This Study relates to a method and apparatus which inhibits the theft of equipment such as personal computers.

References of particular interest will describe a locking system and method for a portable electronic device.

Steps for locking the device comprise:

a) Inserting a locking member that is part of an attachment mechanism into a rectangular security slot, having in a wall of the portable electronic device;

b) Dimensions of the rectangular security slot should be about 3 mm×7 mm;

c) Securing said attachment mechanism to the portable electronic device via the rectangular security slot, having dimensions of about 3 mm×7 mm;

d) Maintaining a locked configuration using the attachment mechanism, wherein the portable electronic device is secured to an object other than the portable electronic device. 

Below are three examples of references of interest that are already known to help with your search:

•  US patent 5,987,937
•  US patent 6,058,744
•  Macintosh (Apple) Portable security slot

Additional references for the Macintosh (Apple) Portable security slot that disclose the dimensions of the security slot would be of interest as well. 

This Study is a request for prior art, including non-patent literature, that provides a path to invalidity for the Study patent claims that is not already known. The Reward is guaranteed to be paid to the Researcher who submits the highest quality prior art. 

There is a preferred Latest Date for Prior Art of January 23, 1991.

Copies of the patent are available via the pdf links.

This Study is subject to the shared reward program.

This Study is a request for US PATENTS ONLY that relate to the following technologies in the Consumer Electronics field.  We are interested in inventions relating to security and privacy, servers and storage, data center management, and provisioning and elasticity.

Each patent should have a minimum of 3 years remaining to its term.

This Study is a request for US PATENTS ONLY.  Patents of interest will describe the highest level of development of the features identified in the list below.

Patents should be directed to the use or potential use of one or more of the following features in mobile applications technology (eg. Works on a smartphone or tablet computer):

1. Location Based Services
2. Social Networks or Interest Networks
3. Personal Digital Assistant (eg. Siri)
4. Media Viewing (eg. Streaming video)

This Study relates to a method and system for facilitating communication in a preferred natural language between a user of a computer system and a computer program running on the computer system.

References of particular interest should comprise:

•  The message file is part of the program header, thus all message sets are stored in the program header. Furthermore, the message file does not have to be a file, but can be a directory or something similar.

•  The steps of determining the language of the message set in the program header and searching the message file for a message set shall mean: in a uniform list of message sets which is present in the memory device determining the language of the first message set and if this does not match the preferred natural language searching the other message sets for a match.

•  Loading shall mean reloading the matching message set within the memory device for utilization by the program.

For additional information please see claims 1 and 6 in the downloadable copy of the patent.

*****PLEASE NOTE:  UPDATED AWARD AMOUNT******

This Study is a request for prior art, including non-patent literature, that provides a path to invalidity for the Study patent claims that is not already known. The Reward is guaranteed to be paid to the Researcher who submits the highest quality prior art. 

There is a preferred Latest Date for Prior Art of November 29, 1991.

A copy of the patent is available via the pdf link.

This study is subject to the shared reward program.

This Study relates to a hardwire computer system capable of executing variable length instructions (such as one 32 bit instruction or 16 bit instruction) in a single clock cycle.

The system retrieves two parcels (for example, two 16 bit words), and determines whether the two parcels contain a single two parcel instruction (a 32 bit instruction) or two instructions of one parcel each (two 16 bit instructions).  This determination must be made in a single clock cycle.  Depending on the determination, the processor either 1) issues a detected two-parcel instruction (a 32 bit instruction) in the same clock cycle or 2) issues a one parcel instruction (16-bit instruction) on the same clock cycle, and issues a one parcel instruction (the next 16-bit instruction of the 32 bits originally fetched) on the subsequent clock cycle.

References of interest must disclose:

•  A system capable of processing variable length instructions (for example, 16-bit or 32 bit instructions) where decoding and issuance of the instruction takes a total of one clock cycle, regardless of the size of the instruction.

•  If a determination is made that the two received parcels contain two instructions of a size of one parcel, the second instruction of the set is issued without further decoding or determination step performed on the second instruction.

•  The ability of the system to process variable length instructions (of size N or 2N) may be an efficient first filter to reduce the number of irrelevant search results.

In the time frame of interest, many improvements were being made to the performance of general purpose CPU systems that are not relevant to the system features described above.  References that merely disclose hardware common to general purpose CPU systems are not of interest (i.e. keyword searching for many CPU architecture terms in the patent claim).

This Study is a request for prior art, including non-patent literature, that provides a path to invalidity for the Study patent claims that is not already known. The Reward is guaranteed to be paid to the Researcher who submits the highest quality prior art. 

There is a preferred Latest Date for Prior Art of December 28, 1988.

A copy of the patent is available via the pdf link.

This study is subject to the shared reward program.

This Study relates to a graphics system and process that predominantly operates on a floating point format.  Figure 2 of the Study patent represents the processing stages in a graphics system that displays complex or three dimensional images (Figure 2 also attached as an image below).

References of specific interest may disclose:

A 3D graphics rendering system that performs all of the processing steps using data in floating point format:

•  a processor for performing geometric calculations on a plurality of vertices of a primitive;

•  a rasterization circuit coupled to the processor that rasterizes the primitive according to a rasterization process which operates on a floating point format;

•  a frame buffer coupled to the rasterization circuit for storing a plurality of color values in floating point format;

The floating point format is comprised of sixteen bits in an s10e5 format (16-bit floating point format consisting of one sign bit, ten mantissa bits, and five exponent bits).

