Bizarre Patents
Pet Toilet-Like Water Disk and Food Storage
One pet-friendly inventor patented "a device for watering pets, e.g., a dog or cat." The device, he helpfully noted, "has the general shape of a toilet."
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8185421 | Multi-objective optimization within a constraint management system Multi-Objective Optimization (MOO) is integrated with a Constraint Management System (CMS) so as to rapidly and flexibly search large design spaces and focus on “interesting” designs as determined by user-specified criteria. A method embeds a trade space and its... | 05/22/2012 |
| 8185360 | Method and apparatus for obtaining a polar projection for a flight deck window or the like A computer aided design (CAD) system ascertains the clear view area of a transparency in light of head orientation and refractive properties of the transparency. Obstructions that limit the clear view are also taken into account. The CAD system is particularly usefu... | 05/22/2012 |
| 8185258 | Automatic strategic offset function A system may generate a modified flight plan for an aircraft based on an original flight plan. The system may provide an automatic strategic offset function that includes an autoflight system; a sensor system including at least one of a global positioning system, an... | 05/22/2012 |
| 8181179 | Changing a scheduler in a virtual machine monitor Machine-readable media, methods, and apparatus are described to change a first scheduler in the virtual machine monitor. In some embodiments, a second scheduler is loaded in a virtual machine monitor when the virtual machine monitor is running; and then is activated... | 05/15/2012 |
| 8180367 | Cluster-based fingerprinting algorithms Methods and apparatus to provide cluster-based fingerprinting algorithms are described. In one embodiment, m closest fingerprints from k fingerprints are determined. The k fingerprints may be determined as closest fingerprints to a scan s in a signal strength domain... | 05/15/2012 |
| 8166506 | Simplified cabin services system for an aircraft A cabin services system for an aircraft is disclosed. The cabin services system comprises at least one wireless network, the at least one wireless network providing at least one cabin service. The cabin services system further includes a cabin attendant panel for co... | 04/24/2012 |
| 8166218 | Memory buffers for merging local data from memory modules An integrated circuit to serialize local data and selectively merge it with serialized feed-through data into a serial data stream output that includes a parallel-in-serial-out (PISO) shift register, a multiplexer, and a transmitter. The PISO shift register serializ... | 04/24/2012 |
| 8166215 | Method to control delay between lanes Method and apparatus to control delay between lanes in an I/O interface is disclosed. To control the delay between the lanes in the I/O system a programmed delay may be determined and introduced between the lanes. For this purpose the effective time “T” of the l... | 04/24/2012 |
| 8161243 | Address translation caching and I/O cache performance improvement in virtualized environments Methods and apparatus relating to improving address translation caching and/or input/output (I/O) cache performance in virtualized environments are described. In one embodiment, a hint provided by an endpoint device may be utilized to update information stored in an... | 04/17/2012 |
| 8160499 | Reducing exposure of radio devices to interference through adaptive selection of repetitive symbols Methods and apparatus relating to reducing exposure of radio devices to interference through adaptive selection of repetitive symbols are described. In an embodiment, a symbol may be selected for transmission to a display based on the operating frequency of a wirele... | 04/17/2012 |
| 8155244 | Demodulation using blind constellation identification for communication signals A receiver and a method to demodulate an unknown signal with an unknown linear modulation is described. The method of one of various embodiments comprises: sampling the unknown signal at a sampling rate to produce a sampled signal; applying carrier frequency offset ... | 04/10/2012 |
| 8155015 | Geographical scheduling and association procedure for WiMAX systems Techniques to manage communication between a subscriber station and a base station or a relay station are disclosed. ... | 04/10/2012 |
| 8154469 | Radio frequency (RF) transition design for a phased array antenna system utilizing a beam forming network In accordance with an embodiment, a radio frequency transition system includes a stripline trace section with openings in ground planes and forms a quarter wavelength resonator and an electromagnetic mechanism to couple the RF energy from the stripline trace section... | 04/10/2012 |
| 8149928 | Receivers for cycle encoded signals Some embodiments include a transmitter having a cycle encoding circuit to receive a data input signal and to provide a full cycle encoded signal in response thereto by continuously joining portions of different encoding signals. Some of the encoding signals have a d... | 04/03/2012 |
| 8141814 | Lighter-than-air vertical load lifting system An aerial load lifting system features a non-rigid or blimp-type dirigible providing a lighter-than-air envelope that is placed within a structural shell. The system is designed so that the envelope provides essentially neutral buoyancy for the structure, leaving on... | 03/27/2012 |
| 8141511 | Stable maritime vehicle platform Systems and methods for a stable maritime platform are disclosed. The platform is pivotally supported by a superstructure of a floating vessel, the platform to receive a downward force from an object. A platform trunnion is connected to the platform to convert the d... | 03/27/2012 |
| 8135673 | Systems and methods for dynamic display of revision indicia Systems and methods for dynamic display of revision indicia are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for dynamic display of revision indicia in an information product generated by a publishing system includes determining that at least one element of a structured c... | 03/13/2012 |
| 8131410 | Quiet climb crew interface In accordance with an embodiment, a method includes displaying information corresponding to automatically controlled engine thrust levels during a reduced engine thrust period of flight of an aircraft. The information corresponds to one or more parameters associated... | 03/06/2012 |
| 8130576 | Memory throughput increase via fine granularity of precharge management Methods and apparatus to improve throughput in memory devices are described. In one embodiment, memory throughput is increased via fine granularity of precharge management. In an embodiment, three separate precharge timings may be used, e.g., optimized per memory ba... | 03/06/2012 |
| 8128027 | Plug-n-play power system for an accessory in an aircraft A power system for an aircraft. The power system comprises a power module unit and at least one mounting rail detachably coupled to the power module unit. The mounting rail provides structural support and electrical power to the power module unit. A power system in ... | 03/06/2012 |
