Gateway, Inc.

Gateway 2000, Inc.

Michael R Flannery

David R Davis

Stephen P Vossler

James P Collas

Hiroshi Tanaka

Ajay Gupta

Howard K Fullmer

A battery assembly comprising a housing defining an interior and at least two electrical storage cells located in the interior of the housing. A thermal transfer barrier located in the interior of the housing, the thermal transfer barrier being positioned between the at least two cells in the housing, wherein the thermal transfer barrier is formed of a material having a greater insulation capability than a material of the housing.

System for reducing thermal transfer between cells in a battery

Methods and Systems are provided to enable automatically taking a series of depth of field bracket photos by varying the f-stop and shutter speed for a particular scene to keep the exposure constant. The method may be practiced on a digital camera which has been equipped with software in accordance with the present invention.

Depth of field bracketing

A cellular telephone having a transceiver for making cellular telephone calls is equipped with a second transceiver for establishing communication with other devices having similar capabilities. The cellular telephone uses the second transceiver to establish a local voice channel with another communication device, and combines it with a cellular call to create a multiparty conference call. A mixer mixes voice from the call and local voice channel. The second transceiver implements a local area wireless protocol.

Cell phone having local wireless conference call capabilities

An apparatus and method for cooling heat generating components within a compartment are disclosed. A cooling assembly isolates heat produced by a processor in a personal computer ('PC') system and exhausts it from the PC prior to adversely affecting other components within the PC. A fan causes air to blow across the processor having an attached heat sink disposed within the cooling assembly, and the air exits the cooling assembly without adversely affecting the other components surrounding the processor. In one example, an alternative passage is provided for the air.

CPU fan assembly

An integrated circuit having at least one micromechanical element thereon is described comprising a support substrate, a sensor element electrically connected to a logic circuit, and the logic circuit electrically connected to a semiconductor visual display element. The integrated circuit may be manufactured by a process which comprises providing a support substrate, forming at least two elements selected from a first group consisting of a micromechanical sensor element, a logic circuit and a semiconductor visual display element on said support, and manufacturing at third element on said support substrate, said third element selected from a second group consisting of a micromechanical sensor element, logic circuit and a semiconductor display element, which was not selected from the first group. In one embodiment of the process of manufacture, all three of at least three elements are constructed on the support itself, preferably by a microlithographic process.

Integrated circuit with unified input device, microprocessor and display systems

A cursor is provided which has a cursor body and a lens holding portion. The lens holding portion has a liquid crystal display screen therein, adapted for use as a lens. Multiple cross-hairs can be displayed on the lens using the liquid crystal display screen, and can also be modified to display supplemental information on the liquid crystal display. At least two sensors can also be coupled with the cursor for re-orienting the cursor, and adjusting the displayed cross-hairs on the liquid crystal display relative to the orientation.

CAD cursor with electronically modifiable transparent display

An adapter for receiving a surplus optical storage media drive capable of stand-alone playing of optical storage media is described. The adapter provides at least the minimum level of functionality required, together with the surplus optical storage media drive, to play optical storage media in order to extend the useful life of the surplus drive. The optical storage media may include compact disks, CD-ROMs, DVDs or the like type of storage media. The adapter provides the capability of connecting with external devices that improve the functionality and usefulness of the drive-adapter system.

Peripheral storage media drive adapter

A method and apparatus that provides for the straightforward completion of preprinted forms with a word processor, or with another computer program suitable for generating text, is disclosed. The method and apparatus provide for the display of a scaled image of the form so that a user can accurately position text or other data for printing in the fields of the form. An image of the preprinted form is provided to a document having a background and a foreground. The image is displayed in the background Data is entered into the foreground. The data in the foreground is printed onto the preprinted form. The form can be scanned to create the image. The form is then provided to a printer. The image is provided to a word processing document as the background. The data is entered into the foreground with the word processor.

Method and apparatus for preprinted forms completion

A modular floppy disk drive is designed to stand alone as an external drive or to be combined with a carrier to fit into a computer peripheral option bay configured for removable CD ROM drives. When used as an external floppy disk drive, the modular unit is connected to the personal computer through a connector and cable assembly. The carrier adapts the modular drive to the size and mechanical requirements of the peripheral option bay so that the modular unit can be inserted into the computer and used as an internal floppy disk drive.

Modular floppy disk drive for internal and external use

Optical storage media drive adapter for stand-alone use

A computer having an emergency protection program is disclosed. The emergency protection program turns off the computer in response to receiving a notification of an impending potential local emergency. In one embodiment, the program receives the notification from an external network site over an external network connection. In one embodiment, the program waits a predetermined amount of time prior to shutting down the computer, and also is responsive to an abort-shut down input to not shut down the computer, or an immediate-shut down input to immediately shut down the computer.

Computer power down upon emergency network notification

An apparatus and method for cooling heat generating components within a compartment are disclosed. A cooling assembly isolates heat produced by a processor in a personal computer (&ldquo;PC&rdquo;) system and exhausts it from the PC prior to adversely affecting other components within the PC. A fan causes air to blow across the processor having an attached heat sink disposed within the cooling assembly, and the air exits the cooling assembly without adversely affecting the other components surrounding the processor. In one example, an alternative passage is provided for the air.

A display apparatus is provided having a back light generated by waste heat of a system. A thermally illuminated strip is disposed on a surface of the display apparatus. The system has heat generating components, such as a CPU, which produce excess waste heat. A heat pipe conveys the heat from the heat generating components to the thermally illuminated strip. Once the heat generating component warms up, the thermally illuminated strip is illuminated by the conveyed heat and provides back lighting for the display apparatus. Although several other applications are appropriate, one particular application for the display apparatus is for a status LCD within a computer.

Waste heat actuated display back light

A pointing device for a computer, having switching mechanisms with perceptively differing actuation forces, is disclosed. In one embodiment, the pointing device comprises a housing, a sensor, a first switching mechanism and a second switching mechanism. The sensor is disposed within the housing and translates movement into an electrical signal. The first switching mechanism is also disposed within the housing and has a first predetermined actuation force. The second switching mechanism is also disposed within the housing and has a second predetermined actuation force. The second predetermined actuation force is perceptively different than the first predetermined actuation force.

Growing community of inventors

Sioux City, IA, United States of America

Michael R Flannery