US07659580B2
It is an object of the present invention to obtain a transistor with a high ON current including a silicide layer without increasing the number of steps. A semiconductor device comprising the transistor includes a first region in which a thickness is increased from an edge on a channel formation region side and a second region in which a thickness is more uniform than that of the first region. The first and second region are separated by a line which is perpendicular to a horizontal line and passes through a point where a line, which passes through the edge of the silicide layer and forms an angle θ (0°<θ<45°) with the horizontal line, intersects with an interface between the silicide layer and an impurity region, and the thickness of the second region to a thickness of a silicon film is 0.6 or more.
US07659576B2
A punch-through type IGBT generally has a thick p++-type collector layer. Therefore, the FWD need be externally attached to the IGBT when the IGBT is used as a switching element in an inverter circuit for driving a motor load, and thus the number of processes and components increases. In the invention, trenches are formed penetrating through a collector layer and reaching a buffer layer. A collector electrode is formed in the trenches, too. With this structure, a current path is formed between an emitter electrode and the collector electrode without through the collector layer and functions as the FWD.
US07659570B2
This invention discloses a new switching device supported on a semiconductor that includes a drain disposed on a first surface and a source region disposed near a second surface of said semiconductor opposite the first surface. The switching device further includes an insulated gate electrode disposed on top of the second surface for controlling a source to drain current. The switching device further includes a source electrode interposed into the insulated gate electrode for substantially preventing a coupling of an electrical field between the gate electrode and an epitaxial region underneath the insulated gate electrode. The source electrode further covers and extends over the insulated gate for covering an area on the second surface of the semiconductor to contact the source region. The semiconductor substrate further includes an epitaxial layer disposed above and having a different dopant concentration than the drain region. The insulated gate electrode further includes an insulation layer for insulating the gate electrode from the source electrode wherein the insulation layer having a thickness depending on a Vgsmax rating of the vertical power device.
US07659568B2
An external electrode structure for a monolithic ceramic capacitor provided with a function as a resistance element is capable of preventing a reduction of the external electrode due to baking in a reducing atmosphere, so that Ni or a Ni alloy can be used in an internal electrode and a good electrical connection between the internal electrode and the external electrode is achieved. The external electrodes disposed on an outer surface of a capacitor main body include an electrically conductive layer and a metal plating layer disposed thereon, and the electrically conductive layer includes a compound oxide, e.g., an In—Sn compound oxide, which reacts with Ni or the Ni alloy, and a glass component.
US07659563B2
A complementary metal-oxide silicon (CMOS) image sensor includes a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, a plurality of pixels located in the semiconductor layer, a photoelectric converter located in each of the plurality of pixels in the semiconductor layer and includes a region doped with impurities of a second conductivity type. The CMOS image sensor further includes a deep well of a first conductivity type located in a lower position than the photoelectric converter in the semiconductor layer and has a higher impurity concentration than that of the semiconductor layer. The deep well is located only in a portion of each of the plurality of pixels.
US07659562B2
An electric field read/write head, a method of manufacturing the same, and a data read/write device including the electric field read/write head are provided. The data read/write device includes an electric field read/write head which reads and writes data to and from a recording medium. The electric field read/write head includes a semiconductor substrate, a resistance region, source and drain regions, and a write electrode. The semiconductor substrate includes a first surface and a second surface with adjoining edges. The resistance region is formed to extend from a central portion at one end of the first surface to the second surface. The source region and the drain region are formed at either side of the resistance region and are separated from the first surface. The write electrode is formed on the resistance region with an insulating layer interposed between the write electrode and the resistance region.
US07659556B2
In the present invention, an electron injection composition for a light-emitting element, comprising a pyridine derivative represented by general formula 1 and at least one of an alkali metal, an alkali earth metal, and a transition metal, is used to form an electron injection layer in a portion of a layer including luminescent material in a light-emitting element, and it is also an object of the present invention to provide, by using the composition, a light-emitting element that has more superior characteristics and a longer lifetime as compared to conventional ones, where each of X1 and X2 represents: (where each of R1 to R8 represents hydrogen, halogen, a cyano group, an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, a haloalkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, an alkoxyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group).
US07659551B2
A light emitting die (LED) package is provided which includes a substrate having traces, a LED mounted on the substrate and connected to the traces, and an encapsulant covering the LED. The package includes a lens sitting on the encapsulant and substantially covering the LED. The lens is free to move relative to the substrate.
US07659550B2
A light emitting diode includes a conductive layer, an n-GaN layer on the conductive layer, an active layer on the n-GaN layer, a p-GaN layer on the active layer, and a p-electrode on the p-GaN layer. The conductive layer is an n-electrode.
US07659545B2
An illumination system has a mounting substrate (4) for mounting and electrically contacting a plurality of light-emitting diodes (R, A, G, B). A first category of the light-emitting diodes (G, B) comprises a first translucent substrate (11) provided with an active layer (1) on an outer surface (13) of the first translucent substrate facing the mounting substrate (4); electrical contacts are provided at a side facing the mounting substrate. A second category of the light-emitting diodes (R, A) comprises an active layer (2) arranged on a second translucent substrate (12); at least one electrical contact is provided at a side facing away from the mounting substrate. Each light-emitting diode of the first category is provided on a first sub mount (21). Each light-emitting diode of the second category is provided on a second sub mount (22). The first and second sub mount are provided on the mounting substrate.
US07659520B2
A microwave or terahertz and neutron radiation type detector, which uses an orbitron as a radiation source. The detector may have a polarity switching apparatus to enable the orbitron to selectively change from between short wave to neutron emission functions. A highly compact and lightweight identifier of explosives and other chemicals, which may be so small and light as to be hand held, and which is effective at stand-off distances, is thereby provided.
US07659518B2
A light or radiation image pickup apparatus comprises a first arithmetic unit 50 for calculating a first arithmetic value by subtracting a first offset signal from a main signal, a second arithmetic unit 51 for calculating a second arithmetic value which is a difference between a second offset signal and the first offset signal, and a correcting unit 52 for correcting the first arithmetic value calculated by the first arithmetic unit 50, by using the second arithmetic value calculated by the second arithmetic unit 51 and corresponding to a period of the same length as a period from the first offset signal to the main signal used in the operation in the first arithmetic unit 50. The first arithmetic value is corrected to remove noise components due to leakage of charge signals accumulated during the period from the first offset signal to the main signal. It is thus possible to reduce deterioration of image quality due to leaks of charge signals accumulated in X-ray detecting elements 11 (leakage currents) and prevent an extended imaging time.
US07659506B2
A system and method for generating a thin sample, the method includes: milling an intermediate section of a thin sample such as to enable an upper portion of the thin sample to tilt in relation to a lower portion of the thin sample; wherein the lower portion is connected to a wafer from which the thin sample was formed. A system and method for inspecting a thin sample, the method includes: A method for inspecting a thin sample, the method comprising: illuminating, by a charged particle beam, a tilted upper portion of a thin sample that is connected, via a milled intermediate section, to a lower portion of the thin sample; wherein the lower portion is connected to a wafer from which the thin sample was formed; and collecting particles and photons resulting from the illumination.
US07659501B2
An image-sensing module is provided. The image-sensing module includes a substrate, a plurality of image-sensing units, a plurality of micro lenses and a focusing unit. The image-sensing units are disposed on the substrate and the micro lenses are respectively disposed on one of the image-sensing units. The focusing unit is disposed on the substrate and covers the micro lenses. A top surface of the focusing unit is a curved surface. Furthermore, a method of manufacturing the image-sensing module and an image capture apparatus are provided.
US07659500B2
A column current source for an image sensor includes an array of pixels arranged in rows and columns, a reference current source, a transistor connected as a source follower to the reference current source and forming one half of a current mirror, and a plurality of current sources each connected to a column of pixels and with each current source forming the other half of the current mirror, thereby mirroring the reference current source. The current sources are connected to a first common node. A resistor is connected between the first common node and a second common node. One or more resistors are connected in series between the second common node and the transistor drain, and two or more switches are selectively operable to short circuit the resistors allowing the current sources to provide more than two current levels, thereby optimizing the image sensor current consumption for mobile devices.
US07659491B2
The present invention relates to a refrigerator door which can prevent vapor condensation on one side thereof, and a refrigerator therewith. To achieve this, the present invention provides a refrigerator door including one pair of door bodies rotatably connected to a refrigerator body; and a heating device provided to at least one of ends of the door bodies facing each other in a state the door bodies are closed, for prevention of vapor condensation on the ends of the door bodies; and a refrigerator therewith, thereby preventing vapor condensation on one side of the door, permitting the user to use the refrigerator with comfort.
US07659486B2
A method, apparatus and system for sorting contaminated glass from a stream of glass particles used light of a wavelength suited to inducing fluorescence in the contaminated glass pieces. Automatic cleaning mechanisms are included in some embodiments to facilitate removal of coatings which would prevent the contaminated particles from fluorescing. The identified particles are then automatically separated from the remaining particles.
US07659476B2
A telecommunications cabinet including a frame arrangement having an inner frame and an outer frame. The frame arrangement of the telecommunications cabinet being constructed to withstand particular-rated seismic events while still providing the needed thermal cooling capacity to maintain proper equipment operations.
US07659473B2
A system and method for generating a haptic feedback signal correlated to a music signal and providing the haptic feedback signal to a musical instrument. The music signal can created by the musical instrument or from a file, e.g., a MIDI file. A processor can generate the haptic feedback signal using a look-up table in which the music signal is mapped to a corresponding haptic feedback signal or can compute the corresponding haptic feedback signal based on the parameters of the music signal. The processor provides the haptic feedback signal to an actuator for causing a haptic effect at the musical instrument in response to receiving the haptic feedback signal. The haptic feedback signal can be applied to an input member, such as a key on a keyboard or a string on a guitar, or to the housing of the musical instrument, such as the neck of a guitar.
US07659470B2
A housing structure of an electronic keyboard musical instrument, in which a pivotable upper case can be mounted to and dismounted from a lower case when the upper case is in a semi-open state, thereby improving safety and the working efficiency at the time of assembly and maintenance. Pivot coupling parts each include an engagement protrusion comprised of a narrow-width portion and a wide-width portion. An upper case is formed with engagement holes each comprised of a narrow-width counterpart permitting the narrow-width portion to be inserted thereinto and a wide-width counterpart permitting the wide-width portion to be inserted thereinto. By moving the upper case, having a posture thereof corresponding to a mountable/dismountable angle range, in the direction in which the wide-width portions project, the wide-width portions can be inserted into and removed from the wide-width counterparts.
US07659468B1
A guitar stand system including a bracket, a strap, and one or more studs. The bracket is provided with an upper portion having a horizontally projecting brace and a lower portion having a pair of downwardly projecting legs defining a slot therebetween. A pair of spaced apart hitches is provided on the upper portion of the bracket. The studs may be mounted on a stable object or structure and the bracket may be slidably engaged on the studs. A guitar may be leaned adjacent to the bracket. The strap, which is provided with an “O” ring at each end, may be drawn across the guitar neck and the “O” rings may be engaged on the hitches to confine the guitar securely on the stand.
US07659461B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH039640. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH039640, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH039640 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH039640.
US07659460B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH794587. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH794587, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH794587 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH794587.
US07659451B2
The invention provides seed and plants of the pea line designated 08520689. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of pea line 08520689, and to methods for producing a pea plant produced by crossing a plant of pea line 08520689 with itself or with another pea plant, such as a plant of another line. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of a plant of pea line 08520689, including the seed, pod, and gametes of such plants.
US07659448B2
The current invention relates to enhancing gene expression in a plant during abiotic stress. More specifically the invention relates to a promoter that could be used to drive the expression of structural genes or other DNA sequences. We disclose the sequence of the promoter and give examples showing the function of the promoter.
US07659443B2
Disclosed is a method for constructing a nucleus-implanted egg, a parthenogenetic embryo and for producing a parthenogenetic mammal each having 2 haploid genome sets originating in mammalian ova, and provides methods of constructing a nucleus-implanted egg having a haploid genome set derived from primitive ovarian follicle egg (ng ovum) and a haploid genome set from MII phase (second meiosis metaphase) egg (fg ovum), a parthenogenetic embryo and a parthenogenetic mammal, including steps (1) introducing ng ovum into a nucleus-deleted deleted germinal vesicle stage (GV) egg, developing the obtained egg to MII phase by in vitro maturing and culturing to prepare a first nucleus-implanted egg, and (2) extracting MII phase chromosome from the first nucleus-implanted egg and introducing it into other fg ovum to prepare a second nucleus-implanted egg, wherein a ng or fg ovum from which an imprinted gene undergoing epigenetic modification during sperm generation is used.
US07659441B2
An object of the invention is to provide a non-human animal which can be utilized as a model animal well exhibiting a pathological condition of low-turnover type of osteoporosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, for screening therapeutic agents for osteoporosis or therapeutic agents for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, etc. The invention includes a non-human animal, wherein a gene coding for CD9 and a gene coding for CD81 are deficient at least in somatic cells; and a method to use the non-human animal as an osteoporosis model animal, including a step of measuring the degree of inhibition in the osteogenesis, and a method to use the non-human animal as a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease model animal, including a step of measuring the degree of a phenotype similar to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
US07659436B2
A process for the manufacture of CF3CH2CHF2 and/or CF3CH2CF3 is disclosed. The process involves (a) reacting HF and at least one halopropene of the formula CX3CCI═CCIX (where each X is independently F or Cl) to produce a product including both CF3CCI═CF2 and CF3CHCICF3; (b) reacting CF3CCI═CF2 and/or CF3CHCICF3 produced in (a) with hydrogen to produce a product including CF3CH2CHF2 and/or CF3CH2CF3; and (c) recovering CF3CH2CHF2 and/or CF3CH2CF3 from the product produced in (b). In (a), the CF3CCI═CF2 and CF3CHCICF3 are produced in the presence of a fluorination catalyst comprising at least one chromium-containing component selected from (i) a crystalline alpha-chromium oxide where at least 0.05 atom % of the chromium atoms in the alpha-chromium oxide lattice are replaced by divalent copper, and (ii) a chromium-containing composition of (i) which has been treated with a fluorinating agent.
US07659431B2
Methods and systems for preparing dialkyl ketones are described herein. The methods and systems incorporate the novel use of a high shear device to promote dispersion and solubility of carbon monoxide and hydrogen with the olefins (e.g. ethylene) in a liquid solvent. The high shear device may allow for lower reaction temperatures and pressures and may also reduce reaction time.
US07659429B2
A process for preparing 4-pentafluorosulfanylbenzoylguanidines of formula I wherein R1 to R4 have the meanings indicated in the specification. The compounds of formula I are NHE1 inhibitors and can be employed, for example, for the treatment of cardiovascular disorders.
US07659421B2
Vitamin D derivatives, notably non-steroidal vitamin D derivatives, are prepared from novel disubstituted phenylboronic acid compounds having the formula (I): and also from the novel intermediates having the formulae (1), (2), (3) and (10):
US07659417B2
The invention concerns the preparation of halogenated monoorganoxysilanes, of formula (I), said compounds being useful as synthesis intermediate in organic chemistry. Said method for preparing monoorganoxysilanes consists in: using as starting product halogenoalkylsilanes of the (CH3)2SiCl2 type and in substituting the silicon with a radical bearing a divalent unit bound to an electrophilic reactive group capable of reacting with at least an appropriate nucleophilic agent to form a functionalised monoorganoxysilane of formula (II)
US07659415B2
New ligands and compositions with bridged bis-aromatic ligands are disclosed that catalyze the polymerization of monomers into polymers. These catalysts with metal centers have high performance characteristics, including higher comonomer incorporation into ethylene/olefin copolymers, where such olefins are for example, 1-octene, propylene or styrene. The catalysts also polymerize propylene into isotactic polypropylene.
US07659414B2
A method of preparing an ultra-pure organometallic compound comprising using a microchannel device for synthesis in reacting a metal halide with an alkylating agent to produce an ultra-pure alkylmetal compound for processes such as chemical vapor deposition.
US07659412B2
The invention relates to novel benzofuran derivatives, processes for their preparation and their use for preparing medicaments for the treatment or prophylaxis of disorders, especially of hyperproliferative disorders.
US07659409B2
The object of the present invention is to provide 3-hydroxy-3-(2-thienyl)propionamides useful as synthesis intermediates of pharmaceutical preparations and the like and a method for obtaining optically active 3-amino-1-(2-thienyl)-1-propanols using the same with high reaction yield, high optical yield and industrially low cost.According to the present invention, 3-amino-1-(2-thienyl)-1-propanols are obtained by carrying out asymmetric reduction of a β-ketocarbonyl compound having thiophene ring in the presence of a catalyst constituted from a compound of a group VIII or IX metal in the periodic table (e.g., a ruthenium compound) and an asymmetric ligand represented by a specified optically active diamine derivative (e.g., a diphenylethylenediamine derivative), or using a cell, a treated product of said cell or the like of a microorganism, and as occasion demands, carrying out amidation of the ester group and then carrying out reduction of the amido group. (each of the substituents is as described in claim 1).
US07659390B2
The present invention relates to compounds, compositions, and methods useful for modulating the expression of genes associated with respiratory and pulmonary disease, such as cholinergic muscarinic receptor genes, using short interfering nucleic acid (siNA) molecules. This invention also relates to compounds, compositions, and methods useful for modulating the expression and activity of cholinergic muscarinic receptor genes, or other genes involved in pathways of cholinergic muscarinic receptor gene expression and/or activity by RNA interference (RNAi) using small nucleic acid molecules. In particular, the instant invention features small nucleic acid molecules, such as short interfering nucleic acid (siNA), short interfering RNA (siRNA), double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), micro-RNA (miRNA), and short hairpin RNA (shRNA) molecules and methods used to modulate the expression of M3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor or cholinergic receptor muscarinic 3 (CHRM3).
US07659388B2
Provided are a primer set for specifically amplifying target sequence(s) of twelve respiratory disease-causing bacterial species, a probe set specifically hybridizing with target sequence(s) of twelve respiratory disease-causing bacterial species, a microarray comprising the probe set, and a method of detecting a respiratory disease-causing bacterial species using the probe set.
US07659370B2
This invention features methods and compositions useful for treating and diagnosing diseases of the nervous system, retina, skin, muscle, joint, and cartilage using a Dragon family protein. Protein and nucleic acid sequences of human, murine, zebrafish, and C. elegans Dragon family members are also disclosed.
US07659367B2
Isolated protein complexes are provided comprising growth factors such as IGF-I, IGF-II, VEGF or PDGF, or at least domains thereof that enable binding to and activation of both a growth factor receptor, and an integrin receptor-binding domain of vitronectin or fibronectin. These protein complexes may be in the form of oligo-protein complexes or single, synthetic proteins where the growth factor and vitronectin or fibronectin sequences are joined by a linker sequence. In particular forms, vitronectin or fibronectin sequences do not include a heparin binding domain and/or polyanionic domain. Also provided are uses of these protein complexes for stimulating or inducing cell migration and/or proliferation which may have use in wound healing, tissue engineering, cosmetic and therapeutic treatments such as skin replacement and skin replenishment and treatment of burns where epithelial cell migration is required. In other embodiments, the invention provides inhibition of cancer cell metastasis, particularly in relation to breast cancer.
US07659364B2
The synthesis of N-methyl-homocysteines and their use are described.
US07659361B2
The present invention is directed to maleamic acid derivatives of water soluble polymers, to chemically stable water-soluble polymer succinamic acid-active agent conjugates, and to methods for reproducibly preparing, characterizing and using such polymer reagents and their conjugates.
US07659360B2
A polyimide resin is produced by the reaction of a compound selected from 1,2,4,5-cyclohexanetetracarboxylic acid, dianhydride thereof and reactive derivatives thereof and a compound selected from diamines and diisocyanates each containing at least one phenylene group and at least one isopropylidene group. The polyimide resin is colorless and exhibits a high heat resistance, a high transparency and a low water absorption.
US07659357B2
The silica film forming material of the present invention comprises a silicone polymer which comprises, as part of its structure, CHx, an Si—O—Si bond, an Si—CH3 bond and an Si—CHx- bond, where x represents an integer of 0 to 2.
US07659356B2
A polypropylene type aqueous dispersion comprising the following components (a) to (c): (a)a polypropylene type polymer100parts by weight and/or a modified polypropylene type polymer (b)a surfactant1 to 100parts by weight, and (c)water100 to 1,000parts by weight, wherein the component (a) has a main chain having the following features (1) and (2) and dispersion particles in the dispersion have an average particle size of at most 0.5 μm, Feature (1) when observing a peak derived from a carbon atom of a methyl group in a propylene unit chain part comprising a head-to-tail bond by 13C-NMR and fixing a chemical shift of a peak top at a peak attributable to pentad expressed by mmmm to 21.8 ppm, a ratio (S1/S) of an area S1 of a peak of a peak top at 21.8 ppm to a total area S of peaks at from 19.8 ppm to 22.1 ppm is at least 10% and at most 60%, and when an area of a peak (mmmr) of a peak top at 21.5 to 21.6 ppm is expressed as S2, 4+2S1/S2>5, andFeature (2) a content ratio (mol ratio) of propylene unit (A): other olefin unit (B) is from 100:0 to 90:10.
US07659355B2
The invention relates to novel air barriers made from elastomeric compositions. In particular, the invention relates to novel air barriers such as innerliners, air sleeves, and innertubes made from novel C4 to C7 isoolefin based polymers with new sequence distributions or that are substantially free of long chain branching.
US07659348B2
Crosslinked (meth)acrylamide particles in the form of substantially spherical fine particles having particle sizes of from 1 to 1000 μm made of a polymer of a N-alkoxymethyl(meth)acrylamide and a polyfunctional unsaturated monomer copolymerizable with the N-alkoxymethyl(meth)acrylamide, wherein the structural units derived from the N-alkoxymethyl(meth)acrylamide are crosslinked by a crosslink having a structure represented by the formula 1 (wherein X is hydrogen or a methyl group, and each of R8 and R9 is another structural unit derived from the N-alkoxymethyl(meth)acrylamide and bonded to the nitrogen atom in another structural unit derived from the N-alkoxymethyl(meth)acrylamide monomer via a methylene group).
US07659343B2
Film layers made from formulated ethylene polymer compositions are disclosed. Film layers made from such formulated compositions have surprisingly good heat seal properties, and an especially good reduction in heat seal initiation temperature. The ethylene polymer compositions have at least one homogeneously branched ethylene/alpha-olefin interpolymer and at least one homogeneously or heterogeneously branched ethylene polymer which has a lower melt index than the first mentioned component. The first homogeneously branched ethylene/alpha-olefin interpolymer has a melt index higher than that of the formulated composition.
US07659342B2
The present invention provides a nano-particle comprising a shell and a polar core, their preparation, and their applications in ER fluids, polymeric product, rubber composition, tire product, hard disk drive gasket, matrix composition, and engine mount etc. The shell comprises a polymer formed from formula (I) monomers and the core comprises a polymer formed from formula (II) monomers, in which R1 and R2 are hydrogen; R3, R4, R5, R6, and up to three of R7, R8, R9, and R10 are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, propyl, and isopropyl; and at least one of R7, R8, R9, and R10 is a polar group that is more polar than any one of R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, and R6 groups.
US07659341B2
An aqueous coating composition containing A) one or more water-dilutable polyester polyols having an OH number of from 20 to 300 mg KOH/g and an acid number of from 20 to 80 mg KOH/g, obtained by reacting a) 49 to 40 mol % of a carboxylic acid component containing a1) one or more aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, araliphatic and/or aromatic carboxylic acids with a COOH functionality ≧2 and a2) optionally, aromatic, cycloaliphatic and/or aliphatic monocarboxylic acids with b) 51 to 60 mol % of an alcohol component containing b1) one or more aliphatic, cycloaliphatic and/or araliphatic polyols with Mn of from 62 to 272 g/mol and an average OH functionality ≧2 and b2) optionally, aliphatic, cycloaliphatic and/or araliphatic monoalcohols, B) one or more OH-reactive crosslinkers C) water, D) neutralizing agents and E) optionally solvents, auxiliaries and additives. The aqueous coating compositions can be used for coating metal substrates, such as cans.
US07659336B2
A blend of two different compounds may be applied together to form a nucleating agent additive composition. This additive composition is useful as an additive in thermoplastics, polyolefins and/or polymer resins. A blend of a bicyclo[2.2.1]heptane dicarboxylate salt and a dicarboxylate calcium metal salt provide useful and beneficial physical property effects in molded polymeric articles in terms of shrinkage and crystallization temperature of polymer resin compositions.
US07659333B2
The present invention provides a fluorinated surfactant having the general formula: [Rf—(O)t—CQH—CF2—O]n—R—G (I) wherein Rf represents a partially or fully fluorinated aliphatic group optionally interrupted with one or more oxygen atoms, Q is CF3 or F, R is an aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon group, G represents a carboxylic or sulphonic acid or salt thereof, t is 0 or 1 and n is 1, 2 or 3. The surfactant is particularly useful in polymerizing fluorinated monomers in an aqueous emulsion polymerization.
US07659328B2
A composition containing a silicone and one or more silanized, structure-modified, pyrogenic silicas which contain groups fixed to their surface is described. The silicone containing silanized, structure-modified, pyrogenic silicas exhibit advantageous rheological properties, such as lowered crepe hardening, which facilitates the processing operations even after storage or transport of the silicone composition.
US07659316B2
Foams suitable for such uses as landfill coverage, frost protection, volatile emission control, gas control in mining, are composed of a hydrolyzable protein and a pre-gelatinized cationic modified starch along with other ingredients. The foam concentrate can be made at ambient temperature, is stable over time, can be easily tailored to achieve a desired foam stiffness and drain time characteristic over wide ranges, and can be easily diluted at ambient temperature to produce a foamable composition.
US07659307B2
Compounds of general formula (I), in which Het represents a five or six membered saturated, partially unsaturated or aromatic ring containing between one and six heteroatoms of the group N, O, S, in which the heterocycle is substituted in an adjacent manner with —P-Q1-T-Q2, -GZ and Y, such that the substituant -GZ is adjacent to both, the other substituants being as defined in the description, process for preparing this compound, fungicidal composition comprising this compound, method for treating plants by applying this compound or composition.
US07659300B2
The present invention is directed to compounds of Formula I: I (where A1, A2, B, J, K, m, n, R4, R5a, R5b and R5c are as defined herein) useful as antagonists of CGRP receptors and useful in the treatment or prevention of diseases in which the CGRP is involved, such as headache, migraine and cluster headache. The invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds and the use of these compounds and compositions in the prevention or treatment of such diseases in which CGRP is involved.
US07659295B2
A compound having a structure is disclosed herein. Therapeutic methods, compositions, and medicaments related thereto are also disclosed.
US07659284B2
The present invention is directed to novel thiazolopyridines, pharmaceutical compositions thereof, and the use thereof as inhibitors of ATP-protein kinase interactions. The thiazolopyridine compounds have the following Formula (I):
US07659276B2
Novel compounds, or pharmaceutically-acceptable salts, tautomers or prodrugs thereof, of Formula I wherein A, W, X, Z, R1-R3, and R8 are as defined in the specification, are provided. Also provided are methods of treating or preventing a melanin concentrating hormone-mediated disorder in a subject, comprising administering to a subject in need of such treatment or prevention a compound of Formula I.
US07659270B2
The present disclosure relates to compounds, compositions and methods for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Also disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds and methods for using these compounds in the treatment of HCV infection.
US07659266B2
The invention concerns amidine derivatives of general formula (I) exhibiting an inhibitory activity of calpains and/or a trapping activity of reactive forms of oxygen.
US07659263B2
The present invention relates to a thienopyrrole compound represented by the following formula [I] wherein each symbol is as defined in the specification, or a pharmaceutically acceptable a salt thereof, and a hepatitis C virus (HCV) polymerase inhibitor and a therapeutic agent for hepatitis C containing this compound as an active ingredient. The compound of the present invention shows an anti-HCV activity based on the HCV polymerase inhibitory activity, and useful as an agent for the prophylaxis or treatment of hepatitis C.
US07659262B2
Provided herein are novel and useful combretastatin A-4 prodrug salts that increase the solubility of combretastatin A-4, readily regenerate combretastatin A-4 in vivo under normal physiological conditions, and which produce physiologically tolerable products as a result of the regeneration of combretastatin A-4.
US07659257B2
Lung cancer can be treated effectively by combination of amrubicin or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof with cisplatin.
US07659251B2
The present invention relates to methods, reagents and kits for detecting of formyl peptide receptor like-2 (FPRL2) polypeptide activity in a sample and identifying agents which modulate polypeptide activity. It further relates to antibodies raised against FPRL2. It further relates to substances for preventing, treating and/or alleviating diseases or disorders characterized by dysregulation of FPRL2 polypeptide signalling.
US07659250B2
Human Bone Morphogenic Protein 7 (hBMP-7) variant peptide chains, nucleic acids encoding these peptide chains, and methods of making and using the foregoing are disclosed.
US07659247B2
This invention relates to a process for the production of a von Willebrand factor preparation having a high specific activity, hydroxylapatite being used as a chromatography medium.
US07659241B2
Compounds and compositions are disclosed in which a Drug unit (D) is linked to a Ligand unit (L). In an exemplary embodiment, the compound is of the formula LAa-Ww-Yy-D)p Ia or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, where A is a stretcher unit, W is an amino acid unit, Y is a spacer unit, D is of the formula and a, w, y, p and R2-R10 are as disclosed in the specification. Methods for treating cancer, autoimmune disease, and infectious disease using the compounds and compositions of the invention are also disclosed.
US07659234B2
A personal care composition is provided which includes a trihydroxy and quaternary ammonium substituted dipropyl ether. The substituted dipropyl ether functions as a humectant when applied to human skin to moisturize both in high and low relative humidity environments.
US07659233B2
A personal care composition is provided with a silicone compound and being aesthetically modified for improved skinfeel with a quaternary ammonium salt, the salt having a structure AB, wherein A is a cationic charged component, B is an anionic charged component, and A has one quaternized nitrogen atom, at least two hydroxyl groups and a molecular weight no higher than about 250.
US07659231B2
Compounds having the following formula: wherein: A and A1, equal or different, are respectively H or an aromatic end group as defined below; optionally said aromatic group being substituted; n is an integer different from zero, such that the number average molecular weight of the compound of formula (I) is in the range 1,800-50,000, T is the bivalent group —Y—CH2—CFW1—O—Rf—CFW2—CH2—Y— wherein: Y=O, S; W1 and W2, equal or different, are F, CF3; Rf is a (per) fluoropolyoxyalkylene chain formed of one or more repeating units, statistically distributed along the chain; R1, R2, R3, equal to or different from each other, are selected from H; linear or branched C1-C8 perfluoroalkyl, linear or branched C1-C15 (per) fluorooxyalkyl; linear or branched C1-C8 alkyl; linear or branched C1-C8a oxyalkyl, optionally containing one or more oxygen atoms; NO2; CN.
US07659224B2
Although nanoparticles capable of providing an extremely large active surface area have highly marked advantages, when a PEFC electrode utilizing nanoparticles is used for a prolonged period of time, the catalyst nanoparticles on carrier of the PEFC electrode because of the nano-size thereof migrate and aggregate together to result in a rapid loss of activity. Thus, there is a demand for inhibition of the above aggregation so as to prevent any drop of catalytic activity. According to the present invention the aggregation of nanoparticles can be inhibited by catalyst nanoparticles containing Pt wherein a porous matter containing an inorganic oxide is disposed on the surface of the catalyst nanoparticles. When use is made of nanoparticles whose surface has undergone specific modification, excellent activity can be realized. Therefore, there are provided surface-modified nanoparticles and catalyst and further a PEFC electrode utilizing these nanoparticles.
