Patents by Inventor Tonya An

Tonya An 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: 11421261
    Abstract: A method is provided. The method includes providing an article, the article including a nonwoven substrate having a copolymer grafted thereto, the copolymer including interpolymerized monomer units of a quaternary ammonium-containing ligand monomers; an amide monomer; an oxy monomer; and a coating on the nonwoven substrate, the coating including a plurality of test microorganisms, an enzyme or a second substrate; and contacting the article with a detection medium for a period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Kelvin J. Witcher, Francois Ahimou, Naiyong Jing, Tonya D. Bonilla, Joshua D. Erickson, Hsi-Chou Liu, Andrew W. Vail
  • Publication number: 20220241445
    Abstract: A disinfecting system includes a housing. An ultraviolet light (UV) source is secured to the housing and configured to emit UV light for disinfection of a target. A processor is secured to the housing in communication with the UV light source. The processor is configured to activate the UV light source for a selected amount of time suitable for disinfection of the target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2022
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Inventors: Peter M. Bonutti, Justin Beyers, Tonya M. Bierman
  • Patent number: 11399581
    Abstract: A protective shield for use with headgear includes a unitary panel having a protective portion including opposing first and surfaces The unitary panel additionally includes at least one lateral tab connectable to the headgear. The protective portion is sized to extend over the face of a user when the at least one lateral tab is connected to the headgear and the headgear is worn on the user's head. The unitary panel is selectively connectable to the headgear in at least one of a first configuration and a second configuration. In the first configuration, the at least one lateral tab is connected to the headgear such that the first surface assumes a convex configuration and faces away from the user. In the second configuration, the at least one lateral tab is connected to the headgear such that the first surface assumes a concave configuration and faces toward from the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Racing Optics, Inc.
    Inventors: Bart E. Wilson, Tonya L. Smith
  • Publication number: 20220211008
    Abstract: A method can include receiving a first image depicting a first dog and identifying, with a first model, a first breed for the first dog based on the first image. The method may further include determining, with a second model, a first body condition for the first dog based on the first image; generating, with a third model, a second image depicting the first dog with a second body condition different from the first body condition. The method may also include labeling the first image with indications of the breed and the first body condition, labeling the second image with indications of the breed and the second body condition, and training the second model using the first and second images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Inventors: Everett Hullverson, Brian Michael ZANGHI, Kyu S Cho, Xiao Yang, Tonya Sue Ehlmann, James Clesie Moore
  • Publication number: 20220193732
    Abstract: Methods and devices for sorting cottonseeds. Methods include the use of an optical sorter to sort cottonseed by color. Additionally, methods include sorting cottonseed using a gravity table to collect high-density seed (“accepts”) and mid-density seed (“middlings”), followed by sorting the mid-density, and optionally, the high-density seed using an optical sorter to collect dark cottonseed, thereby providing high-quality cottonseed for packaging. Devices and systems comprising one or more gravity tables and one or more optical sorters are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2022
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Inventors: Sebastian Ulrich SCHMIDT, Jeff RATLIFF, Benno Franz ULFIK, Fatma Alexia VAN WINSSEN, Tonya CROSSLAND, Hartmut HUEBNER
  • Publication number: 20220152427
    Abstract: A device for treating infection within a subject includes an ultrasound transducer for applying ultrasound to a treatment site of the subject. In some embodiments, the device transmits ultrasound in the range of greater than about 20 kHz to about 5 MHz to site of infection. For example, the device can transmit ultrasound from a location outside the body to a location inside the body, such as a sinus. The ultrasound may be suitable for removing biofilm or decreasing the viscosity of mucus. Ultrasound from the device can also have other therapeutic and diagnostic uses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Inventors: Peter M. Bonutti, Justin E. Beyers, Tonya M. Bierman
  • Publication number: 20220133745
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to obeticholic acid formulations with improved stability, dissolution, and/or solubility, methods of preparing the same for use and methods of treating various diseases and conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Inventors: Richard Gail LANCASTER, Kay K. OLMSTEAD, Masashi KAGIHIRO, Mitsuhiro MATONO, Ikuko TAOKA, Mark PRUZANSKI, David SHAPIRO, Roya HOOSHMAND-RAD, Richard PENCEK, Cathi SCIACCA, Lise ELIOT, Jeffrey EDWARDS, Leigh MACCONELL, Tonya MARMON
