# PatentBrief — Full Corpus

> Plain-English patent education and a growing database of landmark patents, with free interactive tools. Built so founders, inventors, students, and the curious can actually understand patents.

PatentBrief explains what a patent is, what it does and does not cover, how to file one, what it costs, and how the system works — in plain English — and turns famous patents into short, readable briefings. The pages below are free and need no account.

This is the complete machine-readable corpus: the full guide map plus every plain-English patent brief in the database. The concise index is at https://patentbrief.org/llms.txt.

## Start here

- [Patent Basics](https://patentbrief.org/patent-basics): A guided, plain-English path through the fundamentals of patents.
- [What Is a Patent?](https://patentbrief.org/what-is-a-patent): The one-sentence definition, expanded: what a patent grants and the bargain at its core.
- [The Patent Process](https://patentbrief.org/patent-process): Idea to granted patent in eight stages, with the deadlines and the free tool for each step.
- [What a Patent Does NOT Cover](https://patentbrief.org/what-a-patent-does-not-cover): The more useful question — the gaps a patent leaves open, with a worked example.
- [Patent Glossary](https://patentbrief.org/glossary): Every patent term, defined plainly, with cross-references and real examples.

## Guides

- [How to File a Patent](https://patentbrief.org/how-to-file-a-patent): Every step from idea to filing, in plain English.
- [Types of Patent](https://patentbrief.org/patent-types): Utility, design, and plant patents — what each protects and how long it lasts.
- [What a Patent Costs](https://patentbrief.org/patent-cost): USPTO fees, attorney rates, and the realistic all-in total.
- [Provisional vs Non-Provisional](https://patentbrief.org/provisional-vs-nonprovisional): Which application to file first, and the 12-month rule.
- [International Patents](https://patentbrief.org/international-patents): The PCT, foreign filing deadlines, and protecting an invention abroad.
- [Patent Licensing](https://patentbrief.org/patent-licensing): Royalty rates, license types, and deal terms.
- [Patent Assignment](https://patentbrief.org/patent-assignment): Transferring ownership and recording it with the USPTO.
- [Patent Infringement](https://patentbrief.org/patent-infringement): What counts as infringement and what to do about it.
- [Landmark §101 Cases](https://patentbrief.org/patent-eligibility-cases): Alice, Mayo, Diehr, Bilski, Myriad and more — the decisions that decide patent eligibility.
- [What Can Be Patented?](https://patentbrief.org/what-can-be-patented): Software, algorithms, business methods, genes, recipes, AI — what's patentable subject matter and what's excluded.
- [Non-Obviousness (§103)](https://patentbrief.org/patent-obviousness): The most common rejection: the Graham factors, the KSR rationales, and how to overcome an obviousness rejection.
- [Novelty (§102)](https://patentbrief.org/patent-novelty): What counts as prior art, the first-to-file rule, and how the one-year grace period really works.
- [Specification (§112)](https://patentbrief.org/patent-specification): Written description, enablement, definiteness, best mode, and means-plus-function.
- [Patent Litigation](https://patentbrief.org/patent-litigation): The stages of a patent suit, the Markman hearing, remedies (royalty, lost profits, injunction, enhanced damages), and defenses.
- [Inter Partes Review (IPR)](https://patentbrief.org/patent-ipr): How granted patents are challenged at the PTAB — grounds, the lower burden of proof, the timeline, and IPR vs PGR vs reexam.

## Decide between protections

- [Patent vs Copyright](https://patentbrief.org/patent-vs-copyright): Which protects what, and how they differ.
- [Patent vs Trade Secret](https://patentbrief.org/patent-vs-trade-secret): Disclose for exclusivity, or keep it secret?
- [Attorney or DIY?](https://patentbrief.org/patent-attorney-or-diy): When to hire a patent attorney and when to self-file.
- [Patent Pending](https://patentbrief.org/patent-pending): What the status really means, and what it does and doesn't do.

## Free tools

- [Which IP Do I Need?](https://patentbrief.org/tools/which-ip): Patent, trademark, copyright, or trade secret — which fits your situation.
- [Is My Idea Patentable?](https://patentbrief.org/tools/patentability): Run an idea through novelty, non-obviousness, utility, and eligibility.
- [Patent Eligibility Check (§101)](https://patentbrief.org/tools/eligibility-check): Walk the Alice/Mayo two-step to test §101 eligibility.
- [Prior Art Search Starter](https://patentbrief.org/tools/prior-art-search): Build a structured prior-art search plan with queries and links.
- [Patent ROI Calculator](https://patentbrief.org/tools/patent-roi): Decide whether filing is worth it for your invention.
- [Patent Cost Calculator](https://patentbrief.org/tools/patent-cost): Estimate the all-in cost of a patent by entity size and complexity.
- [USPTO Entity Status](https://patentbrief.org/tools/entity-status): Micro, small, or large entity — which USPTO fee tier applies.
- [Inventorship Determiner](https://patentbrief.org/tools/inventorship): Who legally counts as an inventor — and who doesn't.
- [Patent Claim Builder](https://patentbrief.org/tools/claim-builder): Draft a well-formed independent claim element by element.
- [Patent Claim Checker](https://patentbrief.org/tools/claim-checker): Lint a draft claim for the §112 issues examiners reject on.
- [Claim Support Checker (§112)](https://patentbrief.org/tools/claim-support): Check that each claim term is described in the specification.
- [Provisional Patent Generator](https://patentbrief.org/tools/provisional-builder): Draft a structured provisional application fast.
- [Invention Disclosure Builder](https://patentbrief.org/tools/invention-disclosure): Capture an invention on the record before seeing an attorney.
- [Patent Claim Explainer](https://patentbrief.org/tools/explain-claim): Turn dense claim language into plain English.
- [Office Action Deadline Calculator](https://patentbrief.org/tools/office-action): Response deadlines and extension fees for an Office Action.
- [Patent Filing Deadline Calculator](https://patentbrief.org/tools/filing-timeline): Plot the key pre-grant deadlines from your filing date.
- [Claim Dependency Mapper](https://patentbrief.org/tools/claim-tree): Map claim dependencies and tally excess-claim fees.
- [Claim Chart / FTO Tool](https://patentbrief.org/tools/claim-chart): Map a claim against a product for infringement or freedom-to-operate.
- [Patent Claim Diff](https://patentbrief.org/tools/claim-diff): Word-level redline between two versions of a claim.
- [Patent Value Estimator](https://patentbrief.org/tools/patent-value): A heuristic estimate of what a patent is worth.
- [Patent Strength Scorecard](https://patentbrief.org/tools/patent-strength): Grade a patent A+ to F across five axes.
- [Patent Expiry Calculator](https://patentbrief.org/tools/patent-expiry): When a patent lapses, with maintenance-fee deadlines (GATT-aware).
- [Patent Term Adjustment Calculator](https://patentbrief.org/tools/patent-term-adjustment): Estimate the §154(b) B-delay that extends a patent's term.
- [Patent Number Decoder](https://patentbrief.org/tools/patent-number-decoder): Read any patent number — country, type, kind code, and era.
- [Patent Citation Generator](https://patentbrief.org/tools/cite): Cite a patent in Bluebook, APA, MLA, Chicago, IEEE, or BibTeX.

