US07740783B2
When forming a film on a work, such as a lamp holder, the work is not set in a film-forming chamber as in the prior art, but a film is formed thereon by using a mold, thereby simplifying the film formation work. A movable mold is matched to a fixed mold in a state where a vacuum deposition apparatus, the film-forming element, is provided in the fixed mold and the work is supported in the movable mold. Next, film formation is carried out with the film-forming space in a vacuum state. Thereafter, the movable mold is opened, wherein the film formation work on the work surface using molds can be carried out with a series of processes.
US07740781B2
The invention provides an insulated wire having a conductor and an insulator of paste extruded PTFE fine powder around the conductor. The paste extruded insulator has at least one closed continuous longitudinal air channel spaced apart from the conductor. The invention further provides a process for forming an insulator around a conductor by paste extruding lubricated PTFE fine powder in an extrusion device comprising a die, mandrel, and at least one channel-forming member. The die and mandrel form a converging chamber leading to an extrusion orifice and the channel-forming member is positioned in the orifice. The mandrel has a central bore for supplying the conductor. Lubricated PTFE fine powder is forced through the chamber and out of the exit of the orifice as a lubricated green extrudate around the conductor forming an insulator with at least one closed longitudinal air channel spaced apart from the conductor.
US07740780B2
Multitube catheter and method for making the same are provided. The assembly includes two or more tube fused together to form one catheter tube shaft. Each tube has at least one lumen extending longitudinally through the catheter from its distal end to its proximal end. The tubes are fused together by use of heat & pressure. Heat and pressure can be generated by heat sensitive tube slides over a segment of catheter tubes while metallic mandrels are passed through each tube lumen to protect the lumens during fusion. The heat sensitive tube will shrink once heat is applied. The heat sensitive tube will shrink and apply the required pressure over the catheter tubes. Continual heating will melt and re-shape the catheter tubes inside the heat sensitive tube while the letter will not be affected due to its high melting temperature. After cooling, the heat sensitive tube is to be removed, the metallic mandrels are pulled back and the tubes forming the united catheter tube. Distal end of the united catheter tube can be splited to form split tip, stepped tip or can be tapered tipped. The proximal segment (none fused) will form catheter extension legs. The pressure applied can also be created by silicon or rubber tube stretched over the catheter tubes, in a mould, by coextrusion, by over molding, through adhesions are other possible methods.
US07740775B2
A process for preparing particles of a substance comprising contacting a first formulation including a first substance with a first solvent stream and a second solvent stream, thereby causing formation of particles of the first substance, wherein both the first and second solvent streams are in a non-supercritical state, and subjecting the resultant mixture to a separation process which causes separation of the first substance from the first and second solvent streams.
US07740766B2
Disclosed is a method of providing potable water that includes providing a filter, passing water through the filter, and removing bacteria and viruses from the water with the filter. The filter comprises a housing having an inlet and an outlet and a filter material disposed within the housing, the filter material formed at least in part from a plurality of mesoporous wood activated carbon filter particles and particles selected from the group consisting of mesoporous wood activated carbon filter particles coated entirely with a cationic polymer, mesoporous wood activated carbon filter particles partially coated with a cationic polymer, and mixtures thereof. A sum of mesopore and macropore volumes of the filter particles may be between about 0.2 mL/g and about 2 mL/g, wherein mesopore means an intra-particle pore having a diameter between 2 nm and 50 nm, and macropore means an intra-particle pore having a diameter greater than 50 nm, a total pore volume of the filter particles is greater than about 0.4 mL/g and less than about 3 mL/g, and a ratio of the sum of the mesopore and macropore volumes to the total pore volume of the filter particles is greater than about 0.3. The filter removes bacteria and viruses from the water at a level of Filter Bacteria Log Removal of greater than about 2 logs and a Filter Viruses Log Removal of greater than about 1 log.
US07740763B2
Solid phase extraction devices including a plurality of packed nominally aligned capillary-channeled polymeric fibers for use as stationary phase materials are disclosed. A plurality of fibers are packed together in a casing so as to provide good flow characteristics through the fibers and high surface area contact between a sample and the fibers. Different polymer compositions of the fibers permit the “chemical tuning” of the extraction process. The fibers can be physically or chemically derivatized to target specific analytes for separation from a test sample. Use of the fibers allows a wide range of liquid flow rates with very low backpressures. The fibers are easily packed into a micropipette tip or a conduit for use with a fluid flow device such as an aspirator or a pump. The devices can be used for isolation and pre-concentration of analytes from samples, for instance for proteins from buffer solutions or extraction of pollutants from remote locations.
