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U.S. Patents Awarded to Inventors in Massachusetts (June 6)(Targeted News Service Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Targeted News Service Targeted News Service ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 6 -- The following federal patents were awarded to inventors in Massachusetts. *** General Compression Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 6 -- General Compression, Newton, Mass., has been assigned a patent (8,457,800) developed by David Marcus, West Newton, Mass., for a "system and method for conserving energy resources through storage and delivery of renewable energy." The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A system for encouraging the use of renewable energy sources and suitable for the conservation of energy resources through the efficient management of energy storage and delivery includes connections to a power source, an energy storage subsystem, and a power grid. The system includes a power routing subsystem coupled to the source and grid, and adapted to operate in a bypass mode, in which energy is transferred from the source to the grid. The system includes a conversion subsystem coupled to the routing and storage subsystems, and switchable in substantially real-time between a storage mode, in which energy is transferred from the routing to the storage subsystem, and a generation mode, in which energy is transferred from the storage to the routing subsystem for delivery to the grid. The system also includes a controller for directing the modes based at least in part on a market factor." The patent application was filed on Feb. 13, 2012 (13/372,233). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=8,457,800.PN.&OS=PN/8,457,800&RS=PN/8,457,800 Written by Kusum Sangma; edited by Anand Kumar. *** Covidien Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 6 -- Covidien, Mansfield, Mass., has been assigned a patent (8,457,722) developed by Joseph M. Schmitt, Andover, Mass., and Martin Debreczeny, Danville, Calif., for a "device and method for monitoring body fluid and electrolyte disorders." The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "Devices and methods for measuring body fluid-related metric using spectrophotometry that may be used to facilitate diagnosis and therapeutic interventions aimed at restoring body fluid balance. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a device for measuring a body-tissue water content metric as a fraction of the fat-free tissue content of a patient using optical spectrophotometry. The device includes a probe housing configured to be placed near a tissue location which is being monitored; light emission optics connected to the housing and configured to direct radiation at the tissue location; light detection optics connected to the housing and configured to receive radiation from the tissue location; and a processing device configured to process radiation from the light emission optics and the light detection optics to compute the metric where the metric includes a ratio of the water content of a portion of patient's tissue in relation to the lean or fat-free content of a portion of patient's tissue." The patent application was filed on Sept. 30, 2005 (11/239,815). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=8,457,722.PN.&OS=PN/8,457,722&RS=PN/8,457,722 Written by Kusum Sangma; edited by Anand Kumar. *** Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 6 -- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, has been assigned a patent (8,457,711) developed by Reza Nezafat, Newton, Mass., and Warren Manning, Natick, Mass., for a "magnetic resonance imaging of coronary venous structures." The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A method and system for magnetic resonance imaging comprises applying at least one radiofrequency magnetization transfer (MT) pulse to a coronary venous region of a subject positioned within a magnetic field, and acquiring magnetic resonance imaging data from the coronary venous region to produce an image of a coronary venous structure. This technique can be utilized as part of a 3D free-breathing, ECG-triggered gradient-echo Cartesian acquisition of the coronary region. One or more magnetization transfer (MT) preparation pulses are used to enhance the contrast between venous blood and myocardium. The MT preparation results in myocardial signal suppression without any significant signal loss in the arterial or venous blood so as to maintain venous blood signal-to-noise ratio while improving contrast between myocardium and veins. The image of a coronary venous structure can be acquired in connection with an interventional cardiovascular procedure, such as a cardiac resynchronization therapy." The patent application was filed on Jan. 30, 2008 (12/011,992). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=8,457,711.PN.