Patents by Inventor W. Hughes

W. Hughes 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: 20180229663
    Abstract: A trunk mounted storage rack for sport utility vehicles (SUV) securely restrains grocery bags and prevents damage to fragile items contained therein. The trunk mounted storage rack includes a top shelf, a center shelf, a bottom shelf, an upper support frame, a center support frame, a lower support frame, a safety net, and a top-level barrier. The top shelf, the center shelf, and the bottom shelf are sized to closely fit in the trunk of the SUV. The center support frame suspends the top shelf over the center shelf. Similarly, the lower support frame suspends the center shelf and the top shelf over the bottom shelf. The upper support frame allows the top-level barrier and the safety net to mount onto the top shelf. The safety net prevents grocery bags from falling out of the back of the top shelf, the center shelf, and the bottom shelf.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventor: Gary W. Hughes
  • Patent number: 10028246
    Abstract: Femtocells are often used to extend the coverage of wireless telecommunication networks, but do not typically incorporate mechanisms that allow their location to be easily ascertained. As described herein, a system may determine the locations of femtocells, based on the locations of user devices that attach to, detach from, handover between, and/or detect the femtocells. A map (such as a three-dimensional map) may be generated based on the determined locations of femtocells. The locations of femtocells may be used, for example, in emergency broadcast situations, in order to ensure that messages are distributed as completely as possible in a given region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: David Chiang, Donna L. Polehn, Steven R. Rados, Thomas W. Haynes, Kent W. Hughes
  • Publication number: 20180184734
    Abstract: A protective garment having first and second cape sleeves is provided, wherein the first cape sleeve is a mirror image of the second cape sleeve. Each cape sleeve includes a first half-chest portion and a second half-chest portion. A sleeve is integral to the chest portions. A first half-closure is disposed on the first half-chest portion and a second half closure is disposed on the second half-chest portion. The first cape sleeve is fastenable to the second cape sleeve to assemble the garment, wherein the first half closure on the first half-chest portion of the first cape sleeve is fastened to the second half closure on the second half chest portion of the second cape sleeve, and the second half closure on the second half-chest portion of the first cape sleeve is fastened to the first half closure on the first half chest portion on the second cape sleeve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2016
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventors: Griffith W. Hughes, Jon C. Hughes
  • Patent number: 9894502
    Abstract: A system may be configured to determine a floor of a building in which the user device is located at a time a call was placed. The information, indicating the determined floor, may be provided to a callee, such as a public safety answering point (“PSAP”). The floor may be determined based on, for example, comparing an altitude of the user device and/or a list of networks or devices that are visible to the user device, to a set of reference information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: John F. Macias, Lalit R. Kotecha, Thomas H. Tan, Thaddeus J. Dudziak, Kent W. Hughes, Mingxing S. Li, Sagiv Draznin
  • Patent number: 9878283
    Abstract: A system for the removal of oxygen from an inert atmosphere includes a media housed in a body and passes the inert atmosphere through the media using a fan, where delivery of power from a power source to the fan is stopped when a temperature proximate the media exceeds a predetermined temperature or when the oxygen level exceeds a predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: WEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Melvin W. Hughes, Ronald S. Hood, William Carter Mathews, Dmitry Vernik
  • Patent number: 9852601
    Abstract: A wearable device may connect to a wearable device over a short-range wireless connection. The user device may receive sensor data from the wearable device, where the wearable device has sensors. The user device may determine that a safety alert parameter has been met, and in response generate an audible alarm. The device may then determine that the connection between the user device and the wearable device has been disconnected, and in response, generate a second audible alarm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John J. Auvenshine, Perry J. Gallo, Scott W. Hughes
  • Publication number: 20170352247
    Abstract: A wearable device may connect to a wearable device over a short-range wireless connection. The user device may receive sensor data from the wearable device, where the wearable device has sensors. The user device may determine that a safety alert parameter has been met, and in response generate an audible alarm. The device may then determine that the connection between the user device and the wearable device has been disconnected, and in response, generate a second audible alarm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: John J. Auvenshine, Perry J. Gallo, Scott W. Hughes