The architecture disclosed in the Study patent is identical to the block diagram from the Open GL standard. Please see the attached image for a comparison of Fig. 2 of the Study patent and the Open GL Standard

U.S. Patent references of particular interest should not include or reference the Open GL standard, but should similarly perform all of the above processing steps in floating point format.  U.S. non-patent literature, foreign patents and applications, and PCT applications which incorporate Open GL and use floating point throughout the entire image processing computer system (including storing pixels in the frame buffer in floating point format) are preferred. 

This Study is a request for prior art, including non-patent literature, that provides a path to invalidity for the Study patent claims that is not already known. The Reward is guaranteed to be paid to the Researcher who submits the highest quality prior art. 

There is a preferred Latest Date for Prior Art of June 15, 1997.

A copy of the patent is available via the pdf link.

This Study is subject to the shared reward program.

This Study relates to a flat panel monitor with a specific physical construction that improves the brightness and viewing angle of the display.  The physical construction is described using a cross-sectional view shown in the attached image below or shown in Fig. 7 of the attached Study patent. 

References of particular interest should disclose:

A large-area, wide aspect ratio (> 1.3: 1) LCD display that includes at least the highlighted layers arranged in the order shown in the attached figure below.

Other Areas of Interest:

 •  Well-known Japanese LCD manufacturers (such as Sony or Hitachi) may have previously patented or disclosed an LCD with similar layer arrangement as recited in Claims 1 and 15 of the Study patent. 

•  3M was a pioneer in the area of brightness enhancement films and has several related patents , but they don't disclose the use of optical compensation film or large-area wide aspect ratio display.

This Study is a request for prior art, including non-patent literature, that provides a path to invalidity for the Study patent claims that is not already known. The Reward is guaranteed to be paid to the Researcher who submits the highest quality prior art. 

There is a preferred Latest Date for Prior Art of May 29, 1997.

A copy of the patent is available via the pdf link.

This Study is subject to the shared rewards program.

This Study is a request for PATENTS ONLY that relate to technology in the field of the LTE Technology Standard.  Please see the Description and Requirements to Match fields for important information.

The Reward is guaranteed to be paid to the Researcher who submits the best collection of patents including patents issued post 2009.

This Study is a request for PATENTS ONLY that relate to technology in the field of the LTE Technology Standard.  Please see the Description and Requirements to Match fields for important information.

The Reward is guaranteed to be paid to the Researcher who submits the best collection of patents including patents issued post 2009.

This Study is a request for PATENTS ONLY.  There is recognition in the industry that LTE Technology Standard is advancing based on the development of certain technology areas.  One of the technology areas is Voice Over Long Term Evolution (VoLTE).

Patents of interest will describe the highest level of development of the features identified in the list below.  One set of patents to review for these technology features are the patents declared as essential.  The following companies have declared patents to be essential to the LTE Technology Standard as of November 2011: Alcatel-Lucent, ETRI, Andrews LLC, Ericsson, Freescale Semiconductor Inc., France Telecom, Hewlett Packard, HTC Corporation, Huawei, iCODING Tech Inc., Infineon Technologies, Innovative Sonic LTD, Intel Corporation, InterDigital, IPR Licensing Inc., Koninlijke KPN N.V., LGE, Marvell Switzerland S.A.R.L., Motorola, NEC Corporation, Nokia, Nokia Siemens Networks, Nortel Networks Ltd., NTT DoCoMo, Panasonic, Qualcomm,  Research in Motion, Samsung, Sharp Corp., Siemens, Sony Corp., T-Mobile, Telecom Italia S.P.A., Texas Instruments, TruePosition Inc., VirnetX, Inc.,  VoiceAgre Corp., ZTE Corporation.  However, the results should not be limited to patents on the list of essential patents nor patents that originate from these companies. Other patents from the companies may describe these features but may not have been declared as essential to date.  The patents also should not be limited to those companies but patents may be owned by companies which have not declared patents as essential.

Patents claims should be directed to Voice Over Long Term Evolution (VoLTE) protocol to address a standardized system for transferring mass-market data, specifically voice and video, over LTE.   Patent claims should include one or more of the following solutions:

1. a system that enables LTE users to receive a consistent set of voice, SMS (and other circuit-switched) services as they transition between GSM, UMTS and LTE access networks, such as Over-the-top (OTT) applications; or,
2. a system that utilizes IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem), a framework for delivering IP multimedia services, enabling it to become part of a rich media solution, such as 3GPP Multimedia Telephone (MMTel)

We are particularly interested in patents that have US family members.

The Reward is guaranteed to be paid to the Researcher who submits the best collection of patents including patents issued post 2009.

This Study relates to a method of changing a radio communications receiver from a sleep mode to an active mode, comprising:

●  providing a receiver having a sleep mode and an active mode, wherein, in operation, the receiver continuously consumes less electrical power in the sleep mode than in the active mode;

●  receiving radio signals at an input of the receiver;

●  rejecting any of said radio signals not having a data rate equal to a predetermined first data rate;

●  while the receiver is in the sleep mode, continuously maintaining the receiver in the sleep mode until the receiver receives a radio signal that has a data rate equal to said first data rate and that is not rejected;

●  while the receiver is in the sleep mode, detecting when the receiver receives a radio signal that has a data rate equal to said first data rate and that is not rejected; and switching the receiver from the sleep mode to the active mode in response to detecting said first data rate.