&OS=PN/8,457,711&RS=PN/8,457,711 Written by Kusum Sangma; edited by Anand Kumar. *** Massachusetts Institute of Technology Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 6 -- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass., has been assigned a patent (8,457,769) developed by David Merrill, Somerville, Mass., for an "interactive audio recording and manipulation system." The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A system for interactive audio recording and manipulation may include a controller having at least one two-axis analog control and plurality of control buttons. The controller may be coupled to a computing device including a processor, a memory, and an audio interface including at least one audio input port to accept an input audio signal and at least one audio output port to provide an output audio signal. The system may perform actions in response to inputs from the controller. The actions may include recording the audio input signal as a recorded track, playing the recorded track to provide an audio output signal, scrubbing the recorded track in response to activation of the two-axis analog control along a first axis, and pitch-shifting one of the input audio signal and the output audio signal in response to activation of the two axis analog control along a second axis." The patent application was filed on Jan. 3, 2008 (11/969,170). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=8,457,769.PN.&OS=PN/8,457,769&RS=PN/8,457,769 Written by Kusum Sangma; edited by Anand Kumar. *** OmniVision Technologies Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 6 -- OmniVision Technologies, Santa Clara, Calif., has been assigned a patent (8,457,423) developed by Amit Ashok, Tucson, Ariz., and Joseph C. Dagher, Cambridge, Mass., for an "object-based optical character recognition pre-processing algorithm." The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A method of pre-processing a defocused image of an object includes applying an object-based sharpening filter on the defocused image to produce a sharper image; and quantizing the sharper image using block-wise quantization. A system for generating decoded text data from alphanumeric information printed upon an object includes a camera that obtains image data of the alphanumeric information. The system also includes a pre-processor that (a) performs block-wise quantization of the image data to form conditioned image data, and (b) performs optical character recognition on the conditioned image data to generate the decoded text data." The patent application was filed on Sept. 6, 2011 (13/226,155). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=8,457,423.PN.&OS=PN/8,457,423&RS=PN/8,457,423 Written by Amal Ahmed; edited by Jaya Anand. *** American Science and Engineering Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 6 -- American Science and Engineering, Billerica, Mass., has been assigned a patent (8,457,274) developed by four co-inventors for a "system and methods for intrapulse multi-energy and adaptive multi-energy X-ray cargo inspection." The co-inventors are Anatoli Arodzero, Billerica, Mass., Martin Rommel, Lexington, Mass., Aleksandr Saverskiy, North Andover, Mass., and Rajen Sud, Burlington, Mass. The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "Methods and systems for x-ray inspection of an object using pulses whose spectral composition varies during the course of each pulse. A temporal sequence of pulses of penetrating radiation is generated such that the spectral content of each pulse evolves with time. The pulses are formed into a beam that is scanned across the object and detected after traversing the object. The detector signal is processed to derive at least one material characteristic of the object, such as effective atomic number, on the basis of temporal evolution of the detector signal during the course each pulse of the sequence of pulses. The time intervals may be predetermined, or else adapted based on features of the detected signal." The patent application was filed on Oct. 17, 2011 (13/274,683). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=8,457,274.PN.&OS=PN/8,457,274&RS=PN/8,457,274 Written by Amal Ahmed; edited by Jaya Anand. *** L-3 Communications Security and Detection Systems Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 6 -- L-3 Communications Security and Detection Systems, Woburn, Mass., has been assigned a patent (8,457,273) developed by Andrew Dean Foland, Cambridge, Mass., for "generating a representation of an object of interest." The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A volumetric image of a space is acquired from an imaging system. The space includes an object of interest and another object, and the volumetric image includes data representing the object of interest and the other object. A two-dimensional radiograph of the space is acquired from the imaging system. The two-dimensional radiograph of the space includes data representing the object of interest and the other object. The two-dimensional radiograph and the volumetric image are compared at the imaging system. A two-dimensional image is generated based on the comparison. The generated two-dimensional image includes the object of interest and excludes the other object." The patent application was filed on Feb. 7, 2011 (13/022,122). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=8,457,273.PN.