Systems and methods for reduced stress anchors
US Patent 8,039,912
October 18, 2011
Anchor systems and methods anchor components of a Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) device to a substrate. An exemplary embodiment has a trace anchor bonded to a substrate, a device anchor bonded to the substrate, and an anchor flexure configured flexibly couple the trace anchor and the device anchor to substantially prevent transmission of a stress induced in the trace anchor from being transmitted to the device anchor.
Office communication system
US Patent 8,035,519
October 11, 2011
An office communication system provides intra-office communication within a medical or dental office, for example. The system includes a door or wall unit, a table or desk unit, and a wearable or portable unit. The door and desk units are configured to transmit and receive both infrared and radio frequency type wireless signals. The portable unit may include an infrared light transmitter configured to transmit infrared light encoded with a unique address or identifier. The system operates to non-obtrusively notify office personnel whether a practitioner has entered or is presently within a particular exam room of the office, even if a door of the exam room is closed.
3D ultrasound-based instrument for non-invasive measurement of amniotic fluid volume
US Patent D646,592
October 11, 2011
The ornamental design for the snap-fit measuring cup, as shown and described.
Burger press
US Patent 8,029,265
October 4, 2011
A burger press includes a base having upward extending sidewalls, a lifter sized and shaped to fit within the base, and a plunger having a handle attached to a first side of a generally planar plate that is sized and shaped to fit within the base. At least one of a second side of the plunger plate and the lifter are shaped to include a surface feature selected from a plurality of ribs and a raised portion, the plurality of ribs and the raised portion being structured to press into a burger as the burger is formed in the burger press by compressing the burger between the plunger and the lifter.
Auto update utility for digital address books
US Patent 8,032,549
October 4, 2011
An Internet-based system capable of automatically maintaining contact-related information in any computer software application or digital device which stores or manages contact-related information. More particularly, the system allows users to automatically enter and maintain contact-related information in a digital address book or similar application or device (such as a wireless phone or PDA) with minimal or no manual entry of the contact-related information by the user. The system also allows contacts of the user (i.e. people who’s contact information or partial contact information is present in the user’s address book application) to make corrections to their contact-related information contained in the user’s address book, request reciprocal contact information from the user, deny the user access to additional or corrected contact-related information and take other actions relative to managing the contact-related information which others (users) have about them.
Opening and closing system for a drawer
US Patent 8,029,080
October 4, 2011
An opening and closing system permits a drawer to be operated by pressing on a front panel of the drawer (e.g., in a hands-free manner). By way of example, the system includes a first sub-assembly coupled to the drawer and a second sub-assembly coupled to a drawer frame. A linear spring provides a tensioning force for operation of the drawer. The first sub-assembly includes a first pivot biasly coupled to the drawer, a fixed-length arm having a first end fixed to the first pivot and a second end coupled to a roller. The second sub-assembly includes first and second guide arms coupled to a second pivot, the first guide arm having an upper surface for engaging the roller when the drawer is being closed, the second guide arm having an arcuate-shaped region sized to receive at least a portion of the roller after the drawer is closed.
Method and system for messaging across cellular networks and a public data network
US Patent 8,027,694
September 27, 2011
A computer program product for instant message communication in a wireless and non-wireless environment. A message is sent from a mobile unit device over a wireless communication network. The message includes a destination address, information associated with the mobile unit device’s user, message content and message address. If, according to information previously stored for the mobile unit device’s user at the instant message system, the destination address is associated with an instant message function, the associated instant message function is executed at the instant message system using the information contained in the message content, if required as determined by the associated instant message function. If, according to information previously stored for the mobile unit device’s user, the destination address is associated with an instant message user name, an instant message is created according to the message content and is sent to the user with the associated instant message user name.
Systems and methods for using nexrad information to verify weather radar information
US Patent 8,022,859
September 20, 2011
Systems and methods distinguish weather radar returns from terrain radar returns. An exemplary embodiment receives a radar return from a weather radar system on board an installation vehicle, receives ground-based weather radar information, compares a location of the radar return received from the onboard weather radar system with a corresponding location in the received ground-based, and determines that the radar return received from the onboard weather radar system is a weather radar return when a location in the received ground-based weather radar information indicates a presence of weather at the location of the radar return.
Strengthened equipment cases and methods of making same
US Patent 8,016,966
September 13, 2011
A stackable equipment container includes at least one reinforcement panel made of a composite material attached to the container on an interior surface proximate an arrangement of stackable elements. The panel is attached to the container using spin-weld plugs installed at a high rotation rate. Through the installation of the spin-weld plugs, the panel becomes fused or welded to the container. In one embodiment, the rotation rate of the spin-weld plugs during installation is sufficient to cause the panel and container to locally vulcanize with each other and with the spin-weld plugs. The panel provides the container with increased strength and operates to minimize or eliminate distortion of the stackable elements.
Vehicle seat with a seat depth adjustment device
US Patent 8,011,728
September 6, 2011
The invention relates to a vehicle seat having a backrest and a seat surface device that forms a seat surface and that is provided with a pad cover, in particular an outer pad cover, wherein the seat depth of the seat surface is adjustable. A seat depth adjustment device facilitates seat depth adjustment, the seat depth adjustment device including a first deflection device for deflecting the seat pad cover in the end region of the seat surface remote from the backrest, a flexible part that is coupled to the pad cover, and at least one second deflection device for deflecting the flexible part, the second deflection device being arranged at a distance from the first deflection device.
