US07652179B2

A gas for plasma reaction comprising a chainlike perfluoroalkyne having 5 or 6 carbon atoms, preferably perfluoro-2-pentyne. This plasma reaction gas is suitable for dry etching for formation of a fine pattern, for plasma CVD for formation of a thin film, and for plasma ashing. The plasma reaction gas is synthesized by contacting a dihydrofluoroalkane compound or a monohydrofluoroalkene compound with a basic compound.
US07652177B2

A process for the production of an alcohol compound represented by the formula (3): wherein X1, X2, X3, X4, Z, R and n are as defined below, comprising reacting a phenol represented by the formula (1): wherein X1, X2, X3 and X4 independently represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms; Z represents an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom; and R represents a halogen-substituted alkenyl group, with a haloalcohol represented by the formula (2): wherein Y represents a chlorine atom or a bromine atom; and n represents an integer of 2 or 3, in a biphase system composed of a water-immiscible organic solvent and an aqueous alkali metal hydroxide solution in the presence of a phase-transfer catalyst.
US07652169B2

The present invention relates to novel (2R)-2-phenylpropanamides bearing a 4-sulfonylamino substituent on the 4 position of the phenyl group and to pharmaceutical compositions containing them, which are used as inhibitors of the chemotaxis of polymorphonucleate and mononucleate cells, and which are useful in the treatment of various ELR+CXC chemokine-mediated disorders. In particular, the compounds of the invention are useful in the treatment and control of specific CXCR2 dependent pathologies such as BOS, COPD, angiogenesis and melanoma.
US07652165B2

The present invention relates to a process for preparing 3-cyano-3,5,5-trimethylcyclohexanone (isophoronenitrile) by reacting isophorone with hydrogen cyanide in the presence of a base as a catalyst to obtain a crude isophoronenitrile product, and subsequently distilling the crude isophoronenitrile product, with the addition before distillation of at least one specific sulfonic acid or specific carboxylic acid. In addition, the present invention relates to the use of a specific sulfonic acid or of a specific carboxylic acid as a neutralizing agent before distillation of a crude isophoronenitrile product which has been obtained by reacting isophorone with hydrogen cyanide in the presence of a base as a catalyst, in order to avoid precipitates in the neutralization of the base used as a catalyst with an acid.
US07652150B2

The present invention relates to 2-(1H-indolylsulfanyl)-benzyl amine derivatives of general formula (I): which are useful as SSRIs, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds.
US07652145B2

The invention relates to a complex compound of ruthenium of the general structural formula I in which X1 and X2 may be identical or different and represent an anionic ligand, in which R1 and R2 are identical or different, but may also have a ring, in which R1 and R2 represent hydrogen or/and a hydrocarbon group, in which the ligand L1 is a N-heterocyclic carbene and in which the ligand L2 is a neutral electron donor, especially a N-heterocyclic carbene or an amine, imine, phosphane, phosphite, stibine, arsine, carbonyl compound, carboxyl compound, nitrile, alcohol, ether, thiol or thioether, wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 represent hydrogen or/and hydrocarbon groups. The invention relates also to a process for the preparation of acyclic olefins having two or more carbon atoms or/and of cyclic olefins having four or more carbon atoms from acyclic olefins having two or more carbon atoms or/and from cyclic olefins having four or more carbon atoms by olefin metathesis reaction in the presence of at least one catalyst, wherein such a complex compound is used as catalyst and wherein R′1, R′2, R′3 and R′4 hydrogen or/and hydrocarbon groups.
US07652144B2

A compound of formula XIX wherein R1, R2, Z1, Z2, Q1, Q2 and Q3 as defined in the specification.
US07652141B2

It was found that the compound having a binding activity to the cannabinoid type 2 receptor represented by the formula (I): wherein R1 is a group represented by the formula: —Y1—Y2—Y3—Ra wherein Y1 is single bond or the like; Y2 is —C(═O)—NH— or the like; Y3 is optionally substituted aryl or the like; R2 is hydrogen or the like; R3 is alkyl or the like; R4 is alkyl or the like; R5 is optionally substituted alkyl or the like; or R3 and R4 taken together with the adjacent atom form cyclic group or the like.
US07652139B2

The invention relates to methyl(+)-(S)-α-(2-chlorophenyl)-6,7-dihydrothieno[3,2-C]pyridine-5(4H) acetate naphthalene-1,5-disulfonate or a polymorphic form and/or a hydrate and/or a solvate thereof, to pharmaceutical compositions containing the same, and to the method of use thereof for inhibiting platelet aggregation.
US07652134B2

The present invention relates to methods of preparing compounds having formula (1), (2), (5), and ((6A)-(6D)) comprising contacting the corresponding ester, an amine with formula NHR1R2, and a Lewis acid having formula MLn, wherein L is a halogen atom or an organic radical, n is 3-5, and M is a group III elemental atom, a group IV elemental atom, As, Sb, V or Fe, wherein A, B, V, X, Z, W, R1, R2, R5, Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4, Z5, Z6, Z7, and Z8 are substituents. Z4, Z5, Z6, Z7, and Z8 are substituents.
US07652132B2

The present invention provides a metal-organic framework (“MOF”) comprising a plurality of metal clusters and a plurality of multidentate linking ligands. Each metal of the plurality of metal clusters comprises one or more metal ions. Each ligand of the plurality of multidentate linking ligands connects adjacent metal clusters. The present invention also provides a method of forming the metal-organic framework. The method of the invention comprises combining a solution comprising one or metal ions with a multidentate linking ligand having a sufficient number of accessible sites for atomic or molecular adsorption that the surface area of the resulting metal-organic framework is greater than 2,900 m2/g.
US07652116B2

Fluorochemical urethane compounds and coating compositions derived therefrom are described. The compounds and composition may be used in treating substrates, in particular substrates having a hard surfaces such as ceramics or glass, to render them hydrophilic, oleophobic and easy to clean.
US07652112B2

A polymer extender composition comprising monomers copolymerized in the following percentages by weight: (a) from about 5% to about 90% of a monomer of the formula I: R1—OC(O)—C(R)═CH2  (I) (b) from about 5% to about 85% of vinylidene chloride, vinyl chloride, vinyl acetate, or a mixture thereof, (c) from about 0.5% to about 3% of a monomer of the formula II: HO—CH2—NH—C(O)—C(R)═CH2  (II) (d) from about 0.5% to about 3% of a monomer of the formula III HO—CH2CH2—OC(O)—C(R)═CH2  (III) and (e) from about 1% to about 5% of a monomer of the formula IV: H—(OCH2CH2)m—O—C(O)—C(R)═CH2  (IV) (f) from 0% to about 25% of methyl methacrylate, vinylbenzyl chloride, styrene or a mixture thereof, wherein each R is independently H or CH3; R1 is a linear or branched or cyclic alkyl chain having from about 4 to about 18 carbon atoms, and m is 2 to about 10.
US07652108B2

Process for the gas-phase polymerization of one or more alpha-olefins in the presence of a catalyst system, the process comprising: contacting in a continuous way one or more of said alpha-olefins with said catalyst system in a prepolymerization reactor, wherein the reaction is carried out in a liquid medium at a temperature ranging from 23° to 50° C.; feeding in continuous the prepolymer obtained in step a) into a gas-phase reactor having interconnected polymerization zones, where the growing polymer particles flow upward through a first polymerization zone (riser) under fast fluidization or transport conditions, leave said riser and enter a second polymerization zone (downcomer) through which they flow downward under the action of gravity, leave said downcomer and are reintroduced into said riser; wherein the prepolymer obtained from step a) is continuously fed at a section of said riser characterized by an upwardly gas velocity higher than 3.0 m/s.
US07652101B2

A thermoplastic material has a) from 5% weight to 95% by weight, preferably from 10% by weight to 60% by weight, of vulcanized rubber in a subdivided form; b) from 5% by weight to 95% by weight, preferably from 40% by weight to 90% by weight, of at least one heterophase copolymer having a thermoplastic phase made from a propylene homopolymer or copolymer and an elastomeric phase made from a copolymer of ethylene with an α-olefin, preferably with propylene; c) from 0% by weight to 90% by weight, preferably from 0% by weight to 50% by weight, of at least one α-olefin homopolymer or copolymer different from b); the amounts of a), b) and c) being expressed with respect to the total weight of a)+b)+c). The thermoplastic material shows improved mechanical properties, in particular, improved elongation at break.
US07652098B2

The present invention relates to a resin composition for GHz-band electronic components, the composition comprising nanoscale carbon tubes and at least one member selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic resins, curable resins, and composite resins of thermoplastic resins and curable resins; wherein the nanoscale carbon tubes are present in an amount of 0.0001 to 0.4 wt. % based on the resin; and an electronic component obtainable from the resin composition, or the like.
US07652097B2

A polymer-extruded article produced by extrusion and vulcanization of a polymeric composition includes ethylene-α-olefin-nonconjugated polyene copolymer in an amount of 100 phr; carbon black in an amount ranging from more than 50 to 120 phr, the carbon black having an arithmetic average particle diameter of not smaller than 60 nm; a softener in an amount of not more than 100 phr; and thermo-expansive capsules in an amount ranging from 1 to 10 phr. The polymer-extruded article includes a surface section having an uneven surface derived from thermal expansion of the thermo-expansive capsules, and a rough surface derived from carbon particle of the carbon black and formed at the uneven surface derived form the thermal expansion of the thermo-expansive capsules.
US07652086B2

A golf ball comprising a center comprising a highly-neutralized thermoplastic copolymer of ethylene and an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid, the acid being 100% neutralized by a salt of an organic acid, a cation source, or a suitable base of the organic acid; a cover; and an intermediate layer disposed between the center and the cover; wherein the golf ball has a first coefficient of restitution of 0.81 or greater when measured at an incoming velocity of 125 ft/s; and a sphere resulting from a combination of the center and the intermediate layer has a compression of 60 or greater.
US07652054B2

There is provided compounds of formula (I), wherein X1, X2, X3, Y4, Y1, Y2, Y3, Y4, Z1, Z2, R4 and R5 have meanings given in the description, and pharmaceutically-acceptable salts thereof, which compounds are useful as selective agonists of the AT2 receptor, and thus, in particular, in the treatment of inter alia gastrointestinal conditions, such as dyspepsia, IBS and MOF, and cardiovascular disorders.
US07652050B2

A method of increasing the survival of animals and aquatic species susceptible to birnavirus infection by treating them before, during and/or after birnavirus exposure, with a chemical compound capable of inhibiting viral replication. A method of treating aquatic species to increase their survival in the presence of a virus, particularly an aquatic birnavirus, and to increase the yield of farmed fish susceptible to viral infection. The present invention provides methods for increasing survival of virally-exposed aquatic animals by administering therapeutically effective amounts of isoxazol compounds to aquatic animals susceptible to birnavirus infection and/or IPNV infection, particularly in fish such as salmonoid species, which are easily exposed to IPNV. The present invention also provides methods for increasing survival of virally-exposed animals by administering therapeutically effective amounts of isoxazol compounds to farmed animals susceptible to birnavirus infection and/or IBDV infection, particularly in poultry such as chickens, which are exposed to IBDV.
US07652047B2

The invention concerns compounds which inhibit MEK and which have activity as anti-neoplastic agents. These compounds include N-substituted-3-hydroxy-5-arylamino-isothiazole-4-carboxamidines. Also included are the tautomeric isothiazol-3(2H)-ones.
US07652036B2

This invention pertains to certain carbamic acid compounds of the following formula, which inhibit HDAC (histone deacetylase) activity wherein: A is independently an unsubstituted or substituted bicyclic C9-10heteroaryl group (e.g., quinolinyl; quinoxalinyl; benzoxazolyl; benzothiazolyl); Q is an acid leader group, and is independently an unsubstituted or substituted, saturated or unsaturated C17alkylene group having a backbone length of 4 or less; with the proviso that if A is unsubstituted benzothiazol-2-yl, then Q is an unsaturated group; and with the proviso that if A is unsubstituted quinolin-6-yl, then Q is unsubstituted at the α-position; and with the proviso that A is not benzimidazol-2-yl; and pharmaceutically acceptable salts, solvates, amides, esters, ethers, chemically protected forms, and prodrugs thereof. The present invention also pertains to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds, and the use of such compounds and compositions, both in vitro and in vivo, to inhibit HDAC, and in the treatment of conditions mediated by HDAC, cancer, proliferative conditions, psoriasis, etc.
US07652030B2

New stable compositions comprising the combination of a topically active vasoconstrictor and a topically active anticholinergic drug are disclosed. Preferably, the composition comprises ipratropium or a salt thereof in combination with xylometazoline hydrochloride and a salt thereof. Upon topically administering such compositions to a nasal mucosa in individuals suffering from the common cold the symptoms of rhinorrhea are significantly reduced.
US07652028B2

The present invention relates to Indenoisoquinolinone Analogs, compositions comprising an effective amount of an Indenoisoquinolinone Analog and methods for treating or preventing an inflammatory disease, a reperfusion injury, diabetes mellitus, a diabetic complication, reoxygenation injury resulting from organ transplantation, an ischemic condition, a neurodegenerative disease, renal failure, a vascular disease, a cardiovascular disease, cancer, a complication of prematurity, cardiomyopathy, retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, erectile dysfunction or urinary incontinence, comprising administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of an Indenoisoquinolinone Analog.
US07652026B2

A pharmaceutical composition comprising an analgesic or analgesic combination and a stool softener is disclosed. The analgesic is selected from morphine, meperidine, fentanyl, hydromorphone, oxymorphone, oxycodone, hydrocodone, methadone, propoxyphene, pentazocine, levorphanol, codeine, acetaminophen and combinations of these analgesics. The composition is formulated for oral administration as a liquid or solid dosage form for immediate, slow, delayed or sustained-release characteristics.
US07652015B2

The present invention provides kinase inhibitors of Formula (I). Wherein R1, R2, X and Z are as described herein, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
US07652014B2

The present invention provides compounds of formula (I), their use as PARP inhibitors as well as pharmaceutical compositions comprising said compounds of formula (I) wherein n, s, R1, R2, R3, Q, X and Y have defined meanings.
US07652008B2

This invention relates to benzopyran derivatives of formula (I) or (II), or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof wherein R1 and R2 are independently of each other hydrogen atom, C1-6alkyl group or C6-14aryl group, R3 is hydrogen atom or C1-6alkylcarbonyloxy group, or together with R4 forms a bond, R4 is hydrogen atom, or together with R3 forms a bond, m is an integer of 0 to 4, n is an integer of 0 to 4, V is a single bond, CR7R8, NR9, O, S, SO or SO2, R5 is hydrogen atom or C1-6alkyl group, R6 is hydrogen atom, C1-6alkyl group, C3-8cycloalkyl group, C3-8cycloalkenyl group, amino group, C1-6alkylamino group, di-C1-6alkylamino group, C6-14arylamino group, C2-9heteroarylamino group, C6-14aryl group, C2-9heteroaryl group or C2-9heterocyclyl group, A is 5-, 6- or 7-member ring fused with benzene ring, as constituent atom of the ring, oxygen atom, nitrogen atom or sulfur atom may be contained in the number of 1 to 3 alone or in a combination thereof, the number of unsaturated bond in the ring is 1, 2 or 3 including an unsaturated bond of the benzene ring to be fused, carbon atoms constituting the ring may be carbonyl or thiocarbonyl. These compounds are useful as an anti-arrhythmic agent.
US07652002B2

A compound of formula (I):
US07652000B2

Methods of treating and/or preventing surface infections, such as acne, in an animal, such as a human being, using antibiotics incorporating borinic acid complexes, especially picolinic acid derivatives, are disclosed, along with compositions of these antibiotics.
US07651999B2

A 2-5A analog represented by the formula (1): wherein m is 0 or 1; n is 0 to 2; R1 represents an alkoxy group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms which may be substituted, an unprotected mercapto group, a mercapto group protected by a nucleic acid synthesis protecting group, or an alkylthio group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms which may be substituted; R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 represent an unprotected hydroxyl group, a hydroxyl group protected by a nucleic acid synthesis protecting group, an alkoxy group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms which may be substituted, an unprotected mercapto group, a mercapto group protected by a nucleic acid synthesis protecting group, or an alkylthio group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms which may be substituted; R7 represents an oxygen atom, or a —O(CH2CH2O)q- group, wherein q is 2 to 6; R8 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms which may be substituted, or a 5′-phosphorylated oligonucleotide analog which has one hydroxyl group removed from the 5′-phosphoric acid group; E1, E2, E3 and E4 represent a naturally occurring or modified nucleic acid unit, or a pharmacologically acceptable salt thereof.
US07651991B2

A cosmetic cleansing gel comprising myreth sulfate, cocamidopropyl betaine, a cross-linked acrylate copolymer and water. The gel has a viscosity of from about 1,500 to about 10,000 mPa·s. This Abstract is not intended to define the invention disclosed in the specification, nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.
US07651987B2

Formulations using tartaric compounds of the present invention in a low sulfur, low ash and low phosphorous lubricant lower wear, and friction and improves fuel economy.
US07651976B2

It is an object of the present invention to provide a thermal transfer sheet which has high adhesion strength of a dye layer to a base and a high reflection density, and has a good releasing property from a image-receiving sheet in printing even after being stored in the conditions of high temperatures and high humidity, and can attain adequately satisfactory printed substances having high sharpness of thermal transfer images.The present invention pertains to a thermal transfer sheet, wherein an under coat layer containing a thermoplastic resin and colloidal inorganic pigment ultrafine particles and a dye layer are formed in order on a face on one side of a base and a thermal transfer sheet, wherein an under coat layer formed by using colloidal inorganic pigment ultrafine particles and silicate or aluminum alcoholate and a dye layer are formed in order on a face on one side of a base.
US07651964B2

A unitary, fiber-containing composite comprises (a) a first region comprising a plurality of first binder fibers and a plurality of bast fibers, (b) a second region disposed above the first region, the second region comprising a plurality of second binder fibers and a plurality of bast fibers, and (c) a transitional region disposed between the first region and the second region. The transitional region comprises concentrations of the first binder fiber, the second binder fiber, and the bast fiber. The concentration of the first binder fiber in the first transitional region is greatest proximate to the first region and least proximate to the second region, and the concentration of the second binder fiber and the bast fiber in the first transitional region is greatest proximate to the second region and least proximate to the first region. A method for producing a unitary, fiber-containing composite is also described.
US07651961B2

A method for forming a strained SiN film and a semiconductor device containing the strained SiN film. The method includes exposing the substrate to a gas including a silicon precursor, exposing the substrate to a gas containing a nitrogen precursor activated by a plasma source at a first level of plasma power and configured to react with the silicon precursor with a first reactivity characteristic, and exposing the substrate to a gas containing the nitrogen precursor activated by the plasma source at a second level of plasma power different from the first level and configured to react with the silicon precursor with a second reactivity characteristic such that a property of the silicon nitride film formed on the substrate changes to provide the strained silicon nitride film.
US07651952B2

Wafer structures and associated methods of fabrication are described. The wafer structures are fabricated to have aerodynamic shapes. Even if the structures on the wafer are fragile, the aerodynamic shapes of the structures create less resistance to a fluid flow of a cleaning process, and are less likely to be damaged by the cleaning process. Also, the aerodynamic shape of the structures allows a fluid flow to be directed toward the wafer from a single angle to effectively clean the wafer.
US07651942B2

A method of fabricating a semiconductor device including a metal interconnect structure with a conductive region formed in a first dielectric layer, and an overlying, low-k, dielectric layer. A via and trench are formed in a dual damascene structure in the overlying dielectric layer, the via aligned with the conductive region and the trench. A sacrificial liner to release organic residues is deposited in the via and over the upper surface of the wafer, over which an organic planarization layer is deposited. The organic planarization layer is removed with a dry plasma etch, followed by a wet clean to remove the sacrificial liner. A diffusion barrier to separate the conductive material from the dielectric layers is deposited over the dual damascene structure and over the upper surface of the wafer. A conductive structure is formed over the diffusion barrier and polished to form an even surface for further processing steps.
US07651935B2

A transistor structure of an electronic device can include a gate dielectric layer and a gate electrode. The gate electrode can have a surface portion between the gate dielectric layer and the rest of the gate electrode. The surface portion can be formed such that another portion of the gate electrode primarily sets the effective work function in the finished transistor structure.
US07651929B2

A semiconductor structure with an insulating layer on a silicon substrate, a plurality of electrically-isolated silicon-on-insulator (SOI) regions separated from the substrate by the insulating layer, and a plurality of electrically-isolated silicon bulk regions extending through the insulating layer to the substrate. Each of one number of the SOI regions is oriented with a first crystal orientation and each of another number of the SOI regions is oriented with a second crystal orientation that differs from the first crystal orientation. The bulk silicon regions are each oriented with a third crystal orientation. Damascene or imprinting methods of forming the SOI regions and bulk silicon regions are also provided.
US07651925B2

A frame and vacuum expansion chuck are used in combination for stretching a tape carrying a plurality of singulated devices to facilitate removal of the devices with reduced risk of contact between a device being removed from the tape and an adjacent device on the tape. The combination includes a frame for holding edges of a tape carrying a plurality of singulated devices, and a vacuum chuck having upper surfaces for contacting an underside of a tape carrying a plurality of singulated devices. The vacuum chuck extends along a perimeter circumscribing the singulated devices, and at least one groove is defined in the upper surface of the vacuum chuck. Conduit for providing fluid communication between the groove and a vacuum source are provided. Upon evacuation of the volume defined between the groove and the tape, the tape is drawn down into the groove and stretched, thereby increasing the separation or gap between adjacent dice and reducing the risk of damage upon removal of the dice.
US07651922B2

A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, includes forming a silicon nitride film on a base body, forming a silicon film on said silicon nitride film, forming at least one groove extending from said silicon film to inside of said base body, forming by high-density plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition a silicon-containing dielectric film in said groove and on said silicon film in such a way that a silicon-rich layer is formed at a height position spaced apart from said base body within said groove, said silicon-rich layer being higher in silicon content than remaining silicon-containing dielectric film, removing by etching a portion of said silicon-containing dielectric film above said silicon film and a portion of said remaining silicon-containing dielectric film above said silicon-rich layer, if any, and after having removed said silicon-containing dielectric film, removing by etching said silicon-rich layer and said silicon film.
US07651921B2

There is a method of forming a contact post and surrounding isolation trench in a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate. The method comprises etching a contact hole and surrounding isolation trench from an active layer of the substrate to the insulating layer, masking the trench and further etching the contact hole to the base substrate layer, filling the trench and contact hole with undoped intrinsic polysilicon and then performing a doping process in respect of the polysilicon material filling the contact hole so as to form in situ a highly doped contact post, while the material filling the isolation trench remains non-conductive. The isolation trench and contact post are formed substantially simultaneously so as to avoid undue interference with the device fabrication process.
US07651915B2

In a method of making a semiconductor device, a gate dielectric is formed over the semiconductor body. A floating gate is formed over the gate dielectric, an insulating region over the floating gate, and a control gate over the insulating region. The gate dielectric, floating gate, insulating region, and control gate constitute a gate stack. A stress is caused in the gate stack, whereby the band gap of the gate dielectric is changed by the stress.
US07651912B2

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of element regions and a plurality of element isolation regions in a first direction, a plurality of floating gate electrodes formed via a gate insulating film on the respective element regions, an intergate insulating film formed on the floating gate electrodes, a plurality of control gate electrodes formed on the intergate insulating film so as to extend over the adjacent floating gate electrodes, and an element isolation insulating film formed in the element isolation region and having an upper end located higher than the upper surface of the gate insulating film, the element isolation insulating film including a part formed between the control gate electrodes so that the central sidewall of the element isolation insulating film is located lower than the end of the sidewall of the element isolation insulating film.
US07651902B2

Hybrid substrates characterized by semiconductor islands of different crystal orientations and methods of forming such hybrid substrates. The methods involve using a SIMOX process to form an insulating layer. The insulating layer may divide the islands of at least one of the different crystal orientations into mutually aligned device and body regions. The body regions may be electrically floating relative to the device regions.
US07651901B2

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprises: forming a high dielectric gate insulating film in an nMIS formation region and a pMIS formation region of a semiconductor substrate; forming a first metal film on the high dielectric gate insulating film, the first metal film; removing the first metal film in the nMIS formation region; forming a second metal film on the high dielectric gate insulating film of the nMIS formation region and on the first metal film of the pMIS formation region; and processing the first metal film and the second metal film. The high dielectric gate insulating film has a dielectric constant higher than a dielectric constant of silicon oxide. The first metal film does not contain silicon and germanium. The second metal film contains at least one of silicon and germanium.
US07651900B2

A mask for making a polysilicon structure includes a transmitting area that transmits light and a blocking area that has a metal layer and a semiconductor layer deposited in an alternating manner at least once. The blocking area blocks light. The mask is subject to less thermal stress from the light (e.g., a laser beam) and therefore has a longer life span compared to a conventional mask.
US07651899B2

A method of fabricating a thin film transistor array substrate and a thin film transistor array substrate using the same is disclosed. Picture quality deterioration may be prevented.
US07651898B2

First gate lines are formed on a substrate. An insulation layer is formed on the substrate and the first gate lines. The insulation layer disposed between the first gate lines is selectively etched, to thereby form first openings. Landing plugs are buried into the first openings. The insulation layer disposed on the first gate lines is etched until upper portions of the first gate lines are exposed, thereby obtaining second openings. Second gate lines are formed inside the second openings.
US07651894B2

A semiconductor device manufacturing method including forming a dummy capacitor in a fuse region to avoid a step height between plate electrodes in a cell region and in a fuse region, is disclosed herein. The method can be used so that only an insulating film at a target thickness may remain on an upper part of the plate electrode in the fuse region during an etching process for forming a fuse open region, and a fuse failure due to laser blowing can be prevented.
US07651884B2

A fabrication method of a CMOS image sensor provides forms micro lenses over a substrate by etching a plurality of holes in a wiring layer over a pixel area. An oxide layer is deposited to form a surface with a semi-circular cross section over the holes. The oxide layer may be etched away, leaving micro lenses formed in the wiring layer.
US07651881B2

A transfer film, on which an adhesive is applied, is glued to plural spacers formed on a glass substrate. The glass substrate is laid on a working table, and one end of the transfer film is fixed to a winding roller. A peeling guide is set at a position over the transfer film. The winding roller is driven to wind the transfer film while the working table moves horizontally. While winding the transfer film, the angle between the glass substrate and the transfer film is kept constant. After the transfer film is peeled off, the adhesive is uniformly transferred to each of the spacers.
US07651879B2

Improved SAW pressure sensors and manufacturing methods thereof. A SAW wafer including a number of SAW transducers disposed thereon may be provided. A cover wafer may also be provided, with a glass wall situated between the cover wafer and the SAW wafer. The cover wafer may be secured to the SAW wafer such that the glass wall surrounds the SAW transducers. In some instances, the glass wall may define, at least in part, a separation between the cover wafer and the SAW wafer. One or more contours may also be provided between the cover wafer and the SAW wafer such that at least one of the contours surrounds at least one of the SAW transducers when the cover wafer is disposed over and secured relative to the SAW wafer.
US07651878B2

Provided are a WLCSP of an image sensor and a method of manufacturing the same. The WLCSP includes a wafer, support members, glass, and metal bumps. The wafer has an image sensor and a pair of pads disposed thereon, a portion of the bottom surface of the image sensor being exposed outward from the both ends of the wafer. The support members are disposed on the pads to support the both bottom sides of the glass, the support members being formed to a predetermined thickness to provide a space for forming an air cavity. The glass is safely seated on the support members such that the air cavity is formed on the wafer. The metal bumps are disposed on the both sides of the wafer corresponding to the pads such that the bottom surfaces of the metal bumps protrude beyond the bottom surface of the wafer and form conductive lines electrically connected to the pads. Therefore, the package can be directly attached to a camera module even without using a separate PCB or ceramic substrate. Accordingly, the module assembly space can be reduced to miniaturize the product. Also, the substrate manufacturing costs can be reduced to lower the unit price of the product.
US07651875B2

Nanostructured surface materials having patterned indents are disclosed and there use for catalytic, therapeutic, herbicidal, pesticidal, antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal applications is disclosed.
US07651865B2

A method and system to consistently and automatically conditioning and delivering a solid-free liquid (filtrate) sample suitable for instrumental analysis is disclosed. A slurry, preferably a slurry produced by a sub-atmospheric pressure chlorate dioxide generating process, is fed through a filter to remove the solid phase and to provide the liquid phase on the downstream side of the filter, where the concentration of at least one dissolved component is determined.
US07651862B2

Optical time domain reflectometry caused by absorption of a volatile or analyte into the fiber optic cladding is used an optical nose. The fiber optics (14) are covered with a gas permeable film (44) which is patterned to leave millimeter wide gas permeable notches (48a-48d). The notches contain a sensing polymer that responds to different gases by expanding or contracting.
US07651860B2

Methods of analyzing low levels of peroxyacetic acid (PAA) in water are described. These methods employ buffering the PAA-containing water and the use of a N,N-diethyl-p-phenylenediamine (DPD) indicator system in the presence of iodide ion. The intensity of the pink coloration that develops is quantitated by colorimetric or titrimetric methods and correlated to the ppm PAA in the water. Positive interference effects due to the presence of hydrogen peroxide are eliminated by performing the analyses quickly after the introduction of the reagents.
US07651849B2

The invention relates to nitrilases and to nucleic acids encoding the nitrilases. In addition methods of designing new nitrilases and method of use thereof are also provided. The nitrilases have increased activity and stability at increased pH and temperature.
US07651848B2

A method for refolding a protein by mixing a protein solution with a refolding buffer at mixing conditions that approximate ideal mixing. The method can be carried out batch wise, in a fed-batch mode or continuously with on-line solubilization of inclusion bodies.
US07651847B2

The present invention provides methods for identifying oligosaccharides specific to cancer and methods for determining a strain of cancer in an individual. The present invention also provides methods for diagnosing cancer or a stage of cancer in an individual by detecting the presence or absence of specific cancer markers and methods for treating cancer by administering antibodies directed to such markers. In addition, the present invention provides cancer markers comprising O-linked oligosaccharides and kits for diagnosing or treating cancer.
US07651844B2

The invention concerns a method for screening agents capable of treating, by way of prevention or cure, obesity or one of the disorders associated with obesity by modulating the expression of the SPARC protein or of its activity. The invention also concerns a method for diagnosing obesity or one of the disorders associated with obesity by monitoring the expression rate of the SPARC protein or its activity. The invention further concerns a composition comprising an agent modulating the expression of the SPARC protein or its activity. The invention finally concerns the use of any agent modulating the expression of the SPARC protein or its activity for preparing a pharmaceutical composition for treating, by way of prevention or cure, obesity or one of the disorders associated with obesity.
US07651833B2

The present invention relates to a method of preparing a photochromic film or plate comprising printing a photochromic substance in the unit of an independent spot on a part or the whole of a basic material and forming a protective layer on the basic material, on which the photochromic substance is coated, so as to protect the photochromic substance. According to the present invention, the photochromic substance is printed in the unit of an independent spot so that the printed unit spots are isolated from each other, thereby prolonging the life of the photochromic substance.
US07651832B2

The subject invention achieves further improvement in recording density for an optical information recording medium using a medium super-resolution effect with a super-resolution film, by reduction of the effective spot diameter in a further effective way. According to the optical information recording medium of the present invention, information is recorded on a recording surface of a substrate 5 in the form of phase pits. On the recording surface, an information layer 4, composed of a reflection film 6, a light-absorbing film 3 and a temperature-responsive film 2, is formed. The temperature-responsive film 2 is made of a ZnO film, which is an inorganic super-resolution film whose complex refractive index changes according to intensity of incident light, the film is also superior in a light transmittance property. The light-absorbing film 3 is made of an Si film 3, which absorbs a part of the incident light so that the temperature of the information layer 4 increases. The reflection film 6 is made of an Al film.
US07651827B2

An imaging member containing a substrate, and an outer layer containing a phosphorus-containing lubricant, and an image forming apparatus for forming images on a recording medium including the imaging member above, a development component to apply a developer material to said charge-retentive surface to develop said electrostatic latent image to form a developed image on said charge-retentive surface; a transfer component for transferring said developed image from said charge retentive surface to another member or a copy substrate; and a fusing member to fuse said developed image to said copy substrate.
US07651826B2

