Automotive diagnostic method; Innova Electronics Corp.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,734,390

June 30, 2010 Leave a comment

U.S. Patent No. 7,734,390, issued on June 8, 2010 to Innova Electronics Corp. of Fountain Valley, CA, discloses a system and method for automotive diagnostics.

          

Modern automobiles include some type of an on-board diagnostic (OBD) system that monitors and adjusts the operation of the engine using various electronic devices (e.g., sensors, switches, and actuators).  When the OBD system detects a problem, the infamous “check engine” light is illuminated, telling the driver that something is wrong, but not exactly what.  In addition, the OBD system stores a numeric fault code in memory that identifies the problem to be retrieved later by a technician (using a code scanner or reader) to use as a guide to service the engine. 

The patent discloses a method of diagnosing and repairing a vehicle which includes providing a code scanner to the customer to retrieve the fault codes, and then connecting the code scanner to a database to produce a vehicle defect report.  This report can identify the needed services and their costs, and the pricing, availability, and locations for obtaining the needed parts to make the repair.  If the customer is a “do-it-yourselfer” (DIYer), the customer may use this information to obtain the parts and do the work himself/herself.  If the work is to be performed by a repair shop, the report can be used to automatically order the parts and to schedule the service.  

Innova Electronics is the research and development arm of Equus Products, Inc., which manufactures and distributes automotive gauges, tachometers, and diagnostic and testing equipment for “do-it-yourselfers,” professional technicians, and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).  A recent press release from Equus touts its RepairSolutions® system that provides DIYers with “an affordable way to tap into the extensive knowledge base … down to parts needed and repair procedures with video footage.” 

According to the USPTO database, Innova Electronics Corp. has 14 U.S. design patents and 22 U.S. utility patents.

Filed under Computers, Electronics, ip, orange county, patent Tagged with , , ,

Method for tranferring fragmented data packets; Brooktree Broadband Holdings, Inc.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,733,878

June 29, 2010 Leave a comment

U.S. Patent No. 7,733,878, issued on June 8, 2010 to Brooktree Broadband Holdings, Inc. of Newport Beach, CA, discloses a method of using a direct memory access (DMA) controller for transmitting data packets from fragmented buffers.

 

Direct memory access (DMA) is a method of tranferring data packets among the hardware and memory components of a computer system.  However, as described by the patent, there are a number of issues to be addressed when using DMA to transfer network data packets from buffer memory.   For example, DMA generally transfers data in whole-word units, but the data in the buffer memory may be fragmented or otherwise stored so as to be incompatible with such word transfers.  Also, the processor may need to perform protocol conversion to the data packets being transferred.  The patent discloses a system and method for implementing DMA data transfer which deals with these issues in a more efficient manner. 

Brooktree Broadband Holdings is a subsidiary of Conexant Systems, Inc. of Newport Beach, CA.  Conexant obtained the ’878 patent through a merger with GlobespanVirata, Inc. in 2004, and Conexant appears to have used Brooktree Broadband as a holding company for the patent portfolio obtained from GlobespanVirata.  In 2009, Conexant sold its “Broadband Access” business to Ikanos Communications, Inc. for $54 million in cash, which included some of the patents obtained by Conexant from its merger with GlobespanVirata.

According to its 2009 annual report, Conexant owns over 800 U.S. and foreign patents and patent applications.  So far in 2010, Conexant has received 12 U.S. issued patents, including three that issued to Brooktree Broadband (including the ’878 patent). 

Filed under Computers, ip, orange county, patent Tagged with , , ,

Tracking system using GPS and GPRS; Location Based Technologies, Inc.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,728,724

June 19, 2010 Leave a comment

U.S. Patent No. 7,728,724, issued on June 1, 2010 to Location Based Technologies, Inc. of Irvine, CA, discloses a system for pinpointing the location of individuals, animals, and objects using a global positioning system (GPS) and a general packet radio service (GPRS).

 us7728724_fig1a      us7728724_claim1

According to the patent, conventional tracking systems utilizing only GPS technology require direct line-of-sight between the tracking device and the satellites.  The patent discloses a system and method that utilizes both GPS technology and GPRS technology (a non-voice service that allows information to be sent and received across a mobile telephone network) with a tracking device that can be easily concealed, does not require direct line-of-sight so it can be used to track indoors, and can be activated remotely with no action needed by the individual being tracked.