US07740760B2
A concentrator is used for concentrating a fluid, particularly a plasma component out of blood, for treatment of a patient. The concentrator apparatus includes a main housing defining a centrifuge chamber, that also holds the filter. The concentrator allows viewing of the fluid after centrifuging, with an outlet port positionable at a height corresponding to the level of the fraction of the fluid to be further concentrated. Once the fluid is centrifuged, a portion of the fluid is drawn through the outlet, and then pressured past the filter to further concentrate the fluid using the same vessel as used for centrifuging. The same plunger is preferably used to draw centrifuged fluid from the centrifuge chamber as to pressure the centrifuged fluid past the filter.
US07740758B2
The present invention provides a separating agent for enantiomeric isomers, which has an excellent ability to identify asymmetry. That is, the present invention relates to a separating agent for enantiomeric isomers which includes as an effective component a polysaccharide derivative having a bicyclic or more structure having an aromatic, alicyclic, or heterocyclic ring.
US07740753B2
A water treatment system that performs a water purifying treatment by use of ultraviolet radiation, comprises a front stage ultraviolet radiation device for radiating ultraviolet light in a front stage process in a water purifying treatment process, a rear stage ultraviolet radiation device for radiating ultraviolet light in a rear stage process, and a controller for controlling these ultraviolet radiation devices.
US07740750B2
A system and method for quantifying opaque inhomogeneities within a fluid sample. The system uses an optical lens system to focus a light beam onto a stage where the sample is introduced. The light beam is directed onto the sample in a pattern such that the intensity of transmitted light is measured as a function of path length. A photo detector measures the transmitted light through the sample. Fluctuations in transmitted light intensity are then correlated with detection of opaque inclusions in the sample. The system also includes an automated program which utilizes these optical concentration measurements to determine the fouling potential of visbroken tars, and regulates the introduction of chemical inhibitors into a visbreaker unit to improve the yield of light streams and/or economic value of product.
US07740747B2
A microchip for capillary electrophoresis is provided. The microchip comprises an injection channel and a separation channel configured to receive a sample through a sample well disposed on a first end of the separation channel; wherein the injection channel and the separation channel intersect to form a ‘T’ junction. The microchip further comprises a first valve disposed adjacent to the ‘T’ junction and on the separation channel and a second valve disposed at the ‘T’ junction. The second valve is a two-way valve. A sample plug is injected into an area between the ‘T’ junction and a second end of the separation channel.
US07740744B2
Cellulosic based cores used in manufacture of towel and tissue products can be effectively stripped of residual product with little damage to the core using a roll stripping air knife with a longitudinal air passageway having both primary discharge passages and interconnected auxiliary orifices, the auxiliary orifices are directed laterally away from the primary discharge direction and connect with a longitudinal exterior channel configured such that air flows inwardly through the auxiliary orifices when pressurized air is supplied to longitudinal air passageway and the primary discharge passages are unobstructed but outwardly when the primary discharge passages are obstructed so that the pressure achievable when the primary discharge passages are obstructed is within safety limits.
US07740743B2
A polymer comprising i) a synthetic polymeric component that has been formed from an ethylenically unsaturated water-soluble or potentially water-soluble monomer and an ethylenically unsaturated monomer carrying a reactive group, wherein the reactive group is directly reactive with a cellulose binding domain protein; and ii) a protein component consisting of a cellulose binding domain protein, wherein the cellulose binding domain protein. The polymer is particularly suitable as a dry strength resin in a paper making process. It can also be used as a wet strength resin, internal sizing agent or surface sizing agent.
US07740742B2
The powder composition for paper manufacturing of the invention contains a hydrophobic organic compound (A), an emulsifying and dispersing agent (B), and optionally water-soluble saccharides (C) added based on necessity and has an average particle diameter of 0.1 to 2,000 μm.
