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 |
| 8185390 | Zero-search, zero-memory vector quantization The invention comprises a method for lossy data compression, akin to vector quantization, in which there is no explicit codebook and no search, i.e. the codebook memory and associated search computation are eliminated. Some memory and computation are still required,... | 05/22/2012 |
| 8181018 | Master key trust grants and revocations for minor keys A method and apparatus is provided that allows code signed by a master key to grant trust to an arbitrary second key, and also allows code, referred to as an antidote and also signed by the master key to revoke permanently the trust given to the second key. ... | 05/15/2012 |
| 8181015 | System and method for establishing historical usage-based hardware trust Establishing trust according to historical usage of selected hardware involves providing a usage history for a selected client device; and extending trust to a selected user based on the user's usage history of the client device. The usage history is embodied as sig... | 05/15/2012 |
| 8180819 | Partially complex modulated filter bank An apparatus for processing a plurality of real-valued subband signals using a first real-valued subband signal and a second real-valued subband signal to provide at least a complex-valued subband signal comprises a multiband filter for providing an intermediate rea... | 05/15/2012 |
| 8180818 | Partially complex modulated filter bank An apparatus for processing a plurality of real-valued subband signals using a first real-valued subband signal and a second real-valued subband signal to provide at least a complex-valued subband signal comprises a multiband filter for providing an intermediate rea... | 05/15/2012 |
| 8180681 | Automated entitlement management method and apparatus for capturing maintenance renewals revenues The presently preferred embodiment of the invention provides a method and apparatus that enables software publishers and other sellers of subscription services. e.g. subscriptions, such as maintenance or license programs, to track when the subscription period for ea... | 05/15/2012 |
| 8180630 | Systems and methods for an automated personalized dictionary generator for portable devices A system and method for automated dictionary population is provided to facilitate the entry of textual material in dictionaries for enhancing word prediction. The automated dictionary population system is useful in association with a mobile device including at least... | 05/15/2012 |
| 8180160 | Method for character recognition The present invention generally describes a method for classifying a line segment of a handwritten line into a reference feature set, wherein said handwritten line comprises one or several curves representing a plurality of symbols. First, sample data representing s... | 05/15/2012 |
| 8180061 | Concept for bridging the gap between parametric multi-channel audio coding and matrixed-surround multi-channel coding The purpose of the invention is to bridge the gap between parametric multi-channel audio coding and matrixed-surround multi-channel coding by gradually improving the sound of an up-mix signal while raising the bit-rate consumed by the side-information starting from ... | 05/15/2012 |
| 8178999 | Controllable change-over apparatus for a solar module Controllable change-over apparatus for a solar module comprises an output terminal, a DC/DC converter, a controllable switching device and a control. The controllable switching device is implemented with a first switch position and a second switch position, wherein,... | 05/15/2012 |
| 8176038 | Organizing pointers to objects The invention may be a method and apparatus of organizing pointers. The pointers may identify addresses where objects are stored. The pointers may be stored in arrays so that at least two key entries are required from an input device for determining a byte and compa... | 05/08/2012 |
| 8175280 | Generation of spatial downmixes from parametric representations of multi channel signals A headphone down mix signal can be efficiently derived from a parametric down mix of a multi-channel signal, when modified HRTFs (head related transfer functions) are derived from HRTFs of a multi-channel signal using a level parameter having information on a level ... | 05/08/2012 |
| 8175248 | Method and an apparatus to disambiguate requests A method and an apparatus to disambiguate requests are presented. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a request for information from a user. Then data is retrieved from a back-end database in response to the request. Based on a predetermined configurati... | 05/08/2012 |
| 8172363 | Apparatus and methods for full-width wide format inkjet printing Apparatus and methods are provided for wide format inkjet printing using conventional piezoelectric inkjet print heads that each print at a native resolution. A plurality of inkjet print heads are disposed in a print head array to print an image on the substrate at ... | 05/08/2012 |
| 8171103 | Methods and apparatus for providing access to content Methods and apparatus are provided for providing access to content via messaging services, such as email, voicemail, instant messaging, text messaging, or other similar messaging services. A content server is provided that includes a user interface, a web server and... | 05/01/2012 |
| 8169630 | Methods and apparatus for analyzing electronic documents and digital printing systems Methods and apparatus are provided for receiving a PDL File that describes a print job, processing the PDL commands in the file, identifying print settings and printer factors that may affect the entire print job, and reporting such print settings and printer factor... | 05/01/2012 |
| D658667 | Graphical user interface for a computer | 05/01/2012 |
| 8166418 | Device and method of conveying meaning Methods of and devices for inserting a pictorial artifact into a text document are described. A relational database is used to link possible text-entries with pictorial artifacts. A pictorial artifact has a meaning that corresponds to its linked possible text-entry.... | 04/24/2012 |
| 8162437 | Ink jet printer An ink jet printer for printing on a substrate comprising a first print head outputting ink and defining an ink meniscus; a platen operable to carry the substrate; a support structure; and a print head mechanism coupled to the support structure and carrying the firs... | 04/24/2012 |
| 8161157 | Method for displaying web user's authentication status in a distributed single login network The invention provides a system and method for automatically displaying a user's logged-in status across an Internet based network of affiliated Web sites via a visual indicator such as a toolbar to help the user to be certain about his logged-in status when he stay... | 04/17/2012 |
| 8161149 | Pseudo-agent A pseudo-agent is disclosed herein that bridges this divide. For purposes of the discussion herein, a pseudo-agent is a machine that is installed on a fully capable host machine, such as a Windows or UNIX machine, and that gathers and evaluates content from a manage... | 04/17/2012 |
