Sample Patents
The following is a representative sample of issued patents and published patent applications in a broad range of technology prepared and/or prosecuted by the professionals of Ference & Associates before joining Ference & Associates. A brief description of each patent and published patent application is provided.
PCT Application No. WO 98/20461 - System for Protecting Cryptographic Processing and Memory Resources for Postal Franking Machines
This invention relates to a system for protecting cryptographic processing and memory resources for postal franking machines. The system provide for faster cryptographic processing and increased security against a successful fraudulent attack. The application discloses placing cryptographic processing and memory resources in a secure processing unit, which may be in the form of an ASIC and is preferably mounted on a portable device such as a PCMIA card. The secure processing unit contains working memory, storage memory, and firmware necessary to execute cryptographic algorithms including DES and RSA, as well as digital signature creation and validation. Information which must be retained, such as Master Keys, Public Keys and the like are secured within non-volatile memory or battery backed up memory.
Adobe PDF: WO9820461_A2.pdf - 971 KB / 22 pages
Adobe PDF: WO9820461_A3.pdf - 163 KB / 3 pages
United States Patent No. 5,720,114 - Tool for Positioning of Vinyl Corner Posts
This invention relates to a tool for the positioning of vinyl corner posts or moldings during the application of siding to the exterior of a building. The patent discloses an L-shaped body member having an aperture formed in its interior edge. A vinyl corner post is pushed into the aperture where it fits snugly. The assembly is then pressed against the corner of the building and the flat interior edges of the legs of the body member are pressed against the sides of the building to align the corner post to the building.
Adobe PDF: 5720114.pdf - 473 KB / 9 pages
PCT Application No. WO 97/40480 - System for Providing Early Warning Preemptive Postal Equipment Replacement
This invention relates to a system for providing early warning preemptive postal equipment replacement. The system provides for monitoring selected performance parameters of the postal equipment and comparing them against predetermined operational boundaries. The system is capable of providing for variability in the performance parameters, wherein these parameters may be permitted to vary over time and usage of the equipment. If the system performance goes outside of operational boundaries, or changes significantly over time, replacement of the equipment can then be scheduled with minimal inconvenience by the user.
Adobe PDF: WO9740480_A1.pdf - 427 KB / 18 pages
PCT Application No. WO 97/40600 - System for Identifying the User of Postal Equipment
This invention relates to a system for identifying the user of postal equipment. The system provides for a device accessing postal equipment to be associated with a number of access codes, or Personal Identification Numbers (PINs), and the active code being selected at the user's discretion. Additional security may also be provided for by prompting for additional information randomly selected from a predetermined set after the entry of a valid PIN. Data provided to the access device to identify the user may include biometric personal digital data, such as a digital fingerprint, voice pattern or a retina eye scan.
Adobe PDF: WO9740600_A2.pdf - 738 KB / 19 pages
Adobe PDF: WO9740600_A3.pdf - 156 KB / 3 pages
PCT Application No. WO 95/23107 - Electronically Controlled High Speed Press Feed
This invention relates to an electronically controlled press feed which feeds material into a stamping press at high speeds. The application discloses several highly innovative individual techniques for increasing the speed at which a press and press feed operate. These techniques include the use of a servo motor formed integral with the shaft of the feed roller; the use of a stock material release mechanism which is infinitely adjustable within working parameters; and determining the discrete angular shaft positions. The shaft positions are determined through the use of computer implemented algorithms. Also disclosed is a single microprocessor based system for controlling the operation of the press feed, which when used to coordinate the individual techniques further increases stable operating speed. Issued patents related to this application include U.S. Patent Nos. 5,755,370 and 5,720,421.
Adobe PDF: WO9523107_A1.pdf - 2.79 MB / 63 pages
United States Patent No. 5,343,098 - Snubber Circuit for a Power Semiconductor Device
This invention relates to a snubber circuit for suppressing voltage spikes applied to a power semiconductor device in a power converter using the power semiconductor device. The patent discloses a snubber circuit which may be a module integrally formed with the power semiconductor device. The circuit does not use separate parts such as a diode, resistor and capacitor, thereby reducing size and eliminating any increase in voltage due to wiring inductance.