US07740735B2
A tool and method for disuniting two wafers, wherein at least one of the wafers is used in fabricating substrates for microelectronics, optoelectronics, or optics. The method includes the steps of temporarily affixing two gripper members to respective opposite faces of the wafers; and sufficiently displacing one of the gripper members relative to the other for inducing controlled flexing in at least one of the members and for exerting a force close to one edge of the wafers to assist in disuniting the wafers. If desired, the bonding energy between two wafers can be determined by measuring the force exerted during the displacement step or measuring the separation of the wafers while performing the disuniting operation.
US07740734B2
The present invention relates to compositions comprising an epoxy resin; a reagent selected from the group of cationic compounds or compounds which are capable to form cationic compounds or mixtures of those; at least one compound with two aromatic rings and at least one central cyclic oxygen bridged ring and the use of such compositions in adhesives, sealants and coatings.
US07740733B2
Disclosed is an easy to use optical adhesive composition which has lower refractive index than the conventional optical adhesive compositions while having low viscosity, fast curability and excellent heat resistance. Also disclosed are a method for bonding an optical component using such an optical adhesive composition which enables to reduce transmission loss, and an optical device. Specifically disclosed are an optical adhesive composition characterized by comprising at least one acrylate compound represented by the general formula (I) and a photopolymerization initiator, a method for bonding an optical component using such an optical adhesive composition, and an optical device. Tf-(O)a—(CH2)b—(CF2)m—(CH2)b—(O)a-Tf (I) wherein a's are the same represent 0 or 1, b's are the same represent 0 or 1, m represents an integer of 4 to 12, and Tf's are the same and represent a glycidyl group or CH2═CH—C(O)—.
US07740726B2
An elastomer fishing lure skirt comprising a silicone based elastomer substrate having a rough side wherein the substrate is separated into a plurality of filaments. The lure skirt further comprises an adhesive such as Chemlock 697, RTV adhesive, Lock Tight, or combinations thereof. The lure skirt further comprises a biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate polyester film having a metalized foil, colored foil, holographic film, or combinations thereof bonded to its surface. Additionally, the lure skirt includes a means for semi-permanently binding the filaments together to form said lure skirt.
US07740722B2
A steel for use in high strength pinion shaft which is not refined and used by applying high frequency hardening, with less occurrence of peeling during hobbing, having high surface hardness, impact value and torsional strength after high frequency hardening, and with less heat treatment strains during high frequency hardening, containing, on the mass % basis; C: 0.45-0.55%, Si: 0.10-0.50%, Mn: 0.50-1.20%, P: 0.025% or less, S: 0.025% or less, Mo: 0.15-0.25%, B: 0.0005-0.005%, Ti: 0.005-0.10%, and N: 0.015% or less, satisfying: 0.80≦Ceq 0.95 and f value≦1.0, and the balance of Fe and inevitable impurities, as well as a manufacturing method thereof.
US07740706B2
Apparatus and methods for distributing gas in a semiconductor process chamber are provided. In an embodiment, a gas distributor for use in a gas processing chamber comprises a body. The body includes a baffle with a gas deflection surface to divert the flow of a gas from a first direction to a second direction. The gas deflection surface comprises a concave surface. The concave surface comprises at least about 75% of the surface area of the gas deflection surface. The concave surface substantially deflects the gas toward a chamber wall and provides decreased metal atom contamination from the baffle so that season times can be reduced.
US07740701B2
A hydraulically setting mortar composition containing at least one hydraulically setting component, at least one lightweight filler, at least one cellulose ether, at least one setting retarder and optionally further additional additives, particularly fillers and/or dispersion powders. In addition, a premix for producing a hydraulically setting mortar composition is described containing at least one lightweight filler and at least one cellulose ether and/or a setting retarder. As a result of the inventive ratio of these components, it is possible with much lower lightweight filler contents to obtain more cost effective mortar formulations and/or improved use characteristics, such as e.g. increased adhesive tensile strengths and/or an increased open time. The hydraulically setting mortar composition can be used in gypsum, gypsum-lime, lime-cement, cement and/or thermal plasters, tile adhesives, masonry mortars, full heat protection mortars, surfacers, self-levelling floor materials or repair mortars.
