Patents by Inventor Michael Willis

Michael Willis 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: 20060005598
    Abstract: A system for monitoring and controlling a tube milling operation generally includes a weld box, a roll, a first sensor, and a controller. The roll is disposed within the weld box for simultaneously compressing and guiding a stock material. The first sensor detects either an actual load applied to the roll by the stock material or a position of the roll. The controller is in data communication with the first sensor and is operable to displace the roll along a first axis relative to the weld box in accordance with a difference between either the actual load and a load parameter or the roll position and a position parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2004
    Publication date: January 12, 2006
    Inventor: Michael Willis
  • Publication number: 20050257308
    Abstract: A novelty article or article of wearing apparel is provided having an exposed surface that is covered by contiguous distinct zones of at least two contrasting colors. These contiguous distinct zones are arranged to define a camouflage pattern. The colors used in the article are colors that do not blend with environmental colors and are selected to correspond to colors adopted by a group, such as a team or school, for which the user of the article has an affinity or affiliation. In specific embodiments, the colors correspond to the team colors of a professional or amateur sports team. In further specific embodiments, the novelty article may additionally include a logo or symbol of the team.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2004
    Publication date: November 24, 2005
    Inventor: Michael Willis
  • Patent number: 6962784
    Abstract: This invention discloses a method for preparing a complex comprised of a VEGF Nucleic Acid Ligand and a Non-Immunogenic, High Molecular Weight Compound or Lipophilic Compound by identifying a VEGF Nucleic Acid Ligand by SELEX methodology and associating the VEGF Nucleic Acid Ligand with a Non-Immunogenic, High Molecular Weight Compound or Lipophilic Compound. The invention further discloses Complexes comprising one or more VEGF Nucleic Acid Ligands in association with a Non-Immunogenic, High Molecular Weight Compound or Lipophilic Compound. The invention further includes a Lipid construct comprising a VEGF Nucleic Acid Ligand or Complex and methods for making the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: Gilead Sciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Nebojsa Janjic, Larry Gold, Paul Schmidt, Chandra Vargeese, Michael Willis
  • Publication number: 20050198387
    Abstract: A method and system for associating a process on a multi-user device with a host address unique to a user session associated with the process begins by allocating a unique host address for the user session and assigning it to a network adapter. Requests that may bind network resources are intercepted, and relevant bind request parameters are manipulated to specify the host address associated with the user session. The original target of the request is invoked with potentially modified parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2004
    Publication date: September 8, 2005
    Inventor: Michael Willis
  • Publication number: 20040192632
    Abstract: This invention discloses a method for preparing a complex comprised of a VEGF Nucleic Acid Ligand and a Non-Immunogenic, High Molecular Weight Compound or Lipophilic Compound by identifying a VEGF Nucleic Acid Ligand by SELEX methodology and associating the VEGF Nucleic Acid Ligand with a Non-Immunogenic, High Molecular Weight Compound or Lipophilic Compound. The invention further discloses Complexes comprising one or more VEGF Nucleic Acid Ligands in association with a Non-Immunogenic, High Molecular Weight Compound or Lipophilic Compound. The invention further includes a Lipid construct comprising a VEGF Nucleic Acid Ligand or Complex and methods for making the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2004
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Applicant: Gilead Sciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Nebojsa Janjic, Larry Gold, Paul Schmidt, Chandra Vargeese, Michael Willis
  • Publication number: 20040132067
    Abstract: A method for identifying nucleic acid ligands to target molecules using the SELEX procedure wherein the candidate nucleic acids contain photoreactive groups and nucleic acid ligands identified thereby are claimed. The complexes of increased affinity nucleic acids and target molecules formed in the procedure are crosslinked by irradiation to facilitate separation from unbound nucleic acids. In other methods partitioning of high and low affinity nucleic acids is facilitated by primer extension steps as shown in the figure in which chain termination nucleotides, digestion resistant nucleotides or nucleotides that allow retention of the cDNA product on an affinity matrix are differentially incorporated into the cDNA products of either the high or low affinity nucleic acids and the cDNA products are treated accordingly to amplification, enzymatic or chemical digestion or by contact with an affinity matrix.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Applicant: SOMALOGIC, INC.