Adobe PDF: 5343098.pdf - 332 KB / 5 pages
United States Patent No. 5,186,526 - One-Piece Crawler Pad
This invention relates to a crawler pad for use in a mining machine. In the mining field it is necessary to have machines capable of transporting materials within a mine tunnel. The machines generally comprise a large bin mounted on a transport means which consists of a number of crawler pads connected to a drive chain. The patent discloses a one-piece crawler pad which extends outwardly on both sides of the drive chain. A one-piece crawler pad requires only one pin connection to the drive chain, which reduces the stress on the pad and pin attachment. A one-piece crawler pad is less likely to break, resulting in savings in repair and machine downtime.
Adobe PDF: 5186526.pdf - 376 KB / 8 pages
United States Patent No. 5,175,690 - Process for Managing Stores and Device for Carrying it Out
This invention relates to a process and device for managing stores. The patent discloses a system for dynamic management of stores, which is contrary to the generally accepted principle that each object should be allocated a particular place. In accordance with the present invention, objects are stored in accordance with sorting algorithms, whose parameters include the dimensions of an object, the dimensions of the storage volumes available in the store, and the shortest distance to a storage volume of appropriate dimensions. A computer controls the system, keeping track of the dimensions of each object in the store, the location of those objects which are present in the store, and the dimensions of the volumes available in the store.
Adobe PDF: 5175690.pdf - 624 KB / 8 pages
United States Patent No. 5,173,799 - Wavelength Conversion Device
This invention relates to a wavelength conversion device in which a laser beam is applied to a nonlinear optical medium so as to obtain a beam of a different wavelength. The change in wavelength is achieved by causing the beam to have a conical wavefront and applying it to a nonlinear crystal so that the beam converges along the center axis producing an output beam of a different wavelength. The conical wavefront is achieved by the use of lenses, mirrors and crystals with conical surfaces.
Adobe PDF: 5173799.pdf - 1.1 MB / 16 pages
United States Patent No. 5,128,933 - Process and Device for the Radio Transmission of Coded Data Superimposed on a Traditional Frequency-Modulated Broadcast
This invention relates to a system for the radio transmission of coded data superimposed on a traditional frequency-modulated broadcast wherein coded data to be transmitted are modulated in a predetermined frequency range in order to create modulated coded signals. The modulated coded signals are mixed with the low-frequency signals of a traditional program to be broadcast by a frequency modulation radio transmitter. The signals delivered by a frequency modulation receiver are filtered in order to isolate the modulated coded signals. The filtered, modulated coded signals are demodulated and the transmitted coded data are displayed or recorded by applying the demodulated, filtered coded signals to a display or recording unit.
Adobe PDF: 5128933.pdf - 1.11 MB / 13 pages
United States Patent No. 5,123,709 - Hydraulic Aligner Device for Flexible Continuous Tram Mining Machine
This invention relates to a hydraulic device which is used to align the roadway on which a flexible continuous tram mining machine travels following movement of the machine after a drilling cycle. The device includes an upper portion, supported by wheels which allow the device to ride along the length of the roadway, to which two side portions are attached. Each of the side portions supports an extendable hydraulic cylinder which pushes against the rib of a mine tunnel to force the roadway back to center.
Adobe PDF: 5123709.pdf - 231 KB / 5 pages
United States Patent No. 5,085,516 - Process for Determining and Monitoring the Shape of the Edges of a Curved Object and Apparatus Therefor
This patent relates to a process for determining and monitoring the shape of the edges of a curved object. The patent discloses a process where the position of a curved object is determined at a plurality of points with respect to the edge of a reference. A laser is used to illuminate the edges of the curved object and a reference, and the traces of the laser beam are recorded by a camera. Data derived from the recording is used to compare the monitored object to a standard object.