US07659222B2
An optical glass comprising SiO2, B2O3 and La2O3 and one or more oxides selected from the group consisting of ZrO2, Nb2O5 and Ta2O5, having a refractive index of 1.83 or over and an Abbe number of 35 or over and being free of F.
US07659220B1
There is described a sealing composition for sealing aluminum nitride and aluminum oxynitride ceramics comprising: a mixture of SiO2, at least one other metal oxide, and a silicon additive comprising at least one of silicon metal or a silicide. The silicon additive acts to suppress the formation of nitrogen bubbles during the sealing of articles comprised of aluminum nitride or aluminum oxynitride ceramics, e.g., as in the case of a ceramic discharge vessel for a high intensity discharge lamp.
US07659219B2
The present invention is directed to implantable bioabsorbable non-woven self-cohered web materials having a high degree of porosity. The web materials are very supple and soft, while exhibiting proportionally increased mechanical strength in one or more directions. The web materials often possess a high degree of loft. The web materials can be formed into a variety of shapes and forms suitable for use as implantable medical devices or components thereof. The web materials possess haemostatic properties.
US07659216B2
The present invention is a method for producing an annealed wafer, wherein, at least, when a boat in which a semiconductor wafer is placed is inserted into a furnace tube, the boat is inserted along with introducing an inert gas into the furnace, so that entirety of the semiconductor wafer to be a product reaches a thermally uniform portion, then an insertion rate of the boat in which the semiconductor wafer is placed is decelerated and/or suspended, so that an interval between the furnace tube and the shutter is maintained for a predetermined time, and then the furnace tube is blocked in with the shutter. Thereby, there can be provided a method for producing an annealed wafer by which during the heat treatment, it can be more certainly prevented that the wafer is contaminated with conductive impurities and that thereby resistivity of the wafer is changed before and after the heat treatment.
US07659214B2
A method for growing an oxynitride film on a substrate includes positioning the substrate in a process chamber, heating the process chamber, flowing a first wet process gas comprising water vapor into the process chamber, and reacting the substrate with the first wet process gas to grow an oxide film on the substrate. The method further includes flowing a second wet process gas comprising water vapor and a nitriding gas comprising nitric oxide into the process chamber, and reacting the oxide film and the substrate with the second wet process gas to grow an oxynitride film. In another embodiment, the method further comprises annealing the substrate containing the oxynitride film in an annealing gas. According to one embodiment of the method where the substrate is silicon, a silicon oxynitride film can be formed that exhibits a nitrogen peak concentration of approximately 3 atomic % or greater.
US07659213B2
By incorporating carbon by means of ion implantation and a subsequent flash-based or laser-based anneal process, strained silicon/carbon material with tensile strain may be positioned in close proximity to the channel region, thereby enhancing the strain-inducing mechanism. The carbon implantation may be preceded by a pre-amorphization implantation, for instance on the basis of silicon. Moreover, by removing a spacer structure used for forming deep drain and source regions, the degree of lateral offset of the strained silicon/carbon material with respect to the gate electrode may be determined substantially independently from other process requirements. Moreover, an additional sidewall spacer used for forming metal silicide regions may be provided with reduced permittivity, thereby additionally contributing to an overall performance enhancement.
US07659212B2
The present invention provides a process control method in spin etching capable of realizing uniformity in etching amount in etching treatment for even wafers each having various conditions, and achieving uniformity of thickness values among etched wafers. In the present invention, weight of a wafer before etching is measured in units of 1/1000 g, followed by predetermined etching treatment in a spin etching section. Thereafter, weight of the wafer is again measured in units of 1/1000 g after rinsing and drying treatment of the wafer, and then an actual etching amount is calculated from a difference between weight before and after etching of the wafer, confirming an etching rate each time etching to thereby control an etching time.
US07659211B2
The present technique relates to a method and apparatus to provide a dielectric etch stop layer that prevents shorts for a buried digit layer as an interconnect. In a memory device, such as DRAM or SRAM, various layers are deposited to form structures, such as PMOS gates, NMOS gates, memory cells, P+ active areas, and N+ active areas. These structures are fabricated through the use of multiple masking processes, which may cause shorts when a buried digit layer is deposited if the masking processes are misaligned. Accordingly, a dielectric etch stop layer, such as aluminum oxide Al2O3 or silicon carbide SiC, may be utilized in the array to prevent shorts between the wordlines, active areas, and the buried digit layer when the contacts are misaligned.
US07659205B2
A resistance variable memory element and a method for forming the same. The memory element has an amorphous carbon layer between first and second electrodes. A metal-containing layer is formed between the amorphous carbon layer and the second electrode.
US07659193B2
Conductive structures for electrically conductive pads of a circuit board and fabrication method thereof are proposed. The fabrication method includes: providing a circuit board with a plurality of first, second and third electrically conductive pads; forming first and second conductive layers on the circuit board; forming first and second resist layers respectively on the first and second conductive layers, the resist layers having a plurality of openings for exposing the conductive layers on the pads; forming a metal layer in the openings of the first and second resist layers; and forming a first connecting layer on the metal layer; forming third and fourth resist layers on the first and second resist layers respectively, the third resist layer having a plurality of openings for exposing the first connecting layer on the metal layer on the second electrically.
US07659181B2
A method of depositing dielectric material into sub-micron spaces and resultant structures is provided. After a trench is etched in the surface of a wafer, an oxygen barrier is deposited into the trench. An expandable, oxidizable liner, preferably amorphous silicon, is then deposited. The trench is then filled with a spin-on dielectric (SOD) material. A densification process is then applied, whereby the SOD material contracts and the oxidizable liner expands. Preferably, the temperature is ramped up while oxidizing during at least part of the densification process. The resulting trench has a negligible vertical wet etch rate gradient and a negligible recess at the top of the trench.
US07659180B1
In one embodiment, a method of fabricating one or more transistors in an integrated circuit includes an annealing step prior to a gate oxidation step. The annealing step may comprise a rapid thermal annealing (RTA) step performed prior to a gate oxidation pre-clean step. Among other advantages, the annealing step reduces a step height difference between P-doped and N-doped regions of a field oxide of a shallow trench isolation structure. The shallow trench isolation structure may be separating a PMOS transistor and an NMOS transistor in the integrated circuit.
US07659179B2
A method of forming a memory device includes forming first and second isolation structures on a semiconductor substrate, the first and second isolation structures defining an active region therebetween; and etching a portion of the semiconductor substrate provided within the active region to define a step profile, so that the active region includes a first vertical portion and an upper primary surface, the first vertical portion extending above the upper primary surface.
US07659176B2
Tunable TCR resistors incorporated into integrated circuits and a method fabricating the tunable TCR resistors. The tunable TCR resistors including two or more resistors of two or more different materials having opposite polarity and different magnitude TCRs, the same polarity and different magnitude TCRs or having opposite polarity and about the same TCRs.
US07659172B2
A method for forming a field effect transistor (FET) device includes forming a gate conductor and gate dielectric on an active device area of a semiconductor wafer, the semiconductor wafer including a buried insulator layer formed over a bulk substrate and a semiconductor-on-insulator layer initially formed over the buried insulator layer. Source and drain extensions are formed in the semiconductor-on-insulator layer, adjacent opposing sides of the gate conductor, and source and drain sidewall spacers are formed adjacent the gate conductor. Remaining portions of the semiconductor-on-insulator layer adjacent the sidewall spacers and are removed so as to expose portions of the buried insulator layer. The exposed portions of the buried insulator layer are removed so as to expose portions of the bulk substrate. A semiconductor layer is epitaxially grown on the exposed portions of the bulk substrate and the source and drain extensions, and source and drain implants are formed in the epitaxially grown layer.
US07659166B2
Systems and methods are described that facilitate integrating ArF core patterning of floating gate structures in a flash memory device followed by KrF periphery gate patterning using a hard mask comprising a material such as amorphous carbon to facilitate core gate construction. The amorphous carbon hard mask can facilitate preparing such core gate structures while protecting periphery gate stacks such that the periphery stacks are ready for immediate KrF lithography upon completion of core gate formation without requiring additional resist deposition between core and periphery etches.
US07659161B2
The invention includes memory arrays, and methods which can be utilized for forming memory arrays. A patterned etch stop can be used during memory array fabrication, with the etch stop covering storage node contact locations while leaving openings to bitline contact locations. An insulative material can be formed over the etch stop and over the bitline contact locations, and trenches can be formed through the insulative material. Conductive material can be provided within the trenches to form bitline interconnect lines which are in electrical contact with the bitline contact locations, and which are electrically isolated from the storage node contact locations by the etch stop. In subsequent processing, openings can be formed through the etch stop to the storage node contact locations. Memory storage devices can then be formed within the openings and in electrical contact with the storage node contact locations.
US07659160B2
The present invention relates to an field effect transistor (FET) comprising an inverted source/drain metallic contact that has a lower portion located in a first, lower dielectric layer and an upper portion located in a second, upper dielectric layer. The lower portion of the inverted source/drain metallic contact has a larger cross-sectional area than the upper portion. Preferably, the lower portion of the inverted source/drain metallic contact has a cross-sectional area ranging from about 0.03 μm2 to about 3.15 μm2, and such an inverted source/drain metallic contact is spaced apart from a gate electrode of the FET by a distance ranging from about 0.001 μm to about 5 μm.
US07659157B2
A first high-k gate dielectric layer and a first metal gate layer are formed on first and second semiconductor fins. A first metal gate ring is formed on the first semiconductor fin. In one embodiment, the first high-k gate dielectric layer remains on the second semiconductor fin. A second metal gate layer and a silicon containing layer are deposited and patterned to form gate electrodes. In another embodiment, a second high-k dielectric layer replaces the first high-k dielectric layer over the second semiconductor fin, followed by formation of a second metal gate layer. A first electrode comprising a first gate dielectric and a first metal gate is formed on the first semiconductor fin, while a second electrode comprising a second gate dielectric and a second metal gate is formed on the second semiconductor fin. Absence of high-k gate dielectric materials on a gate wiring prevents increase in parasitic resistance.
US07659146B2
Performing electrolysis plating to a wiring is made possible, aiming at the increasing of pin count of a semiconductor device.Package substrate 3 by which ring shape common wiring 3p for electric supply was formed in the inner area of bonding lead 3j in device region 3v of main surface 3a is used. Since a plurality of first plating lines 3r and fourth plating lines 3u for electric supply connected to common wiring 3p can be arranged by this, the feeder for electrolysis plating can be arranged to all the land parts on the back. Hereby, it becomes possible to perform electrolysis plating to the wiring of main surface 3a of package substrate 3, and the back surface. Even if the land part of plural lines is formed covering the perimeter of the back surface, electrolysis plating can be performed to the all land parts. As a result, electrolysis plating can be performed to a wiring, aiming at the increasing of pin count of a semiconductor device.
US07659144B2
Disclosed is a semiconductor device which makes it easy to design a wiring pattern for a wiring substrate on which the semiconductor device is to be mounted. In manufacturing plural semiconductor devices for providing different amounts of output current, arrangements and numbers of leads to which semiconductor chips for power transistors of the semiconductor devices are to be electrically connected are changed according to output current requirements for the semiconductor devices, whereas arrangements and numbers of leads to which semiconductor chips for control circuits of the semiconductor devices are to be electrically connected are fixed to be common to the semiconductor devices. In this way, the probability of malfunction of control circuits (PWM circuits) of the semiconductor devices can be reduced, so that a semiconductor device which makes it easy to design a wiring pattern for a wiring substrate on which the semiconductor device is to be mounted can be provided.
US07659138B2
In manufacturing a device using an organic TFT, it is essential to develop an element in which a channel length is short or a channel width is narrow to downsize a device. Based on the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an organic TFT in which characteristic is improved. In view of the foregoing problem, one feature of the present invention is that an element is baked after an organic semiconductor film is deposited. More specifically, one feature of the present invention is that the organic semiconductor film is heated under atmospheric pressure or under reduced pressure. Moreover, a baking process may be carried out in an inert gas atmosphere.
US07659134B2
Microelectronic imagers and methods of manufacturing such microelectronic imagers are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for manufacturing a microelectronic imager can include irradiating selected portions of an imager housing unit. The housing unit includes a body having lead-in surfaces and a support surface that define a recess sized to receive a microelectronic die. The method also includes depositing a conductive material onto the irradiated portions of the housing unit and forming electrically conductive traces. The method further includes coupling a plurality of terminals at a front side of a microelectronic die to corresponding electrically conductive traces in the recess in a flip-chip configuration. The microelectronic die includes an image sensor aligned with at least a portion of an optical element carried by the housing unit and at least partially aligned with the recess. The method can then include depositing an encapsulant into the recess and over at least a portion of the microelectronic die.
US07659128B2
A break pattern is formed on a silicon wafer using an anisotropic etching process. The break pattern includes a plurality of through holes, each of having a first plane perpendicular to a plane defined by the silicon wafer, a second plane opposite to the first plane, a third plane that is perpendicular to the plane of the silicon wafer and intersects the first plane at an acute angle, and a fourth plane that is opposite to the third plane, is perpendicular to the plane of the silicon wafer, and intersects the second plane at an acute angle. The anisotropic etching is performed using a mask pattern having a predetermined shape to form, around the break pattern, a thin portion that has a smaller thickness than other portions of the silicon wafer. The silicon wafer is then divided into a plurality of silicon substrates along the break pattern.
US07659118B2
The invention provides isolated stem cells of non-embryonic origin that can be maintained in culture in the undifferentiated state or differentiated to form cells of multiple tissue types. Also provided are methods of isolation and culture, as well as therapeutic uses for the isolated cells.
US07659115B2
The invention provides isolated or purified nucleic molecules consisting of a nucleotide sequence encoding human transductin-1 (TDC1), such as SEQ ID NO: 1. The invention also provides vectors comprising the isolated or purified nucleic acid sequences and cells comprising such vectors.
US07659108B2
A plug-flow operated, horizontal fermenter for anaerobic fermentation of biogenic waste includes a fermenter tank having an inlet and an outlet that is configured to be filled with a biomass material. The fermenter also includes an agitator having a shaft passing through the fermenter tank in its longitudinal direction, wherein the shaft is mounted in end regions of the fermenter tank and is designed as a closed, hollow shaft having an inner space filled with gas or air. A plurality of agitator arms are arranged on the shaft. The inner space of the shaft is monitored with respect to a gas or air pressure to ensure that a buoyancy of the shaft in the filled fermenter tank at least approximately compensates for a sagging of the shaft.
US07659107B2
A rapid immunochromatographic assay system is provided for measuring the amount of glycated albumin in a blood sample relative to the total level of albumin in the sample. The assay system is comprised of a disposable cassette that contains the test strips and testing reagents, and a measurement device that automatically reads, calculates and displays the test results over a period of time. The test cassette contains two test strips that are used to measure glycated albumin and total albumin respectively. The strips are contiguous beneath the single sample application well so that the same sample is tested simultaneously by both test strips. Part of the sample will migrate thru the glycated albumin test strip where it will react with the glycated albumin test reagents to yield a glycated albumin result, while part of the sample will migrate thru the total albumin test strip where it will react with the total albumin test reagents to yield a total albumin result. The test cassette is placed within a measuring device such as a reflectance spectrometer or fluorometer, that reads, calculates and expresses the result as the percentage of glycated albumin relative to total albumin in the sample. The results of successive testing that are performed over a period of time are stored in the instrument's memory and displayed in a numerical or graphical format so that the individual's glycated albumin levels can be monitored over time.
US07659105B2
A butanol producing cell and a method for the production of butanol are provided. Butanol producing cells comprising a butanol synthesis system or butanol export proteins may be used to enhance the production of butanol from a carbon substrate composition.
US07659086B2
Methods for quantitatively measuring the amount of an analyte of interest in a fluid sample, and kits useful in the methods, are disclosed. The methods comprise sandwich assays, and utilize an internal calibration reaction that closely mimics the reaction of test particles by the use of a two-step reaction.
US07659085B2
Methods and compositions comprising immunoassays for the detection of antigens and antibodies in a sample are described. In particular, the present invention provides assays that are useful for the rapid and simultaneous detection of multiple different antigens and antibodies. In preferred embodiments, the assays include fluorescent labels of multiple wavelengths or intensities, which are used to label the antigens and antibodies directly and to label beads coated with molecules specific for the antigen or antibody. The detection of a fluorescence shift indicates the presence or identity of the antigen or antibody in the sample.
US07659084B2
What is suggested herein is the use of CD154 for the detection and/or isolation of antigen-specific T lymphocytes and a method for the detection and/or isolation of antigen-specific T lymphocytes, wherein the suspension is contacted with a CD40/CD154 system inhibitor, intra- or extracellular determination of CD154 is effected, and the cells having CD154 are detected and/or isolated.
US07659071B2
The present invention concerns the use of E6 and/or E7 peptides from human papilloma virus (HPV) to evaluate a cell-mediated response in a patient infected with HPV to determine the prognosis for that patient with respect to the development or recurrence of pre-cancerous or cancerous growths, including cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN).
US07659069B2
The present invention provides methods, kits and compositions for the detection of an analyte. In the methods of the invention, a complex is formed between two or more analyte specific probes (ASP) and an analyte. The analyte specific probes each have a portion of a polymerase which interact to form a functional polymerase complex upon binding of the ASP to the analyte. The functional polymerase complex then generates a detectable signal which is indicative of the presence and/or amount of the analyte in the sample.
US07659054B1
The presently claimed invention concerns a method for biasing the amplification of the DNA molecules in a sample such that a nucleic acid molecule having a specific nucleotide at a selected position (e.g., a polymorphic site) is preferentially amplified relative to an otherwise identical nucleic acid molecule not having the specific nucleotide at the selected position. The method entails amplification of target nucleic acid molecules using a pair of primers one of which causes the incorporation into the amplification product of a sequence that interferes with amplification of nucleic acid molecules not having the specific nucleotide at the selected position. The method is useful for preferentially amplifying at least a portion of one allele of a gene relative to another, different allele of the gene in a sample containing both alleles of the gene.
US07659025B2
A process for manufacturing a solid oxide fuel cell involves forming a tubular anode comprising an electrolyte substance and an oxide of an electrochemically active metallic substance without a distinct pore forming substance, sintering the tubular anode, forming an electrolyte onto the sintered anode, forming a cathode onto the electrolyte, and after forming the electrolyte and the cathode, reducing the oxide of the electrochemically active substance in the sintered anode to form pores in the anode.
US07659023B2
The present invention is directed to an electrochemical fuel cell. The configuration of the fuel cell stack provides a multiple-legged current flow path therethrough. Electrically isolated zones are formed in the cells and one coupled in a serial manner. This configuration provides incremental voltage summing such that additional power converting element are not needed to match the stack output to the load.
US07659020B2
The bipolar plate is thinner because it includes in a single plane all of the channels (21) for circulation of the oxidiser, the fuel and the coolant fluid (41).The feed plate, which is preferably made of a composite material, has on each of its faces (1A, 1B) a network of channels for the circulation either of oxidiser or fuel, which are supplied through feed apertures (2, 3) passing through the plate. Refrigeration is achieved by means of feed apertures (4) feeding into one or more refrigeration channels (41) positioned between the parts of the circulation channels (21) for the oxidiser or the fuel. Possible through passages (43) allow these different channels to pass from one face to the other so as to organise the circulation and the removal of these three fluids. It is thus possible to distribute the oxidiser and the fuel to both sides of the plate, while also arranging its refrigeration.Application to fuel cells of average and high power.
US07659016B2
A fuel cell system with flow passages and/or flow chambers which conduct moist gases in operation is characterized in that at least a part of the flow passages and/or flow chambers is provided with a coating which takes up water in distributed form at low temperatures and releases the water again at least in part at higher temperatures. This coating makes it possible to operate the fuel cell system at pronounced temperatures below zero, such as, for example, −40° C., and to ensure an adequate humidification of the operating gases, which protects the membranes from damage and favors a faster starting up of the fuel cell system.
US07659014B2
An electrode assembly having a super-capacitor for allowing high current charge/discharge operations and a lithium secondary battery having the same. The electrode assembly includes first and second electrode plates, a separator interposed between the first and second electrode plates; and a super-capacitor. Each plate has an electrode charge collector, an activation material layer formed on at least one surface of the electrode charge collector, and an electrode tap attached to the electrode charge collector.
US07659009B2
The invention disclosed relates to cross-linkable composites of boronic acid or a boronic acid derivative such as a boronate, and an organic or organo-metallic moiety having a functionality such as hole transporting, electron transporting and light emitting, to cross-linked composites and to methods for making same. Multi-layer materials and optoelectronic devices including such cross-linked composites are also disclosed.
US07658998B2
The present invention relates to a method for preparing an injectable composition of microparticles for the sustained release of a biologically active agent. The microparticles include a biocompatible polymer and a biologically active agent. The invention provides an improved process for the preparation of microparticles, wherein the physical characteristics of the microparticles, for example, the morphology, density and size, are independent of the process used to prepare the initially formed polymer/drug matrix. The method includes the steps of (a) providing a polymer/biologically active agent matrix; (b) compressing the polymer/biologically active agent matrix, thereby forming a compressed matrix; and (c) fragmenting the compressed matrix, thereby forming an injectable microparticle composition. The polymer/drug matrix can be provided by any suitable method.
US07658997B2
In the present invention, when hollow polyhedral fine particles consisting of atoms of a first element and atoms of a second element are produced, atoms of the first element and atoms of the second element are structured in a reversed micelle composed of a surfactant. Thereby, hollow polyhedral fine particles can be synthesized by simple and easy procedures.
US07658996B2
A method for forming an ultrafine particle brittle material at low temperature which includes the steps of applying a mechanical impact force or a pressure to a ultrafine particle brittle material so as to have a percentage in the ultrafine particles having a primary particle diameter less than 50 nm in all the particles of 10 to 90%, subjecting the resulting brittle material to a heat treatment at a temperature not higher than the sintering temperature thereof so as to have the above percentage of 50% or less, and then applying a mechanical impact force not less than the crushing strength to the resultant material, to crush the material, thereby joining the ultrafine particles in the brittle material with one another, to form a formed article of the ultrafine particle brittle material; and an ultrafine particle brittle material for use in the method.
US07658994B2
Articles and methods for the use of such articles are described for use in immobilizing nucleophile-containing materials. In one aspect, the invention provides an article comprising: a substrate having a first surface and a second surface; and a phosphonitrilic tethering group affixed to the first surface of the substrate, the phosphonitrilic tethering group comprising a reaction product of a complementary functional group on the first surface of the substrate with a phosphonitrilic tethering compound. A method of immobilizing a nucleophile-containing material to a substrate is also described, the method comprising: providing a phosphonitrilic tethering compound; providing a substrate having a complementary functional group capable of reacting with phosphonitrilic tethering compound; preparing a substrate-attached phosphonitrilic tethering group by reacting the phosphonitrilic tethering compound with the complementary functional group on the substrate resulting in an ionic bond, covalent bond, or combinations thereof; and reacting the substrate-attached phosphonitrilic tethering group with a nucleophile-containing material to immobilize the nucleophile-containing material.
US07658992B2
A surface protection film-attached optical film of the invention comprises: an optical film; and a surface protection film that comprises a substrate film and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and is provided on the surface of, the optical film through the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, wherein a surface of the optical film in contact with the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is activated by treatment, and the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer of the surface protection film contains an ionic antistatic agent. The surface protection film-attached optical film can reduce the amount of peeling electrostatic charge which can be generated when the surface protection film is peeled off from the optical film, and can be free from the problem of optical film surface contamination after the surface protection film is peeled off.
US07658985B2
A honeycomb structure useful as exhaust gas trapping filter, particularly, as a diesel particulate filter (DPF) for trapping particulate matter, etc. in diesel engine exhaust gas and capable of effectively inhibiting defects such as cracks due to thermal stress, by reducing influence of thermal stress generated upon use or regeneration. The honeycomb structure includes: an integrally joined body constituted of plural honeycomb segments at joint faces with a bonding material layer, and an outer peripheral coat layer. Thickness of the bonding material layer satisfies the relation: (T2)=(1.2 to 10.0)×(T1) between an average thickness (T1) at positions (X1) and (X2) located at the both ends in the central axis direction of segments and a maximum thickness (T2) between positions (Y1) and (Y2) apart from respective ends in 3 to 40% of the whole length of the honeycomb segment.
US07658982B2
An apparatus for receiving samples, comprising at least one vessel having at least one aperture and a membrane covering the aperture which is held at the border side between a step and a deformed area of the vessel.
US07658981B2
An inkjet recording medium comprising a support and an ink-receiving layer on a support, wherein the hardness of the ink-receiving layer is 9.0 or more; and the D/I value of the ink-receiving layer defined by ASTM E430 is 40 or more, or an inkjet recording medium comprising a support and an ink-receiving layer on a support, wherein the hardness of the ink-receiving layer is 9.0 or more; and the center surface average roughness (SRa) of the ink-receiving layer is 0.1 μm or less when measured under the condition of cutoff of 0.02 to 0.5 mm, and 0.4 μm or less when measured under the condition of cutoff of 1 to 3 mm.
US07658978B2
The invention relates to a liquid crystalline medium containing one or more compounds of formula I, wherein R1 and R2 have the meanings described in claim 1, to its use for electrooptical purposes, and to displays containing this medium.
US07658972B2
A silicone emulsion composition for wood treatment is prepared by emulsifying and dispersing (A) an organopolysiloxane, (B) the reaction product of an amino-containing organoxysilane and an acid anhydride, (C) an epoxy-containing organoxysilane, (D) colloidal silica and/or polysilsesquioxane, and (E) a curing catalyst in water to form a silicone emulsion, and adding and mixing (F) a boron compound with the silicone emulsion.
US07658971B2
A method of producing a carbon nanostructure is provided which can increase evenness of a shape and a purity of the carbon nanostructure and can reduce a production cost. In a method of producing a carbon nanostructure, a carbon crystal is grown by vapor phase epitaxy from a crystal growth surface of a catalyst base including a catalyst material, and the catalyst base is formed by diameter-reduction processing. The catalyst base is preferably formed as an aggregate including an arrangement of a plurality of catalyst structures each formed with a non-catalyst material, a material not having a substantial catalytic function for growth of the carbon crystal, formed on at least a portion of a side surface of the catalyst material of a columnar shape having the crystal growth surface as a top surface. In addition, a non-catalyst material is preferably formed on at least a portion of a side surface of the aggregate, and the catalyst structures preferably have variations of at most CV 10% in surface areas of the catalyst material on the crystal growth surface.
US07658970B2
Embodiments described herein relate to depositing a cobalt-containing layer by a cyclical deposition process while forming interconnects on a substrate. In one embodiment, a method for forming an interconnect structure is provided which includes depositing a tungsten-containing barrier layer over an exposed contact metal surface within an aperture formed in an insulating material disposed on a substrate, forming a cobalt-containing layer on the tungsten-containing barrier layer using a cyclical deposition process by sequentially exposing the substrate to a cobalt precursor gas and a silicon reducing gas, wherein the cobalt precursor gas contains a cobalt precursor having a cyclopentadienyl ligand, and depositing a copper material on the cobalt-containing layer.
US07658967B2
A method for providing a coated vehicle transparency, includes the steps of: (a) providing a vehicle transparency having a vision area and a non-vision area; and (b) applying a sound dampening coating composition to at least a portion of the non-vision area of the transparency. The coating composition can an aqueous dispersion of polymeric microparticles prepared from components including: (i) a functional material selected from (a) a nitrile functional material, (b) an amide functional material, and (c) a carbamate functional material; (ii) a polyoxyalkylene acrylate; and (iii) a filler material.
US07658946B2
The present invention relates to solid supports functionalized with phosphorus-containing dendrimers, to a process for preparing them, to their use for preparing biochips and to the uses of these biochips, in particular for immobilizing molecules of interest, especially biological molecules of interest such as nucleic acids, polypeptides, lipids and proteins.
US07658943B2
The invention described herein relates to a pharmaceutical composition containing vinorelbine as an active ingredient which is suitable for encapsulation in soft capsules. The liquid oral pharmaceutical composition suitable for a liquid fill composition for a soft capsule dosage form comprises: vinorelbine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; ethanol; water; glycerol; and polyethylene glycol. In a preferred embodiment, the tartrate salt form of vinorelbine is used in the composition. The invention also provides for a method of treating cancer comprising orally administering, to a patient in need of treatment thereof, a soft capsule comprising the pharmaceutical composition of the invention.
US07658941B2
This invention relates to substantially anhydrous warming, non-toxic and nonirritating lubricating compositions containing polyhydric alcohols and an insulating agent as well as gel and jelly compositions related thereto. The invention also relates to methods of using such compositions for lubrication, administration of active ingredients and for preventing or treating dysmenorrhea.
US07658931B2
Mutant cholera holotoxins having single or double amino acid substitutions or insertions have reduced toxicity compared to the wild-type cholera holotoxin. The mutant cholera holotoxins are useful as adjuvants in antigenic compositions to enhance the immune response in a vertebrate host to a selected antigen from a pathogenic bacterium, virus, fungus, or parasite, a cancer cell, a tumor cell, an allergen, or a self-molecule.
US07658929B2
The invention concerns immunogenic glycopeptides derived from pathogenic microorganisms, useful for vaccination and diagnosis of infections caused by said pathogenic microorganisms (bacteria or fungi), and methods for selecting them and preparing them. Said glycopeptides are selected in the group consisting of: a1) glycopeptides essentially consisting of a glycosylated T epitope, comprising 14 to 25 amino acids, among which at least a neutral amino acid is bound to a di- or to a trisaccharide (glycoside linkage) and at least 15% among said amino acids are proline, one of the proline being located in position −1 to −4, relative to the position of said neutral amino acid, which glycopeptides are: exhibited by a class II MHC molecule, specifically identified by T CD+4 lymphocytes induced by immunization with the native glycopeptide from which they are derived, but are not identified by the T CD+4 lymphocytes induced by immunization with a non-glycosylated peptide of same sequence and capable of inducing a proliferation of said T CD+4 lymphocytes by which they are identified and the secretion of cytokines by said lymphocytes and b1) glycopeptides having a sequence of 15 to 39 amino acids including the sequence of the glycopeptide as defined in a1), excluding the glycopeptide of sequence SEQ ID NO:11.
US07658928B2
Described is a vaccine which comprises at least one antigen and at least one cathelicidin derived antimicrobial peptide or a derivative thereof as well as the use of a cathelicidin derived antimicrobial peptide or a derivative thereof for the preparation of an adjuvant for enhancing the immune response to at least one antigen.
US07658923B2
Therapeutic methods comprising administering anti-CD26 antibodies for the prevention and treatment of cancers and immune diseases associated with expressing CD26 are provided. The invention describes various types of anti-CD26 antibodies and modes of administration.
US07658910B2
According to a first aspect of the invention, a process is disclosed for the preparation of radiolabelled haloaromatic compounds. According to a second aspect of the invention, intermediate precursor insoluble polymer compounds used in the preparation of the radiolabelled haloaromatics are disclosed, as well as processes for the preparation of the intermediate precursor insoluble polymer compounds.
US07658903B2
A highly isotropic graphite useful for, inter alia, nuclear applications is disclosed, which has a ash content of less than 300 ppm and a boron equivalence of less than about 2 ppm without requiring a post graphitization purification step.