There is provided a semiconductor device including a wafer and a focus monitoring pattern formed on the wafer. The focus monitoring pattern having at least one pair of first and second patterns, and the first pattern has an unexposed region surrounded by an exposed region, and the second pattern has an exposed region surrounded by an unexposed region. In addition, the present invention provides a method of fabricating a semiconductor device comprising the steps of forming at least one pair of first and second patterns on a wafer, the first pattern having an unexposed region surrounded by an exposed region, the second pattern having an exposed region surrounded by an unexposed region, and checking a focusing condition on exposure by measuring widths of the first and second patterns formed on the wafer.
US07651825B2

A system and method are provided for determining an overlay of a first layer N-1 and a second layer N that are positioned one over the other on a substrate. The first layer includes a first overlay portion. The second layer includes a first complementary overlay portion. The first overlay portion and first complementary overlay portion are arranged to form an overlay mark for determining the overlay of the first and second layers. In the second layer a stitching portion and a complementary stitching portion are formed. The stitching portion and complementary stitching portion are arranged to form a stitching mark for determining a stitching overlay between the second layer and an adjacent second layer, with the adjacent second layer being positioned adjacent to the second layer.
US07651824B1

A method for compensating critical dimension (CD) variations of patterns of a substrate, by the correcting the CD of the corresponding photomask is disclosed. First, a light and a main photomask are provided. Second, an auxiliary photomask including an auxiliary transparent substrate and a shading element within the auxiliary transparent substrate is provided. Next the light passes through the auxiliary photomask and main photomask in order for compensating CD variations of patterns corresponding to main photomask.
US07651816B2

A positive electrode active material powder for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, wherein an amount of a liquid reagent absorbed by the powder is 20 to 40 ml per 100 g of the powder when the liquid reagent is dibutyl phthalate, and the amount is 20 to 50 ml per 100 g of the powder when the liquid reagent is N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone or water, the absorption amount is a value measured using a device according to test method A or B regarding DBP absorption based on JIS K6217 (1997), and the measured value is an amount of the liquid reagent added until the viscosity of a mixture of the powder and the liquid reagent reaches a level corresponding to 70% of a maximum torque which is recorded when a change in the viscosity of a mixture of the powder and the liquid reagent is measured by a torque detecting device.
US07651814B2

An electrochemical cell is provided having a cathode can that fits over an anode can to define an anode cavity for retaining active anode material. A cathode assembly is disposed proximal the base of the anode can, and is separated from the anode cavity via a separator. A radial seal is provided at the remote region between the outer periphery of the anode side wall and cathode side wall to prevent the leakage of electrolyte material. An insulator is disposed between the anode and cathode to provide electrical insulation therebetween.
US07651813B2

A capacitor includes a base having a hollow or open portion in an upper surface for containing a battery element or an electric double layer capacitor element and an electrolytic solution in an inside thereof, a metallized layer formed to a periphery of the base defining the hollow or open portion in the upper surface and a frame member made of metal brazed to the metallized layer so as to surround the hollow or open portion. An inner lateral surface of the frame member is inclined outward, and a corrosion resistant layer is deposited so as to continuously cover the inclined surface and a portion of the surface of the metallized layer situated inward thereof.
US07651807B2

A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, a fuel tank, a first passage which supplies liquid fuel from the fuel tank to the fuel cell, a cartridge holder in which a plurality of types of cartridges are replaceably loaded, a second passage which supplies the content discharged from the cartridge to the fuel cell, a cartridge detector which detects the type of cartridge loaded in the cartridge holder, and a passage control means which controls the passages in accordance with the type of cartridge detected.
US07651805B2

The fuel cell comprises: a membrane electrode assembly having a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, an anode side diffusion electrode (an anode electrode, and a second diffusion layer) disposed at one side of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane, and a cathode side diffusion electrode (a cathode electrode, and a first diffusion layer) disposed at the other side of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane; a pair of separators which hold the membrane electrode assembly; a projecting portion which extends from the solid polymer electrolyte membrane and which projects from the peripheries of the anode side diffusion electrode and the cathode side diffusion electrode; and a seal, provided on the separators, which was liquid sealant at the time of application. The seal makes contact with the projecting portion while the membrane electrode assembly is disposed between the separators.
US07651804B2

A fuel cartridge in a fuel cell is constructed so as to be removably mounted to a fuel cell body. The fuel cartridge is constructed so that a high-concentration fuel tank and a mixing tank are detachably connected at a fitting section. A low-concentration fuel, a recovered fuel recovered from a fuel container, and a high-concentration fuel in the high-concentration fuel tank are mixed in the mixing tank to be a fuel at a predetermined concentration of fuel component, and then the fuel is supplied to the fuel container.
US07651802B2

Disclosed is a polymer electrolyte having a protonic acid group that is excellent in thermal stability and dimensional stability. The polymer electrolyte includes copolymers having a sulfonic acid group which has a structure represented by the following formula: wherein X is a divalent electron-withdrawing group; Y is an oxygen or a sulfur; Z and Q are each a direct bond, —O—, —S—, —CO—, —SO2—, —[C(R′)2]g— (g: integer of from 1 to 8), etc.; R, R′ and R1 to R16 are each a hydrogen, a fluorine, an alkyl, a fluorine-substituted alkyl, an aryl or a nitrile; m, n, p, q, r, s, t and u are each an integer of from 0 to 4 (with the proviso that p+q≧1); and A is a group represented by Formula (5a) or (5b) below: wherein W is a divalent electron-withdrawing group; S is a protonic acid group; i is an integer of from 1 to 5; and j is an integer of from 1 to 7.
US07651800B2

The object is to provide a simplified but highly efficient fuel cell system, permitting to perform the flame off detection and so on without supplying the burner with additional raw fuel, even if a flame rod system flame detection means is adopted as burner for reformer. The invention concerns a fuel cell system, comprising a reformer for reforming a hydrocarbon base fuel such as natural gas into hydrogen, a CO transformer, a CO eliminator, a fuel cell for generating electricity from hydrogen, and a burner for reformer for burning hydrogen gas discharged from the fuel cell and supply the reformer with heat necessary for reforming reaction, wherein the burner for reformer is provided with a flame rod system flame detection means and, at the same time, supplied with hydrogen gas containing a flame detectable amount of fuel gas.
US07651795B2

Embodiments of the embodiment are directed to reducing the inter-granular exchange coupling of an oxide granular medium and obtaining a high media S/N value, resulting in an areal recording density greater than 23 gigabits per square centimeter or more being achieved. In one embodiment, a magnetic recording medium comprises a structure laminating a soft-magnetic underlayer, a lower intermediate layer including Ru, an upper intermediate layer consisting of Ru crystal grains and oxide crystal grain boundaries, a magnetic recording layer consisting of crystal grains and oxide crystal grain boundaries, in order, on a substrate, growing crystal grains of the magnetic recording layer epitaxially on the Ru crystal grains of the upper intermediate layer, and growing the crystal grain boundaries of the magnetic recording layer on the crystal grain boundaries of the upper intermediate layer.
US07651794B2

The invention uses an adhesion layer of an amorphous alloy of aluminum. A first aluminum titanium embodiment of the amorphous adhesion layer preferably contains approximately equal amounts of aluminum and titanium (+/−5 at. %). A second embodiment of the amorphous adhesion layer preferably contains approximately equal amounts of aluminum and titanium (+/−5 at. %) and up to 10 at. % Zr with 5 at. % Zr being preferred. A third embodiment is aluminum tantalum preferably including from 15 to 25 at. % tantalum with 20 at. % being preferred. The most preferred compositions are Al50Ti50, Al47.5Ti47.5Zr5 or Al80 Ta20. The adhesion layer is deposited onto the substrate. The substrate can be glass or a metal such as NiP-plated AlMg. The preferred embodiment of media according to the invention is for perpendicular recording and includes a magnetically soft underlayer deposited above the adhesion layer.
US07651785B2

There is provided a tin-plated product which has a small deterioration of contact resistance with age, an excellent wear resistance and a low coefficient of friction. A coating of a composite material, which contains 0.1 to 1.0 wt % of carbon particles dispersed in a tin layer and which has a thickness of 0.5 to 10.0 μm, preferably 1.0 to 5.0 μm, is formed as the outermost layer of a substrate. Thus, the coefficient of dynamic friction between the tin-plated products of the same kind is 0.20 or less, and the coefficient of dynamic friction between the tin-plated product and a reflow tin-plated product is 0.20 or less, while the contact resistance is 1 mΩ or less.
US07651780B2

Roofing membranes of single ply heat seamable thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) sheets are made with a metallocene-catalyzed polyethylene (MPO) blend. The membranes exhibit superior heat seam peel strengths and low temperature flexibility.
US07651772B2

A carbon black pellet comprising an inner core of de-aerated carbon black and an outer surrounding shell of an encapsulating material, the shell of the encapsulating material having an average thickness of from about 1% to about 10% of the average thickness of the pellet.
US07651770B2

The present invention discloses a nano-cluster that includes a plurality of nano-particles, wherein the nano-particles can disperse in response to an environmental cue. Also disclosed is a method of preventing, treating, or diagnosing a disease or condition in a subject comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a composition comprising nano-clusters of the present invention.
US07651766B2

A carbon nanotube reinforced metal nanocomposite material includes a continuous metal phase, and a plurality of carbon nanotubes dispersed in the continuous metal phase. The metal phase extends throughout substantially an entire thickness of the nanocomposite material. The nanotubes are preferably single wall nanotubes (SWNTs). Carbon nanotube reinforced metal nanocomposites according to the invention provide thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity which are generally significantly higher than the pure metal continuous phase material, mechanical strength is 2 to 3 times greater than that of the pure metal, and a tailorable coefficient of thermal expansion obtainable through changing the percentage of nanotubes in the nanocomposite.
US07651765B2

Adhesive composition for tapes, labels and bandages to be used at temperatures of +5° C. and lower, comprising (a) at least one block copolymer, comprising at least two terminal blocks of poly(vinyl aromatic compound) and at least one midblock of a randomly copolymerized mixture of isoprene and butadiene, optionally mixed with a diblock copolymer comprising one poly(vinyl aromatic compound) block and one randomly copolymerized mixbjre of isoprene and butadiene, and optionally mixed with a block copolymer, comprising at least one block of poly(vinyl aromatic compound) and at least one block of poly(butadiene) or poly(isoprene), (b) at least one mixed aliphaticlaromatic tackifying resin or a blend of aliphatic and aromatic tackifying resins, having an aromatic H-NIVIR content between 6 and 22%, and (c) a plasticizer in an amount of at most 25 wt %, relative to the weight of the adhesive composition; and tapes, labels and bandages comprising said adhesive compositions, applied on a substrate layer; and the use of said tapes, labels or bandages.
US07651761B2

The invention provides a polishing pad by which optical materials such as lenses, reflecting mirrors etc., or materials requiring a high degree of surface planarity, as in the polishing of silicone wafers, glass substrates or aluminum substrates for hard disks, or general metal polishing, can be flattened with stability and high polishing efficiency. The invention also provides a polishing pad for semiconductor wafers, which is superior in planarizing characteristic, is free from scratches and can be produced at low cost. There is provided a polishing pad which is free from dechucking error so that neither damage to wafers nor decrease in operating efficiency occurs. There is provided a polishing pad which is satisfactory in planarity, within wafer uniformity, and polishing rate and produces less change in polishing rate. There is provided a polishing pad which can make planarity improvement and scratch decrease compatible.
US07651741B2

A support that includes a flexible substrate and provided thereon, one or two or more polymer layers and one or two or more sealing layers, wherein at least one of the polymer layers and the sealing layers is formed by a process including exciting a reactive gas at a space between opposed electrodes at atmospheric pressure or approximately atmospheric pressure by electric discharge to be in the plasma state, and exposing the flexible substrate, the polymer layer or the sealing layer to the reactive gas in the plasma state.
US07651731B2

The novelty proposed herein describes the application of niobium-based compositions and coatings, niobium oxides and their alloys capable of associations with other oxides and alloys by means of the thermal spraying technique for the purpose of an anticorrosive protection in highly corrosive environments, mainly those which present high temperatures, show presence of gases such as H2S, SO2, CO2, as well as organic and inorganic acids, commonly found in industrial centers.
US07651730B2

A silicon oxide film is formed on a target substrate by CVD, in a process field configured to be selectively supplied with an Si-containing gas, an oxidizing gas, and a deoxidizing gas. This method alternately includes first to fourth steps. The first step is arranged to perform supply of the Si-containing gas to the process field while stopping supply of the oxidizing and deoxidizing gases to the process field. The second step is arranged to stop supply of the Si-containing, oxidizing, and deoxidizing gases to the process field. The third step is arranged to perform supply of the oxidizing and deoxidizing gases to the process field at the same time, while stopping supply of the Si-containing gas to the process field. The fourth step is arranged to stop supply of the Si-containing, oxidizing, and deoxidizing gases to the process field.
US07651726B2

A process of obtaining silicon nitride (Si3N4) surface coatings on ceramic pieces and components by impregnation of the surfaces of the ceramic pieces with silicon powder suspensions with a particle size preferably less than 200 μm. The thickness of the coatings depends on the impregnation time and on the properties of the slip and the ceramic piece. The subsequent nitridation of the coating by thermal treatment at temperatures between 1300° C. and 1500° C. in N2 atmospheres leads to a continuous Si3N4 coating. The chemical stability and compatibility between Si3N4 and molten silicon enables its application in silicon metallurgy, in manufacturing crucibles for silicon fusion or for housing said molten silicon, in manufacturing pipes and chutes for its transport or in manufacturing different components for its subsequent purification.
US07651722B2

An apparatus for manufacturing an organic electroluminescence display having an alignment chamber for aligning a mask having openings corresponding to a predetermined pattern with a substrate on which a first electrode layer is formed and detachably attaching the mask and the substrate. The apparatus further including a number of vacuum processing chambers for sequentially forming a number of organic material layers on the substrate attached with the mask. The apparatus also including a transfer robot for transferring the attached mask and substrate to one of the number of vacuum processing chambers and sequentially transferring it between the number of the vacuum processing chambers.
US07651721B2

A process for manufacturing milk chocolate products containing a higher than normal water content by preparing a dark chocolate containing up to 30% by weight of water, adding a milk powder suspension optionally together with seed crystals of cocoa butter or cocoa butter equivalent, and mixing under low shear. The invention also relates to high water content milk chocolate products, methods of preparing a chocolate coated ice cream article with such products and to the resulting chocolate coated ice cream articles.
US07651718B2

A device (e.g., a vending machine) and method for preparing a consumable beverage include mixing an agglomerated natural milk powder having a scorched particle mass not greater than fifteen milligrams with hot water to produce the consumable beverage. The hot water and milk powder may be mixed prior to or during their placement of the beverage in a beverage cup, such as part of operation of a vending machine. Alternatively, the hot water and milk powder may be mixed with one or more additional ingredients, such as coffee, tea, cocoa powder, and/or sugar, to produce the beverage. Further, the hot water and milk powder may be whipped together or with an additional ingredient to produce a foaming beverage, such as cappuccino.
US07651716B2

Methods for reducing side-effects of feeding an individual are provided. The methods comprise administering to the individual a composition comprising an amount of bovine milk providing 1.0 to 1.2 grams of protein per 100 available kilocalories and an amount of a bovine whey material providing 1.0 to 1.2 grams of protein per 100 available kilocalories, said bovine whey material having an alpha-lactalbumin content of 28% to 40% and a beta-lactoglobulin content of 8% to 33% of total protein.
US07651712B2

A method for processing a high-lactose aqueous fluid (HLAF), such as permeate from ultrafiltration of whey fluid, is provided. The process includes introducing a highly concentrated high-lactose aqueous fluid into a cooling, concentrating, crystallizing apparatus in which the highly concentrated high-lactose aqueous fluid is exposed to mixing and to movement of a gaseous fluid at a temperature, moisture content and air speed effective to create a cooling, concentrating, crystallizing cascade to generate a partially crystallized high-lactose aqueous fluid and spraying the partially crystallized high-lactose aqueous fluid into an enclosed drying chamber containing hot air to form a high-solids crystalline product rich in crystalline alpha-lactose monohydrate crystals.
US07651709B2

Improved confectionery compositions and methods of using those compositions are provided. Broadly, the compositions comprise a sweetening ingredient, a proteinaceous material, and a thickening agent and can further have various additives such as colorants, flavoring agents, and preservatives. The compositions can be provided in the form of a dry mix which can be stored for long periods of time, or in the form of a ready-to-use composition. The final hydrated icing compositions flow readily through extremely small apertures (e.g., 18-24 gauge) and thus can be formed into detailed and complex patterns by even those with little skill in the art. The patterns can also be formed on a release substrate and packaged for sale directly to consumers or to bakeries.
US07651698B2

The present invention concerns a prolonged release bioadhesive mucosal therapeutic system containing at least one active principle, with an active principle dissolution test of more than 70% over 8 hours and to a method for its preparation. This bioadhesive therapeutic system comprises quantities of natural proteins representing 50% by weight of active principle and at least 20% by weight of said tablet, between 10% and 20% of a hydrophilic polymer, and compression excipients, and comprising between 4% and 10% of an alkali metal alkylsulphate to reinforce the local availability of active principle and between 0.1% and 1% of a monohydrate sugar.
US07651695B2

The invention provides bioactive compositions and methods of delivery for ameliorating a vascular diseased state, particularly for the management of stenosis or restenosis following a vascular trauma or disease.
US07651691B2

An emulsifying composition and process, that includes: a) from about 10 to about 90% by weight of arachidyl or behenyl alcohol; b) from about 10 to about 90% by weight of the corresponding phosphoric ester of arachidyl or behenyl alcohol; and c) up to about 20% by weight of at least one alkylpolyglycoside.
US07651689B2

This invention provides methods for treating infections in a subject which comprise administering to the subject an amount of a radiolabeled antibody effective to treat the infection, wherein the antibody specifically binds to the agent causing the infection. The invention also provides compositions and methods of making compositions comprising radiolabeled antibodies for the treatment of infections.
US07651681B1

Methods and compositions for forming protective and/or medicated films on body tissue. Liquid compositions contain a hydrophobically modified polymer, other than an esterified lower-hydroxyalkyl-substituted cellulose, suspended or dissolved in a solvent. The modified polymer is soluble in the solvent but insoluble in body fluids. The compositions may optionally contain a separate medicinal component, i.e., one which is present in addition to any medications, if any, present in the solvent, in the modified polymer and in any other additive components such as flavors, skin penetrants, preservatives, other solvents for the additives, etc. A protective and/or medicated film is formed in situ upon body tissue by applying the liquid composition to the tissue and separating the solvent from the composition, e.g., by vaporization.
US07651676B2

There is provided a process for preparing aluminium chloride comprising: leaching aluminium dross residues with HCl so as to obtain a mixture comprising a solid and a liquid; and hydrochlorinating the liquid obtained from the mixture, so as to form a precipitate comprising aluminium chloride. Such a sequence can also be used for preparing alumina. In such a case, the process can further comprise the step of converting the so-obtained aluminium chloride into alumina. In the processes previously defined, the solid so-obtained can also be leached with H2SO4, thereby generating a leachate. The leachate can also eventually be hydrochlorinated so as to increase the yield of the desired product obtained i.e. alumina or aluminium chloride.
US07651673B1

The present invention relates generally to the field of small scale pumping and, more specifically, to a method and system for very small scale pumping media through microtubes. One preferred embodiment of the invention generally comprises: method for small scale pumping, comprising the following steps: providing one or more media; providing one or more microtubes, the one or more tubes having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of one or more tubes is in contact with the media; and creating surface waves on the tubes, wherein at least a portion of the media is pumped through the tube.
US07651672B2

An endoscope processor, according to the present invention, provides for cleaning and sterilizing an endoscope having a body, and a first flexible tube attached to the body. It includes an operational housing and an enclosure which is attachable to and detachable from the operational housing, the enclosure being sealed from ingress of potentially contaminating microorganisms when detached from the operational housing. The enclosure is shaped, sized and oriented to receive the endoscope in an orientation with the first flexible tube depending vertically downwardly from the endoscope body. The enclosure includes a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet. The operational housing includes a circulating system comprising at least one liquid pump having a pump outlet connected to the liquid inlet of the enclosure when the enclosure is attached to the operational housing, and a pump inlet connected to the liquid outlet of the enclosure when the enclosure is attached to the operational housing, whereby to circulate liquid through the enclosure. A source of sterilizing fluid is associated with the pump and a control system is programmed to control a sterilization procedure whereby the pump circulates a liquid comprising the sterilizing fluid through the enclosure.
US07651668B2

A material gas and a catalyst are introduced through a material supplying tube path and a catalyst supplying tube path together with a carrier gas into a reactor equipped on its outer periphery with a heat applicator for thermally decomposing the material gas. The reactor has a convention regulator fitted to the discharge end of the catalyst supplying tube path. The convection regulator covers an edge side of the reactor to regulate gas flow in the reactor so that the flow does not reach the edge side. Due to this, a convection state can be efficiently produced in a reaction region. Consequently, it becomes possible to prevent contamination defect caused by accumulation/adherence of concretion of catalyst, which was generated by aggregation of cooled catalyst in the low-temperature region of the reactor and a decomposition product of the material gas. Thus the efficiency of carbon nanostructure production can be improved.
US07651654B2

A bicycle wheel rim and a method of making a bicycle wheel rim are provided. The rim provided is made of a single part using structural fiber based material, preferably carbon fiber material, with two circumferential wings for anchoring the tire, which extend radially outwards from the two sides of the outer peripheral wall of the rim.
US07651638B2

An alternating current responsive composite is disclosed. The composite includes a polymeric material and a polar material that is substantially dispersed within the polymeric material. The polar material is responsive to the presence of an alternating current.
US07651631B2

A phosphor, an optical device, and a display device are provided. The phosphor includes a composition represented by (Sr(1-x-y)CaxBay)(Ga(1-m-n)AlmInn)aS4:Eu, wherein the concentration of europium is in the range of 1 to 9 mole percent; 0≦x≦1, 0≦y≦1, and x+y≦1; 0≦m≦1, 0≦n≦1, m+n≦1, and 2.9≦a≦5.9; and a main absorption wavelength range of the excitation is selected either a first wavelength range that overlaps the entirety of a reference wavelength range and extends to the shorter wavelength side or a second wavelength range that overlaps the entirety of the reference wavelength range and extends to the longer wavelength side according to the value a.
US07651615B2

The present disclosure is generally directed to a process for decreasing waste material. The process includes loading organic material into a vessel, supplying ozone and water into the vessel, separating the organic material into solid material and liquid material, and reconditioning water from the liquid material for use again. The ozone oxidizes and breaks down at least a portion of the organic material.
US07651614B2

Systems and methods to treat wastewater are described herein. A wastewater treatment system may include a primary treatment system, a secondary treatment system, a disinfection treatment system, a solids treatment system, one or more fluid treatment systems, or combinations thereof.
US07651610B2

A water aerating and dirt collecting device for an aquarium includes a pumping device having a paddle device for pumping and circulating the water contained within the aquarium, a receptacle having an entrance coupled to the pumping device for receiving the water from the pumping device and for agitating the water and for generating an eddy current, and a casing having an inlet port coupled to the receptacle for receiving a filtered dirt from the receptacle and having a mouth coupled to the pumping device for allowing an air in the casing to be drawn into the pumping device. The receptacle includes a tubular member for collecting the filtered dirt.
US07651609B2

An aquarium filter arrangement including a filter housing and a filter cartridge having self-spacing structure. The self-spacing structure being designed to automatically space the filter cartridge in an operable filtering position. The operable filtering position being a position at which the filter cartridge is seated against a single rib formed in the housing.
US07651608B2

An apparatus and method for denitrification of treated wastewater from an aerobic wastewater treatment system in which oxygen levels in the aeration chamber of an aerobic digestion vessel are cycled between an anoxic environment, i.e., when the treated wastewater in the aeration vessel contains from just above 0 to just less than 1 ppm dissolved oxygen to an aerobic environment wherein the treated wastewater in the aeration vessel has a dissolved oxygen content of about 1 ppm or higher.
US07651598B2

In a microfluidic device, respective motion of a plurality of objects along corresponding trajectories is achieved by determining a force field, such as an underlying fluid flow which, when applied to the plurality of object, moves each object along its corresponding trajectory. The force field is a linear superposition of a subset of all force fields supported by the physical characteristics of the microfluidic device. Once the fields have been ascertained, a plurality of actuation signals corresponding to the fields is applied to actuators installed on the microfluidic device to cause the force on each object. By implementing a feedback structure, corrections for positional errors may be made by computing a corrective force for each object and adjusting the actuation signals appropriately thereto.
US07651578B2

A guidewire and methods for making and using the same. The guidewire may include a core wire and a polymer jacket attached to the core wire. The guidewire may be manufactured by advancing the core wire, polymer jacket, and a tooling tube through a heated die assembly so as to heat and compress the polymer jacket onto the core wire. Optionally, the tooling tube may be removed from the jacket after advancing the components through the die assembly.
US07651573B2

A ferromagnetic resonator for use in a marker in a magnetomechanical electronic article surveillance system has improved magnetoresonant properties and/or reduced eddy current losses by virtue of being annealed so that the resonator has a fine domain structure with a domain width less than about 40 ÿm, or less than about 1.5 times the thickness of the resonator. This produces in the resonator an induced magnetic easy axis which is substantially perpendicular to the axis along which the resonator is operated magnetically by a magnetic bias element also contained in the marker. The annealing which produces these characteristics can take place in a magnetic field of at least 1000 Oe, oriented at an angle with respect to the plane of the material being annealed so that the magnetic field has a significant component perpendicular to this plane, a component of at least about 20 Oe across the width of the material, and a smallest component along the direction of transport of the material through the annealing oven.
US07651570B2

A solid precursor vaporization system configured for use in a deposition system, such as thermal chemical vapor deposition (TCVD), is described. The solid precursor vaporization system comprises a plurality of concentric solid precursor cylinders supported on a gas distribution plate and configured to provide a substantially constant surface area as solid precursor is consumed.
US07651562B2

In a metal pigment for a cosmetic preparation, such as lipstick, nail polish, eye shadow, hair colorant, liquid mascara, powder, eyeliner, rouge, skin/hair care products, perfume, eau de toilette, lotions or the like, provision is made for a metallic substrate to have a substrate-enclosing layer produced by the sol-gel process, which provides a barrier effect against sweat and saliva and prevents direct contact between skin and metallic substrate.
US07651560B2

The invention relates to an abhesive layer and to a method for producing an abhesive coating from cross-linked inorganic nanosols.It is an object of the invention to develop an abhesive layer, which has a strong abhesive effect especially with respect to adhesive liquids or pastes, such as printing inks and, while adhering well to the coated materials, has an improved, wear resistance.This objective is accomplished by an abhesive layer or abhesive coating of cross-linked inorganic nanosols with additions of polyorganosiloxanes, which form a three-dimensional network in the layer.
US07651559B2

A mineral composition comprised of at least about 90 weight percent of roofing granules, at least about 50 weight percent of calcium carbonate with a hardgrove grindability index of less than about 70, from about 0.1 to about 1.0 weight percent of a pigmented material, from about 0.1 to about 1.0 weight percent of a composition for inhibiting the growth of an organism selected from the group consisting of algae, bacteria, and mixtures thereof, and less than about 100 parts per million of a metal selected from the group consisting from the group consisting of arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, selenium, and silver, and less than about 100 parts per million of a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon. The mineral composition, when tested in accordance with by ASTM Standard Test D 4977-03, loses less than 5 grams of material.
US07651557B2

The present invention relates to multi-layer pigments comprising a core pigment having attached two or more layers of polymer as well as to methods of preparing the multi-layer pigment. Also disclosed are inkjet ink compositions comprising these multi-layer pigments.
US07651554B2

A system for the solid state storage of hydrogen in accordance with several exemplary embodiments is disclosed herein. The system includes a plurality of hydrogen storage containers. Each hydrogen storage container of the plurality of hydrogen storage containers has an inner chamber and an inlet. The inlet provides a pathway for introducing hydrogen gas into the inner chamber. The inner chamber having a solid hydrogen storage medium disposed therein. The system further includes an endplate manifold having a hydrogen receiving port, a plurality of hydrogen outlet ports, and a flow channel. The hydrogen flow channel is integrated into the endplate manifold. Each hydrogen outlet port is in fluid communication with the inlet of one of the plurality of hydrogen storage containers. The hydrogen flow channel provides fluid communication between the hydrogen receiving port and each hydrogen outlet port.
US07651550B2

A desorption process and a process for producing a catalytically deactivated formed zeolitic adsorbent, whereby both processes are suitable to improve the lifetime of a formed zeolitic adsorbent in the removal of sulfur compounds from sulfur contaminated gas and liquid feed streams. The adsorbent is in particular a synthetic 13X or LSX faujasite with a silica to alumina ratio from 1.9:1.0 to about 3.0:1.0. The cations of the faujasite include alkali and alkaline earth metals. The formed zeolite mixture is preferably catalytically deactivated due to a phosphate treatment. The desorption is carried out thermally, wherein the heat treatment is done at different temperature stages to avoid decomposition of the organic sulfur compounds.
US07651548B2

The frequency of a cyclically varying voltage, (fv), is made equal to or higher than the frequency of a streamer discharge, (fs), thereby making it possible to reduce the discharge delay time which is caused in a single streamer discharge.
US07651547B2

The present invention relates to a method and a plant for the heat treatment of solids containing titanium and possibly further metal oxides, in which fine-grained solids are heated to a temperature of 700 to 950° C. in a fluidized bed reactor (1). To improve the energy utilization, it is proposed to introduce a first gas or gas mixture from below through a gas supply tube (3) into a mixing chamber (7) of the reactor (1), the gas supply tube (3) being at least partly surrounded by a stationary annular fluidized bed (10) which is fluidized by supplying fluidizing gas. The gas velocities of the first gas or gas mixture as well as of the fluidizing gas for the annular fluidized bed (10) are adjusted such that the particle Froude numbers in the gas supply tube (3) are between 1 and 100, in the annular fluidized bed (10) between 0.02 and 2 and in the mixing chamber (7) between 0.3 and 30.
US07651520B2

Disclosed is an ostial stent positioner that has the form of a wire for most of its length and having a short cylinder with a longitudinal slit and expandable legs situated at the positioner's distal end. The slit cylinder with its attached wire acts as an introducer sheath to introduce a stent delivery system with a stent into the artery that is to be stented. A second aspect of the present invention is a method for accurately placing a stent at the ostium of an artery that would have an ostial stenosis. Examples of such arteries that have ostial stenoses are the right and left main coronary arteries, a saphenous vein graft as used in coronary bypass surgery and the renal arteries. Also disclosed are designs for the slit cylinder that provides a variable diameter so as to fit snugly within guiding catheters having different inside diameters.
US07651519B2

An introducer for an expandable endovascular prosthesis having a self expanding stent has a distal prosthesis positioning mechanism and a proximal prosthesis retention mechanism. The proximal prosthesis retention mechanism includes a cylindrical sleeve adapted to retain the self expanding stent. A release mechanism extends proximally from the distal prosthesis positioning mechanism and exerts a force in the proximal direction on an interior surface of the self expanding stent to retain the self expanding stent in the cylindrical sleeve.
US07651514B2

Systems and methods for transporting intravascular devices through a body lumen are disclosed. A filter system in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a guide tip having a guidewire lumen adapted to receive a guidewire, an elongated wire operatively coupled to an embolic protection filter, and a filter delivery device including an elongated tubular member extending distally to a distal sheath, the elongated tubular member may include a first lumen adapted to receive the elongated wire, and a second lumen adapted to receive the guidewire.
US07651513B2

The present invention provides an embolic assembly delivery apparatus having superior flexibility characteristics at its distal end, that is, at the point of attachment of the embolic assembly to the delivery apparatus. It also provides a method of using the apparatus to deliver an embolic assembly to a target site in a patient's body.
US07651505B2

