Your Source for the Latest Patent Information
Add to My Yahoo!
marker  User Functions
marker  Categories
marker  Archives
marker  Search




marker  Syndication
What is RSS? RSS 0.92: RSS 1.0: RSS 2.0: Atom:










marker  Credits
       
Start Stop
START or STOP receiving GEN-ERIC Patent News
  *Home*     Links  
GEN-ERIC Patent News
Your Source for the Latest Patent Information
The Digital Home Resource Tracking Patent of the Day goes to William H. Gates III of Washington for a Method and system for property notification
02/01/05

Invented by Microsoft employees, and assigned to Mr. Gates, not Microsoft. Hmm.. I wonder if it was invented on company time?

6,850,978 Method and system for property notification
  Issued: February 1, 2005
  Filed: November 18, 2002
  U.S. Class: 709/224
Abstract:  A method system for tracking the state of an entity (e.g., an object) on behalf of a client (e.g., an application program). The states of an entity include up and down. The tracking system of the present invention receives a request from a client to track the state of an entity. The tracking system then watches the state of the entity to detect when the entity enters the up state. When the entity enters the up state, the tracking system performs a behavior that is specified by the client to be performed when the entity enters the up state. When the entity, is in the up state, the tracking system monitors the state of the entity to detect when the entity enters the down state. When the entity enters the down state, the tracking system performs a behavior that is specified by the client to be performed when the entity enters the down state. When the tracking system receives a request from the client for a pointer to the entity, the tracking system determines the current state of the entity and either provides a pointer to the entity or indicates that a pointer is not being provided.

Posted by GEN-ERIC at 11:01:50 am into the following categories: Patents of the Day

The Thimble Scanner Patent of the Day goes to Intel Corporation of Santa Clara for Tactile kinesthetic assistant
02/01/05

6,850,862 Tactile kinesthetic assistant
  Issued: February 1, 2005
  Filed: September 7, 2000
  U.S. Class: 382/312
Abstract:  A tactile kinesthetic assistant is a device that allows a person to use the senses of sight, touch and hearing to gather information. Tactile kinesthetic assistants can be used, for example, to help a person retrieve information related to a specific word or phrase (e.g., a student learning to read), to allow a person to determine the status of a person or thing (e.g., a nurse retrieving medical records), to allow a person to obtain current information (e.g., a stock broker retrieving stock prices). In one embodiment, a tactile kinesthetic assistant includes a thimble and an ear piece. The thimble includes a scanner that allows the user to scan one or more words. The representations of the one or more words are used to retrieve information via a network and the retrieved information is provided to the user through an ear piece.

Posted by GEN-ERIC at 10:59:49 am into the following categories: Patents of the Day

The Rainbow Keyboard Patent of the Day goes to an Independent Inventor from Austrailia for Color-coded tactile data-entry devices
02/01/05

6,850,225 Color-coded tactile data-entry devices
  Issued: February 1, 2005
  Filed: April 30, 1999
  U.S. Class: 345/168
Abstract:  A data-entry device having manually operable input means arranged in zones for operation by corresponding fingers of a user. The device includes means for color coding such that each zone is assigned a color and successive zones display colors ordered according to their relative positions within a spectrum-ordered color pattern. In one embodiment the device includes a keyboard, such as for a computer or typewriter, wherein the keys of the keyboard are color-coded according to a spectrum-ordered color pattern. The invention also provides a method of color coding a data-entry device.

Posted by GEN-ERIC at 10:58:34 am into the following categories: Patents of the Day

The Clean n' Compare Patent of the Day goes to Rubbermaid Incorporated of Ohio for an Apparatus and method of merchandizing products
02/01/05

6,850,208 Apparatus and method of merchandizing products
  Issued: February 1, 2005
  Filed: August 6, 2001
  U.S. Class: 345/1.1
Abstract:  A display system for displaying products at a store, the display system includes a first module configured to display a first cleaning product, a second module adjacent the first module and configured to display a second cleaning product which is related to the first cleaning product, and an information display coupled to the first and second modules and configured to be visible when cleaning products are being displayed. The information display provides graphical information that associates the first cleaning product with a particular cleaning task and associates the second cleaning product with the first cleaning product. A method of merchandizing cleaning products includes the step of providing a plurality of cleaning products, organizing the plurality of cleaning products according to a particular cleaning task, providing one or more information displays configured to identify a particular cleaning product for the particular cleaning task, to pictorially display an associated work environment, and to provide related product information.

Posted by GEN-ERIC at 10:57:40 am into the following categories: Patents of the Day

China's SMIC settles lawsuits with TSMC for US$175M
02/01/05

Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC), China's largest chip maker, has settled a legal battle with rival Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSMC) over allegations of patent infringement and misappropriation of trade secrets, the two companies said Sunday. "We are pleased that the litigation has been settled peacefully and believe that the settlement is in the best interests of the company's long term development," said Richard Chang, SMIC's president and CEO, in a prepared statement. Under terms of the settlement agreement, SMIC will pay TSMC US$175 million over six years. SMIC will pay US$30 million each year for the first five years and US$25 million in the sixth year. In addition, TSMC and SMIC have agreed to license their patent portfolios to each other through December 2010 under a cross-license agreement, they said.

Posted by GEN-ERIC at 12:10:22 am into the following categories: In The News

Merck shares stung by court decision, SEC investigation
02/01/05

Shares of Merck & Co. fell more than 10 per cent on Friday after a U.S. court ruled that the company's patent on one of its top-selling drug was invalid. In reversing a lower court decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., said Merck's patent on its once-a-week version of the osteoporosis drug Fosamax is invalid. The court decision clears the way for generic competition against the drug possibly as early as 2008. Merck's patent isn't due to expire until 2018.

Posted by GEN-ERIC at 12:09:14 am into the following categories: In The News

Universal Electronics and Universal Remote Control Settle Patent Infringement Lawsuit
02/01/05

Universal Electronics Inc. and Universal Remote Control Inc. today announced their amicable resolution of patent litigation pending in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. While the specific terms of the settlement are confidential and cannot be disclosed, the settlement involves UEI's grant of licenses under certain of its remote control patents.

Posted by GEN-ERIC at 12:06:31 am into the following categories: In The News

OutlookSoft Files Patent Infringement Claims Against Hyperion
02/01/05

OutlookSoft Corporation, a leading provider of business performance management (BPM) solutions for Fortune 1000 and Global 2000 companies, today announced that it has filed claims of patent infringement against Hyperion Solutions. OutlookSoft's claim, filed as part of a counterclaim in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, charges that Hyperion is infringing on two OutlookSoft patents directly relating to OutlookSoft's Everest software application. OutlookSoft is seeking damages for past infringement, including treble damages for willful infringement, and an injunction against further infringement. Additionally, OutlookSoft filed its answer to Hyperion's previously asserted patent infringement claims, denying infringement. OutlookSoft also filed a declaratory judgment claiming that Hyperion's two asserted patents are not infringed, are invalid and unenforceable.

Posted by GEN-ERIC at 12:05:11 am into the following categories: In The News
marker  2002-2004
GEN-ERIC Patent News Archive

GEN-ERIC Music News
GEN-ERIC at MySpace
marker  Calendar
February 2005
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
<<  <   >  >>
  1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28
marker  Links

Employment

USPTO