    Inventors: Larry Gold, Michael Willis, Tad Koch, Steven Ringquist, Kirk Jensen, Brent Atkinson
  • Patent number: 6610903
    Abstract: There is provided a fluid management material for personal care products which distributes artificial menses according to the gush/distribution test taught herein such that it has a distribution ratio of at least about 0.06. Its preferred that the fluid management material be part of an absorbent materials system having a first fibrous layer, a middle layer adjacent the first layer having hydrophilic oriented surface fibers, and a second fibrous layer adjacent the middle layer. In a personal care product configuration the oriented surface fibers result in a distribution ratio of at least 0.06 where the distribution ratio is a ratio of average of the mass of two end zones of a product divided by the mass of the center zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Margaret Gwyn Latimer, Gregory Marc Lefkowitz, David Michael Matela, Jeffrey Michael Willis
  • Publication number: 20030114404
    Abstract: This invention discloses a method for preparing a complex comprised of a VEGF Nucleic Acid Ligand and a Non-Immunogenic, High Molecular Weight Compound or Lipophilic Compound by identifying a VEGF Nucleic Acid Ligand by SELEX methodology and associating the VEGF Nucleic Acid Ligand with a Non-Immunogenic, High Molecular Weight Compound or Lipophilic Compound. The invention further discloses Complexes comprising one or more VEGF Nucleic Acid Ligands in association with a Non-Immunogenic, High Molecular Weight Compound or Lipophilic Compound. The invention further includes a Lipid construct comprising a VEGF Nucleic Acid Ligand or Complex and methods for making the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2002
    Publication date: June 19, 2003
    Applicant: Gilead Sciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Nebojsa Janjic, Larry Gold, Paul Schmidt, Chandra Vargeese, Michael Willis
  • Patent number: 6482594
    Abstract: Methods to obtain nucleic acid ligands that photocrosslink to target molecules associated with a disease state are provided. The methods presented are variations on the photoSELEX methods for obtaining nucleic acid ligands. In one method, a candidate mixture of photocrosslinkable nucleic acids is contacted with a biological substance obtained from a source associated with a disease state suspected of containing a target molecule to form nucleic acid-target molecule complexes, the complexes are irradiated to form crosslinked complexes, the photocrosslinked complexes are partitioned from the remainder of the candidate mixture; and the nucleic acid ligands that photocrosslink to molecule are retained. These nucleic acids are then contacted with a second biological substance of the same type as the first, but obtained from a source not associated with a disease state. This removes nucleic acids with affinity to molecules that are not associated with the disease state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: SomaLogic, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry Gold, Michael Willis, Tad Koch, Steven Ringquist, Kirk Jensen, Brent Atkinson
  • Patent number: 6461433
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for precisely applying radioactive material to a substrate such as a brachytherapy device is disclosed. A radioactive fluid adapted to cure rapidly is deposited as discrete dots onto a surface with a fluid-jet printhead. The apparatus comprises a fluid-jet printhead in communication with a chamber containing radioactive fluid to be applied by the printhead. The printhead is microprocessor driven, and the microprocessor may be provided with feedback from a station where the radioactivity deposited on a preceding substrate in a batch is measured, permitting the system to be recalibrated on an ongoing basis as the batch of printed devices is produced. Compensation for attenuation of radiation by a casing may also be made part of the feedback technique. Also disclosed is a brachytherapy device having printed on a surface dots of radiation-emitting material, in a pattern comprising various bands, dots or areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Assignee: International Brachytherapy, S.A.
    Inventors: John L. Carden, Jr., John L. Russell, Jr., James Edward Fox, Alan Lionel Hudd, Michael Willis
  • Publication number: 20020106652
    Abstract: A method for identifying nucleic acid ligands to target molecules using the SELEX procedure. Nucleic acid candidate sequences contain photoreactive groups. After exposure of the nucleic acid sequences to the target molecule, nucleic acid-target molecule complexes are formed between nucleic acids having increased affinity to the target molecule and the target molecule. The complexes are irradiated such that photocrosslinks form between the photoreactive groups of the bound nucleic acids and the target molecule. The photocrosslinked complexes are separated from unbound nucleic acids, and the nucleic acids amplified to yield a ligand-enriched mixture of nucleic acids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2001
    Publication date: August 8, 2002
    Applicant: SomaLogic, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry Gold, Michael Willis, Tad Koch, Steven Ringquist, Kirk Jensen, Brent Atkinson
  • Patent number: 6426335
    Abstract: This invention discloses a method for preparing a complex comprised of a VEGF Nucleic Acid Ligand and a Non-Immunogenic, High Molecular Weight Compound or Lipophilic Compound by identifying a VEGF Nucleic Acid Ligand by SELEX methodology and associating the VEGF Nucleic Acid Ligand with a Non-Immunogenic, High Molecular Weight Compound or Lipophilic Compound. The invention further discloses Complexes comprising one or more VEGF Nucleic Acid Ligands in association with a Non-Immunogenic, High Molecular Weight Compound or Lipophilic Compound. The invention further includes a Lipid construct comprising a VEGF Nucleic Acid Ligand or Complex and methods for making the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2002
    Assignee: Gilead Sciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Nebojsa Janjic, Larry Gold, Paul Schmidt, Chandra Vargeese, Michael Willis
  • Patent number: 6291184
    Abstract: A method for identifying nucleic acid ligands to target molecules using the SELEX procedure wherein the candidate nucleic acids contain photoreactive groups and nucleic acid ligands identified thereby are claimed. The complexes of increased affinity nucleic acids and target molecules formed in the procedure are crosslinked by irradiation to facilitate separation from unbound nucleic acids. In other methods partitioning of high and low affinity nucleic acids is facilitated by primer extension steps as shown in the figure in which chain termination nucleotides, digestion resistant nucleotides or nucleotides that allow retention of the cDNA product on an affinity matrix are differentially incorporated into the cDNA products of either the high or low affinity nucleic acids and the cDNA products are treated accordingly to amplification, enzymatic or chemical digestion or by contact with an affinity matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: SomaLogic, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry Gold, Michael Willis, Tad Koch, Steven Ringquist, Kirk Jensen, Brent Atkinson
  • Patent number: 6086942
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for precisely applying radioactive material to a substrate such as a brachytherapy device is disclosed. A radioactive fluid adapted to cure rapidly is deposited as discrete dots onto a surface with a fluid-jet printhead. The apparatus comprises a fluid-jet printhead in communication with a chamber containing radioactive fluid to be applied by the printhead. The printhead is microprocessor driven, and the microprocessor may be provided with feedback from a station where the radioactivity deposited on a preceding substrate in a batch is measured, permitting the system to be recalibrated on an ongoing basis as the batch of printed devices is produced. Compensation for attenuation of radiation by a casing may also be made part of the feedback technique. Also disclosed is a brachytherapy device having printed on a surface dots of radiation-emitting material, in a pattern comprising various bands, dots or areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: International Brachytherapy s.a.
