Bizarre Patents
Vehicular Impact Signaling Device
An apparatus for the deployment of a visible plume to alert other motorists that a proximate motor vehicle has been involved in a collision.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8176841 | Cooking impliment shelf and food warming drawer for use with commercial griddles and charbroilers A cooking implement shelf is disclosed that is attachable to a commercial griddle and is able to support and position cooking implements such as a spatula, grill weights, cooking tongs, a salt shaker, etc, in a location that is readily accessible to a grill cook and... | 05/15/2012 |
| 8162293 | Device for applying cooling mist and dry air to individuals An apparatus and method are disclosed for cooling one or more exercising or resting individuals by applying a water mist and dry air. The apparatus can be free standing, fixed to the walls or ceiling, or attached to an object on which an individual is resting or exe... | 04/24/2012 |
| 8121305 | Fetal communication system A compact fetal sound system delivers high-fidelity sound to a fetus in utero through a miniature, abdominally mounted driver with a convex diaphragm. No gel is necessary at the interface between the diaphragm and the mother's abdomen. Digital signal processing shap... | 02/21/2012 |
| 8107802 | Tankless electric water heater with efficient thermal transfer A tankless electric water heater is disclosed that optimizes energy efficiency while minimizing cost and size. A flow-through container surrounds an electric heating element having a surface that is everwhere in direct, unobstructed relationship with the container w... | 01/31/2012 |
| 8087794 | Self-illuminating book with mode-switchable page-embedded lighting A book is disclosed with light sources embedded in the pages, thereby providing substantially uniform illumination that eliminates any need for external lighting. Visual interest is increased by providing switchability between a plurality of illumination modes, such... | 01/03/2012 |
| 8046853 | Adjustable-length spine-immobilizing backboard An extendable-length, spine immobilizing backboard is disclosed. The backboard is collapsible to the length of a standard backboard for ease of storage and for use in supporting and transporting patients of average height, and a lower portion is telescopically exten... | 11/01/2011 |
| 8043164 | Apparatus for improving a golf swing A training apparatus for improving a golfer's golf swing is disclosed. The training apparatus can restrict movement of the golfer's hands, as well as the shaft of the golfer's golf club, during the swing. A set of rails supported by a support structure are oriented ... | 10/25/2011 |
| 7997561 | Device for applying cooling mist to individuals without water accumulation An apparatus and method of use are disclosed for cooling one or more exercising or resting individuals with a water mist while automatically preventing the undesirable accumulation of excess water. In some embodiments, a sensor detects accumulated water on or near a... | 08/16/2011 |
| 7976355 | Flexible toss toy A flexible toss toy is disclosed which includes a feature that makes it easier for a dog to pick up and retrieve the disc after being thrown. The disc is saucer-shaped and is made of a soft elastomeric material. The disc has an outer-diameter leading edge, an interm... | 07/12/2011 |
| 7914166 | Ice sculpture display platform with integrated water collection and self-powered illumination An ice sculpture display platform is disclosed that includes integrated water collection and self-powered illumination, thereby enabling display of arbitrarily shaped ice sculptures without requiring a water collection tray or connection to a power outlet. A display... | 03/29/2011 |
| 7878402 | Decoding distorted symbols A method is provided for reading distorted optical symbols using known locating and decoding methods, without requiring a separate and elaborate camera calibration procedure, without excessive computational complexity, and without compromised burst noise handling. T... | 02/01/2011 |
| 7810305 | Automated fruit harvesting apparatus A harvesting apparatus for harvesting generally spherical fruit by severing each fruit from its stem and conveying it using air flow into a receptacle. The harvesting apparatus includes a tubular body with a clamshell cutter for severing items of fruit from their st... | 10/12/2010 |
| RE41718 | Toilet paper dispenser and folder system A toilet paper dispenser and folder system has a frame subassembly having front and rear parallel panels, an upper feeder roller and a lower feeder roller. Each panel has a large aperture and a paper roll holder aperture and a lower roller aperture and an upper roll... | 09/21/2010 |
