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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 6547362 | Test-based advance optimization in incremental printing: median, sensitivity-weighted mean, normal random variation A test pattern is scanned to find ideal print-medium advance for a pen (or other marking device). The pattern has a medium; and, marked on it, image patches each with overlapped swaths stepped by different distances. At best there are different-color pens... | 04/15/2003 |
| 6542258 | Fast building of masks for use in incremental printing A program with complete conditions for a usable mask yields a unitary mask, each try. One mask pattern is used throughout an image, but may be "tiled". Preferably the program, for given mask position, expresses favorability of several candidate pass numbe... | 04/01/2003 |
| 6527398 | Tubular-waveguide gas sample chamber for optical spectrometer, and related methods Apparatus and method are introduced for detecting and measuring a gas within a gaseous specimen by radiation-absorption spectroscopy. The apparatus includes a housing, and a coiled waveguide arranged in the housing--with a radiation inlet for receiving ra... | 03/04/2003 |
| 6523936 | Banding reduction in incremental printing, by spacing-apart of swath edges and randomly selected print-medium advance A printhead makes passes over a printing medium, each pass forming a swath of marks on the medium. In one aspect of the invention, between passes the medium steps by a nonzero distance that varies from step to step. In another aspect, swath edges are spac... | 02/25/2003 |
| 6508814 | Method and apparatus for rupturing targeted cells A probe contacts targeted tissue, sometimes while positioned adjacent to nontargeted live tissues. In preferred forms, the probe includes a support that only minimally conducts heat from nontargeted tissues. A very conductive targeted-tissue-contacting el... | 01/21/2003 |
| 6505781 | Self-contained, automatic mechanically opening and closing steam head with built-in thermostat A self-contained thermo-mechanically self-opening steam head that is normally generally flush with a supporting steam room wall when not in use so as not to pose a safety hazard. The steam head has a mechanical thermostat that automatically responds to th... | 01/14/2003 |
| 6506065 | Refined rack-and-panel construction with self-locking connectors; and method of use Electrical connections between a cable connector and an electronics module--that has a corresponding panel connector--are made/broken quickly and easily with a light, low-bulk half-shell that is an exclusively mechanical, nonelectrical intermediary from c... | 01/14/2003 |
| 6494558 | Compensation for marking-position errors along the pen-length direction, in inkjet printing A calibration technique, for a printer having a plurality of different color ink printheads, which includes printing and scanning a test pattern. The test pattern is printed by each printhead printing a plurality of swaths having a length and distanced ap... | 12/17/2002 |
| 6491386 | Print media flattening method and apparatus A method of flattening print media in an ink jet apparatus, said apparatus comprising a media feed path, a media drive roller and one or more pinch rollers, said one or more pinch rollers being arranged to rotatably cooperate with said drive roller so as ... | 12/10/2002 |
| 6443556 | Automated and semiautomated printmask generation for incremental printing One invention aspect forms a mask and matrix of corresponding backups for values in the mask, checks when a mask value is not working, and replaces only that value with only a matching matrix entry. A second matrix of further backups is best formed. Anoth... | 09/03/2002 |
| 6428413 | Universal game engine for a game network and method therefor An apparatus for implementing a game having a deterministic component and a non-deterministic component wherein a player uses the game through at least one player interface unit. Each player interface unit generates a player record indicating player-initi... | 08/06/2002 |
| 6425699 | Use of very small advances of printing medium for improved image quality in incremental printing A printhead scans to form marks in a multirow swath on the medium. A mechanism gives relative motion between the head and medium, orthogonal to the scan. Normal advance of the mechanism is at least several rows. There are variants or preferences: in one, ... | 07/30/2002 |
| 6404204 | Sensor and sensor system for liquid conductivity, temperature and depth Liquid conductivity and temperature are measured in respective sensitivity fields that are collocated--i. e., in volumes that nearly match by mathematical, geometrical, or functional criteria. Collocation is as distinct from mere adjacency or proximity; a... | 06/11/2002 |