  • Publication number: 20170342671
    Abstract: A plow assembly for forming a trench within soil of a selected land area. The plow assembly has a blade element, a displacement element, and an attachment element that permits attachment of the plow assembly to a vehicle, such as a tractor. A first end of the displacement element is secured to a distal end of the blade element, and a second end of the displacement element is spaced from a rear edge of the blade element and connected to a pipe. The displacement element has a variable diameter that increases moving from the first end of the displacement element to the second end of the displacement element. As the plow assembly is advanced within soil, the cutting edge of the blade element cuts through the soil and the displacement element displaces the soil to form the trench and pulls the pipe into the trench as the trench is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventor: PRESTON W. HUGHES, III
  • Patent number: 9810685
    Abstract: Provided is a process for creating a 3D metabolically active microtissue perfused with living microvessels which have a direct fluidic connection with neighboring microfluidic channels. The process comprises preparing a template comprising a plurality of channels, and creating a network within said channels, said network comprising microfluidic channels, metabolically active living microvessels, and microtissues. The microvessels can sprout from said microvessels and/or form within the microtissue in response to a stimulus applied from said microfluidic channels or stimulus derived from the said tissues. In another embodiment, a device is provided comprising a supportive structure, one or more microfluidic channels, one or more microtissue compartments, and one or more microvessels, whereby the microvessels connect said microfludic channels and microtissue and perfuse the microtissue to deliver fluid from the microfluidic channels to the microtissues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Steven C. George, Christopher C. W. Hughes, Abraham P. Lee, Monica Moya, Yu-Hsiang Hsu
  • Patent number: 9796391
    Abstract: A user device may be used to prevent a user from driving a vehicle while distracted by the user device. The user device may create a user profile, determine whether the user is driving, and collect usage data while the user is driving. The user profile may include information regarding the driver's propensity to be distracted while driving and the usage data may include information on whether the user is actually distracted by the user device. The user device may determine whether the driver is distracted based on the user profile and the usage data, and may respond in one or more ways, such as by alerting the driver with an audio signal, disabling a feature of the user device, logging instances of user distraction with a diagnostics device, activating a braking system of the vehicle, warning nearby drivers about the driver being distracted, and more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Olson, Steven R. Rados, Kent W. Hughes, Kumar Sanjeev, Donna L. Polehn, David Chiang, Nithya Krishnaswamy
  • Publication number: 20170284451
    Abstract: A nut fastener is provided for locking the nut to prevent inadvertent loosening of the nut. The nut fastener is particularly useful for tightening a wheel onto an axle. The nut fastener includes a nut, a collar and a retaining ring. The nut is unlocked by pushing on an engagement surface of the collar or by riding ratchet teeth over each other. When the collar is released, the collar locks against the nut to resist rotation of the nut.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Mark W. Hughes, Daniel T. Jimenez
  • Patent number: 9773401
    Abstract: A wearable device may connect to a wearable device over a short-range wireless connection. The user device may receive sensor data from the wearable device, where the wearable device has sensors. The user device may determine that a safety alert parameter has been met, and in response generate an audible alarm. The device may then determine that the connection between the user device and the wearable device has been disconnected, and in response, generate a second audible alarm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John J. Auvenshine, Perry J. Gallo, Scott W. Hughes
  • Publication number: 20170253858
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of inducing and/or promoting cardiomyocyte maturation comprising: providing an immature cardiomyocyte; providing a three dimensional (3D) cardiac extracellular matrix (ECM) scaffold; and inducing and/or promoting cardiomyocyte cell maturation by seeding the immature cardiomyocyte in the 3D cardiac ECM scaffold and harvesting once the cardiomyocyte has reached maturity. Also disclosed herein are methods of treating a disease in a mammal comprising transplanting a mature cardiomyocyte into an ischemic heart, wherein the mature cardiomyocyte is generated comprising the steps of: providing an immature cardiomyocyte; providing a 3D cardiac ECM scaffold; and generating mature cardiomyocyte by seeding the immature cardiomyocyte in a 3D cardiac ECM scaffold or co-culturing the immature cardiomyocyte in the presence of endothelial cells or stromal cells; and harvesting once the cardiomyocyte has reached maturity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Applicant: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Ashley H. Fong, Christopher C.W. Hughes