&OS=PN/8,457,273&RS=PN/8,457,273 Written by Amal Ahmed; edited by Jaya Anand. *** Lockheed Martin Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 6 -- Lockheed Martin, Bethesda, Md., has been assigned a patent (8,457,406) developed by five co-inventors for "identifying descriptor for person and object in an image." The co-inventors are Gianfranco Doretto, Albany, N.Y., Xiaogang Wang, Cambridge, Mass., Thomas B. Sebastian, Flemington, N.J., Jens Rittscher, Ballston Lake, N.Y., and Peter H. Tu, Niskayuna, N.Y. The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A device and method for processing an image to create appearance and shape labeled images of a person or object captured within the image. The appearance and shape labeled images are unique properties of the person or object and can be used to re-identify the person or object in subsequent images. The appearance labeled image is an aggregate of pre-stored appearance labels that are assigned to image segments of the image based on calculated appearance attributes of each image segment. The shape labeled image is an aggregate of pre-stored shape labels that are assigned to image segments of the image based on calculated shape attributes of each image segment. An identifying descriptor of the person or object can be computed based on both the appearance labeled image and the shape labeled image. The descriptor can be compared with other descriptors of later captured images to re-identify a person or object." The patent application was filed on March 26, 2012 (13/430,413). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=8,457,406.PN.&OS=PN/8,457,406&RS=PN/8,457,406 Written by Amal Ahmed; edited by Jaya Anand. *** Hologic Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 6 -- Hologic, Bedford, Mass., has been assigned a patent (8,457,282) developed by four co-inventors for a "method and system for controlling X-ray focal spot characteristics for tomosynthesis and mammography imaging." The co-inventors are Ren Baorui, Andover, Mass., Jay Stein, Boston, Zhenxue Jing, Chadds Ford, Pa., and Andrew Smith, Lexington, Mass. The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "An x-ray tube is described that includes components for increasing x-ray image clarity in the presence of a moving x-ray source by modifying focal spot characteristics, including focal spot size and focal spot position. In a first arrangement a static focal spot is moved in a direction contrary to the movement of the x-ray source so that an effective focal spot position is essentially fixed in space relative to one of the imaged object and/or detector during a tomosynthesis exposure. In a second arrangement, the size of the static focal spot is increased, and the resulting increase in tube current reduces the exposure time and concomitant blur effect. The methods may be used alone or in combination; for example an x-ray tube with a larger, moveable static focal spot will result in a system that fully utilizes the x-ray tube generator, provides a high quality image with reduced blur and, due to the decrease in exposure time, may scan the patient more quickly." The patent application was filed on Nov. 23, 2009 (12/623,472). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=8,457,282.PN.&OS=PN/8,457,282&RS=PN/8,457,282 Written by Amal Ahmed; edited by Jaya Anand. *** Demandware Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 6 -- Demandware, Woburn, Mass., has been assigned a patent (8,457,298) developed by Stephan Schambach, Concord, Mass., for a "method and system for profiling multi-channel consumers in a call center environment." The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A method of providing information related to a user's web browser session to an agent, while the agent is processing a call from the user, includes creating an association between a telephone number and the user's web browser session. The user employs the telephone number to place a telephone call. The method further includes receiving the telephone call from the user, and determining, upon receipt of the telephone call from the user, the telephone number with which the user placed the call. The method further includes using the determined telephone number and the association to identify the information related to the user's web browser session. The method also includes routing the telephone call and the information related to the user's web browser session to the agent." The patent application was filed on May 9, 2007 (11/801,577). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=8,457,298.PN.