Patents by Inventor Paul L. Herrera

Paul L. Herrera 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: 11961348
    Abstract: A maze-based switch generally having three functional blocks is disclosed. The first functional block handles communications by accepting an entered maze pattern from an external system controller and outputting the entered maze pattern (and optionally its directional complement) to the second functional block. The second functional block stores the maze pattern (and optionally its directional complement) to a permanent storage element and outputs the stored, entered maze pattern and its directional complement to a series of transistors in the third functional block. The third functional block is an electronic maze in which a correct maze pattern and its directional complement must be received by the transistors for the transistors to pass electrical power through the electronic maze to a connected element. The third functional block may alternatively be implemented with optical elements, optoelectronic elements, microelectromechanical elements, or elements formed by other microsystem technologies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Paul C. Galambos, Keith Ortiz, Brent T. Meyer, Sean Yen, Gilbert V. Herrera, Anthony L. Lentine, Gwendolyn Hummel, Robin B. Jacobs-Gedrim
  • Patent number: 5285941
    Abstract: A car storage system is disclosed which mounts to the ceiling of an automobile to provide storage for small items carried by a vehicle operator such as cassette tapes, compact discs, gloves, sunglasses, nasal tissue, and/or maps. The car storage system is adjustably mountable to the ceiling of an automobile such that any of the above items are easily within reach of a vehicle operator. The car storage system comprises a support member which is adjustable to any ceiling width and is mounted using pivotable flanges secured behind the trim molding normally placed about a vehicle's ceiling. A storage member which comprises a plurality of individual storage compartments is removably connected to the support member in order to provide the storage area for any of the above items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1994
    Inventor: Paul L. Herrera