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New patents, from sutures to cat deodorizer [The Orange County Register](Orange County Register (CA) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Dec. 04--Orange County companies continue to invent, and lay claim to, intellectual property that is key to their businesses. In the past few months, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued patents for local ideas that range from surgical tools to mobile technologies. Here are a few: -- Anthony Nobles, CEO of Nobles Medical Technologies II in Fountain Valley, is one of four Orange County inventors listed in a patent for the company's NobleStitch device and a method to use it. The suturing gadget involves a needle and a handle with buttons and triggers that can be used to sew up biological tissue, such as body organs and blood vessels. -- Interventional Spine Inc. in Irvine secured a patent for PerX360 System, its minimally invasive back surgery procedure. The filing includes a part of the system called Opticage. It's an expandable implant that surgeons insert between two vertebrae to limit back pain. The inventors are listed as residents of Laguna Niguel, Rancho Santa Margarita and Sun City. -- Kofax plc in Irvine won a patent extension for its technology that uses an existing database to correct information scanned by a mobile device. For example, a driver's license scanned by a phone could be compared to a postal database to make sure the address was captured correctly. The method is used in the company's Kofax Mobile Capture product. One of the four inventors is from Villa Park. -- Smith Micro Software Inc. in Aliso Viejo got its fifth patent approval related to its system that monitors a computer network's condition and adjusts the video streaming through that network to improve the video quality and consistency. The company's Vidio platform uses the technology. The inventor is from San Jose. -- BioLargo Inc. in Santa Ana was granted a patent that covers its dry products, which include a cat litter deodorizing concentrate and pouches and canisters used by the government to solidify liquids and absorb bodily fluids. The inventor is from Edmonton, Alberta. On the move Realty One Group, a residential real estate brokerage firm based in Irvine, hired Tina King as regional manager to oversee its new office in Carlsbad. King was previously director of growth and development at? Harcourts Prime Properties. Realty One says the Carlsbad office will be the first of many in the San Diego area. Michael Coronado is the new editor at? The Press-Enterprise? in Riverside. Coronado was an editor at the? Orange County Register, whose parent company,? Freedom Communications, acquired the Inland Empire newspaper last month. Coronado, who previously worked at the Press-Enterprise, replaces Nels Jensen. Hitachi Consulting, the business and IT consulting arm of Japanese electronics maker? Hitachi Ltd., promoted Damon Frank from director of business development to vice president of consulting services in the company's Irvine office. He now leads the firm's? Microsoft? technologies practice in Southern California. New ventures Quiksilver Inc., a surfwear company in Huntington Beach, revealed some details about its plan to divest its noncore ventures and focus on its Quiksilver, Roxy and DC brands. A month after selling its Mervin Manufacturing Inc. snowboarding subsidiary, Quiksilver said it plans to sell its Moskova underwear brand; UK-based online retailer Surfdome Shop Ltd.; Hawk Designs Inc., which makes Tony Hawk-branded skateboard apparel; and its business under license with Maui and Sons. Hyundai, whose U.S. unit is based in Costa Mesa, introduced a special edition of its crossover SUV Tucson for fans of "The Walking Dead" comic and television series. The ash black car with black leather interior comes with decals for the Hilltop, Kingdom, Saviors and Survivors communities from the series. Also included is a Zombie Survival Kit that probably won't help much in the case of an undead apocalypse: It includes bottles of water, a food bar, whistle, flashlight, toothpaste and shampoo. Caduceus Medical Group opened Caduceus for Women, a women's health care clinic, within its office in Yorba Linda. The concept came from women patients who said they prefer female staff for well-woman exams and screenings, said Monique Wusstig, vice president of operations. The clinic's team comprises three female nurse practitioners. Johnny Rockets, the burger franchise based in Aliso Viejo, opened its seventh O.C. location at Westfield MainPlace in Santa Ana. The 1,195-square-foot restaurant is between JCPenney and Macy's. Some parking spaces by the mall's north entrance have been designated as 15-minute spots for takeout orders. ___ (c)2013 The Orange County Register (Santa Ana, Calif.) Visit The Orange County Register (Santa Ana, Calif.) at www.ocregister.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |