Patents by Inventor Norman Terry

Norman Terry 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: 7503084
    Abstract: A mattress leveling system designed to provide individually adjustable mattress heights, where mattresses of different firmness and thickness can be integrated into one bed with a level sleep surfaces sharing a common plane and held juxtaposed. Each mattress or mattress set is securely supported within a frame assembly with independently height adjustable legs. Users can integrate individual mattresses, which provide adequate firmness to meet the needs and desires of each of the users, forming one bed system customized to provide optimal comfort for both partners. An advantage of this design provides users with the ability to integrate into one bed, commonly available standard or non-standard adult size mattresses of differing thickness from different manufacturers, taking advantage of the latest sleep comfort technologies available on the market. Another advantage is the ability to exchange one mattress of the integrated bed without affecting the other mattress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Inventor: Michael Norman Terry
  • Patent number: 7034202
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and compositions for heavy metal phytoremediation, including plants which are genetically engineered to overexpress glutamylcysteine synthetase (ECS) and thereby provide enhanced heavy metal accumulation. In various embodiments, the plants comprise a gene encoding ECS operably linked to a heterologous promoter, the plant is a member of the Brassicaceae family. In general, the methods comprise the steps of growing such plants in a medium such as soil or water comprising a heavy metal, under conditions wherein ECS is overexpressed, whereby the plant provides enhanced accumulation of the heavy metal, whereby the heavy metal content of the medium is decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Norman Terry, Elizabeth Pilon-Smits, Yong Liang Zhu
  • Patent number: 6974896
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and compositions for trace element, particularly heavy metal phytoremediation, including plants which are genetically engineered to overexpress a sulfate assimilation pathway enzyme gene and thereby provide enhanced trace element accumulation. In various embodiments, the plants comprise the gene operably linked to a heterologous promoter, the plant is a member of the Brassicaceae family. In general, the methods comprise the steps of growing such plants in a medium such as soil or water comprising a trace element, under conditions wherein the gene is overexpressed, whereby the plant provides enhanced accumulation of the trace element, whereby the trace element content of the medium is decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Norman Terry, Elizabeth Pilon-Smits, Mark de Souza
  • Patent number: 6576816
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and compositions for heavy metal phytoremediation, including plants which are genetically engineered to overexpress glutamylcysteine synthetase (ECS) and thereby provide enhanced heavy metal accumulation. In various embodiments, the plants comprise a gene encoding ECS operably linked to a heterologous promoter, the plant is a member of the Brassicaceae family. In general, the methods comprise the steps of growing such plants in a medium such as soil or water comprising a heavy metal, under conditions wherein ECS is overexpressed, whereby the plant provides enhanced accumulation of the heavy metal, whereby the heavy metal content of the medium is decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Norman Terry, Elizabeth Pilon-Smits, Yong Liang Zhu
  • Publication number: 20020016983
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and compositions for heavy metal phytoremediation, including plants which are genetically engineered to overexpress glutamylcysteine synthetase (ECS) and thereby provide enhanced heavy metal accumulation. In various embodiments, the plants comprise a gene encoding ECS operably linked to a heterologous promoter, the plant is a member of the Brassicaceae family. In general, the methods comprise the steps of growing such plants in a medium such as soil or water comprising a heavy metal, under conditions wherein ECS is overexpressed, whereby the plant provides enhanced accumulation of the heavy metal, whereby the heavy metal content of the medium is decreased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2001
    Publication date: February 7, 2002
    Inventors: Norman Terry, Elizabeth Pilon-Smits, Yong Liang Zhu