Patents by Inventor Michael Hicks

Michael Hicks 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: 20040135396
    Abstract: A slide-out room and awning assembly for a recreational vehicle. The assembly includes a roll enclosure for attachment to an exterior side wall of the vehicle, a roll rotationally journalled within the roll enclosure, a slide-out room for extension from the exterior side wall, an elongated trough attached to the slide-out room, and an awning fabric attached at a proximate edge to the roll and attached at a distal edge to the elongated trough. When the slide-out room is in a retracted position, the awning fabric is wrapped around the roll. When the slide-out room is in an extended position, the awning fabric is extended from the roll over a top wall of the slide-out room at a downward slope from the roll to the trough such that debris and liquid flow into the trough.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Inventors: Alejandro Corrillo, Michael Hicks
  • Publication number: 20030131350
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for identifying broadcast digital audio signals include structure and/or function whereby the digital audio signal is provided to processing structure which is configured to (i) identify a program-identifying code in the received digital audio signal, (ii) identify a program-identifying code in a decompressed received digital audio signal, (iii) identify a feature signature in the received digital audio signal, and (iv) identify a feature signature in the decompressed received digital audio signal. Preferably, such processing structure is disposed in a dwelling or a monitoring site in an audience measurement system, such as the Nielsen TV ratings system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2002
    Publication date: July 10, 2003
    Inventors: John C. Peiffer, Michael A. Hicks, David Howell Wright, Paul Mark Mears, Venugopal Srinivasan, Daozheng Lu, Paul C. Kempter
  • Patent number: 6488069
    Abstract: An awning assembly adapted to automatically lower an edge of a canopy under a predetermined weight collected on the canopy to remove some of the collected weight from the canopy and thereafter return the canopy to its original position. The awning assembly includes an arm assemblies comprising a vertically extending base arm secured at the wall, a bottom arm having a first end pivotally connected to the base arm, an extended arm having a first end pivotally connected to the bottom arm and a second end supporting the awning arm, and a top arm having a first end pivotally connected to the extended arm. Another arrangement for the arm assemblies includes a rafter arm having an inner end pivotally connected to the wall and an outer end pivotally connected to the a support arm, the support arm has an outer end connected to and supporting the awning arm and an inner end removably connected to the wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Dometic Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Mashaw, Michael Hicks, Alejandro Carrillo, Kody Sparks
  • Patent number: 5845668
    Abstract: A method is provided for replacing an existing service pipe carrying fluid to an outlet within a property with a replacement service pipe. In the method the outlet is disconnected within the property from the existing service pipe in such a way that both during and after disconnection fluid is prevented from escaping into the property. A desired length of replacement service pipe is then fed into the existing service pipe in such a way that during and after the feeding step fluid is prevented from escaping into the property. The outlet is then connected to the outlet end of the replacement pipe 2 in such a way that during the connection fluid is prevented from escaping into the property and after the connection step fluid is allowed to pass to the outlet solely by way of the replacement pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: British Gas plc
    Inventors: John Taylor, Michael Hicks, Richard Lamb, Robert Neal Bennett, Keith Nixon, Ian Ashcroft, Adrian Sydney Parkes, John Philip Smith
  • Patent number: 5782305
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for draining or removing well fluid from a production tubing string into a well borehole while pulling the tubing string from the well. A special length of tubing is provided near the lower end of the tubing string with a drain port communicating the interior and exterior of the tubing. The drain port is initially plugged and sealed with a knock out plug. When it is desired to remove the tubing string from the well and drain its fluid into the borehole, a drop sleeve is dropped from the surface to shear and open the knock out plug. A sleeve stop catches the drop sleeve for re-use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1998
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventor: John Michael Hicks
  • Patent number: 5748426
    Abstract: A circuit card is interfaced to a powered electrical bus by applying power to the circuit card before it interfaces to the electrical bus or by removing power from the circuit card after it has been removed from the bus. This is accomplished using a power cord that connects the equipment's power supply to a mating connector on the card to be inserted or removed. Attaching the power cord to the mating connector of the card disables the output drivers that provide output signals to the equipment's communication bus and places the card in a reset state. This prevents introducing error signals onto the communication bus. Additionally, the contacts on the edge connector are sequenced to prevent applying power to the circuit card before a ground is available. Additionally, the power cord and circuit card are keyed to prevent improper insertion and the power card includes an inductor to provide surge protection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1998
    Assignee: Paradyne Corporation
    Inventors: John Bedingfield, Michael A. Hicks
  • Patent number: 5738357
    Abstract: A method is provided for replacing an existing service pipe carrying fluid to an outlet within a property with a replacement service pipe. In the method the outlet is disconnected within the property from the existing service pipe in such a way that both during and after disconnection fluid is prevented from escaping into the property. A desired length of replacement service pipe is then fed into the existing service pipe in such a way that during and after the feeding step fluid is prevented from escaping into the property. The outlet is then connected to the outlet end of the replacement pipe in such a way that during the connection fluid is prevented from escaping into the property and after the connection step fluid is allowed to pass to the outlet solely by way of the replacement pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: British Gas plc
    Inventors: John Taylor, Michael Hicks, Richard Lamb, Robert Neal Bennett, Keith Nixon, Ian Ashcroft, Adrian Sydney Parkes, John Philip Smith
  • Patent number: 5551704
    Abstract: A method is provided for replacing an existing service pipe carrying fluid to an outlet within a property with a replacement service pipe. In the method the outlet is disconnected within the property from the existing service pipe in such a way that both during and after disconnection fluid is prevented from escaping into the property. A desired length of replacement service pipe is then fed into the existing service pipe in such a way that during and after the feeding step fluid is prevented from escaping into the property. The outlet is then connected to the outlet end of the replacement pipe in such a way that during the connection fluid is prevented from escaping into the property and after the connection step fluid is allowed to pass to the outlet solely by way of the replacement pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1996
    Assignee: British Gas plc
    Inventors: John Taylor, Michael Hicks, Richard Lamb, Robert N. Bennett, Keith Nixon, Ian Ashcroft, Adrian S. Parkes, John P. Smith
  • Patent number: 5482076
    Abstract: A method is provided for replacing an existing service pipe carrying fluid to an outlet within a property with a replacement service pipe. In the method the outlet is disconnected within the property from the existing service pipe in such a way that both during and after disconnection fluid is prevented from escaping into the property. A desired length of replacement service pipe is then fed into the existing service pipe in such a way that during and after the feeding step fluid is prevented from escaping into the property. The outlet is then connected to the outlet end of the replacement pipe in such a way that during the connection fluid is prevented from escaping into the property and after the connection step fluid is allowed to pass to the outlet solely by way of the replacement pipe 18.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Assignee: British Gas plc
    Inventors: John Taylor, Michael Hicks, Richard Lamb, Robert N. Bennett, Keith Nixon, Ian Ashcroft, Adrian S. Parkes, John P. Smith