| 8161042 | Web page performance scoring A browser-based tool is provided that loads a Webpage, accesses the document object model (DOM) of the page, collects information about the page structure and parses the page, determines through the use of heuristics such factors as how much text is found on the pag... | 04/17/2012 |
| 8161020 | Searching for and providing objects using byte-by-byte comparison Keys on an input device are selected to input a first selection and a second selection to form a byte. The byte is compared to a first byte of identification codes in a database. Such a method may use identification codes to identify pointers that correspond to obje... | 04/17/2012 |
| 8160888 | Generation of multi-channel audio signals A decoder (115) generates a multi channel audio signal, such as a surround sound signal, from a received first signal. The multi-channel signal comprises a second set of audio channels and the first signal comprises a first set of audio channels. The decoder ... | 04/17/2012 |
| 8159521 | Systems and methods for enhancing teleconferencing collaboration An advanced video teleconferencing system facilitates an engaging and realistic video conferencing experience. Key design elements and video, audio, and control capabilities are provided for a video conferencing experience that cannot be attained with conventional m... | 04/17/2012 |
| 8159371 | Systems and methods for semi-automatic dialing from a mixed entry sequence having numeric and non-numeric data A system and method for semi-automated dialing is provided. The system includes a display, and a standard keyboard upon which some keys have both a numeric and alphabetic interpretation. An input is received from the keyboard. A determination is made if the input co... | 04/17/2012 |
| 8155954 | Device and method for generating a complex spectral representation of a discrete-time signal A filter bank device for generating a complex spectral representation of a discrete-time signal includes a generator for generating a block-wise real spectral representation, which, for example, implements an MDCT, to obtain temporally successive blocks of real spec... | 04/10/2012 |
| 8155154 | Apparatus and method for coding an information signal into a data stream, converting the data stream and decoding the data stream More customization and adaptation of coded data streams may be achieved by processing the information signal such that the various syntax structures obtained by pre-coding the information signal are placed into logical data packets, each of which being associated wi... | 04/10/2012 |
| 8154647 | Automated extended depth of field imaging apparatus and method An imaging apparatus and method enables an automated extended depth of field capability that automates and simplifies the process of creating extended depth of field images. An embodiment automates the acquisition of an image “stack” or sequence and stores metad... | 04/10/2012 |
| 8153195 | Dot size controlling primer coating for radiation curable ink jet inks The present invention provides a printing method for printing radiation-curable ink jet ink printing comprising a clear coat primer composition comprising: a low surface tension monofunctional alkyl acrylate monomer with a surface tension in the range of 23 to 31 dy... | 04/10/2012 |
| 8150892 | Process and system for locating a media asset based on audit trail information incorporated into the asset itself An enhanced metadata structure and associated process is provided which captures and stores metadata gathered about the source and usage of a media asset or file. The source and usage metadata is integrated, such as by encoding within the enhanced media file, as the... | 04/03/2012 |
| 8150042 | Method, device, encoder apparatus, decoder apparatus and audio system Techniques are described for combining parametric multi-channel audio coding with matrixing, reconstructing a full-quality multi-channel, independent of the decoder. A stereo signal is obtained from encoding an N-channel audio signal into spatial parameters and a st... | 04/03/2012 |
| 8149508 | System for providing an enhanced immersive display environment An immersive dome includes a number of novel features designed to enhance the performance of the immersive dome over presently-known immersive dome environments. Projectors are mounted in a multi-tier tower, out of sight beneath a viewing platform positioned to prov... | 04/03/2012 |
| 8145498 | Device and method for generating a coded multi-channel signal and device and method for decoding a coded multi-channel signal In a multi-channel encoder generating several different parameter sets for reconstructing a multi-channel output signal using at least one transmission channel, the data stream is written such that the two parameter sets are decodable independently of each other. Th... | 03/27/2012 |
| 8145475 | Method for reduction of aliasing introduced by spectral envelope adjustment in real-valued filterbanks The present invention proposes a new method for improving the performance of a real-valued filterbank based spectral envelope adjuster. By adaptively locking the gain values for adjacent channels dependent on the sign of the channels, as defined in the application, ... | 03/27/2012 |
| 8144879 | Method, device, encoder apparatus, decoder apparatus and audio system A method and a device are described for processing a stereo signal obtained from an encoder, which encodes an N-channel audio signal into spatial parameters (P) and a stereo down-mix comprising first and second stereo signals (LO, RO). A first ... | 03/27/2012 |
| 8144161 | Texture synthesis A texture synthesis device, which has a determinator for determining a prioritization among regions to be synthesized of an area to be synthesized, as a function of image information in an area adjacent to the area to be synthesized, and a synthesizer for synthesizi... | 03/27/2012 |
| 8139775 | Concept for combining multiple parametrically coded audio sources According to the present invention, multiple parametrically encoded audio signals can be efficiently combined using an audio signal generator, which generates an audio output signal by combining the down-mix channels and the associated parameters of the audio signal... | 03/20/2012 |
| 8139611 | Apparatus and method for coding an information signal into a data stream, converting the data stream and decoding the data stream More customization and adaptation of coded data streams may be achieved by processing the information signal such that the various syntax structures obtained by pre-coding the information signal are placed into logical data packets, each of which being associated wi... | 03/20/2012 |
| 8139256 | Method and system for merging scan files into a color workflow A method and system for scanning documents in a network environment and merging the resulting scan files with other documents into a printing workflow provides a user interface in which the user merges a scan file and a document file on a page basis by selecting thu... | 03/20/2012 |