| D620277 | Spice cabinet with washboard doors | 07/27/2010 |
| 7748054 | Disposable over-garment A protective over-garment is disclosed that can be manufactured entirely by making cuts in a single sheet of plastic or other flexible material. In preferred embodiments it is disposable. The sheet has a neck hole in the center and covers the user's shoulders, upper... | 07/06/2010 |
| 7737694 | Method and apparatus for high-gain magnetic resonance imaging A method and apparatus for Magnetic Resonance Imaging with specialized imaging coils possessing high Signal-to-Noise-Ratio (SNR). Imaging and/or Radio Frequency receiving coils include a ballistic electrical conductor such as carbon nanotubes, the ballistic electric... | 06/15/2010 |
| 7737693 | Signal acquisition and processing method and apparatus for magnetic resonance imaging A method and apparatus are disclosed for Magnetic Resonance Imaging using specialized signal acquisition and processing techniques for image reconstruction with a generally inhomogeneous static magnetic field. New signal processing methods for image reconstruction a... | 06/15/2010 |
| 7720716 | System and method for use by various departments to prepare a quotation A quotation system and method are provided (see FIG. 1). A relational database (10) allows various departments (14, 16, 18, 20) to prepare a quotation. The relational database centralizes data to increase efficiency, and the data may b... | 05/18/2010 |
| 7719278 | Method and apparatus for high-gain magnetic resonance imaging A method and apparatus for Magnetic Resonance Imaging with specialized imaging coils possessing high Signal-to-Noise-Ratio (SNR). Imaging and/or Radio Frequency receiving coils include a ballistic electrical conductor such as carbon nanotubes, the ballistic electric... | 05/18/2010 |
| 7714577 | Method and apparatus for high-gain magnetic resonance imaging A method and apparatus for Magnetic Resonance Imaging with specialized imaging coils possessing high Signal-to-Noise-Ratio (SNR). Imaging and/or Radio Frequency receiving coils include a ballistic electrical conductor such as carbon nanotubes, the ballistic electric... | 05/11/2010 |
| 7679364 | Method and apparatus for high-gain magnetic resonance imaging An apparatus is disclosed for Magnetic Resonance Imaging with specialized imaging coils possessing high Signal-to-Noise-Ratios (SNR). Radio Frequency transmitting and/or Radio Frequency receiving elements include carbon nanotube material, a ballistic electrical cond... | 03/16/2010 |
| 7621425 | Apparatus for controlled initiation of fluid-flow from an inverted container An apparatus is provided for containing a fluid, and for controlling the release and flow of the fluid. The apparatus includes a container having a mouth, a neck with a circumferential sealing region on its inner surface, a body, and a resistance stop. The apparatus... | 11/24/2009 |
| 7560923 | Signal acquisition and processing method and apparatus for magnetic resonance imaging A method and apparatus are disclosed for Magnetic Resonance Imaging using specialized signal acquisition and processing techniques for image reconstruction with a generally inhomogeneous static magnetic field. New signal processing methods for image reconstruction a... | 07/14/2009 |
| 7525310 | Signal acquisition and processing method and apparatus for magnetic resonance imaging A method and apparatus are disclosed for Magnetic Resonance Imaging using specialized signal acquisition and processing techniques for image reconstruction with a generally inhomogeneous static magnetic field. New signal processing methods for image reconstruction a... | 04/28/2009 |
| 7500324 | Convertible therapeutic sandals A therapeutic sandal is provided that includes an upper component having a front strap assembly and a rear strap assembly for securing a foot to the upper component, and a lower component, cooperative with the upper component, having at least one fulcrum object atta... | 03/10/2009 |
| 7428637 | Dynamic authentication and initialization method A method for authentication of a first client in communication with a second client via an authentication server is disclosed, such that the first client and the second client are authenticated to each other, and the authentication server is authenticated to both th... | 09/23/2008 |
| 7412106 | Methods for locating and decoding distorted two-dimensional matrix symbols A method is presented for processing an image of a two-dimensional (2D) matrix symbol having a plurality of data modules and a discontinuous finder pattern, each distorted by “donut effects”. A resulting processed image contains an image of the 2D matrix symbol ... | 08/12/2008 |