US07658884B2
The apparatus for deriving at least one property like turbidity or fluorescence of a sample liquid from measuring emitted light emitted from said sample liquid upon irradiation of said sample liquid with a probe light beam comprises a container for containing said sample liquid, said sample liquid forming a sample surface. It furthermore comprises a light source for generating said probe light beam directed, in an angle β1≠0° with respect to a sample surface normal, at said sample surface, and a detector adapted to detecting an intensity of said emitted light emitted through said sample surface out of said sample liquid generally along a first detection axis, said first detection axis forming an angle γ1≠0° with a sample surface normal. It also comprises an optical barrier arranged between said probe light beam and said first detection axis adapted to blocking a propagation of light originating from reflection or scattering of said probe light beam at said sample surface generally along said first detection axis. The apparatus may comprise an outlet section for removing sample liquid from said container, having at least one opening to said main section located beneath said sample surface and a first separating member for substantially separating a portion of said sample surface belonging to said outlet section from a portion of said sample surface belonging to a main section, where said light enters and exits the sample liquid.
US07658879B2
This document discusses trajectory guides that include an instrument guide with at least one lumen angled with respect to an orthogonal or other through-axis. In one example, patterned lumens on the instrument guide provide a mirror image pattern of trajectory axes intersecting a target plane. In another example, height adjustment of the instrument guide extends these or other targeting techniques to a three-dimensional volume. This document also describes a method of manufacturing such an instrument guide, which is also applicable to manufacturing an instrument guide providing parallel lumens.
US07658867B2
A membrane-electrode assembly for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells, in which a sulfonic acid is an ion exchange group, and the heat resistance is superior, is provided. The membrane-electrode assembly for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells contains a polymer including a principal chain that forms polyphenylene structure, a branched chain having a sulfonic acid group, and a branched chain having a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group. It is preferred that a branched chain having a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group is a structure expressed by the general formula (D) below.
US07658864B2
An optical compensation film capable of contributing to improvement in a viewing angle characteristic of a liquid crystal display device, especially an IPS mode liquid crystal display device is proposed. A composition comprises at least one onium salt, at least one rod-like liquid crystalline compound, and at least one additive capable of promoting a vertical alignment of molecules of the rod-like liquid crystalline compound at an air interface; and an optical compensation film comprising an optically anisotropic layer formed of the composition are disclosed.
US07658858B2
A band filter using a film bulk acoustic resonator and a method of fabricating the same. The method includes the steps of forming a membrane layer on a substrate, forming a plurality of resonators on an upper surface of the membrane layer, depositing a mask layer on a lower surface of the membrane layer and patterning the mask layer to form a plurality of main windows and sub windows, and forming cavities along the main windows in the substrate and forming sub walls in the cavities in such a way that the sub walls are separated apart from the membrane layer by using the notch effect caused during a dry etching. It is possible to precisely form cavities with desired sizes even if the cavities have different sizes, to reduce the notched areas in the cavities, to reduce the total size of the filter by decreasing a distance between the cavities and to reduce the total length of wires.
US07658854B2
A magnetic separator vessel (1) for separating magnetic particles from non-magnetic fluid includes a separation chamber having an interior and exterior wall, a top and bottom portion; a magnet (3) having first and second poles (2) positioned adjacent to the exterior wall, wherein the first pole is substantially diametrically opposed to the second pole; a inlet port (5) is directed into the top portion of the separation chamber, wherein the inlet port (5) is positioned adjacent to one of the first and second poles (2), wherein the inlet port (5) is adapted to transfer a mixture into the separation chamber; an underflow port (6) in communication with the bottom portion, wherein the underflow port (6) is adapted to receive the magnetic particles; and an overflow port (9) in communication with the separation chamber, wherein the overflow port (9) is adapted to receive the non-magnetic fluid.
US07658850B2
The present invention provides a mixed bacterial culture, designated as the culture Atz Mix 1, which degrades atrazine at various temperatures (10° C. to 30° C.) in a wide range of atrazine concentrations (several ppb to ten thousand ppm), without formation of toxic metabolites. Atz Mix 1 is a stable mixed culture and includes catabolic genes trzN, atzB, atzC coding the enzymes for the degradation of atrazine to cyanuric acid, and the gene trzD coding the enzymes for subsequent opening of s-triazine ring. The invention further includes a microbiological method of degrading atrazine and other s-triazine compounds for remediation of atrazine-contaminated soils, even those rich in nitrogen, as well as for accelerating the process of atrazine mineralization in waste waters containing high concentrations of s-triazine compounds.
US07658846B1
A water filter assembly includes an upper cover body, a lower base, and a plurality of filter cores. The upper cover body is formed with a connector extending downwards. The connector is to be connected to a filter core set, which includes the filter cores connected together and has output and input hoses. The lower base has a chamber for accommodating the filter core set and has a cover portion connected to the upper cover body. Positioning members are formed on the output and input hoses at suitable positions. Notches are formed on two sides of the cover portion of the lower base so that the positioning members may engage with the notches.
US07658845B2
The invention relates to bio water purifier which improves the structure of water molecular and changes the water to weak alkali drinker. The invention comprises a sediment filter removing rust and floating matters in the water, a precarbon filter removing chlorine and impurities in the water, a ceramic material tube improving the water molecule, maximizing movement of the water molecule and making weak alkali water by radiating far infrared ray, a silver carbon filter removing odor and bacteria in the water and activating the water, and a ceramic filter removing various harmful matters in the water.
US07658842B2
A filter cartridge assembly including a carrier and a filter element. The carrier including a water collection cup that collects water from the filter element when the filter cartridge assembly is held in an inverted orientation.
US07658839B2
A device for purifying liquid in a reservoir and including a vacuum chamber (1) having an inflow opening (2) and an outflow opening (3) adapted to communicate with the liquid in the reservoir through a feed conduit (4) and a return conduit (5), respectively. The return conduit (5) is provided with a pump (6) and the vacuum chamber is connected with a vacuum pump (7). The device further includes a filter cartridge (8) provided with a plurality of filter elements, each having a flow side communicating with a central passage (26) and a flow side opening into the periphery of the filter cartridge (8). The filter cartridge (8) is arranged inside the vacuum chamber, the central passage (26) of the filter cartridge communicating with the inflow opening (2) of the vacuum chamber.
US07658824B2
An electrically powered apparatus for generating a solute such as chlorine to sanitise a body of water such as a pool or spa, a by-product of such generation being an explosive gas such as hydrogen, said apparatus including: a) an electrolytic cell (1) adapted to operate in a substantially vertical orientation through a range of 45 degrees either side of the vertical; b) a water inlet (13) and outlet (14) both located at the lower end of said electrolytic cell (1); and c) a defined space (16) surrounding one or more electrodes (28) of said electrolytic cell (1), wherein, in, the event that water flow through said apparatus ceases and said electrolytic cell (1) continues to produce said explosive gas, said explosive gas will displace water in said defined space (16) until there is no water around said electrodes (28).
US07658818B2
A method for converting a vapor phase continuous digester to a hydraulic digester including the steps of: operating the vapor phase digester in a vapor phase mode wherein a chip slurry enters the vessel of the digester through a lower chip inlet port, moves up through a top separator, discharges from an upper chip discharge chute of the separator to an upper vapor region of the vessel and falls to a liquor filled region of the vessel; ceasing the flow of the chip slurry to the separator; establishing a chip slurry flow path to an upper portion of top separator, and filling the vessel with liquor and chips such that the chip discharge chute is immersed in liquor.
US07658811B2
The invention provides a process to deliver an elastomeric composition to a substrate. The elastomeric composition is cooled. The cooling also results in substantially complete transfer of the elastomeric composition from the pattern roll to the substrate with a resulting reduction in elastomer degradation.
US07658804B1
A duct cleaning apparatus and method for cleaning and maintaining the interior of most types of ducts, including chimneys, air conditioning and heating ducts, dryer ducts, vents, plumbing and rain gutter ducts. The apparatus is made up of a flexible rope (24) connected to a cleaning brush (10) or tool further connected to a retrieval parachute (30). The flexible rope (24) can be extended through the use of additional attached ropes (26) to create an infinitely long cleaning apparatus. The cleaning brush (10) may be configured in a variety of sizes with differing configurations of bristles (14) or appendages for specific applications. The cleaning appendages are connected to a rope (24) or line B, the length of which extends beyond the length of the duct (12) to be cleaned. One end of the rope (24) or line A is connected to the parachute (30) adapted with a wind-expanded periphery greater than that of the perimeter of the inside wall (22) of the duct (12) to be cleaned. A method is described for preparing the duct (12) for cleaning with the brush (10) by threading a rope or line A through the duct (12) using the parachute (30) and applying a vacuum from a machine (36).
US07658803B2
A manufacturing a thin film transistor array panel includes depositing a first thin film including aluminum on a substrate, patterning the first thin film by photolithography and etching, cleansing the substrate including the first thin film, and depositing a second thin film on the cleansed substrate. The cleansing is performed using a cleansing material including ultrapure water, cyclic amine, pyrogallol, benzotrizole, and methyl glycol. The cleansing material includes ultrapure water at about 85 wt % to about 99 wt %, cyclic amine at about 0.01 wt % to about 1.0 wt %, pyrogallol at about 0.01 wt % to 1.0 wt %, benzotrizole at about 0.01 wt % to 1.0 wt %, and methyl glycol at about 0.01 wt % to 1.0 wt %.
US07658802B2
An apparatus and a method of cleaning a dielectric film are provided in the present invention. In one embodiment, an apparatus of cleaning a dielectric film the apparatus includes a chamber body adapted to support a substrate therein, a remote plasma source adapted to provide a plurality of reactive radicals to the chamber body, a passage coupling the remote plasma source to the chamber body, and at least one magnet disposed adjacent the passage. In another embodiment, a method of cleaning a dielectric film that includes providing a substrate having an at least partially exposed dielectric layer disposed in a process chamber, generating a plurality of reactive radicals in a remote plasma source, flowing the reactive radicals from the remote plasma source into the process chamber through a passage having at least one magnet disposed adjacent the passage, and magnetically filtering the reactive radicals passing through the passage.
US07658798B2
A metal fine particle is adhere to a predetermined location on a substrate. A resist film containing a metallic compound dispersed therein is formed on a substrate (101). A patterning of the resist film is conducted by a lithography. The substrate (101) having the patterned resist formed thereon is heated within an oxygen atmosphere to adhere a metal fine particle (106) to the surface of the substrate (101), while removing the resin in the patterned resist.
US07658784B2
Composite materials are provided. A representative material is configured as a composite membrane for gas separation, vapor separation, or pervaporation. The composite membrane comprises at least a first polymer and a second polymer. Processes for the production of composite materials, in particular composite membranes, also are provided.
US07658780B2
A method of treatment of wood ash residue. A first step involves wetting the wood ash residue. A second step involves reacting the wetted wood ash residue with carbon dioxide gas. Mineral oxides and hydroxides are converted to carbonates, thereby reducing the caustic nature of the wood ash residue. A third step involves continuing to react the wetted wood ash residue until the resulting ash residue is substantially carbonated.
US07658774B2
A method of producing a grid for a lead-acid battery in accordance with the present invention includes the step of placing lead alloy foil on a base material sheet of a lead-calcium alloy and attaching the lead alloy foil under pressure to the base material sheet. The thickness t of the lead alloy foil, the thickness a of the base material sheet before the attaching, and the thickness b of the composite sheet after the attaching satisfy the relational expression 1.3≦(a+t)/b. The length L of the contact part of rollers with the base material sheet and the lead alloy foil is 10 mm or more.This makes it possible to secure good adhesion of the lead alloy foil to the base material sheet. Also, when this composite sheet is subjected to an expanding process and used as a positive electrode grid, it is possible to provide a lead-acid battery having excellent cycle life characteristics.
US07658759B2
Implantable frames for use in body passages are provided herein. The implantable frames comprise one or more of certain preferred structural features that are generally applicable to frames comprising a plurality of curved and straight member portions that together define an interior lumen extending along a longitudinal axis between a proximal end and a distal end. The implantable frames have an exterior surface comprising a plurality of openings between the interior lumen and the exterior surface, and preferably include one or more undulating hoop members attached to one or more longitudinal connecting members. The implantable frames can be formed from any suitable material, but preferably comprise material permitting the frame to radially self-expand from a radially compressed configuration to a radially expanded configuration. The implantable frames are useful for endolumenal implantation within a body vessel, for example as a stent or as a support frame of an implantable valve.
US07658757B2
Endoprothesis delivery systems and methods for making an using the same. An example medical endoprosthesis delivery system may include an inner member. An outer member may at least partially surround the inner member. The inner member and the outer member may be configured so that an implantable medical endoprosthesis can be disposed therebetween. A coupling device may be coupled to a portion of the outer member so that, when there is substantially no slack in the coupling device, as the coupling device moves in a proximal direction the portion of the outer member moves in the proximal direction. An adjustable stop may be coupled to the coupling device so that, when there is slack in the coupling device, as the adjustable stop is moved in the proximal direction, the amount of slack in the coupling device can be reduced.
US07658755B2
A heat exchange fluid supply system for supplying a heat exchange fluid to an intravascular heat exchange catheter includes a disposable cassette having a bulkhead and an external heat exchanger, and which is configured to operate in combination with a reusable master control unit. The bulkhead includes a reservoir section and a pump section. The reservoir section is provided with a means to monitor the amount of heat exchange fluid that is in the system. The bulkhead provides the mechanism for priming the system with heat exchange fluid from an external source and for circulating fluid to the catheter in a closed circuit. The pump section is configured to allow for pumping of heat exchange fluid at a constant pressure.
US07658754B2
An anterior instrumentation method of treating spinal deformities involves a combination of a spinal rod anterior system and one or two spinal plates fixed on the cephalad and caudal end vertebrae of the instrumented segment. Deformities are treated by the anterior rod system through compression, distraction and derotation. Two spinal plates are fixed to the cephalad and caudal end vertebrae respectively to prevent the end vertebrae from rotating into kyphosis. A number of cancellous screws are inserted into the cephalad and caudal end vertebrae and their adjacent vertebrae through the spinal plate to provide several points of fixation on the end vertebrae to prevent implant failure and loss of correction.
US07658745B2
A disposable ear cleaning device having a one-piece, plastic body with an integral scoop at one end having a bowl portion having a smooth lower surface on the bowl. Openings may be formed in the bottom of the bowl for scraping wax and debris from the ear. The preferred openings are parallel slots. The preferred bowl has rounded, upper edges at the rim for scraping ear wax with the front, distal end at a lower height than a rear end of the bowl which is joined to a handle. The preferred handle may be fluted for gripping and turning the bowl when scraping ear wax. A flexible neck may join the bowl to the handle. A bulbous end of plastic or of cotton may be provided at the end of the device opposite the bowl. The referred cleaning device weighs less than one gram and is inexpensive.
US07658743B2
The method of the present invention relates to treating female urinary incontinence and involves passing opposite ends of a tape into a female patient's body and then positioning at least a portion of the tape between the vaginal wall and the urethra, whereby the tape forms a supportive loop beneath the urethra. The ends of the tape are extended through the patient's abdominal wall and outside of the patient's body and then the position and tension of the supportive loop are adjusted to achieve a clinically acceptable degree of urinary continence.
US07658742B2
A device, a system employing the device and method of performing skin treatment are provided for skin treatment. The device includes a vacuum head base defining a chamber therein and having a substantially smooth treatment tip attached and extending from an end thereof or integral therewith. The tip has at least one central opening that is open to the chamber, and is adapted to contact the skin and traverse the skin in a substantially non-abrasive manner. A vacuum access opening is provided through a side wall of the vacuum head base and adapted to connect with a source of vacuum. A tissue stop member is located within the chamber. It may have an abrasive surface for exfoliating skin cells, or a smoother surface for traversing the skin without substantial abrasion.
US07658739B2
An apparatus for stabilizing vertebrae while permitting a range of motion therebetween may include first and second fasteners for engaging adjacent vertebrae and a motion preserving device that can be coupled to the first and second fasteners. The motion preserving device may include a longitudinal member that includes an array of load-bearing elements. The longitudinal member may be configured to permit the load-bearing elements to move relative to each other and/or relative to other portions of the member. In some embodiments, the longitudinal member is relatively inflexible along a longitudinal axis and relatively flexible in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis.
US07658721B2
A drug delivery device that aerosolizes a dry powder formulation so that it forms a fine coating in the oral cavity and, more specifically in the sublingual region of the oral cavity is described herein. In the preferred embodiment, the device contains five main parts: (i) a compressed gas canister, (ii) a dispenser body (also referred to herein as the main housing ), (iii) a means for storing one or more doses of a drug formulation, (iv) a means for releasing a dose of the drug formulation such as a gas canister or spring piston and (v) a mouthpiece. Preferred configurations include circular, tubular, and rectangular. The means for storing the drug formulation may be configured to separately store one or more materials. In one embodiment, the means for storing the active agent is in the form of one or more drug discs, where the drug discs contain a plurality of blister packs, each storing one dose of the drug formulation. In another embodiment, the means for storing the active agent is a dosage cartridge containing a single dose of the drug formulation. In yet another embodiment, the drug formulation is stored on a ribbon containing a plurality of blister packs, each storing one dose of the drug formulation.
US07658720B2
An orthopedic appliance such as a body brace or a prosthesis includes a substantially rigid structure adapted to be placed against a body portion. The orthopedic appliance of the invention includes a moisture management system for facilitating the removal of moisture that would otherwise accumulate between the affected body portion and the substantially rigid structure. The moisture management system includes a plurality of ventilation holes through the substantially rigid structure, and means for facilitating the transfer of moisture directly out through the ventilation holes to the atmosphere. The facilitating means can include a flexible support means disposed between the substantially rigid body portion, the support means either being porous, or the support means having a plurality of holes therethrough in alignment with the holes in the substantially rigid structure. The orthopedic device may also include a fabric liner disposed against the body portion, the fabric liner serving to wick away moisture directly through the vent holes, and also serving to provide sufficient compression to prevent window edema.
US07658715B2
The present invention relates to a new intravascular imaging device based on a Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuator mechanism embedded inside an elongate member such as a guide wire or catheter. The present invention utilizes a novel SMA mechanism to provide side-looking imaging by providing movement for an ultrasound transducer element. This novel SMA actuator mechanism can be easily fabricated in micro-scale, providing an advantage over existing imaging devices because it offers the ability to miniaturize the overall size of the device, while the use of multiple transducer crystals maximizes field of view. Also disclosed are methods of using the same.
US07658694B2
A mobile unit configured to train an athlete is disclosed. The mobile unit includes multiple sensors, communication devices and a mobility system. The mobile unit executes one or more training paths to simulate chasing associated with various sports. The mobile unit is capable of determining its own location and the location of the athlete throughout a training session, as well as other information. The mobile unit is configured to adapt the training path to stress weaknesses of the athlete with respect to various types of athletic skills.
US07658692B2
A double differential assembly having a first differential drive (3) with a differential carrier (5) drivable around an axis of rotation (A), a plurality of first differential gears (6) rotatably supported therein, as well as two output gears (7, 8) which are coaxially arranged relative to the axis of rotation (A) and engage the first differential gears (6). It also includes a second differential drive (4) with a cage element (22) which is firmly connected to one of the output gears (8) of the first differential drive (3) and is drivable thereby around the axis of rotation (A), a plurality of second differential gears (25) which are rotatably held in the cage element (22), and two sideshaft gears (26, 27) which are arranged coaxially relative to the axis of rotation (A) and engage the second differential gears (25). At least one of the two differential drives (3, 4) is a crown gear differential.
US07658688B2
A unique playing field and method of playing extreme baseball, a game of traditional baseball modified by rules to allow two teams to play at the same time on the same field, is disclosed.
US07658683B1
Apparatus and method for a golf putting training aid, which is attached to the shaft of a conventional existing putter which putter would normally be used by the golfer for putting. The apparatus comprises a second handle, which is disposed parallel to the first handle of the existing putter, wherein the apparatus has means of being attached to the shaft of the existing putter so that the second handle on the golf putting training aid is disposed parallel to the handle of the existing putter. The second handle is removable and can be moved along the first handle and the distance between the first and second handles can be varied.
US07658674B2
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a method provides for determining data associated with a player of a gaming device; determining whether the data meets at least one established criterion; and providing an offer to the player if the data meets the at least one established criterion, the offer including a condition and a description of a product to be provided to the player in exchange for the player agreeing to the condition.
US07658669B2
A cabin pressure control system (CPCS) software control logic modification may boost the voltage applied to a motor when conditions are sensed indicating a combination of larger than normal cabin pressure and cabin rate error conditions. The motor may be part of an open-loop system for operating a butterfly valve that may regulate outflow from the aircraft cabin. The larger than normal cabin pressure and cabin rate error conditions may be an indication that the outflow valve is not responding in a normal manner, potentially caused by excessive loading to the motor or motor degradation. By boosting the motor voltage during excessive load conditions or with a degraded motor, CPCS performance and robustness may be improved.
US07658664B2
A foam sword having a sword blade made from a flexible, soft foam material is provided. The blade includes a reinforcing rod that extends partially therethrough to provide some rigidity and to which the sword handle and hilt guard are connected.
US07658661B2
An ornamental sound music module for a balloon has an ornamental suitably raised face with a peripheral lip or flange. A backer board is adhered to the rear of the ornamental face creating a housing. A central aperture is within the backer board with an annular support rim for supporting the outer disc portion of a piezoelectric buzzer in a firm manner to encourage the central regions of the buzzer to generate optimum music. A circuit board is contained within the housing and is connected to the buzzer by wires. The backer board suitably has an adhesive to allow the ornamental sound module to be affixed to a metalized nylon film balloon.
US07658643B2
A connector fastening arrangement locks a connector housing to a printed circuit board, thereby to effect engagement between a resilient contact on the housing and a corresponding electrical element on the adjacent top surface of the printed circuit board. A rotary locking member carried by the connector housing extends within a locking bore contained in the adjacent surface of the printed circuit board, the locking member being rotatable between locked and unlocked positions relative to the connector housing. In a preferred embodiment, the locking bore is a through bore, and the locking member extends completely through the locking bore. When the locking member is rotated toward the locked position, an eccentric locking device carried by the extremity of the locking member extends in locking engagement beneath the bottom surface of the printed circuit board. In a second embodiment, the locking device comprises a bayonet fitting arrangement.
US07658635B2
An electrical adapter with a first pin configuration comprises a body for receiving and supporting a plug with a second pin configuration such that the pins of the plug are in electrical contact to the pins on the body, wherein the body is provided with a moveable member engageable by the plug and disposed to allow the plug to be inserted into the adapter but to restrict the retraction of the plug from the adapter.
US07658632B2
An electrical connector (1) for electrically connecting an electronic package with a circuit substrate. The connector includes a housing (11), a fastening device assembled with the housing, and a stiffener (12) surrounding the housing. The stiffener includes a back end (123), and a pair of spaced first walls (125) adjoining the back end. Each first wall has a latch (128) extending upwardly therefrom, and then bends inwardly. The back end has a pair of spaced spring fingers (129) extending substantially horizontally, and then bends slightly upwardly. The latches are fastened to the housing for locating the housing in a vertical direction. The spring fingers abut against the housing for locating the housing in a horizontal direction. The stiffener reinforces the housing, and protects the housing from deformation or warpage.
US07658628B2
A card edge connector (100) for receiving a memory card (200) includes an insulative housing (1) and a number of terminals (2) retained therein. The insulative housing (1) includes an elongated base (10) extending along a longitudinal direction thereof and a pair of tower section (18) extending upwardly from opposite ends of the base (10). The base (10) defines a receiving slot (10) for receiving the memory card (200) and two rows of contact receiving channels (111) communicated with the slot (10). Each tower section (18) includes a pair of opposed arms (13) and a cavity (15) located therebetween. The arm (13) has a cantilever type resilient finger (132) formed from an inner wall of the arm (13) and extending downwardly for sandwiching the memory card (200), and a locking projection (131) at an upper portion thereof to engage with a notch (203) of the memory card (200).
US07658623B2
An electronic apparatus has an electronic component and a pin mount. The electronic component has a working surface and two pins protruding from the working surface and each pin being bent to form an L-shape with a proximal part and a distal part. The pin mount has a flat bottom, a rear, two through holes and two communicating recesses. The through holes are defined through the pin mount in parallel, are formed from the front to the rear and receiving the proximal parts of the pins. The communicating recesses are formed in parallel in the front from the through holes toward the bottom of the pin mount, communicate respectively with the through holes and receiving the distal parts of the pins. The pin mount immobilizes the electronic component to prevent the pins from being detached from the electronic component or the PCB to retain the lifetime of the pins.
US07658622B2
A transition circuit board for transitioning a cable to a connector is provided. A circuit board has an outer surface with a circuit trace, ground plane and ground link provided thereon. A cable pad and a contact pad are provided at opposite ends of the circuit trace. The ground link is electrically common with the ground plane and is located adjacent to, and separated by a space from, the circuit trace. An insulating coating is provided over at least part of the circuit trace, the ground plane and the outer surface of the circuit board. The insulating coating has a mask aperture there-through exposing an uncoated portion of the circuit trace and the ground link. A conductive jumper material is provided on the uncoated portion of the circuit trace and the ground link to electrically join the circuit trace with the ground plane.
US07658620B2
An electrical connector adapted for connection an Integrated Circuit (IC) chip to a printed circuit board (PCB) includes an insulating housing having a plurality of passageways, a plurality of contacts received in the passageways and a frame moveable assembled on the housing to allow the IC chip to be inserted therein. The frame includes a first and second side walls parallel to each other and a third side wall connecting with ends of the first and second side walls without a sidewall opposite the third wall, thereby a hatch is defined opposite to the third wall.
US07658617B1
An enhanced contact construction and loading support mechanism for plastic land grid array (PLGA) modules. A plurality of inverted hybrid land grid array (LGA) contacts are each respectively captured in and extend at least partially through one of a plurality of holes of an inverted hybrid LGA interposer. The inverted hybrid LGA contacts are affixed to a plurality of metal pads on a PLGA module carrier. Preferably, the inverted hybrid LGA contacts are affixed simultaneously using surface-mount technology (SMT) and have a metallurgy construction (e.g., beryllium-copper springs coated with nickel and hard gold) that provides enhanced wear and corrosion resistance. Each of the inverted hybrid LGA contacts is configured to make mechanical/pressure contact with a metal contact on another substrate, such as a printed wiring board (PWB). The inverted hybrid LGA interposer supports the PLGA module carrier and, in addition, a stiffener frame (with or without a heat sink) may be provided to reinforce the PLGA module carrier.
US07658599B2
A rotary compressor including a cylinder to form a compression chamber, and including a vane slot including a vane guide part recessed outward from an inner surface of the compression chamber and an extended part having a width wider than the width of the vane guide part by a predetermined extension width in an outer end area of the vane guide part, a roller to eccentrically rotate in the compression chamber and to compress a medium, a vane reciprocatingly accommodated in the vane slot, and contacted to an outer surface of the roller to divide the compression chamber, and a filling member accommodated in a space of the extension width in the extended part.
US07658594B2
The invention relates to a wind turbine having rotating means including at least two wind turbine blades which are turnable around the longitudinal axis of said blades, and a wind turbine hub connecting said at least two wind turbine blades with at least one shaft. Further, the wind turbine includes hydraulic means for actuating said at least two wind turbine blades, said hydraulic means being incorporated in said rotating means. The invention also relates to a hydraulic system, an air bleed system and a method of controlling at least two wind turbine blades.
US07658587B1
A hydraulic tail trailer comprising a main deck having a main tail assembly pivotally connected to the rearward end thereof with the pivotal connection therebetween being located forwardly of the centerline of the rear axle of the trailer suspension system. The location of the hinge between the main deck and the main tail assembly, by being located forwardly of the centerline of the rear axle, provides a main tail having an increased length thereby providing a lower loading angle without increasing the overall length of the trailer. The forward end of the main deck is pivotally connected to the rearward end of an upper deck so that the main deck may be raised which further reduces the angle between the rearward end of the main deck and the forward end of the main tail for loading and unloading purposes.
US07658580B1
A toilet bolt cover hides the portion of a toilet bolt extending upwardly through a mounting hole in the toilet base along with a washer and a nut threaded upon the bolt. The cover includes a base and a cap. The base has a wall with external threads and the cap has internal threads. The base of the cover has a descending member that extends downwardly into the mounting hole in the toilet base to limit rotation of the base of the cover.
US07658566B2
A butterer for dispensing butter to hot corn on the cob. The butterer includes a two part body that is adapted to be disassembled for cleaning and a central channel for receiving butter. The body also removably receives salt and pepper dispensers. The body is ovate in cross section and shaped to conform to the hand of a user. A pusher is positioned over the butter in the channel and allows a user to urge butter through the channel. A lower grill resists direct contact of semisolid butter with the corn, but transfers heat from the corn and allows melted butter to pass to the corn. A stand and storage tray supports the butterer during non use and allows storage with butter therein in a refrigerator.
US07658558B2
A shutter for an optical apparatus has multiple sectors and an operation member. Each of the multiple sectors has a cam opening for engagement and is pivotally provided to open and close a shutter opening, the operation member moves each of said multiple sectors in engagement with the cam opening, and the cam opening of at least one sector that is one of the multiple sectors is formed to change a moving direction of said at least one sector, when the operation member moves said at least one sector to a position to close the shutter opening.
US07658557B2
A camera device comprises a first main body, a pivoting component, a second main body, and a camera unit. A first connection member is disposed on the side end of the first main body. One end of the pivoting component is pivotally connected with the first main body. The second main body is pivotally fixed at the other end of the pivoting component, and is electrically connected to the first main body. The camera unit is electrically connected to the second main body. The first connection member of the first main body is first electrically connected with a predetermined electronic device to attach the first main body, and the second main body then rotates relative to the first main body via the pivoting component to adjust the visual angle of the camera unit.
US07658552B2
An optical system includes an optical device having waveguides defined in a first light transmitting medium. The optical device includes stops extending upward from a laser platform. The system also includes a laser bar having a plurality of lasers. The laser bar is positioned on the platform such that each laser is aligned with one of the waveguides. The laser bar includes alignment trenches that each includes a secondary stop extending upward from a bottom of the alignment trench. The secondary stop includes layers of material having different composition. The stops each extend into an alignment trenches such that each stop contacts one of the secondary stops.
US07658543B2
A packaging bag (1) where the heat sealing parts of packaging materials (2, 3) having a printed light shielding layer (14) in the layer structure are overlapped and heat sealed, and a sealing state confirming part (8) having a light transmittance higher than that of the other sealing side is provided across one sealing side (11) out of both sealing sides facing each other when the heat sealing parts are overlapped. Visual confirmation of incomplete heat sealing part can thereby be facilitated.
US07658540B2
Certain embodiments provide systems and methods for gantry support. Certain embodiments provide a mobile imaging system. The system includes a base and a gantry member moveably attached to the base. The gantry member includes an imaging source. The system also includes a gantry support positioned on the base for supporting the gantry member. The gantry support contacts the gantry member at one or more points in a range of motion for the gantry member. Certain embodiments provide a method for gantry member stabilization. The method includes providing a gantry support on a gantry base to provide support for an imaging system gantry member. The imaging system gantry member is attached to the gantry base. The method further includes positioning the gantry support with respect to the gantry member to support the gantry member along at least a portion of a path of movement of the gantry member.
US07658537B2
A bone cement mixing and delivery system is provided in which separate components of bone cement are mixed together in a mixer to form a bone cement mixture. The mixer includes a mixing paddle and a mixing shaft connected to the mixing paddle. A motor operatively engages the mixing shaft to rotate the mixing shaft and the mixing paddle to mix the components in a mixing chamber. The motor also operatively engages a transfer mechanism. After a predetermined mixing period has elapsed, the motor automatically actuates the transfer mechanism to transfer the mixture to a delivery device. The mixture is then delivered to a target site, such as a vertebral body of a patient or other anatomical site.