This Study is a request for prior art, including non-patent literature, that provides a path to invalidity for the Study patent claims that is not already known. The Reward is guaranteed to be paid to the Researcher who submits the highest quality prior art. 

There is a preferred Latest Date for Prior Art of July 14, 1991.

A copy of the patent is available via the pdf link.

One embodiment interest is a method comprising:

●   receiving a request from a first wireless device, the request comprising:

◊  a parameter to select a group of one or more second wireless devices from a plurality of second wireless devices within a communication range of the first wireless device, and return link configuration information;

●  comparing the parameter to a value stored in a second wireless device to determine if the second wireless device is a member of the group; and

●  transmitting a reply signal from the second wireless device in accordance with one of a plurality of modulation types selected using the return link configuration information, wherein the return link configuration information is used to select one of at least three different pulse waveforms to multiply with a baseband waveform.

Other embodiments of interest are viewable in the downloadable copies of the patents.

This Study relates to a method for reading RFID transponders in a field.  The method comprises:

•  transmitting a carrier signal;
•  detecting the presence of at least one of the transponders in the field;
•  receiving data from all of the transponders in the field;
•  determining whether the received data is valid; and
•  in response to determining that the received data is invalid, informing all transponders in the field that there was an incomplete read, the informing including suppressing the carrier. 

This Study is a request for prior art, including non-patent literature, that provides a path to invalidity for the Study patent claims that is not already known. The Reward is guaranteed to be paid to the Researcher who submits the highest quality prior art. 

There is a preferred Latest Date for Prior Art of September 2, 1996.

This Study relates to a method of addressing messages from an interrogator to a selected one or more of a number of communications devices, the method comprising: 

•  establishing a first predetermined number of bits to be used as unique identification numbers, and establishing for respective devices unique identification numbers respectively having the first predetermined number of bits;

•  establishing a second predetermined number of bits to be used for random values;

•  causing the devices to select random values, wherein respective devices choose random values independently of random values selected by the other devices;

•  transmitting a command, from the interrogator, requesting devices having random values within a first specified group of random values to respond;

•  receiving the command at multiple devices, devices receiving the command respectively determining if the random value chosen by the device falls within the first specified group and, if so, sending a reply to the interrogator; and

•  determining using the interrogator if a collision occurred between devices that sent a reply and, if so, creating a second specified group smaller than the first specified group; and, if not, again transmitting a command requesting devices having random values within the first specified group of random values to respond.

This Study is a request for prior art, including non-patent literature, that provides a path to invalidity for the Study patent claims that is not already known. The Reward is guaranteed to be paid to the Researcher who submits the highest quality prior art. 

There is a preferred Latest Date for Prior Art of February 18, 1997.

Copies of the patents are available via the pdf links.

This Study relates to a method for performing radio frequency communications, the method comprising:

•  receiving a request, said request including a defined subgroup of possible numbers;

• generating a first random number and a second random number;

•  and communicating a response including at least one of the first random number and the second random number at a time based at least in part on the second random number upon receipt of a request identifying the defined subgroup.

This Study is a request for prior art, including non-patent literature, that provides a path to invalidity for the Study patent claims that is not already known. The Reward is guaranteed to be paid to the Researcher who submits the highest quality prior art. 

There is a preferred Latest Date for Prior Art of February 18, 1997.

Copies of the patents are available via the pdf links.

This Study relates to a responder transceiver comprising:

●  a first memory for storing an arbitration address having a first number of bits;

●  a second memory for storing a unique address having a second number of bits, the second number being greater than the first number;

●  a transmitter circuit for transmitting messages;

●  a receiver circuit for receiving command message signals;

●  a first logic circuit for detecting whether a signal received by the receiver circuit is a Generate command message and, if so, for randomly choosing a new value for the arbitration address and storing the newly chosen arbitration address in the first memory; and

●  a second logic circuit for detecting whether a signal received by the receiver circuit is an Identify command message which specifies for response a group of addresses which includes the arbitration address stored in the first memory of the responder transceiver and, if so, for controlling the transmitter circuit to transmit an Arbitration ID message containing the arbitration address stored in the first memory and to transmit a Unique ID message containing the unique address stored in the second memory.

This Study is a request for prior art, including non-patent literature, that provides a path to invalidity for the Study patent claims that is not already known. The Reward is guaranteed to be paid to the Researcher who submits the highest quality prior art. 

There is a preferred Latest Date for Prior Art of December 14, 1991.

A copy of the patent is available via the pdf link.

This Study relates to a method for indicating hang time off the ground and in the air during a jump by a person wearing an athletic shoe, said method comprising the steps:

(a) sensing, within said shoe, when said shoe leaves the ground during said jump;

(b) sensing, within said shoe, when said shoe returns to the ground at the end of said jump;

(c) activating a hang time indicator on said shoe during the time interval between said shoe leaving and returning to the ground as sensed in steps (a) and (b), respectively, said indicator providing an indication of hang time in a manner perceptible to said person, and

An athletic shoe comprising:

a sole;

a shoe upper mounted on said sole;

a timing device disposed at least partly in said sole for measuring an amount of time the athletic shoe is off the ground and in the air; and

a notification device operatively coupled to said timing device and disposed in said upper for notifying a wearer of the athletic shoe of a message, said message including information related to said amount of time the athletic shoe is off the ground and in the air.