The invention provides marker delivery devices, assemblies, and methods. Assemblies embodying features of the invention include marker delivery devices having a delivery tube with an orifice, markers, and a plug releasably disposed in the tube occluding the orifice. The plug prevents markers from passing through the orifice before the marker is to be placed at a desired location within a patient's body, prevents ingress of tissue into the bore of the tube, and allows markers to pass out of the orifice when marker delivery is desired. Guidance of a delivery tube to a desired location within a patient's body may include the use of an imaging device, with or without the use of a guide cannula. The plug may itself serve as a marker, and may be the sole marker. Markers may be detectable by ultrasound, X-ray, magnetic resonance imaging, and other imaging devices, and may include bioactive elements.
US07651504B2

A snare-type device for removing an elongated structure such as, for example, a pacemaker lead. The device first includes a sheath having a first lumen formed therein, the first lumen having a distal end and being dimensioned to receive the elongated structure therein, and being adapted to allow advancement of the sheath along the elongated structure. The sheath also has second and third parallel lumens formed therein, all of the first, second and third lumens being unitarily formed in the sheath. The device also includes a snare contained in the second and third lumens in the sheath. The snare has a snare loop extending out of the second and third lumens, at and generally extending around the distal end of the first lumen.
US07651503B1

The invention provides an apparatus for cutting an endocardial lead within a patient. The apparatus includes a tubular member and a tension member disposed therein. The tension member includes a distal end and a proximal end. A blade is affixed to the distal end of the tension member and an adjustment mechanism is adapted to adjust the tension member and blade between an extended position and a retracted position. The adjustment mechanism includes a female member, a male member and an anchor. The anchor is affixed to the proximal end of the tension member and the male member. Insertion and withdrawal of the male member within the female member moves the tension member and the blade between the extended position and the retracted position. An alternate embodiment includes a capture mechanism or guide wire for drawing the apparatus and lead closer together before extending the blade and cutting the lead.
US07651501B2

An instrument for hip arthroplasty having an impaction body attached to an end of a main body. The impaction body is positionable inside a patient's hip and has an axis coaxial with an impaction axis. A leading end of the impaction body is configured to selectively engage an acetabular shell for use during impaction of the shell into an acetabulum. An arm extends from the main body and has a guide ring at an end thereof. The guide ring has an axis coaxial with the impaction axis. A trocar is inserted through the guide ring and along the impaction axis to make a path through underlying soft tissue for insertion of an impacting instrument. A rotatable handle on the main body indicates whether the main body is in a proper position in either a right or left hip.
US07651493B2

A system and method for controlling electrosurgical snares are disclosed. The system includes an electrosurgical instrument having an elongate tubular sheath having proximal and distal ends, the sheath having a longitudinal axis defined therethrough and a shaft having proximal and distal ends. The shaft extends through and is axially movable relative to the sheath. A snare loop is provided at the distal end of the shaft and is configured for encircling tissue. Movement of the shaft relative to the tubular sheath changes the diameter of the exposed snare loop. A feedback sensor operatively connected to the elongated tubular sheath which determines at least one condition of the snare loop, and an electrosurgical generator provides electrosurgical energy to the electrosurgical snare instrument. The generator is configured to receive feedback measurements from the electrosurgical snare instrument and to adjust electrosurgical energy as a function of the measurements.
US07651492B2

A system and method for performing electrosurgical procedures are disclosed. The system includes an electrosurgical generator adapted to supply electrosurgical energy to tissue in form of one or more electrosurgical waveforms having a crest factor and a duty cycle. The system also includes sensor circuitry adapted to measure impedance and to obtain one or more measured impedance signals. The sensor circuitry is further adapted to generate one or more arc detection signals upon detecting an arcing condition§. The system further includes a controller adapted to generate one or more target control signals as a function of the measured impedance signals and to adjust output of the electrosurgical generator based on the arc detection signal. An electrosurgical instrument is also included having one or more active electrodes adapted to apply electrosurgical energy to tissue.
US07651491B2

A method for resecting tissue from an organ of a patient, the organ being comprised of at least a first layer, a second layer and a third layer, the method including the steps of providing an EMR device with access to the organ, the EMR device including at least one deployable cutting element disposed on at least one moveable arm, identifying a target tissue area for resection, forming an incision through the first and second layers without penetrating the third layer, positioning the EMR device through the incision such that the device is positioned between the first third layers, advancing the moveable arm between the first and third layers, deploying the cutting element such that the cutting element is advanced in the direction of the first layer and away from the third layer and, while the EMR device is positioned between the first and third layers, cutting through the first layer.
US07651489B2

Systems and methods for the delivery and monitoring of a medication, such as insulin, to a recipient are provided. An exemplary feature-rich system comprises an infusion pump with a control system for controlling medication delivery by the infusion pump and a bolus estimator for estimating an appropriate amount of medication for delivery by the control system with the infusion pump. Estimating the appropriate amount of medication for delivery is based upon one or more settings which each vary according to a setting profile. In other embodiments, the control system comprises a suspend function for temporarily suspending medication delivery by the infusion pump, an alarm profile function for programming a variable alarm volume of the alarm and a simplified menu for controlling the dual wave bolus delivery function.
US07651486B2

The invention allows an increase in scope of application of a surgical device wherein the operational handpiece is embodied in the form of two parts, one of which includes a handpiece with an injection cannula and the other being a complementary part. The complementary part includes a stabilization handle and can be placed onto the injection cannula in addition to being able to be fixed to the handpiece of the operational handpiece.
US07651484B2

Described are improvements to the structure and functionality of a reduced pressure adapter used to connect a distribution manifold and a reduced pressure source instrumentation in a reduced pressure wound treatment (RPWT) system. The reduced pressure adapter reduces instances of unintentional liquid ingress into ancillary lumens of a reduced pressure delivery tube, while channeling the liquid to a primary lumen of the reduced pressure delivery tube.
US07651473B2

The extracorporeal blood circulating apparatus of the present invention includes: a closed-type venous reservoir having a blood storage chamber and a volume adjusting chamber that are disposed adjacently by partitioning a closed space formed by a housing; an adjusting liquid tank for storing an adjusting liquid that is connected to the volume adjusting chamber; and a blood pump that is connected to the blood storage chamber. In the housing, an inflow port for allowing blood to inflow and an outflow port for allowing blood to outflow are provided so as to communicate with the blood storage chamber, and an adjusting port for injecting and ejecting the adjusting liquid is provided so as to communicate with the volume adjusting chamber. The blood pump is connected via the outflow port, and the adjusting liquid tank is connected via the adjusting port. The closed space is partitioned by a flexible septum member so as to form the blood storage chamber and the volume adjusting chamber, and the adjusting liquid tank and the adjusting port are connected by a conduit member having a configuration that can adjust a flowing amount. Control of a blood storage amount to be most appropriate and easy adjustment are possible throughout all steps from before starting an extracorporeal blood circulation to terminating it.
US07651459B2

A device provides simple positioning of the patient's head and simple positioning of the TMS coil relative to a coordinate system of the patient's head once the head is positioned. The TMS coil is fixed at a treatment position in the coordinate system of the patient's head and the position in the coordinate system is recorded for use in subsequent clinical sessions. A positioner assembly supports the weight of the TMS coil and allows the operator to freely move the TMS coil to search for the patient's motor threshold position (MTP) and/or the treatment position (TXP). If the TXP is in registration with the MTP, once the MTP is determined, the positioner assembly requires only a single adjustment of the magnet position to locate the TXP where the coil is locked in place for the duration of the TMS therapy. By recording the positions of the different adjustable components in the respective coordinate directions of the coordinate system of the patient's head, exact repositioning of the TMS coil for the patient during a subsequent clinical visit is made possible without use of expensive imaging equipment.
US07651458B2

The invention is a novel adaptive CT-friendly brachytherapy applicator with remotely-controlled radial and longitudinal motion radioactive source lumen shields that can be manipulated by the radiation oncologist to optimize the dose distribution to the target and normal tissue structures for brachytherapy procedures.
US07651452B2

Exercise apparatus (11) has a platform (12) divided into a back-rest element (18) and a seat portion (19). The back-rest element (18) is pivotably mounted in the platform (12) about a pivot point (21). The platform (12) has legs (13, 14) at each end thereof, each said leg (13, 14) having an upper part (22) and a lower part (23) pivotably connected thereto about a further pivot point (25). By varying the position of the back-rest element (18) relative to the platform (12), and the position of the lower leg portions (23) relative to the upper leg portions (22), the exercise apparatus (11) can be made to assume each of a range of configurations comprising bench, step, intermediate incline, high and low seated incline and chair configurations.
US07651446B1

The present invention relates to a core exercise apparatus that combines lower arm movements with knee movements to exercise the core muscles of an operator in a cyclic manner. More particularly, the present invention is associated with an exercise apparatus having a separately supported knee platform for a portion of an operator coordinated with the motion of a lower arm platform. Further, the knees of the operator follow an elliptical curve path in concert with the up and down movements of the lower arm platform to drive a flywheel for cardio core exercise of the abdominal, lower and upper back muscles. The obliques may also be exercised by a reposition of the lower legs on the knee platform.
US07651439B2

Disclosed is a method for controlling a skip down shift of an automatic transmission including a clutch to one-way clutch mechanism, a primary shift portion and a secondary shift portion by synchronizing the secondary shift portion to a target shift-speed through an engine torque reduction control.
US07651438B2

A vehicle, such as a motorcycle, which has an engine control system that is configured to reduce an output of the engine upon a determination that a shifting of the transmission, without a corresponding disengagement of the clutch, is likely to occur. In one arrangement, the vehicle includes a controller that is configured such that if a release rate of the accelerator, calculated on the basis of signals from an accelerator position sensor, has been equal to or larger than a threshold value for a period of time, and other conditions have been met, it is determined that snapping of the accelerator by the operator has been performed. The snapping is a release of the accelerator that is predicted to be accompanied by a transmission shift without disengagement of the clutch. In response to the snapping determination, the engine output is reduced for a reduction duration, such as by retarding the ignition timing, after the elapse of a predetermined stand-by time.
US07651431B2

The transmission has a plurality of members that can be utilized in powertrains to provide ten forward speed ratios and one reverse speed ratio. The transmission includes four planetary gear sets, six torque-transmitting devices, and four fixed interconnections. The powertrain includes an engine and torque converter that is continuously connected to one of the planetary gear members and an output member that is continuously connected with another one of the planetary gear members. The six torque-transmitting devices provide interconnections between various gear members, and the transmission housing, and are operated in combinations of three to establish ten forward speed ratios and one reverse speed ratio.
US07651430B2

The ring gear of the second gearset (RS2) and the input shaft couple to form a first shaft (1). The carrier of third gearset (RS3) and the output shaft form a second shaft (2). The sun gears of first and fourth gearsets (RS1, RS4) form a third shaft (3). The carrier of first gearset (RS1) forms a fourth shaft (4). Sun gears of second and third gearsets (RS2, RS3) form a fifth shaft (5). Ring gears of first and third gearsets (RS1, RS3) form a six shaft (6). The carriers of second and fourth gearsets (RS2, RS4) form a seventh shaft (7). A ring gear of fourth gearset (RS4) forms an eighth shaft (8). In the direction of power flow, First and second shifting elements (A), (B) are located between shafts (3, 4) and a transmission housing, third shifting element (C) is between two of shafts (1, 5, 7), fourth and fifth shifting elements (D), (E) are between shafts (6, 8), (5, 8).
US07651427B2

An electro-hydraulic control system is provided with a diagnostic system that uses extensive multiplexing of pressure switches to reduce the number of required components. The control system includes a controller with a pressure switch diagnostic system having first, second, third and fourth pressure switches each having a high and a low logic state, first and second logic valves each movable between a respective first position and second position, and first, second, third and fourth trim valves each movable between a respective first position and second position. The pressure switches are multiplexed to report one of the high and low logic state to the controller in accordance with a relatively high and low fluid pressure, respectively, at different ones of the trim valves and logic valves, thereby enabling a determination of a change in or failure to change position of the respective the trim valves or logic valves.
US07651423B2

A front variable speed drive device is configured and arranged to electrically operate driving of a front derailleur by a shift cable. The front variable speed drive device comprises a case member, a motor drive mechanism, and a cable linking portion. The case member is mounted on a hanger portion of a bicycle frame. The motor drive mechanism is mounted on the case member, and has a revolving shaft. The cable linking portion has a retaining portion configured and arranged to retain a first end of the shift cable. The cable linking portion is rotatably mounted on the revolving shaft, and has a hypothetical arm line extending in the direction perpendicular to the shift cable from the center of rotation with a length of the hypothetical arm line changing depending on the rotation phase. Thus, motor torque required for shifting gears is reduced with a simple structure.
US07651404B1

A full-sized outdoor golf course is described with any number of holes, usually 18 or 36 holes. Each hole is made up of a tee, a fairway, and a green. The holes are laid out in a pattern that makes it practical for each group of players on the golf course to play the holes in random order. This is accomplished by organizing the holes in a pattern that greatly increases the number of tees that are available to pick from after leaving any green on the course. All tees and greens, and only tees and greens, but no fairways, are located along special cart paths (44, 46, 48, 49, 50), that run roughly perpendicular to the normal cart paths that usually run along each fairway, so that when finishing play on any green, several tees are reachable by golf cart in a relatively short predetermined time, preferably 1½ minutes or less, using the special cart paths (44, 46, 48, 49, 50).
US07651402B2

The present invention relates to a bowling game system in which a play is possible without changing into bowling shoes. A bowling game system 1 includes: an approach 10 for allowing a player to carry out a bowling action; a lane 11 extending from the approach 10 and on which a ball bowled by the player rolls; a plurality of pins 12 arranged and placed on an end of the lane 11 opposite a side of the approach 10; trough-like gutters 13 provided paralleling both sides of the lane 11 to receive a ball slipping off the lane 11; a protection member 20, formed in a sheet-like shape, for covering a bowling action zone, the protection member 20 being laid in the bowling action zone of the player, the bowling action zone being on a top surface of the approach 10; and a protection-member installing mechanism 30 configured with a wind-in device 31 for winding in and collecting the protection member 20 in a retracting position outside the bowling action zone and a withdrawing device 34 for withdrawing the protection member 20 from the wind-in device 31 to a position covering the bowling action zone.
US07651398B2

Toy raceways and finish line apparatuses for toy raceways are disclosed. Toy raceways may include a plurality of hingedly coupled multi-lane track segments, a starting apparatus, and a finish line apparatus. The plurality of hingedly coupled multi-lane track segments may be configured to foldably transition between a first configuration and a second configuration. In the first configuration, the plurality of hingedly coupled multi-lane track segments may be aligned to provide a multilane toy raceway, which may have a first end and a second end. In the second configuration, the plurality of hingedly coupled multi-lane track segments may produce a stack of folded track segments. The starting apparatus may be disposed proximate the first end of the toy raceway, and the finish line apparatus may be disposed proximate the second end of the toy raceway.
US07651390B1

A ceiling vent air diverter is taught, in the preferred embodiment, which incorporates a diverter body configured to cover beneath an existing air vent supplying air to a room of a building. The diverter body has a rectangular flat bottom and upstanding sides with each upstanding side having a discharge air slot permitting air to be distributed in opposed directions from the diverter at a ceiling level. A peripheral flange extends outwardly from each side of the body, in parallel relationship with the bottom and is used for attachment to the building ceiling. A second embodiment is configured and functions in the same manner as above but covers over the top of an existing air vent and includes a lip on the underside of the flange. The third embodiment is for a ceiling air duct diverter system consisting of a box like housing with side walls, an open top and open sides to divert air flow and having the capability of affixing the open top near a ceiling air vent.
US07651375B2

A cable assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises an electrical connector including an insulative housing defining a mating portion and a pair of positioning portions extending rearwardly from the mating portion, a plurality of terminals received in the insulative housing and at least one metal shell surrounded the insulative housing; a cable electrically terminated to the terminals; and a rear cover substantially enveloping the insulative housing and snugly supported by the positioning portions.
US07651374B2

An electrical connector system includes a carrier assembly and a header. The carrier assembly includes a plurality of shielded connectors and a coaxial cable terminated to each of the shielded connectors. The header includes opposed grounding plates each having ground tabs configured for attachment to a circuit board and a plurality of pins disposed between the opposed plates in a stripline configuration. The coaxial cables of the carrier assembly electrically communicate with the circuit board through a stripline configuration of pins in the header.
US07651372B2

The present invention provides a connector which can take an EMI measure for the first and second housings and can move the second housing with respect to the first housing. The connector comprises a plug which is provided so as to be movable with respect to the socket; a plurality of socket terminals which are resiliently deformed with a movement of the plug; a first socket side shield member which covers an outer circumference surface in the width direction of the socket; a plurality of plug terminals which are in contact with each of the socket terminals when the plug is mated with the socket; a plug side shield member which covers an outer circumference surface in the width direction of the plug; and first and second shield conductive portions which are in contact with each of the shield members and are resiliently deformed as the plug is moved.
US07651367B2

An IC socket connector comprises a base and perimeter walls with corresponding inner sidewalls and outer sidewalls to form an inner cavity therebetween for receiving an IC package. An inner sidewall of the perimeter walls has a push arm at least which has an interfacing part between an inclined lead-in surface and a flat surface at the terminal end of the push arm. The distance from the interfacing part to the contact area is larger than the one from the corresponding inner sidewall to the contact area.
US07651358B2

A socket connector is provided for securely mounting an electronic device (1000) on a printed circuit board, said socket connector comprises an insulatve base (60) and heightened perimeter walls (606) upward extending therefrom to define an inner cavity. The top surface (602) of the inner cavity comprises a plural of passageways (608) in which a plural of contacts (70) hold. Furthermore, there are a plural of standoffs (610) between the adjacent passageways (608) co-worked with the heightened perimeter walls (606) for effectively preventing a cover (90) from deformation.
US07651355B2

A connection system for use with a panel having an aperture includes a connection device having a front portion and a back portion. The front portion is insertable in an axial direction into the aperture, and the back portion is configured to prevent passage through the aperture. A retainer releasably secured to the panel is positioned adjacent the back portion of the connection device and configured to provide predetermined limited floating movement of the connection device in at least the axial direction.
US07651353B2

A modular wall panel system including at least one wall panel having a raceway with at least one receptacle opening therein and at least one receptacle assembly. The at least one receptacle assembly includes a retaining device that retains the receptacle to the raceway and a restraining feature that restrains the receptacle assembly from completely entering the opening.
US07651349B2

An electrical connector (1) comprises an insulative housing (2), an sliding plate (3) positioned on the insulative housing (2), a plurality of contacts (9) positioned in the insulative housing (2) and each having a portion interconnected to the sliding plate (3), a slant guiding portion (313) and a shaft (25) positioned on the slant guiding portion (313) to make the sliding plate (3) to move in the vertical direction when the sliding plate (3) is urged to move in the horizontal direction.
US07651347B2

A tamper-proof receptacle is provided wherein the receptacle comprises sliding shutters disposed between phase and neutral terminals of the receptacle and openings in the face of the receptacle. The shutters are connected to circuit interrupting circuitry such that when one of the shutters is displaced through a specific range of motion, the circuit interrupting portion of the receptacle is triggered to disconnect electrical power from the phase and neutral terminals of the receptacle. In an embodiment, a logic circuit is connected to the shutters, and a monitoring circuit monitors supply of power to the face terminals. The logic circuit is configured to detect insertion of an object into only one of the pair of openings. A signal from the logic circuit to the circuit interrupting device is effective to prevent the object from touching any of the face terminals while power is connected to the face terminals.
US07651338B2

In a connector for connecting first and second connection objects faced to each other, a conductive contact includes a holding portion held by an insulator, a first spring portion, and a second spring portion connected to the first spring portion. The first spring portion extends from the holding portion in one direction and has a first contacting portion to be connected to the first connection object. The second spring portion extends in the other direction opposite to the one direction and has a free end provided with a second contacting portion to be connected to the second connection object.
US07651332B2

A delivery simulator may include a fetal system comprising at least a fetal head. The fetal system may be configured to simulate the behavior of at least one part of a fetus, a maternal system configured to simulate the behavior of at least one part of a mother's body interacting with the fetus, and a device for establishing the position of at least one point of the fetal head. The device may include at least one marker element positioned on the fetal head, and at least one fixed element linked to said marker element and placed at a distance from the fetal head.
US07651330B2

Cooking appliance (1A,1B) having an external and control panel (2,2′) equipped with one or more regulating valves, where the rotary regulator organ (6) is equipped with various peripheral openings (16-19) for supplying a flow Q. According to two embodiments (1A, 1B) of the cooking appliance, for the supply of one or another type of gas, NG or LPG, either the control knob (9) or a bezel disk (22) in the external panel (2) are interchangeable on the appliance, being chosen between two different available units, one and the other permitting two different angular position limits A2, A3 of the regulator organ (6) for the supply of a constant flow Qmin through one or another opening (18,19) with calibrated sections, respectively for NG or LP gas. An appendix (14) in the control knob (9) guided in a slide groove (20) on the control panel (2) of the appliance, or a tongue (24) on the bezel disk stopping the rotation of the control knob, determines the travel limit A2 for the supply of Qmin of NG.
US07651328B2

An apparatus for the artificial ageing of blocks, in particular concrete blocks, clinker bricks and natural stone blocks, has a base on which the blocks can be placed in such a way that their surfaces to be treated and the adjoining edges are exposed. Essentially freely movable striking bodies are used for treating the surfaces and the adjoining edges of the blocks. A vibrating device sets the blocks and the striking bodies in motion relative to one another in such a way that the striking bodies act on the surfaces and the exposed edges of the blocks. In this case, the striking bodies are movably fastened to a retaining device in such a way that the striking bodies are freely movable within a defined region of the surface of the blocks.
US07651325B1

In a vacuum cleaner blower (1) consisting of an electric drive motor (2) and a support cage (10) for receiving the structural modules of the drive motor such as stator pack (6), rotor (7) and brush holders (8) including carbon brushes (9) as well as an at least single stage blower unit driven by the motor including a deflector (11), impeller (12) and suction hood (4), the deflector being formed as a support cage lid including a bearing seat for the rotor (7) and the support cage (10) being formed for a mounting direction (C) of its structural modules in the axial direction of the blower and for direct contacting and the brush holder (8) of the carbon brushes being provided adjacent to the upper side (B) of the support cage which also faces the deflector (11). Because of this specialty, all structural modules essential for the electric motor aggregate such as stator pack, rotor, rotor bearing as well as brush holder including carbon brushes may for the completion of the suction blower be successively and fully automatically be inserted and secured in their proper disposition into the support cage (10), without additional fastening elements, in a preferred assembly and mounting direction (C). During mounting direct contacting of the electrical connectors of the stator (6) and carbon brushes (9) or brush holders (8) takes place as well without changing the assembly direction.
US07651323B2

Disclosed herein is a smart control valve for compressors that is capable of easily accomplishing compression and communication in a compression chamber of a cylinder, without performing the repetitive on/off operation of the compressor, to change the capacity of the compressor. The smart control valve comprises a valve body mounted on a cylinder including refrigerant inlet and outlet ports, a valve inlet port formed at the valve body and communicating with the refrigerant inlet port of the cylinder, a valve outlet port formed at the valve body and communicating with the refrigerant outlet port of the cylinder, an actuating groove disposed under the valve inlet port and the valve outlet port of the valve body, and an actuator disposed in the actuating groove for performing a linear reciprocating movement in the actuating groove as a solenoid is operated.
US07651317B2

A multistage compressor for a turbomachine, in particular an airplane turboprop or turbojet, the compressor comprising a double-walled casing having an inner wall made up of shrouds surrounding respective annular rows of moving blades and annular rows of straightening stator vanes, said shrouds being connected to the outer wall of the casing by independent suspension means enabling the radial clearances between the outer ends of the moving blades and the shrouds of the inner wall of the casing to be adjusted independently from one compression stage to another.
US07651315B2

A load lock chamber and method for transferring large area substrates is provided. In one embodiment, a load lock chamber suitable for transferring large area substrates includes a plurality of vertically stacked single substrate transfer chambers. The configuration of vertically stacked single substrate transfer chambers contributes to reduced size and greater throughput as compared to conventional state of the art, dual slot dual substrate designs. Moreover, the increased throughput has been realized at reduced pumping and venting rates, which corresponds to reduced probability of substrate contamination due to particulates and condensation.
US07651314B2

A high-speed stacker preferably includes dual stacking arms configured to operate complementary to one another. Most preferably, an electronic control system is provided to enable precise control over the speed and positioning of the stacker arms in both horizontal and vertical orientations. Linear motion devices (such as hydraulic cylinders, screw drive linear actuators, or other devices) can be used to position the arms horizontally and vertically in response to instructions from the electronic control system. In operation, the electronic control system preferably controls the speed and ramping of the stacker arms to repeatedly move courses of material from a feed system to a stacking area at a rapid rate with little maintenance. The high-speed stacker can also be configured to operate fewer than all of the stacker arms to facilitate faster stacking of smaller courses of material.
US07651312B2

A truck includes a chassis 1 supporting a cab 3 and a deck 9 which is supported at least by a rearmost axle 15 and wheels 17. The deck 9 is tiltable relative to the chassis 1 about a pivot axis 27 located in front of the rearmost axle 15 of the truck and arranged such that as the deck 9 tilts rearwardly, the chassis 1 tilts forwardly and the deck 9 lowers towards the rearmost axle. A forward part of a rear suspension arrangement may be operatively connected to the chassis 1 so that the forward part moves upwardly towards the deck 9 as the deck 9 is tilted.
US07651306B2

Embodiments of the invention provide a method and apparatus for processing substrates using a multi-chamber processing system, or cluster tool, that has an increased system throughput, and a reduced footprint. The various embodiments of the cluster tool may utilize two or more robots that are configured in a parallel processing configuration to transfer substrates between the various processing chambers retained in the processing racks so that a desired processing sequence can be performed on the substrates. Generally, the various embodiments described herein are advantageous since each row or group of substrate processing chambers are serviced by two or more robots to allow for increased throughput and increased system reliability. Also, the various embodiments described herein are generally configured to minimize and control the particles generated by the substrate transferring mechanisms, to prevent device yield and substrate scrap problems that can affect the cost of ownership of the cluster tool.
US07651296B2

A concrete screed includes a screed bar, a bar mover adapted to move the screed bar over concrete, and a mount coupling the bar mover to the screed bar.
US07651282B2

In some embodiments, a device includes a light modulator layer having a plurality of elements, each having a controllable transmittance, and a plurality of lenses, wherein each of the plurality of lenses is disposed to receive light independently of each other. The device further includes an image detector disposed at a distance from the light modulator layer and configured to acquire images from light that passes through the light modulator layer. In addition, the device includes a controller configured to control transmittance of the elements of the light modulator layer. Methods of acquiring images are also provided.
US07651268B2

The present invention is a non-invasive method and associated apparatus for determining the junction temperature for an LED or laser diode (collectively “LED”). First a sample LED is placed in a heat chamber and the change of the LED's peak wavelength is recorded over time, as is the change in the temperature in the heat chamber. Since the heat chamber supplies the major component to the junction temperature, dwarfing the other components, it is a reasonable proxy for true junction temperature. The data is compiled to determine change of peak wavelength as a function of temperature and that function can then be used to determine junction temperature of similar LEDs that are installed in a system or manufactured. The invention may also be used to measure other useful data, such as power, output power changing with the junction temperature and intensity of the LED over time and may be used to estimate failure rate.
US07651265B2

The present invention discloses an infrared clinical thermometer, which can measure both the forehead and ear temperatures, wherein after moving the temperature sensing unit close to an intended site, the user can obtain the temperature of the intended site via merely pressing the forehead or ear temperature button.
US07651260B2

What is disclosed is an apparatus for determining the cooling characteristics of a cooling device used for transferring heat from an electronic device. The apparatus comprising a cooling device thermally coupled to a heat pipe. The heat pipe having an exposed surface for the selective application of heat thereon. A localized heat source is selectively applied to at least one region of the exposed surface. The heat source preferably capable of being varied both positionally relative to the exposed surface and in heat intensity. A heat shield is preferably positioned around the exposed surface of the heat pipe to isolate the operational cooling device from the localized heat source. A temperature detector repeatedly measures a temperature distribution across the exposed surface while the cooling device is in a heat transfer mode. The temperature distribution is then used to thermally characterize the cooling device.
US07651259B2

The invention concerns a timepiece including a case (10) and a crystal (22) together defining a housing (18) for a movement (20), and further including an element that is mobile in rotation (30) actuated by a control member (36) including a stem (42) of longitudinal axis AA, passing radially through said case (10), a crown (44) mounted on a first proximal end of said stem and a pinion (46) fixedly mounted in rotation on a second distal end of said stem (42). The control member (36) is fitted with a part (48) for axially securing said pinion (46) on said stem (42), arranged on the proximal side of said stem (42), said securing part (48) including: a first slit ring (62) mounted so as to be locked axially and radially on a first of the pinion (46)/stem (42) elements, and means for axially locking the second of the pinion (46)/stem (42) elements, secured to said slit ring (62).
US07651256B2

A ventilation/illumination duct is disclosed which can not only ventilate an indoor space, but also can illuminate the indoor space. A ventilation/illumination system using the ventilation/illumination duct, and a control method for the ventilation/illumination system are also disclosed. The ventilation/illumination system includes a ventilation device for blowing air, a light supplying device for supplying light, a ventilation/illumination duct for not only guiding the air blown by the ventilation device, to ventilate an indoor space, but also totally reflecting the light, to illuminate an indoor space, and a cleaner arranged in the ventilation/illumination duct.
US07651253B2

A heat exchange structure includes elongated air ducts. Each air duct has a first opening and a second opening at two ends of the air duct to allow air to enter and exit the air duct, respectively. The heat exchange structure includes an exterior heat exchange surface and interior heat exchange surfaces, in which the exterior heat exchange surface is configured to receive thermal energy from heat generators that are mounted on the exterior heat exchange surface, and the exterior heat exchange surface dissipates a portion of the thermal energy received from the heat generators and transfers another portion of the thermal energy to the interior heat exchange surfaces. The interior heat exchange surfaces are in the elongated air ducts and configured to exchange thermal energy with air flowing in the air ducts, enhancing air flow in the air ducts by buoyancy of heated air.
US07651247B2

A heat dissipating design for lamp is disclosed. The heat dissipating design of the present invention comprises a main body, which includes a cover. The cover seals up the top portion of the heat dissipating unit, and hence a sealed space is formed. A plurality of light generating units, a light generating units plate, an AC/DC adopter unit and one or more heat conducting pieces are disposed in the sealed space. When heat is generated by the light generating units and the AC/DC adopter unit, heat is transferred to the light generating units plate and the heat conducting pieces and then to the heat dissipating unit and the heat dissipating pieces. Heat is then dissipated into the ambient air. In this way, heat may be dissipated quickly and efficiently.
US07651242B1

A wheelchair lamp that is primarily for making a wheelchair more visible. The wheelchair lamp includes a housing that is mounted to the wheelchair. An extendable member having a light on top extends from the housing. The extendable member may be extended and retracted. A motor is contained within the housing to extend and retract the extendable member. An electrical conductor is longitudinally disposed with the extendable member. The electrical conductor electrically connects the light and the power source. A switch is used to selectively connect the motor to the power source causing the motor to operate so that the motor may extend or retract the extendable member. The light is extended and lit when a wheelchair user is near traffic or potentially at risk for a collision and is typically retracted when the user is indoors.
US07651239B2

An intrinsically safe flashlight (100) includes a housing (100), a battery receiving region (108), an active electrical circuit (202), and a light source (118). The active electrical circuit (202) uses energy from batteries (110) received in the batter receiving region (110) of the flashlight (100) to power the light source (118). The electrical circuitry of the flashlight (110) is energy limited so that the flashlight is intrinsically safe for use in hazardous locations.
US07651237B2

A reticle illumination system. The novel system includes a first light source adapted to output light toward a target surface and a material having a predetermined index of refraction disposed between the first light source and the target surface for coupling light from the first light source to the target surface. In an illustrative embodiment, the material is a glue or epoxy having an index of refraction matching that of the target surface, and the target surface is a prism surface upon which a reticle is disposed. The system also includes a second light source adapted to output light into the material such that the light is reflected and scattered off of an exit end of the fiber, and/or off of scattering centers distributed throughout the material, towards the target surface.
US07651226B2

A segmented display system in which the display devices are arranged in a N×1 array is described. The segmented display system includes a plurality of projection devices that each project a portion of an image on a corresponding one of the display devices in the N×1 array. Distortion from extra light is minimized using a moveable mask around each projection device lens in the N×1 array.
US07651222B2