US07740697B2
The invention provides an ink which has a higher fixation of a recorded matter, is more excellent in stability and reliability of the ink, and allows a recorded matter of high image quality to be obtained stably, a recorded image, an inkjet recording method, and devices using such an ink. The invention provides an aqueous ink including micromicelles which are dispersed in a transparent single phase in water, characterized in that the micromicelles are comprised of a combination of two or more surfactants which exhibit an opaque or translucent dispersed state in water and a compound having an alkyl group and having only a hydroxyl group as a water-soluble group, and an inkjet recording method, devices and a recorded image, using the aqueous ink.
US07740693B2
The present disclosure provides Benzoxazinone compounds represented by the formula: wherein each R1, R2, R3, and R4 is independently selected from hydrogen, alkyl of 1-12 carbon atoms, substituted alkyl, aryl of 6-12 carbon atoms, substituted aryl, halo, and alkoxy; and R5 is selected from alkyl of 1-12 carbon atoms, substituted alkyl, aryl of 6-12 carbon atoms, substituted aryl, halo, and alkoxy; wherein each of the substituted alkyl and the substituted aryl groups have a substituent selected from alkyl, aryl, halo, and alkoxy. The present disclosure provides a mark having a benzoxazinone compound, and a method for applying the mark onto an article. Also provided is a process for preparing benzoxazinone compounds.
US07740690B2
The present invention relates to methods and systems for purifying gases, such as for example semiconductor process gases. The invention more particularly relates to fluid purification methods and systems having improved heat transfer capabilities and controls such that the purified fluid produced from the process contains reduced impurity levels and/or exhibits more uniform concentrations within the final product. In another aspect of the invention, the activation time for adsorbent beds used in such processes and systems can be reduced.
US07740682B2
An improved composite material, and method of manufacture thereof, comprising varying amounts tungsten powder, or metal/alloy powder of similar density, and clay or silicone is disclosed. The improved composite material may be useful as a replacement for lead and lead-based composites where similar densities are required but the use of lead is undesirable. The disclosed composite material permits a large variety of tungsten powder particle sizes to be utilized and results in improved ductility over known tungsten powder composites.
US07740671B2
A dump-cooled gasifier includes a vessel, a liner, and coolant. The liner has a head end, an aft end, and a plurality of channels extending along a length of the vessel. The aft end of the liner is axially and radially expandable with respect to the head end of the liner. The coolant enters at the head end of the liner, flows through the liner, and is expelled from the aft end of the liner directly into the vessel.
US07740665B2
By combining a hydrogen peroxide liberating complex with hair coloring dyes, a highly effective hair coloring composition is obtained which comprises a stable dry powder composition which can be stored in a single container. When use is desired, the stable dry powder composition of the present invention is mixed with water, activating the liberation of hydrogen peroxide and allowing the desired hair coloring effect to be achieved. In addition to providing a single stable dry powder formulation, the composition of the present invention is capable of achieving a wide array of shades and coloring effects.
US07740651B2
An apparatus for treating skin includes a chamber defined by a surface and a rim extending from the surface. A source of vacuum is capable of removing air from inside the chamber so that air outside the chamber flows into the chamber. Impedance of the air flowing between the rim of the chamber positioned adjacent the skin surface causes the pressure inside the chamber to decrease relative to ambient. A pressure sensor can determine when the pressure inside the chamber decreases to a threshold value. A controller can receive a signal from the pressure sensor when the threshold value is reached, which causes the rate of removal of the air from inside the chamber by the source of vacuum to be increased. The rim of the chamber forms a substantially fluid tight seal with the skin. The skin is drawn toward an inner surface of the chamber.
US07740642B2
A method of treating a patient's paranasal sinus having an obstructed or narrowed naturally occurring bony and mucosal ostium or duct which does not have scar tissue or granulation tissue. A balloon of a balloon catheter is inflated in the obstructed or narrowed naturally occurring bony and mucosal ostium or duct to enlarge the naturally occurring bony and mucosal ostium or duct. The ostium or duct remains enlarged after the balloon catheter is removed.
US07740631B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for selective surgical removal of tissue. In one variation, tissue may be ablated, resected, removed, or otherwise remodeled by standard small endoscopic tools delivered into the epidural space through an epidural needle. The sharp tip of the needle in the epidural space, can be converted to a blunt tipped instrument for further safe advancement. The current invention includes specific tools that enable safe tissue modification in the epidural space, including a barrier that separates the area where tissue modification will take place from adjacent vulnerable neural and vascular structures. A nerve stimulator may be provided to reduce a risk of inadvertent neural abrasion.