&OS=PN/8,457,298&RS=PN/8,457,298 Written by Amal Ahmed; edited by Jaya Anand. *** Cognex Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 6 -- Cognex, Natick, Mass., has been assigned a patent (8,457,390) developed by four co-inventors for a "method and apparatus for training a probe model based machine vision system." The co-inventors are Simon Barker, Sudbury, Mass., Adam Wagman, Wilmington, Mass., Aaron Wallack, Natick, Mass., and David J. Michael, Wayland, Mass. The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A method for training a pattern recognition algorithm for a machine vision system that uses models of a pattern to be located, the method comprising the steps of training each of a plurality of models using a different training image wherein each of the training images is a version of a single image of the pattern at a unique coarse image resolution, using the models to identify at least one robust image resolution where the image resolution is suitable for locating the pattern within an accuracy limit of the actual location of the pattern in the image and storing the at least one robust image resolution for use in subsequent pattern recognition processes." The patent application was filed on Oct. 10, 2008 (12/249,318). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=8,457,390.PN.&OS=PN/8,457,390&RS=PN/8,457,390 Written by Amal Ahmed; edited by Jaya Anand. *** Cisco Technology Assigned Patent for Wideband Cable System ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 6 -- Cisco Technology, San Jose, Calif., has been assigned a patent (8,457,156) developed by five co-inventors for a wideband cable system. The co-inventors are John T. Chapman, Saratoga, Calif., Alvar A. Dean, Groton, Mass., Richard J. Santarpio, Hudson, Mass., John P. Prokopik, Auburn, N.H., and Michael J. Healy, Berlin, Mass. The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A wideband cable modem system increases available bandwidth of a single channel by encoding a data stream into wideband packets. The wideband packets are associated with a logical wideband channel that extends over multiple physical downstream cable channels." The patent application was filed on Aug. 10, 2010 (12/854,009). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=8,457,156.PN.&OS=PN/8,457,156&RS=PN/8,457,156 Written by Amal Ahmed; edited by Jaya Anand. *** Hitachi Data Systems Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 6 -- Hitachi Data Systems, Santa Clara, Calif., has been assigned a patent (8,457,317) developed by David M. Shaw, Newton, Mass., for a "method for data privacy in a fixed content distributed data storage." The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "An archival storage cluster of preferably symmetric nodes includes a data privacy scheme that implements key management through secret sharing. In one embodiment, the protection scheme is implemented at install time. At install, an encryption key is generated, split, and the constituent pieces written to respective archive nodes. The key is not written to a drive to ensure that it cannot be stolen or otherwise compromised. Due to the secret sharing scheme, any t of the n nodes must be present before the cluster can mount the drives. Thus, to un-share the secret, a process runs before the cluster comes up. It contacts as many nodes as possible to attempt to reach a sufficient t value. Once it does, the process un-shares the secret and mounts the drives locally. Given bidirectional communication, this mount occurs more or less at the same time on all t nodes. Once the drives are mounted, the cluster can continue to boot as normal." The patent application was filed on May 7, 2008 (12/116,274). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=8,457,317.PN.&OS=PN/8,457,317&RS=PN/8,457,317 Written by Amal Ahmed; edited by Jaya Anand. *** Verizon Patent and Licensing Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 6 -- Verizon Patent and Licensing, Basking Ridge, N.J., has been assigned a patent (8,458,369) developed by Robert H. Liao, Chestnut Hill, Mass., for an "automatic peripheral discovery, authorization, and sharing across an internet protocol network." The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A wireless mesh includes a plurality of user devices. A list is formed that includes information regarding peripheral devices associated with the user devices. One of the user devices identifies one or more of the peripheral devices that correspond to a particular type of peripheral device and selects, from the identified peripheral devices, a particular peripheral device. The particular peripheral device is associated with another user device, and the user device forms a session, with the other user device, that enables the user device to provide commands to the particular peripheral device via the other user device." The patent application was filed on July 22, 2010 (12/841,677). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=8,458,369&OS=8,458,369&RS=8,458,369 Written by Arpi Sharma; edited by Anand Kumar. *** Apple Assigned Patent for System and Method for Simplified Data Transfer ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 6 -- Apple, Cupertino, Calif., has been assigned a patent (8,458,363) developed by seven co-inventors for a "system and method for simplified data transfer." The co-inventors are Michael Rosenblatt, Newton Centre, Mass., Gloria Lin, San Ramon, Calif., Amir Mahood Mikhak, Cambridge, Mass., Taido Lantz Nakajima, Cupertino, Calif., Sean Anthony Mayo, Dover, N.H., Andrew Hodge, Palo Alto, Calif., and Anthony Michael Fadell, Portola Valley, Calif. The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "Systems and methods of performing a simplified data transfer are provided. For example, a simplified data transfer system may include two or more devices configured to perform a simplified data transfer. The first device may be configured to save and transfer data associated with applications open on the first device. When the second device initiates communication, the first device may automatically send the open application data to the second device." The patent application was filed on Sept. 30, 2008 (12/286,398). