Patents Examined by Heidi Kelley
  • Patent number: 9017559
    Abstract: A water treatment apparatus including one or more mixed raw water stream jet nozzles, a filtering tank housing a filter layer disposed below the mixed raw water stream jet nozzle or nozzles, the filter layer having an upper layer and a lower layer, the upper layer containing a filter material with a smaller specific gravity and a larger particle diameter than a filter material of the lower layer, a water collecting and distributing pipe for removing water filtered through the filter layer and supplying reverse stream cleaning water to the filter layer during reverse cleaning, filter material vibrating means for vibrating a filter material of the upper layer including a vibrating element connected to a power source and vibration expanding element buried in the upper layer for transmitting vibration of the vibrating element, and an overflow outlet provided in the filtering tank above the filter layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Nagaoka International Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Mimura, Kiyokazu Mukai
  • Patent number: 8645285
    Abstract: A method for analyzing electrical generation data includes receiving data associated with a generating device at a metered location and storing the data associated with the generating device in a database, receiving data associated with time periods that the generating device is used at the metered location and storing the data in the database, associating the received data associated with a generating device with the data associated with time periods that the generating device is used at the metered location, processing the received data associated with a generating device with the data associated and the time periods that the generating device is used at the metered location to identify time periods that the generating device outputs electrical power to an electrical grid, and identifying a preferred time period that the generating device may be used to output power to the grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: John Christopher Boot
  • Patent number: 8645150
    Abstract: Carbon values are provided by vendors of power to data center management and are used by data center management to keep carbon values for energy produced to provide services below service level agreement thresholds. A plurality of vendor carbon values, a plurality of static data, and a plurality of dynamic data are used to calculate a future power consumption and a future operating cost for a data center in a computing service environment. The future operating cost includes a future carbon cost indicating the amount of carbon generated to satisfy the future power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jason B. Akers, Ross B. Clay, Michael C. Hollinger, Ryan A. Holt, Perry L. Jones
  • Patent number: 8595023
    Abstract: A weight control software system and method may provide an interactive software environment to a user via a network to enhance the ability of users to follow a weight control program. The weight control software system may generate meal plans that are automatically updated based on an updated weight of the user following the weight control program. A variety of tools may be integrated into the weight control software system and be interoperable to utilize information entered by the user or generated by the system in controlling body weight of the user. Such tools may include journal and meal planning functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignees: Weight Watchers International, Inc., WeightWatchers.com, Inc.
    Inventors: David Kirchhoff, Lisa Connelly, Anna Crook, Sheila Kelly, Karen Miller-Kovach, Amie Perl, Palma Posillico, Thilo Semmelbauer, Amy Sheppard
  • Patent number: 8595020
    Abstract: A system of systems to monitor data for carbon flux, for example, at scales capable of managing regional net carbon flux and pricing carbon financial instruments is disclosed. The system of systems can monitor carbon flux in forests, soils, agricultural areas, body of waters, flue gases, and the like. The system includes a means to identify and quantify sources of carbon based on simultaneous measurement of isotopologues of carbon dioxide, for example, industrial, agricultural or natural sources, offering integration of same in time and space. Carbon standards are employed at multiple scales to ensure harmonization of data and carbon financial instruments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Planetary Emissions Management Inc.
    Inventor: Bruno D. V. Marino
  • Patent number: 8560459
    Abstract: The present invention includes a system and method for creating a municipal solid waste (MSW) system to address the multiple types of waste that are disposed by the public, and further, to provide a waste management solution that provides for the sustained economic development and growth of communities. The present invention also provides effective screening and separation of hazardous components in the waste stream, and further provides recovery and reuse solutions as alternatives to disposal of hazardous waste. The present invention further provides communities with a system and method to more effectively capture and use disposed MSW and other waste streams to provide renewable energy sources. Moreover, the present invention includes a method for establishing a municipal solid waste management system that makes sustainable development possible while preserving the economic interests of the parties involved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Casella Waste Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: James W. Bohlig, Paula Calabrese
  • Patent number: 8560460
    Abstract: A system for disposing of medical waste is generally configured to sort waste items into a plurality of containers according to applicable rules and regulations governing the handling and/or disposal of such items. In some embodiments, a system comprises sorting stations each of which houses a number of disposable containers. Each station can identify an item of waste, determine the most appropriate container for the item, and facilitate disposal of the item in the appropriate container. In some embodiments, a detection system for determining a presence and/or a quantity of waste items within a container is also provided. In some embodiments, access to discarded waste items is restricted once the waste items have been placed in a container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: CareFusion 303, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott R. Mallett, Randall C. Danta, James R. Benson, Alan D. Corey, Alan A. Davidner, Peter Regla
  • Patent number: 8527316
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for reducing risk to a firm and firm program and, more particularly, to reducing risk and improving yield or performance by considering firm strategic intent, phase, and integrated visuals. The current invention identifies, quantifies, and integrates strategic intent into the risk mitigation procedure by modifying the consequence chart, by dividing the program into phases, and by depicting risk related metrics, including strategic intent, that are associated with the risk element, the program, and/or the firm in a three dimensional graph.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Inventor: John Cogliandro
  • Patent number: 8527372
    Abstract: Remote monitoring of vehicle washing facilities allows a facility operator to more efficiently manage each site, particularly when combined with environmental conditions that influence the rate at which individual chemicals are used. Accurate chemical exhaustion times can therefore be predicted and communicated to the operator, and wash sequences and parameters may be altered in accordance with such environmental parameters. For example, information related to the composition of soil on a car may be monitored and used to alter the chemicals used in the wash cycle for that car. Other environmental conditions may include without limitation weather conditions, road conditions, types of vehicles, mechanical system status, vehicle temperature, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: ZEP IP Holding LLC
    Inventors: Katherine M. Sanville, Ronald Bruce Howes, Jr., Scott Andrew Johansen
  • Patent number: 8510122
    Abstract: Method for reducing energy costs in an industrially operated facility. For a lasting and comprehensive reduction in the energy costs in an industrially operated facility, the invention provides for at least one of the energy flows of the facility, from its purchase, its conversion in at least one secondary process, its consumption in at least one core process, as far as its discharge from the facility, to be considered as a whole, taking account of the operational process sequences, and for potential cost reductions to be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Sebastian Althen, Kersten-Karl Barth, Lars Beha
  • Patent number: 8463646
    Abstract: The system enables one to securely recycle an electronic device in a publicly accessible location. In particular, the embodiment described may be used by a mobile phone owner to submit his/her mobile phone for recycling via an electronic kiosk and receive compensation in some form. The compensation might be dispersed via cash, voucher, credit or debit card, or other magnetic or electronic transaction methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: ecoATM, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Bowles, Pieter van Rooyen, Michael Librizzi