  • Patent number: 9743316
    Abstract: A system may be configured to receive analytics information regarding a cell of a wireless telecommunications network. The cell may be associated with multiple carriers, which may each be associated with, for example, a particular radio access technology (“RAT”), frequency band, or frequency sub-band. The system may dynamically rank the carriers based on measures of load associated with the carriers (as indicated by the analytics information), and may generate system information blocks (“SIBs”) that include the dynamic rankings. The SIBs may be provided to user devices, which may select carriers, via which to connect to the cell, based on the dynamic rankings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: John F. Macias, Deepak Kakadia, Kent W. Hughes, Lalit R. Kotecha, Maria G. Lam, Priscilla Lau
  • Patent number: 9724248
    Abstract: A nonwoven composite that exhibits latent elastic properties is provided. The composite is formed from a multi-layered, elastic film laminated to a nonwoven web facing. Latent elasticity is imparted to the composite through the use of at least one base layer that contains a thermoplastic elastomer and at least one skin layer that contains a propylene/?-olefin copolymer. During formation, the film is stretched in one or more directions to orient the elastomer chains. Without intending to be limited by theory, the present inventors believe that the oriented state of the chains may be held in place by the relatively stiff semi-crystalline domains of the propylene/?-olefin copolymer. The stretched elastic film may subsequently be relaxed and bonded to a nonwoven web facing to form the composite. The composite may be later activated (e.g., heated at or above the softening point of the copolymer) to soften the crystalline domains and allow the chains to return to their unoriented state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Janis W. Hughes, Glynis A. Walton, Patricia H. Calhoun, Oomman P. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20170189851
    Abstract: A system for the removal of oxygen from an inert atmosphere includes a media housed in a body and passes the inert atmosphere through the media using a fan, where delivery of power from a power source to the fan is stopped when a temperature proximate the media exceeds a predetermined temperature or when the oxygen level exceeds a predetermined level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Inventors: MELVIN W. HUGHES, RONALD S. HOOD, WILLIAM CARTER MATHEWS, DMITRY VERNIK
  • Patent number: 9683596
    Abstract: A nut fastener is provided for locking the nut to prevent inadvertent loosening of the nut. The nut fastener is particularly useful for tightening a wheel onto an axle. The nut fastener includes a nut, a collar and a retaining ring. The nut is unlocked by pushing on an engagement surface of the collar or by riding ratchet teeth over each other. When the collar is released, the collar locks against the nut to resist rotation of the nut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignees: MacLean-Fogg Company, Stemco LP
    Inventors: Mark W. Hughes, Daniel T. Jimenez
  • Publication number: 20170130187
    Abstract: A pressure regulator module for a chip-based microfluidic platform is provided. The module includes a microfluidic channel for passing flowable material from the inlet region through the outlet region and into a downstream compartment; one or more microvalves fluidly connected to the microfluidic channel and upstream of the outlet region; and one or more reservoirs fluidly connected to the microvalves, for receiving flowable material diverted by the microvalves, where a flow of flowable material passing from the inlet region toward the downstream compartment is at least partially diverted by the microvalves into the reservoirs as a result of a pressure increase in the microfluidic channel. In some versions, the microvalves are capillary burst valves. A microfluidic chip containing the module and a method of using the module are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventors: Abraham P. Lee, Xiaolin Wang, Duc Phan, Christopher C.W. Hughes, Steven C. George
  • Publication number: 20170099863
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for cooking rice includes a presoak tank a hydrating and cooking tank, and a cooling tank. A first transfer mechanism connected to transfer rice from the pre-soak tank to the hydrating an cooking tank. A second transfer mechanism connected to transfer rice from the hydrating an cooking tank to the cooling tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Applicant: Lyco Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel D. Maupin, Steven W. Hughes, Jeff S. Zittel, Eric J. Jameson, Steven J. Schultz
  • Patent number: D786493
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Ericson Manufacturing Co.
    Inventors: Ronald W. Hughes, Jeffrey R. Angle, John Ericson, III