Celebrity Inventors
Lawrence Welk, the bandleader who entertained millions of Americans over a generation of broadcasting his TV show, once received a patent: for a music-themed design of an ashtray.
PatentStorm News
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| D660090 | Beverage coaster | 05/22/2012 |
| 8172057 | Drive mechanism and method A drive train is used at least including an input shaft and an output shaft. A clutch member is rotatable by a clutch shaft about an axis of rotation. The clutch shaft is supported for lateral movement along the axis of rotation to move the clutch member to cooperat... | 05/08/2012 |
| 8157023 | Boring tool tracking fundamentally based on drill string length, pitch and roll A boring tool moves having a pitch orientation, a yaw orientation and a roll orientation and is steerable underground using the roll orientation. A maximum drill string curvature is established for steering. The boring tool is advanced over a path segment. An averag... | 04/17/2012 |
| 8156192 | E-mail messaging system and method for enhanced rich media delivery A multi-user e-mail messaging system is described that is interfaced through the Internet and includes a first user group sharing a first server, which first server is interfaced to the Internet. In this system, after an e-mail message has been originated by an orig... | 04/10/2012 |
| 8138105 | Rapid thermal processing using energy transfer layers A method that is performed for heat treating a semiconductor wafer in a process chamber, as an intermediate part of an overall multi-step technique for processing the wafer, includes applying an energy transfer layer to at least a portion of the wafer, and exposing ... | 03/20/2012 |
| 8093157 | Advanced processing technique and system for preserving tungsten in a device structure Removing photoresist from a workpiece is described when a region of tungsten is exposed. A plasma is generated from a gas input consisting essentially of hydrogen gas and oxygen gas in a predetermined ratio. The plasma causes the photoresist to be removed from the w... | 01/10/2012 |
| 8080998 | Distinguishing false signals in cable locating using a reference signal A method is described for use with first and second in-ground cables such that, when the first cable is driven at a locating signal frequency to emit a locating signal in an electromagnetic form, the locating signal can be coupled to the second cable to cause the se... | 12/20/2011 |
| 8074381 | Bicycle shoe A pedal connection arrangement includes a pedal having a spherical portion with an outer spherical surface. The pedal connection arrangement also includes a bicycle shoe that has a pedal gripping cavity that directly engages at least portions of the outer spherical ... | 12/13/2011 |
| 8066815 | Multi-workpiece processing chamber A multi-workpiece chamber includes at least two processing stations, for exposing workpieces to a treatment process. A partition cooperates with the chamber such that the partition is disengagably removable from the chamber and re-engagable with the chamber for sele... | 11/29/2011 |
| 8042407 | Tension monitoring arrangement and method Tension monitoring is described using a sensor which may exhibit an offset for which compensation may be provided to produce a zero voltage amplified output or to increase dynamic range. An arrangement determines whether a power reset is responsive to a battery boun... | 10/25/2011 |
| 8025109 | Method for establishing the positions of a transmitter and detector in a region A method is described for tracking the position, orientation and/or guiding a transmitter as it moves through the ground in a region. The transmitter transmits an electromagnetic locating signal received by a detector. The detector, with the transmitter at a start p... | 09/27/2011 |
| 8008804 | Methods, systems and apparatus for regulating frequency of generated power using flywheel energy storage systems with varying load and/or power generation Featured are methods for regulating the AC frequency of the electrical power be supplied on an electrical distribution system or grid. Such a method includes electrically coupling an energy storage sub-system to the electrical distribution network, where the energy ... | 08/30/2011 |
| 8000587 | Pulsed processing semiconductor heating methods and associated system using combinations of heating sources Pulsed processing methods and systems for heating objects such as semiconductor substrates feature process control for multi-pulse processing of a single substrate, or single or multi-pulse processing of different substrates having different physical properties. Hea... | 08/16/2011 |
| 7990152 | Locating arrangement and method using boring tool and cable locating signals An arrangement and an associated method are described in which a boring tool is moved through the ground within a given region along a path in which region a cable is buried. The boring tool and the cable transmit a boring tool locating signal and a cable locating s... | 08/02/2011 |
| 7990150 | Multifrequency locating arrangement with frequency designation In a system in which a transmitter is moved through the ground in a region, the system including a locating arrangement for tracking the position of and/or guiding the transmitter as the transmitter moves through the ground, a locating arrangement includes a configu... | 08/02/2011 |
| 7973982 | Arrangement for reading from and/or writing to flexible sheet media in a curved configuration and method An assembly for transferring information to and/or from flexible sheet media in a highly advantageous curved configuration is disclosed. The sheet material includes a length and a width defining first and second opposing surfaces. The assembly includes support means... | 07/05/2011 |
| 7970843 | E-mail messaging system and method for enhanced rich media delivery A multi-user e-mail messaging system is described that is interfaced through the Internet and includes a first user group sharing a first server, which first server is interfaced to the Internet. In this system, after an e-mail message has been originated by an orig... | 06/28/2011 |
| 7960973 | Tracking positions of personnel, vehicles, and inanimate objects A device rotates at least one static magnetic field about an axis, producing a rotating magnetic dipole field, and is movable in relation to the surface of the ground. The field is periodically sensed using a receiver to produce a receiver output responsive to the f... | 06/14/2011 |
| 7960032 | High thermal conductivity, high yield strength, metal composite and method An exemplary embodiment providing one or more improvements includes a composite structure of materials that are formed together in a way which gives the composite structure improved yield strength and thermal conduction capabilities. ... | 06/14/2011 |
| 7956614 | Flux plane locating in an underground drilling system A portable locator and method for establishing the location of the cable line in a region which includes at least one generally straight electrically conductive cable line extending across the region from which cable line a locating signal includes a first arrangeme... | 06/07/2011 |