| 8128020 | Active twisting of an aircraft lifting surface via modulated clamping of substructure A system and method for enabling controlled twisting of a tip of a wing in response to the aerodynamic forces experienced by the wing. The structural stiffness of the wing is modulated to modulate the twist of the wing in the presence of aerodynamic forces. ... | 03/06/2012 |
| 8127213 | Method, system, and apparatus for adjacent-symbol error correction and detection code A circuit and method for generating an Error Correcting Code (ECC) based on an adjacent symbol codeword that is formed in two clock phases. In an embodiment, a set of m bits of a first symbol and a set of m bits of a second symbol from a first set of data for transm... | 02/28/2012 |
| 8116529 | Populating fleet maintenance data using 2D feature recognition Methods and systems for populating fleet maintenance data using 2D feature recognition are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of determining a configuration of a vehicle includes surveying the vehicle using an imaging device to generate 2D imagery of a configura... | 02/14/2012 |
| 8115646 | Environmental sensor system In one embodiment, a system to detect one or more environmental conditions in proximity to a surface comprises a first metamaterial environmental sensor module proximate the surface. The environmental sensor comprises a metamaterial-based electrically resonant struc... | 02/14/2012 |
| 8111615 | Dynamic update of route table A method and apparatus for dynamically modifying routing information in an interconnect architecture without quiescence is herein described. Each agent/node holds routing information regarding target agents/nodes in an interconnect architecture, which may include ro... | 02/07/2012 |
| 8110930 | Die backside metallization and surface activated bonding for stacked die packages Methods and apparatus to provide die backside metallization and/or surface activated bonding for stacked die packages are described. In one embodiment, an active metal layer of a first die may be coupled to an active metal layer of a second die through silicon vias ... | 02/07/2012 |
| 8099687 | Interchangeable connection arrays for double-sided DIMM placement A memory module has an array of connections. The array of connections is arranged in rows and columns such that there are first and second outer columns. Connections in the first and second outer columns can be interchanged to optimize double-side module placement o... | 01/17/2012 |
| 8099558 | Fairness mechanism for starvation prevention in directory-based cache coherence protocols Methods and apparatus relating to a fairness mechanism for starvation prevention in directory-based cache coherence protocols are described. In one embodiment, negatively-acknowledged (nack'ed) requests from a home agent may be tracked (e.g., using distributed linke... | 01/17/2012 |
| 8098676 | Techniques to utilize queues for network interface devices Techniques to allocate packets for processing among multiple processor(s). In an embodiment, capability to receive packets from a plurality of network interfaces may be provided, where each of the network interfaces is associated with at least one receive queue. the... | 01/17/2012 |
| 8098669 | Method and apparatus for signaling virtual channel support in communication networks A method and apparatus for signaling virtual channel support in communication networks. A node receives a data packet from another node to examine whether the other node commonly supports one or more virtual channels of a given type on a point-to-point communication... | 01/17/2012 |
| 8095107 | Voice messaging prioritization A voice radio communication system prioritizes radio voice communications so that higher priority voice transmission is given precedence. The communication system comprises a transmitter that inserts a digital watermark into a voice communication. Software in a rece... | 01/10/2012 |
| 8094921 | Method and system for remote rework imaging for part inconsistencies A system and method for remote rework imaging a part for an inconsistency is provided. The part is scanned with a nondestructive inspection device. An image of a part inconsistency is communicated from the nondestructive inspection device to a programmable device. T... | 01/10/2012 |
| 8094781 | Portable X-ray back scattering imaging systems Methods and systems for inspecting objects are disclosed. A portable X-ray backscatter imaging system includes a microfocus X-ray tube to emit X-rays at an object under inspection. A track system rasters the microfocus X-ray tube to inspect the object. A portable ho... | 01/10/2012 |
| 8088242 | Double shear joint for bonding in structural applications A bonded composite joint may include a base having a foot configured to couple to a member. The base may include a flange extending outward from the foot. The joint further may include a panel having a core positioned between opposing skins, where the skins have inn... | 01/03/2012 |
| 8087302 | Hands-free push-to-talk device A push-to-activate device is disclosed. The push-to-activate device may comprise a mounting bracket coupled to a surface, and an adjustable hinge coupled thereto. The push-to-activate device may also feature a measuring instrument coupled to the mounting bracket and... | 01/03/2012 |
| 8086879 | Powering on devices via intermediate computing device Methods and apparatus relating to powering on devices via an intermediate computing device are described. In an embodiment, a request for data by a first device may be detected at a second device. The second device may determine a third device that stores the reques... | 12/27/2011 |
| 8082418 | Method and apparatus for coherent device initialization and access A method and apparatus for enabling usage of an accelerator device in a processor socket is herein described. A set of inter-processor messages is utilized to initialize a configuration/memory space of the accelerator device. As an example, a first set of inter-proc... | 12/20/2011 |
| 8064682 | Defect analysis In one embodiment, a method to analyze a semiconductor wafer comprises extracting inline defect data from a data source, counting a total number of inline defects and end-of-line defects, terminating the analysis when the total number of inline defects and end-of-li... | 11/22/2011 |
| 8060295 | Automated separation manager A separation management system includes a data input module for receiving and filtering aircraft information and airspace information related to a control aircraft and a relevant aircraft, the aircraft information enabling the calculation of a trajectory window for ... | 11/15/2011 |
| 8056856 | Support beam shear fitting Methods of securing a support beam to a structure such as a cargo roller tray or a passenger cabin is achieved using a shear fitting. The shear fitting has a back plate which fastens to the support beam. The shear fitting additionally has parallel lugs which extend ... | 11/15/2011 |