This prior art search request is related to the spouts and valves used in toddler cups (i.e., “sippy cups”), which have a no-spill functionality.  An example of a sippy cup can be seen in Figure 1 of the attached image (or figure of the attached study patent US 7,243,814).

We are looking for prior art describing a cup (or similar structure) that includes a flexible material that acts as a valve or diaphragm, and the flexible material has an opening. The cup also has a blocking element below the flexible material.  In some embodiments, the blocking element blocks the opening when a user is not drinking from the cup. The flexible material flexes (perhaps even inverting) when a user sucks on the spout, which allows the opening (at least partially) to let liquid flow.  Additionally, the sippy cup may also include a barrier that affects how much the flexible material can flex. 

Figure 2 of the attached image displays cross-sectional views of the subunit 39 that includes the valve for the sippy cup shown Figure 1.  The fact that there are dual valves for different directions of air flow is not important, but the manner in which the valves invert or flex is important.  For more details, see the description and figures of US 7,243,814.

We would also like to get prior art for the valve shown in the diagram and pictures shown in Figure 3 of the attached image.

Additional information for searching, such as analagous art and related companies can be found on the first page in the attached known prior art list.

This Study is a request for prior art, including non-patent literature, that provides a path to invalidity for the Study patent claims that is not already known. The Reward is guaranteed to be paid to the Researcher who submits the highest quality prior art. 

There is a preferred Latest Date for Prior Art of August 21, 1997.

Additional information for searching, such as analagous art and related companies can be found in the attached known prior art list.  

Copies of the patents are available via the pdf links.

This Study is subject to the shared reward program.

This Study relates to a voltage supply apparatus for providing a supply voltage for a passenger provided electric device in an airplane cabin.  The apparatus includes a socket to which the device is connectable by means of a plug and to which the supply voltage can be applied.  This socket includes a socket detector for detecting the presence of a plug inserted in the socket.  A supply device is located remotely from the socket and connected to the socket via both a signal line and a voltage supply line.  The supply device applies supply voltage to the socket when the plug detectors indicate the presence of the plug via the signal line to the supply device, characterized in that:

1.)  The plug detector detects the presence of two contact pins (prongs) of the plug in the socket;
2.)  The supply device only applies the supply voltage to the socket if both contact pins are detected at the same time; and
3.)  The time interval between detection of the first contact pin and detection of the second contact pin does not exceed a predetermined maximum time.

In particular, we seek a document that discloses:

An electrical outlet having a mechanism, preferably mechanical switches, that separately detects the presence of two prongs of a plug as the prongs are inserted into the outlet.  The detection of the first prong starts a timer and the detection of the second prong stops the timer.  If the elapsed time is greater than a pre-determined value, then electrical power is not provided to the outlet.

This type of safety outlet is intended to prevent arcing or tampering with the outlet.  While an outlet for an aircraft cabin is preferred, outlets for other applications are acceptable.  For example, an outlet for use in a home to prevent a child from placing foreign objects into the outlet or an outlet for use in a hospital or space environment where arcing could be a danger. 

Prior art that discloses a mechanism to sense the presence of two prongs of a plug includes U.S. Patent No. 4,591,732 and U.S. Patent No. 4,871,924.  The successful document must definitively disclose a timing feature. 

References of interest should focus on the features shown in the attached figure.

Figure 1 shows the system prior to a plug being inserted into the socket.  Sensor switches in the socket are open.  

Figure 2 illustrates the plug inserted into the socket.  The prongs depress plungers closing sense switch 1 and sense switch 2.  When sense switch 1 is closed, a timer is started.  When sense switch 2 is then closed, the timer is stopped and the time interval measured.  If the timer interval is less than a predetermined value, such as 100 milliseconds, then a proper plug insertion is determined and the Sense Timer sends an ENABLE signal to the Voltage Supply, closing the relay from the Voltage Supply to the Socket and powering the device attached to the plug.

Figure 3 illustrates the action if only one sensor is activated such as inserting a nail.  Sense switch 1 detects the object and the timer is started.  Since sense switch 2 is not activated within the predetermined time interval and power is not enabled.  

This Study is a request for prior art, including non-patent literature, that provides a path to invalidity for the Study patent claims that is not already known. The Reward is guaranteed to be paid to the Researcher who submits the highest quality prior art.

For the researchers reference, a link to US Patent 6,016,016 has been provided.  This patent provides an English translation of the Study patent disclosure.

There is a preferred Latest Date for Prior Art of May 30, 1997.

This Study is subject to the shared reward program.

This study relates to a composition comprising a mixture of a B0 base diesel fuel and a B100 methyl ester or ethyl ester biodiesel fuel, wherein the B100 biodiesel fuel contains no more than 0.20 wt. % total glycerin.

This patent is very close to the industry standard approved by ASTM (D6751), which can be viewed here.

This Study is a request for US patents only that relate to technologies in the data and enterprise computing field.  We are interested in inventions relating to security and privacy, servers and storage, data center management, and provisioning and elasticity.

