Patents by Inventor Steven A. Curtis

Steven A. Curtis 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: 8041661
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems, and computer-readable media for determining stability of a neural system. The method includes tracking a function world line of an N element neural system within at least one behavioral space, determining whether the tracking function world line is approaching a psychological stability surface, and implementing a quantitative solution that corrects instability if the tracked function world line is approaching the psychological stability surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Steven A. Curtis
  • Publication number: 20110160299
    Abstract: A companion pet diet meeting ordinary nutritional requirements for an aged pet and further comprising a sufficient amount of antioxidant or mixture thereof, to inhibit the deterioration of the mental capacity of an aged companion pet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Curtis Zicker, Karen J. Wedekind
  • Publication number: 20110124318
    Abstract: An advanced advertising systems/method that is especially useful with billboard advertisements, physical location of business, TV ads, radio ads and/or local services that are available within a specified zone/area or specific vicinity. More specifically the invention relates to either a system/method that allows a user to easily obtain information via GPS location and/or an identifier code from an advertisement or the like via a Smartphone/Smart device or any other type of interactive apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2009
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Inventor: Steven Curtis Ayer
  • Publication number: 20110066284
    Abstract: A method of determining complete sensor requirements for autonomous mobility of an autonomous system includes computing a time variation of each behavior of a set of behaviors of the autonomous system, determining mobility sensitivity to each behavior of the autonomous system, and computing a change in mobility based upon the mobility sensitivity to each behavior and the time variation of each behavior. The method further includes determining the complete sensor requirements of the autonomous system through analysis of the relative magnitude of the change in mobility, the mobility sensitivity to each behavior, and the time variation of each behavior, wherein the relative magnitude of the change in mobility, the mobility sensitivity to each behavior, and the time variation of each behavior are characteristic of the stability of the autonomous system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: NASA HQ's.
    Inventor: Steven A. Curtis
  • Publication number: 20110059202
    Abstract: Compositions and methods to promote bone development, enhance neurologic development, enhance cognitive and motor skills, promote a healthy body composition, and/or reduce the fat of a growing animal are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Inventors: Steven Curtis Zicker, Ryan Michael Yamka, Kim Gene Friesen
  • Publication number: 20110059138
    Abstract: Compositions and methods useful to enhance the development of the immune system of a growing animal are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Applicant: Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Michael Yamka, Kim Gene Friesen, Steven Curtis Zicker
  • Patent number: 7769488
    Abstract: A reconfigurable structure includes a plurality of selectively extensible and retractable limbs, at least one node pivotably receiving respective ends of at least two limbs, and an actuator associated with each limb for extending and retracting the limb. The structure may further include an addressable module associated with each actuator to control the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Steven A. Curtis
  • Publication number: 20100179671
    Abstract: A system, method, and computer readable-media for creating a stable synthetic neural system. The method includes training an intellectual choice-driven synthetic neural system (SNS), training an emotional rule-driven SNS by generating emotions from rules, incorporating the rule-driven SNS into the choice-driven SNS through an evolvable interface, and balancing the emotional SNS and the intellectual SNS to achieve stability in a nontrivial autonomous environment with a Stability Algorithm for Neural Entities (SANE). Generating emotions from rules can include coding the rules into the rule-driven SNS in a self-consistent way. Training the emotional rule-driven SNS can occur during a training stage in parallel with training the choice-driven SNS. The training stage can include a self assessment loop which measures performance characteristics of the rule-driven SNS against core genetic code.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2009
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
    Inventor: Steven A. Curtis
  • Publication number: 20100137404
    Abstract: Compositions and methods for regulating gene expression in a growing animal are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Applicant: HILL'S PET NUTRITION, INC.