US07658533B2
A line illumination device includes: a frame; a rod-shaped light-guiding member housed in the frame; a flexible substrate; and a light source that is provided on the flexible substrate and emits light to the light-guiding member. The flexible substrate is bent so that the light source is disposed at an end of the light-guiding member and that the flexible substrate is housed in the frame. Power is supplied to the light source through a wiring provided on the flexible substrate so that the light source emits light and the light-guiding member emits light in line-shape.
US07658524B2
The present invention is a small vehicle lamp comprised of: a generally cylindrically-shaped housing with an axial bore therethrough and forming a top opening and a bottom opening; a lens disposed on the top surface of the housing; a circuit board within the axial bore of the housing; at least one LED mounted on and electrically connected to the circuit board; a resistor disposed on the circuit board; a first cable wire and a second cable wire passing through the bottom opening of the housing and in electrical contact with the circuit board; and an potting compound disposed within the housing bore, in which the epoxy covers the resistor and circuit board and at least partially covers the LED and the cable wires. The lamp is configured such that it has a low profile and can be part of a system in which a plurality of the lamps are used on a vehicle.
US07658523B2
An axial direction of an output shaft of a motor is perpendicular to an axial direction of a shaft that moves back and forth with respect to a housing unit. A plurality of power-supplying terminals is symmetrically arranged with respect to a vertical line passing through a center of the shaft.
US07658521B2
A vehicular interior rearview mirror system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having one of (a) a variable reflectance reflective element and (b) a prismatic reflective element. The interior rearview mirror assembly includes an information display disposed behind and viewable through the reflective element. The interior rearview mirror assembly includes a video camera having, when the interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle, a field of view that encompasses one of (i) the windshield of the vehicle and (ii) the driver of the vehicle. The interior rearview mirror assembly may include other electrical accessories such as, for example, a light, a rolling code garage door opener, and a microphone.
US07658516B2
A decorative light cover for an outdoor light source includes a substantially rigid skin with a shape that defines a void within an interior of the skin, an opening in a first portion of the skin, and an ornamental design on a second portion of the skin, wherein the opening is able to accept into the void a light source affixed to a structure, the skin is able to adhere to at least a portion of the light source, and the ornamental design is able to receive light from a light-radiating portion of the light source and allow the light to project through and away from the skin.
US07658513B2
An LED (light emitting diode) illumination device that can generate a uniform light output illumination pattern. The illumination source includes first and second reflectors with a conic or conic-like shape. One reflector is mounted in the same plane as the LED and wraps around the front of the LED to redirect the light emitted along a central axis of the LED.
US07658508B2
A backlight assembly includes at least one U-shaped lamp, a first connecting member, and a second connecting member. The U-shaped lamp includes a U-shaped lamp tube, a first external electrode covering a first end portion of the U-shaped lamp tube, and a second external electrode covering a second end portion of the U-shaped lamp tube. The U-shaped lamp tube generates light when a first driving voltage is applied to the first external electrode and a second driving voltage is applied to the second external electrode. The first connecting member is electrically connected to the first external electrode for applying the first driving voltage to the first external electrode. The second connecting member is electrically connected to the second external electrode for applying the second driving voltage to the second external electrode. Therefore, interference between a wire for applying power to the U-shaped lamp and the U-shaped lamp is reduced.
US07658506B2
Disclosed herein are cove lighting apparatus for architectural surfaces, particularly, recessed cove lighting apparatus integrated with an architectural surface and employing LED-based light sources.
US07658504B2
In a backlight device according to the present invention including a light emitting diode substrate, which has a light emitting diode and is placed on the back side of a panel module having an image display surface on the front side, and a reflection sheet for reflecting light emitted by the light emitting diode to the panel module, the reflection sheet is placed on the front side of the light emitting diode substrate, and the reflection sheet is provided with a through-hole into which the light emitting diode is inserted, so as to reduce brightness unevenness and color unevenness on the image display surface resulting from the light emitting diode substrate.
US07658502B2
A back light structure includes lamps for supplying light to an LCD panel, and a micro-lens formed on over or below the lamps, the micro-lens having a plurality of concave portions or convex portions.
US07658498B2
Automated orientation of an image presented by a display, such as a projector, with the orientation of the display simplifies presentation of images generated by an information handling system. A display orientation sensor detects the orientation of a display so that a display orientation module automatically adjusts the orientation of an image presented by the display to align with the display orientation. For example, display orientation is sensed by an accelerometer associated with the display or by determining the attachment point of the display to a support.
US07658493B2
A contact lens (4) comprises a solid component capable of imparting shape and structure to said lens, and a liquid component, at least partially contained in the solid component, capable of favoring the compatibility between said lens and the eye of a user of said lens, wherein the liquid component comprises a solution capable of being used as a lachrymal substitute.
US07658481B2
A droplet discharge apparatus includes a droplet discharge head which discharges droplets; a liquid retention unit which is configured such that a liquid surface of a liquid retained in the liquid retention unit is located below the droplet discharge head, the liquid retention unit including an atmosphere open port; a liquid channel which couples the droplet discharge head and the liquid retention unit; a liquid tank in which the liquid is retained, the liquid tank being sealed; a liquid inflow channel which couples the liquid retention unit and the liquid tank, an inflow port of the liquid inflow channel in the liquid retention unit being located below the atmosphere open port; a liquid sending channel which couples the liquid tank and the droplet discharge head; and a pump which sending the liquid in the liquid tank to the droplet discharge head.
US07658478B2
A method and apparatus for forming fluid droplets includes a nozzle channel, a pressurized source of a non-conductive fluid in fluid communication with the nozzle channel, and a stimulation electrode. The pressurized source is operable to form a jet of the non-conductive fluid through the nozzle channel. At least one portion of the stimulation electrode is electrically conductive and contactable with a portion of the non-conductive fluid jet. The at least one electrically conductive and contactable portion of the stimulation electrode is operable to transfer an electrical charge to a region of the portion of the non-conductive fluid jet with the electrical charge stimulating the non-conductive fluid jet to form a non-conductive fluid droplet.
US07658470B1
A method of using a flexible circuit, including attaching a first portion of the flexible circuit, via an attaching surface of the flexible circuit, to a first surface of a chip carrier. Statically bending a bending portion of the flexible circuit around an edge formed at the intersection of the first surface of the chip carrier, and a second surface of the chip carrier. Adhesively attaching a second portion of the flexible circuit, via the attaching surface, to the second surface of the chip carrier, where the second portion of the flexible circuit has at least one first anchor structure formed in the attaching surface, where the at least one first anchor structure is adapted to accept an adhesive.
US07658464B2
A system for creating a three dimensional, printed structure comprising a plurality of layers. The system comprises: a plurality of printheads arranged in groups, the printheads in each group being configured to print voxels of material to define a respective layer of the structure, wherein a first portion of the printheads print a structure material forming the structure and wherein a second portion of the printheads print a sacrificial material to thereby form a void in the structure; and a substrate configured to be operatively displaced with respect to each group so that printed voxels from each successive group can form successive layers of the structure upon the substrate.
US07658447B2
One embodiment of the invention relates to a vehicle seat (10). The vehicle seat (10) comprises a seat back (14) coupled to a vehicle (5) by a base bracket (26) or directly to the vehicle. A seat base (12) is coupled to the seat back and configured to rotate from a seating position (18) to a stored position (20). A leg assembly (40) is coupled to the seat base (12) and configured to rotate from a deployed position to a retracted position. An indicator (50) is coupled to the seat base (12) to indicate a predetermined condition of the seat base.
US07658436B2
A deformable vehicle door pull cup is provided which is both sufficiently strong for use during closing of the door and which also deforms during a side impact collision. A deformable vehicle door pull cup includes a weakening groove and dimple system in preferred embodiments. Dimples are placed within grooves to enhance crack propagation in a side impact collision.
US07658434B2
A structure of a rear part in a vehicle body. A rear glass window is provided at a rear end part of a roof of the vehicle, and the rear glass window is inclined downward toward the back of the vehicle. A trunk compartment is formed from a part below an attachment part of the rear glass window to a rear end part of the vehicle body. A trunk lid is attached to a lower edge of the attachment part of the rear glass window in a manner such that the trunk lid can be opened and closed freely. A visual window for observing a field on the back side of the vehicle body is provided in a wall of the trunk lid, the wall being positioned on the back side of the vehicle body. A partition wall having an interior window may be provided below the rear glass window.
US07658431B2
A child seat mount assembly, a seat for mounting a child seat, and a passenger vehicle having a stowable child seat are provided. A seat back is connected to the body for closing an access opening to a storage compartment and seating an occupant in an upright position, and for opening the access opening in a collapsed position. A child seat mounting plate is connected to the seat back such that the mounting plate and child seat extend into the storage compartment in the upright position of the seat back, and such that the child seat is in a seating position in the collapsed position of the seat back. A method is provided for converting a vehicle seat for receiving and storing a child seat in the storage compartment, and for deploying a child seat in the collapsed position of the seat back.
US07658426B2
Disclosed is a foam-molded member having a skin with which peeling or floating does not occur when the skin is wrapped. Also disclosed is a method of manufacturing the foam-molded member having a skin. A foam-molded member having a skin, such as a door trim, includes a core, a skin, foam and a fixing member. The core can be folded at a folding portion, and the skin faces the core. The foam is filled in a space between the core and the skin. The fixing member fixes the core that is integrally formed with the skin and the foam and is folded at the folding portion. The core is divided into a body portion and an extension portion, with the folding portion serving as a boundary. The extension portion folded at the folding portion is fixed to the body portion by the fixing member.
US07658418B1
A swivel coupling for electrical conduit is formed of a pair of arcuate tubular sections joined together at a pair of connecting flanges. A liquid tight seal is provided by an O-ring which seats in registered annular grooves in the face of each flange. A coupling nut tightens the flanges against one another. Formed at the end of one of the sections is a junction box fitting including a threaded nipple which is inserted through an opening of the junction box until a stop nut, positioned on the nipple, engages the box. A tightening nut is engaged over the nipple from the interior of the junction box to secure the swivel coupling to the box. The end of the other tubular section includes a conduit fitting for securing a length of electrical conduit. Because the stop nut is installed after the coupling nut has been advanced past the nipple, a reduced diameter coupling nut may be employed.
US07658416B1
An album system and components thereof. The system is an improved book-like system for use as a photo album, scrapbook or the like. Embodiments include leaves and covers which can be reversibly attached by a hook and loop attachment system and leaves that significantly reduce the accidental spilling of the contents stored for display in such albums. In some embodiments, each rectangular leaf is made from two sheets of polypropylene sealed together on all four edges, there is slit in a single sheet, near (but not at) one edge, and the opposite a region near the opposite edge is surfaced with one component of a hook and loop attachment system.
US07658415B2
A scrapbook, in which multiple fragrances associated with memorable events can be stored for extended periods of time, includes scented pages enclosed in perforated see-through protector sleeves, diffusion barrier sheets bound between adjacent pages having dissimilar fragrances, a diffusion barrier sheet bound between a front cover of the scrapbook and the first scented page, and a diffusion barrier sheet bound between a back cover of the scrapbook and the last scented page. The protector sleeves, which control the release of fragrance from paper sheets to which a fragrance has been applied, are fabricated from polymeric films, such as polypropylene, which have excellent resistance to oils and gases. Barrier sheets may be metalized for enhancement of diffusion barrier qualities. Fragrances may be applied to scrapbook paper by spraying, rolling, painting, stamping, printing or immersion.
US07658414B2
A fuel tank fixing structure for a low-profile fuel tank is provided with a plate-shaped attachment member formed so as to fit the fuel tank. The plate-shaped attachment member is brought into contact with the fuel tank at least at a part of a lower wall of the fuel tank and a part of a side wall of the fuel tank, and fixed to an underside portion of the vehicle body.
US07658412B2
A frame for a heavy-duty vehicle includes a pail of spaced-apart, parallel, elongated, and longitudinally-extending main members. At least a pair of transverse cross members extend between and are attached to the main members, and each one of at least a pair of hangers is attached to and depends from a respective one of the main members and/or the cross members. A component is disposed between each one of the hangers and its respective main member, or alternatively is incorporated into the hangers, for absorbing the energy that is created by an extreme event during vehicle operation, to reduce the possibility of damage to the main members and/or the cross members caused by movement of at least one of the hangers during the extreme event.
US07658400B2
A side air bag module including: an inflator (140), and air bag (102) and a retainer (150), the inflator having inflation ports (145) and a first and a second end (142, 144), the inflator configured to be inserted through a first opening of a first set of openings in an upper portion (104a) of a main panel (105) and configured to exit the upper portion of the main panel through a second opening of the first set of openings, wherein when the inflator is in place in the air bag, the first and second ends of the inflator respectively extend through one of the first and second openings, the main panel (105) also including a lower portion (104b) connectable to the upper portion thereby forming the main panel, a reinforcement panel (130) and the lower portion including similarly shaped, spaced and aligned sets of openings through which the inflator extends; the retainer is situated about the extending ends of the inflator on the exterior of the air bag.
US07658394B1
A rear suspension system includes a bottom bracket integrally connected between two respective first ends of two chain stays and the bottom bracket is engaged with a recess defined between two lugs on the conjunction end of the seat tube and the down tube. The chain stay unit includes two first pivot points and two second pivot points. A first link unit has a first end pivotably connected to the first pivot points and a second end of the first link unit is pivotably connected to one of the two lugs. A second link unit has a first end pivotably connected to the second pivot points and a second end of the second link unit is pivotably connected to the other one of the two lugs. The distance between the bottom bracket and the rear wheel axle is not changed when the rear suspension system is activated.
US07658390B2
Embodiments of the present invention relate to an adapter that fits over a wheel barrow handle that is extendable. By way of this extension, the height of a handle portion of the adapter may be changed so as to change the effective height of the wheel barrow handle. In this way, a user of the wheel barrow can lift the wheel barrow from a more comfortable height.
US07658386B2
The present invention discloses a seal and a method of sealing dynamic shaft applications. The seal comprises an inner portion, an outer portion, a faceplate, and at least one flexible member located between the inner and outer portions. The method comprises providing a dynamic shaft assembly containing a bore for receiving a seal, providing a unitized seal, and placing the unitized seal on the shaft, thus sealing the assembly so that lubricants may not escape, and foreign material may not enter. The unitized seal can provide permanently lubricated sealed bearings in severe service conditions such as rollers and idlers of track-driven vehicles and agricultural equipment.
US07658383B1
A gaming device including a playing field having a substantially planar surface, and a target setter arranged to pivot relative to the playing field between a first position and a second position, the target setter including a reservoir and at least one channel extending from the reservoir, wherein the reservoir is adapted to receive and store at least one substantially spherical object therein when the target setter is in the first position, and the at least one channel is operatively arranged to direct a substantially spherical object from the reservoir to the playing field when the target setter is in the second position.
US07658382B2
An image recording apparatus includes a casing, an image recording unit, a first conveying unit, a second conveying unit, a first support member, and a second support member. The first support member is supported by the casing. The second support member rotatably supports the follow roller and has an urging member that applies an urging force to the follow roller for urging the follow roller toward the drive roller. The second support member is supported on the first support member via a rolling bearing, allowing the second support member to rollingly move to a first position when the first conveying unit nippingly conveys the recording medium and allowing the second support member to rollingly move to a second position upstream of the first position in the conveying direction when the recording medium is separated from the first conveying unit.
US07658378B2
An apparatus for aligning sheet stacks in a feeder of sheet processing machines includes a motor-driven aligning plate and a movement converter situated between a motor drive and the aligning plate. The movement converter forces a movement describing approximately a circular path onto the aligning plate. A vertical speed component of the aligning plate during aligning corresponds to an upward speed of a feeder stack. A method for aligning sheet stacks in a feeder of a sheet processing machine as well as a sheet processing machine, are also provided.
US07658375B2
A printer having a sheet tray, a drive for advancing sheets past a marking mechanism, and a picker to remove sheets from an aligned tray includes a load position and a pick position. The trays are selectively moved between the load and pick positions. A transmission is engagable to connect the drive to the tray moving mechanism, whereby the tray is moved between the pick position and the load position by the media sheet advancing drive. The transmission is disengagable to enable advancement of the media sheets without movement of the tray. Starting with both trays in their load positions, one of the trays is moved to its pick position whereat a sheet can be picked; moving the other of the trays to its pick position whereat a sheet of media from each of the trays can be picked; and moving the tray remaining at its pick position from its pick position to its media load position.
US07658370B2
A rope winch has at least one bearing support and a rope drum supported on the at least one bearing support so as to be rotatable about a drive axis. A drive motor and a gear connected to the drive motor are provided, wherein the drive motor drives the rope drum about the drive axis through the gear. At least one sensor that senses a load acting on the rope drum is provided. An exchangeably secured component that is exchangeable without dismounting the at least one bearing support is provided. The at least one sensor is arranged on the exchangeably secured component.
US07658368B2
Disclosed and described herein is a nail extractor adapted for the powered extraction of partially exposed headed-nails from a substrate. The extractor has a housing with a threaded opening for the fitment of a threaded spindle having a hexagonally-shaped proximal end for the attachment of a power tool and a claw assembly attached to the distal end of the spindle so as to permit free rotation of the spindle while the claw assembly is confined and sized to prevent turning within the housing. Additionally, the claw assembly has a cleft for engaging and grasping the partially exposed portion of the headed nail. When activated by the powered tool, the threaded spindle and claw assembly are vertically elevated within the housing and the partially exposed nail is extracted from the substrate.
US07658354B2
A suction device includes a sucking member having a connecting body connected integrally to a flexible disc body that is disposed under an upright sleeve, a connecting member disposed in the sleeve and connected to the connecting body, an operating member connected to a pivot rod extending through the sleeve, and a cam body accommodated in a cam-accommodating space in the connecting member and pivotable together with the pivot rod. The operating member is operable so as to pivot the pivot rod and the cam body such that an assembly of the connecting member and the connecting body is pulled upwardly by the cam body, thereby forming a vacant space between a central portion of the disc body and a supporting surface to which a peripheral portion of the disc body is attached sealingly.
US07658344B2
A method to write information to, or retrieve information from, an information storage medium disposed within a portable data storage cartridge moveably disposed in a data storage and retrieval system, wherein the data storage and retrieval system further comprises a data storage device. The portable data storage cartridge comprises a moveable curved door slidingly disposed within the enclosure, and a tape reel rotatably disposed within the enclosure, wherein the moveable curved door and the tape reel are non-concentric. The method retrieves the portable data storage cartridge from a storage slot, transports that portable data storage cartridge to a data storage device, disposes the portable data storage cartridge in the data storage device. The method further moves the moveable curved door from said a position to a second position, and reads information from and/or writes information to, the information storage medium.
US07658330B2
An automatic digital image capturing and processing system for use in a POS environment, comprising a system housing having vertical housing section provided with an imaging window, and containing an area-type illumination and imaging station for generating and projecting an area-type illumination and imaging zone through the imaging window, and into a 3D imaging volume definable relative to the imaging window. An object motion detection subsystem automatically detects the motion of objects passing through the 3D imaging volume, and generates motion data representative of detected object motion within the 3D imaging volume. And a control subsystem, responsive to the object motion detection subsystem, automatically controls operations within the area-type illumination and imaging station during system operation. The area-type illumination and imaging zone supports automated illumination and imaging of objects passing therethrough, so that digital area-type images of the objects are automatically generated as objects pass through the area-type illumination and imaging zone within the 3D imaging volume during system operation.
US07658320B1
An automated banking machine includes a lower fascia covering the door of the chest or secure enclosure. The lower fascia is movably mounted in supporting connection to the chest housing to permit access to the chest door. An inwardly extending flange supported on the lower fascia engages the chest door when the lower fascia is in an accessible position and the chest door is open. The chest door is thus retained in an open condition for access to the secure area for restocking a currency dispensing mechanism or servicing ATM components.
US07658306B2
Disclosed is a pouring dispenser for pouring liquid from a bottle, the pouring dispenser incorporating a removable nozzle section.
US07658303B2
A personal water and additive apparatus includes a first container; a manifold having a water passageway and an additive passageway, the water passageway and additive passageway intersecting to form a single mixing passageway; a first tube connecting the first container to the water passageway of the manifold, the combination of the first tube and the water passageway defining a water channel; a second container; a second tube connecting the second container to the additive passageway of the manifold, the combination of the second tube and the additive passageway defining an additive channel; an outlet tube having one end connected to the mixing passageway of the manifold; a check valve disposed in the water channel; and a flow regulator that controls flow in at least one of the water passageway and the additive passageway.
US07658300B2
A container for transporting and storing hazardous materials such as Chlorine includes a cylindrical body having end caps. The end caps are welded to the body to form a pressure vessel. The end caps have a peripheral edge that is recessed with respect to the ends of the body to protect the weld against damage from impact. The configuration of the juxtaposed components forms a lap joint that can be affixed together by a fillet weld.
US07658299B2
A paint tray system including a paint tray and a lid that may be sealed to the paint tray in a generally airtight manner. The shape of the lid corresponds to the interior of the paint tray so that the volume of air sealed in the paint try by the lid is minimized. The underside of the lid may also include a recess that may receive a paint applicator between the paint tray and the lid. The paint tray may also include an applicator rest for holding a paint roller in the paint tray while keeping the handle out of a paint reservoir.
US07658295B2
A closure system is provided for a container. The system has a body for extending from the container at the container opening. The body defines a dispensing orifice. A lid is provided for covering the orifice. The body has a bearing member with two spaced-apart walls for defining a channel for receiving a pivot shaft on the lid. At least one deflectable finger projects from one of the body bearing member walls for being temporarily, elastically deflected to accommodate the insertion of the lid pivot shaft into the channel. The finger is resilient, and moves back over the lid pivot shaft to prevent removal of the lid pivot shaft from the channel.
US07658290B2
A substrate storage container includes a container body for accommodating and aligning semiconductor wafers, a door which opens and closes the front of the container body and a pair of valve units disposed at the bottom of the container body for controlling gas flow. Each valve unit includes a fixed sleeve for gas flow, fitted in a rib of a through-hole of the container body, a holding sleeve fitted in the through-hole of the container body with an o-ring interposed therebetween and mated and threaded with the fixed sleeve, a check valve built between the fixed sleeve and the holding sleeve, leaving a clearance, an elastically deformable element for opening and closing the check valve, an interior lid sleeve for gas flow, opposing the check valve and supporting the elastically deformable element, and a filter interposed between the holding sleeve and the interior lid sleeve.
US07658276B2
A drive beam (18.2) for a reciprocating floor includes a pair of elongate U-shaped channel members with longitudinally extending edges arranged and welded together edge to edge to define an elongate substantially rectangular in transverse cross-section tube member with opposed welded side walls (718) each with a lengthwise welding seam. A pair of elongate opposed reinforcing members (712) is fast with a respective associated welded side wall (718) and located inside the tube member.
US07658273B2
A carriage-type conveyance device using a carriage having a vertically movable object-supporting base that is controlled by a cam rail on the floor side, in which a turntable for changing the direction of the carriage has a low-floor structure. In the carriage-type conveyance device, the object-supporting base that is vertically movable between a lowered position and a lifted position is placed on a conveyance carriage (1), a cam follower roller vertically moving in association with the movement of the object-supporting body is provided at the bottom of the conveyance carriage (1), and a cam device (58) for pushing up the cam follower roller and a work section (3A) in which the object support base is supported at the lifted position are provided in a traveling route of the conveyance carriage (1). The conveyance device further has the turntable (7) placed in a traveling route on the downstream side of the work section (3A) and changing the direction of the conveyance carriage (1), and also has a means for holding at the lifted position the object-supporting body of the conveyance carriage (1) from at least the time immediately before the object-supporting body enters into the turntable (7) until it has exited from the rotated turntable (7).
US07658269B2
A handle of a two pulling rod suitcase includes a handle body and a pulling rod device disposed at opposite ends of the handle body. The handle body includes a casing pivotably disposed with a hinge member. The hinge member is disposed with a tooth portion at the outside thereof. The hinge member is connected with a spring for return. The casing at least includes first and second connecting members at opposite sides thereof. The first and second connecting members are mated with the tooth portion. Outer ends of the first and second connecting members are respectively disposed with first and second pressing members. The pulling rod device includes two pulling rod units and a transmission member. Each pulling rod member includes at least one pulling rod. The transmission member is pivotably disposed in the pulling rod. The transmission member is connected with the first and second connecting members or the first and second pressing members.
US07658268B2
A control device for a rotating machine driving an elevator suppresses increases in the moving time of the elevator while securing control and stability in accordance with moving direction and load of a car of the elevator. A control device for controlling speed of the rotating machine without using a speed sensor includes a speed command signal generator for generating a rotational speed command for the rotating machine; and a speed sensor-less controller for controlling a voltage applied to the rotating machine without using a speed sensor, based on the rotational speed command from the speed command signal generator. In the control device, the speed command signal generator changes an acceleration running curve in a deceleration interval in accordance with the moving direction and the load of the car of the elevator to generate the rotational speed command.
US07658263B2
A device for noise transmission of an intake system of an internal combustion engine to the interior of a motor vehicle has a transmission line having an inlet at a first end and an exit provided with a mouth at a second end. A diaphragm is arranged at the second end to close off the mouth and to enable noise transmission. The inlet of the transmission line communicates with the intake system of the internal combustion engine. A protective device is arranged at the second end to protect the diaphragm.
US07658260B2
An apparatus is provided for suppressing torque steering in a vehicle in which left/right drive shafts are coupled via outer joints to left/right front wheels. The drive shafts are connected via inner joints to an engine and transmission. The height of the inner joints is set 5-20 mm lower than the height of the outer joints, thus forming tilt angles between the left/right drive shafts and the center axis through the left/right wheels and the outer joint. As acceleration of the vehicle increases, the engine moves upward, thus causing the inner joints to move as well. This upward movement of the inner joints causes the tilt angle formed by the drive shafts to decrease. The specific placement of the inner joints is selected so that the left/right tilt angles reach zero at a predetermined rate of acceleration, which may be the vehicle's maximum rate of acceleration.
US07658259B2
A material handling vehicle includes first and second control handles positioned at opposing ends of an operator compartment. The first control handle is positioned adjacent the forks for driving the vehicle in a fore or forks first direction, and the second control handle is positioned adjacent the back of the vehicle for driving the vehicle in the aft or forks trailing direction. The aft control handle is provided in a twist grip style, which can be gripped easily by an operator facing the aft of the material handling vehicle. The control handles provide stability for the operator and an intuitive operator interface irrespective of direction of travel.
US07658258B2
The present invention features an all terrain, four-wheeled vehicle frame for carrying at least two passengers in a side-by-side riding configuration, comprising a rigid, tubular frame body which provides for a forward passenger compartment having structural support members for carrying a pair of seats for the side-by-side passengers and a rearward engine compartment configured for receiving an engine, power train, and transmission for driving wheels of the vehicle. The vehicle frame also includes a vertical, load-bearing truss member extending generally along a longitudinal, central axis of the vehicle within the passenger compartment, the truss member forming a load-bearing structural member between the pair of seats.
US07658256B2
Impact detection sensors are disposed with ease for coping with an oblique collision or the like. A front wheel is disposed between left and right forks and supported by an axle. Main sensors are attached to the left and right forks at respective positions near and above the axle so as to be symmetrical. Thus, the main sensors detect impacts resulting from front and oblique collisions. In addition, backup sub-sensors are attached to the left and right front forks at respective positions above the corresponding main sensors so as to be symmetrical. This makes it possible to dispose the impact detection sensors at sensitive positions with ease while eliminating a steering component.
US07658254B2
A system for clearing crush space in an automotive vehicle, the system including a vehicle having a passenger compartment, an impact displaced component assembled to the vehicle in a spaced relationship to the passenger compartment, an intervening component mounted on the vehicle between the passenger compartment and the impact displaced component, an active component secured to the vehicle in close proximity to the intervening component, a controller mounted on the vehicle, the controller activating the active component when the vehicle is involved in a collision, and the active component causing the intervening component to move when the active component is activated wherein crush space for movement of the impact displaced component is at least partially cleared in the event of a collision.
US07658247B2
A power management system is disclosed. Embodiments of the power management system may be configured for use with an electric generator that produces AC or DC voltage from an energy source, which may be intermittent or fluctuating. One embodiment of the power management system includes an energy storage reservoir configured to be electrically coupled to the electric generator. The energy storage reservoir includes at least one ultracapacitor and at least one rechargeable battery. The power management system also includes an electronic controller configured to control storage in the reservoir of energy generated by the electric generator and to control power usage from the reservoir and the generator. The electronic controller is configured to control energy storage and power usage in response to one or more control signals.
US07658246B2
An assist device 11 is equipped with a spring means 21 (gas spring), and a piston 24 in a cylinder 23 moves upward or downward according to a relative displacement motion (flexing or stretching motion) of a thigh 4 and a crus 5 at a knee joint 8 of a leg 3 of a robot. Air chambers 25 and 26 above and below the piston 24 are filled with gases. If a flexing degree at the knee joint 8 is a predetermined value or less, then the air chambers 25 and 26 are brought into communication through a groove 28 in the cylinder 23, and the spring means 21 does not generate an elastic force, but if the flexing degree exceeds the predetermined value, then the air chambers 25 and 26 are hermetically sealed from each other and the spring means 21 produces an elastic force, the elastic force acting on the knee joint 8 as assisting driving force. A burden on a joint actuator of a leg can be reduced, while reducing energy consumption of the robot by using a small and simple construction. Moreover, a change in the characteristics of an assisting driving force of the spring means 21 in response to a flexing degree of the knee joint 8 can be restrained.
US07658244B2
A device for driving boreholes in the ground, having a rotationally driven main shaft with a shaft journal whose axis (B) forms an acute angle with respect to the axis (A) of the main shaft. A drill head is mounted such that it can rotate about the axis (B) of the shaft journal and has a circumferential region which runs on a complementary circumferential region, wherein the complementary circumferential region can be set rotating.
US07658238B2
An impact drill for boring a workpiece includes a main frame, a motor housed in the main frame, a spindle movably supported by the main frame and rotatable by the motor and movable in its axial direction, a first ratchet positioned fixedly with respect to the spindle, a second ratchet positioned with respect to the first ratchet, a spring biasing the second ratchet toward the first ratchet. The spring has at least one of a spring constant and a biasing force which prevents the second ratchet and the spindle from abutting against the main frame at least one of when a force ranging from 15 to 25 kg is applied to the main frame for boring the workpiece and when the spindle is moved to a retracted position.
US07658236B2
A machine includes a frame and a coupler assembly suspended below the frame, the coupler assembly configured for sideshift movement and having an implement mounting element for engaging with a mating feature on an implement. An implement grabber mounted to the coupler assembly is configured to grab an implement and move the implement via sideshift movement of the coupler assembly from a position lateral of the frame to a mounting position at which the mounting element of the coupler assembly can engage with the mating feature of the implement. A method of implement positioning for a machine includes grabbing the implement with a implement grabber mounted on a coupler assembly and moving the implement with the coupler assembly. The method also includes disengaging the implement from the implement grabber and actuating a mounting element of the coupler assembly to engage or disengage with the mating feature of the implement. The method and machine are amenable to mounting long objects to a motor grader, which are unsuitable for pick up via conventional means.
US07658232B2
A fire safety system includes a sensor arrangement and control scheme for quickly sensing a fire, accurately identifying its location, and controlling a set of ceiling fans and overhead sprinklers to efficiently extinguish the fire. The fire safety system is particularly suited for large buildings such as warehouses, factories, gymnasiums, retail stores, auditoriums, convention centers, theaters or other buildings with large open areas. In some examples, the overhead fans are disabled prior to activating the sprinklers. The placement of the fire sensors, in some cases, are selected upon first considering the location of the overhead fans.
US07658217B2
A tool for laminating a metal foil and polymer film to form a laminate structure is disclosed. A method of using the tool to form a laminate structure is also disclosed.
