identification signal transmitted from the transmitter on the first wheel and determines, for each of the transmitters, whether the transmitter and the associated tire are located on one of the right-side wheels or one of the left-side wheels based on the rotation direction signal transmitted from the transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuya Watabe, Masashi Mori
  • Patent number: 7411489
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system comprising an occupancy sensor for sensing occupancy of an area, able to activate upon sensing occupancy of the area, maintain activation when sensing continuing occupancy, to include settings therefor, and to enable self-adjusting of the settings. It includes an infrared sensor section, able to passively sense occupancy and activate a signal, continue to activate upon sensing continuing occupancy, and enable separate processing of the settings. It also includes an ultrasonic sensor section, able to actively sense occupancy, activate a signal upon sensing continuing occupancy, and enable separate processing of the settings. The occupancy sensor is able to activate when the infrared sensor section senses occupancy, and to maintain activation when either the infrared sensor section or the ultrasonic sensor section senses continuing occupancy of the area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Cooper Wiring Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian E. Elwell, James D. Himonas
  • Patent number: 7411490
    Abstract: A security monitoring methodology and device using digital audio. A security control device integrates physical intrusion detection functions, physical access control functions, and compressed, streaming, digital audio transmission capability. The device provides interfaces for a number of sensor inputs, including standard alarm monitoring sensors and audio sensors. The device is capable of communicating with a monitoring system over a variety of digital networking configurations options, including TCP/IP, via embedded Ethernet interface, or serial modem communications over telephone or digital cellular networks using PPP network protocol. The device may use backup channels of communications including telephone and cellular network communications. All communications with the device, whether to monitoring receiver or other local devices, may be secured with a minimum AES 128-bit encryption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Infrasafe, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Perkinson, Patrick Lusaka
  • Patent number: 7411491
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device, in particular a patient monitoring system with a mobile terminal unit (1) for acquiring patient data. The measured data is transferred from the terminal unit (1) via a short-range radio technology (2) (e.g. Bluetooth) to a data monitor (3) arranged at the patient's bedside when the patient is in the vicinity thereof. If necessary, communication can be switched to a long-range radio technology (7) (e.g. WLAN) to ensure interruption-free data transmission while the patient moves around.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Karin Klabunde, Guido Muesch
  • Patent number: 7411492
    Abstract: A tracking system includes a global positioning system (GPS) module and a modem for mobile communications both attached to a pet (or other trackee), and a virtual fence (which includes a base station sending a signal to a certain range and a receiver attached to the pet (or other trackee) and receiving the signal sent by a base station when the receiver is within the range of the base station). A portable virtual fence system includes a signal-sending base station, and a signal-receiver worn by a to-be-fenced pet or other trackee. Advantageously, the base station is portable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Inventor: Stephen Jay Greenberg
  • Patent number: 7411493
    Abstract: The invention provides a system and method for reporting hazard and event information from a mobile unit, and using that information to warn a user of an event or future hazard with reference to the mobile unit's location and/or intended direction of travel. Users may wirelessly report events or hazards to a central server in an event center by sending data to the event center via a wireless communications network. Secondary information may be included, based on the selected event type, along with images, audio, and video of the event. The event center stores event information, including event locations based on the locations of the transmitting mobile units, and makes this information available to allow other users to respond to the hazard or event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: User-Centric IP, L.P.
    Inventor: Michael R. Smith
  • Patent number: 7411494
    Abstract: A low cost, robust, wireless sensor that provides an extended period of operability without maintenance is described. The wireless sensors are configured to communicate with a base unit or repeater. When the sensor unit detects an anomalous ambient condition (e.g., smoke, fire, water, etc.) the sensor communicates with the base unit and provides data regarding the anomalous condition. The sensor unit receives instructions to change operating parameters and/or control external devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Inventor: Lawrence Kates
  • Patent number: 7411495
    Abstract: A remotely monitorable shipping container including a shipping container body having associated therewith at least one door and at least one door latch having a latch locking element arranged for locking engagement with a door mounted locking element, at least one wireless communicator mounted in a secure location within the shipping container and being operative to wirelessly transmit information to a remote monitor regarding the status of an electronic seal mounted onto the locking element for confirming locking of the at least one door, and at least one wireless antenna mounted within a protected enclosure on the outside of the shipping container for transmitting the information from the at least one wireless communicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: HI-G-TEK Ltd.
    Inventors: Micha Auerbach, Rony Cohen, Eli Golan, Alex Isenberg, Arcadi Genin, Ran Sender, Shmuel Blum
  • Patent number: 7411496
    Abstract: Described is a cellular security system for monitoring an asset from a remote monitoring site without utilizing a signal modulating device or a cellular voice service. The cellular security system includes a detector, a display device, a cellular telephone that includes a camera and email capabilities, and a remote email device. When the detector detects an occurrence, the display device is activated such that the display device indicates the status of the detector. The cellular telephone captures a photo-image of the activated display device and composes an email and attaches the captured photo-image to the email. The cellular telephone sends the email to a remote email device, which is located at the remote monitoring site. From the remote monitoring site, the photo-image is viewed using the remote email device such that the status of the detector of the cellular security system is revealed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Inventor: Jon B. Sharpe
  • Patent number: 7411497
    Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting presence and movement of intruders. Various embodiments of an intruder detection system can be based on, for example, a beam-interrupt detector or a thermal imaging device. The beam-interrupt detection based system can provide functionalities such as counting of intruders crossing a given beam. A plurality of such beams at different heights can also allow distinguishing different-sized intruders. The thermal imaging based detection system can provide functionalities such as tracking movement of intruders. A recording can be triggered by detection of intruder movement, thereby improving the efficiency of recording and reviewing information indicative of presence and movement of intruders in a monitored area. In one embodiment, non-intruders can be distinguished from intruders by querying an RFID tag carried by non-intruders. In one embodiment, non-intruders can be distinguished from intruders by facial recognition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Inventor: Lawrence Kates
  • Patent number: 7411498
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein to provide radio frequency identification (RFID) test techniques. For example, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an RFID test system includes a transmission system for providing a radio frequency signal to a plurality of RFID devices and a plurality of radio frequency detectors configured to detect a response to the radio frequency signal from the corresponding RFID devices. A circuit is coupled to the radio frequency detectors and adapted to determine whether each of the plurality of RFID devices is operational based on whether the response was detected by the corresponding radio frequency detector. The RFID devices, for example, that fail the test may be provided with an identifying mark or disabled with a kill command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Avery Dennison
    Inventor: Ian J. Forster
  • Patent number: 7411499
    Abstract: A hard cover product having an outer liner attached to a pair of sheet members disposed in spaced-apart relation to define a gap. One of the hard sheet members defines a receiving zone that receives a security tag. An inner liner attaches overlying the pair of hard sheet members and concealing the security tag within the receiving zone. The gap between the pair of sheet members defines a spine for the hard cover product, whereby the opposing hard sheets defining a front cover and back cover that move together foldably. Methods of making a hard cover product and of making an intermediate board for use in a hard cover product are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Smartguard, LLC
    Inventor: Dale Hunt Nichols, Sr.