## Explore the database

- [All Patents](https://patentbrief.org/patents): Browse and search the library of explained landmark patents.
- [Topics](https://patentbrief.org/topics): Patents grouped by field and theme.
- [Compare Patents](https://patentbrief.org/compare/multi): Put several patents side by side.

## Optional

- [The Public-Domain Index](https://patentbrief.org/public-domain-index): Original-data study: the landmark patents now in the public domain — the most-cited inventions anyone can legally build on.
- [Open Patent Dataset](https://patentbrief.org/data): Download the landmark-patent index as JSON or CSV — titles, owners, grant years, citations, public-domain status — free to use, with citation formats.
- [Patent Leaderboards](https://patentbrief.org/leaderboards): Most-cited, most-litigated, and most-valuable patents.
- [Free Patent Search](https://patentbrief.org/free-patent-search): Where and how to search patents for free.
- [Patent Trolls Explained](https://patentbrief.org/patent-troll): What patent assertion entities are and how they operate.
- [About PatentBrief](https://patentbrief.org/about): Who builds PatentBrief and why.
- [Methodology](https://patentbrief.org/methodology): How PatentBrief explains patents, and the public records its facts come from.

## Patent briefs (121)

Each patent below links to its full plain-English explainer — what it covers, what it does NOT cover, the actual claim in plain words, and why it matters.

### How to Use CRISPR-Cas9 to Edit Genes in Human Cells
US 8697359 · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · granted 2014
This patent describes a method and system for precisely altering gene expression in eukaryotic cells, including human cells, using an engineered CRISPR-Cas9 system that targets and cleaves specific DNA sequences.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8697359/crispr-gene-editing

### How to Make Many Copies of a Specific DNA Segment
US 4683195 · Cetus Corp · granted 1987
This patent describes the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), a fundamental process for making millions of copies of a specific DNA or RNA segment from a tiny sample, enabling its detection.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4683195/pcr-polymerase-chain-reaction

### How the iPhone's Slide-to-Unlock Gesture Worked
US 7657849 · Apple Inc · granted 2010
Apple's 2010 patent on unlocking a device by dragging a specific graphical image along a predefined path on a touchscreen, a gesture iconic with early iPhones.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7657849/slide-to-unlock

### How RSA Public-Key Encryption Secures Digital Messages
US 4405829 · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · granted 1983
This patent describes the RSA public-key cryptographic system, a method for securely sending digital messages by using a public key to encrypt and a private key to decrypt, based on the mathematical difficulty of factoring large numbers.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4405829/rsa-encryption

### How Touchscreens Tell the Difference Between Your Finger Gestures
US 7479949 · Apple Inc · granted 2009
Apple's 2009 patent describes how a touchscreen device uses clever rules, called heuristics, to figure out whether your finger movement means you want to scroll, pan, or switch items, often by looking at the very start of your touch.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7479949/iphone-multi-touch

### How Early Online Services Delivered Applications Using Networked 'Objects'
US 5347632 · Prodigy Services Co · granted 1994
This patent describes a system for early interactive computer networks, like Prodigy, that allowed personal computers to display information and perform services by fetching and storing small pieces of application code and data called 'objects' from a central network.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5347632/java-programming-language

### How AI Models Use Self-Attention to Understand Language and Sequences
US 10452978 · Google LLC · granted 2019
This patent describes a neural network architecture, known as a Transformer, that uses a self-attention mechanism to process sequences of data, allowing it to understand context and relationships between different parts of the input.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10452978/openai-attention-mechanism

### How Websites Get Ranked by Counting Links and Their Importance
US 6285999 · Leland Stanford Junior University · granted 2001
This patent describes a computer method for scoring and ranking documents in a linked database, like the internet, by evaluating the importance of other documents that link to them.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/6285999/google-pagerank

### How Touchscreens Make Documents Bounce When You Scroll Too Far
US 7469381 · Apple Inc · granted 2008
Apple's 2008 patent describes how a touchscreen device can make a document or list appear to stretch and then snap back when a user scrolls past its natural edge, creating a satisfying elastic feel.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7469381/iphone-rubberbanding

### How Amazon's One-Click Online Ordering System Works
US 5960411 · Amazon com Inc · granted 1999
Amazon's 1997 patent describes a method for buying an item online with just one click, by using previously stored customer and payment information, bypassing the traditional multi-step shopping cart process.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5960411/amazon-one-click

### How Computers Share a Network Cable Without Crashing
US 4063220 · Xerox Corp · granted 1977
This patent describes a system for multiple computers to share a single communication cable, using a clever method to detect when two computers try to talk at the same time and then back off to try again later.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4063220/ethernet-packet-network

### How Computers Agree on a Secret Code Without Meeting First
US 4200770 · Leland Stanford Junior University · granted 1980
This patent describes a method for two parties to create a shared secret encryption key over an open communication channel, even if an eavesdropper is listening, by exchanging specially transformed signals that are extremely difficult to reverse.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4200770/diffie-hellman-public-key-exchange

