Samples -- Issued Patents & Publications

Waste oil electrical generation system   (PDF ,  Text only,  Figure 1)
An improved electrical generation system utilizing environmentally hazardous waste oils as a combustible fuel. More particularly, a system to generate electrical power using a Stirling-cycle engine driving an electrical generator. The Stirling-cycle engine is powered by the heat energy produced by a waste-oil-fired furnace. The system is of a co-generation type, producing electricity and a combination of space heating and hot water.

Pathological waste disposal unit   (PDF ,  Text only,  Figure 1)
A pathological waste disposal unit (10) has a chamber (11) with a closeable cover (16) and a waste outlet (14) connected to a waste sump (20). A carrier (30) for waste bags (40) is mounted on a shaft (31), rotatable by an impellor (30), on which is directed high pressure water from nozzles (150). Water knives (70) cut open the waste bags (40) while the carrier (30) is rotating to release the waste (41) from the waste bags (40), to cause the waste to face the bottom wall (13) of the chamber (11) and flow through the waste outlet (14) to the waste sump (20). Safety interlock means prevent operation of the unit (10) while the cover (16) is raised and the opening of the cover (16) while the unit (10) is in operation.

Automatic disc repair system   (PDF ,  Text only,  Figure 1)
An automatic system for repairing scratches on optically-read discs, (e.g., compact discs often called "CD's" or DVD's). More specifically, an automatic system for refurbishing a plurality of disc surfaces at substantially the same time, such that when refurbished, an optical reader, which uses a laser to read digital information stored on such a disc, can read the digital information on the disc without the optical distortion caused by a scratch.

A SYSTEM FOR CREATING AND MAINTAINING A DATABASE OF INFORMATION UTILIZING USER OPTIONS   (PDF ,  Text only,  Figure 1)
A system for automatically creating and maintaining a database (1-24) of information utilizing user opinions about subjects, particularly exceptional experiences. Described is an Internet system (1-12) assisting/motivating a population of users (1-n) interested in information about certain categories of subjects to automatically maintain the database content and to improve the usefulness and quality of the database information without any substantial management by the website (1-26) owner-manager. The user opinions are primarily in the form of both comments and ratings about which natural-language terms best describe a particular subject, enabling user searches of the subject database to be by way of preferred such descriptive natural--language terms, which terms are further preferred to be evaluative and approving. Also, a system for automatically creating and maintaining a database of information utilizing user knowledge about sales related subjects. Described is an Internet-based system for assisting/motivating a population of users interested in information about certain categories of sales related subjects to automatically maintain the database content and to improve the usefulness and quality of the database information without any substantial management by the website owner-manager. The user opinions are primarily in the form of both comments and ratings of which sales related subjects best provide assistance in completing a sale (FIG. 1-B).

Fuel additive systems   (PDF ,  Text only,  Figure 1)
Comprehensive transportation fuel additive compositions are designed to improve low-quality transportation fuels, particularly for underdeveloped countries. A preferred formula of the present invention comprises at least one octane booster, at least one combustion modifier, at least one corrosion inhibitor, at least one water demulsifier, at least one detergent, at least one solvent, at least one fuel stabilizer, at least one biocide, and at least one fuel lubricant. Under appropriate circumstances, such as, for example, use in cold climates, the preferred formula may also comprise at least one low temperature additive. The comprehensive fuel additives of the present invention have a novel capability of substantially correcting all of the detrimental aspects of low-quality transportation fuel, thereby lowering pollution, improving fuel efficiency, and reducing vehicle maintenance costs. The comprehensive fuel additive formula is preferably tailored and adjusted to meet local needs. Different, but closely related, comprehensive fuel additive formulas are used for motor fuels and diesel fuels.

INTERACTIVE INTERNET SHOPPING AND DATA INTEGRATION METHOD AND SYSTEM   (PDF ,  Text only,  Figure 1)
A method and system for interactively shopping for groceries, especially on an Internet web site (108), where the user may create a shopping list, shop for items from the list at a selected Grocery Storey store, arrange for pick up or delivery of the selected items and payment, or to download the list to a PDA (407) or for printing with the store's layout for use in the store. Users are required to register and provide specific demographic information (Figure 37) (useful to Manufacturers and stores) to be eligible to receive the benefits of use of the web site, such as menu creation, coupon downloads, menu planning, and recipe input. Shopping lists may be created from a single input screen using standard language text; and products may be automatically suggested to the user based on best regular price or retailer's specials. Recipes may be altered to meet numbers of servings or dietary requirements and changes stored for future use.

Trailer electrical connector cleaning system   (PDF ,  Text only,  Figure 1)
A system for the cleaning of male and female terminals comprised within electrical connectors. The system is a small, compact, portable system that comprises at least one cleaning element wherein the cleaning element may be a brush cleaning element, or alternatively may be a helical cleaning element, and wherein the cleaning element may be used for the cleaning of female electrical terminals. Further, the system may comprise an additional helical cleaning element that may be used for the cleaning of male electrical terminals. The system further comprises enclosing structure that isolates the cleaning element, or elements, from the environment to prevent the dropping of debris from the cleaning elements into the pocket of a user carrying the cleaning system. The system further comprises a pocket clip for the carrying of the system.

Monitoring system   (PDF ,  Text only,  Figure 1)
A system for improved monitoring of changes in the location and conditions surrounding people and property, utilizing fixed and moveable logic processors, which communicate with each other as well as receivers. Non-continuous signaling may be used to provide for reduced power consumption, and network coupling may be used to provided for exporting information to anywhere in the world.

