Patents by Inventor Ross McFarland

Ross McFarland has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20120151390
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for presenting a user interface. In one embodiment, a method includes detecting a user selection of a user interface displayed by the device identifying a graphical element, wherein the graphical element is associated with an association category, and determining one or more media titles based on one or more associations of media titles to the graphical element and at least one association category associated with a previously detected user selection. The method may further include displaying one or more graphical elements for each identified media title, wherein the one or more graphical elements are each associated with an association category for each of a plurality of user selections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2010
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Nicholas Trotta, Ross McFarland
  • Patent number: 5971040
    Abstract: A system is disclosed for operating an automated refueling system, the system including: a source of vacuum; a suction cup, the suction cup being capable of mating with a hinged vehicle fuel cap cover and the suction cup having an inside which is in communication with the source of vacuum through a suction system; an extension mechanism effective to laterally extend the suction cup toward a vehicle's hinged fuel cap cover; a vacuum actuated means to swing open the hinged fuel cap cover when a pressure within the suction system approaches the pressure of the source of vacuum; and a vacuum actuated cylinder to extend a filler tube into fuel tank inlet after the hinged fuel cap door is swung open. The system of the present invention minimizes the number of electrical components that are in the vicinity of the refueling nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: James Ross McFarland, Jim Ross