An eye muscle trainer has an outer casing, a control circuit module, a first light emitting unit set, two second light emitting unit sets, two third light emitting unit sets and an eye frame. The outer casing is opaque and has a rear opening. The light emitting unit sets are mounted on the control circuit module. The first light emitting unit set is for focusing user's vision. The second light emitting unit sets are for focusing user's vision on seeing straightly. The third light emitting units are for focusing the user's vision on seeing outwardly. The eye frame accommodates the rear opening of the outer casing. Therefore, wearing the eye muscle trainer releases eyestrain because watching the light emitting unit sets arranged at different position exercises the user's eyes. Consequently, appropriate releasing eyestrain assists improving eyesight.
US07651214B2

To reduce ink bleeding and growing of dot diameters for high image quality, an ink jet recording apparatus for recording a color image includes a first head group including chromatic color ink recording heads, a second head group including at least one of a transparent ink recording head and an achromatic color ink recording head, and light emitting devices for curing a photocurable ink having landed on a recording medium. The first and the second head groups are disposed along a scanning direction. The chromatic color ink recording heads of the first head group do not have the light emitting device therebetween along the scanning direction. And the light emitting device is arranged along the scanning direction between the first and second head groups and further arranged at least on a trailing side, in the scanning direction, of a trailing one of the first and second head groups.
US07651203B2

A droplet ejecting device includes a nozzle unit, a piezoelectric member and a drive voltage generating unit. The piezoelectric member has a common electrode and a discrete electrode. A first differentiation by polarization voltage of a characteristic curve indicating change in a polarization of the piezoelectric member with respect to change in the polarization voltage has a plurality of extremal values including a first extremal value at a prescribed positive voltage Vbp that is the smallest polarization voltage among plus polarization voltages corresponding to the plurality of extremal values, and a second extremal value at a prescribed negative voltage Vbn that is the largest polarization voltage among minus polarization voltages corresponding to the plurality of extremal values. The drive voltage generating unit generates a drive voltage having a range between a first negative voltage Ve1 and a first positive voltage Ve2, and applies the drive voltage between the common electrode and the discrete electrode. Vbp, Vbn, Ve1, and Ve2 are set such that Vbn
US07651192B2

A liquid droplet deposition method of consecutively depositing a plurality of droplets of liquid, which contains solvent and particles dispersed in the solvent and having a substantially uniform size, onto a recording medium includes the steps of: determining target positions at which the plurality of droplets are to be deposited on the recording medium; depositing an X-th droplet of the droplets at an X-th target position of the determined target positions on the recording medium, X being a natural number; and depositing an (X+1)-th droplet of the droplets at an (X+1)-th target position of the determined target positions on the recording medium subsequently to the X-th droplet, after the particles contained in the X-th droplet are aggregated to form an X-th particle aggregate on the recording medium due to liquid bridging force, wherein in the determining step, the target positions are determined so as to satisfy following conditions: L(CX, CX+1)≦rX+r_maxX+1, and L(PX, CX+1)≧r_maxX+1, where CX is the X-th target position, CX+1 is the (X+1)-th target position, L(CX, CX+1) is a distance between CX and CX+1, rX is a radius of the solvent of the X-th droplet on the recording medium at a time of depositing the (X+1)-th droplet on the recording medium, r_maxX+1 is a radius of the solvent of the (X+1)-th droplet at a time of maximumly spreading on the recording medium, PX is a position of an edge of the X-th particle aggregate on a line connecting CX and CX+1, and L(PX, CX+1) is a distance between PX and CX+1.
US07651187B2

A line-type inkjet recorder for printing a desired image onto paper by discharging ink from plural nozzles provided in a head part, the inkjet recorder includes: an image data processing part for converting image data to be printed into print data for each of the nozzles; a temperature detection part for detecting a temperature of the head part and outputting head temperature information based on the detected temperature; and a head control part for, based on states of a continuous non-discharge nozzle and a continuous discharge nozzle adjacent thereto included in the nozzles and extracted based on the head temperature information from the temperature detection part and the print data from the image data processing part, controlling frequencies of idle discharge from the continuous non-discharge nozzle and continuous discharge nozzle extracted.
US07651184B2

A liquid droplet ejecting apparatus comprises an ejecting head including a passage which is connected to a sub-tank and an ejecting pressure applying device which applies a feed pressure to the liquid inside the passage, a main tank detector which detects that a main tank is mounted to a main tank mounting portion, a suction pump which applies a negative pressure to an air layer inside the sub-tank to discharge air from inside the sub-tank to outside, and a controller configured to control the suction pump and the ejecting pressure applying device, based on information from the main tank detector. The controller causes the suction pump to discharge the air from inside the sub-tank to outside and causes the ejecting pressure applying device to eject the liquid from a nozzle, when the main tank detector detects that the main tank is mounted to the main tank mounting portion.
US07651182B2

A storage unit for a refrigerator door includes an adjustable retainer assembly that can be positioned to accommodate food containers having varying widths. The storage unit includes a bottom portion and opposing side portions that define a storage cavity. The retainer assembly is sized to be received by the storage cavity. More specifically, the retainer assembly includes a base member that includes a bottom portion and opposing side portions. Each of the opposing side portions is provided with an adjustment elements. The retainer assembly also includes a retainer bar that includes a retaining surface that extends to two opposing side members. Each of the opposing sided members includes a detent element that enables the retainer bar to interconnect with the base member. In this manner, each of the opposing side members can be independently adjusted relative to the base member in order to conform to food containers having varying widths.
US07651181B2

A refrigerator door including an outer wall and an inner wall interconnected along longitudinal edges thereof and including a closing element fixed on an upper horizontal edge of the outer and inner walls. The interconnected closing element and the outer and inner walls delimit an insulating inner space therebetween. At the upper edges the outer wall is longer than the inner wall with the closing element bridging the difference in length between the walls. The resulting structure forming a space for a control panel covered by the outer wall when the refrigerator door is closed.
US07651171B2

A cap assembly for a wheel including a cup-shaped cap member having a plurality of annular ridges disposed around a circumference thereof, and a retainer ring having a plurality of axially extending flange portions disposed around a circumference thereof. The retainer ring is slidably coupled to the cup-shaped member, the axially extending flange portions are angled relative to a position normal to the ring, and the plurality of axially extending flange portions correspond to the plurality of annular ridges. When the cap assembly is inserted into the wheel, the retainer ring slides along the cup-shaped member and the annular ridges force the axially extending flange portions to the position normal to the ring to attach the flange portions to the wheel.
US07651169B2

A strap retainer comprising a flexible elongated member is formed in a partially closed loop. The elongated member may have an approximately straight segment near one end, and an L-shaped restraining member is positioned on the elongated member adjacent to the straight segment. The strap fastener has an un-locked, open position, and a locked, closed position, such that when in the locked, closed position the elongate member forms a closed loop. When a webbing strap passes through the strap fastener in its unlocked, open position, the strap may be placed between the L-shaped restraining member and the straight segment, whereby the L-shaped restraining member inhibits the strap from moving longitudinally along the elongate member.
US07651162B2

A customizable seating structure, designed to be connected to a movable or stationary frame. The structure comprises a seat element (2) which has a top surface, designed to at least partly contact a user, and a support element (4) underlying the seat element (2) and designed to be connected to the movable or stationary frame (T). The seat element (2) is removably attached to said support element (4) to allow removal and/or replacement thereof by a user. The seat element (2) is attached to the support element (4) by screws (7) and nuts (9) or press-fit of pins (13) in holes (8). The seat element (2) is composed of a resilient upper body (15) removably connected to a semirigid lower body (16).
US07651161B2

A table seat (1) comprising a foldable frame (1A) supporting an at least partially foldable container or sitting portion (2) for receiving and supporting a child, said frame (1A) comprising opposing lateral portions (3) enabling the seat (1) to be removably fixed to a top (5) of the table (6), each portion (3) comprising an upper arm (10) and a lower arm (11) which are superposed, the second arm (11) comprising at least one movable intermediate portion (17) arranged to lowerly contact said table top (5) and at least one end portion (16), the child container (2) being associated with a support portion (50) fixed to said lateral portions (3). The child container or sitting portion (2) comprises a structure (55) rotatably associated with said support portion (50) and enabling the child to be arranged in different spatial positions relative to the table (6), said structure (55) being rotatable about a central axis (W) perpendicular to a geometrical plane parallel to said table top (5).
US07651158B2

Disclosed is a vehicle body structure which has a sub-window plate and a front fender each disposed at the rear of a headlamp lens on a sidewall of a vehicle body. In the vehicle body structure, a longitudinally-extending concave portion 60 is defined between the front fender 4 and a combination of a front pillar 52 and a hood 2. The concave portion 60 has at least a frontward region partly receiving therein a headlamp lens 10 and a rearward region receiving therein the sub-window plate 30 at the rear of the headlamp lens 10, whereby a plurality of components including at least the headlamp lens 10 and the sub-window plate 30 are received in the concave portion 60 to form a belt-line surface module F which continuously covers the concave portion 60 to define a transparent or semi-transparent exterior surface on the sidewall of the vehicle body. The vehicle body structure of the present invention makes it possible to further effectively utilize a sidewall surface of the vehicle body so as to desirably enhance a function of the sidewall surface as a whole.
US07651152B2

A top for a convertible has a rear window frame, at least one roof section placed in front of it in the direction of travel when the top is closed, and a lateral top linkage. When the top is closed, a further roof section which is connected to the top linkage in an articulated manner and can be driven by the latter is provided between a front roof section and the rear window frame.
US07651141B2

An apparatus generally includes a latch and a keeper. The latch has a latching surface and is movable between at least a closed position and an opened position. The keeper has a keeper surface configured for engagement with the latching surface. The latch is movably coupled to supporting structure relative to the latching surface such that the moment created by a load applied to the latching surface while engaged with the keeper surface biases the latch towards the closed position.
US07651138B2

A coupling for a fluid conducting system comprises an elongated coupling part (1) and a locking part (20), which can be displaced in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and which can be mounted on the coupling part (1) in a manner that enables it to slide. The guiding of the locking part (20) ensues via detent elements (24, 25) that engage inside guide recesses (13) of the coupling part (1). The locking part (20) can be fixed in a releasing position or in a locking position by the engagement of detent projections (26, 27) inside releasing recesses (18, 19) or inside locking recesses (16, 17). This enables a relatively problem-free operating of the coupling during opening and closing.
US07651134B2

An apparatus (12) includes a primary housing (20) constructed from sheet metal by stamping, a primary inflation fluid source (100), a secondary housing (70) constructed from sheet metal by stamping, and a secondary inflation fluid source (200). The primary inflation fluid source (100) is located in the primary housing (20) and is actuatable to effect a primary flow of inflation fluid out of the primary housing to inflate the inflatable device (14). The secondary housing (70) is disposed within the primary housing (20). The secondary inflation fluid source (200) is located in the secondary housing (70) and is actuatable to affect a secondary flow of inflation fluid to supplement the primary flow of inflation fluid. The secondary housing (70) has a first portion (77) that moves at least partially out of engagement with a second portion (74) of the secondary housing (70) when the secondary inflation fluid source is actuated.
US07651131B2

A vehicle with a rollover-protection system is provided, including at least one rollover-protection device arranged in the area of a transverse wall of the vehicle for at least one vehicle seat, with a first module arranged attached to the body with guide devices for a second module that can be moved in it between a lowered rest position and an elevated support position; with a releasable holding device to hold the second module in its rest position; with a locking device, by means of which the second module can be supported automatically in a position deviating from its rest position against a force acting in the direction of the rest position; and with a drive system with a spring-force accumulator, by means of which the second module is held in its rest position and can be moved, when necessary, in the direction of its support position.
US07651124B2

A steering wheel unit for a steer-by-wire steering system in motor vehicles, consisting of a steering wheel (12), an airbag module, a steering wheel angle sensor unit (24) as well as a force feedback unit, is characterized in that steering wheel (12) is located in rotatable fashion on module housing (10) of the airbag module, which is fixed to the vehicle, and that module housing (10) forms the stator and steering wheel (12) the rotor of the force feedback unit formed as an electric motor.
US07651121B2

A molding assembly closes a gap between the track of a vehicle sliding door and a headliner that conceals a roof rail mounted air bag. The headliner has an edge that extends along the track but is spaced from the track to create a gap. The molding assembly includes a carrier and a flexible seal strip. The carrier carries a plurality of fastening clips that engage with apertures in the roof rail to attach the carrier to the roof rail. The flexible sealing strip has a stem that mounts on a leg wall of the carrier, a first arm that laps onto the edge of the headliner panel and a second arm that laps onto the track. The headliner bends downwardly when the air bag deploys and the first arm of the flexible seal strip flexes to permit the edge of the headliner to escape from the flexible seal.
US07651120B2

An inflator securing structure for securing an inflator having substantially cylindrical shape to a retainer in an airbag system includes a fixed shaft having a substantially D-shaped cross section and formed at one end of the inflator along an axial direction of the inflator; and a locking structure forming a locking hole having a substantially D shape and formed in the retainer so that the locking hole is engaged with the fixed shaft. One of the fixed shaft and the locking hole has at least one groove, and other of the fixed shaft and the locking hole has at least one convex portion so as to engage with the groove.
US07651114B2

Towing adjustment and coupling techniques may include a retentive lateral trailer adjustment device of a trailer (1) configured to provide lateral adjustment of the trailer (1). In some embodiments, a trailer (1) may include a coupler element (3) and at least one retentive lateral adjustment device configured to provide adjustment in a lateral direction (8) of the coupler element (3). Embodiments may have configurations directed to couplers such as a gooseneck hitch, a fifthwheel hitch, and a pull-type or tongue hitch. Embodiments may also provide a fore-aft position indicator (44) with or without a fore-aft position sensor (50) through which proper positioning of a source of tow power (54) relative to a trailer (1) may be facilitated in a fore-aft direction (7). Corresponding methods are included as embodiments of the invention.
US07651110B2

A structure for a bicycle frame system is described by using multiple composite tubes bonded to one another, wherein apertures, or “ports,” are molded between the tubes to improve the stiffness, strength, aerodynamics and comfort of bicycle frame component.
US07651109B2

There is provided a foldable land vehicle comprising an elongate main frame generally defining a longitudinal axis running from a front end of the vehicle to a rear end of the vehicle, a front part including a front wheel, a rear part including a rear wheel, a first joint means for connecting the front part to the main frame and for folding the front part to a lateral side of the main frame, and a second joint means for connecting the rear part to said main frame and for folding the rear part to below the main frame.
US07651107B1

A suspension deflection system is provided that includes first and second spaced apart supports, an elastomeric body positioned at least partially in the region between the first and second supports, and a suspension engaging projection extending from the second support in a direction away from the first support. The elastomeric body includes first and second opposed body end surfaces coupled respectively to the first and second supports, and first and second body side surfaces extending between the body end surfaces. The body side surfaces are closer to one another at a location intermediate to the body end surfaces than at the first and second supports. The system conveniently and securely couples a suspension member of a vehicle engaged by the projection to a frame of the vehicle.
US07651105B2

A hydroformed steering knuckle assembly for a vehicle and method of making same includes a hydroformed main body. The hydroformed steering knuckle assembly also includes at least one component secured to the hydroformed main body. The hydroformed main body is a hydroformed monolithic structure being integral, unitary, and one-piece.
US07651103B1

A wheelchair is disclosed. An illustrative embodiment of the wheelchair includes a wheelchair frame, a pair of rear wheels and a pair of front wheels carried by the wheelchair frame, a drive motor drivingly engaging at least one of the pair of rear wheels and the pair of front wheels and a pair of wheelchair tracks detachably carried by the wheelchair frame.
US07651093B2

The present invention relates to a stacking module of a media dispenser and a control method thereof. According to the present invention, there is provided a stacking module of a media dispenser. The stacking module comprises: stacking wheels rotated by a driving source to rotate the media fed from the delivery module with the media inserted between tangent wings of outer peripheral surfaces of the stacking wheels one by one; a separation plate for separating the media from the stacking wheels and guiding the separated media; a stacking plate on which the media separated from the separation plate are erected one by one; a shuttle member rotatably installed on the stacking plate and including a push bar for pushing the media erected on the stacking plate toward the stacking wheels; and a driving plate moved by an additional driving source to selectively drive the stacking plate and the shuttle member. The stacking wheels and the driving source are provided between guide plates installed to face each other with a predetermined spacing therebetween; and the separation plate, the stacking plate, the shuttle member, and the driving plate are provided on a stacking base supported in the guide plates. In the present invention, since most of the components of the stacking module are provided on the stacking base, it is easy to repair the media dispenser. Further, since the media are collected on the stacking module and delivered to the customer at a time, it is easy for the customer to take out the media. Furthermore, since the stacking module is designed so that the one driving motor drives a plurality of the components, the number of the parts can be reduced.
US07651083B2

A document conveying apparatus comprises an inlet channel for receiving at least one document. A drive member is positioned for engagement with at least one document in the channel and is operable to move at least one document from the channel. An elongated member is associated with the channel and is movable to a first position towards the drive member which biases the at least one document towards the drive member. One portion of the elongated member is movable to a second position away from the drive member so as to allow insertion of at least one additional document into the inlet channel. Another portion of the elongated member is movable towards the drive member to bias the at least one document in the inlet channel into engagement with the drive member when the one portion of the elongated member is moved to the second position.
US07651079B2

A substrate support plate transfer apparatus for fabricating an organic light emitting display is disclosed. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a quartz plate transferred into a bonding processing chamber for an organic light emitting device, a protection frame on which the quartz plate is placed in order to transfer the quartz plate into the chamber, and a frame-shaped supporting plate including a sliding transfer device for helping the transfer of the protection frame and installed in the chamber. The quartz plate has a rigidity capable of enduring pressure in the bonding process applied to a large sized substrate, and the apparatus provides for convenient replacement of the quartz plate.
US07651078B2

A clamping and/or spreading tool comprises a drive for displacement of a push or pull rod to which a movable jaw is fixed with respect to a support carrying a stationary jaw in longitudinal direction of the push and pull rod, said drive comprising a torsion spring and being adapted to enter torque transmitting engagement with the push or pull rod for displacement of the same.
US07651074B2

This invention concerns an apparatus and a method for producing carbonated water capable of obtaining high concentration carbonated water effectively. Carbon dioxide gas is passed through a first carbon dioxide gas dissolver composed of a membrane module to be dissolved in water and the carbonated water passing through the first carbon dioxide gas dissolver is passed through a static mixer, which is a second carbon dioxide gas dissolver. Consequently, a high concentration carbonated water can be obtained remarkably, effectively and easily with a simpler structure than conventionally.
US07651069B2

A valve comprises an electromagnetic actuator including a solenoid. The solenoid includes at least one core and an anchor plate. The solenoid further comprises at least one coil disposed within the core and connected to a set of power electronics to supply current to the coils. The actuator further comprises a plunger connected to the anchor plate and at least one spring configured to guide the plunger. The actuator also includes a pressure compensation system. The opening and closing of the valve is controlled by passing current through the coil.
US07651068B2

A detection system for a washroom device evaluates outputs from an active sensor and a passive sensor to determine whether to activate the device (e.g., operate a valve in a sink or a lavatory). The active sensor has a transmitter that directs a light beam to a selected zone and a receiver that detects whether the light beam is reflected back to the sensor. The passive sensor detects changes in a temperature signature around the washroom device. A controller evaluates the outputs from both the active sensor and the passive sensor to determine how to operate the washroom device.
US07651062B2

To stabilize the weight balance of an entire liquid crystal display device by locating a lateral shaft by which the lower end of a support leg is attached to a base either directly under or substantially directly under the center of gravity of a main unit having a liquid crystal module.A main unit 1 in which a liquid crystal module 2 is housed in a cabinet 3 is supported so as to allow tilt adjustment, by a support leg 6 that rises up from a base 5. An attachment component 61 of the support leg 6 is overlapped with and fastened by screws on the outer back face of a metal plate 22 of the liquid crystal module 2, the result being that a lateral shaft 7 for attaching the support leg 6 to the base 5 is located directly under the center of gravity G of the main unit 1.
US07651061B2

A substantially tubular supporting member oriented in a substantially vertical position, where a fluid dispenser holder is rotatably coupled to a top end of the supporting member and the fluid dispenser is movable rotationally clockwise or counterclockwise with respect to the supporting member into a plurality of rotational positions. In some embodiments, the supporting member may be mounted to a base connected proximate to a bottom end of the supporting member. The fluid dispenser holder has at least one hook attached to it, wherein the hook comprises a light source that may emit visible light.
US07651059B2

In various embodiments, a cable drop support system is provided including a base adapted for attachment to a surface; at least one segment connected to the base; and, a cable receptacle attached to a portion of the at least one segment, the cable receptacle being structured for receiving therein at least a portion of a cable.
US07651052B2

In order to not risk producing an overpressure of air in the cabin of an airplane on the ground during servicing operation on the airplane, it is appropriate to deliver the air into the cabin of the airplane only when the inlets of the air-conditioning system are open. A device for feeding electricity and air to an airplane on the ground includes means of electric production capable of being connected to at least one electric circuit of the airplane and includes means of producing a flow of air. It has, in addition, a means of determining whether the airplane is actually switched on electrically or is not actually switched on electrically and means for inhibiting the flow of air delivered toward the airplane when the airplane is not actually switched on electrically, that is, as long as it is uncertain whether the inlets of the air-conditioning system are opened.
US07651051B2

A vehicle with wings and a mechanism for causing a flapping motion in wings. Each wing structure comprises a wing and a wing spar coupled to a follower via a resilient member. Each wing carrier is pivotally connected to the body and is configured to restrain lateral movement and permit rotation of the wing spar about a feathering axis. A biasing member provides torsional bias to each wing spar. A linkage, driven by an actuator, transmits cyclic motion that rotates the wing carrier about a flapping axis, which moves the follower along a follower path. A guide attached to the vehicle body lies in the path of each follower, and the follower and guide are shaped such that each wing spar has a first rotational position about its axis along a first portion of the follower path and a second rotational position along a second portion of the follower path.
US07651043B2

A machine for grinding forage material includes a support frame that supports an enclosure for retaining a bale of forage material. A rotary shredder is positioned within the enclosure where the rotary shredder grinds the bale of forage material and discharges a forage material from the enclosure. The machine includes at least two deflectors attached to the enclosure that deflect the shredded forage material onto a surface where the at least two deflectors are positionable independent from each other.
US07651042B2

A mobile slurry apparatus for creating a slurry from oil sand ore has a frame and a slurry box supported by the frame. Water is mixed with the ore to form a slurry that is retained in the slurry box. The frame base has a first set of spaced apart support points for supporting the frame in a stationary mode, and a second set of spaced apart support points for supporting the frame in a moving mode. The second set of spaced apart support points is closer together than the first set of support points and defines a lifting region disposed beneath a center of gravity of the slurry apparatus in a moving mode when the slurry box is empty. Thus, a single moving device can be positioned beneath the second set of support points for lifting and moving the slurry apparatus.
US07651041B2

Blades on a rotating grinding plate force waste against a stationary grinding ring. The blades are mounted on radially aligned guides on the grinding plate, allowing the blades to move freely inwardly and outwardly between opposing stops. The blades are thrown outward by rotation of the grinding plate. A receding face on the blades cooperates with the grinding ring for moving the blades inwardly and for forcing waste against the grinding ring.
US07651039B2

A fuel injection valve includes a valve chamber, a control valve, an actuator, a control chamber, and a nozzle. The control valve is provided in the valve chamber. The actuator actuates the control valve. The control chamber is always communicated with the valve chamber through a communication passage. The nozzle has a needle for opening and closing an injection orifice, wherein the needle is biased in a valve closing direction for closing the injection orifice by pressure of fuel in the control chamber. High pressure fuel in a high-pressure fuel passage is introduced into the control chamber only through the communication passage in a state, where communication between the valve chamber and the high-pressure fuel passage is allowed by the control valve. The communication passage has a common orifice.
US07651032B2

Methods and apparatus for manufacturing a radio frequency identification (RFID) enabled corrugated paperboard are provided. The apparatus includes a corrugated paperboard feed device configured to supply a quantity of corrugated paperboard, an antenna attach device configured to couple an antenna to the corrugated paperboard, a curing device configured to provide curing energy to the antenna to at least one of dry the antenna and facilitate optimizing an electrical conductivity of the antenna, and an attach mechanism configured to couple a radio frequency identification circuit to the antenna.
US07651031B2

Detection systems that detect and decode machine-readable information and other indicia having varying spectral emissivity values are provided. The detection systems include a sensor, circuitry, and temperature influencing mechanism. The system may be connected to other hardware, such as a computer display screen, or audio emitting device. Meanwhile, the sensor detects differential emissivity values by measuring energy emitted from the targets of interest.
US07651030B2

A method and system for data input is provided. The method includes inputting data, reading a subset of a set of predefined machine-readable codes from a printed media, the printed media including thereon the set of predefined machine-readable codes and a set of human-readable indicia. Each of the set of human-readable indicia is associated with a respective one of the set of predefined machine-readable codes. Each of the set of human-readable indicia indicates a user-selectable input value. The subset of the plurality of predefined machine-readable codes consists of predefined machine-readable codes that have not been defaced. The method also includes saving as user input values the user-selectable input values indicated by the indicia that are associated with the machine-readable codes in the set of predefined machine-readable codes that have not been read.
US07651023B2

A nickel-based braze composition is described, containing nickel, palladium, and restricted amounts of boron and silicon. The composition can also contain tantalum, titanium, and zirconium, as well as aluminum, chromium, and cobalt. A method for joining two metal components, using the braze composition, is also described. The braze composition can also be used to fill cracks or other cavities in a component, e.g., a gas turbine part formed from a nickel-based superalloy. Articles of manufacture which contain the braze composition are also described.
US07651022B2

The present invention is a method and apparatus for forming a bump for semiconductor interconnect applications, such as reverse wire bonding or stud bumping for flip chip interconnections. The bump is formed by (1) ball bonding at the bump site, (2) raising the capillary a predetermined height after forming the ball bond with the wire paying out of the capillary tip, (3) moving the capillary laterally a predetermined distance, preferably in a direction toward the site of other end of the wire loop, if the bump is to be used as the platform for a stitch bond of a wire loop, (4) raising the capillary further, and (5) moving the capillary diagonally downwardly and in the opposite direction of the first lateral motion. The wire is then severed by raising the capillary, closing the clamps and raising the capillary again to snap the wire pigtail off at the bump.
US07651020B2

Embodiments include materials which may be used during electronic device fabrication, including a flux material. The flux material comprises a solution including a plurality of micellar structures in a solvent, the micellar structures each including a plurality of amphiphilic block copolymer elements. The amphiphilic block copolymer elements each include at least one non-polar region and at least one polar region. A fluxing agent is contained within the micellar structures. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07651007B2

A method makes use of a minimally-shearing feeder mechanism supplying a desired flow of particulate solids mixture, with minimal to no sifting segregation to a desired location. The feeder methodology maintains a uniform concentration of each size of particle within the mixture.
US07651006B2

A stamped bucket for a vending machine having an elongated body with opposing first and second ends, a first end wall integrally formed on the body along the first end and a second end wall integrally formed on the body along the second end. The first and second end walls extending in generally transverse relation to the body. The first end wall has one or more tab portions extending therefrom that are secured to the body adjacent the first end. The second end wall also has one or more tab portions extending therefrom that are secured to the body adjacent the second end. An axis of rotation extends between the first and second end walls substantially longitudinally along the body.
US07651004B2

A linerless closure of one-piece integrally molded plastic construction includes a base wall and a cylindrical skirt for attaching the closure to a container neck finish. First and second circumferentially continuous annular walls extend from the base wall at positions radially inward from the skirt. The first and second annular walls are spaced from each other to receive an end portion of the container neck finish when the closure is applied to the neck finish. At least one of the annular walls has a circumferentially continuous annular projection extending toward the opposing annular wall. The annular projection is axially flexible for bending and folding toward the base wall and toward the at least one annular wall in sealing engagement with the end portion of the container neck finish when such end portion is received between the annular walls.
US07650992B1

A combination of a pair of gardening shears and a suspension rack includes a suspension rack, and a pair of gardening shears detachably mounted on the suspension rack. The gardening shears include two blade portions each having a distal end provided with a sharp portion. The suspension rack includes a support plate, a locking post, and a safety guard. Thus, the sharp portion of each of the two blade portions of the gardening shears is fully hidden in and surrounded by the safety guard of the suspension rack so that the safety guard of the suspension rack provides an isolating function to prevent a consumer's hand from directly touching the sharp portion of each of the two blade portions of the gardening shears so as to protect the consumer's safety.
US07650987B2

A method for enabling a presetter to connect connecting portions of belts having different widths, and for forming an endless connection of a flat belt with no defects such as the bend of the connecting portions. This method includes a first step of setting so that the connecting portions at both ends of the flat belt are placed on a lower mold surface of the presetter, and that, with the flat belt held from both sides by a wall part standing from the lower mold surface and a flat belt member having substantially the same compression property as the flat belt, an upper mold of the presetter is placed on the flat belt and the flat belt member, and then fixing the flat belt and the flat belt member by the presetter; and a second step of connecting the connecting portions at the both ends by pressing the presetter with the flat belt and the flat belt member fixed.
US07650980B2

A method and apparatus for handling bill jams within a currency processing device is provided. The device includes a transport mechanism adapted to transport bills along a transport path, one at a time, from the input receptacle past an evaluation unit into a plurality of output receptacles. At least one of the output receptacles includes a holding area and a storage area. A plurality of bill passage sensors are sequentially disposed along the transport path that are adapted to detect the passage of a bill as each bill is transported past each sensor. An encoder is adapted to produce an encoder count for each incremental movement of the transport mechanism. A controller counts the total number of bills transported into each of the holding areas and the total number of bills moved from a holding area to a corresponding storage area after a predetermined number of bills have been transported into the holding area. The controller tracks the movement of each of the bills along the transport path into each of the holding areas with the plurality of bill passage sensors. The presence of a bill jam is detected when a bill is not transported past one of the plurality of bill passage sensors within a requisite number of encoder counts. The operation of the transport mechanism is suspended upon detection of a bill jam. The bills from each of the holding areas are moved to the corresponding storage areas upon suspension of the operation of the transport mechanism. Remaining bills are then flushed from the transport path after moving the bills from each of the holding areas to the corresponding storage areas upon suspension of the operation of the transport mechanism.
US07650974B2

A viscous fan drive having improved pumping efficiency from removing fluid from a fluid operating chamber to a fluid reservoir chamber is achieved by providing a wiper element that is located within the radial clearance between the clutch and the housing that effectively seals leakage paths leading (upstream) and trailing the wiper. The wiper element includes a radial tang that is positioned within a corresponding slot of the cover wall. The wiper element also has a pair of spaced apart arms extending from the radial tang portion each having a radial outer surface that has a similar radius as the cover wall and a radial inner surface has a similar radius as the clutch. The wiper element also preferably includes details designed to seal the radial inner surface to the outer periphery of the clutch during fan drive operation and a locating detail to aid in assembly.
US07650965B2

An exhaust system for an engine includes a first muffler having a housing, a first end plate, a second end plate, an inlet pipe extending through at least one of the first end plate and the second end plate, and an outlet pipe extending through at least one of the first end plate and the second end plate. The exhaust system further includes a second muffler having a housing, a first end plate, a second end plate, an inlet pipe extending through at least one of the first end plate and the second end plate, and an outlet pipe extending through at least one of the first end plate and the second end plate. The exhaust system further includes a crossbreed pipe extending through the first end plate of the first muffler and the first end plate of the second muffler.
US07650961B2

A differential lock control system for controlling a differential lock of a work vehicle is adapted to determine if the work vehicle is oriented to travel in a generally straight direction, and, if the work vehicle is so oriented, automatically command activation of the differential lock. An associated method is disclosed.
US07650957B2

The actuator mechanism of the present embodiment comprises the first cylinder, a rod protruding from the first cylinder to lift a hood and lock balls arranged along the outer periphery of the rod and digging into the rod when the rod is pushed back. The diameter of the lock balls and the lapping amount of the lock balls are within specific ranges.
US07650955B2