| 6400396 | Displaced-beam confocal-reflection streak lindae apparatus with strip-shaped photocathode, for imaging very small volumes and objects therein An imaging system for detecting the contents of a turbid medium which is at least partially transmissive of light. The system includes a light source for producing a series of discrete pulse beams which are substantially uniform in intensity to illuminate... | 06/04/2002 |
| 6367908 | High-resolution inkjet printing using color drop placement on every pixel row during a single pass An inkjet printing system uses high-resolution printheads holding different color inks to produce true 600 dpi color printing with a single pass of the printheads. By achieving a smaller drop size in the range of 25-50 picoliters for each printhead having... | 04/09/2002 |
| 6336702 | Banding reduction in incremental printing, by spacing-apart of swath edges and randomly selected print-medium advance A printhead makes passes over a printing medium, each pass forming a swath of marks on the medium. In one aspect of the invention, between passes the medium steps by a nonzero distance that varies from step to step. In another aspect, swath edges are spac... | 01/08/2002 |
| 6312098 | Banding reduction in incremental printing, through use of complementary weights for complementary printhead regions A structure of bands is associated with printhead-array image-forming elements, forming a printmask. Some band pairs are complementary. A low usage percent is stated for at least one band and a like value for another, a complement to each "at least one" b... | 11/06/2001 |
| 6306470 | Activity apparatus and method for generally instantaneously creating lithophane-type pictorial works comprising translucent material within containers having a transparent see-through wall Activity or craft apparatus and method for simply, quickly and inexpensively creating a thin lithophane-like pictorial work that provides a picture or image when light passes through the work from the rear. The work is formed from a formable translucent m... | 10/23/2001 |
| 6290319 | Controlling residual fine errors of dot placement in an incremental printer A memory holds calibration data that are applied to compensate imperfections in a printhead-carriage guide rod, improving alignment between marks printed with different heads. Commonly heads and a carriage encoder are spaced from the rod at different dist... | 09/18/2001 |
| 6287492 | Activity apparatus and method for compressing pliant translucent material to generally instantaneously create a lithophane-type pictorial work Activity or craft apparatus and method for simply, inexpensively, and generally instantaneously creating a thin lithophane-like pictorial work that provides a picture or image when light passes through the work from the rear. The work is formed by compres... | 09/11/2001 |
| 6272223 | System for supplying screened random numbers for use in recreational gaming in a casino or over the internet An apparatus for implementing a game having a deterministic component and a non-deterministic component wherein a player uses the game through at least one player interface unit. Each player interface unit generates a player record indicating player-initi... | 08/07/2001 |
| 6270187 | Method and apparatus for hiding errors in single-pass incremental printing It is first determined whether any printing element of a printhead has failed. If so, functions of the failed element are reassigned to other elements. Some aspects of the invention do this in such a way as to maintain essentially single-pass operation. O... | 08/07/2001 |
| 6261111 | True rack-and-panel construction with self-locking connectors Method as well as apparatus makes and breaks electrical connections between at least one electrical cable connector and an electronics module that has at least one corresponding panel connector. A rack receives and holds the module. A cable-connector hold... | 07/17/2001 |
| 6254292 | Pin-supported and -aligned linear encoder strip for a scanning incremental printer Spaced pins support and align the strip. Apertures in the strip engage the pins with no fastening. The strip--best a transparent member and glued strength member--is end-mounted and -tensioned. Ideally the apertures are slots to constrain the strip as to ... | 07/03/2001 |
| 6250739 | Bidirectional color printmodes with semistaggered swaths to minimize hue shift and other artifacts Bidirectional scanning printheads discharge color-ink drops at ultrahigh resolution while scanning in each direction, to form color swaths on a print medium. The heads are at least partially aligned with respect to the longitudinal axis of the medium, so ... | 06/26/2001 |
| 6210274 | Universal gaming engine An apparatus for implementing a game having a deterministic component and a non-deterministic component wherein a player uses the game through at least one player interface unit. Each player interface unit generates a player record indicating player-initi... | 04/03/2001 |