### How Touchpads Detect Two Fingers for Mouse Clicks and Drags
US 5825352 · Logitech Inc · granted 1998
This patent describes how touchpads can sense two fingers at once by identifying distinct pressure points, allowing for advanced mouse-like controls such as clicking or dragging.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5825352/apple-pinch-to-zoom

### How Computers Shrink Data Using a Dynamic Dictionary
US 4558302 · Sperry Corp · granted 1985
This patent describes a method for compressing data by building a dictionary of repeating character sequences on the fly and replacing those sequences with shorter codes, enabling efficient storage and transmission.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4558302/lzw-compression

### How Early Wi-Fi Handled Bouncing Signals Indoors
US 5487069 · Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization CSIRO · granted 1996
This patent describes how to build a wireless network that can send fast data without errors, even when radio signals bounce off walls and furniture, by using special signal processing techniques.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5487069/wifi-csiro-wireless-lan

### How Early Rechargeable Lithium Batteries Used Layered Materials
US 4009052 · Exxon Research and Engineering Co · granted 1977
This 1977 patent describes a rechargeable battery that uses a metal anode (like lithium) and a layered chalcogenide cathode (like titanium disulfide) where ions move in and out of the cathode's structure.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4009052/rechargeable-lithium-battery

### How to Make Hybrid DNA and Grow It in Microbes
US 4237224 · Leland Stanford Junior University · granted 1980
This patent describes the foundational method for cutting and pasting DNA from different sources to create new, functional DNA molecules, then inserting them into single-celled organisms like bacteria to make copies or produce new proteins.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4237224/cohen-boyer-recombinant-dna

### OncoMouse — The First Patented Animal, Built to Get Cancer
US 4736866 · Harvard University · granted 1988
Philip Leder and Timothy Stewart's 1988 DuPont/Harvard patent on the OncoMouse describes the first genetically engineered animal ever patented — a mouse with an activated cancer gene, used to test cancer drugs.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4736866/harvard-oncomouse

### How Online Stores Suggest 'You Might Also Like' Products
US 6266649 · Amazon com Inc · granted 2001
This Amazon patent describes a system that recommends products to online shoppers by finding items commonly bought together by many users, then suggesting those "similar" items based on what a specific user has already shown interest in.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/6266649/amazon-collaborative-filtering

### Inkjet Printing — How a Hot Wire Discovered the Bubble Jet
US 4723129 · Canon Inc · granted 1988
Canon's 1977 bubble jet patent describes the thermal inkjet process — where a tiny heater vaporizes ink to form a bubble that ejects a droplet — discovered accidentally when a researcher touched a syringe of ink with a hot soldering iron.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4723129/inkjet-bubble-jet-printing

### MRI — The Imaging Machine That Detects Cancer Without Radiation
US 3789832 · Individual · granted 1974
Raymond Damadian's 1974 patent describes using nuclear magnetic resonance to distinguish cancerous tissue from healthy tissue — the foundational discovery that launched MRI scanning, though Damadian controversially did not share the Nobel Prize.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/3789832/mri-cancer-tissue-detection

### The HTTP Cookie — How Websites Remember Who You Are
US 5774670 · Netscape Communications Corp · granted 1998
Lou Montulli's 1998 Netscape patent describes the browser cookie — the mechanism that lets websites store small pieces of data on your computer so they can remember your login, shopping cart, and preferences across page loads.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5774670/http-cookie-browser-state

### Google AdWords — The Auction System That Made Search Profitable
US 6370526 · International Business Machines Corp · granted 2002
Google's 2006 patent describes the pay-per-click auction mechanism behind AdWords — where advertisers bid for keywords, ads are ranked by bid multiplied by quality, and Google only charges when someone clicks, creating the business model that funds the modern internet.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/6370526/google-adwords-pay-per-click

### The Post-it Note Adhesive — Invented as a Failure That Stuck Around
US 4166152 · Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co · granted 1979
Spencer Silver's 3M patent describes the microsphere adhesive that makes Post-it Notes work — an adhesive so weak it was considered a failed experiment until a colleague realized it was perfect for removable notes.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4166152/post-it-note-adhesive

### Pull Down to Refresh — The Gesture in Every Mobile App
US 8448084 · Twitter Inc · granted 2013
Loren Brichter's pull-to-refresh gesture — invented in the Tweetie app in 2008 — is the swipe-down interaction that triggers a reload in virtually every mobile app, acquired by Twitter for $40 million.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8448084/pull-to-refresh-gesture

### How to Buy and Download Digital Music or Movies Over a Phone Line
US 5191573 · Individual · granted 1993
This 1993 patent describes a system for a customer to pay for and download digital audio or video files from a remote server to their own storage device using a phone line.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5191573/first-mp3-music-distribution

### The Battery Cathode That Powers Every Electric Vehicle and Smartphone
US 4302518 · Individual · granted 1981
This patent covers the lithium cobalt oxide cathode — the Nobel Prize–winning invention that made rechargeable lithium-ion batteries practical, enabling EVs, laptops, and smartphones.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4302518/lithium-ion-battery-cathode

### Nylon — The First Synthetic Fiber, Invented at DuPont
US 2130948 · EI Du Pont de Nemours and Co · granted 1938
Wallace Carothers' 1937 DuPont patent describes nylon — the world's first fully synthetic textile fiber, created from coal, water, and air, which launched the synthetic materials industry.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/2130948/nylon-synthetic-fiber

### The IC Manufacturing Method That Made Silicon Valley Possible
US 2981877 · Fairchild Semiconductor Corp · granted 1961
Robert Noyce's planar process patent at Fairchild Semiconductor — the fabrication method that made integrated circuits manufacturable at scale, launching the semiconductor industry and Silicon Valley.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/2981877/noyce-planar-integrated-circuit

### The Transistor — The Invention That Made the Digital Age Possible
US 2569347 · Bell Telephone Laboratories Inc · granted 1951
William Shockley's junction transistor at Bell Labs is the component that replaced vacuum tubes in computers and radios, winning the Nobel Prize and making modern electronics possible.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/2569347/junction-transistor

### Microsoft's Browser Patent — At the Center of the Biggest Antitrust Case in Tech
US 5838906 · University of California San Diego UCSD · granted 1998
Microsoft's 1998 browser patent covers the integration of Internet Explorer into Windows — the technical mechanism that was at the heart of the United States v. Microsoft antitrust case, the most consequential legal action against a technology company in history.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5838906/microsoft-internet-browser