To improve a swing arm support structure of a vehicle, thus making it possible to adjust a magnitude, timing, and the like of external force transmitted to a vehicle body frame. In a vehicle, in which a rear wheel is attached to a rear end of a swing arm made freely swingable with respect to a vehicle body frame, dogleg brackets are provided. The dogleg brackets include vehicle body frame coupling portions coupled to the vehicle body frame, and include engine support portions for supporting an engine. Further, the dogleg brackets are provided with swing arm support portions for supporting the swing arm which are provided apart and separately from the vehicle body frame coupling portions.
US07650950B2

A closed-loop circulating system for drilling wells has control of the flow rates in and out of the wellbore. Kicks and fluid losses are quickly controlled by adjusting the backpressure. Kick tolerance and tripping margins are eliminated by real-time determination of pore and fracture pressure. The system can incorporate a rotating BOP and can be used with underbalanced drilling.
US07650949B1

A moldboard of a work vehicle comprises a blade and a sideshift rail comprising a bar attached to the blade and a wear strip removably mounted to the bar.
US07650943B2

A hydraulic control system for controlling an external device (4) at a well installation includes a control module (2) for generating electrical and/or optical control signals. A control pod (8) receives the control signals, the control pod controlling the external device. A hydraulic line (10) links the control pod to the external device (4) for controlling it.
US07650934B2

The invention relates to a heat exchanger, particularly a radiator for a heating or air conditioning unit in motor vehicles, which cools a coolant. Said heat exchanger (1) is penetrated by air, comprises collector pipes (S1, S2, S2, S4) and several essentially horizontally disposed pipes (5), and is divided into several partial blocks (T1, T2, T3, T4). The surfaces of the inventive partial blocks are selected according to the dimensions of structural space-related zones having different air temperatures inside the assembly space of the heat exchanger, the partial block which is first penetrated by the coolant being arranged within a structural space-related zone having a higher air temperature, preferably within the zone having the highest air temperature.
US07650915B2

A method for removing vapor within a heat pipe includes providing a predetermined amount of working fluid injected into the heat pipe. An opening is reserved at one end of the heat pipe. The opening is communicated with a vacuum environment. The communication between the opening and the vacuum environment is normally disconnected, such that at the instant the communication is connected ,the vacuum level of the vacuum environment is maintained at a certain range. The communication between the opening of the heat pipe and the vacuum environment is intermittently connected for several times. Within the duration while the communication between the opening and the vacuum environment is connected, the working fluid is evaporated without being boiled and vapor is exhausted from the opening.
US07650905B2

An emergency isolation valve has a valve plug in a valve body connected to a pipeline. The valve plug is connected to a valve shaft around which a sector gear is provided and engaged with a rack of a piston rod in a cylinder. The piston rod has a piston at one end and is connected to a compression spring at the other end. The piston is moved by air supplied into a cylinder from a compressed air source via a fluid control and a solenoid selector valve. Air supply stops and a discharge hole of the cylinder is opened, so that air is discharged to the outside. The piston is returned by the compression spring to close the discharge hole. At the same time stop of the piston rod is detected by a sensor thereby checking whether to actuate the valve plug normally even during operation.
US07650904B2

A pressure-regulating valve with an integrated pressure gauge has a body, an inlet nipple, a pressure-control device and a knob assembly. The body is tubular and has an inlet opening, an outlet and an adjustment end. The inlet nipple is connected to the inlet opening of the body and connects to a compressor. The outlet is a tube formed on the body and connects to a pneumatic tool or the like. The pressure-control device is movably placed inside the body and controls pressure of a gas flowing from the compressor to the outlet of the body. The knob assembly is rotatably mounted on the adjustment end of the body, is connected to the pressure-control device and displays and controls the pressure of the gas flowing from the compressor.
US07650902B1

A liquid thermal management purging system for efficiently removing the liquid coolant within a liquid thermal management system prior to opening the system for maintenance. The liquid thermal management purging system generally includes a reservoir storing a volume of liquid coolant and a volume of displacement liquid and a thermal management unit in fluid communication with the reservoir. A displacement pump and a drain pump are fluidly connected between the reservoir and the thermal management unit to selectively provide displacement liquid to and remove liquid coolant from the thermal management unit (and vice-versa).
US07650898B2

A pole mechanism that can be adjusted with one hand that can be used in trekking poles, tool handles, and other applications requiring the use of an adjustable-length elongated member.
US07650896B2

In an apparatus for holding components of a nursing bottle assembly in a dishwasher, a loading member has a first opening sized and configured for receiving a portion of a first component of the bottle assembly therein to seat the first component on the loading member, and a second opening separate from the first opening. The second opening is sized and configured for receiving a portion of the second component of the bottle assembly therein to seat the second component on the loading member. The first and second openings differ in at least one characteristic indicative of the respective first and second components to facilitate identification of the first opening as being the proper location on the loading member for placement of the first component and of the second opening as being the proper location on the loading member for placement of the second component.
US07650892B1

The present invention relates to methods for hindering formation of tobacco-specific nitrosamines during processing of dark fire tobacco, as well as a facility in which at least portions of these methods may be conducted. According to the present invention, dark fire tobacco that has been harvested and that is generally green and/or yellow is exposed to an uncontrolled, yet active, ambient airflow so as to provide a substantially aerobic environment about the tobacco. This exposure of the dark fire tobacco to the ambient airflow may be done until the tobacco is substantially brown and/or substantially free of enzymatic activity. Subsequently, the tobacco is exposed to gaseous emissions (e.g., smoke) from combusting sawdust/wood. This step may be conducted at least until the tobacco exhibits a moisture content of no more than about 16% and/or until the tobacco exhibits a gloss or shine on a surface of the tobacco.
US07650884B2

A facepiece insert (16) that has a fluid communication component (30, 32) non-integrally joined to a supporting portion (34). The insert can be made by (a) providing at least one supporting portion (34) of a facepiece insert (16); (b) providing at least one fluid communication component (30, 32) separately from the supporting portion (34) of the facepiece insert (16); and (c) securing the at least one fluid communication component (30, 32) to the at least one supporting portion (34).
US07650876B2

An engine assembly may include an engine block, a fuel pump, and a drive shaft. The engine block may include first and second banks defining first and second sets of cylinders disposed at an angle relative to one another to form a V-configuration. The engine block may include a valley between the first and second banks of cylinders. The fuel pump may be supported by the engine block and located within the valley. The drive shaft may be supported by the engine block and may be drivingly engaged with the fuel pump.
US07650864B2

A vehicle starting system for activating an ignition of a vehicle. The system includes a remote transmitting device operable to communicate a start signal in response to a user input, and a control at a vehicle that receives the start signal. The control processes images captured by at least one imaging device to determine if the images are indicative of the vehicle being parked in an enclosed environment. The control activates an ignition of the vehicle in response to the start signal and the image processing.
US07650860B2

Radial impulse engine, pump, and compressor systems are disclosed herein. In one embodiment of the invention, an engine includes a first end wall portion spaced apart from a second end wall portion to at least partially define a combustion chamber therebetween. In this embodiment, the engine further includes a plurality of movable wall portions disposed between the first and second end wall portions. Each movable wall portion includes a cylindrical surface extending at least partially between a distal edge portion and a pivot axis. Upon ignition in the combustion chamber, the distal edge portion of each movable wall portion slides across the cylindrical surface of the adjacent movable wall portion as the movable wall portions pivot outwardly in unison about their respective pivot axes.
US07650859B2

A water heater and method of assembling the water heater are disclosed. The method includes the step of positioning an insulation member around a water tank. An expandable tube is positioned at an elevation between a top surface and a bottom surface of the insulation member. An outer shell is positioned over the water tank, the insulation member, and the expandable tube to at least partially encapsulate the water tank. The expandable tube is expanded to compress at least a portion of the insulation member against the water tank or the outer shell. Foam insulation is delivered into a space defined adjacent the top surface of the insulation member and between the water tank and the outer shell. The foam insulation is substantially limited from traveling past the expandable tube when the expandable tube is maintained in an expanded state.
US07650849B2

An indicator for an AT vehicle is disclosed wherein even when a shift lever boot is greatly flexed downward during shift operation of a shift lever, boot penetration restricting device, provided inside an open window of an indicator, prevents the shift lever boot from flexing and penetrating into a lower area of the open window portion.
US07650848B2

An article has a surface topography for resisting bioadhesion of organisms and includes a base article having a surface. A composition of the surface includes a polymer. The surface has a topography comprising a pattern defined by a plurality of spaced apart features attached to or projected into the base article. The plurality of features each have at least one microscale dimension and at least one neighboring feature having a substantially different geometry. An average feature spacing between adjacent ones of the features is between 10 μm and 100 μm in at least a portion of the surface. The surface topography can be numerically represented using at least one sinusoidal function. In one embodiment, the surface can comprise a coating layer disposed on the base article.
US07650841B2

A blasting system facilitates the actuation of a plurality of programmable detonators according to a desired blasting pattern, to cause the discharge of a plurality of associated charges, by downloading to the detonators blasting information that can be automatically determined by a portable handheld unit that incorporates a positional detecting device, such as a GPS device. The blasting information for any given detonator can be determined by the handheld unit as a function of the distance and the direction of the movement of the unit to the detonator, and/or by the actual GPS location while at the site of the detonator. This automatic determination of blasting information, and particularly the delay times, based on the movement of the unit to the detonator, eliminates error prone human calculations of the delay times needed for multiple detonators at a blasting site. This simplifies the operations and procedures needed for achieving a desired blasting pattern, without sacrificing safety or quality.
US07650838B2

In a method or device for control of a printer or copier, a series of discrete signal states is generated with which a drive unit for conveyance of a carrier material to be printed is controlled. A control signal is generated to end the conveyance of the carrier material. Based on the control signal, the generated series of the discrete signal states is changed at an earliest with a changed signal state following the control signal. A positioning error of the carrier material is caused due to a time period between the control signal and the changed signal state is detected.
US07650831B2

The invention relates to a device for preparing a beverage by injection of water through a capsule containing a substance to be dissolved and/or to be extracted. The device comprises at least one water-injection system for introducing water inside the capsule. The injection system can be switched in order for a selection to be made between at least two different modes of wetting the substance so as to adapt wetting in accordance with the type of capsule and/or with the nature of the substance contained in the capsule. The invention aims to propose a device suitable for the preparation of a wider range of beverages, foaming or non-foaming, from substances to be extracted and/or soluble substances.
US07650829B2

The invention relates to a hollow piston (1) for a piston engine, said hollow piston comprising a peripheral wall (3a), a central rod (11), a front wall (3b) on the front end thereof, and an articulated part 4a) on the rear end thereof. The inventive hollow piston (1) has an annular cavity (14) formed against the rod (11), between the peripheral wall (3a) and the articulated part (4a). A rear section of the cavity (14) forms a front section of the articulated part (4a). The aim of the invention is to stabilize the hollow piston while ensuring an efficient guidance of the piston. To this end, the rod (11) ends the region of the cavity (14), the articulated part (4a) is a cap-shaped articulation recess (4c), and the rear section of the cavity (14) forms at least part of the articulated surface (4g) of the articulation recess (4c).
US07650817B2

A bicycle crank assembly is configured to simplify the work required to adjust the bearing play by the crank assembly when the crank assembly is mounted. The bicycle crank assembly has a left crank that is mounted on a crank axle of the bicycle, and is provided with a crank body and an adjustment member. The crank body includes a crank axle mounting part non-rotatably mounting to one end of the crank axle, an arm part extending from the crank axle mounting part, a pedal mounting part for mounting the pedal and provided at the tip of the arm part, and a male screw part formed on the crank axle mounting part. The adjustment member includes a tubular part having a female screw part into which the male screw part is screwed, and a contact part formed at one end of the tubular part and capable of contacting the bearing supporting the crank axle.
US07650813B2

A position control mechanism is provided for a bicycle control device that has a shifting unit. The position control mechanism has an operating member that is configured to operate a positioning member that moves through two of a plurality of predetermined shift positions during a single progressive movement of the operating member. The operating member is configured in the preferred embodiment to operate both a hydraulic braking unit and the shifting unit.
US07650808B2

A transfer case includes a two-speed range unit, a friction clutch, an actuation mechanism and a control system. The actuation mechanism includes an electric motor, a geartrain driven by the motor, a range actuator assembly and a mode actuator assembly. The range actuator assembly includes a driveshaft driven by the geartrain, a cam driven by the driveshaft and a shift fork having a follower retained in a groove formed in the cam and a fork engaging a shift collar associated with the range unit. The mode actuator assembly has a face cam with spiral cam surfaces and a control gear with radially-moveable rollers engaging the cam surfaces. The control gear is rotatively driven by the geartrain. The face cam is axially moveable for controlling engagement of the friction clutch. An anti-rotation mechanism limits rotation of the face cam in response to continued rotation of the control gear.
US07650799B2

A method and system are provided for investigating a gas-liquid fluid mixture as it is conveyed in a conduit having a first constriction region providing a reduced conduit cross section. The method and system include inducing the mixture to exhibit swirling flow in the first constriction region, thereby separating the liquid from the gas, and determining one or more properties of the fluid in the first constriction region.
US07650795B2

A test cell and method for stress testing a test specimen including a first platen and a second platen. Each platen having a loading surface, an inclined surface, and a longitudinal axis. The inclined surface being inclined relative to the longitudinal axis at an angle and the inclined surface having a specimen recess formed therein for receiving a portion of the test specimen such that when the inclined surface of the second platen is positioned in a face-to-face relationship with the inclined surface of the first platen, a shear stress is applied to the test specimen when an axial load is applied to the first and second platens. The platens further including fluid ports to subject the test specimen to fluid flow at various pressures and fluid chemistries and ultrasonic transducers to determine acoustic, compressional, and shear wave velocities and in multiple orientations.
US07650790B2

An apparatus for ultrasonically inspecting a component comprises a first ultrasonic transducer for transmitting an ultrasonic signal into a component having rotational symmetry and a second ultrasonic transducer for detecting the reflected, or transmitted, ultrasonic signal. A motor and a turntable produce relative rotation between the rotationally symmetrical component and the first and second transducers. Motors, a carriage and tracks on a frame provide relative radial motion between the rotationally symmetrical component and the first and second transducers to scan the whole of a surface of the rotationally symmetrical component. An ultrasonic signal analyzer analyses the detected ultrasonic signal by monitoring for ultrasonic signals having an amplitude above a predetermined amplitude and not having rotational symmetry and a display provides an indication that any detected ultrasonic signals above the predetermined amplitude and not having rotational symmetry is a potential flaw in the component.
US07650777B1

A method for monitoring a compressor comprising a rotor is presented. The method comprises obtaining a dynamic pressure signal of the rotor, obtaining a blade passing frequency of the rotor, using the blade passing frequency signal for filtering the dynamic pressure signal, buffering the filtered dynamic pressure signal over a moving window time period, and analyzing the buffered dynamic pressure signal to predict a stall condition of the compressor.
US07650771B2

A high-pressure press includes a pressure vessel surrounded by a force-absorbing press frame. The high-pressure press also includes a detection structure for detecting changes in length of at least one column comprised in the press frame, the changes in length depending on the pressure inside the pressure vessel. The detection structure includes a limit switch, which is adapted to detect if the change in length of the column has reached a threshold value and, in that case, interrupt a pressing operation in progress and reduce the pressure inside the pressure vessel.
US07650765B2

Clothes washing machine comprising: a common water-distribution manifold (2), a plurality of electromagnetic (3B, 4B, 5B) valves provided downstream of said water-distribution manifold and connected on a respective inlet side thereof to said common water-distribution manifold, a plurality of outlet conduits (3, 4, 5) provided at the delivery orifices of said electromagnetic valves, a respective plurality of chambers (3A, 4A, 5A) supplied via a respective one of said outlet conduits (6), in which a cold-water inlet conduit (7) directly connects the low-temperature water delivery system to said water-distribution manifold, a hot-water inlet conduit (7) connects the high-temperature water delivery system to a pre-determined one of said outlet conduits downstream of the respective electromagnetic valve, and a further electromagnetic valve (7B) is provided in said hot-water inlet conduit. Inside a pre-determined outlet conduit, and downstream of the respective electromagnetic valve, there is provided a temperature sensor (20).
US07650756B2

The present invention concerns a device for generating thermal units using magnetocaloric material, with low energy consumption, evolutive, of a simple design, reliable operation, which allows to generate thermal units in a cost effective way while at the same time removing the risks of thermal fluid leakage and limiting the number of mechanical parts. The device (1a) for generating thermal units using magnetocaloric material comprises a magnetic element (2a) coupled to a power supply (3a), a magnetocaloric element (4a), a circuit (5) for thermal exchange fluid in which one or more thermal exchange fluids are made to circulate by means of circulation (6), and two heat exchangers (7, 8). The power supply (3a) is set up to generate electric pulses so as to create an impulsive magnetic field that causes the heating and the cooling of the magnetocaloric element (4a) and hence of the thermal exchange fluid.
US07650753B2

The invention relates to an arrangement (A) for cooling recycled exhaust gas (AG) and charge air (LL) in a motor vehicle comprising a turbocharger respectively comprising at least one heat exchanger for the exhaust gas flow and a least one heat exchanger for the charge air flow. At least one heat exchanger for the exhaust gas flow and one heat exchanger for the charge air flow form part of a common low temperature cooling circuit (NK). The invention also relates to a method for operating one such arrangement (A).
US07650739B2

A mulch plate adjustment apparatus for use with lawn mowers. The adjustment apparatus is used to adjust the height of a mulch plate attached to the lawn mower and to secure the mulch plate at the desired height by the use of a handle and handle-locking ratchet mechanism. The adjustment apparatus is affixed to the discharge chute of a lawn mower. The apparatus includes a handle-operated mulch plate raising-and-lowering mechanism that allows the mulch plate to be adjusted to different heights to accommodate different sized lawn mowers and different mowing conditions. The operator of the mulch plate adjustment apparatus can select a desired height for the mulch plate and safely secure the mulch plate at the selected height by simple operation of a handle. Further, the mulch plate apparatus provides a mechanism for allowing the mulch plate to be raised in a storage position without the need to provide extension wires or cables.
US07650738B2

A crop lifter for attachment to a cutting header includes a lifter member adapted for attachment to the header and a lifting finger attached to the lifter member by a quick-attach mechanism such that a leading end of the lifting finger is ahead of and below the knife. The lifting finger is structurally weak compared to the lifting member such that the lifting finger will readily move when striking an obstruction, thereby preventing damage to the lifter member or header. The crop lifter or similar crop accessory can have a latch member at a rear end thereof, and a cooperating latch member attached to the header. The accessory latches to the header and a releasable latch lock prevents forward movement of the accessory that would disengage the latch.
US07650732B2

The present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium containing computer executable code for instructing a computer to first display a field selection screen which includes selection indicators for a plurality of label fields. Then there is displayed a field content screen responsive to the label fields previously selected with the field content screen allowing editing of at least one label field. A bar code corresponding with one of said label fields is then selected and a print preview screen containing a plurality of said label fields is displayed. Then a print command for printing a label substantially as displayed on the print preview screen and including the bar code (regardless of whether or not said bar code is included on said print preview screen) is transmitted.
US07650722B1

Covers for attic trap doors and pull down attic stairs or ladders are described each of which is formed of an insulating material. The covers are structured to effectively seal a ceiling access opening. In some embodiments, a closure member constructed of insulating material is cooperatively and frictionally received within a frame formed of the same material to form an airtight seal therebetween.
US07650711B2

A riflescope. In the illustrative embodiment, the inventive riflescope is implemented with a housing having an exterior surface and a texture applied to the surface of the housing. In the best mode, the texture has an elevation of 250 microns above the surface of the housing. In more specific embodiments, the texture is uniform and geometric.
US07650710B1

A body of iron, steel or other such ferrous material is protected from thermochemical erosion by a layer of an iron nitride having a relatively low nitrogen content. The atomic percentage of nitrogen in the iron nitride layer is no greater than 20%, and in specific embodiments is in the range of 10-15%. The nitride layer may have a layer of a refractory material deposited thereatop. Some refractory materials include metals such as chromium. The invention has specific utility for protecting gun barrels, turbines, internal combustion engines, drilling equipment, machine tools, aerospace systems and chemical reactors which are exposed to extreme conditions of temperature and pressure. Specifically disclosed is a gun barrel which incorporates the invention.
US07650709B2

An air conditioner is provided. In the air conditioner, a base is provided, a front frame is coupled to a front of the base and it includes a filter insertion slot in a predetermined portion, a panel member is installed to the front frame and it includes a picture or a photograph detachably attached thereto, a heat exchanger is accommodated in the base to change heat with sucked air, and a blower fan is installed behind the heat exchanger to suck indoor air.
US07650708B2

A sidewalk grader provided for grading a sidewalk base disposed along a curb of an existing road structure. The sidewalk grader comprises a tracking assembly fixable to a vertically adjustable backfill blade of a compact excavator positioned to move forward over an existing road structure to advance the sidewalk grader. The tracking assembly comprises a vertically adjustable tracking means disposed for engagement with the top surface of the curb, to provide a reference point. A grading assembly is mounted to the tracking assembly. The grading assembly comprises a frame, and a grading blade rotatingly mounted to the frame to permit adjustment of slope of the blade. An adjustable link connects the grading blade to the frame to adjustable fix their relative position. The tracking means is vertically adjustable to enable the same to engage with the surface of a curb for reference to enable precise adjustment, control, and positioning of the grading assembly, and for maintaining the desired position of the sidewalk grader in relation to the curb as the sidewalk grader advances along the existing road structure.
US07650703B2

A device that provides support for sailors while hiking from a sailing vessel is disclosed. The device is a hiking strap/watersport boot combination, designed to provide extra grip together. The watersport boot is ergonomically designed to support muscles in the foot that are under strain while hiking.
US07650702B2

A device for locating and marking the optimum position of the center of a hole for receiving a stoma in a hernia support, said device being in the form of work piece provided with a pattern for identifying and recording the optimum position for placing of the center of the hole provides a simple device and method for an easy determination and marking of the site for a customized hole in standard hernia trousers.
US07650693B2

An electronic system comprising: an electronic system support substrate for the attachment of components of the electronic system, the electronic system support substrate including electric signal propagation paths for the propagation of electric signals between the system components; at least a first and a second electronic components, wherein at least the first electronic component is part of a module in mechanical and electrical connection with the electronic system support substrate, the module comprising a module substrate to which the first electronic component is at least mechanically connected, and an electric coupling between the first and the second electronic components, for the electric coupling allowing the first and the second electronic components exchange of electric signals. The electric coupling comprises a direct electric connection, particularly formed by a flexible electrical interconnection member, between the first and the second electronic components, the electric connection being independent of the electronic system support substrate.
US07650682B2

In a state in which a first divisional core and a second divisional core are arranged in a state spaced from each other and adjacent to each other, a first coil and a second coil are each wound around a tooth. The first coil and the second coil are in the same phase. In a state in which a plurality of divisional cores are arranged annularly so that their teeth are oriented in a radially inward direction, the first divisional core and the second divisional core are not adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction. A plurality of connection wires are shaped to converge at an end surface of a stator core. This facilitates the winding of the coils around the divisional cores. Further, the connection wires can be shortened.
US07650672B2

In an apparatus on a spinning preparation machine, for example, a flat card, draw frame or the like, for monitoring at least one sliver, having two rotating rollers that form a roller nip through which at least one sliver passes, an optical monitoring arrangement (sensor) that monitors the presence of the sliver is provided in the vicinity of the rollers. To permit a reliable and trouble-free monitoring of sliver breakage in a structurally simple manner, the sensor arrangement is arranged in the region between the shared tangents to the peripheral surfaces of the rollers, the tangents being arranged perpendicularly to the running direction of the fiber, and the optical path of the sensor runs parallel to the axles of the rollers.
US07650667B2

A steam mop having a main body including a water pump and a boiler. Generation of steam is provided when the water pump is actuated by angular movement of the mop handle which changes the angle between the handle and mop head for operating a two way piston pump to pump water to the boiler. Steam is fed to a steam pad that may have a replaceable fabric pad fit snugly on the frame to distribute cleaning steam to the surface to be cleaned.
US07650662B2

A brush using water alone to clean up toilets, baths, kitchens, tableware, kitchen utensils or the like. Phosphate ingredients contained in the higher alcoholic type detergents and nonionic detergents currently in use do enhance the cleansing effect, but are nutritive substances to plankton and the cause of its abnormal propagation. Resulting pollution of rivers, lakes and marshes, in particular their coasts, has been a social problem to be solved as soon as possible. The present cleaning brush can remove ordinary dirt, stains or the like, without using such pollution-causing detergents.
US07650661B2

A mophead includes a holder having an attachment location for attaching flexible absorbent mop material to the holder, and an attachment member which is spaced from the mop material attachment location and which can directly engage a scrub element with the holder independently of the mop material. The attachment member is a, preferably elongate bar, clamp which, in use, presses the scrub element directly to the mophead to clamp it thereto.
US07650659B2

It is intended to provide a washing method for reliably cleaning water-soluble contaminations such as sweat without damaging fabrics.A frame body 18 is disposed horizontally in a casing. The frame body 18 is rotated by a drive motor 23 in the casing. The casing and the frame body 18 are filled with water, and then clothes are placed in the frame body 18. A plurality of protrusions 40 are formed in order that an inner periphery 39 of the frame body 18 has a wavy pattern. A height of the protruding parts is set to from 3.0 to 6.0% of the inner diameter of the frame body 18. A surfant contained in cleaning liquid permeates deep into the clothes.
US07650653B2

A self-contained, modular electrically-operated faucets is disclosed which has all of its components which are likely to need replacement over the life of the device contained in removable modules which may be quickly and easily removed and replaced without necessitating the removal of the device from its installed location. The modular electrically-operated faucet of the present invention is configurable to be either deck mountable or wall mountable, and to allow either a conventional faucet spout or a gooseneck spout to be mounted thereupon. Optionally, when the modules of the modular electrically-operated faucet of the present invention are accessed for removal and replacement, the flow of water through the device may be automatically deactivated by merely removing the housing of the modular electrically-operated faucet.
US07653946B2

The secure circulation of digital documents to be reproduced includes providing each user with a smart card containing identification information associated therewith, and identifying from a server connected to a digital data transmission network the smart card connected thereto. Information identifying a document to be played back is transmitted to the server from a terminal connected to the smart card. In response, a decryption key specific to the document to be reproduced is transmitted to the smart card for storing therein. The document to be played back is decrypted using an adapted reader connected to the smart card, and includes the stored decryption key for document playback with the reader. Information identifying the readers is inserted into the smart card, and fraudulent use of the smart card is determined according to the reader identification information stored in the smart card.
US07653940B2

Provides methods for tracing and identifying a piracy in a wireless rights management system, wherein the content provider allow the protected digital content to be super-distributed, when unauthorized holding a pirated copy of the protected digital content is detected, based on the gateway controlling ability of the wireless operator within the wireless digital rights management system, a specific fingerprint is embedded in or removed from the protected digital content so as to trace the suspected persons and further identify the pirate. The fingerprint is related to information of a suspected person holding the protected digital content without authorization. A process of screening singles out highly suspected persons. Therefore the operator can determine whether the suspected person is a real pirate by comparing the similarity of the pirated version of content and the version held by the suspected person, and the exact tracing and identifying is achieved.
US07653938B1

A method for processing communication traffic includes receiving a data packet sent over a network from a source address and reading a value of an attribute from the data packet. The value is hashed to determine a key, which is used as an index in extracting a tag from a table of random values. A decision is made using the tag regarding forwarding of the communication traffic from the source address.
US07653935B2

Upon integration of a file system, user identifier recorded in a storage as management data is translated. A file server connected to a storage storing the data of a file system therein has a file system operation unit for managing the file system, a file server operation unit for receiving the access request to the file, and a user identifier translation unit for carrying out translation between first user identifier, which is used by the client and second user identifier, which is recorded in the storage as management data of the file system. Receiving the access request to the file from the client, the user identifier translation unit translates the second user identifier included in the management data of the file that is an access target of the access request into the first user identifier, and the file server operation unit transmits the management data to the client.
US07653933B2

A network authentication, authorization and accounting system and a method thereof, wherein said system comprises: a subscriber device, via which a subscriber is connected with the network; an access server, connected with the subscriber device and designed to enable the subscriber device to access the network; an AAA server, connected with the access server and designed to collaborate with the access server to accomplish authentication, authorization, and accounting for the subscriber accessing the network; a service server, connected with the access server, designed to provide specific services, to exchange authentication and authorization information with the AAA server, and to interact with the subscriber device to provide the service; a service accounting server, connected with the service server, designed to collaborate with the service server to accomplish accounting for service resource use of the subscriber, and to send the accounting data to the AAA server. Accordingly, the present invention also discloses a network authentication, authorization and accounting method. The present invention enables a subscriber to access different types of services with only the subscriber identification information (user name and password) through a single identity authentication process, and supports centralized accounting.
US07653931B1

The disclosure provides for systems that generate random strings of objects corresponding to elements of a login code. The disclosure also provides for methods for training individuals in remembering the elements of the login code. Those login code elements, in certain embodiments, are taught to its user by way of a puzzle or game-like environment. That game-like environment, in one embodiment, does not require the use of language-based instructions, which make learning the elements of the login code simple and easy for a wide range and variety of persons. In addition, the login code elements are taught to its user, in certain embodiments, by way of a multi-staged training process, wherein each stage includes a plurality of training sessions. Those training sessions may use a process of spatial and visual recognition. That process may help assist a login code user to remember the elements of the code even if the login code is only periodically used.
US07653930B2

Methods are disclosed for authorization to adaptively control access to a resource in a resource hierarchy. At least one role for a principal is retrieved from the resource hierarchy or a first cache based on whether the at east one role was previously retrieved from the resource hierarchy. A policy is retrieved from the resource hierarchy or a second cache based on whether the policy was previously retrieved from the resource hierarchy. The policy is evaluated based on the at least one role and a determination on whether to grant the principal access to the resource is made based on the evaluation of the policy.
US07653925B2

Techniques for receiving information during multimedia presentations and for communicating the received information to one or more information access devices. A presentation recorder adapter receives information during a multimedia presentation and communicates the information to access devices. The adapter may receive multimedia presentation information, comprising video information and audio information, from a first source. The adapter may also receive information from a second source separate from the first source during the multimedia presentation. For example, the second source may be an attendee of the multimedia presentation. The adapter may transmit the multimedia presentation information received from the first source and the information received from the second source to one or more information access devices.
US07653919B2

An optical article that can transform from a pre-activated state of functionality to an activated state of functionality is provided. The optical article includes a radio frequency circuitry coupled to the optical article for interacting with a signal, wherein the signal comprises a thermal signal, an electrical signal, or both, and a convertible material in operative association with the radio frequency circuitry for altering the functionality of the optical article from the pre-activated state to the activated state upon interaction with the thermal energy.
US07653909B2

An operating system in a shared processor logical partitioned data processing system is given a target percentage. The hypervisor assigns the target processor percentage to the operating system. The operating system also has a predetermined time slice to allot to threads in a multitasking environment. The operating system adjusts the time slice based on a per-virtual-processor percentage.
US07653892B1

Systems and methods for creating and implementing two-dimensional (2D), image-based design rules (IBDRs) are disclosed. Techniques for creating 2D IBDR can include identifying a search pattern that is representative of a 2D pattern of interest of a design, creating a pattern representation based on the search pattern, defining an anchor point for the pattern representation, and assigning weights to elements of the pattern representation. The 2D IBDR can be used in systems and method for searching a design by comparing the 2D IBDR to the design. A number of 2D IBDRs can be merged into a subset of similar 2D IBDRs by characterizing desired rule geometries, sorting the 2D IBDRs into groups according to the desired rule geometries, merging the groups of 2D IBDRs into a single representative search pattern. Additionally, standard design rules can be created from the disclosed 2D IBDRs. The standard design rule can be created from a 2D pattern of interest by defining an origin of a shape within the 2D pattern of interest, identifying features within the 2D pattern of interest, deriving parameters relative to the origin for each of the identified features, and writing the standard design rule script using the derived parameters.
US07653891B1

A method of reducing power of a circuit is described. The method includes determining at least one unused selection input associated with stages of a multiplexer tree; pulling the at least one unused selection input to a constant value; and assigning predetermined values to unused data inputs of the multiplexer tree associated with the at least one unused selection input.
US07653889B2