Each patent should have a minimum of 3 years remaining to its term.

This Study is a request for US patents ONLY.  Patents of interest will describe the highest level of development of the features identified in the list below.

Patents should be directed to the use or potential use of three or more of the following features in data and enterprise computing technology:

1. Security and privacy
2. Server and storage
3. Data center management
4. Power management
5. Provisioning and elasticity

The Reward is guaranteed to be paid to the Researcher who submits the best collection of patents.

This Study is a request for patents only that relate to the telecommunications and media services field. 

We are particularly interested in inventions relating to security and privacy, servers and storage, data center management, and provisioning and elasticity.

Each patent should have a minimum of 3 years remaining to its term.

This Study is a request for US patents ONLY.  Patents of interest will describe the highest level of development of the features identified in the list below.

Patents should be directed to the use or potential use of one or more of the following features in telecommunications and media services technology:

1.     4G

2.     LTE

3.     VoLTE

4.     60 Ghz. RF

5.     Wideband RF Front End

6.     Mobile payments

7.     Near field communications (NFC)

8.     Open API

The Reward is guaranteed to be paid to the Researcher who submits the best collection of patents.

This Study relates to a method and system for receiving user data input into a computer system having a graphical windowing environment.  The system may utilize a touch-sensitive display screen for displaying images and detecting user contact therewith (or proximity thereto).

A management component operatively connected to the graphical windowing environment creates an input panel window for display on the screen. An input method is selected from among a plurality of such input methods and installed, whereby the input method can call functions of the management component. Each input method includes a defined interface set which makes the input method pluggable into other executable code that is capable of interfacing with the defined interface set.  Each input method further includes a corresponding input panel, such as a keyboard, which it draws in the input panel window. When user data is received via the input panel, the input method calls a function of the management component to pass the user data thereto, and in response, the management component communicates the user data to the graphical windowing environment such as in a windows message. An application program receives the message, such as corresponding to a keystroke, as if the message was generated on a hardware keyboard.

The management component is distinct from the application programs and is configured to:

a) identify one of the input methods as a selected input method,

b) activate the selected input method,

c) communicate with the selected input method via the method's defined interface set,

d) identify information about user data received by the selected input method, and

e) pass the information about the received user data to an active application program of the plurality of application programs.

This Study relates to a method for treating a knee joint of a subject suffering from osteoarthritis with an injectable hyaluronic acid viscosupplement. 

The viscosupplement is administered intra-articularly to the knee joint in a single dose (either as a single injection or as a series of multiple injections within a 24-hour period) and comprises a hyaluronan (HA) based viscosupplement that does not contain additional active components.  The total dosage is between 24 mg and 100 mg.

References of particular interest will disclose a method of administering 2 or 3 intra-articular injections of Synvisc® of Jonexa (viscosupplement) at one time.

References disclosing a method of administering 2 or 3 intra-articular injections of the following viscosupplement products at one time are also of interest:

•  Artz® or Supartz® or Artzal

•  Hyalgan® or Hyalart

•  Euflexxa®

•  Orthovisc® or Monovisc®

•  Neovisc

•  Ostenil

•  Suplasyn

•  BioHy

This Study is a request for prior art, including non-patent literature, that provides a path to invalidity for the Study patent claims that is not already known. The Reward is guaranteed to be paid to the Researcher who submits the highest quality prior art.

This Study is subject to the Shared Reward program.

There is a preferred Latest Date for Prior Art of December 29, 2003.

This Study relates to computer interface technologies (e.g., mobile phones) that merge various methods (e.g., dialing methods) into a single unified user interface such that the user need not specify the request method.  Further, the specific technology in question goes through a predetermined process to identify an action to take based on a user’s input.  Specifically, if a user enters a single digit, a speed dial entry which corresponds to the single digit entered is returned (e.g., if the user enters a 5, a speed dial entry corresponding to the number 5 is returned).  If two or more digits are entered, databases are searched and entries are returned which  match the consecutive entered digits (e.g., if 5 and 2 are entered, entries from the database with 5 and 2 next to each other in the phone number are retrieved) or which match letters that are associated with the entered digits (e.g., if 5 and 2 are entered, entries from the databases with J/K/L and/or A/B/C next to each other are retrieved).  The databases that are searched have different data structures.  

This Study is a request for prior art, including non-patent literature, that provides a path to invalidity for the Study elements that are not already known. The Reward is guaranteed to be paid to the Researcher who submits the highest quality prior art.

There is a preferred Latest Date for Prior Art of  October 1, 2001.

This Study relates to a computer implemented system (e.g., software) for determining prices of products for customers using a criterion.  The system provides for grouping of customers based on a criteria as well as grouping of products based on a criteria.  Further, the system provides hierarchies for both customer and product groups.  For example, a customer group hierarchy could be United States customers - Massachusetts customers - Boston customers.  The system associates pricing data with customer groups and/or hierarchy levels of customer groups (e.g., 10% discount for Boston customers).  The system also associates pricing data with product groups and/or hierarchy levels of product groups (e.g., 5% discount on soccer equipment).  In order to price a certain product for a certain customer, retrieval of all relevant data is performed (e.g., retrieve discounts associated with goalposts, soccer equipment, and sporting equipment, and select discount associated with lowest level of hierarchy, e.g., goalposts).  The retrieved data is then used for calculations to determine the price for the given customer.

