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 |
| 8180792 | Method of processing song claims involving songs including, but not limited to musical works, compositions, etc In one embodiment, a method is provided for receiving a song claim, and comparing the song claim to records of a database of songs. To this end, results of the comparing may be indicated. In various embodiments, such songs may include musical works, compositions, et... | 05/15/2012 |
| 8161395 | Method for secure data entry in an application A method and device for entering data in an application is disclosed. The method may comprise displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) keyboard within the application, the keyboard comprising multiple identifier keys. A detection module may monitor the position o... | 04/17/2012 |
| 8122361 | Providing a graphical user interface in a system with a high-assurance execution environment Techniques are disclosed to provide security for graphical user interface elements being displayed in a system having a host operating system and a high assurance operating system. Graphical user interface elements associated with the high-assurance operating system... | 02/21/2012 |
| 8099660 | Tool for managing online content A content management tool can assist publishers/authors in managing access rights and other parameters related to the display of documents online. The documents may include books and other documents that are traditionally published as printed works. The content mana... | 01/17/2012 |
| 8028236 | System services enhancement for displaying customized views A method for presenting system services can include the step of establishing a multitude of system service profiles. A request for the presentation of system services can be detected. One of the system service profiles associated with the request can be determined. ... | 09/27/2011 |
| 8020083 | System and methods for creating and authoring internet content using application media packages An Application Media Package is a software component for accessing and displaying Internet content which includes a definition for rendering a graphical user interface and a URL pointing to Internet content to be downloaded and presented within said user interface. ... | 09/13/2011 |
| 8015164 | Information processing apparatus and information processing method An object of this invention is to allow a user to easily confirm whether the access right is set within a desired range in a system which can set the access right. To achieve the object, according to this invention, an information processing apparatus includes a uni... | 09/06/2011 |
| 7987425 | Methods and systems for handling hidden dialogs in a media centered graphical user environment An exemplary method for handling a hidden dialog in a media centered graphical user environment is presented including: detecting the hidden dialog; determining whether the hidden dialog is an approved dialog; if the hidden dialog is an approved dialog, providing a ... | 07/26/2011 |
| 7966553 | Accessible content reputation lookup Implementations of accessible content reputation lookup are described. In one implementation, before a user activates a link in a document, such as a hyperlink on a webpage, the user can designate the link. For example, the user can float a cursor over the link or i... | 06/21/2011 |
| 7949939 | Document processing and managing system, document processing-managing apparatus, document processing apparatus, document processing-managing method, document processing method and computer readable medium A document processing and managing system is provided and includes a document processing apparatus and a document management apparatus including: an acquisition history holding unit that holds an acquisition history, the acquisition history including information for... | 05/24/2011 |
| 7913172 | Fine-grained, label-based, XML access control model A method for controlling access to an XML document includes referencing a schema definition comprising a path security label definition associated with a sibling-to-sibling path of an XML document. An XML document may then be validated by comparing it with the schem... | 03/22/2011 |
| 7890872 | Method and system for reviewing a component requirements document and for recording approvals thereof A method and system for reviewing and recording approvals for a component requirements document (CRD). A document link to a CRD and a chart link to a condensed version of the CRD are inserted into a review database table. The CRD describes changes required for a sof... | 02/15/2011 |
| 7886232 | Presence and geographic location notification based on a delegation model A user of an instant messaging system may store names of other users of the instant messaging system on a participant list (which may be referred to as a “buddy list”), and the names may be categorized into one or more groups. Similarly, a user of a mobile devic... | 02/08/2011 |
| 7877692 | Accessible display system The subject application is directed to display means adapted to interface with multiple personal electronic devices, such as personal data assistants, cellular telephones, laptops, and the like. An accessible display system includes shared display means and access c... | 01/25/2011 |
| 7853882 | Portlets having different portlet specific enablement states A method for selectively securing portlets can include a step of providing a portal that includes multiple portlets. A portlet enablement event associated with a set of at least one of the portlets can be determined. The set include a number of portlets less than a ... | 12/14/2010 |
| 7840902 | Method and an apparatus for automatic creation of secure connections between segmented resource farms in a utility computing environment The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for automatic creation of secure connections between segmented resource farms in a utility computing environment. According to one embodiment, farms are automatically created using visual representations of th... | 11/23/2010 |
| 7788588 | Realizing users' preferences A method implemented in a computer system realizes a user's preferences for launching applications for corresponding kinds of files. The method launches a first application to service a file unless a second application is available to service the same kind of file. ... | 08/31/2010 |
| 7730410 | System and method for customizing form elements in a form building application A method and system for customizing form elements in a form building application. According to one embodiment, a form builder receives an identification of a user of the form building application, the form building application providing a graphical user interface fo... | 06/01/2010 |
| 7712029 | Removing personal information when a save option is and is not available The present invention is directed to a method of removing a user's personal information from a document via activation of a “privacy option.” The privacy option, when activated, removes personal information from a document and, in some case, replaces the user in... | 05/04/2010 |