  • Publication number: 20220133069
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the field of alcohol consumption monitoring. More specifically, the present invention relates to a consumption tracking beverage container which allows a user to track the amount of wine or alcohol that they consume over time from said container. Further, the container may be wirelessly paired to a mobile application on a smart device to allow the user to analyze his or her alcohol consumption trends and patterns over time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2021
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Inventors: Tonya Roth, James Cohron
  • Patent number: 11318217
    Abstract: A disinfecting system includes a housing. An ultraviolet light (UV) source is secured to the housing and configured to emit UV light for disinfection of a target. A processor is secured to the housing in communication with the UV light source. The processor is configured to activate the UV light source for a selected amount of time suitable for disinfection of the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: P TECH, LLC
    Inventors: Peter M. Bonutti, Justin Beyers, Tonya M. Bierman
  • Patent number: 11298723
    Abstract: Methods and devices for sorting cottonseeds. Methods include the use of an optical sorter to sort cottonseed by color. Additionally, methods include sorting cottonseed using a gravity table to collect high-density seed (“accepts”) and mid-density seed (“middlings”), followed by sorting the mid-density, and optionally, the high-density seed using an optical sorter to collect dark cottonseed, thereby providing high-quality cottonseed for packaging. Devices and systems comprising one or more gravity tables and one or more optical sorters are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: BASF AGRICULTURAL SOLUTIONS SEED US LLC
    Inventors: Sebastian Ulrich Schmidt, Jeff Ratliff, Benno Franz Ulfik, Fatma Alexia Van Winssen, Tonya Crossland, Hartmut Huebner
  • Publication number: 20220087882
    Abstract: A diaper outer cover includes a front lateral end (13) and a rear lateral end (19); a first longitudinal edge and a second longitudinal edge; and an adjustment system (400). The adjustment system has an adjustment strip (40) disposed in a leg gasketing system (52) or in a waist feature (50); and multiple engagement points (406). The adjustment system is selected from the group consisting of buckle mechanisms (420), snap mechanisms, lock and key mechanisms (426, 428), tying mechanisms (424), hook and loop mechanisms (405, 407), male and female mechanisms (412, 414) and combinations thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Inventors: Donald Carroll ROE, Udo Friedel SCHOENBORN, Yin CHEN, Sara Lyn GIOVANNI, Tonya Mae Sheldon WEST, Gaëlle Sandra WIZENBERG, Ana Cecilia MONTILLA RAMOS
  • Patent number: 11260140
    Abstract: A microbial indicator device for liquid disinfection comprises a first cavity, a source of biological activity fluidically coupled to the first cavity via a portion of a first fluidic path, a filter membrane positioned in a second fluidic path for a disinfectant, and a first coupling portion fluidically coupled to the source of biologically activity via the second fluidic path. The filter membrane has a first side and a second side, wherein the first side is in fluid communication with the first fluidic path. The filter membrane has a pore size sufficient to retain at least a portion of the source of biological activity on the first side. The device further comprises a frangible container contained in the first cavity, wherein a liquid in the container is in fluid communication with the first cavity when the container is fractured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: G. Marco Bommarito, Timothy J. Nies, Barry W. Robole, Assumpta A. G. Bennaars-Eiden, Jodi L. Connell, Tonya D. Bonilla, Timothy A. Kohman, Ruthann R. Duda
  • Publication number: 20220047752
    Abstract: A method of verifying the efficacy of a disinfection process is provided. The method includes flowing a liquid disinfectant into an indicator device that has a plurality of indicator microorganisms disposed therein, the indicator microorganisms comprising or capable of producing a detectable enzyme activity; contacting the indicator microorganisms with the liquid disinfectant for a predetermined minimum first period of time at a first temperature; after contacting the indicator microorganisms with the liquid disinfectant for the first period of time at the first temperature, contacting the indicator microorganisms for a second period of time with a detection medium comprising a detection reagent; and during or after the second period of time, detecting a quantity of the detectable enzyme activity that was not inactivated by the contact with the disinfectant. The indicator device is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2017
    Publication date: February 17, 2022