| 7954614 | Drive mechanism and method A drive train is used at least including an input shaft and an output shaft. A clutch member is rotatable by a clutch shaft about an axis of rotation. The clutch shaft is supported for lateral movement along the axis of rotation to move the clutch member to cooperat... | 06/07/2011 |
| 7947605 | Post ion implant photoresist strip using a pattern fill and method A method is described for use in a system that removes an implant crust that is formed as an outermost layer of photoresist in a photoresist pattern that is supported by a workpiece. The photoresist pattern defines apertures which lead to an active device region. Th... | 05/24/2011 |
| 7521933 | Position and orientation locator/monitor The present invention provides a locator/monitor capable of locating a boring tool and monitoring the progress of the tool for control purposes. The locator/monitor may be used in expedited locating methodology and straightforward calibration techniques of the prese... | 04/21/2009 |
| 7495445 | Flux orientation locating in a drilling system An above ground locator includes an apparatus for determining the strength of the locating signal at a selected point relative to the boring tool. The apparatus includes an antenna arrangement configured for measuring the strength of the locating signal at the selec... | 02/24/2009 |
| 7472761 | Boring tool tracking fundamentally based on drill string length, pitch and roll A boring tool moves having a pitch orientation, a yaw orientation and a roll orientation and is steerable underground using the roll orientation. A maximum drill string curvature is established for steering. The boring tool is advanced over a path segment. An averag... | 01/06/2009 |
| 7466135 | Boring technique using locate point measurements for boring tool depth prediction A method is disclosed as part of an overall process in which a boring tool is moved through the ground within a given region along a particular path in an orientation which includes pitch. A locating signal is transmitted from the boring tool which signal exhibits a... | 12/16/2008 |
| 7456962 | Conical refraction polarimeter A polarimeter for receiving input electromagnetic radiation characterized by a polarization state and for determining the polarization state. The polarimeter includes a refractive arrangement for refracting the input electromagnetic radiation so as to provide a spat... | 11/25/2008 |
| 7453114 | Segmented end electrode capacitor and method of segmenting an end electrode of a capacitor An exemplary embodiment providing one or more improvements includes a capacitor with a segmented end electrode and methods for segmenting an end electrode of a capacitor for reducing or eliminating instances of thermally induced damage of the capacitor. ... | 11/18/2008 |
| 7448770 | Replacement illumination device for a miniature flashlight bulb Disclosed is a method and apparatus for providing a solid state light emitter and driving circuitry integrated into a component module that will retrofit common incandescent light bulb applications. The disclosed embodiment is directed to the retrofitting of small f... | 11/11/2008 |
| 7443359 | Locating technique and apparatus using an approximated dipole signal Location determination is performed using a transmitter including an elongated generally planar loop antenna defining an elongation axis. The elongation axis is positioned along at least a portion of a path. A magnetic field is then generated which approximates a di... | 10/28/2008 |
| 7403014 | Tracking the positional relationship between a boring tool and one or more buried lines using a composite magnetic signal A boring tool is moved through the ground in a region which includes at least one electrically conductive in-ground line and which is subject to static magnetic fields including the magnetic field of the earth. Tracking a positional relationship between the boring t... | 07/22/2008 |
| 7403013 | Boring tool tracking/guiding system and method with unconstrained target location geometry Tracking a boring tool is performed within an underground region using a locating signal. The boring tool is moved through the ground during a series of distance movements such that potential movement of the boring tool during any one of the distance movements is le... | 07/22/2008 |
| 7398014 | Enhanced rapid thermal processing apparatus and method A heating arrangement heats a first major surface of a workpiece with an illumination energy such that a first portion of the illumination energy is directly incident upon the first major surface of the workpiece and a second portion of the illumination energy is di... | 07/08/2008 |
| 7397249 | Apparatus for distinguishing false signals in cable locating Discriminating between a cable locating signal and a false cable locating signal is described. A reference signal, which contains a locating signal frequency impressed on it, is transmitted in a way which provides for detection of a phase shift between the locating ... | 07/08/2008 |
| 7388276 | Metal-insulator varactor devices A varactor is configured with first and second conducting layers, spaced apart from one another such that a given voltage can be applied across the first and second conducting layers. Further, an insulator arrangement includes at least one insulator layer disposed b... | 06/17/2008 |
| 7379286 | Quantum vacuum energy extraction A system is disclosed for converting energy from the electromagnetic quantum vacuum available at any point in the universe to usable energy in the form of heat, electricity, mechanical energy or other forms of power. By suppressing electromagnetic quantum vacuum ene... | 05/27/2008 |
| 7361605 | System and method for removal of photoresist and residues following contact etch with a stop layer present In processing an integrated circuit structure including a contact arrangement that is initially covered by a stop layer, a first plasma is used to etch to form openings through an overall insulation layer covered by a patterned layer of photoresist such that one con... | 04/22/2008 |
| 7345486 | Position and orientation locator/monitor The present invention provides a locator/monitor capable of locating a boring tool and monitoring the progress of the tool for control purposes. The locator/monitor may be used in expedited locating methodology and straightforward calibration techniques of the prese... | 03/18/2008 |
| 7343816 | Tension monitoring arrangement and method Tension monitoring is described using a sensor which may exhibit an offset for which compensation may be provided to produce a zero voltage amplified output or to increase dynamic range. An arrangement determines whether a power reset is responsive to a battery boun... | 03/18/2008 |
| 7327144 | Multi-frequency boring tool locating system and method Arrangements, apparatus and associated methods are described for use in a multi-frequency boring tool locating system. The boring tool includes a transmitter for transmitting a locating signal at two or more selectable frequencies. One set of above ground procedures... | 02/05/2008 |