Location Based Technologies markets PocketFinder® devices for vehicles, mobile devices, luggage, people, and pets.  The company touts these devices as using “super-sensitive GPS technology on GSM/GPRS cellular networks.”  A press release last week announced that Location Based Technologies received AT&T network approval for its PocketFinder® and PetFinder® devices. 

In another press release, the company states that its patents are “a sign of innovation and technological leadership” and “contribute to the overall value of the company by protecting [its] leadership position and may lead to significant licensing revenues.”  According to the USPTO assignment database, Location Based Technologies has six U.S. regular patents and 16 U.S. design patents generally directed to graphical user interfaces. 

Filed under Electronics, ip, orange county, patent Tagged with , ,

Paint containing nanoparticles; Behr Process Corp.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,727,323

June 19, 2010 Leave a comment

U.S. Patent No. 7,727,323, issued on June 1, 2010 to Behr Process Corp. of Santa Ana, CA, discloses a process of making paint containing metal oxide nanoparticles and titanium dioxide pigment particles to uniformly distribute the nanoparticles around the titanium dioxide pigment particles.

 us7727323_claim1      us7727323_fig3

According to the patent, titanium oxide (TiO2) is a common pigment component in white paint, and is generally partially or wholly suspended or dissolved in the carrier material.  When the paint is applied to the surface being painted, the carrier material evaporates, leaving behind the pigment particles and binder particles which fuse together to form a continuous film.  If the pigment particles cluster and cling together, the light scattering effectiveness (which determines the paint’s hiding power or opacity) of the paint can be degraded.  The patent discloses a method of making paint in which pigment nanoparticles (e.g., zinc oxide nanoparticles) are distributed around the TiO2 particles so that the efficiency of the TiO2 particle arrangement during drying increases, thereby improving the hiding power of the paint.

 According to its website, Behr’s “latest innovations in new product development and formulation incorporate the groundbreaking NANOGUARD® technology” which capitalizes on the unique advantages provided by nanoparticles such as “fill[ing] in the gaps between larger molecules” and “interlocking to create a tighter coating layer.”   

According to the USPTO database, Behr has 46 U.S. issued patents, 25 of which are U.S. design patents, and three of which have issued in 2010 (including the ’323 patent).

Filed under Chemical, ip, orange county, patent Tagged with , , ,

Power adapters for multiple devices; Comarco Wireless Technologies, Inc.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,727,005

June 19, 2010 Leave a comment

U.S. Patent No. 7,727,005, issued on June 1, 2010 to Comarco Wireless Technologies, Inc. of Lake Forest, CA, discloses a power adapter for multiple devices with visual keys to distinguish among the various connectors. 

 us7727005_fig6a us7727005_claim1

According to the patent, a typical consumer owns numerous electronic devices (e.g., cellphone, PDA, mp3 player, CD and DVD player, digital camera), each with its own power requirements and adapter/connector.  The patent discloses a visual key-coded power adapter to provide power to multiple devices while avoiding damage that would result from inappropriate connections.

According to its website, Comarco’s ChargeSource™ chargers for multiple devices are sold through the private label Targus or through OEM private labels including Dell and Lenovo.  The website also includes a presentation that explains that the company’s strategy is to “exploit [its] strong IP portfolio” for its “slim and light” multiple source power adapters. 

According to the USPTO database, Comarco Wireless has received 43 U.S. patents to date, including two in 2010 and five in 2009. 

Filed under Electronics, ip, orange county, patent Tagged with , , ,

Two-sided hamburger grill; In-N-Out Burgers; U.S. Pat. No. 7,726,235

June 19, 2010 1 Comment

U.S. Patent No. 7,726,235, issued on June 1, 2010 to In-N-Out Burgers of Irvine, CA, discloses a two-sided grill for cooking hamburgers on both sides simultaneously.