This Study is a request for prior art, including non-patent literature, that provides a path to invalidity for the Study patent claims that is not already known. The Reward is guaranteed to be paid to the Researcher who submits the highest quality prior art. 

There is a preferred Latest Date for Prior Art of June 17, 1996.

A copy of the patent is available via the pdf link.  See, for example, claims 17, 27 and 29.

This Study is subject to the Shared Reward program.

This Study relates to a FINFET device having a fin of single crystalline silicon connected to a bulk silicon substrate.

An example of a good reference is US Patent No. 5,844,278.  The focus of the search will be for references including all claimed elements in the '055 Study patent.

This Study is a request for prior art, including non-patent literature, that provides a path to invalidity for the Study patent claims that is not already known. The Reward is guaranteed to be paid to the Researcher who submits the highest quality prior art. 

There is a preferred latest date for prior art of February 3, 2002.

The patent claim is generally alleged to cover the concept of autoplay in DVD players, Blu‑ray players and game consoles.  More particularly, it is alleged to cover any media player (optical disc or other media) where at least some content on the media will automatically start to play after the media is inserted into (or connected to) the player device.  The claim was narrowed during reexamination to require autoplay in devices that were already powered and booted up.  The autoplay feature must work without rebooting the device.  It is sufficient that some content from the disc (or other media) begin to play after the disc (or other media) is placed in the player device.  For example, the claim is alleged to cover insertion of a disc into a Blu‑ray or DVD player and subsequently a movie preview or demonstration is automatically played without requiring the user to do anything else (i.e., no need to push buttons, double‑click with a mouse on an icon, reboot the machine, etc.) before the player stops at a menu screen.  A pause may take place between previews or a demo and playing of the main content on the disc, which may then require use of a remote control or pushing a play button on the device.  The claim also requires that a file with a predetermined name be present on the disc and that the system check for that predetermined file name after insertion of the disc has been detected.  When the file is found, a process (e.g., the autoplay process) is started based on a sequence of instructions within the file. 

This patent claim relates to

A method for starting a process (e.g., launching a program, playing content stored on media, etc.) comprising the steps of:

       automatically detecting insertion of a storage media into a powered up and booted host device (e.g., computer, media player, game console, etc.);

       continuing to detect insertion of newly inserted storage media without rebooting the host device;

       checking for a file of a predetermined name on each storage media whose insertion has been detected, and

       starting up a process from the file of the predetermined name,

the file with the predetermined name containing a sequence of instructions to be executed to start up the process, and

       wherein a process is started up each time the step of checking finds a file having the predetermined name.

This Study is a request for prior art, including non-patent literature, that provides a path to invalidity for the Study patent claims that is not already known. The Reward is guaranteed to be paid to the Researcher who submits the highest quality prior art. 

There is a preferred Latest Date for Prior Art of July 3, 1993.

A copy of the patent is available via the pdf link.

This Study is subject to the shared reward program.

This Study relates to a wireless communications method and system that provides easily reprogrammable privacy.  The Study is specifically focused on the following details:

Privately communicating over a wireless communications network, by:

-processing, and enciphering the communication signals in a first signal processing circuit within a first communications controller circuit at a first location to produce processed communication signals;

-transmitting the enciphered and processed communication signals between a first location and a second location using the first communications controller circuit at said first location;

-receiving, deciphering, and processing the enciphered and processed communication signals at the second location using a second communications controller circuit.

Furthermore, the enciphering operation includes enciphering the processed communication signals in the first signal processing circuit by programmably selecting an enciphering algorithm. 

The Study seeks an additional feature where the deciphering of the processed communication signals is done in a dedicated signal processing unit of the second signal processing circuit, the dedicated signal processing unit being tasked to perform said deciphering step.

This Study is a request for prior art, including non-patent literature, that provides a path to invalidity for the Study patent claims that is not already known. The Reward is guaranteed to be paid to the Researcher who submits the highest quality prior art. 

There is a preferred Latest Date for Prior Art of April 12, 1993.

A copy of the patents is available via the pdf links.

This Study is subject to the Shared Reward program.

This Study relates to inter-processor communication via mailboxes in a multi-processor architecture. This is accomplished with a post office RAM having mailboxes. Each mailbox is write-accessible by one port, but is read-accessible by the other ports. Thus, a processor device on a port has write-access to one mailbox, but can read the other mailboxes in the post office.  A transmitting processor communicates with a receiving processor by utilizing the post office.  The transmitting processor writes information into its own mailbox and signals a receiving processor to read the transmitting processor’s mailbox. The receiving processor determines which of the processor devices signaled it and reads the information in the transmitting processor's mailbox.  If a processor device attempts a write-access to a mailbox that is not write accessible by that processor device, the write-access will be ignored by the mailbox. 

Additional features:

A bi-directional transfer, wherein two processor devices write transfer information to each other, as described above, can take place without concern about overwriting information.

This Study is a request for prior art, including non-patent literature, that provides a path to invalidity for the Study patent claims that is not already known. The Reward is guaranteed to be paid to the Researcher who submits the highest quality prior art. 

There is a preferred Latest Date for Prior Art of August 29, 1992.

A copy of the patent is available via the pdf link.

This Study is subject to the Shared Reward program.