| 7313761 | Tree-style hierarchical control with graphical depiction of non-hierarchical interrelationships A method and system is provided for generating a tree-style graphical representation that depicts simultaneously hierarchical and non-hierarchical interrelationships among a set of entities. Two sets of specifications are acquired. One set describes a set of hierarc... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7251366 | Fast high-accuracy multi-dimensional pattern inspection A method and apparatus are provided for identifying differences between a stored pattern and a matching image subset, where variations in pattern position, orientation, and size do not give rise to false differences. The invention is also a system for analyzing an o... | 07/31/2007 |
| 7242801 | Image preprocessing for probe mark inspection Digital image processing methods are applied to an image of a semiconductor interconnection pad to preprocess the image prior to an inspection or registration. An image of a semiconductor pads exhibiting spatial patterns from structure, texture or features are filte... | 07/10/2007 |
| 7190834 | Methods for finding and characterizing a deformed pattern in an image A method is disclosed for finding a deformed pattern in an image using a plurality of sub-patterns. By advantageously restricting sub-pattern search ranges, search speed is improved, and the incidence of spurious matches is reduced. The method also quickly decides w... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7181066 | Method for locating bar codes and symbols in an image A search method is disclosed for finding bar code symbols and various two-dimensional symbols, regardless of orientation, that is efficient, robust, and easy to use. The method works well on cluttered backgrounds, on skewed symbols, when symbols are almost touching,... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7164796 | Fast high-accuracy multi-dimensional pattern inspection A method and apparatus are provided for identifying differences between a stored pattern and a matching image subset, where variations in pattern position, orientation, and size do not give rise to false differences. The invention is also a system for analyzing an o... | 01/16/2007 |
| 7162073 | Methods and apparatuses for detecting classifying and measuring spot defects in an image of an object A method is provided for detecting spot defects on an object when an allowable variation (called the “background”) in the appearance of the object can be modeled. Methods are also provided for measuring and classifying detected spot defects. An alignment model i... | 01/09/2007 |
| 7107519 | Spreadsheet-based user interface creation A method is disclosed for creating a user interface for a spreadsheet-based software application. The method includes providing a spreadsheet having a plurality of standard cells displayable as standard spreadsheet cells, and a plurality of user interface cells disp... | 09/12/2006 |
| 7088862 | Fast high-accuracy multi-dimensional pattern inspection A method and apparatus are provided for identifying differences between a stored pattern and a matching image subset, where variations in pattern position, orientation, and size do not give rise to false differences. The invention is also a system for analyzing an o... | 08/08/2006 |
| 7065262 | Fast high-accuracy multi-dimensional pattern inspection A method and apparatus are provided for identifying differences between a stored pattern and a matching image subset, where variations in pattern position, orientation, and size do not give rise to false differences. The invention is also a system for analyzing an o... | 06/20/2006 |
| 7058225 | Fast high-accuracy multi-dimensional pattern inspection A method and apparatus are provided for identifying differences between a stored pattern and a matching image subset, where variations in pattern position, orientation, and size do not give rise to false differences. The invention is also a system for analyzing an o... | 06/06/2006 |
| 7043081 | Fast high-accuracy multi-dimensional pattern inspection A method and apparatus are provided for identifying differences between a stored pattern and a matching image subset, where variations in pattern position, orientation, and size do not give rise to false differences. The invention is also a system for analyzing an o... | 05/09/2006 |
| 7043055 | Method and apparatus for locating objects using universal alignment targets A method and apparatus for locating objects by means of machine vision alignment using cooperative targets. Novel cooperative targets are used that have substantial performance advantages. Alignment methods having non-translation alignment capabilities are used, suc... | 05/09/2006 |
