(19)

(11)

EP 1 618 500 A2

(12)

(88) Date of publication A3: 06.01.2005 (43) Date of publication: 25.01.2006 Bulletin 2006/04 (21) Application number: 04750678.7 (22) Date of filing: 26.04.2004

(51) International Patent Classification (IPC):  G06F 17/30(1995.01) (86) International application number: PCT/US2004/012847 (87) International publication number: WO 2004/097572 (11.11.2004 Gazette 2004/46)

(84) Designated Contracting States: AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IT LI LU MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR Designated Extension States: AL HR LT LV MK (30) Priority: 24.04.2003 US 465578 P 24.04.2003 US 465579 P 23.04.2004 US 831376 23.04.2004 US 831701 (71) Applicant: Neopath Networks, Inc. Santa Clara, CA 95054 (US)	(72) Inventors: WONG, Thomas K. Pleasanton, CA 94566 (US) TSIRIGOTIS, Panagiotis Sunnyvale, CA 94087 (US) IYENGAR, Anand Mountain View, CA 94040 (US) CHAWLA, Rajeev Union City, CA 94589 (US) (74) Representative: McLeish, Nicholas Alistair Maxwell  Boult Wade Tennant Verulam Gardens 70 Gray's Inn Road London WC1X 8BT London WC1X 8BT (GB)