Patents by Inventor Stephen J. Hucal

Stephen J. Hucal 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).

  • Patent number: 6836764
    Abstract: A method and a system for operating a revolving credit program utilizing a table of tiered interest rates in which one of the interest rates is applied as a finance charge to a remaining outstanding balance (20) of an account depending upon the percentage that payments made during a billing cycle (12) comprise of an account parameter, such as the outstanding balance, a highest balance or a beginning balance. In the preferred embodiment the applied interest rate (34) is determined by the percentage the outstanding balance (32) is reduced by payments on the balance during a billing cycle. Also in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the tiered interest rate table is structured to apply progressively reduced interest rates to outstanding balances reduced by progressively greater payment percentages from the previous billing cycle, thereby encouraging a credit customer to make larger payments and pay down the outstanding balance faster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Inventor: Stephen J. Hucal
  • Patent number: 5933817
    Abstract: A method and a system for operating a revolving credit program utilizing a table of tiered interest rates in which one of the interest rates is applied as a finance charge to a remaining outstanding balance of an account depending upon the percentage that payments made during a billing cycle comprise of an account parameter, such as the outstanding balance, a highest balance or a beginning balance. In the preferred embodiment the applied interest rate is determined by the percentage the outstanding balance is reduced by payments on the balance during a billing cycle. Also in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the tiered interest rate table is structured to apply progressively reduced interest rates to outstanding balances reduced by progressively greater payment percentages from the previous billing cycle, thereby encouraging a credit customer to make larger payments and pay down the outstanding balance faster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1999
    Inventor: Stephen J. Hucal
  • Patent number: 4429786
    Abstract: An integrated contact lens and maintenance kit carrying apparatus for the portable facilitated storage and carrying of a user's contact lenses as well as a plurality of fluids normally utilized with such contact lenses. Two lens storage elements are operably connected with a plurality of fluid containers into an overall thin substantially cylindrical elongated configuration. The peripheral portions of the fluid containers and lens storage modules form the substantially cylindrical configuration of the apparatus periphery. The device includes indicia means associated with the lens storage modules and the fluid containers for facilitated identification and selection of the fluids or lens eyes associated therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1984
    Inventor: Stephen J. Hucal