US07658215B2
A wood chipper includes a control system for controlling feed wheel rotation and engine operation to provide safety features and a fuel-saving mechanism. The control system allows the engine to start only when the feed wheel is in neutral; stops and/or reverses rotation of the feed wheel in response to an increased load on the engine; and dethrottles the engine if the feed wheel remains in neutral for a predetermined period of time. A pair of electric switches are activatable by the feed bar whereby an electronic control unit (ECU) can determine the position of the feed bar based on activation or non-activation of the switches and control the feed wheel and engine in light thereof. The ECU controls a pair of directional control valves via respective solenoids to control flow of hydraulic fluid to control rotation of a feed motor which drives the feed wheel.
US07658208B2
A flexible hose construction with kink, crush, and burst resistance. The hose is constructed of a tubular member and a reinforcement strip at least partially embedded in the tubular member. The reinforcement strip is wound in a helical pattern encircling a central lumen of the tubular body. The material forming the reinforcement strip has a greater initial modulus than the material forming the tubular member.
US07658206B2
Faucets are provided with joystick type control handles. The joysticks are provided with springs outside the main valve housing either between the joystick handle and lever stick, or between the joystick handle and an associated ball. In the latter case the ball retains a sliding disk.
US07658185B2
A barrel assembly for a device for shooting projectiles is disclosed. The barrel assembly comprises a firing chamber with first and second openings, wherein the firing chamber is capable of holding at least two projectiles. A first projectile retention device is located at the second opening of the firing chamber. A propellant injection device injects propellant into the firing chamber through a third opening. A firing control device initiates the injection of propellant into the firing chamber, wherein at least one projectile and the projectile retention device substantially seal the second opening of the firing chamber when propellant is introduced and at least one projectile is expelled out of a barrel through the first opening of the firing chamber.
US07658184B2
An aircraft engine includes an aircraft engine controller configured to detect an actual peak exhaust gas temperature of a cylinder assembly. The aircraft engine controller detects an intersection between a first function representing a relationship between a set of rich exhaust gas temperature signals and a corresponding set of rich fuel-air ratio values and a second function representing a relationship between a set of lean exhaust gas temperature signals and a set of lean fuel-air ratio values. Based upon the intersection between the first and second functions, the engine controller detects an actual peak fuel-air ratio value for the cylinder assembly and can determine if a correction in the fuel-air ratio of a fuel-air mixture provided to the cylinder assembly is required. Accordingly, the engine controller provides each cylinder assembly of the aircraft engine with an accurate fuel-air mixture to allow for operation of the engine with optimal fuel economy.
US07658174B2
The invention describes a method for controlling glow plugs in diesel engines by varying the effective electric voltage applied to the glow plugs between an initial value and a target value, which is obtained at the end of a cold start phase determined by an engine control unit and which is smaller than the initial value, wherein the increase in voltage, i.e. the voltage difference by which the effective voltage applied to the glow plugs in the cold start phase is higher than its target value, is reduced by steps from a maximum value to zero. The invention provides that the effective electric voltage is increased in the cold start phase of the engine over a predetermined period or time, which is determined by the time elapsed until a preselected number of revolutions of the engine is reached.
US07658173B2
A tappet for an internal combustion engine is formed from a high-carbon, bearing grade steel. The high-carbon, bearing grade steel has a relatively high surface fatigue strength that provides the tappet with the ability to absorb a relatively large contact stresses during operation, thereby minimizing the formation of cracks within the tappet. Additionally, the high-carbon steel tappet can be heat treated to provide a substantially uniform hardness, between about 58 Rockwell Hardness C (HRC) and 62 HRC, and a substantially consistent microstructure throughout the tappet, thereby minimizing wear of the tappet during use.
US07658156B2
An apparatus for delivering a beneficial agent to a subterranean location is disclosed in one embodiment of the invention as including a water collection chamber having a substantially open end. A water-transporting membrane is provided to communicate with the water collection chamber. An extraction chamber receives water through the water-transporting membrane, expanding the extraction chamber. A dispensing chamber, containing a beneficial agent such as fertilizer, is configured to contract upon expanding the extraction chamber. This causes the dispensing chamber to expel the beneficial agent through a subterranean delivery channel, such as a rigid hollow spike. In certain embodiments, a rate adjustment mechanism may control the rate that water is received through the water-transporting membrane, thereby controlling the rate the beneficial agent is expelled from the subterranean delivery channel.
US07658155B2
A process for the treatment of waste, the process comprising: (i) either (a) a gasification step comprising treating the waste in a gasification unit in the presence of oxygen and steam to produce an offgas and a char, or (b) a pyrolysis step comprising treating the waste in a pyrolysis unit to produce an offgas and a char; and (ii) a plasma treatment step comprising subjecting the offgas and the char to a plasma treatment in a plasma treatment unit in the presence of oxygen and, optionally, steam.
US07658138B2
Practice barrels for use with practice cartridges are described herein. An example practice device for use with self-loading grenade launchers includes a practice barrel having a practice cartridge chamber to receive a practice cartridge. A live cartridge does not correspond to the practice cartridge chamber. Additionally, the live cartridge is unable to be properly positioned within the practice barrel to prevent ignition of the live cartridge. Further, the practice cartridge chamber is cushioned to substantially absorb a breech energy to substantially prevent damage to the practice barrel.
US07658136B2
A hole saw has a cup shaped body with a base, and a cylindrical wall with an extending cutting edge. An arbor extends from base. A plurality of teeth are formed on the cutting edge. The teeth having a repeating first and second tooth form. The first tooth form has a rake face and relief face defining the cutting edge. The rake face and relief face are at a desired angle. A first gullet is continuous with the first rake face so that it has a desired depth. The second tooth form has a second rake face and second relief face. The faces are on a desired angle. A second gullet is continuous with the second rake face providing a second tooth height. The second tooth height is greater than the first tooth height.
US07658134B2
A punch canister includes a punch head with an axial shaft that has a screw thread which is adapted to be connected during use to the screw threads of a punch element that is slideably associated within a stripper bushing. A punch recess adjustment member is rotatably and slideably associated with the punch head. The adjustment member is adapted to the slideably but non-rotatably rotatably connected during operation to the punch element. A resilient retraction member, e.g., a spring, is located between the punch head and the adjustment member for biasing the adjustment member axially downward on the punch head. A manually releasable detent provided on the adjustment member is operatively associated with the punch head for retaining the adjustment member in any one of a plurality of selected circumferentially distributed angular positions on the punch head such that during operation disengagement of the detent allows the adjustment member and the punch element to be threaded axially on the punch head to control the distance that the punch element is recessed within the stripper bushing. In a preferred form, the detent is a lock that can be disengaged manually when the punch recess adjustment is to be made.
US07658127B2
A vibration damper for controlling the torsional and bending vibrations in a rotating shaft is provided. The vibration damper includes a hub, an inertia element, and an elastic element that possess a first shear modulus in a first direction and a second shear modulus in a second direction. The hub is adapted to be coupled to the shaft for rotational movement. The inertia element is concentric with the hub and has a mass. The elastic element is adapted to non-rigidly couple the hub and the inertia element. The elastic element may be a non-isotropic composite material having a plurality of fibers dispersed therein.
US07658126B2
A parking brake actuator for a vehicle includes a toothed stationary sector fixed to a mounting structure, a brake lever pivotably mounted to the sector, a pawl mounted to the brake lever for movement between engaged and disengaged positions relative to the teeth, an elongated, substantially rigid release member mounted to the brake lever for movement relative to the brake lever between normal and depressed positions, and a motion-absorbing member connecting the release member to the pawl. When the brake lever is operatively connected to the vehicle brake cable and in a braking position thereof with the pawl in the engaged position thereof, moving the release member to the depressed position thereof without also moving the brake lever in the brake applying direction compresses the motion-absorbing member without moving the pawl from the engaged position thereof.
US07658118B2
A strain detector includes a bridge circuit having at least two strain resistance elements, a substrate, a first fixed member, and a second fixed member. The substrate has a circuit portion electrically connected to the strain resistance elements. The strain resistance elements are arranged on the substrate. The first fixed member is fixed to a center of an area, where an outer periphery of the area is set at a position at which the strain resistance elements are arranged. The second fixed member is fixed outside the position, where the strain resistance elements are arranged at the substrate. A center of an axis of the first fixed member, a center of an axis of the second fixed member, and the center of the area are positioned on a straight line, and the first fixed member and the second fixed member are arranged on two mutually opposed surfaces of the substrate.
US07658116B2
A measuring transducer includes: A measuring tube vibrating, at least at times, during operation and serving for conveying a medium, wherein the measuring tube communicates with a pipeline via an inlet tube piece at an inlet end and an outlet tube piece at an outlet end; a counteroscillator, which is affixed to the measuring tube on the inlet end to form a first coupling zone and affixed to the measuring tube on the outlet end to form a second coupling zone; and a transducer housing affixed to the inlet tube piece and the outlet tube piece. An exciter mechanism, for driving at least the measuring tube, and a sensor arrangement, for registering oscillations at least of the measuring tube, are, in each case, secured, at least in part, to the counteroscillator. Additionally, on the inlet side, an cantilever is so coupled in the region of the coupling zone with the inlet tube piece and the measuring tube, that the center of mass of the cantilever lies in the region of the inlet tube piece, and, on the outlet side, an cantilever is so coupled in the region of the coupling zone with the outlet tube piece and the measuring tube, that the center of mass of the cantilever lies in the region of the outlet tube piece. Furthermore, the measuring transducer includes connection lines, especially connection lines for the exciter mechanism and/or for the sensor arrangement, with at least one of the connection lines being secured to at least one of the two cantilevers.
US07658110B2
An ultrasonic diagnostic system includes electroacoustic conversion means in which a plurality of sub-arrays, each composed of a plurality of electroacoustic transducers, are arranged at least two-dimensionally, sub-beam formers that are provided on the sub-array basis, and a main beam former for subjecting signals output from the sub-beam formers to delay addition. Each sub-beam former generates signals having polarities different from each other from each of received signals from the electroacoustic transducers in the sub-array, obtains a first signal and a second signal that are obtained by controlling amplitudes of signals having different polarities generated from the received signals from the electroacoustic transducers in the sub-array, followed by adding, imparts a delay time difference corresponding to a quarter of one period of the received signal between the first signal and the second signal by first delay means composed of a capacitor memory provided inside, and adds the first signal and the second signal to which the delay time difference is imparted. The ultrasonic diagnostic system with this configuration is capable of phasing a received signal with high precision.
US07658106B2
An adjustable measuring device for measuring contents, such as liquids and granulated solids, having a usable volume for measuring. The adjustable measuring device includes a housing, a platform having a lower position and an upper position, and an adjusting system for moving the platform between the lower position and the upper position. When the platform is in the lower position, the usable volume is maximized. When the platform is in the upper position, the usable volume is minimized. The adjusting system comprises a restraint system adapted to maintain the platform between the lower position and the upper position. Also, the adjusting system comprises a discrete locking system adapted to temporarily lock the platform into a plurality of predetermined positions, which represent discrete usable volumes. By applying a first adjusting force, the platform moves toward the upper position. By applying a second adjusting force, the platform moves toward the lower position.
US07658104B2
A liquid level sensor system actuated by a column pressure includes a hollow member having a distal open end adapted to be positioned into a liquid reservoir to a depth below a liquid surface level, and a sensor head unit. The sensor head unit is responsive to the column pressure to provide an indication of a liquid level in the reservoir. A low liquid level alarm circuit is responsive to the bellows member to generate a signal indicative of a low liquid level state.
US07658083B2
A cooling system and method for cooling a battery in a vehicle is provided. The method includes determining whether the cooling system is operating to cool a passenger compartment in the vehicle, operating the cooling system to cool the battery when it is determined that the cooling system is operating to cool the passenger compartment, and it is determined that at least one predetermined condition is met. The method also includes determining whether an engine in the vehicle is operating, and then operating the cooling system to cool the battery when it is determined that the engine is operating and a battery temperature is greater than a predetermined battery temperature.
US07658051B2
Methods for fabricating sidings and methods for securing those sidings to structures are disclosed. Additionally, this disclosure teaches embodiments of sidings that can be secured to structures. For some embodiments, the siding comprises an insulation and a panel. The insulation and the panel are coupled to each other prior to installation of the siding. This coupling is achieved by non-adhesive coupling mechanisms.
US07658043B2
A floor drain having a drain body that receives a rotatable frame with a grate. The orientation of the grate and frame about an axis of the drain body may be adjusted by rotating the frame relative to the drain body and clamping the frame in the desired orientation. Adjustments to the orientation of the grate and frame can be made to align the grate and frame with floor tiles or other flooring materials and with walls surrounding the floor drain.
US07658041B2
The clamping element is supported in a positive fit on the base plate in the direction of traction of the traction element in the anchoring for pre-stressed strip-shaped traction elements on supporting structures. The traction element is received between a base plate which is fixed to the supporting structure and a clamping plate which can be clamped against the base plate and is fixed by adhesion and clamping. The clamping plate can include, on each side of the traction element, a retaining cam plate which projects in a downward manner and which engages in a retaining recess of the base plate, or can include a retaining projection which supports a stop which is connected to the base plate. The stops on the upper side of the base plate are welded push blocks which are arranged on both sides and/or in the region of the front side of the clamping plate. The clamping plate can be secured in the position thereof such that it supports the base plate in a positive fit by a positioning device which is mounted in a detachable manner in the direction of traction of the traction element. The positioning device is a threaded rod operating between the clamping element and a bridge connected to the base plate.
US07658040B2
The panel includes a water resistant barrier layer secured atop its outward facing surface. The water resistant barrier layer includes a skid resistant surface. The panels are made of lignocellulosic material. The water resistant and skid resistant surface may include indicia for aligning strips of tape or for aligning fasteners. A method for manufacturing the water resistant building panels is also disclosed and includes the steps of feeding paper onto a forming belt, depositing lignocellulosic material and the binding agent onto the forming belt so as to form a lignocellulosic mat, applying heat and pressure so as to impart the skid resistant surface on the paper, and cutting panels to predetermined sizes.
US07658039B2
A building module for housing purposes comprises a rigid, rectangular, three-dimensional truss formed with four steel end columns and steel beams extending between the columns. Each module includes a floor panel extending between the four end columns, wall panels, and a roof panel extending from two of the end columns, parallel to the forward column and terminating a spaced distance from the two end columns. A first rectangular folding panel has one end hingedly attached to the edge of the roof panel termination and a second rectangular folding panel, larger than the first rectangular folding panel, has one end hingedly supported between the two end columns. The first and second rectangular folding panels may be folded into positions parallel to their roof panel with their edges overlapping to form a compact module.
US07658037B2
A container is constructed to have a variable volume, wherein a basic container has a bottom panel and a roof panel, one or more hinged side panels are rotateable about a horizontal axis, and one or more expansion elements are telescopeable out of the basic container and having a bottom panel, a side open toward a front the basic container and a front panel opposite the open side. The one expansion element(s) is/are open toward the top and, in a telescoped state, the roof panel is formed by a raised side panel of the basic container. One or more hoisting devices is associated with each expansion element and with which the expansion element is lowerable. Thereby, after the one or more expansion elements are telescoped out, the bottom panels of the expansion element(s) and of the basic container are at the same height and also so that the expansion element(s) is insertable back into the basic container after being lowered. The hoisting device(s) is/are configured to act on the hinged side panel to lower and raise the at least one expansion element.
US07658028B2
A firearm security device including a frame to which a fixed plate and a movable plate are attached. A grip pad is attached to each of the opposing inner sides of the fixed and movable plates. A trigger guard stud is attached to and projects from the inner face of the fixed plate. The trigger guard stud inserts through the trigger guard of the firearm. Means are provided for shifting the movable plate from an open position wherein the firearm is positioned with the trigger guard stud projecting through the trigger guard, to a closed position where the movable plate is positioned substantially parallel to the fixed plate and at least a portion of the receiver of the firearm is held in a compressive grip between the grip pads. A lock selectively restricts operation of the shifting means and the movable plate.
US07658017B1
A vacuum drying apparatus and method to dry and cure paint is disclosed. The method provides a substantially particle free environment that shortens drying time, reduces cost and improves surface finish. The apparatus includes an enclosed drying tunnel that is maintained at a reduced pressure relative to ambient conditions. Heat lamps with the drying tunnel aid in curing and provide the desired particle free environment.
US07658014B2
A length measuring arrangement for measuring the relative position of two objects, the length measuring arrangement including a housing made of a non-magnetic material and longitudinally extending in a measuring direction. The length measuring arrangement including a scale in the housing, the scale having a measuring graduation, a first guide face and a second guide face which extends perpendicular to the first guide face. A mounting piece attachable to one of the two objects rigidly in the measuring direction and resiliently transversely to the measuring direction. The length measuring arrangement including a scanning carriage that scans the measuring graduation, wherein the scanning carriage is coupled to the mounting piece rigidly in the measuring direction and resiliently transversely to the measuring direction, and the scanning carriage is linearly guided in the measuring direction on the first and second guide faces and is pressed against the first and second guide faces. A pressure force is generated by a magnetic force between at least one first element of the scanning carriage and a second element provided on the housing.
US07658013B2
A support assembly for a counter weight of a laser level is disposed in a main body of the laser level for supporting the counter weight with a laser module mounted therein in the main body. The support assembly includes a fixing unit and a universal bearing. The fixing unit is disposed in the main body and the universal bearing is mounted in the fixing unit. The counter weight has a shaft portion formed on an upper end thereof and connected with the universal bearing. The counter weight is swingingly supported in the main body by the universal bearing. Basing on the structure, the present invention has a simple structure for easy assembly and disassembly, thereby being manufactured, maintained and corrected conveniently.
US07658011B2
A lopper includes a slender rod and a pruning means mounted on a top of the rod. The slender rod includes an inner tube and an outer tube telescoped mutually such that the inner tube is shiftable in the outer tube for changing the length it jutting out from the outer tube. An extension-control unit is provided at the border region between the inner tube and the outer tube for positioning the inner tube. A fist actuating unit and a second actuating unit are provided at the outer surface of the outer tube. The fist and second actuating units are connected with the pruning means through a first rope, a second rope and a third rope so that when a user pulls the first or second actuating unit, a shear assembly of the pruning means can be closed to cut branches and leaves of plants.
US07658006B2
In a method of manufacturing a beverage dispensing head, a first section is molded to include an exit channel and a first portion of a valve bore. A second section is molded to include an entry channel, a passage through the second section, and a second portion of the valve bore. A third section is molded to include a passage through the third section and a third portion of the valve bore. The first section is mated with the second section and the second section is mated with the third section to form a handle including a passageway therethrough. The mating of the first section with the second section and the second section with the third section aligns the first portion with the second portion and the second portion with the third portion to form the valve bore for the passageway. In addition, the entry channel is sealed to form a fluid entry aperture and a fluid entry conduit for the passageway. Further, the exit channel is sealed to form a portion of a fluid exit conduit for the passageway. Still further, the exit channel aligns with the passages to form a portion of the fluid exit conduit and to provide a fluid exit aperture for the passageway. After forming the handle, a valve assembly is placed within the valve bore, and a valve actuator assembly is mounted onto the handle. A nozzle is secured to the handle such that the fluid exit aperture communicates with the nozzle.
US07658000B2
A method for attaching a proximity probe offset to an axis defining an extension cable. The method includes a sensing element; a cylindrical part molded with a moldable material; a recess configured in one of two opposing ends defining the cylindrical part to receive the sensing element; a first and a second ferrule each extending from opposing surfaces defining an exterior of the cylindrical part, a first axis defining the first and second ferrules being offset from a second axis defining the cylindrical part; and an extension cable operably attached to the sensing element via the first and second ferrules, the sensing element being disposed offset relative to the extension cable.
US07657996B2
A tube connecting apparatus capable of stably and reliably connecting tubes in which liquid is contained and sealed is provided. A tube connecting apparatus 1 equips a first tube-holding assembly 2 and a second tube-holding assembly 3, each holding tube 8, 9 in which blood is contained and sealed in a parallel state. A first clamp 6 and a second clamp 7, each pressing the tubes to a flat state, is provided at the first tube-holding assembly 2 and the second tube-holding assembly 3. A tube-pushing member 10 which presses the tubes to a flat state is disposed movably to and integrally with the first clamp 6 at a side of the second clamp 7. The tube connecting apparatus 1 has a cutting mechanism 4, disposed between the first clamp 6 and the second clamp 7, for melting and cutting the tubes, and has a movement mechanism which moves the first tube-holding assembly 2 and the second tube-holding assembly 3 such that end portions to be connected contact closely each other.
US07657983B2
In a method of producing an electrode for a resonator in thin-film technology, the electrode of the resonator is embedded in an insulating layer such that a surface of the electrode is exposed, and that a surface defined by the electrode and the insulating layer is substantially planar.
US07657981B2
A casket comprises a shell, a cap closable on the shell, and a dish assembly mounted to an underside of the cap. The dish assembly comprises a cap panel, and either a) an alcove structure formed in the cap panel and adapted to receive an ornament for display when the cap is open, a shelf mounted to the cap panel which projects forwardly and is adapted to support an ornament for display when the cap is open, and a drawer assembly mounted to the cap panel for display and storage of items of memorialization of a deceased, or b) an alcove structure and a shelf, or c) an alcove structure and a drawer assembly, or d) a shelf and a drawer assembly.
US07657969B2
An improved hubless castor wheel construction, particularly for a furniture article and the like, comprises a rotary element which is pivotably supported by a support element to be associated with a furniture article, said support element comprising two half-shells which can be coupled to locking means and are designed for defining an upright which can be engaged with connecting means to be connected to the furniture article, and an annular attachment for said rotary element.
US07657967B2
A brush vibrating apparatus for a vacuum cleaner. The brush vibrating apparatus includes a brush provided in a head portion of the vacuum cleaner and reciprocating and rotating for separating foreign substances from an object to be cleaned; support units provided on the head portion for rotatably supporting the brush; an elastic force supply unit installed between the brush and the support units for supplying elastic force from both sides of a center of the reciprocation of the brush to the center; and a driving force supply unit for supplying driving force, thereby minimizing noise and vibration generated from the reciprocation of the brush, thus allowing the vacuum cleaner to be operated in a smooth and calm state.
US07657960B2
A quick release attachment for a power buffer having a rotatable spindle includes a buffing pad assembly and a quick release connector adapted to join the buffing pad assembly to the spindle. The buffing pad assembly includes a mounting plate and a buffing pad affixed to either side of the mounting plate. The mounting plate and the buffing pads each have respective aligned central apertures. The mounting plate aperture further comprises a circular ring disposed therein and has a pin extending diametrically across the aperture. The pin comprises a magnetically attractive material. The quick release connector has a main body adapted to fixedly engage the spindle. The connector further has a head end extending from the main body and having a circular cross-section sized to engage the circular ring. The head end further has a slot sized to engage the pin. The slot further comprises a distal portion extending axially along the head end, a proximal portion extending axially along the head end offset from the distal portion, and a transition portion joining the distal and proximal portions. The main body further comprises a permanent magnet disposed therein having at least one surface adjacent to the proximal portion of the slot. The buffing pad is selectively affixed to the quick release connector by manipulating the head end into the aperture and moving the pin through the slot until reaching the proximal portion, whereupon the pin is retained by the magnetic attraction of the permanent magnet.
US07657957B2
A dock leveler for bridging the gap between a loading dock and the bed of a vehicle parked at the loading dock. The dock leveler is configured for installation on the top of the dock and is designed to rotate from a vertically-stored raised position to at least one lowered, operative position. In some embodiments, the dock leveler can be lowered either for normal operation so that the deck assembly rests on the bed of the vehicle or it can be lowered to accommodate an end-loading condition.
US07661145B2
A copy protection technique is described which enables the content (14) of an application file (4, 20), for example, provided by a licensed game provider, to be copy protected without action having to be taken at the time of encoding the application file onto a DVD or other optical disc. DSV data patterns, that is data patterns which are difficult to encode without causing DSV problems, are to be incorporated in the application file (4, 20). It is expected that sophisticated encoders (8) at games console manufacturers will be able, for example, by using look-ahead techniques, to encode and apply the application to the glass master (10) in a manner such that the encoded data will not cause DSV problems. However, if an attempt is made to read the data on the original disc, for example, for copying purposes, the DSV data patterns will cause a CD or DVD writer to encode the data onto the copy disc in a manner which renders the resultant copy disc effectively unplayable. The DSV data patterns may be incorporated in an application file (20) within information, or in control data therof (FIG. 5).
US07661142B2
This invention is directed to a system and method for tracing and monitoring feature usage in a document processing environment. More particularly, this invention is directed to a system and method for tracking and monitoring the use of features, services, or functions available to users on document processing devices. The usage information is provided to an administrator or other authorized user in a format that is easily readable and usable.
US07661141B2
The systems and methods of the present invention facilitate database row-level security by utilizing SQL extensions to create and associate named security expressions with a query initiator(s). Such expressions include Boolean expressions, which must be satisfied by a row of data in order for that data to be made accessible to the query initiator. In general, a query is augmented with security expressions, which are aggregated and utilized during querying rows of data. The systems and methods variously place security expressions within a query in order to optimize query performance while mitigating information leaks. This is achieved by tagging security expressions as special and utilizing rules of predicate to pull or push non-security expressions above or below security expressions, depending on the likelihood of a non-security being safe, as determined via a static and/or dynamic analysis.
US07661139B2
A method for detecting the invalid access to a computer network is disclosed. The method preferably operates in a computer network having computer servers operating on different operating systems and a plurality of computer devices. Each computer device is managed by a computer server at the operating system level. The computer network includes a plurality of information databases that contain information associated with the users and with the computer devices of the computer network. On each computer server, the method, system, and program generates a set of identifying files for each computer device managed by the computer server. All sets of identifying files from the plurality of computer servers are next gathered into a unique central violation database. Links are created between each set of identifying files and the plurality of information databases in order to determine a level of network access violation for each computer device. Violation messages for each computer device are generated based on the level of network access violation.
US07661133B2
A member-store functional unit transfers the name of a member store and the title of a campaign to an ID-assigning functional unit which assigns IDs to the title of the campaign and the name of the member store. The ID-assigning functional unit then transmits the IDs to an encoding functional unit. A broadcasting functional unit broadcasts the IDs, encoded by the encoding functional unit, by multiplexing the IDs in an audio signal. A reception functional unit receives the IDs whereas a decoding functional unit extracts and decodes the IDs. The decoding functional unit then outputs the IDs to a customer-number-assigning functional unit with a receiver ID. The customer-number-assigning functional unit forms a judgment on validity of the member-store ID, the campaign ID and the receiver ID, and assigns a customer number to the receiver ID if the member-store ID, the campaign ID and the receiver ID are found valid. An anonymous-customer management functional unit sends the customer number to a member-store functional unit so as to make a request for a transmission of a service identified by the campaign ID to the reception functional unit by way of an anonymous-service management functional unit.
US07661121B2
A method and apparatus for recognizing and synchronizing to in-band data at a multimedia device is provided. A content stream includes in-band data. The in-band data is processed and in-band data pattern data associated with the content stream are created. Metadata are attached to the event identification data. The event identification data are provided to multimedia devices which receive broadcasted multimedia content streams containing video programs with in-band data. The in-band data are processed and compared to the event identification data. If a match occurs, the multimedia device uses the metadata to perform specified actions.
US07661119B1
A system and method for providing program guide information to subscribers is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method is applied to a satellite broadcasting system having a first satellite broadcasting a first signal having a first set of program material and first program guide information describing at least a portion of said set of program material, and a second satellite broadcasting a second signal having a second set of program material and second program guide information describing at least a portion of said second set of program material, wherein the first broadcast signal and the second broadcast signal each include service channels uniquely described by a service channel identifier. The method comprises the steps of mapping at least a portion of the first program guide information to a first service channel of the first broadcast signal; mapping at least a portion of the second program guide information to a second service channel of the first broadcast signal, wherein the second service channel is logically offset from the first service channel; and transmitting the first signal to the subscriber.
US07661117B2
In response to an advertising event signal, rendering of an active media stream is automatically paused. A new window is opened and forced to full screen size. Advertising is presented in the new window. Some window controls may be disabled such that the advertising window may not be easily resized, closed, or obscured by another window. When advertising is complete, the new window is closed. Rendering of the media stream is resumed. Alternatively, advertising is presented in a video presentation window wherein the size of the window may be adjusted and controls disabled during presentation of an advertising message. Advertising may also comprise text, graphics and images that overlay a video image. As such, the video image may be adjusted to a predetermined size and video presentation window controls may be disabled.
US07661115B2
Method, apparatus and program storage device for preserving locked pages in memory when in user mode
A method, apparatus and program storage device for preserving locked pages in memory when in user mode. A user command daemon is provided for executing a command string received from a user application. A socket interface is disposed between the user command daemon and the application for routing signals between the user application and the user command daemon. The user command daemon provides a returned value to application for loading into memory without causing latencies to the running of the application.
US07661102B2
A system and method for reducing the update package size used to convert an original image into a new image based on the differences between the two images. From comparison of original and new images, an update package is generated which includes ADD and COPY operations. This design introduces a RELOCATE operation. The update encoder attempts to re-express submitted COPY operations with one or more RELOCATE operations whose total length exceeds that of the original COPY. If this is the case, the RELOCATE operation(s) have progressed further through the images than the original COPY operation, thus producing a smaller update package. Each individual RELOCATE operation includes a number of instructions and a number of data items to be relocated.
US07661098B2
Dynamically compiled computer program code containing virtual calls can reduce the options for optimization during compilation. A virtual call can affect sections of the program code that are compiled subsequent to the virtual call. Therefore, the state under which the effected sections are to be executed may not be known at the time of compilation thus complicating optimization of these sections. If assumptions are made about the state of an effected section, then this section can be optimized. In order to provide proper operation of the executing program code given the optimization, a check of the validity of the assumptions is performed prior to execution of the optimized section. If an assumption does not hold true then the original un-optimized section can be executed to reduce adverse program performance.
US07661097B2
Methods and systems are provided for analyzing a source code. The method includes collecting function entry information during the execution of tests on the source codes. The function entry information is then converted into symbolic codes. The function calls are replaced by the elements of the symbolic codes in the source codes. The elements can be in the form of functions. Subsequently, static analysis is performed on the source code by using the mapping between the function calls and the functions in the source code.
US07661094B2
Techniques for tracing the real-time operation of software for the purposes of testing, debugging, or performance analysis are disclosed. Diagnostic instrumentation for generating records containing details of software operation is incorporated in the software by inserting calls to diverse macros or inline functions. Each macro takes an argument specifying both a subsystem and a category of instrumentation within the subsystem. Based on the specified subsystem and category, the instrumentation can be included or excluded from the compiled object code and, if included, can be dynamically enabled at run-time. Disabled instrumentation does not result in a function call, but only a single, inline “if,” thereby reducing overhead. One macro accepts both software parameters and a custom format specifier describing how the parameters should be displayed. However, the parameters are not formatted during logging, nor is the format specifier included in the record. Instead, the formatting is performed when displayed.
US07661093B2
A method for assessing relative performance of a video interface is disclosed. In the disclosed method, code to be compiled and executed by the video interface includes a plurality of parameters. The parameters are randomized such that a large number of permutations exist for the compiled code. After the compiled code is randomized and compiled it is executed and statistical properties of the video interface, such as frames per second displayed, are determined.
US07661088B2
The subject invention provides for a system and/or methodology that automatically effects populating a visual designer toolbox with predefined custom controls. In accordance with aspects of the subject invention, a user (or application) can program a binary definition of a desired custom control. The subject invention can scan the binary to identify the control and transfer the control onto the toolbox. Once populated onto the toolbox, a user can quickly and easily transfer (e.g., click and drag) the controls onto a form within a project as desired.