### DRAM — The Memory in Every Computer, Phone, and Server
US 3387286 · International Business Machines Corp · granted 1968
Robert Dennard's 1968 IBM patent describes dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) — the one-transistor-one-capacitor memory cell that became the dominant form of computer RAM, scaling from kilobytes to terabytes over 50 years.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/3387286/dram-dynamic-random-access-memory

### The Computer Mouse — Invented 30 Years Before Anyone Cared
US 3541541 · Stanford Research Institute · granted 1970
Douglas Engelbart's 1970 mouse patent at SRI describes the x-y position indicator he demonstrated in the 'Mother of All Demos' in 1968 — a pointing device that would sit unused in patents for 15 years before Apple made it mainstream.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/3541541/computer-mouse-input-device

### Velcro — The Hook-and-Loop Fastener Inspired by a Burr
US 2717437 · Velcro SA · granted 1955
George de Mestral's 1955 patent describes the hook-and-loop fastener we know as Velcro — invented after he noticed how cocklebur seeds clung to his dog's fur under a microscope.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/2717437/velcro-hook-and-loop

### Kevlar — The Fiber Five Times Stronger Than Steel, Invented by Accident
US 3671542 · EI Du Pont de Nemours and Co · granted 1972
Stephanie Kwolek's 1965 DuPont patent describes Kevlar — the aramid fiber that is five times stronger than steel by weight, discovered when Kwolek insisted on testing a strange cloudy polymer solution her colleagues thought was defective.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/3671542/kevlar-aramid-fiber

### The Apple II — The First Personal Computer That Came With Color
US 4136359 · Apple Computer Inc · granted 1979
Steve Wozniak's 1980 Apple patent describes the Apple II's video display system — specifically the low-cost trick that generated color graphics using a single-chip design when competitors required expensive dedicated hardware.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4136359/apple-ii-personal-computer

### How LEGO Bricks Connect and Stay Together
US 3005282 · Interlego AG · granted 1961
This patent describes the design of a toy building brick that uses studs on top and hollow tubes inside to create a strong, interlocking connection with other bricks.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/3005282/lego-toy-brick

### Hedy Lamarr's Secret Radio System for Torpedo Guidance
US 2292387 · Individual · granted 1942
Hedy Lamarr and George Antheil's 1942 patent describes a secret communication system that rapidly changes radio frequencies to prevent enemies from jamming or eavesdropping on torpedo guidance signals.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/2292387/hedy-lamarr-frequency-hopping

### Edison's First Practical Electric Light Bulb
US 223898 · Individual · granted 1880
Thomas Edison's 1880 patent for an electric lamp described the first commercially viable incandescent light bulb, using a high-resistance carbonized filament in a vacuum.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/223898/edison-incandescent-lamp

### The Barcode — The Lines on Every Product in Every Store
US 2612994 · Individual · granted 1952
Norman Woodland and Bernard Silver's 1952 patent describes the first barcode system — a machine-readable code using lines of varying width that encodes product information, invented while Woodland was sketching in sand on a Miami beach.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/2612994/barcode-classifying-apparatus

### NAND Flash — The Memory in Every SSD, iPhone, and USB Drive
US 4531203 · Tokyo Shibaura Electric Co Ltd · granted 1985
Fujio Masuoka's 1987 Toshiba patent describes NAND flash memory — the non-volatile storage technology in every smartphone, SSD, and USB drive, invented over a weekend and presented at a conference Toshiba tried to block.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4531203/nand-flash-memory

### The Integrated Circuit — Putting the Whole Transistor Radio on One Chip
US 3138743 · Texas Instruments Inc · granted 1964
Jack Kilby's 1964 monolithic integrated circuit patent at Texas Instruments — the invention that put multiple electronic components on a single piece of semiconductor, enabling the miniaturization of all modern electronics.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/3138743/kilby-monolithic-integrated-circuit

### How the Wright Brothers' First Flying Machine Controlled Flight
US 821393 · Individual · granted 1906
The Wright Brothers' 1906 patent describes their pioneering flying machine, which used a unique wing-warping system and rudder for controlled flight, marking a foundational step in aviation history.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/821393/wright-brothers-flying-machine

### The First Solar Cell That Could Actually Power Something
US 2780765 · Bell Telephone Laboratories Inc · granted 1957
Gerald Pearson, Daryl Chapin, and Calvin Fuller's 1957 silicon solar cell at Bell Labs was the first photovoltaic device efficient enough to power real devices — the invention that launched solar energy.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/2780765/silicon-solar-cell-photovoltaic

### Measuring Distance to a Radio Emitter from a Moving Vehicle
US 3789410 · US Department of Navy · granted 1974
This patent describes a system for a single moving vehicle to passively determine the distance to a radio signal source by comparing the timing and phase changes of signals received by two spaced antennas.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/3789410/gps-timation-navigation

### Bell's 1876 Patent for Sending Voice Over Wires
US 174465 · Individual · granted 1876
Alexander Graham Bell's 1876 patent describes a method for transmitting vocal or other sounds telegraphically, laying the groundwork for the telephone.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/174465/bell-telephone

### The Microwave Oven — Invented When a Radar Engineer Melted a Chocolate Bar
US 2495429 · Raytheon Manufacturing Co · granted 1950
Percy Spencer's 1950 Raytheon patent describes the microwave oven — discovered accidentally when Spencer noticed that radar microwaves had melted a chocolate bar in his pocket, leading to the first practical appliance for cooking with radio waves.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/2495429/microwave-oven-radar-range

### Electronic Television — Invented at 21 by a Farm Boy Who Drew It in a Potato Field
US 1773980 · TELEVISION LAB Inc · granted 1930
Philo Farnsworth's 1930 patent describes the image dissector — the all-electronic camera tube that captured the first fully electronic television image, invented by a 14-year-old Idaho farm boy who conceived it while plowing rows of potatoes.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/1773980/farnsworth-electronic-television