An apparatus includes: a detecting unit that detects a target path from among a plurality of paths in a target circuit based on a result of a delay analysis of the target circuit, wherein the result of the delay analysis includes delay data of a first circuit component of the target path; an extracting unit that extracts delay data of a second circuit component having an identical type to that of the first circuit component; and a generating unit that generates a directive for replacing the first circuit component with the second circuit component.
US07653887B2

A power consumption calculating apparatus includes a receiving unit, a specifying unit, a determining unit, an average calculating unit, an estimating unit, and a power consumption calculating unit. The receiving unit receives data of a target circuit. The specifying unit specifies a sequential circuit in the circuit. The determining unit, by developing a sequential circuit to a combinational circuit, determines a clock cycle to be input into the combinational circuit. The average calculating unit calculates the average number of transition after the number of transition of 2N-clock cycle is calculated. The estimating unit estimates the estimated number of transition. And the power consumption calculating unit calculates the maximum power consumption.
US07653884B2

Simultaneous Dynamical Integration modeling techniques are applied to placement of elements of integrated circuits as described by netlists specifying interconnection of devices. Solutions to a system of coupled ordinary differential equations in accordance with Newtonian mechanics are approximated by numerical integration. A resultant time-evolving system of nodes moves through a continuous location space in continuous time, and is used to derive placements of the devices having one-to-one correspondences with the nodes. Nodes under the influence of net attractive forces, computed based on the interconnections between the morphable devices, tend to coalesce into well-organized topologies. Nodes are also affected by spreading forces determined by density fields that are developed based on local spatial node populations. The forces are optionally selectively modulated as a function of simulation time. The placements of the devices are compatible with various design flows, such as standard cell, structured array, gate array, and field-programmable gate array.
US07653880B2

A data-binding engine is used to perform command binding. A data binding engine binds user interface controls such as buttons, menus, list boxes, etc. to commands exposed on an application model. A data source and data binding path may be specified in a markup language that defines how the commands are bound to UI elements.
US07653872B2

A document processor has a function of attaching additional information to an electronic document and a function of associating linked information with the additional information. The document processor includes a display unit that displays the electronic document, the additional information, and the linked information, a judging unit that judges whether or not the linked information has changed since it was last referred to by a user, and a display control unit that controls the display unit so that a display state of the additional information varies according to the judgment result from the judging unit.
US07653869B2

An input signal such as a HDTV signal is split into a primary signal, which can be decoded if desired, and an secondary signal, which can remain compressed. The primary signal may be delayed and then both signals are transmitted to a receiver. If no error in the primary signal is detected, the primary signal is used to display data. Otherwise, the secondary signal, which arrives before the primary signal and consequently which is available for substitution, is displayed.
US07653866B2

A recording medium for storing a data stream is comprised of first error correcting codes obtained by encoding first information, second error correcting codes obtained by encoding second information, and synchronization signals. In the data stream, the second error correcting codes and the synchronization signals alternatively interleave the first error correcting codes. The second error correcting codes have the same number of corrections as the first error correcting codes. A code length of the second error correcting codes is shorter than a code length of the first error correcting codes.
US07653859B2

A system, an apparatus and a method for transmitting/receiving data coded by a low density parity check matrix code are provided. The apparatus for transmitting data coded by a low density parity check code includes: a low density parity check encoder for encoding input data based on the low density parity check code; and a bit puncturer for puncturing columns in an order of columns which least degrade a performance caused by puncturing in the low density check code according to a code rate of an output data. Accordingly, the low density parity check code having superior performance can be implemented to the next generation mobile communication system supporting various code rates.
US07653850B2

Some embodiments provide sampling of a data signal output from a path stage using a latch, sampling of the data signal output from the path stage using an edge-triggered flip-flop, comparing a first value output by the latch with a second value output by the edge-triggered flip-flop, and generating an error signal if the first value is different from the second value.
US07653847B1

Methods and structures for performing field flawscan to reduce manufacturing costs of a dynamic mapped storage device. In a dynamic mapped storage device in which all user supplied logical blocks are dynamically mapped by the storage device controller to physical disk blocks, features and aspects hereof permit flawscan testing of a storage device to be completed substantially concurrently with processing write requests for its intended application. A fraction of the storage device may be certified by an initial flawscan performed during manufacturing testing. Statistical sampling sufficient to assure a high probability of achieving specified capacity may be performed to reduce manufacturing time and costs in testing. Final flawscan of the remainder of the storage locations may be performed substantially concurrently with processing of write requests after the device is installed for its intended application. Mapping features and aspects hereof allow the storage device controller to perform flawscan and write operations concurrently.
US07653836B1

A method, system, apparatus, and computer-readable medium for logging metadata modifications in a storage system are provided. According to one method, modifications to storage system metadata are detected and described in a log string data structure. The log strings are collected and periodically committed to a mass storage device in the data storage system. The log strings may be collected in a log buffer data structure that includes the collected log strings and one or more unique, constantly increasing timestamps. The time stamps are written at the end of each sector of the log buffer. The log buffer may be committed to the mass storage device when the log buffer is full, when a predefined period of time has elapsed since the previous commitment of the log strings to disk, or in a manner designed to ensure that one write of the log buffer is always outstanding. A logger module is operative to collect the log strings, build the log buffer, and to commit the log buffer to disk.
US07653832B2

A cached disk array includes a disk storage array, a global cache memory, disk directors coupling the cache memory to the disk storage array, and front-end directors for linking host computers to the cache memory. The front-end directors service storage access requests from the host computers, and the disk directors stage requested data from the disk storage array to the cache memory and write new data to the disk storage. At least one of the front-end directors or disk directors is programmed for block resolution of virtual logical units of the disk storage, and for obtaining, from a storage allocation server, space allocation and mapping information for pre-allocated blocks of the disk storage, and for returning to the storage allocation server requests to commit the pre-allocated blocks of storage once data is first written to the pre-allocated blocks of storage.
US07653822B2

A processing device asynchronously enters a first mode in response to an application of power at the processing device. The processing device receives a wake signal at the processing device subsequent to entering the first mode. The processing device asynchronously enters a second mode from the first power mode in response to receiving the wake signal. A clock at the processing device is disabled in the first mode and enabled in the second mode.
US07653811B2

A device, apparatus, system, computer program and product, each capable of selecting a storage repository for storing data from a plurality of repositories, by applying a repository rule indicating which of the plurality of repositories can satisfy a security level of the data.
US07653810B2

The disclosure relates to the management of PKI digital certificates, including certificate discovery, installation, verification and replacement for endpoints over an insecure network. A database of certificates may be maintained through discovery, replacement and other activities. Certificate discovery identifies certificates and associated information including network locations, methods of access, applications of use and non-use, and may produce logs and reports. Automated requests to certificate authorities for new certificates, renewals or certificate signing requests may precede the installation of issued certificates to servers using installation scripts directed to a particular application or product, which may provide notification or require approval or intervention. An administrator may be notified of expiring certificates, using a database or scanning or server agents. Interaction with certificate authorities may be by an abstractor providing a common intefface for issuing signing requests to disparate certificate authorities. Digital certificate management may also be applied to network-connecting client devices.
US07653807B2

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that removes a bubble from a pipeline. During operation, the system first detects a stall in the pipeline. The system next determines whether a first register contains invalid data, which is associated with a bubble. Next, the system determines whether a second register contains valid data, wherein the second register is adjacent to and upstream from the first register. If the first register contains invalid data and the second register contains valid data, the system replaces the invalid data of the first register with valid data based on the valid data in the second register without propagating the invalid data to a downstream register. As a result, the system removes the invalid data from the pipeline.
US07653798B2

A memory management apparatus and method for storing data in units of various packet sizes in appliances utilizing memory devices are provided. The memory allocation apparatus includes data memory which includes a plurality of data blocks, each of which includes a plurality of sub data blocks having a predetermined size, and when there is a request for allocating memory space of a variable size, allocates memory space in units of any one of the sub data blocks and the data blocks, a free list memory which manages an free memory space of the data memory as at least one or more lists, and registers that store head location information and tail location information of the list.
US07653783B2

In one embodiment, an apparatus for reading from a physical storage-device array including a plurality of storage devices. The physical storage-device array has a plurality of sector levels, each sector level containing one sector on each storage device in the array at corresponding addresses on across the storage devices. The apparatus includes: (1) a memory adapted to store two or more profiles, each profile defining (i) a virtual array associated with a selected set of the storage devices and (ii) one or more parameters used for accessing information from the virtual array; (2) a buffer (i) having a first portion and a second portion and (ii) coupled to receive data from the storage devices; and (3) a state machine (i) coupled to the buffer and the memory and (ii) adapted to generate two or more successive pairs of instructions. The first instruction of each pair of instructions (i) is based on one or more parameters of a first profile and (ii) is an instruction to read, into the first portion of the buffer, one sector of data from each storage device of a first virtual array; and the second instruction of each pair of instructions (i) is based on one or more parameters of a second profile and (ii) is an instruction to read, into the second portion of the buffer, one sector of data from each storage device of a second virtual array.
US07653770B2

A system for providing bidirectional communication for a data bus includes a datalink interface component configured to interface into a datalink. The datalink interface component is configured to operate in at least one of a first data communication state, a second data communication state, and a wholly inactive state. The first data communication state causes a first data communication component to communicate via the datalink interface and a second data communication component to be in an inactive state. The second data communication state causes the first data communication component to exist in an inactive state and the second communication component to communicate via the datalink interface. The wholly inactive state causes the first and second data communication components to exist in the inactive state.
US07653769B2

Methods and systems for discovering and managing devices connected to InfiniBand ports are provided. The discovery may be performed by an end node, such that the end node interoperates with all standard InfiniBand components. Specific actions that are vendor unique, and potentially not compliant with the InfiniBand architecture, may not be done until after the discovery is complete and it has been verified that the noncompliant action will only be directed to entities known to be capable of processing them. These actions may include assuming the configuration responsibilities that would have been performed by the Subnet Manager in a standard InfiniBand network.
US07653763B2

A subsystem (200) is provided at least Direct Memory Access (DMA) device (220) utilized to provide instructions to facilitate the operation of a subsystem processor (210). In one embodiment, a system level processor (102) initiates the provision of instructions for a subsystem (210). The DMA device may be additionally or alternatively utilized to provide data transfer capabilities to a plurality of data channels in a subsystem (200). The DMA device processes channels in a time limited manner to ensure that data is processed in a manner appropriate for time critical data.
US07653755B1

Disclosed herein is a system for determining communication paths, especially for AV/C devices. The system includes gathering pertinent information about drivers in each available communication between nodes in the system and ordering the driver information in a communication path list string. The system may be employed with multiple nodes having one or more communication paths between nodes. The system may also be employed with multiple nodes where at least one of the nodes is a bridge.
US07653748B2

Systems, methods, and computer program products that facilitate the integration and accounting of advertising within audio Web content requested by users via telephone devices are provided. Upon receiving a request from a user for Web content via a telephone device, a Web server retrieves an advertisement from an advertisement server, inserts the retrieved advertisement within the user requested Web content, and forwards the user requested Web content and advertisement to a text-to-speech transcoder for conversion to an audio format. The text-to-speech transcoder converts the Web content and advertisement from a text-based format to an audio format and serves the Web content and advertisement in the audio format to the user client device via a telephone link established with the user client device. If an advertisement is interactive, a text-to-speech transcoder may be configured to notify an advertisement server of user interaction with the advertisement. Information such as an identification of a requesting client device, user, as well as time and date information, may be recorded by an advertisement server for use in measuring effectiveness of a particular marketing and/or advertising campaign. Information associated with providing a user with additional information associated with an advertisement may also be stored.
US07653746B2

A system and method for relocating a subnet to a remote location includes a tether router coupled to an anchor router via a link. The tether router is coupled to a plurality of nodes, each node corresponding to a network address of a plurality of network addresses allocated to a user. The plurality of network addresses is allocated to the user by a lease broker. The link may include a private tunnel for traversing a mechanism that otherwise hinders communication from the tether router to the anchor router, such as a network address translation (NAT) mechanism.
US07653743B2

A scalable messaging system for data transmission between the network devices, such as set top boxes, and a central system server, such as a server which maintains a database of event logs for the network. Individual routers at the data center broadcast an announcement packet indicating that they are available to accept messages from the network devices. The announcement message contains at least an identification of the router and the manner in which messages may be sent to it, e.g., one or more connection socket numbers and/or network addresses. The frequency at which availability messages are sent by the routers is preferably dependent upon the relatively loading of the individual router. Thus, the more heavily loaded a particular router becomes, the less often it will broadcast an availability message; the more lightly loaded it becomes, the more often such messages are broadcast. The network devices then transmit messages to the data center only in response to having received such a router availability announcement. The information in a router availability message can be used in various ways to construct a payload message back to the data center, such as by using ports numbers, persistent identification numbers, or Media Access Control (MAC) layer addresses, depending upon the topology of the data network. This protocol thus permits control over the generation of messages, such as connection request messages, which might otherwise flood a network with large numbers of end node devices.
US07653740B2

In a metropolitan area network, a method and system for maintaining an accurate total of the amount of allocated bandwidth on the network. A plurality of incoming packets are assigned to a respective plurality of queues of a metropolitan area network switch. Using a fair arbitration scheme, the respective queues are configured to empty at a specified output rate. A finish time for each respective queue is computed, the finish time describing a time at which the respective queue will be emptied using the output rate. The plurality of queues are grouped into multiple groups in accordance with their respective finish times. The earliest group includes the reserved rates of those queues having a finish time indicating an empty condition at a first time increment. The second earliest group includes the reserved rates of those queues having a finish time indicating an empty condition at a second time increment later than the first time increment, and so on. The amount of allocated bandwidth on the network is determined by tracking the sum of the reserved rates of all the multiple groups. The first time increment, second time increment, and the like are indexed with respect to a schedule clock. The earliest group thus indicates those queues that will have an empty condition at a next time increment of the schedule clock. The determination of the amount of allocated bandwidth can be accomplished in real time, thereby allowing the efficient allocation of unallocated bandwidth in real time.
US07653727B2

Cooperative embedded agents as well as manageability and security operations that can be performed on a host system having cooperative embedded agents are disclosed.
US07653718B2

A method for filtering and selectively displaying log messages generated by a network node with a distributed architecture is disclosed. In one embodiment, log messages generated locally on the line cards are collected by Secondary Log Managers residing on the line cards. The Secondary Log Manager appends meta data to the collected messages and transfers at least part of them to a Primary Log Manager process residing at the control module. Using the meta data, the Primary Log Manager can selectively output the logging and tracing messages interested Command Line Interface (CLI) shells or output devices.
US07653717B2

When a trouble has occurred in any one or more of copying machines, a data terminal (i.e. an equipment management apparatus) transmits to the computer of the management center the trouble data and the management data about the copying machines in which no trouble has occurred. Therefore, the management data about a plurality of copying machines can be efficiently transmitted to the computer of the management center. The copying machine of which management data is to be transmitted together with the trouble data is determined in accordance with the count number remaining until the time for the next regular maintenance comes. As a result, the management data about the copying machine which is scheduled to have regular maintenance in a near future can be transmitted to the computer of the management center prior to other data. The management center can know which copying machine is scheduled to have maintenance in a near future. As a result, a service engineer can be efficiently dispatched.
US07653709B1

The invention relates to a method for processing a complex request addressed to at least one SNMP agent (5) of a resource machine (2b) from an SNMP manager (4) of an application machine (2a). The complex request is processed so as to enable an integrating agent (6) to translate the complex request into SNMP requests and to optimize the number of SNMP requests transmitted through the network (3), particularly the number of GETNEXT requests.
US07653706B2

A dynamic image delivery system receives a client request for an image at an image caching server. The image caching server measures the client's network access speed and looks for an appropriate pre-rendered copy of the requested image that is rendered for the client's network access speed in local storage. If the appropriate rendered copy is found, then the image caching server sends the rendered image to the client. If it is not found, then the image caching server dynamically renders a copy of the image and sends it to the client.
US07653703B2

An object of this invention is to reduce a calculation amount and required storage capacity of a URL switch by dividing transfer destination determining processing among a plurality of devices. Provided is a computer system including: a plurality of servers; and a packet transfer device, in which: the servers are coupled to the packet transfer device; the packet transfer device is coupled to a client terminal via a network; the packet transfer device receives a content request including a fixed-length hash value that is calculated from a variable-length identifier of the content requested by the client terminal; extracts the hash value from the received content request; and determines, based on the extracted hash value, to which one of the plurality of servers the content request is to be transferred.
US07653698B2

A system and method are disclosed for maintaining a whitelist, including: obtaining message data based on an email message sent by a user; extracting recipient information from message data; updating the whitelist using the recipient information.
US07653683B2

Systems, apparatus and methods are described for providing information access to network devices. A directory server registers identification information about a first network device coupled to a first network. The first network and the directory server may be coupled to a second network, which may include a wide area network, public network, or the Internet. The identification information may include a network address of the first network device on the first network, or a network address of the first network on the second network. The directory server may receive and process requests for identification information about registered network devices, and may selectively reply to the requests based on status information of the first network device.
US07653675B2

A system and method for performing a convolution operation in a multi-mode wireless processing system. The method can include loading an initial value and a stride value into an address generator, generating an address based on the initial value and the stride value, supplying the generated address to a series of memories, loading input data into a series of registers, multiplying the contents of each register with a value stored at the generated address in the memory associated with each register, adding up the resulting multiplication products, and generating output based on the resulting sum. The number of memories and registers are equal, each register having an associated memory.
US07653671B2

A wide area distributed storage system checks for erasure of WORM (Write-Once Read-Many) files. A first management server acquires a storage location of a second file on a second disk apparatus which corresponds to a first file stored on a first disk apparatus, of which a retention period has expired, and queries a second management server about a retention period of the second file whose storage location has been acquired. The queried second management server refers to a file table and indicates existence or non-existence of the second file on the second disk apparatus and whether the retention period of the second file has expired or not. The system avoids unintended deletion of files by querying a plurality of file management servers about whether a file with an expired retention period should be set as a deletable object.
US07653666B2

Methods and computer systems are provided for identifying objects for archiving out of a plurality of objects. A first computer system supplies a plurality of objects for archiving. Each object may have an object type and at least one sub-object. Further, an assignment scheme may be provided, which assigns a plurality of sub-object types to the object type. A computer program may identify at least one sub-object for archiving with the object by using the assignment scheme. A second computer system may receive data for archiving from the first computer system. The data may comprise the object and the at least one sub-object that are identified by the first computer system for archiving. The second computer system may store the data.
US07653661B2

Monitoring a connection between computer system layers includes detecting that an aspect is being modified in a transactional layer of an enterprise resource computing system that further includes an analytical layer configured to receive data from the transactional layer. In response to the detection, it is determined whether at least one of several decoupling components, configured for use by the analytical layer in receiving the data, is implicated by the aspect. A predefined output is made to a user based on the determination. An enterprise resource computing system includes a transactional layer and an analytical layer, and decoupling components for use by the analytical layer in receiving the data. Upon an aspect of the transactional layer being modified, a predefined output is made to a user based on a determination of whether any of several decoupling components is implicated by the aspect.
US07653640B2

Synchronization of a web syndication item over a Really Simple Syndication (RSS) format between a publisher and a subscriber. The publisher creates the web syndication item by including a media content associated therewith. The synchronization metadata is defined to include a first virtual clock value associated with the created web syndication item. The first virtual clock value indicates when the web syndication item was last updated. A request for subscribing the published web syndication item is received from the subscriber. In response to the received request, the published web syndication item is transmitted to a location remote from the publisher and accessible by the subscriber. The first virtual clock value is provided to the subscriber for use by the subscriber to modify the first virtual clock value when the subscriber modifies the media content associated with the web syndication item.
US07653639B2

The invention comprises systems, methods and a computerized data management device for creating and using data relating to a medical or non-medical product or device to enhance the safety of the product or device. A vast amount of data regarding adverse events associated with a particular product or device is analyzed to identify new essential adverse events associated with the product or device. At least one database of new essential adverse event information is created and utilized, and new characteristics of or uses for the product or device related to the new essential adverse event information are determined. Adverse event information is gathered for a large number of population sub-groups. The system may also be programmed to incorporate the information into intellectual property and contract documents. Manufacturers and/or distributors can include the proprietary information in consumer safety information, which accompanies the product or device, or which is provided to patients, users, consumers and the like, or in the case of certain medical products or devices, to prescribers of those products or devices. The system and methods also provide for commercializing the essential adverse event information.
US07653638B2

A user input is received. The user input creates or alters an association that links at least two elements within a system of data. A user is provided with, based at least in part on the association, an indication of relevant data.
US07653630B2

A system that facilitates implementing a privileged schema in a database, wherein the privileged schema is comprised of a set of database objects. Note that in relational database terminology, sometimes object stores are simply referred to as schema. The system starts by creating the privileged schema. Next, the system receives a database operation from a user. The system then authenticates the user to determine if the user is the owner of the privileged schema. If so, the system executes the database operation. On the other hand, if the user is not the owner, then the system rejects the database operation.
US07653622B2

When a user submits a content resource to a content database, an automated content categorizer facilitates the task by suggesting a list of relevant content categories in the content database. The automated content categorizer receives a search descriptor attributed to the content resource, performs a relevance search, and proposes a ranked list of category branches that are expected to provide a good match with the described content resource. Metadata associated with individual categories and content resources stored in the content database are searched relative to the search descriptor provided by the user. From the proposed content categories, the user can simply select the category he or she feels is most appropriate and store the content resource under that category in the content database, or propose a new category.
US07653613B1

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates simultaneous modifications to financial-data by a first user and a second user. During operation, the system creates a copy of a financial-data file. The system then allows the first user to modify the financial-data file. The system also sends the copy of the financial-data file to the second user, thereby enabling the second user to modify the financial-data file to create a change file. Next, the system receives the change file from the second user, wherein the change file includes modifications to financial-data within the financial-data file. Finally, the system merges the change file into the financial-data file.
US07653607B2

Methods, apparatus, and business processes enabling individual chemists to design, order, and obtain data for multiple experiments or measurements in a timely and cost-effective manner. In particular implementations, the invention includes methods and apparatus for designing sets of custom experiments, ordering the execution of the experiments, communicating the order to a remote laboratory, executing the experiments at that laboratory using high-throughput technologies, and communicating the experimental results to the user.
US07653596B2

A known charge card billing system communicates with an investment broker system, wherein the investment broker system includes an instruction arrangement database, payment hierarchy and an investment account. An interested cardholder suitably appoints the charge card administrator as a processing agent to collect and promptly remit the cardholder's voluntary, periodic payments for investment into preselected investment products, such as, for example, mutual fund shares, fixed annuities, variable annuities, CDs, insurance, certificates, equities and/or the like. The billing system distributes a billing statement at the end of each month, wherein the statement includes all of the charges for that month and a reminder to remit an additional dollar amount for the preselected investments. The cardholder then sends a single payment for the charges and the investments to the charge card administrator. After receiving the payment, the system appropriately unbundles the payment and distributes the remitted payment to the card account to satisfy the captured financial events and to the investment broker system for the purchase of investment products.
US07653595B2

A computer-based method for allocating parental funds in preestablished accounts for use by children, including the steps of: providing a bank or credit account containing parental funds for allocation to at least one child; creating a secondary account file with an internet video file supplier accessible by a child for spending on internet video file purchases; and periodically transferring directly and automatically to the secondary account file from the bank or credit account an allowance payment for use by the child to purchase and transfer video files over the internet using a personal computer; wherein the steps of creating a secondary account file and periodically transferring funds from the bank or credit account to the secondary account are performed using information supplied by the parent over the internet using a personal computer.
US07653585B2

A computerized or manual bidding system for real estate commission rates where participating registered licensed real estate brokers can acquire from participating registered real estate property owners the exclusive right to sell contract to broker a real estate property for a predetermined period of time based on placing within a specified period of time the lowest commission rate bid for said property that is equal to or less than the threshold commission rate posted by the seller.
US07653584B2

A method and system is provided for allowing a participant that generates order flow to participate in automated execution trades that are generated by the participant's order flow, without affecting the price of execution to the retail customer. The method and system automatically assigns a stated percentage of the contra-side of each customer trade to the participant that sent in the order flow.
US07653582B2

Techniques are disclosed by which users looking for financial information about publicly traded or private companies may richly and interactively navigate both pricing and material news information about those companies. The techniques facilitate and encourage the user's use and understanding of financial information presented. Related company information can also be provided to the user, where related companies are organized by hierarchal categories for a meaningful display.
US07653581B2

A method and system of calculating a net present value of an average spot basket option is provided. The method includes calculating a first and second moment of a sum of spot values of all underlyings of a basket and applying a Black-Scholes formalism to the first and second moments to determine the net present value of an average spot basket option. The method further includes calculating a modified forward spot, a modified strike value, and first and second modified normal distribution functions for application in the Black-Scholes formalism. A system in accordance with the invention includes a memory that stores data that is exercised in connection with determining the net present value, a processor that executes code to determine the net present value in accordance with the a first and second moment of the sum of spot values of all underlyings of a basket and the application of a Black-Scholes formalism to the first and second moments to determine the net present value of the average spot basket option.
US07653580B2

The method of evaluating differences in the past performance of an asset class population of book valued investments. The analysis period that is of a length to include a significant portion of a market cycle is defined. A series of evaluation-period and selection-period performance statistics are calculated for the asset class population. Testing is conducted to find the correlation, performance and risk axes of the population as revealed during the analysis period. The dividing lines are calculated for subsequent evaluation-period populations of the asset class and use the groupings so identified to assign a value to each of the members of the asset class. This value will be the expected average performance strength of the investments within each group for a subsequent selection period. Findings of subsequent evaluation-period and selection periods can be included as they become available in the analysis period populations for re-execution of the method.
US07653575B2

Methods for auction negotiation support executed by a negotiator agent module are provided. The best bid corresponding to a product/service and a total number of negotiator agent modules placing the best bid are received. It is determined that a bid is placed by a following strategy or an exceeding strategy. The following strategy indicates that, when the received best bid is not equal to the prior bid placed by the negotiator agent module, the negotiator agent module places the bid equal to the received best bid. The exceeding strategy indicates that, when the inverse of the total number of negotiator agent modules placing the best bid is lower than a predetermined threshold, the negotiator agent module places the bid advanced to the received best bid.
US07653574B2

The present invention provides systems and methods for enabling a customer to sample content and select content for purchasing while the customer is in a retail store. Advantageously, the customer may be given one or more options for the delivery of the content.
US07653560B2

A system and method for facilitating annuity transactions between annuity purchasers and providers via an annuities placement program accessible to the purchasers and providers. Purchasers enter quote solicitation information used by the annuity providers to establish a quote for an annuity. Annuity providers enter a quote in response to the quote solicitation information, and the quote is provided to the purchaser via the annuities placement program. The quote is customized to the annuity purchaser's quote solicitation information. Multiple quotes from multiple providers may be presented to the purchaser for ease of quote comparison. To facilitate such transactions, a discretionary group is established to be a contract holder for each participating annuity provider. A master group contract is established for each of the participating providers, each of which is written by a respective one of the participating annuity providers to the discretionary group to allow the discretionary group to be the contract holder for annuities purchased by the annuity purchasers. In response to an annuity purchase, a certificate of participation is issued to the purchaser from the provider under the terms of the master group contract of that annuity provider, which reflects annuity terms customized to the annuity purchaser.
US07653557B2

An advanced primary nurse care system and process is disclosed which is client-driven for processing a number of clients in a timely manner with enhanced healthcare outcomes. The system and process are sized to provide an optimum patient flow and healthcare. The system includes a computer network having a central system computer. A computer program resides on the system computer for creating a real-time client record as the client proceeds through the system and process. There is a client station connected in the computer network where the client record is initially created and accessed on subsequent visits using a unique client ID code. A client station display monitor displays medical questions regarding the client's health state whereupon the client inputs responses to the questions into the client record. A nurse station is connected in the computer network for receiving the client in the healthcare flow for collecting vital signs and other laboratory information. There is a nurse station input device provided for inputting the information into the client record. There is a practitioner station connected in the computer network where the client record is accessed and displayed to a medical practitioner and the client during an examination and consultation. Exam data originating at the practitioner station is input into the client record such as prescriptions and alternative remedies. At the end of the visit, the client leaves with a take-home report compiled from the real-time client record containing the information needed for the client's healthcare.
US07653549B2

A computer-implemented method is described for optimizing prompts for a speech-enabled application. The speech-enabled application is operable to receive communications from a number of users and communicate one or more prompts to each user to illicit a response from the user that indicates the purpose of the user's communication. The method includes determining a number of prompt alternatives (each including one or more prompts) to evaluate and determining an evaluation period for each prompt alternative. The method also includes automatically presenting each prompt alternative to users during the associated evaluation period and automatically recording the results of user responses to each prompt alternative. Furthermore, the method includes automatically analyzing the recorded results for each prompt alternative based on one or more performance criteria and automatically implementing one of the prompt alternatives based on the analysis of the recorded results.
US07653540B2

The present invention provides a speech signal compression device which allows a storage capacity of data representing speech to be efficiently compressed. In the present invention, a computer C1 operates with respect to speech data to be compressed into speech data for each phoneme on the basis of phoneme labeling data, to unify the time length of a unit pitch section for each of the divided speech data into the same value, thereby creating a pitch waveform and creating a sub-band data representing variation in time of spectrum components of the pitch waveform signal. Also, this sub-band data is compressed so as to match a condition designated by a table for compression, and the compressed data is further encoded in entropy to output the entropy coded data.
US07653539B2

There is provided a communication device for effectively encoding an audio/music signal while maintaining a predetermined quality by controlling the transmission bit rate of the transmission side considering the use environment of the reception side. In this device, a transmission mode decision unit (101) detects an environment noise contained in the background of the audio/music signal in the input signal and decides the transmission mode controlling the transmission bit rate of the signal transmitted from a communication terminal device (150), which is a communication terminal of the partner side, according to the environment noise level. A signal decoding unit (103) decodes encoded information transmitted from the communication terminal device (150) via a transmission path (110) and outputs the obtained signal as an output signal. Here, the signal decoding unit (103) detects a transmission error by comparing the transmission mode information contained in the encoded information outputted from the transmission path (110), to the transmission mode information obtained by the transmission mode decision unit (101) while considering the transmission delay.
US07653537B2

A system and method is provided for determining whether a data frame of a coded speech signal corresponds to voice or to noise. In one embodiment, a voice activity detector determines a cross-correlation of data. If the cross-correlation is lower than a predetermined cross-correlation value, then the data frame corresponds to noise. If not, then the voice activity detector determines a periodicity of the cross-correlation and a variance of the periodicity. If the variance is less than a predetermined variance value, then the data frame corresponds to voice. In another embodiment, a method determines energy of the data frame and an average energy of the coded speech signal. If the data frame is one of a predetermined number of initial data frames, then a comparison between the average energy to the energy of the data frame is used to determine whether the data frame is noise or voice.
US07653533B2

The disclosed embodiments include systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer-readable mediums for compensating one or more signals and/or one or more parameters for time delays in one or more signal processing paths.
US07653531B2

A system for automating the quality evaluation of a translation. The system may include a computer having a processor and memory device operably connected to one another. A source text in a first language may be stored within the memory device. A target text comprising a translation of the source text into a second language may also be stored within the memory device. Additionally, a plurality of executables may be stored on the memory device and be configured to, when executed by the processor, independently identify a test sample comprising one or more blocks, each comprising a matched set having a source portion selected from the source text and a corresponding target portion selected from the target text.
US07653528B2

The present specification provides a system and method for localizing data. In one embodiment, a localization platform is provided and is operably coupled to an operating system. The localization platform includes a plurality of localization components providing localized data that is localized to one or more distinct markets. The localization platform also includes an ontology store storing ontology information and a translation matching component configured to receive a localization request corresponding to input data to be localized. The translation matching component is configured to access the plurality of localization components and the ontology store based on the localization request. The translation matching component selects and outputs localized data from one or more of the plurality of localization components based on predetermined criteria.
US07653527B2