    Inventors: John L. Carden, Jr., John L. Russell, Jr., James Edward Fox, Alan Lionel Hudd, Michael Willis
  • Patent number: 6033516
    Abstract: In the production of an anticopy film serving for covering documents against copying, opaque, strip-like coverings are applied by printing to the individual layers of a transparent, multilayer film in a mutually offset arrangement in such a way that the film appears opaque in the plan view, but transparent in an inclined viewing direction. To this end, a film web is printed with the coverings in sections corresponding to the layers, and the sections are subsequently folded over to give the layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Emtec Magnetics GmbH
    Inventors: Helmut Steininger, Peter Heilmann, Michael Willis
  • Patent number: 6001577
    Abstract: A method for identifying nucleic acid ligands to target molecules using the SELEX procedure wherein the candidate nucleic acids contain photoreactive groups and nucleic acid ligands identified thereby are claimed. The complexes of increased affinity nucleic acids and target molecules formed in the procedure are crosslinked by irradiation to facilitate separation from unbound nucleic acids. In other methods partitioning of high and low affinity nucleic acids is facilitated by primer extension steps as shown in the figure in which chain termination nucleotides, digestion resistant nucleotides or nucleotides that allow retention of the cDNA product on an affinity matrix arc differentially incorporated into the cDNA products of either the high or low affinity nucleic acids and the cDNA products are treated accordingly to amplification, enzymatic or chemical digestion or by contact with an affinity matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: NeXstar Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry Gold, Michael Willis, Tad Koch, Steven Ringquist, Kirk Jensen, Brent Atkinson
  • Patent number: 5763177
    Abstract: A method for identifying nucleic acid ligands to target molecules using the SELEX pocedure wherein the candidate nucleic acids contain photoreactive groups and nucleic acid ligands identified thereby are claimed. The complexes of increased affinity nucleic acids and target molecules formed in the procedure are crosslinked by irradiation to facilitate separation from unbound nucleic acids. In other methods partioning of high and low affinity nucleic acids is facilitated by primer extension steps as shown in the figure in which chain termination nucleotides, digestion resistant nucleotides or nucleotides that allow retention of the cDNA product on an affinity matrix are differentially incorporated into the cDNA products of either the high or low affinity nucleic acids and the cDNA products are treated accordingly to amplification, enzymatic or chemical digestion or by contact with an affinity matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: NeXstar Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry Gold, Michael Willis, Tad Koch, Steven Ringquist, Kirk Jensen, Brent Atkinson
  • Patent number: 4886349
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a temples-less eyeglass frame having a central nose bridge portion, left and right lens frame portions, a left wing portion substantially perpendicular to the left lens frame portion, a right wing portion substantially perpendicular to the right lens frame portion, and left and right resilient foam temple bearing members attached to the inner end surfaces of the left and right wing portions, so as to rest in and exert pressure on both temple area only of the wearer when in use. Although the left and right wing portions can be integral with the left and right lens frame portions, this is not necessary. The left and right wing portions can be hingedly connected to the left and right lens frame portions, respectively, with or without spring-biasing to move the left and right wing portions inwardly when not being worn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1989
    Assignee: Michael Allen
    Inventor: Michael A. Willis
  • Patent number: D279851
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1980
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1985
    Inventor: Michael A. Willis
  • Patent number: D320740
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1991
    Assignee: Imperial Chemical Industries plc
    Inventors: Michael Willis, David Fielding