### Preparing Tiny DNA Samples for Genetic Sequencing
US 10456769 · Bgi Shenzhen & Bgi Shenzhen Co Ltd · granted 2019
This patent describes a precise method for preparing DNA from a very small number of cells, like 10 to 500, for genetic sequencing, using a specialized multi-well plate and specific molecular biology steps.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10456769/method-of-constructing-sequencing-library

### How Cloud Services Store Data Faster and More Efficiently
US 9824092 · Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC · granted 2017
This patent describes a clever multi-tier storage system that organizes data in temporary "log" files, converts them into optimized "hash" files, and then merges those into long-term "journal" files to speed up data handling and reduce wasted writes.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9824092/file-storage-system-including-tiers

### How Two RNA Pieces Guide a Protein to Edit DNA
US 10113167 · Universitaet Wien · granted 2018
This patent describes a system using two separate RNA molecules to guide a Cas9 protein to a specific DNA sequence for editing or controlling gene activity.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10113167/methods-and-compositions-for-rna-directed-target-dna-modification-and-for-rna-directed-modulation-of-transcription

### How Modified RNA Teaches Cells to Make New Proteins
US 8278036 · University of Pennsylvania Penn · granted 2012
This patent describes a method for making synthetic RNA less inflammatory and more effective at instructing mammalian cells to produce specific proteins by including modified building blocks like pseudouridine.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8278036/rna-containing-modified-nucleosides-and-methods-of-use-thereof

### How to Measure Substances in Blood Using Colored Proteins
US 4302536 · Individual · granted 1981
This patent describes a method for detecting and measuring specific substances, like proteins or antibodies, in body fluids by attaching a colored protein to an antibody and then measuring the color change after it reacts with the target substance.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4302536/colorimetric-immunoassay-process

### How Moderna's mRNA Vaccine for Betacoronaviruses Works
US 10702600 · ModernaTx Inc · granted 2020
This patent describes a vaccine composition that uses messenger RNA (mRNA) to teach the body to make a specific part of a betacoronavirus, like the one that causes COVID-19, all packaged inside tiny fat bubbles called lipid nanoparticles.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10702600/betacoronavirus-mrna-vaccine

### AI System for Answering Questions About Pictures Using Attention
US 9965705 · Baidu USA LLC · granted 2018
This patent describes an AI system that uses a special kind of neural network to answer questions about images by focusing its attention on the most relevant parts of the picture based on the question's meaning.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9965705/systems-and-methods-for-attention-based-configurable-convolutional-neural-networks-abc-cnn-for-visual-question-answering

### How an Early Neural Network Learned Faster with a Special Variable
US 4914603 · GTE Laboratories Inc · granted 1990
This 1988 patent describes a method for an artificial neural network to learn faster by using a special "activating variable" that helps adjust its internal settings more quickly during training.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4914603/training-neural-networks

### Keeping a Data Loop Running When the Main Controller Fails
US 4677614 · Process Systems Inc · granted 1987
This patent describes a communication system where devices in a closed loop can automatically take over as the main controller if the current one stops working, ensuring the system keeps running smoothly.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4677614/data-communication-system-and-method-and-communication-controller-and-method-therefor-having-a-dataclock-synchronizer-and-method

### How Flash Memory Stores Multiple Bits in One Cell
US 5903495 · Toshiba Corp · granted 1999
This patent describes how to store more than just a '0' or '1' in a single flash memory cell by using multiple distinct voltage levels, making memory denser and cheaper.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5903495/semiconductor-device-and-memory-system

### How Touchscreens Detect Multiple Finger Presses at Once
US 7663607 · Apple Inc · granted 2010
This patent describes the core technology behind touchscreens that can sense several fingers touching the screen at the same time, like when you pinch to zoom on a smartphone.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7663607/multipoint-touchscreen

### Making Strong, Stretchy Non-Slip Surfaces with E-Beam Cured Urethane
US 5401560 · Norton Co · granted 1995
This patent describes how to create a durable, non-slip material by bonding mineral particles to a flexible plastic sheet using a special radiation-cured glue, making it strong and stretchy enough to be shaped by heat without falling apart.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5401560/polymer-backed-material-with-non-slip-surface-using-e-beam-cured-urethane-binder

### How Computers Speed Up Graphics by Managing Memory
US 6362826 · Intel Corp · granted 2002
This patent describes how a computer's central chip can efficiently find and use graphics data stored in different memory locations, making games and videos run smoother by translating and reordering memory addresses.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/6362826/method-and-apparatus-for-implementing-dynamic-display-memory

### Compressing Construction Machine Data Using Neural Networks for Diagnostics
US 7664715 · Caterpillar Japan Ltd · granted 2010
This patent describes a system for compressing large amounts of operational data from construction machines using unsupervised neural networks to reduce communication costs for remote diagnostics.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7664715/apparatus-and-method-for-compressing-data-apparatus-and-method-for-analyzing-data-and-data-management-system

### Designing Better siRNA Molecules for Gene Silencing
US 9839649 · Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc · granted 2017
This patent describes specific designs for small RNA molecules, called siRNAs, that are more effective at turning off unwanted genes in cells.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9839649/methods-and-compositions-for-selecting-sirna-of-improved-functionality

### How AI Models Can Explain Their Decisions with Simple Rules
US 10824959 · Amazon Technologies Inc · granted 2020
This patent describes a system for generating easy-to-understand rules that explain why a machine learning model made a specific prediction, like approving a loan or flagging fraud.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10824959/explainers-for-machine-learning-classifiers

### The Zipper — The Fastener That Replaced a Thousand Buttons
US 1219881 · Hookless Fastener Co · granted 1917
Gideon Sundback's 1917 patent describes the modern zipper — the interlocking-tooth slide fastener that became universal in clothing, luggage, and industrial applications after a 30-year struggle to make it work reliably.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/1219881/zipper-separable-fastener

### Tesla's AC Induction Motor: How Alternating Current Powers the World
US 382280 · Individual · granted 1888
Nikola Tesla's 1888 patent describes an electric motor that runs on alternating current (AC), eliminating the need for brushes or commutators and making long-distance electrical power transmission practical for the first time.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/382280/tesla-ac-motor