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=8,458,363&OS=8,458,363&RS=8,458,363 Written by Arpi Sharma; edited by Anand Kumar. *** Acme Packet Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 6 -- Acme Packet, Beford, Mass., has been assigned a patent (8,457,130) developed by Prashant Kumar, Andover, Mass., Jitender Arora, Nashua, N.H., and Cheng Liu, Acton, Mass., for synchronizing sequence numbers. The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "Systems and methods are disclosed for synchronizing sequence numbers in a packet flow. One such method includes receiving a sequence number synchronization request from a redundancy peer. The sequence number synchronization request is associated with a packet flow. The method also includes incrementing by a fixed amount a packet sequence number for the packet flow, after the sequence number synchronization request. The method also includes transmitting a next packet including the incremented packet sequence number to the communication peer." The patent application was filed on May 2, 2011 (13/098,575). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=8,457,130.PN.&OS=PN/8,457,130&RS=PN/8,457,130 Written by Amal Ahmed; edited by Jaya Anand. *** Dropbox Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 6 -- Dropbox, San Francisco, has been assigned a patent (8,458,033) developed by Paul Graham, Cambridge, Mass., for "determining the relevance of offers." The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "Offers are targeted to consumers by comparing offer profiles and consumer profiles. Offer profiles are created by analyzing the cumulative content of communications associated with consumers who respond to the offers. Consumer profiles are created by analyzing the cumulative content of communications associated with a user of an electronic communications system. An offer may be selected to be sent to a user based on the relative similarity between the user's consumer profile and the offer profile." The patent application was filed on Aug. 11, 2003 (10/639,811). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=8,458,033&OS=8,458,033&RS=8,458,033 Written by Satyaban Rath; edited by Hemanta Panigrahi. *** Barbaro Technologies Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 6 -- Barbaro Technologies, Belmont, Mass., has been assigned a patent (8,458,028) developed by Frances Barbaro Altieri, Belmont, Mass., for a "system and method for integrating business-related content into an electronic game." The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A method of integrating business-related content into the execution of a game application is disclosed. A player of the game application is exposed to the business-related content within the context of the game. User actions within the game cause the game application to transparently re-direct the user to a customized corporate web site containing selected information from a business sponsor. Game-related user actions performed while the player is at the customized corporate web site cause the player to be exposed to additional business-related content from the business sponsor. The player may earn benefits while at the customized corporate web site. Some of the player benefits are real-life benefits external to the game application which may be utilized by the player after finishing the game. A record of external benefits is kept by the business sponsor. Other benefits may be immediately available to the player by pausing the game, thereby allowing the player to access the sponsor's reward program. Following the occurrence of a pre-determined event, the game application transparently re-directs the player back to the original game site." The patent application was filed on Oct. 16, 2002 (10/272,408). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=8,458,028&OS=8,458,028&RS=8,458,028 Written by Satyaban Rath; edited by Hemanta Panigrahi. *** Lockheed Martin Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 6 -- Lockheed Martin, Orlando, Fla., has been assigned a patent (8,457,942) developed by 12 co-inventors for an "exercise monitoring unit for executable architectures." The co-inventors are Gregory A. Harrison, Oviedo, Fla., Salaheddine Saidi, St. Petersburg, Fla., Russell (Russ) Chan, Sunnyvale, Calif., Ann N. McCauslin, Aldie, Va., Howard S. Kern, Silver Spring, Md., Jeffrey S. Coffin, Germantown, Md., David C. Benjamin, Orlando, Fla., Lawrence G. Elliott, Orlando, Fla., Christopher A. Young, Quincy, Mass., Stephen D. Peckham, Brighton, Mass., Michael D. Stewart, Wyncote, Pa., and Mark E. Barbustiak, Atco, N.J. The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "Systems and methods for parallel, discrete, simulations