As fast and powerful commodity processors have been developed, it has become practical to emulate the proprietary hardware systems of powerful older computers on platforms built using commodity processors. The systems being emulated are often large mainframe computers with large numbers of disks, communications systems and other attached hardware. Because of the size and expense, and also because databases involved must reside in only one location, it is difficult to replicate these systems for testing, development, debug or for providing alternative options to customers. A method for providing a single emulated computer system which provides for multiple views or options in control of the emulator is disclosed in which the options are dependent and selected based on job or user basis. The mechanism continues to provide for high performance and a single copy of the operating system with multiple processes, jobs and threads being emulated under user controlled parameters.
US07653521B2

The invention relates to a method, an engineering system and a programming device which simplify the projection and/or configuration of a project which represents an automation device for controlling a technical facility. For this purpose, the project engineer simply deposits in a project references that indicate which project components have to be deposited. Copies of said project components are automatically made and are deposited in the project on the programming device. The invention reduces error-proneness and projection complexity.
US07653519B1

Disclosed are methods, systems, and structures for implementing interconnect modeling by using a test structure which include a variation of physical wire structures between local interconnects and distant interconnects. According to one approach, the impact of variations of the physical properties for neighborhood wires are considered for the electrical modeling of interconnects. This variation between the local and distant wire characteristics allows more accurate and robust interconnect modeling to be created.
US07653518B2

A method for generating matched contour profiles includes the steps of trimming or extending an input wire to create a modified input wire and slicing a solid part in the plane of the modified input wire to create an intersection wire. The method also includes the steps of imprinting the modified input wire and the intersection wire on a disk to create one or more faces of interest, determining which faces of interest constitute matched contour faces, and extracting edges of an identified matched contour face to create a closed wire. Matched contour profiles enable solid modeling programs to generate solid models that are less prone to failure because the matched contour profile automatically adapts to changes in the shape of the solid model.
US07653516B2

The present invention includes a method and system configured to establish a reliability characteristic associated with a part type. The method includes the step of establishing a use associated with a part, the part being of the part type, establishing an amount of usage associated with the part, establishing a service characteristic associated with said part, and establishing the reliability characteristic associated with the part type in response to said part use the part usage, and the part service characteristic.
US07653504B1

Method and apparatus for providing shorted pin information for constructing a device under test (DUT) board for integrated circuit testing is described. In one example, an interface to an application module that implements pin-shorting rules associated generally with a plurality of integrated circuits and stores package files associated with specific ones of the integrated circuits is provided. A device and a package defining one of the plurality of integrated circuits are selected via the interface. At least one query is executed against the pin-shorting rules and the package files stored in the database via the interface. A shorted pin plan for the device and the package as selected is generated based on information obtained in response to the at least one query.
US07653502B2

A data logger analyzes temperature data associated with a product passing through a conveyor oven and provides a visual indication indicating whether the product's temperature profile is within acceptable limits. Thus, an operator need not download captured temperature data to a computer in order to determine whether the oven settings produce a product profile that is within acceptable limits. In one embodiment, the data logger stores criteria for an acceptable product profile, and collects the temperature data and analyzes whether the temperature profile data is within the acceptable limits of the criteria. In another embodiment, a button and a pass/fail indicator are located externally on data logger. An operator depresses the button in order to request whether the product profile passed or failed the criteria. In response to depressing the button, the pass/fail indicator provides visual indication of whether the current oven settings produce an acceptable product profile.
US07653487B2

A method and apparatus for determining the position of an object relative to a moving vehicle. While the vehicle is moving in a first direction, successive sensor pulses are transmitted from a vehicle sensor and toward the object. The echo or reflection from the sensor pulse is then received while a processor determines the transit time between the transmission of each pulse and the receipt of its echo. An angle factor is then calculated which represents the difference between the elapsed time of two sequential sensor pulses and the distance traveled by the vehicle between those two pulses. Whenever the absolute value of the angle factor exceeds a preset threshold, an angle is selected from a predefined lookup table contained in memory. Conversely, when the absolute value of the factor is less than the preset threshold, the angle is calculated as a function of the factor. The distance is then calculated between the sensor and the object as a function of the angle and the transit time for the sensor pulse and the appropriate signal is provided to the occupant of the vehicle.
US07653486B2

There is provided a system for showing a multi-directional image of surroundings of transportation device requiring a manual maneuver, when starting the transportation device in a parked state (stop state). The surroundings exhibiting system is constituted by an omnidirectional camera, an ignition instruction detection sensor, a control section including a CPU and a frame memory, and a liquid crystal panel. The omnidirectional camera captures an omnidirectional image of the surroundings around the transportation device in synchronization with a driver's ignition instruction detected by the ignition instruction detection sensor. Further, the captured image data is temporally stored in the frame memory, and the stored image data is sequentially transmitted to the liquid crystal panel so as to be displayed thereon.
US07653484B2

A travel route stray discriminating method of a mobile object in navigation system is disclosed in which discrimination of travel route deviation is temporarily withheld even if the mobile object has deviated from the travel route on a busy road such as a cross-road, and a warning that the mobile object has deviated from the travel route is issued if it is accurately discriminated that the mobile object has strayed from the travel route. The method comprises: a controller searching for a travel route of a mobile object, discriminating a current location of the mobile object if the mobile object travels along the searched travel route and displaying on a display unit by matching the discriminated current location of the mobile object to a stored map data, and initially discriminating the deviation of the mobile object from the travel route by a link on which the mobile object travels, a travel angle of the mobile object and whether the mobile object has deviated from the link; the controller secondly and thirdly discriminating absence and presence of a guidance subject point based on the travel distance of the mobile object; and the controller controlling a sound signal generating unit and issuing a warning that the mobile object has deviated from travel route if the mobile object is thirdly discriminated to have deviated from the travel route.
US07653480B2

A system for providing a vehicle with traffic information reflecting the real traffic condition in each traveling direction is provided, even if the vehicle travels in either branch direction in a branch point area including the branch point. A traffic information server collects information on the time required for traveling in the branch point area from an information providing vehicle and generates information on the time required for traveling in each traveling direction in the branch point area on the basis of the information. Upon receiving a request for providing the traffic information from a navigation system of a vehicle the traffic information server transmits the information on the time required for traveling in each traveling direction or the information on the time required for traveling on each route in the branch point area generated from the above information.
US07653474B2

This novel silent operating mode for a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) reduces noise and emissions compared to traditional HEV operating modes. It is a complementary series of software control functions that allows the vehicle to operate with reduced noise and emissions where specifically needed, while phasing-in engine power where allowed. The method utilizes an energy storage system budget associated with a modal quantity of energy allocated for the mode, and is adapted to automatically adjust the operation of the vehicle to accommodate deviations from the budgeted energy amount. The method which implements the mode also adjusts the vehicle operation in conjunction with changes in the parametric conditions of the ESS, including the selective use of the engine output power. In particular, the silent operating mode comprises a method of selecting an engine output power from a speed-based engine output power and a grade-based engine output power. The grade-based engine output power may be determined from a plurality of vehicle state parameters.
US07653473B2

An inter-vehicle communication control system, inter-vehicle communication control method, an on-vehicle communication system and a communication state display, usable in an inter-vehicle communication control system, and on-vehicle communication and communication state display methods that enable on-vehicle communication devices to perform inter-vehicle communication, to reduce or prevent collision or intervention with other inter-vehicle communication or road-vehicle communication.
US07653469B2

An automatic transmission control system for controlling gear shifting in an automatic transmission in a motor vehicle having an automatic transmission in a motor vehicle in operative communication with a transmission control unit, the transmission control unit has adaptive gearshift logic that operates to compensate for variations in vehicle conditions and road conditions, wherein the transmission control unit outputs at least one gearshift command to the transmission to control shifting of gears in accordance with the adaptive gearshift logic. A control method uses the adaptive gearshift logic to control gear shifting within the transmission in accordance with adaptive gearshift points that compensate for variations in vehicle conditions and road conditions.
US07653465B1

The present invention is directed to the remote control of locomotives, and more particularly to various methods and apparatus employed in implementing systems for such remote control. Contemplated in the present invention are systems and methods for not only reliable remote-control communications, but also the use of repeaters and communications servers to assure reliable, centralized communication between locomotives and operator control units. In another embodiment, there is described a reliable distributed communication mode using an uncorrelated time sequence that does not interfere with a time division multiple access network. Differentiation between the centralized mode and the distributed mode is accomplished by assessing whether a locomotive and control unit is within a rail yard's infrastructure. Moreover, reliability is assured using a coordination server that dynamically routes packets between multiple satellite RCL repeaters based on received signal strength. Lastly, the present invention further contemplates the use of an out-of-band transmission to upgrade and test operator control units, thereby allowing for field maintenance and software upgrades.
US07653460B2

Disclosed is a method of a molding system, the method comprising: determining whether a change in a thermal condition of an extruder is required based on a thermal condition of a zone of a melt passageway of the molding system, wherein setting of a threshold temperature of an extruder heater is adjusted based on a non-extruder sensor positioned away from the extruder but positioned proximate to the melt passageway, the melt passageway is also positioned external of the extruder, so that the non-extruder sensor is not negatively influenced by heat retained in the extruder.
US07653455B2

A system for implanting a temporary anchorage device in a jaw bone of a patient makes use of a digital representation of at least a portion of the patient's dental arch, including teeth and corresponding roots, in order to select a temporary anchorage device (TAD) implant site that does not interfere with a tooth root. A surgical guide relates the information from the digital representation to an actual location in the patient's jaw bone. The surgical guide is formed to fit over at least a portion of the occlusal, buccal, labial, and/or lingual surfaces of the dental arch proximate to the selected TAD implant site and includes a physical and/or visual marker that indicates the selected TAD implant site.
US07653451B2

Disclosed is a method of controlling a manufacturing system. The invention automatically monitors current levels of partially completed products waiting to be processed by a tool (or group of tools) and determines whether the current levels exceed a predetermined limit. If the current levels do exceed the predetermined limit, the invention performs an optimization process. However, if the current levels do not exceed the predetermined limit, the invention performs a dispatching process. In this dispatching process, the invention automatically projects future levels of partially completed products that will be supplied to the tool to identify a future work-in-process (WIP) bubble. The WIP bubble occurs when larger than normal amounts of partially completed products are supplied to the tool. The invention automatically adjusts the operating parameters of the tool based upon both the current levels and the future levels.
US07653447B2

Integrated processing of audio/video signals can eliminate unnecessary signal processors and converters without losing the functionality of typical home entertainment system components. The integrated system includes a main player that captures and processes signals digitally, a dummy display, and a dummy speaker. The dummy display may only have a display panel and a panel driver. The dummy speaker may only have a driving unit and no crossover logic. The main player may have a PC architecture and process all signals digitally for outputting signals tailored for the display device and the individual driving units of the dummy speaker. The integrated system may also provide dynamic signal adjustments based on the surrounding environment. The main player may include a storage device and can process media content stored therein to produce supplemental information to provide an optimal audiovisual experience. This supplemental information can be shared among users over a network connection.
US07653439B2

An electrode structure made of noble metal or a noble metal alloy having a thickness of ≦100 μm is provided for implants. The electrode structure has an electrode core made of gold, silver, copper, or an alloy of at least two of these elements, and the electrode core is completely encased by a first coating, which is formed from platinum, iridium, or ruthenium.
US07653437B2

A method for determining an optimal pacing timing control parameter setting is provided for use in an implantable medical device programmed to deliver a pacing pulse in response to the timing control parameter. The method includes storing a user-selected optimization metric, iteratively adjusting the timing control parameter setting, sensing a first signal that varies in response to left ventricular wall acceleration, measuring the user-selected optimization metric in response to the sensed first signal, and determining an optimal timing control parameter value in response to the measured user-selected optimization metric.
US07653436B2

The present invention is related to implantable cardiac devices such as pacemakers and defibrillators that deliver cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), and to a method of optimizing acquisition of impedance signals between electrodes present on implanted lead systems. This system then automatically determines which electrodes or electrode combinations acquire impedance waveforms that have the best signal to noise ratio (highest fidelity) and characterize data most representative of dysynchronous electro-mechanical events. Using closed loop algorithms which provide electrograms and a variety of impedance data reflective of the patient's clinical status, the system autonomously modifies interval timing within the CRT device.
US07653435B2

A multilingual defibrillator is capable of concurrently providing audible prompts for the operation of the defibrillator in multiple languages. The defibrillator includes a memory for storing data files representative of audible prompts in a plurality of languages. A controller is coupled to the memory and configured to select data files of audible prompts in first and second languages and generate first electrical signals and second electrical signals representative of the audible prompts in the first and second languages, respectively. First and second audible sound generators are coupled to the controller to receive respective electrical signals and configured to generate audible output in response to the respective electrical signals.
US07653434B1

Embodiments of the present invention relate to implantable sensors for obtaining hemodynamic data and/or physiologic data. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention enable additional sensing hardware to be added into implantable devices more quickly and less expensively. Additionally, embodiments of the present invention enable such adding of additional sensing hardware with little or no effect on the conventional functions of the implantable device to which the sensor hardware is being added.
US07653431B2

Cardiac systems and methods provide for discriminating between supraventricular tachyarrhythmia and ventricular tachyarrhythmia based on a determination that the patient's supraventricular rhythm exhibits rate dependency. One approach involves determining if a patient's supraventricular rhythm exhibits rate dependent morphology. If the patient's supraventricular rhythm is determined to exhibit rate dependent morphology, an implantable device classifies a detected tachyarrhythmia episode based on one or more templates selected from a plurality of rate-indexed templates stored in the device. Determining if the supraventricular rhythm exhibits rate dependent morphology may also include determining one or more rates at which the rate dependent morphology occurs.
US07653427B2

The present invention is directed to instruments and instrumental techniques for locating cancer cells in lymph nodes which utilize a radiation detector operatively connected to an ultrasound probe for locating the exact position of radiation tagged tissue, particularly in sentinel lymph nodes followed by placement of a biopsy device. Also described are unique new interoperative radiation detection probes for use in these techniques which include structure for placement of a biopsy device or biopsy needle into the located lymph node and procedures for removal of small portions of detected radiation emitting sentinel lymph nodes for evaluation in a pathology laboratory by measurement of expressed genes located in the removed tissue. The instruments and instrumental techniques also facilitate the subsequent delivery of materials to reverse the unfavorable immune response or environment conducive for metastasis in the sentinel lymph node once cancer cells are located therein.
US07653422B2

Disclosed is an apparatus and method for a slide and tilt hinge mechanism. The slide and tilt mechanism comprises an upper element (102) having a top (140) and a bottom (132) and an angled (130) portion located at an end (144) of the upper element, the angled portion angled relative to the top and the bottom of the upper element. A lower element (104) having a first lower element portion (122) and a second lower element portion (124) coupled together by a joint (126), the joint allowing the first lower element portion to fold relative to the second lower element portion and the upper element. A slide enabling member (302/304), coupling the upper element to the lower element such that when the upper element and the lower element are in a closed configuration (100), the upper element prevents the lower element from folding. A biasing member (128), biasing the lower element to fold about the joint when the upper element is slid to an extended position.
US07653417B2

A mobile unit 10 is provided with a called party number acquiring unit 102 for acquiring a called party number corresponding to a call origination command entered by a user, a number checking unit 103 for checking the called party number acquired by the called party number acquiring unit 102, against every origination-restricted number stored in an origination-restricted number storing unit 112, and an origination restricting unit 104 for restricting origination of a call on the basis of the result of the checking by the number checking unit 103.
US07653413B2

A portable subscriber device that is arranged and constructed to augment and facilitate interfaces to the device includes a wireless local area transceiver; an internal user interface; and a controller coupled to the internal user interface and the wireless local area transceiver. These elements are cooperatively operable for executing the method including: detecting an external device that is capable of providing an interface to the portable subscriber device; determining whether the external device is available as an interface to the portable subscriber device; and when available as an interface, establishing a wireless link between the portable subscriber device and the external device that will support the interface.
US07653411B2

The infrared communication unit of the mobile phone receives a first data series transmitted from the other-party mobile phone by infrared communication, and, when transmitting a second data series by infrared communication, the controller of the mobile phone controls the infrared communication unit so as to transmit the second data series in response to completion of reception of the first data series. Alternatively, the controller controls the infrared communication unit so as to receive the first data series in response to completion of transmission of the second data series.
US07653410B2

When a radio communication device receives a communication permission signal assigning a communication right permitting transmission of signals, if a received signal analysis portion determines that the received signal is the communication permission signal assigning the communication right to another radio communication device, it measures communication quality with the other radio communication device within a prescribed period.
US07653407B2

The performance and ease of management of wireless communications environments is improved by a mechanism that enables access points (APs) to perform automatic channel selection. A wireless network can therefore include multiple APs, each of which will automatically choose a channel such that channel usage is optimized. Furthermore, APs can perform automatic power adjustment so that multiple APs can operate on the same channel while minimizing interference with each other. Wireless stations are load balanced across APs so that user bandwidth is optimized. A movement detection scheme provides seamless roaming of stations between APs.
US07653406B2

A method is provided to enable a participant of a communication event established using a first communication service to initiate a communication with at least one other participant of the communication event using a second communication service. The method includes receiving, from the participant of the communication event, a communication, the communication being received via the second communication service, determining at least one other current participant of the communication event, and initiating at least one other communication with at least the other current participant.
US07653403B1

An apparatus for communicating data, including facsimile data, via first wireless signals and second wireless signals. The apparatus includes a facsimile machine coupled to a switch, a first transceiver that converts the first wireless signals with the switch, and a second transceiver that converts the second wireless signals with the switch. The switch is selectable to a first state wherein the facsimile data is coupled between the first transceiver and the facsimile machine, and a second state wherein the facsimile data is coupled between the second transceiver and the facsimile machine, and a third state wherein the data is coupled between the first transceiver and the second transceiver.
US07653394B2

The invention is a system operating on a reference frequency. The system comprises a plurality of at least three nodes. Each node hands off a message received from another node to a subsequent node. Each of the nodes comprises a transceiver receiving a message on the reference frequency from another node and transmitting the received message on the reference frequency to a subsequent node, and a controller controlling operation of the transceiver to receive the message transmitted by another node and to transmit the received message to a subsequent node.
US07653379B1

Techniques are provided for the configuration of a home-networking system. Home-networking configuration information may be stored on a host system in a manner accessible to the home-networking system and migrated to a home-networking gateway or router that has not yet been configured. Wireless configuration information may be stored on a home-networking gateway or router and used to configure one or more wireless access points through the use of a physical connection, such as a wired communications pathway. One or more wireless home-networking devices may be configured based on wireless configuration information stored in a central repository on a host system or a home-networking system. The wireless configuration information may be accessible only through the use of a security code.
US07653369B2

A wireless communications receiver includes a memory configured to store offset values corresponding to respective gain settings. A gain controller is configured to continuously select one of the gain settings based on amplitude of a received signal. An amplifier is configured to amplify the signal based on the selected gain setting. An offset estimator is configured to determine an updated offset value as a function of both a time-average value of the signal and a previously-stored offset value. The previously stored offset value is an offset value that was stored in the memory at a time prior to the gain controller switching to the currently-selected gain setting from a previously-selected gain setting.
US07653359B2

Various embodiments are disclosed relating to techniques to reduce spurs in wireless transceivers. In an example embodiment, a first fractional-N divide ratio for a first frequency synthesizer may be set based on a selected channel. A second fractional-N divide ratio for a second frequency synthesizer may be set to a fixed value independent of the selected channel. The second fractional-N divide ratio may be set to a value that is sufficiently distant from an integer value so as to decrease the likelihood of at least some type(s) of spurs.
US07653355B2

Intra-cell upstream data forwarding is utilized in a wireless network such as a wireless local area network. A network forwarding path is determined based on the signal strength of an access point signal received at client stations within the network, referred to as the OASS. In particular embodiments, a station that is either originating or forwarding a frame inserts its own OASS into the frame before transmitting it and a client station that receives a frame forwards it only if its own OASS exceeds the frame-enclosed OASS, illustratively by at least a predetermined amount.
US07653338B2

A fusing unit of an image forming apparatus, includes: a heating lamp having a heating unit, and a tubular unit accommodating the heating unit; a heating roller accommodating the heating lamp; and a pressing roller to be pressed toward the heating roller; the tubular unit includes a reflecting film formed on at least one of an external circumference surface and an internal surface thereof so as to have a different reflectivity along a lengthwise direction of the heating unit.
US07653329B2

An image forming device includes a motor, a photoconductive drum, a charging unit, an abrasion tool, a timer, and a controller. The charging unit is provided at a periphery of the photoconductive drum, and charges the photoconductive drum by a corona discharge method. The abrasion tool is provided at the periphery of the photoconductive drum, and abrades the surface of the photoconductive drum while the photoconductive drum is rotating. The timer measures a job interval from when the motor is stopped to end a previous print job until when the motor is driven to start a next print job. The controller executes over a predetermined period of time a pre-rotation process to adjust the photoconductive drum and a peripheral system of the photoconductive drum into an optimum state, and calculates a period when the pre-rotation process is to be executed according to the measured job interval.
US07653327B2

A developer recovering mechanism used in a developing apparatus having a developer cartridge which houses developer, a developing unit in which the developer cartridge is installed and which can make a latent image of an image carrier visible by the developer, and a rotor at which the developing unit is loaded and which rotates and moves the developing unit successively to a developing region, the developer recovering mechanism having: a housing chamber provided at the developer cartridge, for housing recovered developer; a recovery opening for recovering developer, which is in the developing unit, into the housing chamber; and a shutter which is plate-shaped, one end side of the shutter being rotatably shaft-supported within the housing chamber, the shutter opening and closing the recovery opening in accordance with changes in gravity due to rotation of the rotor.
US07653322B2

Comparisons are made independently for a controlled target temperature and a detected temperature of an endless belt, and a controlled target temperature and a detected temperature of a fixing roller. The operation of a halogen lamp installed in an external heating section is controlled based on results of these comparisons. This allows a temperature of the fixing member to be controlled more appropriately in a fixing apparatus that includes an external heating section for heating the fixing member.
US07653319B2

An image forming apparatus includes a photoreceptor, a cleaning unit, an exposing unit, a developing unit, and a control section. On a circumferential surface thereof, the photoreceptor has an image area to have contact with a record medium in an image forming process, and a non-image area. The cleaning unit has a blade in contact with the image and non-image areas. The exposing unit forms an electrostatic latent image on the surface by irradiating the surface along a fast scanning direction with light modulated according to image data supplied by the control section. The data includes primary image data for modulating light to irradiate the image area with. The developing unit develops the latent image by applying developer to the surface. The control section performs an image addition processing in which secondary image data for modulating light to irradiate the non-image area with is added to the primary image data.
US07653315B2

The present invention is directed to a bi-directional optical monitor interconnect. The bi-directional monitor interconnect of the present invention includes an optical conductor with a first and second end. Disposed on the first end of the optical conductor is a first optical communication device and a first optical receiving device. Disposed on the second end of the optical conductor is a second optical communication device and a second optical receiving device. The first and second optical communication devices are capable of transmitting data over an optical connection. The first optical communication device is suitable for communicating via a first wavelength and the second optical communication device is capable of communicating over a second wavelength. The first receiving device is capable converting the second wavelength into electrical signals and the second receiving device is capable of converting the first wavelength into electrical signals.
US07653314B2

An optical transceiver that custom logs information based on input from a host computing system (hereinafter referred to as a “host”). The optical transceiver receives input from the host concerning which operational information to log; the operational information may include statistical data about system operation, or measured parameters, or any other measurable system characteristic. The input from the host may also specify one or more storage locations corresponding to the identified operational information. If one or more storage locations are specified, the optical transceiver logs the information to the corresponding storage locations, which may be an on-transceiver persistent memory, the memory of the host or any other accessible logging location. Additionally, the input from the host may specify one or more actions to be performed when the identified information is logged. If one or more actions are specified, the optical transceiver performs the specified actions when the information is logged.
US07653311B2

Part of an inputted optical add signal 118 is reflected by a mirror 117, and is thereby inputted into an optical wavelength multiplexer 105 in the reverse direction so that the optical add signal is returned to paths 115-1 through 115-16 corresponding to wavelengths λ1 through λ16. If the returned optical add signal is an optical add signal having a correct wavelength, the optical signal enters its corresponding backward direction optical detector 113-16. Accordingly, it is possible to check whether or not a wavelength of the optical add signal is correct.
US07653307B2

A device (D) dedicated to optical switching in a switching node (NC) comprises at least one first switching matrix (MC1) and one second switching matrix (MC2) coupled to each other and each comprising i) a first stage including Ni diffusion modules each having a first input and Mi first outputs and ii) a second stage including Ni fusion modules each having Ni second inputs each coupled to one of the Mi first outputs of one of the Ni diffusion modules via an optical line, at least one third input and one second output. The second stage of at least one of the matrices comprises at least one additional fusion module having Ni second inputs adapted to apply optical power adjustment and one second output. At least one optical line (LS1) couples the second output of an additional fusion module of one of the matrices (MC1) to a third input of each of the Ni fusion modules of the other matrix (MC2).
US07653301B2

The object of the present invention is to enable reliable supply of oxygen which is necessary for a fuel cell to generate electric power, to the fuel cell.In a camera, air orifices for linking the space inside a cell compartment with the outside of a casing are disposed in a position other than the portion (grip portion) which is held by a user, in the vicinity of the center of the front surface of the casing, that is, in the vicinity of a lens-barrel, and a concave-convex portion serving as an air orifice guard is formed at the side opposite to that where the lens-barrel is disposed with respect to the air orifices. As a result, even when the user takes a picture of an object by holding the camera with his/her own hand, the air orifices are prevented from being closed by the user's hand, oxygen (air) can be constantly supplied to the fuel cell accommodated inside the cell compartment, and the fuel cell can continuously generate a sufficient quantity of electricity. The present invention can be employed in a camera.
US07653299B2

An image of appropriate exposure is obtained in a short period of time. A controller and timing generator performs photometric measurement by use of an image signal acquired from a CCD, and determines appropriate light exposure. The CCD is divided into a plurality of regions: for example, an odd-number line region and an even-number line region. Timing at which accumulated electric charges are read from the respective regions is changed, thereby changing the light exposure of an image signal read from each of the regions. When the amount of light fired during the main flash is adjusted by means of causing a strobe to fire preliminary light, read timing is changed in such a way that an electric charge accumulation period of the odd-number line regions comes to an arbitrary point in time during the course of firing of preliminary light. The amount of main flash light can be determined by means of acquiring a plurality of image signals having different light exposures or a photometric measurement signal through single firing of preliminary flash light.
US07653298B2

To provide an image in which a plurality of subjects are focused and which has an extended depth of field even if the image capturing apparatus captures a plurality of subjects with different focus distances each other. The image capturing apparatus includes: a focus control section for focusing on each of the plurality of subjects; an image capturing section for capturing a first captured image when the focus control section focuses on a first focus distance, and for capturing a second captured image when the focus control section focuses on a second focus distance; an image generating section for generating capturing range image information by combining the first captured image and the second captured image; and a moving image recording section for recording plural pieces of capturing range image information as moving image data.
US07653286B2

The present invention is applied to reproduction of typically a fragment movie file having a QT format. In accordance with the present invention, management information associated with each block following a first block of the fragment movie file is modified to information compatible with management information associated with the first block and real data of the file is reproduced on the basis of the modified management information.
US07653284B2

The invention relates to a method of editing a data stream, the data stream having a first unique identifier of an identifier space and having assigned metadata, the metadata comprising meta information and a metadata link, the metadata link comprising the first unique identifier and at least one data packet identifier. When performing an editing operation on the data stream, a second unique identifier of the identifier space is assigned to the data stream and the first unique identifier for a resolver task is stored, using a decision metric for updating the meta link.
US07653278B2

A graded-index optical member includes a core section which has a maximum portion of a refractive index at a substantial center of a cross-section, and has a refractive index distribution that a refractive index decreases according to distance from the maximum portion. A clad section which contacts at least partially with a periphery of the core section. Refractive index is substantially uniform, by making a concentration distribution of siloxane structure, where concentration increases according to distance from the maximum portion of the refractive index of the core section, formed in a sheet-like polysilane.
US07653273B2

The optical switch includes: a spectroscopic device which separates wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) light into its component wavelengths; and a plurality of movable reflectors, arranged in a spectral direction at different intervals, for reflecting light of an individual component wavelength separated by said spectroscopic device. With this optical switch, deterioration of the characteristic of the pass band is avoided, so that the pass band characteristic is increased.
US07653263B2

A technique is provided for comparative image analysis and/or change detection using computer assisted detection and/or diagnosis (CAD) algorithms. The technique includes registering two or more images, comparing the images with one another to generate a change map, and detecting anomalies in the images based on the change map.
US07653262B2

A video game device calculates an angle of an object 71, etc., with respect to a reference direction in a three-dimensional space. Then, the video game device defines a virtual cylindrical model for each of a plurality of objects so that a bottom surface of each cylindrical model is perpendicular to the reference direction. The video game device defines a plurality of cylindrical models for a predetermined object if the inclination of the predetermined object with respect to the reference direction is greater than a predetermined angle. Then, the video game device determines whether or not the defined cylindrical models have an overlap therebetween. Then, if two cylindrical models are determined to be overlapping with each other, the video game device gives a predetermined change to the two objects in response to the collision.
US07653258B2

A system and method use 2D and 3D numerical gradient operators for reducing anisotropic inaccuracies in digital image processing. Enhanced isotropic operators are derived by first parameterizing corresponding numerical operators, followed by determining the parameters for the operators by matching analytical gradients with numerical gradients, which produces generic frequency-independent operators. The system and method also optimize the design of operators for use at any given frequency range needed for any special purpose application.
US07653252B2

Compressing a data file representing an image wherein one or more regions within the image are identified. At least one of the regions is selected and the data corresponding to the selected region is compressed at a different rate that the data corresponding to non-selected regions of the image. The different compression rates are selected to maintain a desired fidelity in an image reconstructed from the compressed data file. The different compression rates can be predetermined, selected by a user, or automatically selected. Compression rates can be based upon the type of image to be compressed such as x-ray, CT scan or MRI images, the structure that is being analyzed, parameters regarding the use of the image, system parameters such as storage capacity available, or bandwidth of a communication channel used to transmit the compressed file.
US07653249B2

In an image classification method, a plurality of grouping values are received. The grouping values each have an associated image. An average of the grouping values is calculated. A variance metric of the grouping values, relative to the average is computed. A grouping threshold is determined from the variance metric. Grouping values beyond the grouping threshold are identified as group boundaries. The images are assigned to a plurality of groups based upon the group boundaries.
US07653246B2

An image processing apparatus includes a feature amount recognition unit that recognizes a feature amount of each of plural pieces of image data, and a processing reference extraction unit that extracts a processing reference for image correction to be made to the plural pieces of image data from the feature amount recognized by the feature amount recognition unit.
US07653244B2

A process for intelligent importation of information from a foreign application user interface includes extraction of raster data from a pre-designated region of a screen displayed in the foreign application, segmentation of the raster data into prospective sets of character raster data; application of the character raster data and a feature data set and a vector data set derived from the character raster data as inputs to respective raster, feature, and vector artificial neural networks to generate candidate characters; using a voting process to identify a character represented by the character raster data from the candidate characters; assembly of the remaining characters as recognized by the neural networks into a key; and association of the key with an external data file which may be stored and thereafter retrieved in association with the screen displayed in the foreign application.
US07653242B2

A method of dynamically adjusting and predicting a segmentation threshold is provided. The method comprises calculating a threshold factor, calculating an actual average image pixel intensity for an entire image frame, and predicting a future average image pixel intensity for future time t, wherein the predicted future average image pixel intensity is based on past actual average image pixel intensities. The method also comprises combining the predicted future average image pixel intensity with the threshold factor to provide an adaptive threshold that adapts to changes in pixel intensity due to movement of an object in the image frame.
US07653239B2

An image processing method and an image processing apparatus is provided wherein, regardless of the color of a character, color shift that occurs at a contour portion is corrected, and even with a background other than white, a clear image can be output for which color shift at the contour has been corrected.
US07653237B2