### How to Make Tiny Bubbles for Delivering Medicine
US 10155945 · Nitto Denko Corp · granted 2018
This patent describes a precise method for creating tiny, uniform lipid bubbles (nanoparticles) that can carry drugs like genetic material (siRNA) into the body.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10155945/method-of-producing-lipid-nanoparticles-for-drug-delivery

### How AI Learns to Write Better Sentences Using Feedback
US 11727263 · Samsung Electronics Co Ltd · granted 2023
Samsung's 2023 patent on training AI to generate better sentences by using a second AI model to provide feedback on the first AI's output.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11727263/method-of-updating-sentence-generation-model-and-sentence-generating-apparatus

### Tamper-Evident Label That Breaks Apart When Removed
US 5013088 · Data Tech Services Inc · granted 1991
This 1991 patent describes a special label with pre-cut lines that causes it to break into pieces when someone tries to peel it off, showing that it has been tampered with.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5013088/disintegratable-masking-label

### How the iPhone's Slide-to-Unlock Gesture Works
US 8046721 · Apple Inc · granted 2011
Apple's 2011 patent describes unlocking a handheld device by dragging a specific graphical image across the touchscreen from a starting spot to a designated unlock area while keeping your finger on the screen.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8046721/unlocking-a-device-by-performing-gestures-on-an-unlock-image

### How D-Wave Quantum Computers Reduce Noise During Calculations
US 11295225 · D Wave Systems Inc · granted 2022
D-Wave's 2022 patent describes a method for quantum computers to actively reduce internal noise, called spin-bath polarization, during complex calculations.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11295225/superconducting-quantum-processor-and-method-of-operating-same

### AI System Learns Avatar Actions from Game Objects
US 10607134 · Individual · granted 2020
This patent describes an AI system that learns how to control an in-game character (avatar) by matching what it sees in the game to past actions and their outcomes.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10607134/artificially-intelligent-systems-devices-and-methods-for-learning-andor-using-an-avatars-circumstances-for-autonomous-avatar-operation

### How Computer Graphics Pipelines Switch Tasks Faster
US 7512773 · Nvidia Corp · granted 2009
Nvidia's 2009 patent on a method to quickly switch between graphics tasks in a processing pipeline without waiting for every part to finish its current job.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7512773/context-switching-using-halt-sequencing-protocol

### How Computers Find and Act on Data Patterns
US 5946647 · Apple Computer Inc · granted 1999
Apple's 1999 patent describes a system that finds specific patterns, like text or code, within computer data and lets users choose actions to perform on those patterns.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5946647/system-and-method-for-performing-an-action-on-a-structure-in-computer-generated-data

### How Cell Phones Find the Best Service Provider Automatically
US 5920821 · Bell Atlantic Network Services Inc · granted 1999
This 1999 patent describes a system for cell phones to automatically find and connect to the best available cellular service provider using a digital data channel to download updated lists of providers.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5920821/use-of-cellular-digital-packet-data-cdpd-communications-to-convey-system-identification-list-data-to-roaming-cellular-subscriber-stations

### How Store Staff Can Use Phones to Close Customer Checks
US 10559047 · NCR Corp · granted 2020
This 2020 NCR patent describes a system where a store employee uses a phone to interact with a tag at a customer's location, opening, identifying, and closing a digital check for the item purchased, then sending it to another device for payment.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10559047/systems-and-methods-for-facilitating-closing-of-a-check

### How Cable Boxes Got Smarter by Downloading Updates
US 5440632 · Scientific Atlanta LLC · granted 1995
This 1995 patent describes how cable TV boxes (subscriber terminals) could be updated remotely with new software, allowing them to gain new features or fix bugs without needing a technician visit.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5440632/reprogrammable-subscriber-terminal

### Fuel Cell System for Vehicles with Oxygen Boost
US 5346778 · Energy Partners Inc · granted 1994
This 1994 patent describes a fuel cell system for vehicles that uses hydrogen and air normally, but adds pure oxygen when more power is needed, like during acceleration.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5346778/electrochemical-load-management-system-for-transportation-applications

### Hopfield Network for Solving Problems and Storing Memories
US 4660166 · California Institute of Technology · granted 1987
Caltech's 1987 patent on a network of amplifiers and resistors that can solve complex problems or recall stored memories by settling into a stable state.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4660166/electronic-network-for-collective-decision-based-on-large-number-of-connections-between-signals

### Checking if Programmable Logic Device Memory is Erased
US 5561631 · Xilinx Inc · granted 1996
This 1996 patent describes a method and apparatus for checking if all memory cells in a programmable logic device (PLD) are fully erased, using a special NOR gate circuit to signal success or failure.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5561631/high-speed-minimal-logic-self-blank-checking-method-for-programmable-logic-device

### Making Antibody-Like Proteins in a Single Chain
US 5455030 · Enzon Labs Inc · granted 1995
This 1995 patent describes how to engineer a single protein chain that acts like an antibody's binding part, useful for delivering drugs to specific targets in the body.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5455030/immunotheraphy-using-single-chain-polypeptide-binding-molecules

### Printer Feature for Saving Ink or Toner
US 6476836 · Ricoh Co Ltd · granted 2002
This 2002 patent describes a printer that saves ink or toner by simplifying image data for pixels that don't need much detail, essentially turning them into a basic pattern or nothing at all.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/6476836/image-forming-apparatus-having-a-function-of-saving-developing-agent

### How a Central Broker Handles Online Shopping Cart Transactions
US 7865399 · Google LLC · granted 2011
Google's 2011 patent describes a system where a central 'broker' manages online purchases, calculating totals and coordinating shipping between customers and merchants.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7865399/distributed-electronic-commerce-system-with-centralized-point-of-purchase

### How AI Learns and Shares Skills Like a Brain
US 10410117 · BrainChip Inc · granted 2019
This patent describes a method for creating a reusable library of 'skills' or functions that an artificial intelligence device learns autonomously, allowing other AI devices to reuse these learned functions.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10410117/method-and-a-system-for-creating-dynamic-neural-function-libraries

### System for Creating and Sending Consumer Dispute Letters
US 10540437 · Individual · granted 2020
A system that helps consumers write and send formal dispute letters to businesses by filling out a questionnaire and automatically formatting the responses into a template.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10540437/system-and-interface-for-electronic-communication-generation-and-tracking