This Study relates to an interrupt controller for enabling an interrupt under certain hardware conditions even though the interrupt has been masked by software.  Specifically, it relates to a feature that disables interrupt masking applicable to devices such as a processor.  The interrupt mask disable circuit is composed of a first logic circuitry and a second logic circuitry.  The first circuit receives an “interrupt request” and a “mask signal.”  When the “mask signal” is enabled, the interrupt request is masked regardless of the “interrupt request.”  That is, the “interrupt request” is masked by the “mask signal.”

The "mask signal" itself may be disabled by an override signal.  Specifically, a second circuit receives a "mask activation signal" and a "mask override signal" to produce the "mask signal."  The "mask signal" may be disabled by the "mask override signal."  When the "mask override signal" is active, the "mask signal" is disabled.  

The Study seeks additional features that the "mask activation signal" is enabled based on a software condition, and/or that the "mask override signal" is enabled based on a hardware condition.

Further, the Study seeks an additional feature providing that the “mask override signal” is enabled based on a hardware condition that is a processor state (e.g., idle).

This Study is a request for prior art, including non-patent literature, that provides a path to invalidity for the Study patent claims that is not already known. The Reward is guaranteed to be paid to the Researcher who submits the highest quality prior art. 

There is a preferred Latest Date for Prior Art of July 20,1991.

A copy of the patent is available via the pdf link.

This Study is subject to the Shared Reward program.

This Study relates to an appliance and a method for preparing a froth from a food liquid, specifically an appliance for preparing a froth from a milk-based liquid, comprising:

a tank to receive liquid that is to be frothed, in which liquid a rotatable stirrer is positioned;

a stand associated with the tank;

a system for driving the stirrer; the stirrer being configured to be driven and held magnetically in the tank by the stirrer drive system: characterized in that it comprises a cordless frothing unit, which is removable with the respect to an electrical power supply unit and wherein the cordless frothing unit comprises the driving system to retain the stirrer in the tank by magnetic effect.

This Study is a request for prior art, including non-patent literature, that provides a path to invalidity for the Study patent claims that is not already known. The Reward is guaranteed to be paid to the Researcher who submits the highest quality prior art. 

There is a preferred Latest Date for Prior Art of November 7, 2004.

A copy of the patent is available via the pdf link.

This Study relates to a digital television translator that updates the PSIP table with proper channel and carrier frquency information.  In the DTV American Television Systems Committee (ASTC) standard, a DTV signal contains a Program and System Information Protocol (PSIP) table, which is a collection of hierarchically arranged sub-tables for describing system information and program guide data.  This Study relates to a digital television translator that updates the PSIP table with proper channel and carrier frequency information. 

This Study is a request for prior art, including non-patent literature, that provides a path to invalidity for the Study patent claims that is not already known. The Reward is guaranteed to be paid to the Researcher who submits the highest quality prior art. 

This Study is subject to the Shared Reward program.

     This Study relates to stopping a clock to reduce the power consumption of a clock driven electrical system (e.g., microprocessor).

     In particular, the system receives a “disable request signal” and determines whether the “disable request signal” complies with certain known rules, such as meeting protocol requirements.  If it does, the system stops the clock after a predetermined length of time.  The clock needs not to be stopped immediately after the predetermined or known delay, just after the delay. 

     The system further receives an “enable request signal” and in response, restarts the clock.

     The Study seeks additional feature that when restarting the stopped clock, a “first clock” is first started.  The stopped clock is derived from the “first clock,” and is restarted after a delay from the “first clock.”

     Further, the Study seeks a feature that the “enable request signal” is generated in response to an “interrupt request signal,” and that the “enable request signal” is generated even when the “interrupt request signal” is masked.

This Study is a request for prior art, including non-patent literature, that provides a path to invalidity for the Study patent claims that is not already known. The Reward is guaranteed to be paid to the Researcher who submits the highest quality prior art. 

There is a preferred Latest Date for Prior Art of July 20, 1991.

A copy of the patent is available via the pdf link.

This Study is subject to the Shared Reward program.

***Updated Study Description***

This Study relates to an aerodynamic golf club head including a club head body having a heel, toe, rear surface, ball striking face, upper surface and bottom surface, wherein the improvement comprises:

an aerodynamic configuration on, and substantially parallel with, said bottom surface adjacent said rear surface in the form of a c-shaped slot having an open end facing forwardly toward said ball striking face;said aerodynamic configuration further including a skid surface formed on and raised from said bottom surface; said skid surface having a wall separating said skid surface from said bottom surface, said c-shaped slot transecting a virtual centerline passing through said ball striking face and said rear surface of said club head.

An example of references that would be of particular interest can be seen by clicking here or clicking the "Known Prior Art" link below.

This Study relates to an analyte monitoring device having a housing, the device comprising:

a. a plurality of needles, each configured to pierce the skin and draw fluid for analysis, having a retracted position and a position wherein it s extended from the housing a distance adapted to pierce skin;

b. an electrically or spring powered needle pushing apparatus to move each needle from the retracted position to the extended position;

c. an energy source located within the housing;

d. a plurality of analysis sites comprising an analysis preparation, each adapted to receive liquid drawn from a respective needle to wet the analysis preparation;

e. one or more light sources adapted to direct light at the analysis site;

f. one or more light detectors adapted to direct light at from the analysis sites; and

g. a processor;

wherein said elements a and d can be replaceably inserted into the analyte monitoring device as part of a cassette.