Adobe PDF: 5085516.pdf - 613 KB / 8 pages
United States Patent No. 5,057,683 - Error Preventive Circuit for a Photoelectric Switch
This invention relates to a logic circuit for preventing erroneous operations of photoelectric switches caused by noises. By eliminating the need for capacitors, the packaging area of the switch is reduced since the circuit is suitable for fabrication on a single chip integrated circuit. The circuit validates the incoming light reception pulse only when its base-of-N counter has advanced to N counts, and if the light reception pulse deviates in time by a certain value in the range of synchronism, a base-of-M counter is present so that the timing of light reception is re-established at the center of the allowable range of synchronism.
Adobe PDF: 5057683.pdf - 808 KB / 10 pages
United States Patent No. 5,043,795 - Semiconductor Device
This invention relates to a semiconductor device for power switching applications. The patent discloses a semiconductor device having a plurality of gate terminals in pressure contact with gate electrodes and the gate terminals/electrodes are situated so as to separate current flow therethrough at the time of gate turn off into separate components. The transverse voltage drop of the fate electrode is reduced and the power capacity of the semiconductor device is enhanced by reduction of resistance to gate current flow as a result of the combined effect of the gate terminal/electrode combinations.
Adobe PDF: 5043795.pdf - 835 KB / 10 pages
United States Patent No. 4,958,356 - Excimer Laser Apparatus
This invention relates to an excimer laser apparatus that uses rare gases and hydrogen chloride gas as a laser media for the emission of ultraviolet light. The patent discloses connecting a hydrogen chloride generator (HCl generator) as part of a recirculation loop for the laser gas. The HCl generator generates hydrogen chloride from the reactions between H2 in the laser gas and a solid or molten metallic chloride. The hydrogen chloride is generated in an amount corresponding to the concentration of hydrogen in the laser gas. When the amount of hydrogen chloride is reduced by reacting with the construction materials of the laser apparatus hydrogen gas is liberated. The hydrogen gas is separated from impuraties in a cold trap and then again reacts with the metallic chlorides to generate additional hydrogen chloride. With this arrangement, an approximately constant hydrogen chloride concentration is maintained in the laser gas until the chlorine in the metallic chlorides is consumed. The safety of the excimer laser apparatus is also greatly improved because highly reactive hydrogen chloride gas is no longer stored or supplied outside of the system.
Adobe PDF: 4958356.pdf - 414 KB / 6 pages
United States Patent No. 4,817,706 - Liquid Cooling Type Uniform Magnetic Field Coil
This invention relates to a magnetic field coil which uses liquid cooling. The magnetic field coil is designed for providing a uniform magnetic field suitable for use in the image pick-up apparatus used in nuclear magnetic resonance computer-aided tomography. The patent discloses using a preheating apparatus to heat the cooling liquid when the coil is not being excited to keep the cooling liquid at essentially the same temperature it has while the coil is being excited. The temperature of the entire coil is maintained at the desired operating temperature without the influence of the ambient temperature by using the low thermal resistance between the coil and its cooling plates. This prevents any vertical temperature difference in the coil, i.e., temperature deviation, thereby decreasing the waiting time until the tomographic image is stabilized.
Adobe PDF: 4817706.pdf - 517 KB / 6 pages
United States Patent No. 4,811,596 - Arrangement for Tank Content Measurement of an Operating-Medium Tank of a Vehicle
This invention relates to an arrangement for determining the residual fuel content of a fuel tank. The patent discloses a fuel tank swingable around an essentially horizontal spindle which extends at all filling conditions on the same side of the tank center of gravity. A measuring device, such as a wire resistance strain gauge, is connected to the tank for determining the torque exerted by the tank around the spindle as a measure or tank content. Because the torque exerted around the spindle by the weight of the tank - not a float - is used to determine the amount of fuel in the tank, an accurate indication of the fuel level may be obtained regardless of the tank shape. The influence of swinging motions of the fuel in the tank is eliminated by using a damping circuit obtained by means of a low-pass filter.
Adobe PDF: 4811596.pdf - 313 KB / 4 pages