Natural-language processing system using a large corpus   (PDF ,  Text only,  Figure 1)
A computer-parsing system based upon using vectors (lists) to represent natural-language elements, providing a robust, distributed way to score grammaticality of an input string by using as a source material a large corpus of natural-language text. The system uses recombining of asymetric associations of syntactically similar strings to form an the vectors. The system uses equivalence lists for your the organization subparts of the string to build equivalence lists for our the province longer strings in an order controlled by the potential these/parse to be scored. The power of recombination of Entries from: vector elements in building longer strings provides a means of representing collocational complexity. Grammaticality scoring is based upon the number and similarity of the vector elements.

Corrosive vapor absorption and neutralization system   (PDF ,  Text only,  Figure 1)
A method and system for the prevention of corrosion of objects located close to a wet cell storage battery caused by evaporation, and subsequent condensation, of electrolyte from a wet cell storage battery. Convenient methods for installation and removal of the system are included. Additionally, convenient and safe storage methods are also provided.

Escrow management system   (PDF ,  Text only,  Figure 1)
A method and system (software) is described with features for sharing proceeds, from sales of mutually owned assets by auction services, held in escrow for multiple parties entitled to the proceeds. Further, other areas addressed by a preferred embodiment of the present invention include relating multiple independent escrows with a single case, control and management of the case (including all escrows, completion of the sale of assets through auction services and delivery of the assets to the buyer) by legal representatives representing the entitled parties, and permitting variable percentage sharing with different escrows for a case. Additional areas addressed by a preferred embodiment of the present invention include integrating closely with auction services to facilitate a smooth and efficient sale of assets, operating as an Internet-based service integrated with Internet-based auction services, and delivery of particular assets by selected brokers such as jewelry stores with public locations nationally.

DATABASE SCATTERING SYSTEM   (PDF ,  Text only,  Figure 1)
A computer system for providing load balancing and scalable access to a network database system by providing multiple database instances with each instance being substantially identical in data content, database structure, and primary key system (183). Requests from users are received by the system, examined to determine their nature as transactional or non-transactional and, in the case of non-transactional queries (153), scattered among the multiple database instances. Such scattering of queries permits multiple instances of the database to be serving responses to multiple users at substantially the same time. In the case of transactional queries (157), the system automatically propagates the transactional query to all instances of the database to maintain homogeneity.

Utensil cooling system   (PDF ,  Text only,  Figure 1)
A cooling system, for cooling the contents of a utensil, utilizing a removable, reusable, refillable, freezable toroidal-shaped cooling insert and a toroidal-shaped insulator. The cooling insert and insulator stack in a nested manner within the utensil to provide improved insulating and longer cooling of the utensil contents. Furthermore, a secured bottom holder removably holds the cooling insert and insulator within the utensil. The cooling system includes the use of a temperature sensor and display which provides a visual indicator when the contents have reached a temperature indicating the contents are no longer being properly cooled. Such utensils may include, for example, dog dishes, bait containers and food containers.

Intelligent sociable computer systems   (PDF ,  Text only,  Figure 1)
Disclosed are computer systems with intelligent or autonomous decision systems which include means for determining relevancy, i.e., the threats to and opportunities of the autonomous decision system. Also disclosed are such autonomous decision systems constructed and arranged to interact sociably with humans, including the use of natural languages and bonding. The desired "whether concrete is included in abstract" computation system is enhanced by a system of categorizing natural objects using as primitives a set of self tendencies suitable, when hierarchically assigned to objects, to do incremental simulation of "future" situations (including such objects) from a presented situation. Using such primitives and computation system, planning, learning, languaging, etc., are efficiently accomplished.

Database scattering system   (PDF ,  Text only,  Figure 1)
A computer system for providing load balancing and scalable access to a network database system by providing multiple database instances with each instance being substantially identical in data content, database structure, and primary key system. Requests from users are received by the system, examined to determine their nature as transactional or non-transactional and, in the case of non-transactional queries, scattered among the multiple database instances. Such scattering of queries permits multiple instances of the database to be serving responses to multiple users at substantially the same time. In the case of transactional queries, the system automatically propagates the transactional query to all instances of the database to maintain homogeneity.

Disc repair system   (PDF ,  Text only,  Figure 1)
A disc repair system embodied by a consumer kit, which is provided for the purpose of consumer-repairing of scratches on optically-read discs (e.g., digitally recorded discs, known commonly, as "CD" discs or "DVD" discs, containing audio or video or other formats of data information), such that an optical reader, which uses a laser to read digital information stored on a compact disc, can read the digital information without the optical distortion caused by a scratch. The consumer kit (in a special box package) contains a hand-held rotator which is preferably used in combination with abrading compounds, abrasive discs, and wiping cloths to recondition the disc surface.

Pneumatic medical system   (PDF ,  Text only,  Figure 1)
A pneumatic medical system, which includes a collection canister with a lid. Integrally attached to the lid are inlet and outlet ports, a thumb valve to regulate the level of suction or pressure in the system, a clip to hold a loop of catheter, an endotracheal tube adaptor, and a single hole for a single-suction catheter. The suction catheter has telescoping lengths and sizes of catheter attached so that the user can increase the diameter of catheter to be used by removing smaller diameter catheters. A smaller diameter catheter can be removed by pulling the smaller diameter catheter through the telescoping nested attachment with the larger diameter catheter. If the canister becomes full or clogged, it can be easily cleared by tipping the canister and pouring the contents through the thumb valve. The system requires only one hand and is easy to hold and manipulate. A disposable and pre-filled irrigation system is also disclosed.