US07661087B1
Systems, methodologies and technologies for the analysis and transformation of integrated circuit layouts using situations are disclosed. A method for transforming an integrated circuit (IC) layout includes recognizing shapes within the IC layout, identifying features for each of the shapes and extracting situations for the respective features. Extracted situations can be used to improve optical proximity correction (OPC) of the IC layout. This improved OPC includes extracting the situations, simulating the situations to determine a set of the situations identified for modification based on failing to satisfy a desired OPC tolerance level, modifying the set of situations to improve satisfaction of the desired OPC tolerance level, and reintegrating the modified set of situations into the IC layout. Extracted situations can also be used to improve aerial image simulation of the IC layout. This improved aerial image simulation includes extracting the situations, simulating a subset of the situations to determine aerial images of the subset, and tiling the subset of situations to form a larger aerial image. Extracted situations can further be used to improve density analysis of the IC layout. This improved density analysis includes extracting the situations for a window of the IC layout, removing overlap from the window based on the extracted situations, calculating a density for each of the situations, and calculating a density for the window based on the density for each of the situations.
US07661080B2
In one embodiment, the present invention is a method and apparatus for net-aware critical area extraction. One embodiment of the inventive method for determining the critical area of an integrated circuit includes modeling a net corresponding to the integrated circuit as a graph, where the net is made up of a plurality of interconnected shapes spanning one or more layers of the integrated circuit. All generators for opens are then defined and identified. The Voronoi diagram of the identified generators is computed, and the critical area is computed in accordance with the Voronoi diagram.
US07661078B1
Disclosed is an improved method and system for implementing metal fill for an integrated circuit design. When an engineering change order is implemented, the existing dummy metal fill geometries are initially ignored when modifying the layout, even if this results in shorts and/or other DRC violations. Once the ECO changes have been implemented, those violations caused by interaction between the changes and the metal fill are repaired afterwards.
US07661068B2
Various technologies and techniques are disclosed that allow an eraser to be used for additional operations. A pen feature is provided that supports various eraser gestures. An eraser gesture is detected from a pen input device. If the eraser gesture matches a supported eraser gesture, then an operation associated with the supported eraser gesture is performed. For example, a scratchout gesture made with the eraser can undo a previous erasure of text made by the eraser. A customization feature is provided that allows a user to customize some or all of the eraser gestures.
US07661067B2
A computer implemented method, data processing system, and computer program product for allowing a user to quickly and directly responds to a turn in an instant messaging conversation. One or more instant messaging chat conversations are displayed to a user. User input is received selecting a turn in the one of more instant messaging chat conversations. Responsive to receiving the user input selecting a turn, a user input region is provided to the user, wherein the user input region is used to receive an instant message from the user. Upon the user entering an instant message into the user input region, the message is sent to a set of participants in the instant messaging chat conversation.
US07661063B2
A document processing apparatus has a data exchange processor for inputting plural first structured documents, extracting contents included in the respective first structured documents, and creating second structured documents respectively corresponding to the first structured documents and having a predetermined data structure, a data unification processor for unifying the plural second structured documents into a third structured document, a layout processor for arranging plural rectangles in a predetermined area based on rectangular size information included in the third structured document, and a rendering processor for rendering the contents corresponding to the respective rectangles described in the third structured document.
US07661060B2
An apparatus for controlling the reproduction of multimedia includes an input unit for receiving a SMIL document, a SMIL analyzer for analyzing the SMIL document and generating a DOM tree based thereon, a control table generator for generating a predetermined control table with reference to the DOM tree and a media reproducing unit for reproducing a media data of the SMIL document. The apparatus also includes a controller for controlling the media reproducing unit with reference to the control table. A method for controlling reproduction of multimedia also analyzes a SMIL document. Through the apparatus and method, the multimedia data is effectively controlled in a limited resource system in which a multi-processing is not supported.
US07661058B1
A Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks (RAID) controller comprises a RAID error correction code (ECC) encoder module that receives data for storage and that generates code words for data drives and one or more parity drives, which have physical locations. The code words are generated based on the data and a cyclic code generator polynomial. The logical locations correspond to index positions in the cyclic code generator polynomial. A mapping module maps the physical locations of the data and parity drives to the logical locations. When one of the data drives is removed, the mapping and RAID ECC encoder modules do not modify the map.
US07661055B2
Partial-parallel implementation of LDPC (Low Density Parity Check) decoder. A novel approach is presented by which a selected number of cycles is performed during each of bit node processing and check node processing when performing error correction decoding of an LDPC coded signal. The number of cycles of each of bit node processing and check node processing need not be the same. At least one functional block, component, portion of hardware, or calculation can be used during both of the bit node processing and check node processing thereby conserving space with an efficient use of processing resources. At a minimum, a semi-parallel approach can be performed where 2 cycles are performed during each of bit node processing and check node processing. Alternatively, more than 2 cycles can be performed for each of bit node processing and check node processing.
US07661053B2
A device response template generator software program includes an interactive graphical-user-interface (GUI) for sending commands to devices under test and to capture and display the command responses. The GUI enables patternization of the command response to that the information contained in the response can be read, in the form of variable values, automatically, during subsequent execution of the commands by the same device or a group of devices. These values of the variables may be analyzed and may also be sent to other running testing scenarios.
US07661045B2
A method and system for enterprise memory management of memory modules of a computer system. The method includes scanning memory chips of a memory module for errors, analyzing a scrub error map corresponding to a scrubbing operation of the memory module, generating a scrub map summary based upon the scrub error map analyzed, creating an error history map by adding the scrub map summary generated, analyzing the error history map created and tracking a chip location for each memory chip of the memory module including errors, and determining a scrubbing algorithm of the memory module based on the analyzed error history map. The enterprise memory management system includes a plurality of computers each including memory modules, and an enterprise memory manager which collects and analyzes error history maps corresponding to each computer and determines a scrubbing algorithm of the memory modules of each computer.
US07661044B2
Method and system for repairing memory failure in a computer system in one aspect determines one or more test patterns and time duration for testing the new memory unit that replaced a failed memory unit. The test pattern is written to the new memory unit and read from the new memory unit. The read pattern is compared to the test pattern that was used to write. If the read test pattern and the written test pattern doe not match, a further repair action is taken. If they match, writing and reading of the test pattern repeats until the time duration for testing expires. The new memory unit may be configured as available for use when the write and read test completes successfully for the testing time duration.
US07661043B2
A test apparatus includes a pattern memory for storing a test pattern to be inputted to a memory-under-test, an address generating section for sequentially outputting addresses of the memory-under-test into which the test pattern is to be written, a pointer section for sequentially pointing each address of the pattern memory to cause the pattern memory to output the test pattern in synchronism with the address of the memory-under-test outputted out of the address generating section, a bad block memory for storing an address of a bad block of the memory-under-test in advance and a pointer control section for causing the address generating section to output a next address of the memory-under-test while holding the address of the pattern memory outputted out of the pointer section when the address of the memory-under-test generated by the address generating section coincides with any one of addresses stored in the bad block memory.
US07661042B2
A plurality of content-addressable-memory sub-arrays simultaneously performs a parallel comparison between data sequences arranged in a row direction of memory cells and a search data sequence input from outside, and outputs a result of the comparison for each data sequence. A first input pin receives an input of the search data sequence. A second input pin receives an input of a search data sequence arbitrarily designating a content-addressable-memory sub-array. Each of the content-addressable-memory sub-arrays includes an activation control unit that controls activation of the content-addressable-memory sub-arrays based on the search data sequence.
US07661041B2
A test device and method may be used to detect voltage, current or signals of a digital multilevel memory cell system or to test operation or performance by applying inputted voltages, currents or signals to the memory cell system.
US07661040B2
The sequential access memory array is able to store p words each of n bits. Such p test words each made up of n test bits are written in the memory array, the p test words are extracted sequentially and, for each current word extracted, the n test bits that compose it are compared sequentially with n respective expected data bits before extracting the next test word.
US07661036B1
Embodiments of the invention provide methods, systems, software and data structures for monitoring, analyzing, storing and/or collecting events on a monitored computer. In a set of embodiments, a monitoring process monitors one or more applications for events occurring in those application. The monitoring process, in some cases, runs in common a thread of execution with one or more of the applications. If the monitoring process detects an event, it might notify an event capture process, which might capture the event. In some embodiments, an analysis process might determine whether the event should be collected, and if so, maintain a representation of the event (perhaps in a specialized data structure). In other embodiments, a data management process is configured to store information about one or more events in an event cache, which might comprise a plurality of file streams and/or metafile streams, enabling efficient storage of information about events.
US07661034B2
A storage protocol test server interfaced with a storage device and a client includes a multi-layered architecture for testing a conformance of the storage device to a storage protocol as dictated by the client. The layers operate to participate in a test case session between the server and the client to facilitate a communication of test case information from the client to the server, the test case information specifying elements for testing the conformance of the storage device to the storage protocol. Additionally, the layers operate to create a storage protocol conformance test based on the test case information received from the client, the test being specifically designed for testing the conformance of the storage device to the storage protocol, and to participate in a test session between the server and the storage device to facilitate an exchange of test instructions and test results in accordance with the test.
US07661020B1
A data storage system has a network adapter to receive an I/O request. A status signal is generated in response to the I/O request, the status signal indicating a failure of a storage media to which the I/O request was directed. An operating system determines, in response to the status signal, if the storage media is in a degraded mode. If the storage media is in a degraded mode, the operating system stores the I/O operation in a log for execution at a later date. If the storage media is not in a degraded mode, the operating system reassigns the I/O request to a spare storage media. The operating system places an appropriate entry of a faulty media onto a defect list that maps to a spares pool to aid reassignment of subsequent I/O requests.
US07661016B2
A method of identifying the source of a memory corruption error during operation of a checkpoint library includes receiving an error detection request and, in response to the request, write protecting all memory regions allocated to a checkpoint library. The method further includes detecting when a memory region is accessed for modification during operation of the checkpoint library and, in response to the detection, identifying the source of a memory corruption error affecting the memory region.
US07661015B2
A timer master can assign scheduled jobs to other application servers of a cluster. Leases for the timer master can be started in a lease table. The timer master can store job info for the scheduled jobs in a database. In case of a crash of the application server, another application server of the cluster can be assigned the time master and use the job information to assign scheduled jobs.
US07661011B2
The invention is a system for modifying the processing period in a digital logic module. The invention comprises the following. A processing circuit is configured to receive an input in order to create an output. A controller is coupled to the processing circuit and is configured to track L manipulations, wherein L is an integer. The controller is further configured to send a select signal to the processing circuit and to cause the processing circuit to manipulate the input over N clock cycles. N is an integer and N is less than or equal to L. N varies over the plurality of processing time periods. An output port is coupled to the processing circuit and is configured to convey the output.
US07661009B2
Apparatus and methods for discriminating late software commands sent to hardware from software executed by a processor. The apparatus, in particular, includes a storage device configured to receive information concerning a timing requirement for software commands transmitted from a microprocessor, where the timing requirement is dependent on a system time. A time counter is also included and configured to determine the system time. The apparatus further includes a comparator configured to determine whether the timing requirement has been met, and a switching circuit configured to selectively allow the software command to be issued from the processor to a hardware circuit based on the determination of whether the timing requirement has been met. Complementary methods are also disclosed.
US07660993B2
Methods and systems are provided for a cancellation server maintaining a database of identifiers of cryptographic puzzles. A cryptographic puzzle is created from a unique identifier and a timestamp, and is attached to an electronic mail message, along with the puzzle's solution. The recipient verifies that the solution is correct and that the timestamp is current, and further queries the cancellation server with the puzzle identifier. If the identifier does not exist in the database, then the recipient knows the received message is legitimate. If the identifier already appears in the database, the received message can be automatically removed from the recipient's computer.
US07660987B2
A method of establishing an e-mail secure transmission link between an initiator and a responder for the transmission of secure e-mail messages over a network comprising creation of a unique initiator designator or number, generation of a unique initiator exchange key component including the unique initiator designator or number, transmission of a request from the initiator to the responder to establish the e-mail secure transmission link and the unique initiator exchange key component, acceptance of the request by the responder to establish the e-mail secure transmission link, creation of a unique responder designator or number, combining of the unique responder designator and the unique initiator exchange key component to create a unique initiator/responder exchange key at the responder site, generation of a unique responder exchange key component including the unique responder designation, transmission of the unique responder exchange key component from the responder to the initiator, combining the unique initiator designator with the unique responder exchange key component to create the unique initiator/responder exchange key at the initiator site and to establish the e-mail secure transmission link to send and receive e-mail between the initiator and the responder exchange with the unique initiator/responder exchange key.
US07660978B2
An embodiment of this invention provides a system and method for a diagnostic computer application executing on a host computer to extract vendor unique diagnostic information from an attached peripheral device. The peripheral device is pre-configured to respond with device unique information in response to certain standard interface protocol inquiries. Standard interface inquiry commands are used to extract detailed instructions from the device. These instructions may contain device unique small computer system interface (SCSI) command sequences, for example. The command sequences allow a user of the host computer to extract detailed data from the peripheral device about the peripheral device's operational, performance and health statistics.
US07660967B2
A computer processor is responsive to successive processing instructions in an issue order to process regular vectors to generate a result vector without use of a cache. At least two architectural registers having input-vector capability are selectively coupled to memory to receive corresponding vector-elements of two vectors and transfer the vector-elements to a selected functional unit. At least one architectural register having output capability is selectively coupled to an output, which in turn is coupled to transfer result vector-elements to the memory. The functional unit performs a function on the vector-elements to generate a respective result-element. The result-elements are transferred to a selected architectural register for processing as operands in performance of further functions by a functional unit, or are transferred to the output for transfer to memory. In either case, the order of the result vector-elements is restored to the issue order of the successive processing instructions.In some embodiments, restore order buffers operate with issue-order codes of result-elements in result registers and architectural registers to restore order to the result vector-elements for output to memory.
US07660966B2
A storage operating system is configured to assign volume block numbers (VBNs) to a volume. The system has a plurality of disks, and each disk of the plurality of disks is assigned disk block numbers (DBNs). A raidmap is configured to map the VBNs to the DBNs of the plurality of physical disks, the mapping for a particular disk stored in a disk label for the particular disk. The disk label for the particular disk is then written to the particular disk.
US07660961B2
The invention relates to a method for performing generational garbage collection on a heap comprising a plurality of generations. The method involves dividing a young generation of the heap into a first young generation and a second young generation, evacuating the first young generation concurrently with allocating the second young generation, and evacuating the second young generation concurrently with allocating the first young generation and subsequent to fully evacuating the first young generation.
US07660960B2
The updating of only some memory locations in a multiple computer environment in which at least one applications program (50) executes simultaneously on a plurality of computers M1, M2. . . . Mn each of which has a local memory, is disclosed. Memory locations (A, B, D, E, X) in said local memory are categorized into two groups. The first group of memory locations (X1, X2, . . . Xn, A1, A2, . . . An) are each accessible by other computers. The second group of memory locations (B, E) are each accessible only by the computer having the local memory including the memory location. Changes to the values of memory locations in the first group only are transmitted to all other computers. A promotion mechanism is disclosed to promote memory locations in the second group into the first group in the event that application program execution means that a memory location in said second group is referred to by a memory location in the first group (ie the first group location now points to the second group location).
US07660951B2
Efficient transfer of data to and from random access memory is described. Multiple request sources and a memory system comprise memory modules having memory banks, each bank containing rows of data. The retrieval comprises transferring all data pursuant to a given request by one source before any data is transferred pursuant to a subsequent request from said second source. This retrieval is achieved using a memory arbiter that implements an algorithm for atomic read/write. Each bank is assigned a FIFO buffer by the arbiter to store access requests. The access requests are arbitrated, and an encoded value of a winner of arbitration is loaded into the relevant FIFO buffer(s) before choosing the next winner. When an encoded value reaches the head of the buffer, all associated data is accessed in the given bank before accessing data for another request source.
US07660945B1
Methods and structures for limiting the write portion of a local cache memory in one or more disk drives of a storage system such that a storage controller coupled to each may mirror the content and structure of the write portion of each disk drive. The size of the write portion of the local cache memory in a disk drive controller may be controlled by the storage controller or other host device. The size of the write portion may be controlled by switch settings to select among a plurality of predefined sizes or may be programmed by the storage controller or other host device. Programming such a size value may be by setting parameter values in a configuration page of a SCSI disk drive's local memory or may be by a vendor unique command sent by a host device to the disk drive.
US07660944B2
A controller for controlling the operation of a hard disk drive is capable of generating a random number using the hard disk drive. Initially the hard disk drive is disabled from performing a read-ahead operation. Random addresses on the hard disk drive are generated from the output of the pseudo-random number generator. Read-verify commands is sent to the hard disk drive to perform a read-verify operation of reading and verifying the data stored in the sectors of the hard disk drive at the random addresses without returning the data. The disk access times taken by the hard disk drive to access the sectors are measured. A deskewing process is performed on a plural number of disk access time measurements to generate a random number.
US07660941B2
A restrictive multi-level-cell (MLC) flash memory prohibits regressive page-writes. When a regressive page-write is requested, an empty block having a low wear-level count is found, and data from the regressive page-write and data from pages stored in the old block are written to the empty block in page order. The old block is erased and recycled. A two-level look-up table is stored in volatile random-access memory (RAM). A logical page address from a host is divided by a modulo divider to generate a quotient and a remainder. The quotient is a logical block address that indexes a first-level look-up table to find a mapping entry with a physical block address that selects a row in a second-level look-up table. The remainder locates a column in the row in the second-level look-up table. If any page-valid bits above the column pointed to by the remainder are set, the write is regressive.
US07660940B2
A carrier having at least one self timed memory chip in a daisy chain of memory chips. A first carrier has at least a portion of a daisy chain of memory chips attached to the first carrier. An address/command bus input on the first carrier carries an address/command word to a first memory chip in the daisy chain of memory chips. If the first memory chip determines that the address/command word is not directed to the first memory chip, the first memory chip re-drives the address/command word to a second memory chip in the daisy chain of memory chips using a point to point address/command bus link. If there are no more memory chips on the first carrier, the address/command word is re-driven to an address/command bus off-carrier connector. An array on a memory chip has an access time dynamically determined by how fast the array can be accessed.
US07660939B2
A programmable logic device with an embedded operating system is disclosed. The programmable logic device includes a bus, memory, a number of bidirectional communication ports, a switching mechanism. The operating system embedded in the programmable logic device responds to input received through the ports by either sending data to a device connected to one such port, or by instructing the switching mechanism to establish a direct connection between two such ports. This device may be included as part of a larger computer system.
US07660938B1
A portable universal serial bus (USB) data exchanger device is described herein. In one embodiment, the portable USB data exchanger includes at least one flash memory chip having a multi-level cell (MLC) memory array, a flash memory controller coupled to the at least one flash memory chip, the flash memory controller having a USB on-the-go (OTG) capability and controlling reading and writing of the flash memory chip, a first extended USB (EUSB) connector coupled to the flash memory controller to be coupled to a host, and a second EUSB connector coupled to the flash memory controller to be coupled to a slave USB device. The Portable USB data exchanger can communicate with either a host or a slave USB device without polling. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.
US07660929B2
A connector interface system for a communication device is disclosed. The interface includes a docking connector. The docking connector includes first make/last break contacts that minimize internal damage to the internal electronics. The docking connector also includes specific keying arrangement to prevent noncompliant connectors from being plugged in, and thereby minimizes potential damage to the multi-communication device. The connector interface system also includes a remote connector which provides for the ability to output audio, input audio, provides I/O serial protocol, and to provide an output video. Embodiments of the present invention allow for a standard headphone cable to be plugged in but also for special remote control cables, microphone cables, video cables could be utilized in such a system. The connector interface system also includes a serial protocol to control device features. These controls help a user sort and search for data more efficiently within the device.
US07660926B2
There is described an apparatus and method for implementing a communications port. The apparatus comprises a core, which is operable to divide the port into a plurality of sub-ports by dividing a data transfer capacity of the port among the plurality of sub-ports using time division multiplexing. Each sub-port is allocated a corresponding data transfer capacity.
US07660922B2
A method and apparatus for supporting multiple device numbers on point-to-point interconnect upstream ports. In one embodiment, the method includes a downstream component (DC) that performs discovery of internal device components of the DC during initialization of the DC. Subsequent to the discovery of internal devices of the DC, the DC may issue a multiple device number (MDN) request to an upstream component (UC) of the DC. In one embodiment, the MDN request may include an indication that the DC supports a “multiple device number capability,” as well as a quantity of the internal device components of the DC. The DC may receive an acknowledgement MDN from the UC to indicate a quantity of device numbers allocated to the DC. Subsequently, the DC may assign device numbers to the internal device components of the DC according to configuration requests received from the UC. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07660921B2
The present invention provides a portable electronic storage device able to receive, store, and transmit or otherwise convey digital data and images from one electronic device to another. The storage device may generally include a housing containing one or more electronic components, and a plurality of connectors extending from the housing, the connectors being engageable with secondary electronic devices for the transfer of data and/or images. The electronic storage device may further include a software program operable via the secondary electronic devices for the manipulation of data and/or images.
US07660917B2
A method, system, and computer-usable medium for coupling a collection of devices to a bridge, wherein the collection of devices includes high-performance devices and low-performance devices, coupling a data bus to the bridge, utilizing a collection of transfer credits to allow transfer of commands to the collection of devices, transferring commands to the collection of devices only when at least one transfer credit is available, and in response to determining a number of transfer credits falls below a predetermined threshold, utilizing a command arbitration scheme that gives priority to commands to the high-performance devices among the collection of devices.
US07660913B2
The present disclosure relates to attempting to initialize and configure a device utilizing a remote server and, more specifically, to attempting to initialize a device with low level device configuration information that is stored on a remote server or servers.
US07660910B2
A method and system that allows a host system application to securely communicate with a legacy device is provided. A redirector software module receives data that is destined for a host system serial COM port. Data is secured and re-directed to a legacy device via a network port instead of the serial COM port. Conversely, data destined for the host system is provided to a device server via a server COM port by the legacy serial device. The data can be encrypted and sent to the host system via the network. The redirector software module decrypts the encrypted data and presents it to the consumer application as if the data had arrived via the local COM port.
US07660899B2
Cobrowsing web sites by two or more users is disclosed. For a cobrowsing session between a first client of a first user and a second client of a second user, the cobrowsing session is first initiated. The first user browses a web site on the first client. The first client sends to the second client a synchronization message. The synchronization message indicates one or more commands reflecting the browsing performed by the first user. The second client receives the synchronization message, and cobrowses the web site in accordance with the message and its included commands. Cobrowsing continues until the cobrowsing session is terminated. The commands of the synchronization message allow for fine granularity of cobrowsing.
US07660891B2
A network node discovery method allows multiple enumerators to concurrently accept and interpret the same enumeration responses from responder nodes on a network. In this manner, the responder nodes do not have to issue individual responses for each enumerator. Each responder maintains a discovery state and one or more per-enumerator session states to manage when the responder should transmit enumeration responses. The enumeration, therefore, proceeds at a target network load, irrespective of the number of enumerators present, and completes in a short time by making efficient use of the network capacity available. Furthermore, an enumerator can determine that it need only wait for responses solicited by other enumerators, rather than requesting them, thereby reducing network traffic in the presence of many concurrently enumerating nodes.
US07660888B2
Methods, system and program product for determining network resource availability in order to avoid time delays caused by querying unavailable resources are disclosed. In one embodiment, the invention queries the network resource to determine network resource availability and response time, and indicates the network resource is available only if the network resource is determined to be available within a specified response time.
US07660883B2
A network monitoring system monitors a data network and enables observation of the data network state in the present or any arbitrary previous time. The system maintains an object-oriented network model that mirrors the state of network devices. A network data repository stores and maintains the network model. The network model retains a history of network events, enabling the system to reconstruct the state of all or a portion of the devices in the network at any previous time. The network data repository detects network devices on the data network to be monitored, communicates with network devices, monitors the state of network devices, receives and records network events, provides device and network state information to client applications, and manages data storage. Client applications can rewind and replay the history of the network model, allowing the observation of network devices and all of their state data at any prior time.
US07660876B2
According to one embodiment of the invention, a method of accessing, by a client, one or more files residing in a server includes requesting, by the client, downloading of a selected file residing in the server. The selected file is associated with at least one associated file. The method also includes initiating downloading of the selected file and automatically determining the identify of, and initiating downloading of, the at least one associated file in response to requesting downloading of the selected file. The method also includes initiating storing, in a memory associated with the client, of the selected file and the at least one associated file under respective local identifiers.
US07660869B1
A method can be used to analyze the “real-estate” performance of content items within a network site. The method can comprise determining the click distance to reach each content item and determining the performance of each content item. The method can also comprise calculating a predicted value for performance based on statistical relationship between location and performance observed in a population of content items. The method can comprise comparing the predicted and actual performance. If a content item has an actual performance greater than its predicted performance, then it may be promoted to a better location in the site and the converse for poorer performing content. Such an analysis may be performed using a graph or tabular data.
US07660862B2
A method of selecting a recipient of a message on the basis of data identifying access to previously transmitted messages, wherein each said message includes content data for display within a display area of a receiving terminal and control data including data indicative of a user selectable portion within the display area. The method includes receiving content data having one of a plurality of different types for use in creating said message, accessing tracking data corresponding to a previously transmitted message containing content data of a given type, the tracking data being indicative of selection of said user selectable portion upon display thereof at said receiving terminal, and selecting a recipient of the message on the basis of the received content data and the tracking data.
US07660856B2
A method and system for using web services to notify a subscriber that an event has occurred at a voice mail switch and to retrieve the event is described. A notification server receives an event and an associated identifier from the voice mail switch. The identifier is correlated to a subscriber and an alert indicating that the event occurred is generated. The alert is sent to a destination selected by the subscriber. The alert includes an event reference that links the subscriber to the event through a network via a URL. The subscriber retrieves the event through a web portal view associated with the URL.
US07660854B2
New and improved systems and methods for confirming transmission of email and other similar messages (e.g., instant messages, wireless device messages, etc.). Such systems and methods includes and involve generation means for permitting a sender to generate an email message to be sent to a specified recipient via a messaging system, confirmation means for confirming that the email message is to be sent to the specified recipient by presenting to the sender a confirmation notice requesting the sender to confirm that the specified recipient is an intended recipient of the email message, and sending means for causing the email message to be sent to the specified recipient via the messaging system after the sender operates the confirmation means and confirms that the specified recipient is an intended recipient.
US07660853B2
The present invention provides an improved technique for accessing information in a peer-to-peer network. According to specific embodiments of the present invention, each file accessible in the peer-to-peer network is assigned a respective hash ID or fingerprint ID which is used to describe the contents of that file. Files in the peer-to-peer network may be identified and/or accessed based upon their associated hash ID values. In this way it is possible to identify identical files stored in the peer-to-peer network which have different file names and/or other metadata descriptors. Since the content of all files having the same hash ID will be identical, an automated process may be used to retrieve the desired content from one or more of the identified files.
US07660840B2
An FFT butterfly instruction based on single instruction multiple data (“SIMD”) technique is executed to reduce the number of cycles for software to perform FFT butterfly operations. The FFT butterfly instruction can implement one or more instances of the FFT butterfly operation (e.g., non-SIMD, 2-way SIMD, 4-way SIMD, etc.), at once, each instance operating over a set of complex values. A control register or variant opcode controls the behavior of the FFT butterfly operation. The contents of the control register or the variant opcode can be altered to configure the butterfly behavior to suit specific circumstances. The FFT butterfly instruction can be used in the software on a processor in a chip-set implementing the central-office modem end of a DSL link. The FFT butterfly instruction can also be used in other contexts where an FFT function is performed (and/or where an FFT butterfly operation is used) including systems that do not implement DSL or DMT.
US07660832B2
A recovery method that uses log takes a long time to recover, and another recovery method that uses backup has the difficulties that if a computer abnormally stops its conversion process due to a failure, the result of the conversion performed up to the time of that abnormal stop couldn't be reflected on the later process for recovery. In a computer system, a system recovery management unit produces backup as the initial status of volume and snapshot taken when the system is operating, by use of a backup restore processing unit of a storage apparatus, and manages the situations of the process by use of a recovery point list/table. When a trouble occurs, it determines a point of recovery from the recovery point list/table, and makes the volume be recovered from the produced backup and the overwriting of meta data in order to keep the data consistency.
US07660829B2
The invention provides a distributed file system configured to delegate file system operations to clients. The client obtains a delegation associated with an object managed by the server. The delegation enables the client to perform a file system operation on behalf of the server. The client caches the object and enables users associated with the client to access the object in accordance with the delegation.
US07660827B2
A method, apparatus, and computer-readable media for retrieving records in a hierarchical set of the records having a plurality of hierarchical levels and a plurality of hierarchical depths, each of the records having a tag that is unique within the hierarchical set of the records, comprises identifying one of the records in the hierarchical set of the records; modifying the tag, thereby producing a key; indexing the hierarchical set of the records only once, thereby selecting one or more of the records within the hierarchical set of the records, wherein indexing the hierarchical set of the records only once comprises applying the key to the hierarchical set of the records; and retrieving the selected records.
US07660826B2
A method, system, and computer-usable medium for implementing a file directory in a server. An application including a buffer for retrieving and storing at least one entry is interfaced with the file directory. Utilizing a determined average filename length, an estimate of a number of entries among the collection of entries that can be stored by the buffer is determined. In response to determining at least one attribute data field has been requested, the number of entries that can be stored by the buffer is recalculated. Recalculating the number of entries includes determining an amount of data required for storing the collection of filenames, a collection of fixed-length attribute data fields, and a collection of variable-length attribute data fields. The recalculated number of entries is then requested from the file directory, and the buffer is loaded, with the recalculated number of entries.
US07660814B2
Techniques are presented for mapping a physical table to multiple virtual tables. One or more fields within a results set from a query are mapped or associated to one or more virtual tables. The virtual tables are organized as sub graphs and connected together as a set. A reference to the set is provided to a table join analysis service and a join is performed against the set to produce a single logical reference to a table. The single table reference may be treated as a single table for purposes of subsequent search and retrieval by a searcher.
US07660811B2
A system that facilitates analyzing content of a multi-dimensional structure comprises a calculation component that receives statements in a declarative language relating to one or more of an assignment and calculation and executes such statements against a multi-dimensional structure. A pass generation component creates a pass in order to maintain content of the multi-dimensional structure as it existed prior to execution of the statement, the pass is accessible upon reference to such pass.
US07660807B2
Systems and methods for managing electronic data are disclosed. Various data management operations can be performed based on a metabase formed from metadata. Such metadata can be identified from an index of data interactions generated by a journaling module, and obtained from their associated data objects stored in one or more storage devices. In various embodiments, such processing of the index and storing of the metadata can facilitate, for example, enhanced data management operations, enhanced data identification operations, enhanced storage operations, data classification for organizing and storing the metadata, cataloging of metadata for the stored metadata, and/or user interfaces for managing data. In various embodiments, the metabase can be configured in different ways. For example, the metabase can be stored separately from the data objects so as to allow obtaining of information about the data objects without accessing the data objects or a data structure used by a file system.
US07660806B2
The present invention relates to a system and methodology to facilitate automated error correction of user input data via an analysis of the input data in accordance with an automatically generated and filtered database of processed structural groupings or formulations selected and filtered from past user activities. The filtered database provides a relevant foundation of potential phrases, topics, symbols, speech and/or colloquial structures of interest to users—which are automatically determined from previous user activity, and employed to facilitate automated error checking in accordance with the user's current input, command and/or request for information.
