Folding dish
US Patent 7,806,288
October 5, 2010
The invention comprises a dish that can be folded to a compact size for use when camping or traveling. The dish is preferably folded along a central axis via living hinges that allow the dish to be collapsed and held in a collapsed position by snaps or other fasteners. In use, the dish is unfolded and formed into a stable position.
System and method for enabling cooperation of applications on a distributed network
US Patent 7,805,732
September 28, 2010
A system is implementable in a network including a plurality of coupled electronic devices. The system includes a first mobile agent object executable on an electronic device and operable to perform a first operation on a data set. A second mobile agent object is executable on an electronic device and operable to perform a second operation on a data set. A composition object is operable to enable the first mobile agent object to provide the data set to the second mobile agent object if the first mobile agent object and second mobile agent object are executing on the same electronic device. At least one bridging object can enable the first mobile agent object to provide the data set to the second mobile agent object if the first mobile agent object and second mobile agent object are executing on different electronic devices.
Systems and methods for processing voice instructions in a vehicle
US Patent 7,801,731
September 21, 2010
A system and method for reviewing inputted voice instructions in a vehicle-based telematics control unit. The system includes a microphone, a speech recognition processor, and an output device. The microphone receives voice instructions from a user. Coupled to the microphone is the speech recognition processor that generates a voice signal by performing speech recognition processing of the received voice instructions. The output device outputs the generated voice signal to the user. The system also includes a user interface for allowing the user to approve the outputted voice signal, and a communication component for wirelessly sending the generated voice signal to a server over a wireless network upon approval by the user.
Predicted path selection system and method for hazard coding in selectively constrained aircraft con
US Patent 7,801,649
September 21, 2010
A surveillance system detects potential hazards and alerts the pilot to them. The alerts can be modified to indicate proximity to the predicted path of the aircraft. An autopilot receives instructions from a flight management system (FMS) regarding a planned path and is subject to constraints preempting the planned path. The surveillance system selects which of the planned and a constrained path will be followed for alerting and hazard coding purposes. Means are disclosed to determine when the constrained path will be followed by comparing the current position of an aircraft, the planned path, and the constraint data. Current positions exceeding the tolerance cause the surveillance system to select the planned path as the future path to be followed. If initiation of a constraint has been detected and the current position is within the tolerance, the surveillance system selects the constrained path as the future path.
Multi-mode LED retrofit module apparatus and method
US Patent 7,800,313
September 21, 2010
A multi-mode LED retrofit module is provided for a flashlight of a type having a serious circuit including a battery power supply, a light bulb, and a single pull, single throw rotary on/off switch. The retrofit module includes a logical control device which measures an on/off time of the rotary switch, subsequent to a previous on-time which is greater than a pre-determined threshold. If the subsequent on/off time is less than a pre-determined threshold (preferably 0.5 seconds), the subsequent short on/off cycle is interpreted as an instruction to change mode.
Resale of Software Not Insulated By First Sale Doctrine
September 10, 2010
| Intellectual Property News
In a closely-watched case, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the resale of software may not be insulated by the first sale doctrine.
The case involved the sale of AutoCAD software that was originally sold by Autodesk, Inc. to one of its direct customers. That customer sold fourteen used copies of AutoCAD to Timothy Vernor, who then resold them on eBay. The court considered whether the Autodesk customer had rights sufficient to allow it to resell the programs to Vernor, and therefore whether Vernor could legally resell them on eBay.
As a general rule, most intellectual property rights are governed by a “first sale” defense. Once the owner of a copyrighted work sells it to another person or company, that person or company becomes the owner of the work and is free to resell it to others. The original owner has no right to pursue any subsequent downstream buyers because the original owner passed all rights in the work to the first buyer. The federal copyright laws codified the first sale doctrine with a provision stating that the owner of a particular copy of a copyrighted work can sell or dispose of the copy without first obtaining the original author’s permission. Vernor argued that his sale of the fourteen copies of AutoCAD was protected by the first sale doctrine, arguing that once Autodesk sold them to its initial customer Autodesk had no remaining rights that could prevent subsequent sales of the software.