include functional capabilities to incorporate one or more human operators or actors into the simulation process. Such individuals can be presented situations where one or more decisions are necessary with respect to ongoing events. Entered decisions are incorporated into simulated events and activities being simulated. These in turn influence the behavior of those entities and also initiate the occurrence of other time-based processes. An architecture artifact or product can be automatically created or updated by recording how a sequence of events took place. The creation of sections of the DoDAF OV-6C Operational Event Trace architectural diagram, for the executable architecture model, can be automatically performed to dynamically provide event traces in response to a live exercise." The patent application was filed on Oct. 20, 2010 (12/908,597). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=8,457,942&OS=8,457,942&RS=8,457,942 Written by Satyaban Rath; edited by Hemanta Panigrahi. *** TriZetto Group Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 6 -- TriZetto Group, Greenwood Village, Colo., has been assigned a patent (8,457,981) developed by Roy Schoenberg, Boston, for a "bridged patient / provider centric method and system." The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A key organization method and system includes receiving a first access key that grants a patient-defined level of access to a first set of medical records, receiving a second access key that grants a patient-defined level of access to a second set of medical records, and storing the first and second access keys in a centralized key repository." The patent application was filed on Dec. 3, 2003 (10/726,423). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=8,457,981&OS=8,457,981&RS=8,457,981 Written by Satyaban Rath; edited by Hemanta Panigrahi. *** Invention Science Fund I Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 6 -- Invention Science Fund I, Bellevue, Wash., has been assigned a patent (8,457,991) developed by four co-inventors for a "virtual credit in simulated environments." The co-inventors are Edward K.Y. Jung, Bellevue, Wash., Royce A. Levien, Lexington, Mass., Mark A. Malamud, Seattle, and John D. Rinaldo Jr., Bellevue, Wash. The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A method and system provides for the use of credit arrangements in simulated environments. A user can participate in credit transactions involving purchases of virtual products, virtual services, and virtual items of value. Feedback is provided to the user regarding results of the credit transactions. In some embodiments multiple users can make simulated purchases or incur simulated credit obligations that are posted to virtual accounts, and the multiple users can also make simulated compensation against balances due or obligations owed for said virtual accounts. The user is also provided with an opportunity of engaging in real-world financial transactions related to the virtual credit arrangement. In some implementations of the system and method, multiple players at different locations can use virtual charge accounts and/or real world financial accounts in connection with arranging or resolving a virtual credit transaction." The patent application was filed on Oct. 18, 2007 (11/975,723). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=8,457,991&OS=8,457,991&RS=8,457,991 Written by Satyaban Rath; edited by Hemanta Panigrahi. *** Oracle International Assigned Patent for Interactive Product Configurator that Allows Modification to Automated Selections ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 6 -- Oracle International, Redwood Shores, Calif., has been assigned a patent (8,458,050) developed by six co-inventors for "interactive product configurator that allows modification to automated selections." The co-inventors are Claire M. Bagley, Carlisle, Mass., Martin P. Plotkin, Concord, Mass., David J. Kulik, Carlisle, Mass., Michael Colena, Lowell, Mass., Gao Chen, Malden, Mass., and Joyce Ng, Sunnyvale, Calif. The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A product configurator includes a constraint based network that includes a plurality of nodes. The configurator receives one or more user selections and generates one or more automatic selections to form a complete configuration. The configurator receives a request to change the configuration after forming the complete configuration, and retracts the automatic selections. For each of the retracted automatic selections, the configurator determines if the retracted automatic selection is a configuration-defining selection and reasserts the configuration-defining selections." The patent application was filed on Nov. 13, 2008 (12/270,350). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=8,458,050&OS=8,458,050&RS=8,458,050 Written by Satyaban Rath; edited by Hemanta Panigrahi. For more information about Targeted News Service products and services, please contact: Myron Struck, editor, Targeted News Service LLC, Springfield, Va., 703/304-1897; [email protected]; http://targetednews.com. -1127407 (c) 2013 Targeted News Service |