US07660792B2
A system and method are provided for improving a user search experience by identifying spam results in a result set produced in response to a query. The system may include a user interface spam feedback mechanism for allowing a user to indicate that a given result is spam. The system may additionally include an automated spam identification mechanism for implementing automated techniques on the given result to determine whether the given result is spam. The system may further include a merging component for merging the determinations of the user interface spam feedback mechanism and the automated spam identification mechanism for deriving an indicator of the likelihood that a given result is spam.
US07660789B2
An abstraction for rich data access for consumers of a service in a service oriented system. The abstraction is created by the author of a service which owns the data, and includes a number of service-public properties and associations. Further, the abstraction can contain metadata and logic that provides for a rich, interactive experience for the consumer interacting with the data encapsulated by the entity agent. These can include verifying that the data conforms to the contract published by the owning service, validating and defaulting properties, and validating associated data. Also the abstraction can contains metadata and logic for transmitting of the data back to the owning service and optionally saving to the local data store of the consumer.
US07660788B1
The invention provides a technique to prevent confusion between part numbers used by different suppliers and manufacturers. The invention includes a database that (1) creates an association between part numbers that are directed to comparable parts, (2) generates a universal number for comparable parts, and (3) creates an association between the part numbers and the universal part. This set of associations is used to generate documents that include part numbers that the recipient of the document is familiar with. Limitations are placed on what authorities may provide information about a set of associations. Generally, only the supplier of a part or the supplier of a comparable part may create associations between their parts. This limitation helps maintain the integrity of information in the database. This database is coupled to a shared service network such as a hub for design collaboration or supply chain control.
US07660783B2
It is a first aspect of the present invention to provide a computer implemented method of performing ad-hoc analysis including the steps of: generating a text index of the textual information items, generating a metadata lookup structure based, at least in part, on the text index, searching the text index using a search query, compiling results of the text index search into aggregate information related to characteristics of the search results from the metadata items associated with the textual information items in the search results from the metadata lookup structure, and reporting the aggregate information.
US07660775B2
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that constructs a classifier that distinguishes between different classes of data points. During operation, the system first receives a data set, which includes class-one data points and class-two data points. For each class-one data point in the data set, the system uses a separating primitive to produce a set of point-to-point separating boundaries, wherein each point-to-point separating boundary separates the class-one data point from a different class-two data point. Next, the system combines separating boundaries in the set of separating boundaries to produce a point-to-class separating boundary that separates the class-one data point from all of the class-two data points in the data set. Finally, the system combines the point-to-class separating boundaries for each of the class-one data points to produce a class-to-class separating boundary for the classifier that separates all of the class-one data points from all of the class-two data points in the data set.
US07660773B1
An adaptive mutation operator for a genetic algorithm that programmatically mutates individuals in a constrained optimization for a modeled system is discussed. The mutation operator takes into account linear and bound constraints in generating new mutated individuals. The mutation operator generates random mutation direction vectors and random initial step sizes. A mutated individual is generated and moved along a randomly chosen mutation direction vector a distance equal to the initial step size. The generated mutated individual is compared to the linear and bound constraints. In the event the generated mutated individual is located in an infeasible region, the illustrative embodiment of the present invention automatically adjusts the step size to a smaller value and generates another mutated individual along the chosen mutation direction vector. The process iterates until the generated individual is within the feasible region. The number of available valid mutation directions increases as the step size decreases.
US07660771B2
A technique is provided for automatically converting checks to ACH debits. The process is a two-part process in which the MICR line in a check is read at the point the check is presented and a decision is made if the check can be converted to an ACH debit. The decision is made by applying various rules. If the system is unable to convert the check to an ACH debit, then the check is processed as a normal check. If a decision is made that the check can be processed as an ACH debit, then the MICR line is parsed for the financial institution which issues the check to create the ACH debit.
US07660770B2
A system and method for providing a Contact Management System (CMS) so that individual owners of personal contact data may control and manage the access and dissemination of the personal data. The owner of personal contact data may securely register the data with secured information vault of the CMS and specify which other parties may have access to the personal data. In this way, duplication of the personal data is avoided, but at the same time is always current. In use, a second party's device, such as a telephone or a PDA may access the CMS database and under public key infrastructure (PKI) controls identify themselves so that access to the owner's personal data may be verified. Once verified, the telephone number or other data may be returned to the device where a call may be automatically placed or otherwise used.
US07660768B2
Providing a time-of-transaction currency conversion from a merchant's local currency to a cardholder's credit card currency uses a conversion rate developed by reference to the particular merchant, acquirer, card association and issuer. After a merchant has generated an authorization request in the merchant's currency for a transaction by a cardholder in a different currency, the transaction amount in the authorization is converted from the merchant's currency to the currency of the cardholder's issuing currency, and optionally modified to include additional fees. The converted authorization request is then transmitted to the appropriate card association and then to the issuing bank for authorization, with a response returned to the merchant. The cardholder sees and approves the transaction in the cardholder's currency, and in an amount identical to the amount for which he will be billed.
US07660760B2
A deal feed system for passing deal tickets to back office systems comprises a deal feed contributor which receives tickets from trades on a plurality of trading systems on a plurality of trading floors, a database for storing the tickets, and a distributor for passing the tickets to back office systems. Virtual deal codes are defined to which a plurality of real deal codes map. The virtual deal codes to which a ticket relates is stored in a table with a reference to the stored ticket. A deal code table is updated with the range of the virtual deal code and the update transmitted to the bank office systems and to traders.
US07660759B2
A trade filtering process for preventing the processing of suspect trades includes a trade monitoring process for monitoring a trade price associated with each trade of a specific stock during a trading session. A trade comparison process, responsive to the trade monitoring process, compares the trade price of each trade of a specific stock to a known acceptable price for that specific stock to determine which trades are suspect trades. A suspect trade filtering process, responsive to the trade comparison process, prevents the processing of the suspect trades.
US07660751B2
A system for allowing a remote user to purchase and trade, over a distributed computer network (e.g., the Internet), an option for a ticket and/or accommodations for a “contingent event,” i.e., an event which is certain to occur but for which the participants, content and/or location(s) are not predetermined. For instance, the subject system can be used to sell and trade options for the purchase of tickets to such contingent events such as playoff games on the basis of what teams qualify.
US07660749B2
Representing activity in an online store is disclosed. Information associated with the activities of a second visitor to the store is received. An indication of the presence of a first visitor at the store is also received. The activities of the second visitor are displayed to the first visitor.
US07660745B2
Systems and techniques for management and negotiation of prices of goods purchased from a vendor. Pricing information is collected by a purchaser. This information reflects factors influencing pricing of components used by a vendor and intended for use in products sold to the purchaser. The pricing information is processed to develop models that can be used to compute expected prices for components. The models and other available information are then used to compute target prices for components. When a price quotation for a product is received from a vendor, the price quotation is analyzed, and the quoted price is compared against an overall target price generated by identifying the components making up the product and adding the target prices for components and elements making up the product. If the quoted price exceeds the target price, the price quotation is rejected. Negotiations may then be undertaken to resolve the pricing differences.
US07660744B2
A method is provided for effecting transactions across multiple vendors in an integrated environment, wherein the user may purchase each of a plurality of items the user finds independent of the vendors. The user's selections are received from the user and mapped to a selected set of vendors. When the user is finished, she invokes a check-out application to fill in one or many order entry forms for each of the relevant vendors whose goods the user selected during the course of shopping. The check-out application uses common information, such as name, address and credit card number, previously provided by the user in order to fill in the order entry forms for each vendor without requiring the user to fill in these forms. Finally, the check-out application tracks confirmation numbers in a common information store.
US07660739B2
Disclosed is a method and apparatus to electronically tabulate items marked with a bar code. The system may optionally operate to manage, control and tabulate inventory, produce vendor-correct purchase orders, manage multiple locations, multiple buildings, multiple clients and multiple stores to facilitate efficiency for a wholesaler or retailer or alternatively for a distributor, broker or sales agent. The system may alternatively be used to manage inventory for a manufacturing environment or for tracking evidence or items in a chain of custody environment useful for governmental and scientific functions.
US07660727B2
The present invention relates to a system and method for selecting and reserving rooms at a venue. The system or method transmits information relating to a plurality of available individual rooms at a venue to an application running on a general purpose computer on the wide area network for display to the end user. The system or method also provides a graphical user interface that includes an interactive map showing information relating to the available rooms at the venue. Through the interactive map the end user can select one or more available rooms. The interactive map may provide additional information on the one or more of available individual rooms when triggered by, for example, a mouse placed over one of the available individual rooms.
US07660725B2
Computer-implemented methods and systems for estimating liability for a vehicle accident are provided. In one embodiment, at least one stopping distance of a vehicle may be estimated. In some embodiments, a stopping distance may include an approximate distance for the vehicle traveling at a specified speed to stop to avoid the accident. A perception distance that may correspond to an approximate distance from the accident at which the vehicle sensed danger of an accident may be estimated. In certain embodiments, an opportunity of the vehicle to avoid the accident using the perception distance may be assessed. Some embodiments may include estimating an effect on liability based on the opportunity to avoid the accident.
US07660722B2
The users are allowed to easily retrieve contents data such as recipe data. A personal computer (103) receives recipe data from a server (101) via a communication network (102), and stores the received recipe data in a memory card (104). The personal computer updates recipe hierarchical information (142) in the memory card (104), i.e., information which indicates classified levels of recipe data based on retrieval keys, with reference to overall hierarchical information (133), i.e., information which indicates the hierarchical relation of retrieval keys in the whole recipes, so that the newly stored recipe data is included in the recipe hierarchical information.
US07660713B2
The present invention provides systems and methods for signal detection and enhancement. The systems and methods utilize one or more discriminative classifiers (e.g., a logistic regression model and a convolutional neural network) to estimate a posterior probability that indicates whether a desired signal is present in a received signal. The discriminative estimators generate the estimated probability based on one or more signal-to-noise ratio (SNRs) (e.g., a normalized logarithmic posterior SNR (nlpSNR) and a mel-transformed nlpSNR (mel-nlpSNR)) and an estimated noise model. Depending on the resolution desired, the estimated SNR can be generated at a frame level or at an atom level, wherein the atom level estimates are utilized to generate the frame level estimate. The novel systems and methods can be utilized to facilitate speech detection, speech recognition, speech coding, noise adaptation, speech enhancement, microphone arrays and echo-cancellation.
US07660710B2
A Driveline Angle Analyzer (DAA) for determining a torsional acceleration and inertias of a vehicle driveline by entering measurements of a vehicle driveline configuration into a graphical user interface program. The user selects the driveline configuration of interest from a plurality of driveline configurations. Then, the user enters information, such as driveline measurements relating to the selected driveline configuration. To aide in gathering the correct information, the user can print out a worksheet for the selected driveline configuration. After the user inputs the information for the selected driveline configuration, the user can select a corrective mode that allows the user to improve the selected driveline configuration. For example, the user can change the angle of a component with the surrounding components by changing their angles and/or length while enabling the components to stay connected to each other, thus maintaining the vehicle's driveline geometry.
US07660707B2
A model detection apparatus comprises a number of estimate parameter memories for storing mutually different distribution estimate parameters representing occurrences of input data. A number of distribution estimators are respectively associated with the parameter memories for producing distribution estimate parameters from data stored in the associated parameter memories and from a series of input data, and updating the associated parameter memories with the produced parameters. A model series memory stores candidate models corresponding in number to the parameter memories. A model series estimator produces candidate models using the series of input data, the stored distribution estimate parameters and the stored candidate models, and updates the model series memory with the produced candidate models. An optimal model series calculator calculates an optimal series of models from the candidate models stored in the model series memory.
US07660703B2
A device for processing a signal of pressure measurement of an internal combustion engine combustion chamber. The device obtains, by a low-pass filter of the pressure measuring signal, a filtered signal, subtracts the filtered signal from the pressure measuring signal to obtain a difference signal, compares the difference signal to a predetermined threshold value, and determines a combustion starting time as a time at which the difference signal reaches the predetermined threshold value.
US07660696B1
Provided is an apparatus for auto focusing a workpiece for optical metrology measurements using an optical metrology system. The auto focusing subsystem includes a focus detector having a tilt angle, a capture range, and a plurality of sensors. A processor coupled to the focus detector is configured to utilize the plurality of focus signals measured using the focus detector to determine two or more focus parameters. The two or more focus parameters and calibration data are used to determine an initial position of the workpiece and to generate instructions to move the workpiece to a best focus position. A diffraction signal is measured off a structure on the workpiece using the optical metrology system to determine at least one profile parameter of the structure. The at least one profile parameter is used to modify at least one process variable or equipment setting of a semiconductor fabrication cluster.
US07660694B2
A method and arrangement is provided for estimating an initial value for an internal battery temperature of a vehicle using a four zone process that determines which of a predetermined set of time zones correlates with a measured period of time for an engine of the vehicle being in an engine-off condition. Once the time zone is determined, an initial estimated value of the internal temperature of the battery is determined as a function of a set of parameters correlated with the determined time zone. The set of time zones include a holding time zone, a model based estimation time zone which is greater in time than the holding time zone, a first self-adjustment zone which is greater in time than the model based estimation time zone, and a second self-adjustment time zone which is greater in time than the first self-adjustment time zone.
US07660691B2
A clock circuit for an integrated circuit having at least one MOS transistor. The clock circuit includes a first circuit for inducing a degradation of the transistor as a function of time and circuit for measuring a parameter of the transistor that reflects a lowering of the performance of the transistor resulting from the degradation. This also includes a method of generating a counting value of clock circuit by inducing continuous degradation of an MOS transistor. The method could include measuring a parameter of transistor, reflecting a lowering of performance of transistor resulting from the degradation. The method could also include measuring the temperature and calculating the counting value of the clock from the value of the parameter, from the measured temperature and from a law of variation of the parameter as a function of time and temperature.
US07660688B2
A surface-profile measuring instrument includes a movement-estimating unit that estimates a movement state of a drive mechanism in accordance with a scanning vector command issued by a scanning vector commanding unit to calculate an estimated movement state quantity, and a correction calculating unit that corrects a detection value of a drive sensor in accordance with the estimated movement state quantity calculated by the movement-estimating unit. The movement-estimating unit has a nominal model setting unit in which a nominal model from the scanning vector commanding unit to the probe is set. The correction calculating unit includes a correction-amount calculating unit that calculates a correction amount for correcting a measurement error generated by a deformation of the drive mechanism in accordance with the movement thereof and a measurement data synthesizing unit that synthesizes the detection value of the drive sensor and the displacement sensor and the calculated correction-amount calculated by the correction-amount calculating unit.
US07660682B2
A meter device for measuring electrical energy is provided. The meter device includes circuitry for measuring at least one parameter of electrical energy provided to the meter device. A storage device is provided for storing at least one calibration factor for compensating for errors associated with at least one of at least one external current transformer (CT) and at least one external potential transformer (PT) that operates on the electrical energy provided to the meter device. At least one processor is provided for processing the at least one calibration factor for adjusting the measuring for compensating for the errors when measuring the at least one parameter of electrical energy.
US07660680B1
Systems and methods are provided for automatically totalizing materials from multiple feed locations in parallel while mitigating device requirements to monitor such locations. In one aspect, an industrial automation system to process materials is provided. The system includes a totalizer component to determine an aggregated amount of materials supplied from at least two feed locations. A logic component periodically monitors at least one of the feed locations to determine the amount of each material.
US07660670B2
The invention relates to a method for predicting zonal productivity of an oilfield drilling operation. The method includes acquiring critical drawdown pressure profile (CDPP) of at least one selected from a group consisting of an open well and a cased well, establishing a CDPP criteria according to geomechanics based model, identifying sand failure according to the CDPP criteria, and predicting zonal productivity of a drilling operation according to the sand failure.
US07660663B2
A traffic information transmitting apparatus, method, and program store accumulated traffic information including past traffic information and estimate traffic information at a time when a vehicle passes through a predetermined link based on the accumulated traffic information. The apparatus, method, and program determine whether the estimated traffic information is substantially different from traffic information stored in the vehicle. The apparatus, method, and program transmit, when the estimated traffic information and the traffic information stored in the vehicle are substantially different, the substantially different estimated traffic information to the vehicle.
US07660662B2
A method to operate an electronic controlled diesel engine to provide enhanced fault code administration responsive to the variable driving cycle.
US07660659B2
A driving support apparatus, which supports a driving operation of a vehicle by an operator by capturing a view around the vehicle and by displaying the captured view on at least a display device provided inside a cabin of the vehicle, and includes: a target spot setting device for setting a target spot that is a position to which the operator attempts to direct the vehicle; a distance measuring device for measuring a distance between the vehicle and the target spot; a speed measuring device for measuring a traveling speed of the vehicle; and a speed controlling device for controlling the traveling speed of the vehicle so as not to exceed a speed predetermined in accordance with the distance between the vehicle and the target spot.
US07660658B2
Apparatus, methods and computer readable media for speed management and control, including logic executable to determine a present geographic position of a wireless device, logic executable to determine a speed limit corresponding to the present geographic position, and logic executable to selectively generate an alert based upon the speed limit.
US07660657B2
A system and method for largely controlling transmission gear ratio oscillation is disclosed. When shifts are executed substantially at synchronous points rendering hysteretic anti-hunting schemes impractical, the disclosed techniques in any combination thereof may allow for oscillation control via an overridable lock-out timer. For oscillation control during incline navigation and other similar loading scenarios, the transmission may be selectively locked if certain operational criteria are met.
US07660654B2
A control system (18) and method for an automotive vehicle (10) includes a pitch rate sensor (37) generating a pitch rate signal, a longitudinal acceleration sensor (36) generating a longitudinal acceleration signal, and a yaw rate sensor (28) generating a yaw rate signal. A safety system (44) and the sensors are coupled to a controller. From the sensors, the controller (26) determines an added mass and a position of the added mass, a pitch gradient and/or a pitch acceleration coefficient that takes into account the added mass and position. The controller controls a vehicle system in response to the added mass and the position of the added mass, the pitch gradient and/or pitch acceleration coefficient variables.
US07660653B2
A car navigation system includes: a vehicle-information acquiring means 14 for acquiring the vehicle information held by a vehicle 2; a setting-information generating means 15, 16 for generating setting information to be set in a processing program 19 based on the vehicle information acquired by the vehicle-information acquiring means; a setting-information notification means 17 for notifying the setting information generated by the setting-information generating means 15, 16 to the processing program 19; and a setting-information switching means 18, included in the processing program 19, for switching the internal setting state of the processing program 19 according to the setting information given by the setting-information notification means, wherein the processing program 19 performs a navigation function in the setting state switched by the setting-information switching means 18.
US07660652B2
A vehicle tracking device (101), method and/or system are provided. The device (101) includes a location interface (117), for receiving a location signal indicating a current location when operably connected to a GPS antenna; a sensor interface (109), for receiving sensor signals from sensors in the vehicle indicating a sensed status of the vehicle, when electrically or electronically connected to the sensors; and a processor (105). The processor (105) is configured to facilitate receiving, from the location interface, indications of a current location; determining, responsive to the location signal, a determined current location of the vehicle (127); receiving, from the sensor interface, a sensed status of the vehicle (129); recording a pre-defined event condition, when the pre-defined event condition occurs (131) responsive to the sensed status, in a vehicle history; and recording the determined current location in the vehicle history (133).
US07660641B2
Under the present invention, a GUI is provided that allows an assembly line to be both graphically and dynamically configured. In general, the GUI allows a designer or the like to “graphically” configure: a hierarchy of categories representing the assembly line; the process points along the assembly line; the different events that can be triggered at the process points; the actions that are taken in response to the events; the processes (sequences of actions) for the events; and the input parameters for the events and the actions. In a typical embodiment, the GUI is maintained on a system that is separate from the central computer controlling the assembly line. This not only allows the assembly line to be configured remotely, but also without ceasing operation of the line.
US07660639B2
Control system for control subject having combustion unit and control system for plant having boiler
A control system includes a basic control command operating unit, a fuel data storage unit, a running results database for storing past running results values of a control subject, a data creating unit configured to calculate a distance between data of the past running results values and the data sets and determining data set in which a distance between data becomes minimum, a modeling unit configured to model a relationship between operation parameters of a combustion apparatus and components in combustion gas of the combustion apparatus by using the data set determined by the data creating unit and a correcting unit for calculating combustion apparatus operation parameters with which components having a better condition than that of the components in a current gas are provided by using a model of the modeling unit and correcting operation command values of the basic control command operating unit by calculated operation parameters.
US07660630B2
An implantable medical device (“IMD”) as described herein includes adjustable power characteristics such as variable transmitter output power and variable receiver front end gain. These power characteristics are adjusted based upon the intended or actual implant depth of the IMD. The IMD may process an IMD implant depth value (provided by an external IMD programming device) to generate power scaling instructions or control signals that are interpreted by the IMD transmitter and/or the IMD receiver. Such adjustability enables the IMD to satisfy minimum telemetry requirements in a manner that does not waste power, thus extending the IMD battery life.
US07660622B2
The present invention provides a method for positioning an electromagnetic tracking sensor. The method includes attaching a sensor to an anatomy, obtaining an image of the anatomy, indicating a size of each of a plurality of volumes on the image, where the volumes include a smaller and larger volume, and making a determination of whether a region of interest is encompassed by one or more of the volumes. The present invention also provides a system for positioning an electromagnetic tracking sensor. The system includes a sensor attached to a patient anatomy, an imaging modality obtaining an image of the anatomy, an image processor indicating a size of each of a plurality of volumes on the image, where the plurality of volumes includes a smaller and larger volume, and an operator making a determination of whether a region of interest is encompassed by one or more of the volumes.
US07660621B2
An introducer is described that is coupled to a patient, specifically a patient's skull. The introducer may include an advancer that is remote from the patient, the advancer communicating with the introducer by means of a cable system. The introducer may also include a local position sensor that indicates the position of the primary medical device being introduced. The introducer may also include a frameless reference system that locates the primary medical device relative to a table that the patient is fixed to.
US07660619B2
A method for determining the condition of an animate or inanimate object by magnetic resonance imaging, MRI, particularly for determining the pathologic condition of rheumatoid arthritis (“arthritis rheumatoides”) and carrying out a patient follow-up.
US07660617B2
Typical electrical impedance tomography (“EIT”) systems apply current to a body under test and measure the induced voltages on the surface and then through an inverse process, reconstruct an approximation to the electrical conductivity in the interior. The EIT system described herein employs a new approach to evaluating the interior electrical conductivity by using a virtual short that allows both current and voltages to be measured at various locations on the body under test. The architecture of this system is described, distinguishability of embedded conductive anomalies is evaluated, typical error sources associated with a virtual short measurement is discussed in the context of electrical impedance tomography, and a new imaging system is discussed.
US07660612B2
A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) uses an oscillator providing accuracy for synchronized communications parameters in an active mode, and operates at reduced power during a discontinuous reception (DRX) mode. A real time clock (RTC) is used as the frequency standard during the reduced power operation, and a frequency adjustment is effected while the RTC is used as the frequency standard. By effecting the frequency adjustment, the RTC is able to be used as the frequency standard for substantial time periods, thereby reducing power consumption of the WTRU during the DRX mode.
US07660608B2
A handsfree device replaces a non-displayable character code in a registration name of each data entry in telephone number data with a space code in the course of reception from a mobile communication device. The registration name entirely replaced with the space code is stored in a memory medium as blank data. The registration name stored as the blank data is distinctively displayed on a display screen by using telephone number in association with the registration name in the telephone number data.
US07660605B2
A method and system for the configuration of a mobile station baseband circuit for an acoustic accessory having an identifier, the method comprising the steps of: determining whether the mobile device recognizes the identifier of the acoustic device; and configuring the baseband circuit with a DSP filter response and CODEC acoustic gain parameters for the acoustic device if the mobile device recognizes the identifier of the acoustic device. The system comprising: an identifier for each of the plurality of acoustic devices; a local memory in the mobile station storing a frequency (filter) response and gain parameters for at least one of the plurality of acoustic devices and for mapping them to the identifier; and a digital signal processor to re-shape an acoustic frequency response and adjust an audio gain of a baseband circuit for the mobile station based on the stored frequency response and gain parameters.
US07660596B1
A method and apparatus for provisioning a physical link to a service provider is disclosed whereby physical link information in a carrier network is store, in one embodiment, in a database within the carrier network or, in another embodiment, in a database shared by a carrier and a service provider. In response to a request from the service provider for the use of the physical link, physical link information and network management information associated is retrieved from that database. In one embodiment, this information is sent directly from the carrier via in-band signaling. In another embodiment, the information is retrieved from the shared database and is transmitted via out-of-band signaling. In accordance with yet another embodiment, messages exchanged between service providers and carriers comprise digital certificates that are used to verify the identity of the providers and carriers.
US07660594B2
A system and method for facilitating electronic communication between people who speak different languages. An SMS message including content in a first language is received at a network node. It is then determined whether the content in a first language is received at a network node. It is then determined whether the content of the SMS message is to be translated to a second language before being sent to a recipient. This determination can be based on an embedded code or on the fact that a bounded session has been previously established. The content is then translated from the first language to the second language, and the SMS message is thereafter sent to the recipient directly from the network node at which the translating step was performed.
US07660591B1
A method and apparatus for determining a location of a transmitter includes taking a Received Signal Strength (RSSI) measurement at a plurality of locations. Next, a known transmit power is subtracted from each of the RSSI measurements to produce a Propagation Loss Vector (PLV) for each location of the plurality of locations. A model is developed from the PLVs, the model including a plurality of grid points. A candidate Transmit Power Vector (TPV) is produced by subtracting the PLV for a candidate location from the RSSI measurement. Each of the RSSI measurements are matched against each TPV of the model. Once all the grid points have been evaluated, the grid point having a best match is selected as a location of the transmitter.
US07660587B2
Efficient and effective communications are initiated from the selection, at a first user device, of a link in a resource. Based on this selection, a communications request is transmitted to a server. In addition, identification information of a second user device (such as a telephone number or an Internet Protocol (IP) address) is transmitted to the server. As a result of this request and identification information, a communication response is received at the second user device. This communications response may be of various types, such as a voice call, a message, or a rich call.
US07660581B2
Improved search capabilities are disclosed for mobile communications devices such as cell phones, as well as improved techniques for delivering sponsored content in a mobile communication environment.
US07660566B2
A system for generating a tuning voltage including a processor, a tank circuit, and a feedback loop. The processor creates a tuning voltage that is provided to the tank circuit. A feedback loop optimizes tuning performance by adjusting the tuning voltage based on radio signal strength.
US07660558B2
In an embodiment, a method is provided. The method includes playing a content file with a media player on a cellular telephone. Also, the method includes receiving an interrupt event. Moreover, the method includes saving state of the media player on the cellular telephone in the media player.
US07660556B2
In a sheet post processing apparatus having a folding device that carries out the process of book folding by folding either one sheet or a plurality of sheets at a time on the sheets discharge from the image forming apparatus, a sheet stacking section that successively stacks the booklet-folded sheets, and a control unit that controls the sheet post processing apparatus, said control unit controls said folding device so that said booklet folding process of said sheets is carried out at the portions of two folding lines which are almost parallel thereby obtaining a square-shaped back of booklet.
US07660541B2
An image formation apparatus has a waste toner accommodation unit including a toner transporting rotation member covered with a fixed pipe. As the member rotates, waste toner in the pipe is transported downstream. The toner transporting rotation member has an upstream portion with a recessed portion having a small diameter. As the toner transporting rotation member rotates, a detection plate located external to the waste toner accommodation unit repetitively moves and thus repetitively passes across a photo sensor. When the waste toner has reached the level of the pipe the waste toner is compressed in the pipe downstream and thus increases in density. This increases a load torque of the toner transporting rotation member and hence ruptures the recessed portion, and thus stops rotation. The photo sensor detects that the detection plate no longer passes across it, and thus detects a state full of toner.
US07660539B2
A system for enabling ordering of printer supplies directly via a printer. The system provides an option for a user to request value bundled information before placing a printer supply order. By providing the option of requesting value bundled information, a customer can obtain information about printer supply promotions directly via the printer without the need for an information handling system to be coupled to the printer. Additionally, the system provides an encouragement to a customer to purchase a plurality of printer suppliers by providing the customer with incentives for the purchase.
US07660538B2
An optical burst mode receiver comprises a photo-detector receiving an optical signal for conversion to a current signal, a transimpedance amplifier receiving and converting the current signal into first and second transmit signals, a limiting amplifier comprising first and second input terminals and an output terminal generating a data signal, and a control circuit coupled to the first and second transmit signals to verify that if the optical signal is valid. The control circuit is further coupled to the first and second input terminals of the limiting amplifier. When the optical signal is valid, the control circuit provides the first and second input terminals with the first and second transmit signals respectively to generate the data signal. When the optical signal is invalid, the control circuit provides the first and second input terminals with distinct voltage levels to maintain the data signal at a steady level.
US07660535B2
Before being incident to a nonlinear medium, a short pulse is intensity-modulated with a bit string pattern, and then made incident. When the pulse light corresponding to a bit value ‘0’ is incident to the nonlinear medium, the pulse light is intensity-modulated so that the spectral width thereof is not spread to a predetermined spectral region due to the nonlinear phenomena, thereby producing a light state of being not output from an optical demultiplexer. Meanwhile, when the pulse light corresponding to a bit value ‘1’ is incident to the nonlinear medium, the pulse light is intensity-modulated so that the spectral width thereof is spread to the predetermined spectral region due to the nonlinear phenomena, thereby producing a light state of being output from the optical demultiplexer.
US07660518B2
An automatic focusing system comprises: a region configuring device which configures a main subject region including a main subject within a photographing screen; a focusing control device which controls focusing so that a focus state of the main subject is a best focus state; a focus state obtaining device which divides the photographing screen into a plurality of regions and obtains a focus state from each region; a device storing the focus state obtained from each region; a movement detecting device which references the stored focus state of each region to detect the movement of a group of regions located either within the main subject region and its vicinity or within the main subject region and are in a best focus state; and a region moving device which moves the main subject region in accordance with the movement of the group of regions that are in the best focus state.
US07660514B2
A video recorder for recording a program video in a built-in HDD (hard disk drive) or the like on the basis of EPG data is easily put in a reserve-recording mode. To this end, reserve-recording candidate data is generated from the EPG data with use of recorded program information to facilitate selection of the reserve-recording mode. In a method for reserve-recording a broadcast program, similar program information is extracted from the EPG data on the basis of recorded title data held as the recorded program information, the extracted similar program data is converted to a data format usable for the reserve-recording, and is stored as reserve-recording candidate data upon reserve-recording.
US07660512B2
Systems and methods for managing frame rates during multimedia playback are described herein. The ideal playback timing associated with video data is determined. If an actual playback timing of the video data lags the ideal playback timing, a frame rate associated with the video data is varied using a smoothing function to recover toward the ideal playback timing. An iterative frame-dropping algorithm is applied to vary the frame rate in accordance with the smoothing function. The smoothing function incorporates as a variable an average delay associated with playback of frames in the video data.
US07660495B2
A getter sheet is secured within a package element in a condition of elastic deformation by positioning the getter sheet between a base and a cap of a package with at least one portion of the getter sheet in contact with the package. When positioned within the package, the condition of elastic deformation may force the getter sheet into a vaulted form. Therefore, the getter sheet may be secured within the package without utilizing any additional parts or fasteners. The getter sheet comprises particulates of a getter applied to a sheet of material. The getter sheet may comprise a rectangular shape, an elliptical shape, or an octagonal shape. The getter sheet may be secured within the package when at least one portion of the getter sheet contacts one or more of a side surface of the cap, a bottom surface of the cap, and a top surface of the base.