    Inventors: Ryan Michael Yamka, Kim Gene Friesen, Steven Curtis Zicker, Nolan Zebulon Frantz, Xiangming Gao
  • Publication number: 20100108346
    Abstract: A building entrance terminal box using modular panels. The connection chamber of the box receives modular panels which snap into place without the need for screws. Each module includes a prewired surge protection field and output wire termination device. The surge protection field is also prewired to a connector for mating with the input wire termination device in the splice chamber. When the module is snapped into place, a connection is made with a grounding bar automatically. Various size modules may be used within a box.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventor: Mark Steven CURTIS
  • Publication number: 20100104599
    Abstract: Compositions and methods useful to enhance the development of the immune system of a growing animal are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Inventors: Ryan Michael Yamka, Kim Gene Friesen, Steven Curtis Zicker
  • Publication number: 20100093859
    Abstract: Compositions and methods useful to enhance neurologic development of a growing animal are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Michael Yamka, Kim Gene Friesen, Steven Curtis Zicker
  • Publication number: 20090227665
    Abstract: The invention provides compositions for preventing or treating kidney disease and improving kidney function comprising at least two ingredients selected from the group consisting of antioxidants and mitochondrial cofactors in amounts sufficient for preventing or treating kidney disease or for improving kidney function and methods for preventing and treating kidney disease or improving kidney function comprising administering such compositions to an animal susceptible to or suffering from kidney disease or impaired kidney function. In a preferred embodiment, the composition is admixed with one or more food ingredients to produce a food composition useful for preventing or treating kidney disease and improving kidney function, particularly in senior animals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Applicant: Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Curtis Zicker, Karen Joy Wedekind
  • Publication number: 20090155393
    Abstract: A method for increasing the longevity of an old animal comprising administering to the animal a composition comprising one or more antioxidants in a total antioxidant amount sufficient to increase the longevity of the animal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Inventors: Steven Curtis Zicker, Karen Joy Wedekind
  • Patent number: 7512568
    Abstract: An evolvable synthetic neural system includes an evolvable neural interface operably coupled to at least one neural basis function. Each neural basis function includes an evolvable neural interface operably coupled to a heuristic neural system to perform high-level functions and an autonomic neural system to perform low-level functions. In some embodiments, the evolvable synthetic neural system is operably coupled to one or more evolvable synthetic neural systems in a hierarchy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Steven A. Curtis
  • Publication number: 20090083201
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems, and computer-readable media for determining stability of a neural system. The method includes tracking a function world line of an N element neural system within at least one behavioral space, determining whether the tracking function world line is approaching a psychological stability surface, and implementing a quantitative solution that corrects instability if the tracked function world line is approaching the psychological stability surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: USA as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Admi.
    Inventor: Steven A. Curtis
  • Publication number: 20090012142
    Abstract: Compositions and methods for increasing lean muscle mass and/or reducing fat gain in growing animals by feeding the animals a composition having a total lysine to metabolizable energy ratio of from about 2.5 to about 6 g/Mcal and comprising (a) arginine in a total arginine to total lysine ratio of from about 1.1 to about 1.6; (b) isoleucine in a total isoleucine to total lysine ratio of from about 0.8 to about 1.3; (c) leucine in a total leucine to total lysine ratio of from about 1.8 to about 3.0; (d) valine in a total valine to total lysine ratio of from about 0.8 to about 1.4; and (e) methionine and cystine in a total methionine plus cystine to total lysine ratio of from about 0.8 to about 1.7.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2006
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Inventors: Ryan Michael Yamka, Kim Gene Friesen, Steven Curtis Zicker
  • Publication number: 20090004299
    Abstract: A method for inhibiting a decline in learning and/or memory in an animal comprising maintaining the animal on an antioxidant-fortified diet for a period of at least about 3 years. The diet comprises at least one antioxidant in a total antioxidant amount effective to achieve such inhibition. Suitable antioxidants include vitamin E, vitamin C, ?-lipoic acid and antioxidant-containing plant meals. The methods are particularly useful for young adult canines such as dogs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2005
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Inventors: Karen Joy Wedekind, Steven Curtis Zicker
  • Publication number: 20080269104
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods for enhancing the quality of life of a growing animal by feeding the animal a quality of life enhancing amount of a composition comprising about 10% by weight protein, about 4% by weight fat, and about 0.05% by weight of at least one omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid. Enhanced quality of life is shown by an improvement in one or more characteristics selected from the group consisting of trainability, cognitive function, motor skills coordination or agility, retinal development, cartilage protection, maintenance of muscle mass, and skin and pelage quality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Inventors: Steven Curtis Zicker, Kim Gene Friesen, Ryan Michael Yamka
  • Publication number: 20080214653
    Abstract: The invention provides compositions for preventing or treating kidney disease and improving kidney function comprising at least two ingredients selected from the group consisting of antioxidants and mitochondrial cofactors in amounts sufficient for preventing or treating kidney disease or for improving kidney function and methods for preventing and treating kidney disease or improving kidney function comprising administering such compositions to an animal susceptible to or suffering from kidney disease or impaired kidney function. In a preferred embodiment, the composition is admixed with one or more food ingredients to produce a food composition useful for preventing or treating kidney disease and improving kidney function, particularly in senior animals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2006
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Inventors: Steven Curtis Zicker, Karen Joy Wedekind