### How IBM Linked Data Updates for Disaster Recovery
US 5682513 · International Business Machines Corp · granted 1997
IBM's 1997 patent on a system that links data updates in a specific order using a circular queue to ensure they can be sent to a backup site reliably, even if the system crashes.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5682513/cache-queue-entry-linking-for-dasd-record-updates

### Using a Camera to Monitor and Control Neural Networks
US 10423875 · Individual · granted 2019
A system that uses a physical camera to watch color-coded neural network states on a screen, detecting new patterns to adjust the network's learning by injecting noise.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10423875/electro-optical-device-and-method-for-identifying-and-inducing-topological-states-formed-among-interconnecting-neural-modules

### How Touchscreens Tell Scrolls from Pinches and Make Content Bounce
US 7844915 · Apple Inc · granted 2010
This patent describes how a touch-sensitive display system distinguishes between a single finger scrolling and multiple fingers performing gestures like pinching or rotating, and how it creates the 'rubberbanding' effect when you scroll past the end of content.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7844915/application-programming-interfaces-for-scrolling-operations

### How to Keep Using Apps When Your Internet Drops
US 7543038 · International Business Machines Corp · granted 2009
IBM's 2009 patent on a system that lets apps keep running by faking responses when the internet connection is lost, then syncing up later.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7543038/arrangement-and-method-for-impermanent-connectivity

### New Drugs to Reduce Sodium in the Body
US 4081538 · Individual · granted 1978
This 1978 patent describes a new class of drugs called 11β,18-oxidopregnanes that can be used to make the body get rid of excess sodium by blocking the effects of a hormone called aldosterone.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4081538/aldosterone-antagonists

### How Amorphous Silicon Made Thin-Film Solar Cells Possible
US 4064521 · RCA Corp · granted 1977
RCA's 1977 patent on using non-crystalline 'amorphous' silicon made via gas discharge to create cheap, ultra-thin solar cells and semiconductor devices.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4064521/semiconductor-device-having-a-body-of-amorphous-silicon

### How Netscape's SSL Encrypted Web Connections Work
US 5657390 · Netscape Communications Corp · granted 1997
This 1997 patent describes the software and methods Netscape used to secure internet communications by encrypting data between web browsers and servers.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5657390/secure-socket-layer-application-program-apparatus-and-method

### How a Computer Learns to Pick the Best Action
US 10282665 · Sony Corp · granted 2019
This patent describes a computer system that learns from past experiences to predict which action will lead to the best outcome in a given situation, then chooses that action.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10282665/action-selection-with-a-reward-estimator-applied-to-machine-learning

### How a Mobile Phone Can Securely Verify Payments Using a Temporary Code
US 7577616 · Individual · granted 2009
This 2009 patent describes a system where a mobile phone helps verify electronic payments by passing a unique, temporary code in a loop between a user's phone, a business's terminal, and a central account server.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7577616/method-and-apparatus-of-secure-authentication-and-electronic-payment-through-mobile-communication-tool

### How Wi-Fi Routers Stop Slow Devices From Ruining Fast Connections
US 7352772 · Lenovo Singapore Pte Ltd · granted 2008
A 2003 patent by Lenovo for a Wi-Fi router that groups fast and slow wireless devices into separate time slots, preventing older 802.11b gadgets from dragging down the speed of newer 802.11g devices.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7352772/minimization-of-performance-impact-in-overlying-80211b-and-80211g-networks

### Microsoft's Method for Serving Localized Web Content
US 6122658 · Microsoft Corp · granted 2000
This 2000 Microsoft patent describes a system for combining general web content with user-specific local information to create a personalized viewing experience.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/6122658/custom-localized-information-in-a-networked-server-for-display-to-an-end-user

### How Social Networks Guess Your Interests from Who Views What
US 8311950 · Google LLC · granted 2012
Google's 2009 patent for identifying hidden topics on social media profiles by tracking whether the same people visit those profiles alongside known topic pages.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8311950/detecting-content-on-a-social-network-using-browsing-patterns

### How Electric Cars Safely Pause Charging When You Touch the Plug
US 9379564 · Nissan Motor Co Ltd · granted 2016
Nissan's patent on a safety system that temporarily pauses electric vehicle charging when you press the plug's release button, preventing electrical arcs without fully shutting down if you change your mind.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9379564/charging-control-apparatus-and-charging-control-method

### Cannabinoids for Treating Diseases Caused by Oxidative Stress
US 6630507 · US Department of Health and Human Services · granted 2003
This 2003 patent describes using cannabinoids, especially non-psychoactive ones like cannabidiol, to treat diseases linked to cell damage from oxidation, acting as antioxidants and protecting the brain.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/6630507/cannabinoids-as-antioxidants-and-neuroprotectants

### How Car Windows Keep Inside Private Without Blocking the Driver's View
US 6033785 · Central Glass Co Ltd · granted 2000
Central Glass Company's 2000 patent for a multi-layered car window that uses a colored glass plate and thin chemical coatings to let passengers see out clearly while blocking outsiders from looking in.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/6033785/vehicular-colored-glass-pane-with-light-transmittance-and-reflectance-adjustment

### Drawing 3D Shapes on a Touchscreen with Gestures
US 9182882 · Autodesk Inc · granted 2015
Autodesk's 2015 patent on creating 3D models by drawing gestures on a touchscreen, where the shape appears in real-time as you draw.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9182882/dynamic-creation-and-modeling-of-solid-models

### Computer System to Stop Software Piracy with Encryption and Key Destruction
US 4558176 · Individual · granted 1985
This 1985 patent describes a computer system that uses encryption and a self-destruct mechanism to prevent unauthorized copying and use of software.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4558176/computer-systems-to-inhibit-unauthorized-copying-unauthorized-usage-and-automated-cracking-of-protected-software

### How Multi-Touch Screens Track Fingers and Palms with Ellipses
US 7812828 · Apple Inc · granted 2010
This patent describes how a multi-touch screen precisely tracks multiple finger and palm touches by mathematically fitting ellipses to the detected contact areas and using their changing shapes and positions as control signals.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7812828/ellipse-fitting-for-multi-touch-surfaces