US07660493B2
An optical modulator is provided. The optical modulator includes a thin plate made of an electrooptic material and having a thickness of 20 μm or less, an optical waveguide formed on a top or bottom surface of the thin plate, and a modulation electrode formed on the top surface of the thin plate to modulate light passing through the optical waveguide, wherein, in a shape of the thin plate, a width of the thin plate at an optical input portion or optical output portion of the optical waveguide is two time or less the thickness of the thin plate.
US07660488B2
For certain medical images, it is important and/or required that a user view all of a medical image at full resolution so that minute, but important, indicia in the medical image are not missed. A computing systems monitor the portions of the medical image that are displayed on the display device, notates those portions that have been displayed at full resolution (or other user-defined display parameters), and provides the user with information indicating portions that have not been viewed at full resolution and/or provides information indicating for which images of a multiple image examination full pixel display has been accomplished. The process reduces the possibility of missing an abnormality in a medical image due to the viewer not viewing a portion of the image at full resolution or using other user-defined display parameters.
US07660487B2
When an output unit is capable of operation at a frame rate F and a resolution of x×y pixels, an imaging unit or an image input unit converts an image into an imaged frame in an internal data format having the frame rate F and a resolution of ix×jy pixels. An image converter converts the resolution of the imaged frame supplied from the imaging unit or the image input unit into a resolution that can be represented by the output unit, generating an output frame having x×y pixels. At this time, the image converter carries out predetermined resolution conversion based on a moving velocity of the image by blocks each having a predetermined size. Thus, such visual effect that an observer of the image of the output frame perceives the image at a resolution exceeding the actual resolution of the output frame is achieved.
US07660486B2
A method of resizing an image having a plurality of data unit blocks is disclosed. Each data unit block is a pixel matrix. The method includes the steps of generating column pseudo-pixel matrix corresponding to a data unit block, decimating/interpolating the data unit block in column direction to generate a scaled column-pixel matrix, filtering the scaled column-pixel matrix and the column pseudo-pixel matrix to generate a filtered column-pixel matrix, storing the filtered column-pixel matrix in a first buffer, generating a row pseudo-pixel matrix corresponding to the filtered column-pixel matrix stored in the first buffer, decimating/interpolating each the filtered column-pixel matrix to generate a scaled row-pixel matrix, and filtering the scaled row-pixel matrix and the row pseudo-pixel matrix to generate a resized row-pixel matrix.
US07660485B2
A method of displaying an image with a display device comprises receiving image data for the image, generating first and second sub-frames where the first and the second sub-frames comprise a plurality of sub-frame pixel values and a plurality of error values and where at least a first one of the plurality of sub-frame pixel values is calculated using the image data, at least a second one of the plurality of sub-frame pixel values, and at least one of the plurality of error values, and alternating between displaying the first sub-frame in a first position and displaying the second sub-frame in a second position spatially offset from the first position is provided.
US07660481B2
A method including receiving data corresponding to an original three-dimensional (3D) reconstructed image, smoothing homogenous areas and enhancing edges of the original reconstructed image using edge enhancing diffusion (EED) to create edge-enhanced image data, and calculating a structural importance map. The structural importance map includes a measure of structural importance for each voxel of data in the original reconstructed image. Voxel intensities to be used to create a filtered image are determined according to at least one rule applied to the measure of structural importance.
US07660475B2
A method and apparatus for coding positions of data such as coefficients are described. In one embodiment, the method comprises coding data in a vector of data based on indications of whether the data is zero or non-zero identified using a tree data structure and producing a bit stream based on coded data.
US07660472B2
Methods and systems that help control when and how stereoscopic content should be viewed, based on both geometry of the viewing system and the geometry used to generate the content are shown. One example embodiment utilizes the specifications of the system used to capture the image data to determine the geometry of the image content, and encodes this content geometry along with the stored image data. This content geometry data is then analyzed by display systems to determine appropriate geometries for a viewing system. Data arranged according to one embodiment is a series of digitally stored video frames representing a stereoscopic prospective view of an image or scene. This prospective view was rendered using a specific content geometry, and this geometry is digitally encoded and stored with, or embedded in, the digital image data.
US07660457B2
A method for determining a change in position of an item of luggage, examined by a first examination system, in order to thereafter examine only a suspect region of the item of luggage in a secondary examination system.
US07660453B2
The present invention relates to methods and devices for analyzing x-ray images. In particular, devices, methods and algorithms are provided that allow for the accurate and reliable evaluation of bone structure from x-ray images.
US07660452B2
A method for imaging includes directing a plurality of radio frequency (RF) beams toward a target organ from a plurality of angles. The RF beams include one or more first pairs of the RF beams, each first pair including two of the RF beams that impinge on the target organ from opposite directions. RF signals reflected from the target organ are received responsively to the RF beams, the RF signals including one or more second pairs of the RF signals engendered respectively by the one or more first pairs of the RF beams. Local tissue parameters at multiple points in the target organ are extracted by jointly processing the RF signals in each of the second pairs. Images of the target organ are produced using the extracted local tissue parameters. Other embodiments described herein include methods for passive imaging, motion vector analysis, ablation, local heating and application of electromagnetic pressure.
US07660450B2
An imaging system including an artifact reducer arranged to correct for a ring-shaped artifact in a three-dimensional reconstructed volume. The artifact reducer includes a first stage correction arranged to eliminate structured noise of an output screen of an image intensifier of an X-ray imaging apparatus using a first corrective image. A raw image of a patient is first processed with the first corrective image. The gain-corrected images are forwarded to an image deformation correction where a suitable unwarping function performed. The gain-corrected unwarped images are then made available to a second stage gain correction where a second corrective image is applied resulting in a final set of images with a substantially reduced ring-shaped artifact. The final set of images is made available to an image reconstructor arranged for further processing of the final set of images, the result thereof being visualized on a computer monitor for inspection purposes.
US07660449B2
A method for measuring residual protein in a cellular specimen including obtaining a low magnification image of a candidate object of interest, filtering the candidate object of interest pixels with a low pass filter, morphologically processing the candidate object of interest pixels to identify artifact pixels, identifying the candidate object of interest by eliminating artifact pixels, acquiring a higher magnification image of the subsample for the candidate object of interest, transforming pixels of the higher magnification image in a first color space to a second color space to differentiate higher magnification candidate object of interest pixels from background pixels, identifying an object of interest from the candidate object of interest pixels in the second color space, and determining the optical density of the protein in a cell contained in a subsample, wherein the optical density is indicative of the residual component of a cellular protein.
US07660433B2
A method for tracking and measuring volume, shape and surfaces of objects, such as logs, simultaneously. In series of load and unload operations along a procurement line, series of images are captured by e.g., CCD stereo cameras with sufficient spatial resolution capabilities. Simultaneously, the location of objects (logs) are registered by a GPS system aiding the tracking of the objects. The load and unload operations are typically performed by machineries such as harvesters, forwarders or trucks all equipped with a crane. On such machines digital cameras are mounted on jib arms and a computer system is attached. A GPS system is mounted on the machines too and the computer system is attached here as well. Thus the real time processing of stereo images can be accomplished and the volume, shape and surface of the 3D objects are computed simultaneously with their location in space. The resulting data are sent to a central database that keeps track of objects and their locations. These data are then again available for the following step in the procurement line as “a priory” information, facilitating the computation of the size, shape, surface and location of logs (objects) at the current load/unload operation. A chain of information provided by this invention will profoundly increase efficiency of any production chain subjectable to the presented method.
US07660429B2
A watermarked halftone image is generated from a continuous tone image by performing error diffusion halftoning on the continuous tone image while adding a watermark to the halftone image during the halftoning. A location of the watermark in the halftone image may be based on prediction criteria. Error caused by adding the watermark may be diffused into the halftone image.
US07660417B2
A basic idea according to the invention is to enhance or update the basic cryptographic security algorithms by an algorithm-specific modification of the security key information generated in the normal key agreement procedure of the mobile communication system. For communication with the mobile terminal, the network side normally selects an enhanced version of one of the basic cryptographic security algorithms supported by the mobile, and transmits information representative of the selected algorithm to the mobile terminal. The basic security key resulting from the key agreement procedure (AKA, 10) between the mobile terminal and the network is then modified (22) in dependence on the selected algorithm to generate an algorithm-specific security key. The basic security algorithm (24) is then applied with this algorithm-specific security key as key input to enhance security for protected communication in the mobile communications network.
US07660416B1
A delivery and display system 10 prepares and delivers daily film rushes and/or film “cuts” (i.e., rough edits) in full motion video to users via the Internet in a collaborative application and display interface. The delivery and display system includes a system server 32, parsing and embedding software 34, an encryption system 36, and a collaborative display interface 70. The system server receives and stores digital media files 50 and AV log files 60. The parsing and embedding software 34 reads meta-data in an AV log file 60 and segments the digital media files 50, wherein the parsing and embedding software is capable of reading meta-data from both .FLX AV log files and .ALE AV log files. The parsing and embedding software 34 embeds meta-data from an AV log file 60 into the segmented digital media files 50. The encryption system 36 secures the digital media files 50, which have been embedded with meta-data from an AV log file 60, using digital rights management encryption. The collaborative display interface 70 displays downloaded or streaming digital media files 50 as media clips 52 and enables users to collaboratively interact with other users by notating comments that are linked to a specific digital media file 50 and by notating on actual media clip frames.
US07660404B2
Caller information display system includes a caller terminal, a service system and a receiver terminal. The caller terminal stores caller information and transmits data including the caller information during a call. The service system receives the data including the caller information from the caller terminal and transmits the data to a receiver terminal. The receiver terminal receives the data from the service system, stores the caller information to be linked with a telephone number of the caller terminal, and displays the caller information when a paging signal is received.
US07660402B1
The present invention provides a system and method for managing telecommunication trunk groups. Configuration, operational, and other information may be maintained regarding trunk groups in a telecommunication network. Various calculations and searches may be performed using the information maintained regarding the trunk groups of telecommunication network and provided to a user to allow a user to identify the performance of various trunk groups. The present invention may further allow a user to propose changes to the configuration or routing associated with one or more trunk groups and provide a user with predicted outcomes should such changes be made.
US07660394B1
The invention is a method and system conducting a completion test on a communications line. The system includes a testing device coupled to a remote device by a network. Line-test results are received from the testing device and made available to various client devices via the same or another network. Test data is automatically archived for analysis.
US07660392B2
A pixel array arrangement is provided for a soft x-ray source. The arrangement includes: a window-frame structure having a plurality of channels passing therethrough, where each channel forms a pixel for the x-ray source; a cathode disposed on one side of each channel in the window-frame structure and operable to emit electrons into the channel; and an anode disposed in each cavity on an opposing side of the channel from the cathode and operable to emit x-ray radiation when electrons from the cathode impinge thereon, where the anode is configured to emit x-ray radiation at a diffused angle such that the x-ray radiation from a given pixel overlaps with x-ray radiation from adjacent pixels.
US07660391B2
Various novel apparatuses and methods for generating X-rays are disclosed. In some embodiments, for example, an apparatus may be configured and arranged so that, for at least one interception point on a particular portion of a scan path on a surface of a target along which a steering element steers an accelerated electron beam (e-beam), both an angle and its complement between a line corresponding to a direction in which the accelerated e-beam is traveling at the interception point and a line oriented normal to the surface of the target at such interception point are greater than forty five degrees.
US07660385B2
One aspect can relate to determining a total time of flight that indicates an at least one applied duration and an at least one induced duration, wherein the at least one applied duration describes the time for an at least some pulse-type input energy to be applied from a transmission location to an at least one X-ray fluorescing event in the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual, and wherein the at least one induced duration describes the time for an at least one induced X-ray fluorescing photon, to travel from the at least one X-ray fluorescing event in the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual to a location where the at least one induced X-ray fluorescing photon is received at least partially by a detecting the at least one induced X-ray fluorescing photon. The aspect can relate to determining a location information of the at least one X-ray fluorescing event in the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual based at least partially on the total time of flight.
US07660379B2
The invention relates to a method for correcting truncation artifacts in reconstructing computer tomography recordings. The projection images of the computer tomography recordings are extended by extrapolation. An equivalent body is determined which in the peripheral region of the projection image attenuates the radiation emanating from a radiation source of the computer tomography according to the object to be examined, and the attenuation is determined outside the projection image for extrapolated image points. A smoothing of the signal of a projection data line is effected with a digital polynomial filter to reduce the noise portion of the signal. The truncated portion of the projection data line is computed from the smoothed signal of the projection data line by an extrapolation method.
US07660376B2
A clock recovering circuit for generating an output clock locked to an analog input signal includes: a phase detection unit for receiving the analog input signal and the feedback clock for generating a phase error signal according to the analog input signal and the feedback clock; a loop filter coupled to the phase detector for filtering the phase error signal and generating a control signal; a numerically controlled oscillator (NCO) coupled to the loop filter for generating a first clock and an index signal according to the control signal; a delay locked loop (DLL) coupled to the NCO for receiving the first clock and generating a plurality of second clocks; and a multiplexer coupled to the NCO and the DLL for selecting one of the second clocks as the output clock according to the index signal.
US07660373B2
A method to determine the polarity of navigation data from weak satellite signals is disclosed. After bit edge is detected, a method in frequency domain is used to determine the present bit polarity with the help of several prior data bits which are already known, is disclosed. The impact of residual frequency can be mitigated by frequency transform. This method is especially useful in removing the data modulation in the weak signal for subsequent long coherent integrations.
US07660360B2
Disclosed is a coded orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) system and method for reducing a peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR). The system and method include a modulator configured to modulate (e.g., using quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM)) coded bits into symbols. The system and method also include an inverse discrete fourier transform (IDFT) module to perform an IDFT on the symbols to produce an OFDM signal. The system and method measure the PAPR of the OFDM signal and transmit the signal to a receiver if the PAPR of the signal is less than a threshold PAPR.
US07660358B2
Data coding and entropy coding are performed with interconnection, and grouping is used to enhance coding efficiency. The present invention includes the steps of obtaining a number of data corresponding to a pilot reference value and if a number of data bands meets a predetermined condition, obtaining the pilot reference value and a pilot difference value corresponding to the pilot reference value and obtaining the data using the pilot reference value and the pilot difference value.
US07660353B2
A method and system of encoding and decoding digital video content. The digital video content comprises a stream of pictures which can each be intra, predicted, or bi-predicted pictures. Each of the pictures comprises macroblocks that can be further divided into smaller blocks. The method entails encoding and decoding each picture in said stream of pictures in either frame mode or in field mode.
US07660342B2
A digital processing device is at the input of a radio frequency receiver chain, suited to a transmission system using a direct sequence spectrum spread, comprising analog-to-digital conversion means (ADC) performing an undersampling of a signal received, resulting in an overlapping of the wanted signal by the transmission channel noise, demodulation means connected to the output of the ADC, a low pass filter connected at the output of the demodulation means and a filter matched to the spreading code used, wherein the ADC includes a comparator capable of comparing the amplitude of the undersampled signal to a reference in order to carry out a quantizing of the 1-bit signal, said comparator bringing about the creation of a quantizing noise, and including an additional filtering unit arranged between the low pass filter and the matched filter, implementing a multi-noise, stochastic matched filtering operation.
US07660339B2
Provided are an apparatus and method for estimating and correcting a frequency offset in a multiband-Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing Ultra-Wideband system using a time frequency hopping. The method includes the steps of: calculating a tangent input having a first value (X) and a second value (Y) by using PS symbols transferred over same frequency band with respect to one of a plurality of frequency bands used for frequency hopping; calculating tan(X/Y) using the first value (X) and the second value (Y), and calculating an index corresponding to the value of tan(X/Y) from a look-up table created by reflecting a relative frequency offset with respect to a center frequency; calculating indexes representing frequency offsets estimated with respect to remaining frequency bands used for frequency hopping from the look-up table by using the calculated index; extracting an index of a numerical controlled oscillator according to correction positions with respect to a plurality of frequency bands by using the calculated indexes; and correcting the frequency offsets estimated using the extracted indexes according to time frequency patterns by using a numerical controlled oscillator table.
US07660336B2
A method is provided for determining a laser threshold of a laser diode, which is operated by a drive circuit as a function of a first signal in a first feedback and a second signal in a second feedback, the first feedback being supplied via an optical coupling of an optical output signal of the laser diode. The method is characterized in that the second feedback is supplied by an electrical signal picked up between the drive circuit and the laser diode, the electrical signal is compared with an adjustable activation threshold, only a portion of the electrical signal that exceeds the adjustable activation threshold is transmitted to the drive circuit in such a way that the second feedback is active only when such a portion occurs, the adjustable activation threshold is changed in such a way that the activity state of the second feedback changes, and the laser threshold of the laser diode is determined as a function of the value of the adjustable activation threshold during a change in the activity state of the second feedback. Furthermore, a drive circuit is presented which carries out the method.
US07660330B1
A novel clock synchronization mechanism for recovering and distributing a centralized clock source synchronously over asynchronous networks such as optical Ethernet. A clock conversion scheme is provided whereby multiple clocks having diverse rates are converted to clock signals all having a common rate. One of the converted clocks is chosen and all downstream clock signals is derived from this clock. A high quality clock source located anywhere on the network is distributed throughout the network thus turning an asynchronous Ethernet network into a synchronous one. Synchronous TDM data streams can then be easily transported over the Ethernet network.
US07660320B2
A communication network comprising a plurality of network nodes is provided, wherein the network nodes are logically arranged to form a plurality of concentric rings, all rings except the outermost ring being with high probability fully constructed; the number of nodes on each fully constructed ring being dD, wherein d denotes the base of an integer having D digits, D≧1, and wherein D also denotes the ring number, D starting with the value 1 for the innermost ring; each node being identified by an identification number unique in the network, said identification number having D digits, D≧1, and D denoting the ring number on which the node is located, and the value of each digit being between 0 and d−1; and each node of a given fully constructed ring is allowed to route data packets to one node in the next inner ring, to d nodes in the next outer ring, if the next outer ring is fully constructed, and to at least d nodes on the same ring. The invention further regards a method of locating and securing data of a desired resource in such communication network and a method of locating and securing data of a desired resource in such communication network.
US07660318B2
In one embodiment, two portals lie between a wireless mesh network and a LAN. Each portal provides a communication path between the mesh network and the LAN. The second portal is configured to forward data frames with unknown destinations to the first portal across an intramesh path between the two portals.
US07660316B2
Methods and apparatus for switching Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop Systems is provided between a plurality of Fibre Channel Loop devices. In one aspect of the invention, the system switches based at least in part on arbitrated loop primitives. An exemplary interconnect system may include a first port and a second port, both including port logic to monitor certain arbitrated loop primitives, a connectivity apparatus, a route determination apparatus including a routing table consisting of ALPA addresses and their associated ports, the route determination apparatus coupled to each port and the connectivity apparatus, where the connectivity apparatus creates paths between the ports based on arbitrated loop primitives. In one embodiment, the connectivity apparatus is a crossbar switch. Examples of the arbitrated loop primitives that cause the switch to create paths between ports includes one or more of the following: ARB, OPN and CLS. In yet other aspects, the system ensures device access fairness through one or more techniques, including a rotating priority system, a counter to count the number of OPNs, especially sequential OPNs, and/or priority based on port type. Device zoning may be implemented. In one implementation, the system includes trunking such that frames may be transferred on multiple ports.
US07660302B2
A Fibre Channel Switch element and method for Inter-Fabric routing is provided. The switch element includes a switch port whose worldwide port number is used in a zone set to enable Inter-Fabric frame routing without using Inter-Fabric frame headers. The method includes querying a Name Server to determine world wide port numbers of devices; storing query results in an Inter-Fabric Name Server module; extracting world wide port numbers for each switch port; registering Proxy Devices with the Name Server, wherein the Proxy Devices interface with the switch ports as if it was they were actual devices to route Inter-Fabric frames; and establishing Fabric Address Translator entries so that source identification values and destination identification values are mapped to route Inter-Fabric frames without using Inter-Fabric frame headers.
US07660299B2
A network-based call interface device is used for real-time packet protocol calls, such as, but not limited to, interfacing real-time calls between client devices and call services/destination devices. The network-based call interface device includes a virtual phone and a virtual server-phone communicating with each other. The virtual phone communicates with the call server making the network-based call interface device appear to the call server as a client device; and the virtual server-phone communicates with the client device making the network-based call interface device appear to the client device as call server.
US07660290B2
Systems and methods for visualizing traffic coming in from outside to a network to be managed and being sent out of the network. An information presentation apparatus acquires traffic information regarding a traffic specified in accordance with a user's instruction, where the traffic information has been collected from one or more routers located at a border of the network to be managed. The apparatus also acquires path information regarding a path from a start router, through which the traffic passes into the network, to an end router, through which the traffic passes out of the network, referring to stored internal path information. The apparatus then informs a user of the acquired traffic information in association with the acquired path information. At least one of specification of the traffic and determination of the end router is performed referring to stored external path information.
US07660289B2
Briefly, a wireless communication system having two or more wireless communication devices. The wireless communication device includes a transmitter to transmit a signal over a wireless channel and to determine a bandwidth of the wireless channel and a power level of the signal based on a quality value of the wireless channel. A method of varying the bandwidth of the wireless channel is also provided.
US07660284B1
A wireless device is registered in a first wireless router by storing information in the first wireless router, a message is created comprising a unique identifier for the wireless device and a unique identifier for the first wireless router; the message is transmitted to at least one second wireless router.
US07660283B2
A dual mode mobile wireless communication terminal detects a reception field level of another second communication system when the reception field level of a first communication system, with which communication is currently taking place, has dropped to or below a prescribed threshold. When the second communication system has priority, the terminal selects the second communication system. When prescribed operation is executed on the terminal, the terminal can also detects a reception field level of another second communication system.
US07660269B2
An apparatus for creating network configuration information from data including packet transmission time between one or more relay devices and a terminal, the relay devices relaying a signal which runs through a network and is measured by the terminal connected to the network, to another network, information about the relay devices and information about the terminal. The apparatus includes systems for: receiving the data from the terminal; arranging the relay devices in the network configuration information based on information about the relay devices; arranging the terminal in the network configuration information based on information about the terminal; arranging packet transmission time between the terminal and the relay devices in the network configuration information; and identifying a subnetwork from the data.
US07660260B2
There is provided a method of shaping PSD (Power Spectrum Density) of an FTTN (Fiber-To-The-Node) downstream signal from a disturber source to achieve spectral compatibility at an FTTN downstream victim with a downstream PSD from a reference source. The method includes receiving the downstream PSD from the reference source. The method further includes receiving an unshaped downstream PSD from the disturber source. The method further includes shaping the PSD of the FTTN downstream signal to have a substantially equivalent FEXT (Far-End Cross-Talk) into the FTTN downstream victim as the downstream PSD from the reference source.
US07660256B2
Systems and methods for providing a network monitoring tool for appropriately grasping a setup state of a label switched path (LSP) in a network. A monitoring apparatus comprises a communication unit that communicates with a router among a plurality of routers in the network, and a collection unit that collects LSP path information via the communication unit. The LSP path information includes information maintained by the router. The monitoring apparatus also comprises a storing unit that stores state information based on the collected LSP path information, and a display unit that reads the state information for a selected LSP stored by the storing unit and graphically displays a path of the selected LSP, in accordance with a user's instruction.
US07660244B2
In a wireless network or other communication system, admission of users to the system involves use of a first scheduler, which makes actual scheduling decisions for admitted users, and a second scheduler, which emulates the operation of the first scheduler. The first scheduler is configured to manage access to network resources for users already admitted to the system. The first scheduler is coupled to an admission control module which contains the second scheduler. The second scheduler, also referred to herein as a virtual scheduler, emulates operation of the first scheduler, under an operating scenario involving admission of at least one additional user to the system, in order to generate a performance metric. The performance metric is used to make an admission control decision regarding admission of the at least one additional user to the system.
US07660241B2
A network system (10). The system comprises a plurality of nodes (PE, CE). Each node in the plurality of nodes is coupled to communicate with at least one other node in the plurality of nodes. Further, each node in the plurality of nodes is coupled to communicate to another node via a respective primary path and via a respective backup path. Still further, each node in the plurality of nodes is operable to perform the steps of, when receiving network traffic as a receiving node, detecting delay (110, 120; 130, 140; 160, 170) in traffic received from a transmitting node, and, in response to detecting delay, communicating a signal to the transmitting node. In response to the signal, the transmitting node is operable to dynamically adjust (150; 190) a distribution of traffic through a respective primary path and a respective backup path from the transmitting node to the receiving node.
US07660238B2
A method for a communications network with a protect channel transmitting protect channel data and working channel transmitting working channel data includes transmitting the working channel data via the protect channel upon a disruption in the working channel, and restoring the transmitting of protect channel data, wherein the restoring includes applying a mesh restoration protocol to the communications network to restore the transmittal of the protect channel data. The restoring includes finding one or more alternate channels to transmit the protect channel data, the one or more alternate channels including connected working and protect channels. An apparatus disposed in a communication network having a protect channel and a working channel includes a node controller, a route processor coupled to the node controller, the route processor implementing a mesh restoration protocol, and a circuit coupled to the node controller and the route processor, the circuit including a logic gate for receiving signals identifying disruptions in transmissions in the protect channel and the working channel and a switch responsive to the signals identifying disruptions in transmissions in the protect channel and the working channel, the switch communicating with the route processor to implement mesh restoration of protect channel data. In one embodiment, the circuit is coupled to at least one line card, the line card transmitting the signals identifying disruptions in transmissions in the protect channel and the working channel. The circuit further includes an input/output circuit for receiving instructions identifying criteria for applying mesh restoration to protect channel data.
US07660237B2
A switching unit (1011) receives video data (103) sent from a device (102), and sends an ATM cell synchronized with the clock to switching units (1012-1014) by a signal (including optical data) containing a frequency component serving as a synchronous clock supply source. If a fault occurs midway along a line, the switching unit (1012) which detects the fault sends an AIS cell to an OAM connection (109). The termination switching unit (1014) switches a port f for receiving a synchronous clock to a port g, and sends back an RDI cell. The switching units (1013, 1012) which have received the RDI cell switch the synchronous clock to ports e and c and receive it, thus obtaining an identical clock.
US07660232B2
A MIMO wireless system includes a transmitter having a parser that parses a bit stream into multiple spatial data streams and multiple interleavers corresponding to the multiple spatial data streams, where each interleaver interleaves the bits in the corresponding spatial data stream by performing column skip operation and frequency rotation, to increase diversity of the wireless system. The MIMO wireless system also includes a receiver that has deinterleavers that deinterleaves spatial bit streams transmitted by the transmitter.
US07660231B2
The invention relates to an interference cancellation method and a receiver including interference canceller for suppressing a narrow-band interference signal from a received signal, converter for performing an orthonormal conversion of the signal into subspace components of a desired subspace, a decoder connected operationally to the output of the interference canceller, in which decoder an estimate for the received signal is obtained. The output of the decoder is operationally connected to the interference canceller, and the converter is arranged to determine an estimate for narrow-band interference properties, in which determination the estimate obtained from the output of the decoder is subtracted from the received signal before the orthonormal conversion is performed. By using the determined estimate, the interference canceller is arranged to reduce effect of the subspace components including narrow-band interference signals from the received signal.
US07660227B2
An improved light-readable information recording medium is provided that comprises an optical data storage structure having lands and pits, in which the depth of the pits is about: λ 2 n m 1 + M T 2 , wherein λ is the wavelength of light used to read the information recording medium, m is the order of interference selected from a group consisting of odd integers, MT is the transverse magnification, and n is the refractive index encountered by the reading light inside the pits. The invention also provides an improved optical reading system with the parameters satisfying the relationship: nd = λ 2 n m 1 + M T 2 , wherein λ is the wavelength of light used to read the information recording medium, m is the order of interference selected from a group consisting of odd integers, MT is the transverse magnification, n is the refractive index encountered by the reading light inside the pits, and d is the depth of the pits.
US07660221B2
An optical disk differentiating method applied to an optical disk drive, in which a first level value, a second level value and an optical disk differentiating value generating program are stored and an optical disk is put. The method comprises the steps of: generating a laser beam impinging on the optical disk; generating a first reflex signal when the laser beam is reflected by a surface of the optical disk; generating a second reflex signal when the laser beam is reflected by a reflex layer of the optical disk; calculating a first time frame value when the first reflex signal is greater than or equal to the first level value, and rendering a first beginning time value when the first reflex signal firstly equals the first level value; enabling the optical drive to obtain an optical disk differentiating value according to the first time frame value and the optical disk differentiating value generating program; calculating a second beginning time value as the second reflex signal firstly equals the second level value; calculating a difference between the second beginning time value and the first beginning time value and defining the difference as a response time value; and comparing the response time value with the optical disk differentiating value to determine a type of the optical disk.
US07660217B2
A recording method for an optical disc having at least three recording layers (11, 12, 13, 14), in which test recording areas are formed in the odd-numbered recording layers (11, 13) and the even-numbered recording layers (12, 14) in positions that are mutually non-overlapping in the thickness direction of the optical disc, the test recording areas in the odd-numbered recording layers are formed in positions mutually aligned in the thickness direction, and the test recording areas in the even-numbered recording layers are formed in positions mutually aligned in the thickness direction. The time for test recording for determining the optimal recording power can be shortened.
US07660205B2
A method for determining the depth of a parking space using at least one ultrasonic vehicle sensor. According to the method, the following steps are carried out as the vehicle drives longitudinally past the parking space: a) an ultrasonic wave is emitted, b) echo signals of the emitted ultrasonic wave are collected within a measuring window, c) the dispersion is determined and/or the distribution of the echo signals within that dispersion is determined, d) a depth is defined if the dispersion range of all and/or several echo signals that form a concentration within the distribution lies below a pre-determinable threshold value.
US07660197B2
An apparatus for evaluating a tubular in a borehole of includes at least two electromagnetic acoustic transducers. The transducers are configured to generate and receive first and second acoustic waves in the tubular. A difference in velocity of the two acoustic waves is indicative of a stress field in the tubular.
US07660195B2
In some embodiments, an apparatus and a system, as well as a method and an article, may include generating attenuation values associated with a set of multiple signals received by multiple receivers from a transmitted signal as a function of reception time and material velocity. The attenuation values may be stored in a memory and/or displayed on a display, perhaps in conjunction with a semblance map.
US07660192B2
Systems and methods for determining inline skew of one or more seismic streamers are disclosed. One system embodiment includes a seismic streamer including a plurality of receivers, a skew detector adapted to detect inline skew of the streamer, and a receiver selector adapted to select which receivers in the streamer to use in data acquisition based on the detected streamer inline skew. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract, which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
US07660185B2
A chip select controller for a non-volatile memory device includes a first chip enable signal transfer unit, a second chip enable signal transfer unit, a first chip select pad, a second chip select pad, a third chip select pad and a chip select unit. The first chip enable signal transfer unit buffers first and second chip enable signals according to a control signal. The second chip enable signal transfer unit buffers third and fourth chip enable signals according to the control signal. The first chip select pad is configured to transfer a first chip select signal. The second chip select pad is configured to transfer a second chip select signal. The third chip select pad is configured to transfer the second chip select signal. The chip select unit addresses a specific chip according to the first chip select signal and the second chip select signal.
US07660181B2
A method of making a nonvolatile memory device includes forming a first electrode, forming at least one nonvolatile memory cell comprising a first diode portion, a second diode portion and an antifuse separating the first diode portion from the second diode portion, and forming a second electrode over the at least one nonvolatile memory cell.
US07660169B2
A device for non-volatile storage of a status value indicating that there has been a condition, including a non-volatile storage, an energy storage for storing energy when applying a supply voltage, and a switching circuit to couple the energy storage to the non-volatile storage to write the status value thereto if the condition is present.