    Applicant: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: ASSUMPTA A.G. BENNAARS-EIDEN, G. MARCO BOMMARITO, TONYA D. BONILLA, JODI L. CONNELL, RUTHANN R. DUDA, FEDERICA SGOLASTRA, ANDREW W. VAIL
  • Publication number: 20220039573
    Abstract: This present invention relates to a protective barrier for a rim of a beverage container, such as a glass, cup, mug, or the like. More specifically, the protective barrier is removably attachable on the rim of the beverage container, thereby allowing the user to place his or her lips and mouth on the protective barrier, rather than directly on the beverage container. The protective barrier may be disposable or reusable, and may further be comprised of an antimicrobial substance, an adhesive and a plurality of flavor crystals that release a flavor to the beverage as it is consumed across the protective barrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Inventor: Tonya Pippin
  • Publication number: 20220017939
    Abstract: A self-contained biological sterilization indicator comprises: a housing; bacterial spores comprising, and/or capable of producing, an enzyme capable of catalyzing cleavage of an enzyme substrate; and a frangible container containing a composition, wherein the composition comprises the enzyme substrate, wherein if the frangible container is broken the composition will contact the bacterial spores to form a mixture having an initial pH in the range from 6.0 to 9.0. The enzyme substrate comprises a fluorinated 4?-alkylumbelliferyl ?-D-glucopyranoside represented by the structural formula (I) wherein one of R1 and R2 is F and the other is H, and R3 is an alkyl group having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms. A biological sterilization indicator comprising a kit containing isolated components comprising (i) bacterial spores comprising, and/or capable of producing, an enzyme capable of catalyzing cleavage of the enzyme substrate and a method of assessing efficacy of a sterilization process are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Inventors: Tonya D. Bonilla, Stephen B. Roscoe, George W. Griesgraber
  • Publication number: 20220009261
    Abstract: Provided are processes of applying a decorative imaging to a substrate that includes providing a stamp pad comprising a child and environmentally friendly disperse dye composition, inking a stamp with the disperse dye composition, optionally transferring the disperse dye composition from the stamp to an intermediate ink receptive surface using the rubber stamp to thereby place an image on an intermediate ink receptive surface, and transferring the image to a dye receptive object by application of sufficient heat and pressure. The disperse dye compositions provided herein are safe, environmentally friendly, and able to be used in stamp pad imaging processes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Inventors: Mark W. Cummings, Jana Petrova, Mandy Smith, Paula S. Smith, Tonya N. Tremitiere, John N. Cooper
  • Publication number: 20210382878
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for generating contextually, grammatically, and conversationally correct answers to input questions. Embodiments provide for linguistic and syntactic structure analysis of a submitted question in order to determine whether the submitted question may be answered by at least one headnote. The question is then further analyzed to determine more details about the intent and context of the question. A federated search process, based on the linguistic and syntactic structure analysis, and the additional analysis of the question is used to identify candidate question-answer pairs from a corpus of previously created headnotes. Machine learning models are used to analyze the candidate question-answer pairs, additional rules are applied to rank the candidate answers, and dynamic thresholds are applied to identify the best potential answers to provide to a user as a response to the submitted question.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Gayle McElvain, Tonya Custis, Matthew A. Surprenant, Erik Lindberg
  • Publication number: 20210365815
    Abstract: Optimizing and/or personalizing activities to a user through artificial intelligence and/or virtual reality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Inventors: Peter M. Bonutti, Justin E. Beyers, Tonya M. Bierman
  • Publication number: 20210361498
    Abstract: An absorbent insert includes a first lateral end and a second lateral end; and an adjustable attachment area. The adjustable attachment area includes an adjustment portion and an engageable portion, wherein the adjustment portion is capable of attaching a first segment of the absorbent insert to a second segment of the absorbent insert and wherein the engageable portion is capable of attaching the absorbent insert to an outer cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Inventors: Udo Friedel SCHOENBORN, Tonya Mae Sheldon WEST, Nicolette Johanna Birgitta Maria VANDERKLAAUW, Sara Lyn GIOVANNI
  • Publication number: 20210353785
    Abstract: Systems and methods for detection, treatment, prevention and protection are shown and described. UVC may be used in such applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventors: Peter M. Bonutti, Justin E. Beyers, Tonya M. Bierman