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According to the patent, two-sided cooking has been known to significantly reduce cooking times as compared to one-sided cooking, so more customers can be served in a shorter amount of time.  However, existing two-sided grills did not allow the top cooking portion to be easily removed from a large number of meat patties while the top cooking portion remains in place on other meat patties being grilled.  In-N-Out’s patented two-sided grill has a top cooking portion that can be moved from one set of patties to another, allowing placement of cheese, buns, or condiments on the side of a patty that has already been cooked while the second side continues to be cooked on the griddle (termed “capping”).

Residents of Orange County are a devoted clientele of In-N-Out Burgers and its made-to-order hamburgers, cheesburgers, “double-doubles,” fries, and shakes.  The menu presented to customers appears limited to the novice, but In-N-Out also has “not-so-secret” menu selections which are variants of its standard menu items.  For example,  Animal® style (In-N-Out has a U.S. trademark for this term, so how secret can it be?) is a mustard-cooked beef patty, with lettuce, tomato, pickle, extra spread, and grilled onions.  Next time you order one of these, think of the patented technology that In-N-Out has developed to make it for you.

Besides the ’235 patent, In-N-Out has two other U.S. patents to a “floating clamshell griddle toaster” and an “ergonomic griddle scraping tool.” 

Filed under Food, ip, Mechanical, orange county, patent Tagged with , , ,

Rifle assembly; J. Allen Enterprises, Inc.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,726,060

June 18, 2010 Leave a comment

U.S. Patent No. 7,726,060, issued on June 1, 2010 to J. Allen Enterprises, Inc. of Yorba Linda, CA, discloses a precision rifle assembly.

 us7726060_fig2 us7726060_claim1

As described in the patent, stability and maintenance of a “perfect fit” between the rifle stock and the receiver (which attaches the barrel to the stock) is important to marksmen since even a small amount of movement within the components of the rifle can disrupt their aim.  Previous rifles utilized fiberglass compositions or “glass bedding” between the stock and the receiver to achieve the desired fit.  However, such glass bedding degrades over time due to the recoil forces and torques generated during shooting and repeated assembly, disassembly, and cleaning of the rifle, making touch-up or re-bedding necessary.  The patent discloses an improved assembly that avoids using such glass bedding, instead using a solid insert (e.g., made of metal, metal alloy, or composites) shaped and contoured to interlock and mate with the receiver and the stock to transfer the recoil forces during shooting from the receiver to the stock.  

The company’s website shows a selection of precision rifle stocks for use of M1A, M14, and Remington 700 rifles as sniper rifles.  The stocks are made of hard anodized aluminum with a painted shell in various colors including “coyote brown,” “SWAT black,” and “grit tan.”  According to the USPTO database, the ‘060 patent is the first U.S. issued patent for J. Allen Enterprises. 

Filed under ip, Mechanical, orange county, patent Tagged with , , ,

Wobbling objects; Action Wobble, Inc.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,722,431

June 15, 2010 Leave a comment

U.S. Patent No. 7,722,431, issued on May 25, 2010 to Action Wobble, Inc. of Irvine, CA, discloses a novelty item with a spring-supported wobbling image.

The patent discloses kits for making various marketing novelty items and greeting cards by attaching a photo to a body using a spring-supported mount.  The resulting wobbling effect depends on the length, material, and wire diameter of the spring.  According to Action Wobble’s website, their products “engage the consumer outside the envelope” and help ensure success of the marketing campaign and higher response rates.

The file history of the ’431 patent shows that the USPTO was ready to issue the patent back in 2009, even to the point of having assigned a patent number to it.  However, after having the patent application pending for 5 years, and having paid the issue fee, with issuance only three weeks away, Action Wobble requested that the issuance be withdrawn. 