### How a Web Server Distributes Requests for Different Web Pages
US 5774660 · Resonate Inc · granted 1998
This patent describes a system where a central traffic controller (a load balancer) directs requests for specific web pages to different specialized servers, ensuring that each server only needs to store a part of the entire website.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5774660/world-wide-web-server-with-delayed-resource-binding-for-resource-based-load-balancing-on-a-distributed-resource-multi-node-network

### How Cable Modems Self-Correct Signal Problems for Clearer Data
US 6665308 · Terayon Communication Systems Inc · granted 2003
This patent describes a method for a central communication hub, like a cable company's office, to tell individual modems how to pre-adjust their outgoing signals to overcome interference and deliver clearer data.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/6665308/apparatus-and-method-for-equalization-in-distributed-digital-data-transmission-systems

### How Search Engines Judge Website Quality Using User Feedback
US 8615514 · Google LLC · granted 2013
This patent describes a method for search engines to evaluate a website's overall quality by analyzing how users interact with its pages across different levels of search relevance, using this insight to improve search rankings.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8615514/evaluating-website-properties-by-partitioning-user-feedback

### How Scrolling Changes Speed Based on Input
US 8683378 · Apple Inc · granted 2014
Apple's 2014 patent on a scrolling system that speeds up or slows down based on how you interact with it, like how fast you flick your finger.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8683378/scrolling-techniques-for-user-interfaces

### How Computers Calculate Certainty for Facts in a Knowledge Base
US 9361579 · International Business Machines Corp · granted 2016
This patent describes a computer method to answer questions from a database of facts, each with a certainty score, by first finding a logical answer and then calculating the overall certainty of that answer based on the specific supporting facts.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9361579/large-scale-probabilistic-ontology-reasoning

### How a Single Module Manages Two Car Batteries and Their Heat
US 6828755 · Johnson Controls Technology Co · granted 2004
This patent describes a self-contained module for vehicles that combines a high-voltage battery and a low-voltage battery, a power converter to move energy between them, a safety disconnect, and a cooling system, all in one package.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/6828755/battery-system-module

### How Digital Audio is Compressed for Storage and Transmission
US 5579430 · Fraunhofer Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Angewandten Forschung eV · granted 1996
This patent describes a method to shrink digital audio files, like music, by intelligently reducing the amount of data needed to store or send them, making sure the most important sounds are kept clear.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5579430/digital-encoding-process

### How Connected Notification Systems Share Information
US 6073184 · Alcatel SA · granted 2000
This patent describes a method for different notification systems in a distributed network to connect and pass messages from one sender to a receiver through a chain of these systems.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/6073184/method-of-transmitting-a-notification-to-a-receiver-from-plural-notification-services-in-a-distributed-application-network-and-a-network-for-implementing-the-method

### How Touchscreens Figure Out Real Touches from 'Ghost' Touches
US 8619056 · Elan Microelectronics Corp · granted 2013
This patent describes a method for capacitive touchscreens to distinguish a real finger touch from a false, or 'ghost,' touch that appears when two or more fingers are near the screen.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8619056/ghost-resolution-for-a-capacitive-touch-panel

### Speeding Up Web Access on Slow Wireless Networks
US 5673322 · Bell Communications Research Inc · granted 1997
This patent describes a system using two 'proxy' computers to make browsing the World Wide Web much faster and more reliable over slow connections like early wireless networks, by translating and compressing data.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5673322/system-and-method-for-providing-protocol-translation-and-filtering-to-access-the-world-wide-web-from-wireless-or-low-bandwidth-networks

### How a Network Stores and Finds Data Locations
US 7233978 · Econnectix LLC · granted 2007
This patent describes a system where multiple servers work together to store and retrieve where specific pieces of data are located, separate from the data itself, and can redirect requests if they don't have the answer.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7233978/method-and-apparatus-for-managing-location-information-in-a-network-separate-from-the-data-to-which-the-location-information-pertains

### How to Visually Search Databases Using Venn-like Diagrams
US 5966126 · Individual · granted 1999
This patent describes a method for searching databases using a visual interface where users interact with graphic icons, like Venn diagrams, to define and link search criteria.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5966126/graphic-user-interface-for-database-system

### How Computers Send Ordered Data Streams Reliably Without Direct Connections
US 7904576 · Hewlett Packard Development Co LP · granted 2011
This patent describes a system for reliably sending multiple, independently ordered streams of data between computers, where the applications don't need to manage the connection details themselves.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7904576/reliable-datagram-via-independent-source-destination-resources

### How Snapchat Messages Disappear After You Touch Them
US 8914752 · Snapchat Inc · granted 2014
This 2014 patent from Snapchat describes how their app shows temporary messages that vanish when you touch the screen, allowing you to see the next one.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8914752/apparatus-and-method-for-accelerated-display-of-ephemeral-messages

### A Fixture for Cleaning Showerheads with Multiple Separate Chambers
US 12564871 · ASM IP HOLDING BV · granted 2026
This patent describes a cleaning device for showerheads that uses a fixture with three or more separate internal compartments and channels to direct cleaning fluid to the showerhead's upper surfaces.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12564871/12564871-cleaning-fixture-for-showerhead-assemblies

### Surgical Tool That Combines Energy Treatment and Stapling
US 12471982 · CILAG GMBH INT · granted 2025
CILAG's patent details a surgical instrument that applies therapeutic energy to tissue, monitors its properties, then deploys staples, adapting the stapling based on the initial energy treatment and monitoring.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12471982/12471982-method-for-tissue-treatment-by-surgical-instrument

### Surgical Stapler Battery Health Check During Operation
US 12324579 · CILAG GMBH INT · granted 2025
This patent describes a powered surgical stapler that can detect if some of its rechargeable battery cells are damaged while it's actually firing staples, helping ensure the procedure finishes safely.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12324579/12324579-mechanisms-for-compensating-for-battery-pack-failure-in-powered-surgica

### Real-Time Surgical Instrument Status on Live Video During Operations
US 11918209 · CILAG GMBH INT · granted 2024
This patent describes a surgical system that shows live video from inside the body and overlays important information about the surgical tool directly onto the screen, helping surgeons operate more precisely.
https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11918209/11918209-torque-optimization-for-surgical-instruments