A calibration and part inspection method for the inspection of ball grid array, BGA, devices. Two cameras image a precision pattern mask with dot patterns deposited on a transparent reticle. The precision pattern mask is used for calibration of the system. A light source and overhead light reflective diffuser provide illumination. A first camera images the reticle precision pattern mask from directly below. An additional mirror or prism located below the bottom plane of the reticle reflects the reticle pattern mask from a side view, through prisms or reflective surfaces, into a second camera and a second additional mirror or prism located below the bottom plane of the reticle reflects the opposite side view of the reticle pattern mask through prisms or mirrors into a second camera. By imaging more than one dot pattern the missing state values of the system can be resolved using a trigonometric solution. The reticle with the pattern mask is removed after calibration and the BGA to be inspected is placed with the balls facing downward, in such a manner as to be imaged by the two cameras. The scene of the part can thus be triangulated and the dimensions of the BGA are determined.
US07653234B2

Communicating and matching electronic files for a check adjustment case comprises communicating an electronic check adjustment message comprising key data relating to the case, communicating an electronic image of a document to follow (“DTF”) related to the case, associating the key data with the electronic DTF image, determining whether the electronic message's key data matches the key data associated with the electronic DTF image, and linking the electronic message to the electronic DTF image in response to a determination that the electronic message's key data matches the key data associated with the electronic DTF image. If the DTF image's key data does not match the message's key data, matching electronic files can comprise correcting errors in the key data associated with the electronic DTF image and performing a secondary match routine. An operator accesses the electronic message and the linked DTF image to resolve the check adjustment case.
US07653231B2

An image processing method is provided capable of improving a response to a user in a case where a series of images using volume data are displayed by volume rendering. When the images are displayed by animation in an oscillating manner with amplitude, the amplitude is gradually increased so as to spare time for image generation. That is, when the user specifies a parameter value, for example, a projection angle (initial value: θ=0°), for an object to be diagnosed, animation display of images C, D, and E of the object is performed with a small amplitude (θ=±5°) with the initial value as a center. During the animation display, an image B (θ=−10°) and an image F (θ=10°) are calculated in the background. After the calculation is completed, the amplitude is increased (θ=±10°) and animation display of the images B, C, D, E, and F is performed.
US07653230B2

Methods and systems for a system for visualizing relatively small structures within an object are provided. The system includes an image acquisition sub-system for acquiring a dataset for a volume of interest and processor for generating image data from the acquired data wherein the processor is programmed to execute a high resolution filter kernel algorithm that includes a weighting factor applied to a ramp filter that scales relatively high frequency regions of the image dataset by a factor greater than one. The high resolution filter kernel algorithm also includes a windowing function applied to the weighted ramp filter that facilitates reducing aliasing artifacts in reconstructed images generated from the image dataset.
US07653224B2

A weighting function is created according to an arbitrary bio-movement correction range and a projection data angle for back-projection (width in the view direction used for reconstruction), set by a user, by considering the degree of the bio-movement and redundancy. By using this weighting function, an image reconstruction is performed.The bio-movement correction range is set as a correction angle width index ε expressing the width guaranteed as a slope portion of the weighting function. The projection data angle for back-projection (data width) is determined by considering the data redundancy, SN, time width (time resolution) contributing to the image.By determining the weight according to these two parameters, it is possible to apply reconstruction of projection data of all the scan ranges in the reconstruction of the tomogram and prevent lowering of the data contribution ratio as well as reduce the motion artifact, thereby obtaining a high-quality image.
US07653223B2

In a digital multifunction peripheral that has a fingerprint reader capability, a display panel displays the duration of time from when the user places his finger immovably at the fingerprint read position until a carriage of the scanner actually starts reading the fingerprint. Consequently, the user becomes careful not to move his finger during the fingerprint scan or before or after the scan starts, and a rate of erroneous reading in fingerprint reading can be lowered.
US07653221B2

A method and an apparatus automatically detect and remove eyeglasses from an image. The method according to one embodiment accesses digital image data representing an image including a face; detects eyeglasses in the image to produce a report about presence or absence of eyeglasses in the image; normalizes illumination of the image to obtain a normalized image; and removes eyeglasses from the normalized image to obtain a face image without eyeglasses.
US07653212B2

A user provides to an image recognition system an image that is intended to be used to identify one or more appliances that are to be controlled by a universal controlling device. The image recognition system has access to a database of images that have been cross-referenced to appliances and configuration information for those appliances. The image recognition system uses the provided image to identify one or more appliances to be controlled using the universal controlling device and, accordingly, the configuration information for those one or more appliances so identified. The configuration information may then be provided to a user for manual provision to the universal controlling device or be provided in a form for downloading into the universal controlling device, whether directly or via an intermediate device. The configuration information may also be provided to an intermediate device which has programming for use in connection with a process of configuring the universal controlling device.
US07653198B2

This invention is directed to a recording medium on which contents data of movie, etc. is recorded. At the position where reproduction is carried out prior to first data consisting of contents data in reproducing the first data, there is recorded second data like advertisement data in which contents concealment data for concealing contents data is buried. In reproduction of the first data recorded on this recording medium, contents concealment data is extracted from the second data, and cipher implemented to the first data which has been read out from the recording medium is decoded by using the extracted contents concealment data. Thus, the first data is reproduced subsequently to the second data.
US07653197B2

A secure solution is provided to the problem of secret key agreement. In particular, a method of reliable forward secret key sharing is disclosed between two legitimate correspondents whose profiles match sufficiently. The invention relies on a physical random function, sometimes referred to as a physical unclonable function (PUF) to provide a secure solution to the problem of secret key agreement. In one embodiment, a one-pass protocol is introduced based on Reed-Solomon codes leading to an unconditionally secure solution. In a further embodiment, the solution of the first embodiment is improved upon by providing a conditionally secure solution based on a pseudo random family of functions. In a still further embodiment, a two-pass protocol is introduced which is used exclusively for purposes of identification and authentication. In accordance with the principles of the two-pass protocol, two communications are required and unlike the one-pass protocol, the second correspondent selects the secret key K.
US07653196B2

An arrangement is provided for performing RC4 ciphering. The arrangement includes apparatuses and methods that pipeline generation of a key stream based on a byte state array, called the S-box, which is initially generated from a secret key shared by a receiver and a transmitter in a network system. The S-box is stored in a storage device which may be a register file with two read ports and one write port. A cache is used to store a number of bytes read from the S-box storage device.
US07653194B2

A method for location-based communicating includes identifying a service provider based on information received from a requesting party at a networked communications apparatus. The method also includes determining whether a plurality of predefined service areas have been defined for the identified service provider. When the plurality of the at least one predefined service areas have been defined for the service provider, determinations are made as whether the requesting party is in one of the predefined service areas. When the requesting party is in a predefined service areas, information specified for a service location for the predefined service area is forwarded to the requesting party.
US07653187B2

A service for presenting billing information to a customer according to a hierarchal structure defined by the customer. The customer assigns telephone numbers to company units and defines how each of the units relate to each other in the hierarchal structure. The billing information associated with each assigned telephone number is processed in accordance with the hierarchal structure. Thereafter, the bill is presented to the customer.
US07653185B2

A universal document transport facility is described where, in various embodiments, the facility recognizes document requests based on a received document, interacts with document routing rules and workflow requirements with respect to the received document, and manages content flows between network nodes or devices. In various embodiments, the facility includes a document transport module for transporting documents between network devices, such as printers, fax boards, and content servers and across local and wide-area networks; functionality for routing optimization with other communications networks, such as messaging services, telephony, and IP networks; and flexible document transport capabilities to workflow applications and multifunction devices (such as all-in-one print/scan/copy/fax/telephone/answering machine devices) and multifunction devices enhanced with video & video capture, messaging, email, network router & gateway capabilities.
US07653179B2

A filter arrangement for filtering x-rays particularly in a mammography apparatus, has a number of mountings, the mountings being provided for accommodation of one x-ray filter each. Each x-ray filter has a holding frame with a filter foil fastened therein, so the filter foil is mounted and demounted simply at the filter arrangement with the holding frame.
US07653171B2

A method is disclosed for image reconstruction of an object with the aid of at least one-dimensional projections of the object into a three-dimensional volume image data record, it being possible to generate the projections by at least one detector/source system with reference to different positions and angles relative to the object, and at least two projections forming a reconstruction volume in an overlap region as basis for a backprojection of the projections into the three-dimensional volume image data record, in particular computed tomography. An apparatus for carrying out the method is further disclosed. In at least one embodiment, supplemented reconstruction volumes are generated by supplementing reconstruction volumes, covered only partially by projections, by way of virtual projections that are derived from volume image data records. By comparison with reconstruction volumes that are merely interpolated, supplementing a reconstruction volume with the aid of virtual projections can decisively improve the image quality of the computed tomography images that are backprojected therefrom.
US07653167B2

Various embodiments provide a Phase Interpolator (PI) that receives input clocks, and outputs intersymbol interference-equalized, phase-shifted output clocks. In one embodiment, the Phase Interpolator comprises two PI Conditioners and a PI Mixer. In one embodiment, a PI Conditioner receives input clocks and is controlled by a different phase-shifted input clock by using a suitable circuit element, such as a flip-flop. Collectively, the input clock-controlled PI Conditioner and Mixer act in concert to control the band limiting effect of the PI Conditioner which, in turn, equalizes intersymbol interference.
US07653164B2

Embodiments of an adaptive in-phase (I) and/or quadrature-phase (Q) imbalance correction for multicarrier wireless communication systems is generally described.
US07653160B2

The invention relates to a method of estimating a noise and interference covariance matrix and to a receiver. The method comprises: estimating an initial noise and interference covariance matrix on the basis of a received signal; reducing the impact of the background noise of the receiver from the initial noise and interference covariance matrix for obtaining a residual matrix; accepting the obtained residual matrix when the residual matrix is at least approximately positive semidefinite; modifying the obtained residual matrix such that the positive semidefinity of the residual matrix is achieved when the residual matrix is not at least approximately positive semidefinite; and adding the impact of background noise back to the residual matrix for estimating a final noise and interference covariance matrix.
US07653152B2

Apparatus and methods for data demodulation in FM-FSK communication systems may include comparing the power spectral density (PSD) of the received frequency spectrum with that of the previously received samples using digital signal processing on a multi-sample message. A narrow band FM-FSK receiver may include a filter configured to pass FM signal components of a predetermined signal band, a memory configured to store the filtered signal component, and a DSP operably connected to the filter and the memory. The DSP may be configured to output a digital signal based upon a comparison of successive DSP calculated frequencies associated with a peak power of a power spectrum density (PSD) of successive samples of the filtered multi-sample message.
US07653135B2

A system and method that support display of video fields using related data encoded in data structures. Each data structure is associated with one video field and contains all the information associated with the display of the video field. The data structure is encoded with the video field that is displayed exactly one field prior to the field associated with the data structure. In an embodiment of the present invention, the data structure contains all the information associated with the display of a video field, regardless of whether certain data changes from one field to the next.
US07653111B2

The invention is directed to an optically pumped surface-emitting semiconductor laser device having at least one radiation-generating quantum well structure and at least one pump radiation source for optically pumping the quantum well structure, whereby the pump radiation source comprises an edge-emitting semiconductor structure. The radiation-generating quantum well structure and the edge-emitting semiconductor structure are epitaxially grown on a common substrate. A very efficient and uniform optical pumping of the radiation-generating quantum well structure is advantageously possible with this monolithically produced semiconductor laser device. Methods for manufacturing inventive semiconductor laser devices are also specified.
US07653107B2

Semiconductor laser elements are formed on a common substrate. Au plating is formed on principal surfaces of the semiconductor laser elements. The semiconductor laser elements are mounted on a package with solder applied to the Au plating. Areas opposed to each other across a light-emitting area of each semiconductor laser element are designated first and second areas. Average thickness of the Au plating is different in the first and second areas of each semiconductor laser element.
US07653102B2

High-speed measurements of the output power level of a laser are obtained by using a high-speed laser output power monitoring device that is capable of producing an electrical feedback signal having an amplitude that varies as the output power level of the laser varies. A high-speed amplitude detector receives the electrical feedback signal and detects the amplitude of the feedback signal and produces an optical modulation amplitude (OMA) detection signal. The OMA detection signal is received in a high-speed amplitude measurement device that measures the OMA and produces an OMA measurement value. The OMA measurement value is then processed by the laser controller to obtain a modulation current control signal, which is then output to the laser driver to cause the laser driver to adjust the laser modulation current to obtain a desired or optimum laser output power level. An average amplitude measurement value may also be obtained using an average amplitude measurement device that processes the OMA detection signal produced by the high-speed amplitude detector to obtain the average amplitude measurement value. The laser controller receives the average amplitude measurement value and processes it to obtain a bias current control signal, which is then output to the laser driver to cause it to adjust the amplitude of the bias current to obtain a desired or optimum average laser output power level.
US07653098B2

A semiconductor laser chip is joined to an AlN sub-mount in a junction-down manner. The sub-mount is joined to a package. The AlN sub-mount is joined to a stem. The direction perpendicular to the irradiation direction of a laser beam emitted from the semiconductor laser chip is the direction of the width of the sub-mount. The thickness and the width of the AlN sub-mount are determined so that the product of the equivalent stress applied to the center of the surface of the semiconductor laser chip joined to the sub-mount and the stress in the direction of the width of the sub-mount does not exceed 70% of the maximum value of the product obtained by changing the thickness and the width of the AlN sub-mount.
US07653096B2

A laser light source device 1, comprising M number of laser light sources, of which frequency is shifted from a fundamental frequency by (m−1)·a·Δω, a first laser light source section 2 and a first fiber amplifier section 4 for amplifying these laser lights, a first optical multiplexer 6 for approximately coaxially superimposing the laser lights emitted from the first fiber amplifier section 4 and emitting the laser lights, a first wavelength conversion device 9 for multiplying the frequency of the laser lights emitted from the first optical multiplexer 6 by A, M number of laser light sources, of which frequency is shifted from the fundamental frequency by (m−1)·b·Δω, a second laser light source section 3 and a second fiber amplifier section 5 for amplifying these laser lights, a second optical multiplexer 7 for approximately coaxially superimposing the laser lights emitted from the second fiber amplifier section 5 and emitting the laser lights, a second wavelength conversion device 10 for multiplying the frequency of the laser lights emitted from the second optical multiplexer 7 by B, and a third wavelength conversion device 11 for simultaneously receiving the laser lights emitted from the first and second wavelength conversion devices 9 and 10 and converting the laser lights into laser lights, of which frequency is (A+B) times the fundamental frequency, the laser light source device 1 being characterized in that the expression A·a+B·b=0 is satisfied.
US07653093B2

A widely tunable laser structure with at least two different sampled or superstructure gratings is provided. The widely tunable laser only requires as much tuning currents as gratings. In the case of two gratings, two tuning currents, instead of 3 tuning currents in a typical laser, are needed. Alternatively, the laser structure can be denoted a sampled or superstructure grating tunable laser with wide tunability characteristics, with a limited amount of needed tuning parameters, e.g., two currents.
US07653092B2

Provided are a time-division data multiplexing/demultiplexing system and method capable of preventing errors in processing data signals which occur due to a phase difference between data signals and a multiplexing reference clock in a multiplexing process or a phase difference between a multiplexed data signal and a demultiplexing reference clock in a demultiplexing process. The time-division data multiplexing system includes: a phase adjusting unit which adjusts a phase of each of a plurality of data signals having different phases from one another for enabling the data signals to be time-division multiplexed when a plurality of values of the data signals indicate a stable state; and a multiplexer time-division multiplexing the phase adjusted data signals according to a multiplexing reference clock.
US07653091B2

An apparatus for synchronizing the initiation of the playback of packetized multimedia data received asynchronously in each receiver in a system, and for synchronizing the real time playback in a plurality of receivers in the system, from the transmitter over a wired communications medium. The clocks in the transmitter encoder and the receiver decoders operate asynchronously but at substantially the same rate. Initiation of playback is synchronized according to the arrival time of a first received data packet having a zero-valued retransmit number. Real time playback among a plurality of receivers is synchronized according to a measured time difference between an operating rate of the encoder and an operating rate of the decoder.
US07653089B2

The present invention provides methods and apparatus for reconfiguring protocol data for a multiplexed data stream which is reduced to carry fewer services for cable-side transmission in a cable television plant or the like. More particularly, the present invention provides methods and apparatus for reconfiguring protocol data for a desired combination of data streams contained within an incoming high data rate multiplexed data stream, such as a high data rate Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) modulated multiplexed data stream, when the incoming multiplexed data stream is reduced.
US07653083B2

The present invention discloses a method for transmitting signal between a central channel processing Main Unit (MU) and one or more Remote Radio Units (RRUs) by using SDH/OTN in Centralized Base Transceiver Station system using remote radio head (RRH) technology. The method includes: dividing the communication interface between the MU and the RRUs into a user plane and a control plane, the user plane mainly for carrying I/Q sampling data concerning the user data, and the control plane mainly for carrying the data concerning control signaling; forming the I/Q sampling data concerning the user data carried by the user plane into an I/Q data frame via an I/Q data frame adaptation layer, then forming the I/Q data frame into a GFP frame via GFP and transmitting it on SDH/OTN; and carrying the control signaling of the control plane on UDP/IP and/or TCP/IP, and further carrying IP packet on PPP and forming it into a frame by HDLC, transmitting the HDLC frame including the control plane signaling on the SDH/OTN via the control character channel of the GFP frame. According to the present invention, the existing SDH/OTN transmission network is utilized directly, which further reduces the management and maintenance operation needed for signal transmission, as well as networking cost.
US07653079B2

A method for compressing a signalling message in a compressor in a communication system. The compressor comprising a compression memory, wherein the compression memory comprises a first memory in a virtual machine and a second memory external to the virtual machine. The method comprising the steps of: receiving a part of the signalling message; searching the second memory for a copy of the received part of the signalling message; and determining a reference to the received part of the signalling message on the basis of the searching step; outputting the reference as a part of the compressed signalling message representing the received part of the signalling message.
US07653077B2

A translator for coupling a first IPv4 network and a second IPv6 network having different addressing architectures for IP addresses so as not to exhaust the IP addresses of one of the two networks, a network system using the translator, and a network coupling method. When a packet is transferred from the IPv6 network to the IPv4 network, the translator assigns any of previously prepared IPv4 addresses to an IPv6 address stored in a source storing field of the IPv6 packet. The assigned address is stored in a source storing field of an IPv4 packet. A packet translation unit assigns the foregoing IPv6 address to an IPv4 address stored in a destination storing field of the IPv4 packet, when a packet is transferred from the IPv4 network to the IPv6 network, and stores this address in a destination storing field of the IPv6 packet.
US07653075B2

A network system includes a first device and a second device separated by a network having asymmetric routes in which traffic forwarded in a first direction from the first device to the second device may travel a different route than traffic forwarded in a second direction from the second device to the first device. At least three intermediate processing devices are located between the first device and the second device, wherein at least two of the intermediate processing devices are located along different asymmetric routes. The intermediate processing devices intercept a communication flow between the first device and the second device, and encapsulate the communication flow within network tunnels so that communications associated with the communication flow in the first direction and the second direction are forwarded between a same set of at least two of the intermediate processing devices.
US07653072B2

A method buffering packets in a packet switching network (FIG. 5) includes receiving a packet from the network; splitting the packet into a plurality of PDUs; stripping at least some of the PDUs over a plurality of memory banks; (18) retrieving the PDUs from the memory banks: and at least temporarily storing the retrieved PDUs in the sequence they are to be transmitted. An apparatus for implementing the method is also disclosed.
US07653071B1

A method, apparatus, and computer-readable media for transferring data from a first network to a second network through a network device, comprising. It comprises receiving a frame of the data from the first network, the frame comprising an internet protocol address; transmitting the frame to a media access controller of the network device; transmitting the frame from the media access controller to a processor of the network device, wherein the processor modifies the internet protocol address; transmitting the frame from the processor to the media access controller; and transmitting the frame from the media access controller to the second network.
US07653070B2

Aspects of a method and system for efficient and cache-friendly TCP session lookup operations based on canonicalization tags are presented. Aspects of the method may include searching a plurality of tag fields, retrieved via a single memory read operation, to locate a reference to a control block that includes context information for a communication session. Aspects of the system may include a processor that searches a plurality of tag fields, retrieved via a single memory read operation, to locate a reference to a control block that includes context information for a communication session.
US07653066B2

In network systems for transporting GFP-encapsulated FICON frames across a SONET/SDH transport network between FICON ports, the transport interfaces for the FICON ports operate to drop duplicate and out-of-order frames transported across the SONET/SDH network. The transmitting transport interface inserts a sequence number incremented with each FICON frame into said one or more transport frames, whereby the sequence number is used as an index for determining duplicate and out-of-order frames after transport over said SONET/SDH network. The receiving transport interface compares sequence numbers with each FICON frame to determine duplicate and out-of-order FICON frames, drops the duplicate and out-of-order FICON frames; and sends the balance of the compared FICON frames to the receiving FICON port.
US07653061B2

A method of generating a flow label of an Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) is provided. A terminal generates a flow label to have four tuple information selected from five tuple information according to the provided method when the terminal creates a header. A network device classifies flows based on the four tuple information in the flow label generated according to the provided method. Since the flow label is generated to include only selected information and the network device analyzes less amount of information to classify the flows, the processing overhead is reduced. Also, since the terminal generates the flow label with selected essential information to classify the flows, the network device can finely classify the flows. Therefore, the differentiated service can be provided.
US07653057B1

This invention includes tools that prevent forwarding of a packet to a control plane of a packet switch. The tools receive a packet comprising indicia suggesting that the packet be forwarded to a control plane of a packet switch. After receiving the packet, the tools may modify the packet to prevent the packet from being forwarded to the control plane, intercept the packet before it is received by the control plane, or otherwise prevent the packet from being forwarded to the control plane. The tools may also forward the packet from a source port of a packet switch to a destination port of the packet switch without forwarding the packet to the control plane of the packet switch.
US07653054B2

Methods and apparatus are provided for improving the configuration, management, and distribution of quality of service information in a fibre channel fabric using zoning mechanisms. Configuration of Quality of Service (QoS) information is made easy by using zones as a classifier for flows. QoS information is included in zone objects, thereby using the existing zone distribution mechanism to distribute QoS information. Devices not part of any zones are placed automatically in the default zone with a default QoS priority level. QoS information for a particular packet is available as soon as the zoning information is obtained.
US07653044B1

An apparatus having a corresponding computer program and method comprises a plurality of ports to receive packets each associated with source and destination Internet protocol version 6 (IPv6) addresses; a site circuit to determine a source site for the source IPv6 address, and a destination site for the destination IPv6 address; a scope circuit to determine a source scope level for the source IPv6 address, and a destination scope level for the destination IPv6 address; a command circuit to select one of a plurality of actions for each of the packets based on the source site and source scope level for the source IPv6 address associated with the packet and the destination site and destination scope level for the destination IPv6 address associated with the packet; wherein the plurality of actions comprises forwarding the packet according to the destination IPv6 address associated with the packet, and dropping the packet.
US07653040B1

A channel communication apparatus and method are provided for a CDMA communication system method for acquiring signals from multiple adjacent base stations by a terminal; for providing more efficient set management; for providing more efficient multipath acquisition and finger assignment; and for acquiring a signal sent from an adjacent base station and a multipath signal which can reduce power consumption and hardware complexity in the terminal. The apparatus and methods also accurately measure the power or time delay of a signal received from a base station by a terminal in a CDMA communication system.
US07653038B2

A wireless network device includes a first media access controller (MAC) that generates a first output signal, a second MAC that generates a second output signal, and a communication channel. The communication channel includes a baseband processor in communication with a radio frequency transmitter and selectively transmits one of the first output signal and the second output signal.
US07653030B2

A wireless access network, and an associated method, is formed of multiple tiers to provide for communications between individual nodes. Each tier of the network operates at different frequency ranges and provides for connectivity between selected nodes of the different tiers.
US07653027B2

In a mobile communications system, a method of transmitting data corresponding to the same logical channel through two or more base stations, comprising: transmitting a first sub-packet generated by a first base station and a second base station based upon an encoded packet; and at a time point after the lapse of a certain time period from when the first sub-packet was transmitted, transmitting a second sub-packet generated by one of the first and second base stations based upon the encoded packet. When data corresponding to the same logical channel is broadcast from each base station that has respectively different channel environments, data transmission efficiency can be improved.
US07653022B2

A system and method for updating a sleep identifier (SLPID) of a mobile station (MS) in a broadband wireless access (BWA) communication system having a sleep mode in which there is no transmission data and an awake mode in which there is transmission data. Upon recognizing a need to update an SLPID allocated to an MS in the sleep mode in the initial phase of the sleep mode, a base station (BS) reallocates a new SLPID to be allocated to the MS and transmits SLPID update information to the MS. Upon receiving the SLPID update information for its current SLPID during the sleep mode, the MS updates its current SLPID with the reallocated SLPID according to the received update information.
US07653021B2

The invention relates to a method, a computer program product and a device for evaluating a code which is orthogonal to one or more further codes. The method comprises the steps of receiving a signal which carries a code containing a sequence of code symbols, determining for a particular symbol instant at least one channel estimate, determining for the particular symbol instant a compensation value taking into account the at least one channel estimate, compensating each code symbol using the compensation value determined for the corresponding symbol instant, wherein the compensation is performed such that an original power relationship among the individual code symbols contained in the code is restored, and evaluating the code on the basis of the sequence of compensated code symbols exploiting the orthogonality to further codes.
US07653019B2

The present invention provides a method for distributing identical data to mobile units. The method includes providing a plurality of first messages including information indicative of a pseudo-address and a corresponding one of a plurality of mobile unit addresses. The method also includes providing at least one second message including the pseudo-address and a portion of a payload of a packet destined for a plurality of mobile units indicated by the plurality of mobile unit addresses.
US07653016B2

A radio terminal is organized to send a first access signal then, when it receives a positive acknowledgement from a base station, a second access signal, resources of the communication network being allocated to the radio terminal after receipt of the said second access signal at the base station. At a base station, the first access signal sent by a radio terminal is received and the communication service requested by the terminal is detected therein. In conditional manner, depending on the detected communication service, a receive power of the first access signal is measured, the measured receive power is compared with a threshold, and the transmission of a positive acknowledgement of the first access signal to the radio terminal is inhibited, when the measured receive power is greater than the said threshold.
US07653013B1

A method of conferencing involves forming a main conference between a plurality of users, providing a user with an option to request a subconference with a subset of other users, forming a subconference between said user and the subset of other users, and at least partially removing those users in the subconference from the main conference during the subsistence of the subconference. The conference is preferably a multimedia conference and the subconference can be conducted in an arbitrary mix of one or more of the media used in the main conference. Subconference participants have the option of monitoring proceedings in the main conference by receiving some of the main conference media signals while the subconference is in progress. The invention also provides conference servers, terminals and software for use in the subconferencing method.
US07653007B2

A method of estimating per-flow traffic in a network of nodes interconnected by links samples an incoming traffic stream to a node. A sampling interval is derived based on a desired level of accuracy. The number of two-run occurrences for each flow is tracked in the sample stream. The number of two-runs per flow is then employed to generate an estimate of the traffic of the flow.
US07653005B2

A method for monitoring network performance includes: sending correspondences between a remote network element and a plurality of IP addresses thereof from a network management device to a local network element; according to the correspondences, calculating performance parameters between the local IP address and the plurality of remote IP addresses respectively, by the local network element; making a statistics of the calculated performance parameters by the local network element. A network element for monitoring network performance, connected with a network management device and a remote network element, includes: a receiving unit, a performance parameter processing unit, a performance parameter statistics unit, and the transmitting unit. A network system for monitoring network performance is further provided. According to embodiments of this invention, the efficient measurement of network performance including IP QoS between each two MGWs of an IP network, RTP stream bandwidths, and the like, is realized, thus the message bandwidth of performance test can be saved and processing load of the network management device can be reduced.
US07653004B2

A technique for improving the capability of measuring the distance between nodes of a wireless communication network is provided. Technique (800) includes receiving a measured signal, correlating the measured signal with a reference signal to output a measured correlated function, comparing the correlation function to a predetermined reference correlation function, the reference correlation function being based on a predetermined direct path sequence and an estimation of the phase delay of the measured correlated function. A score is assigned to the measured correlation function based on how close the measured correlation function resembles the predetermined reference correlation function. Technique (800) provides improved location accuracy, even in multipath environments, by indicating the quality of the TOA measurement and enabling the selection of a correction mechanism.
US07652998B2

A multicast communication path calculation method is disclosed which includes the steps of: obtaining minimum delay paths from a source node to each destination node; selecting, as candidate nodes of a rendezvous point node, nodes on one of the obtained minimum delay paths; for each candidate node, calculating minimum delay paths from the candidate node to each destination node, and obtaining a difference between the maximum value and the minimum value among delays of the calculated minimum delay paths; selecting, as the rendezvous point node, a candidate node by which the difference is smallest; and outputting a minimum delay path from the source node to the rendezvous point node and minimum delay paths from the rendezvous point node to each destination node.
US07652984B1

A data communication system has security gateway redundancy for mobile terminal access. A first security gateway provides a first secured communications link between a first mobile user terminal and a telecommunications network over an intermediary network. A second security gateway provides a second secured communications link between a second mobile user terminal and the telecommunications network over the intermediary network. A redundancy mechanism provides a third secured communications link between the second mobile user terminal and the telecommunications network over the first security gateway, when the second security gateway fails.
US07652970B2

An optical information apparatus includes a laser which emits a light beam, an objective lens and the like which converge a light beam emitted from the laser on an optical recording medium, spherical aberration correction instrument which is arranged on an optical axis of the light beam which links the laser and the objective lens, and corrects a spherical aberration generated on the optical recording medium. Correction is performed so that outgoing power of the laser changes according to a correction amount by the spherical aberration correction instrument.
US07652957B2

A lens driving mechanism eccentrically drives at least one lens or lens subunit, hereunder called a correcting lens, in a lens system constituting a taking lens unit in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis direction, and includes a movable frame holding the correcting lens, two coils fixed at a lens barrel where the taking lens unit is disposed, and magnetic circuit formation members generating a magnetic field crossing the coils that are disposed around the correcting lens when viewed in the optical axis direction of the taking lens unit. The members include at least two magnets and yokes disposed at each of the two coils for generating movement forces in different directions perpendicular to the optical axis. The yokes oppose the respective magnets. Either the magnets or the yokes are held by the movable frame, and the other of the magnets and yokes are secured to the lens barrel.
US07652950B2

Methods and apparatus facilitating radial profiling of formation mobility are disclosed. Radial profiling of formation mobility aids in an optimal completion of a well for enhanced production. Some aspects of the present invention provide a technique for radial profiling of formation mobility based on inverting differences between a Stoneley radial profile of horizontal shear slowness and a dipole radial profile of vertical shear slowness for a reservoir interval.
US07652949B2

A memory module includes a first memory group including a plurality of memory devices, a second memory group including a less number of memory devices with respect to the memory devices in the first memory group, a register configured to provide a command/address signal to the first memory group and a delayed command/address signal to the second memory group, a first signal line configured to transfer the command/address signal to the first memory group, and a second signal line configured to transfer the delayed command/address signal to the second memory group.
US07652939B2

A semiconductor memory device includes a pulse signal generator configured to combine a plurality of external command signals to generate a normal register control signal and an extended register control signal in response to a clock signal; a reset signal generator configured to receive operating information of a delay locked loop (DLL) circuit from an outside to generate a reset signal for a reset operation of the DLL circuit in response to the normal register control signal or the extended register control signal; and the DLL circuit configured to perform a reset operation in response to the reset signal.
US07652938B2

Methods and systems for generating a latch clock in memory reading. Data with a first logic level and with a second logic level are stored into a first address and a second address of a memory, respectively. A read data signal is generated by issuing continuous read commands for repeated retrieval of the data at the first and the second addresses of the memory. Varying a delay parameter until at least an edge of the internal clock signal and any edge of the read data signal are aligned. Finally, the latch clock is generated according to the delay parameter and the internal clock.
US07652927B2

When data “1” is stored in a memory cell, a bit line is driven to an H level (control line drive potential) and the other bit line is driven to an L level (reference potential) when a sense operation is completed. When a verify write operation is initiated, a charge line is driven from an H level (power supply potential) to an L level (reference potential). By the GIDL current from a source line, accumulation of holes is initiated again for a storage node subsequent to discharge of holes, whereby the potential of the storage node rises towards an H level (period α). When the charge line is driven to an H level from an L level, the potential of the storage node further rises (period β).
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