They did so because under the U.S. patent laws, applicants have an obligation to inform the USPTO of any references or other information of which they are aware that is relevant to the patentability of the application.  This obligation continues throughout the pendency of the application.  This means that until the patent actually issues, applicants must submit any information relevant to patentability (that’s not merely duplicative of information already of record in the case) to the USPTO for consideration.  To not do so risks the patent being found invalid (for “inequitable conduct” before the USPTO) later when it is being asserted against an accused infringer.  Of course, it’s much more desirable to submit such information earlier in the process, but when new relevant references come to the attention of an applicant during pendency, even after receiving a notice of allowance and even after paying the issue fee, these references must be submitted. 

According to the USPTO database, the ’431 patent is Action Wobble’s first U.S. patent, but the company has three other U.S. patent applications pending. 

Filed under Mechanical, orange county, patent Tagged with , , ,

Canted-coil spring-loaded connectors; Bal Seal Engineering, Inc.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,722,415

June 11, 2010 Leave a comment

U.S. Patent No. 7,722,415, issued on May 25, 2010 to Bal Seal Engineering, Inc. of Foothill Ranch, CA, discloses an electrical/mechanical connector for use in extreme environments.

Under extreme conditions, such as highly variable temperatures or intense vibrations, connectors used to connect two other pieces can fail.  Also, in hazardous environments, it can be helpful to use connectors that can be affixed without tools.  The patent discloses a canted-coil spring-loaded electrical/mechanical connector which couples two in-line pins together without tools and which can be used in a variety of extreme environments: outer space, nuclear and solar energy plants, deep sea, and other enviroments which have chemical, radiation, pressure, or temperature hazards.

Bal Seal markets various lines of electrical and mechanical connectors based on their Canted-Coil™ springs.  For example, their Bal Latch™ connectors are touted as a tool-less solution for mechanical “latching, locking, and holding applications,” and their Bal Contact™ connectors for improved elecctrical contact performance.  Their website includes a video which shows their connectors used in medical devices, hybrid automobiles, deep sea oil exploration, and even in NASA’s Mars Exploration rovers.    

According to the company’s website, Bal Seal has over 120 active U.S. and foreign patents.  A search of the USPTO database finds 54 issued U.S. patents and 32 pending U.S. patent applications. 

 

Filed under Electronics, ip, Mechanical, orange county, patent Tagged with , , ,

Electromagnetic pick-up for acoustic guitar; Actodyne General, Inc.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,718,886

June 8, 2010 Leave a comment

U.S. Patent No. 7,718,886, issued on May 18, 2010 to Actodyne General, Inc. of Huntington Beach, CA, discloses an electromagnetic sensor assembly for an acoustic guitar.

An electromagnetic sensor (or “pickup”) is a transducer that converts the mechanical vibrations of the guitar strings to electrical signals, which can be amplified and converted back into sound.  This is the mechanism by which electric guitars operate.  According to the patent, there have been electromagnetic sensors for use with acoustic guitars as well, but these earlier systems have “a high visual impact” (which I interpret to mean that they look ugly) and are inflexible in tone and output.  The sensor disclosed by the ’886 patent is described as blending more aesthetically with the neck or fingerboard of the guitar (to the point of being practically invisible), more versatile in mounting, and having a greater sensitivity and flexibility in tone and output.

Actodyne is the parent company of Lace Music Products, which according to the company’s website, was started in 1979 in the stereotypical family garage by Don Lace Sr.   The company markets the Acoustic Blade™ pickup which is touted as being the “world’s smallest in-hole pickup” and utilizing “the Lace patented ‘current driven’ technology.” 

According to the USPTO database, Actodyne General owns 16 issued U.S. patents, including the ’886 patent and two U.S. design patents. 

Filed under Electronics, ip, orange county, patent, Uncategorized Tagged with , , ,

Customizable radio-controlled toy cars; Ridemakerz, LLC; U.S. Pat. No. 7,717,767

June 6, 2010 Leave a comment

U.S. Patent No. 7,717,767, issued on May 18, 2010 to Ridemakerz, LLC of Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, discloses a customizable radio-controlled toy car.