The district court agreed with Vernor, but the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed and reversed the decision. According to the Ninth Circuit, Autodesk licensed its AutoCAD software and did not originally sell it. The software was distributed with a license that expressly restricted the ability to transfer or resell it. Because the original customer was a licensee, not an owner, the first sale doctrine did not apply. Vernor could not legally buy the software from the first customer, and therefore Vernor did not own the software. The result for Vernor—and for his customers who bought the fourteen copies on eBay—was that the use and sale of the used AutoCAD software infringed Autodesk’s copyrights in the software.
This decision by the Ninth Circuit is not necessarily consistent with decisions from other federal courts of appeal. As such, the law remains unsettled and the issue may continue to the Supreme Court. It is also a decision that is primarily concerned with software because software, unlike most other goods, is commonly distributed under a license. Nonetheless, it allows original sellers of goods to take advantage of the possible use of a license to distribute their goods, and requires resellers of used goods to pay close attention to whether the goods were originally sold or licensed.
Read the full Ninth Circuit decision at http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2010/09/10/09-35969.pdf.
Digital DPSK demodulation method and system
US Patent 7,792,209
September 7, 2010
An aircraft transponder comprises an antenna for receiving an RF signal a downconverter coupled to the antenna for downconverting the RF signal to an IF signal, an analog-to-digital converter coupled to the downconverter to digitize the IF signal to produce a digital signal, and; a processor unit coupled to the analog-to-digital converter. The processor unit is configured to: (1) generate a delayed digital signal; (2) multiply a delayed digital signal by the digital signal to produce a multiplied output; and (3) filter the multiplied output to produce a filtered output having a positive or negative sign. The transponder further includes a sign converter operable to output a one or zero based on the sign of the filtered output to recover the data component.
Article dispensing machine
US Patent 7,789,213
September 7, 2010
The invention relates to an article-dispensing machine. The inventive machine comprises: a structure (1), a removable container (2) for articles, and a dispensing mechanism on the base of the container (2), which is actuated by an actuation shaft that is coupled to the shaft of a coin or token selector (6) which is mounted in the structure (1) in order to dispense one or more articles from the container (2) through a delivery outlet (7) following the introduction of one or more coins or tokens. According to the invention, when the door (15) is in the closed position, a single closure device (55), which is associated with said door (15), can be used to lock the container (2), the coin selector (6) and a coin or token collection box (52) in the respective operating positions thereof. When the aforementioned door (15) is open, the container (2) can be refilled or removed, the coin selector (6) can be removed and the collection box (52) can be accessed without the use of tools.
Method and system for inflating an inflatable object
US Patent 7,789,112
September 7, 2010
A method and system for inflating an object includes providing a portable, programmable inflation system having a logic processor, a memory, a visual display, manual inputs, a compressor with an attached inflation hose, a pressure sensor, and an actuator attached to a valve for releasing pressure from the object. The portable programmable inflation system is moved near the object and the inflation hose is attached. Then, a desired air pressure setting is received from a manual input and stored in memory. Then, the current air pressure in the object is sensed with the pressure sensor, and it is determined whether the air pressure in the object is above or below the desired air pressure setting. Under control of the logic processor, the object is inflated if the air pressure is below the desired air pressure setting or deflated if the air pressure is above the desired air pressure setting.
Methods and systems for efficient behavior generation in software application development tool
US Patent 7,788,634
August 31, 2010
Methods, systems and computer product for allowing flexible definition of appearance and behavior states for an interactive application. A state table includes a first dimension and a second dimension, the first dimension configured to identify at least one programming element and the second dimension configured to identify a plurality of states of the computer system. When a state table creation operating mode is activated and alteration of at least one programming element is identified, an operand is automatically stored in a cell at each intersection of the first dimension and the second dimension. Alterations that are identified include movement of a graphical object, changes of size, color, associated text, or other graphical feature of a graphical object.