This Study is a request for prior art, including non-patent literature, that provides a path to invalidity for the Study patent claims that is not already known. The Reward is guaranteed to be paid to the Researcher who submits the highest quality prior art. 

There is a preferred Latest Date for Prior Art of June 26, 1999.

A copy of the patent is available via the pdf link.

This Study is subject to the Shared Reward program.

***Updated Study Description***

This Study is a request for references describing technology related to systems that involve moving webs, ribbons, tapes, belts or the like, such as reel-to-reel ribbon/tape/web/media systems.  The system has two spools on which the web etc. is carried, and which rotate to move the web etc.  Each spool is connected to a stepper motor.  The motors are centrally controlled to ensure accurate ribbon/tape/web/media positioning and tension.

The motor attached to one spool causes that spool to rotate and pay out a certain amount of ribbon/tape/web/media, while at the same time the motor attached to the other spool causes that spool to rotate and collect the same amount of ribbon/tape/web/media.

Components or elements may contact the tape between the two spools.  For example, tension sensors, rollers, vacuum chambers, capstans, tachometers, etc. may contact the tape between the spools.

The particular type of ribbon/tape/web/media used is not relevant.  Relevant art could relate to reel-to-reel audio cassettes, magnetic storage devices, printers or typewriters that used inked ribbon, newspaper printers, etc.

We are particularly interested in non-patent material describing the elements mentioned above.

This Study relates to compositions comprising a synthesized and isolated oligonucleotide which under preselected hybridization conditions hybridizes to a mycoplasma-specific nucleic acid sequence but not to a non-mycoplasma-specific nucleic acid sequence.

Also, references of interest should be directed to the composition comprising a synthesized and isolated oligonucleotide which comprises a section having a defined nucleic acid sequence substantially complementary to the nucleic acid sequence of a prokaryotic organism such that the section hybridizes to the nucleic acid sequence of the prokaryotic organism but not to the nucleic acid sequence of a non-prokaryotic organism.

References are also requested discussing any of the following features:

-where the oligonucleotide has at least nine nucleotides;

-where the oligonucleotide has a section that is substantially complementary to the mycoplasma-specific sequence and the section is from nine to sixteen nucleotides.

-where the oligonucleotide has a section that is substantially complementary to the prokaryote-specific sequence and the section is from 9 to 23 nucleotides.

This Study is a request for prior art, including non-patent literature, that provides a path to invalidity for the Study patent claims that is not already known. The Reward is guaranteed to be paid to the Researcher who submits the highest quality prior art. 

There is a preferred Latest Date for Prior Art of March 3, 1984.

This Study relates to a system and method for data communication connecting on-line networks with on-line and off-line computers. In particular, the present system provides for broadcast of up to the minute notification centric information so that users receive an instant call to action and can instantaneously retrieve further detailed information.

One area of focus is directed to a method for transmitting data to selected remote devices, comprising the steps of:

●  transmitting data from an information source to a central broadcast server;

●  preprocessing said data at said central broadcast server, further comprising the step of:

●  parsing said data with parsers corresponding to said central broadcast server;

●  transmitting said data to an information gateway for building data blocks and assigning addresses to said data blocks;

●  transmitting said data blocks from said information gateway to a transmission gateway for preparing said data block for transmission to receivers;

●  transmitting preprocessed data to receivers communicating with said devices; and

●  instantaneously notifying said devices of receipt of said preprocessed data whether said computing devices are online or offline from a data channel associated with each device.

This Study is a request for prior art, including non-patent literature, that provides a path to invalidity for the Study patent claims that is not already known. The Reward is guaranteed to be paid to the Researcher who submits the highest quality prior art. 

There is a preferred Latest Date for Prior Art of January 25, 1995.

A copy of the patent is available via the pdf link.

This Study relates to a system for assessing movement using a wireless position tracker for continuously tracking and determining player position during movement in a defined physical space.

The physical activity system comprises:

●  a display;

●  a tracking system for continuously tracking translation of a user relative to the display;

●  and a computer operatively coupled to the tracking system and the display, for updating in real time a view of a virtual space that is displayed on the display;

○  wherein the computer shifts a viewpoint of the view based on the translation of the user. 

References of particular interest should disclose a tracking and translation system that uses wireless optical sensors to track a user’s movements.

This Study relates to a method and system for automating unit performance testing in an integrated circuit.

The system and method should comprise the following steps:

●  generating a first performance data for the unit to operate on a workload,

●  embedding the first performance data in the workload for a register transfer level (RTL) implementation of the unit to operate on,

●  and determining whether the expected performance of the unit is achieved based on the comparison between the first performance data and a second performance data,

○  wherein the second performance data is generated after the RTL implementation of the unit operates on the workload.

One advantage of the disclosed method and system is that performance verification for each unit in an integrated circuit can occur in parallel and with different test patterns. This allows for testing on the front end and efficiently identifying the failing units.

This Study is a request for prior art, including non-patent literature, that provides a path to invalidity for the Study patent claims that is not already known. The Reward is guaranteed to be paid to the Researcher who submits the highest quality prior art. 

There is a preferred Latest Date for Prior Art of September 23, 2006.

A copy of the patent is available via the pdf link.