| 6199499 | Manually operated catamaran vessels, steering apparatus for such vessels and method of steering such vessels A catamaran-type sailboat with a steering mechanism preferably located at the level of the catamaran deck. This steering mechanism may include a rotatable or generally linearly moveable pad or element. The pad is usually actuated by foot, leaving the user... | 03/13/2001 |
| 6186857 | Apparatus and method for providing inflated undulating figures Apparatus and method for providing a dynamic gas-inflated object such as a figure with legs, a torso and head, and a pair of arms. The figure performs generally repetitive movements such as dance-like undulations in a manner that appears to keep time with... | 02/13/2001 |
| 6183092 | Laser projection apparatus with liquid-crystal light valves and scanning reading beam Laser lines at 635 nm or longer (ideally 647 nm) are preferred for red, giving energy-efficient, bright, rapid-motion images with rich, full film-comparable colors. Green and blue lines are used too--and cyan retained for best color mixing, an extra light... | 02/06/2001 |
| 6176616 | Magnetically stabilized couplings and bearings for use in mechanical drives A wobble-absorbing magnetic bearing for a drive system that applies force from a driving mover to move a driven object; said bearing comprising: a driving bearing element having a first surface; a driven bearing element having a second surface that faces the first ... | 01/23/2001 |
| 6115484 | Economical skin-pattern-acquisition and analysis apparatus for access control, systems controlled thereby Surface relief of a finger is read using an optical-fiber prism unit, with fiber terminations at one end to contact the surface, and at the other for light passages along fibers from the first. Light enters where NA | 09/05/2000 |
| 6093989 | Advanced magnetically-stabilized couplings and bearings, for use in mechanical drives A rotary-arm drive includes a wobble-absorbing magnetic bearing (WAMB). One end of the arm engages a load-carrying surface. The other end rotates with a power-carrying rotary shaft. The arm transmits power at least one way between surface and shaft. The W... | 07/25/2000 |
| 6068262 | Selection game A game for play by one or more players. The illustrated game includes a selection surface for each player. Each surface faces a player area where the associated player would position herself to observe the surface. A liquid discharge mechanism is selectiv... | 05/30/2000 |
| 6054846 | Universal power-supply connection system for multiple electronic devices, and devices for use therewith The system provides electricity to operate any of a multiplicity of device and most typically receives power from a source and passes power to any of the devices. The system also accepts electronic-device identification information for any particular one ... | 04/25/2000 |
| 5986372 | Advanced magnetically-stabilized couplings and bearings, for use in mechanical drives Several aspects: (1) a wobble-absorbing magnetic bearing ("WAMB") has driving/driven surfaces, and magnetically clamped between them e. g. balls for free motion in one or more directions. A groove (preferably V-) in at least one surface guides the balls t... | 11/16/1999 |
| 5979900 | Game with display and action-discharge In one form of game the player observes and must quickly respond to the rapidly changing conditions of one or more visually observed displays such as lights to avoid being sprayed by a liquid discharge. The games is so constructed that to effectively play... | 11/09/1999 |
| 5963657 | Economical skin-pattern-acquisition and analysis apparatus for access control; systems controlled thereby Surface relief of a finger etc. is read using an optical-fiber prism unit, with fiber terminations at one end to contact the surface, and at the other for light passage along fibers from the first. Light enters where NA | 10/05/1999 |
| 5944586 | Apparatus and method for cleaning and finishing Apparatus and method for both cleaning and polishing work surfaces such as automotive panels using a single combination pad. In one embodiment, a support holds a circular replaceable, disposable cleaning/polishing pad on a powered polishing tool for rotat... | 08/31/1999 |
| 5937557 | Fingerprint-acquisition apparatus for access control; personal weapon and other systems controlled thereby At a first end of an optic-fiber prism assembly are fiber terminations to contact a relieved surface, e. g. finger (stabilized by a handgrip). In a region where fiber diameter is essentially constant with longitudinal position, light enters the prism, cro... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5915887 | Refinements in air-quality protection and seal control, in a particulate-material gun usable with silica fume Dust emission is controlled by a preferably short fill at the expulsion end of each chamber, and selective venting of residual pressure through the air-inlet end. This selective venting is accomplished through use of a novel seal or "pad" that has an exte... | 06/29/1999 |