| 7703021 | Defining user access in highly-configurable systems A highly-configurable process control system that uses process records in a database system to track a process. The database system relates process records, users, and projects. User permissions to view the process records include permissions for all process records... | 04/20/2010 |
| 7689920 | Parental control graphical user interface Improved graphical user interfaces suitable for restricting the availability of media items and/or podcasts are also disclosed. The graphical user interfaces are particularly useful for a system that provides purchase and distribution of media in a client-server env... | 03/30/2010 |
| 7685205 | Application management system and method for managing an application An application management system includes an application manager for managing an application and associated with a database resource storing a plurality of entities. The application manager includes an input for receiving an input defining an event in which a user i... | 03/23/2010 |
| 7676748 | System graphics for security shield A method for providing a secure lockout from executing application programs is provided. An opaque graphical component obscures graphical components for all executing software (applications) programs on a display apparatus and prevents events from reaching the execu... | 03/09/2010 |
| 7676749 | Login management technique The invention is to provide a technique for improving the usage efficiency of user licenses in an environment in which the simultaneous connection number of users is limited. This invention comprises: determining a predetermined allowable time based on a task select... | 03/09/2010 |
| 7653870 | System and method of dynamically generating index information A system and method of generating index information for electronic documents. The system includes a client and one or more information retrieval (IR) engines, such as a search engine, which are each in communication with each other via a network. ... | 01/26/2010 |
| 7636890 | User interface for controlling access to computer objects A computer object access control graphical user interface allows a user to set computer locations where a computer object may be accessed and other users who may access the computer object. The computer object may be a computer file, a computer message, person conta... | 12/22/2009 |
| 7634734 | Direct access to media playback In response to a user instruction to initiate media playback, which instruction may come from a dedicated media playback hardware button or from a user interface on a display screen, a computer operating system activates a predesignated media playback user account. ... | 12/15/2009 |
| 7634735 | Collaborative platform A system and method for providing a collaborative platform, the system including a server configured to create a collaborative back room folder environment on the server in response to a request from a renter, wherein the collaborative back room folder environment i... | 12/15/2009 |
| 7587676 | System and method for inhibiting interaction with malicious software A technique for protecting against installation of malicious software includes preventing interaction with a software product when keywords in a disclaimer associated with the software product are detected. A computing device identifies keywords in a disclaimer asso... | 09/08/2009 |
| 7574660 | Method and system for service-enablement gateway and its service portal A method and system for dynamic service support is presented. A portal-page service and an interface bundle are installed at the gateway. A customer service at the gateway, based on the interface bundle, is installed at the gateway. The portal-page service searches ... | 08/11/2009 |
| 7549119 | Method and system for filtering website content A method and system for filtering website content prevents undesirable words or phrases from appearing in website postings sent by website users. The invention intercepts all content submitted by the user, and processes the content before posting it on the website. ... | 06/16/2009 |
| 7512889 | Method and system for controlling presentation of information to a user based on the user's condition A system for controlling presentation of information to a user based on the user's current condition. In particular, the system monitors the user and the user's environment, and creates and maintains an updated model of the current condition of the user. The user co... | 03/31/2009 |
| 7509583 | Image processing system The hierarchy of an operation screen of a digital PPC (scanner device) used as an image fetching device is set to correspond to the hierarchy of a directory in a file server for recording a scanned image file. That is, the hierarchy of the operation screen and the h... | 03/24/2009 |
| 7500180 | Apparatus for collecting information and managing access rights An information collecting/providing system provides information in a manner that allows information to be easily registered, viewed, developed, and reused, even when a large amount of various kinds of information is collected and dealt with. The information collecti... | 03/03/2009 |
| 7496848 | Image forming apparatus and image forming system An image forming apparatus providing services for general users, capable of getting rid of trouble to collect use charges. The image forming apparatus has: a connector to which a portable communication terminal is connected; a communication section for controlling t... | 02/24/2009 |
| 7484173 | Alternative key pad layout for enhanced security A method for providing an alternate keypad arrangement in a virtual keypad is presented. In the alternate keypad arrangement, the virtual keys are laid out in a non-sequential arrangement. In one embodiment, the labels displayed on the virtual keys appear sequential... | 01/27/2009 |
| 7475353 | World wide web receiving display station with a web browser generating a graphical user interface with a universal web site logoff button enabling a browser routine for user logoff from selected web sites An implementation for a user at a receiving Web station keeping track of logged on Web sites, and a convenient universal logoff interface button to logoff the logged on Web site. The combination of an implementation at a receiving display station generating a GUI in... | 01/06/2009 |
| 7441197 | Risk management information interface system and associated methods A graphical and interactive interface system manages risk management information. A secure database stores risk management information that is accessible by authorized access through a network. A graphics interface generates graphic data of the risk management infor... | 10/21/2008 |
| 7430714 | Document storage system including a user interface for associating documents into groups An electronic document handling system places electronic documents on stacks and “staples” the documents in a stack together. A user selects at least one document and places the selected document(s) onto a stack, The system generates a cover sheet including a ta... | 09/30/2008 |
| 7424680 | Set top box object security system Systems and methods for controlling the ability of scripts to access objects defined at the client. The client stores an access control data structure having multiple entries. Each entry is associated with one or more objects for which access is to be controlled. Th... | 09/09/2008 |
