ALEXANDRIA, Va., Oct. 27 -- United States Patent no. 12,777,277, issued on Oct. 27.

"Sterilized cover system" was invented by James Wood Jr. (Medford, N.Y.).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A sterilized cover system for covering an earpiece and a mouthpiece of a telephone to inhibit transmission of microorganisms between a user and the telephone includes a telephone having an earpiece and a mouthpiece. A cover is removably couplable to the telephone to covers at least one of the earpiece and the mouthpiece and inhibit transmission of a microorganism between a user and the telephone. The cover may include a first layer having an outer side and an inner side. The cover may also include a second la...