      

The patented system is designed to allow for a wide variety of interchangable accessories to be mounted at various locations to the car.  The system includes two types of connectors: a tab-and-slot connector to connect accessories to the front, sides, or read of the car, and magnets to connect accessories to the hood, roof, and truck beds.  These connectors are designed to be easily attached/removed without the use of tools, and to be generally hidden from view in order to more closely mimic the appearance of a full-sized vehicle.  Also, the accessories can receive electrical power from the car (e.g., for  light- and/or sound-emitting devices).

According to its website, Ridemakerz is inspired by America’s car culture and the popularity of the car-customizing movement.  The company has “alliancez” with Dodge, Ford, GM, MINI, and Scion.  The company uses the letter “Z” liberally, in place of “C” or “S,” for example, in describing Larry Andreini as their “ZEO,” and Chip Foose of Foose Design in Huntington Beach as an “Advizor.”   This may be a practice derived from its investor and strategic partner, Build-A-Bear Workshop, which is fond of using the word “bear” and bear-related puns, e.g., referring to their top executive officer as the “Chief Executive Bear.”  (Hat tip to DavisW’s Blog for this bit of information.)

According to the USPTO database, Ridermakerz owns eight U.S. design patents to various tire tread and wheel designs, five pending U.S. patent applications, and two other issued U.S. patents, besides the ’767 patent. 

Filed under ip, Mechanical, orange county, patent Tagged with , , ,

TechAmerica OC’s “High-Tech Innovation” Awards and Finalists; Clarient

June 6, 2010 Leave a comment

On June 2, 2010, I attended the 17th Annual High-Tech Innovation Awards presented by TechAmerica OC.  A number of my firm’s clients were finalists for awards in the various categories, and I was happy to see that a few of them picked up awards in areas including medical technology and “green” technology.

I had the pleasure of sitting at a table with Ronnie Andrews, CEO of Clarient, Inc. of  Aliso Viejo, CA, and a few members of his team.   Clarient develops innovative cancer diagnostic technologies, and was a finalist in the medical technology category.  From our conversation, it was clear that they see patent protection as an important part of Clarinet’s success, and that they are on top of the latest developments in patent law as they relate to Clarient’s business.  

According the USPTO database, Clarient’s most recent U.S. patent issued in March 2010 as U.S. Pat. No. 7,678,581 for a method of ”Correlating chemical and spatial data within pathology samples.”

 

Filed under ip, Medical, orange county, patent Tagged with , , ,

Reflective iris for an elliptical lamp; Christie Digital Systems USA; U.S. Pat. No. 7,712,924

June 3, 2010 Leave a comment

U.S. Patent No. 7,712,924, issued on May 11, 2010 to Christie Digital Systems USA, Inc. of Cypress, CA, discloses a device for adjusting the F-number of an elliptical lamp.

Digital projectors produce images by illuminating an image generator, such as a transmissive liquid-crystal device (LCD) or a reflective micro-mirror device, and projecting the resulting image.  The light source is often an elliptical lamp, and according to the patent, mismatches between the F-numbers of the lamp, the image generator, and the projection optics can result in losses of light as it propagates through the projector.  The patent discloses a system and method for adjusting the F-number of the elliptical lamp to improve the projector’s overall optical efficiency.

Christie’s website provides an explanation of various aspects of its projector technology, including one for holographic 3D digital projection, which is pretty impressive.  Using their 3D technology, Christie can project holographic images of performers on stage with live performers, appearing to be all at the same place at the same time, and without the use of special eyeglasses.

According to the USPTO database, Christie’s U.S. patents and applications appear to be divided among its USA subsidiary, its Canadian subsidiary, and its corporate parent.  The ’924 patent is the first to issue to Christie’s USA subsidiary in 2010, which holds one other U.S. patent and 7 pending U.S. applications.  Their Canadian subsidiary holds 11 U.S. patents and 6 pending U.S.  applications, and their corporate parent holds 18 U.S. patents and 5 pending U.S. applications. 

Filed under ip, optics, orange county, patent, Uncategorized Tagged with , , ,

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