US07740630B2
An anterior cervical plating system includes vertebral body engaging anchors coupled to a connecting plate in moveable relationship to vary the spacing between the anchoring points of the plating system to the vertebral bodies and to allow and/or cause intersegmental compression of vertebral bodies. The plating system includes instrumentation and method for installation thereof. The plating system is capable of both passive and active dynamization and the ability to produce the former from the latter.
US07740628B2
In order to improve a surgical appliance comprising a housing having at least one sealed cavity, and a drive unit arranged in the housing, such that the cavity can be sealed in a simple way, and the formation of germs can be reduced or these can be removed in a simple way from the cavity, it is proposed that a fluid connection be provided for forming a flow path into and out of the cavity, and that at least one sealing element be provided for closing the fluid connection to liquid fluids and opening the fluid connection to gaseous fluids.
US07740622B2
Elastomeric film-like products such as natural latex gloves are coated with novel lubricity compositions and compositions which protect the skin of the wearer from certain undesirable medical conditions. In powder-coated gloves, the coating composition comprises rice starch, and optionally USP-grade colloidal oatmeal in pharmaceutically accepted concentration. In powder-free gloves, the coating composition comprises colloidal oatmeal enhanced water or beta glucan solution, optionally in combination with one or more other starch components. Colloidal oatmeal enhanced water, and methods of making the colloidal oatmeal enhanced water are also disclosed. In addition, beta glucan solution, and methods of making the beta glucan solution are also disclosed. A liquid referred to herein as Polycoat may also be made by mixing colloidal oatmeal enhanced water with beta glucan solution, and the resulting liquid may be applied to elastomeric articles such as gloves.
US07740605B2
An apparatus is disclosed for mechanically-assisted liposuction treatment. The apparatus includes a hand-holdable housing, an electro-cauterizing cannula assembly, and a reciprocation mechanism. The hand-holdable housing has a cavity adaptable for receipt of a portion of the electro-cauterizing cannula assembly. The electro-cauterizing cannula assembly has a distal end and a proximal end and at least one aspiration aperture about the distal end. The reciprocation mechanism is disposed within the housing and is operably associated with either the cannula so that the cannulas can be selectively caused to reciprocate relative to the housing. As the cannula is caused to reciprocate relative to the housing, the aspiration aperture formed through the distal end of the cannula assembly is caused to undergo periodic displacement. The cannula assembly is releasably detachable from the hand-holdable housing to facilitate cleaning and sterilization of the cannula assembly and the housing.
US07740604B2
An ocular implant adapted to reside at least partially in a portion of Schlemm's canal of an eye. In some embodiments the implant has a body extending in a curved volume whose longitudinal axis forms an arc of a circle, and a plurality of open areas and strut areas formed in the body, the open areas extending over more than 50% of a surface defining the curved volume, the strut areas surrounding the open areas, the body having a diameter of between 0.005 inches and 0.04 inches. The invention also provides a method of treating glaucoma including the steps of supporting tissue forming Schlemm's canal in an eye with an implant extending at least partially in the canal along an axial length within the canal; and contacting with the implant less than 50% of the tissue forming the canal along the axial length.
US07740593B2
One embodiment having features of the invention is directed to a guide block for an MRI device which has a block body with a proximal face, a distal face, and four parallel passageways extending between the two faces. The first passageway is centrally disposed, the second passageway is disposed vertical or horizontal to the first, the third passageway is located diagonal to the first and has a longitudinal opening in fluid communication with the first passageway, and the fourth passageway is diagonal to the first and in an opposite side of the body from the third passageway. In an alternative embodiment the guide block has at least one passageway that is not parallel to the longitudinal axis.
US07740588B1
A combined respiratory and heart rate sensor for a mammal has a flexible support with a surface adapted to be positioned over the skin of a mammal. A pair of inductive coil or capacitive plate elements, spaced apart by a foam spacer having openings therein, are attached to the support surface and are capable of independently sensing respiratory movement of the mammal in a direction perpendicular to the support surface and producing an output signal proportional thereto. The heart rate sensor includes an LED attached to the flexible support capable, and at least two light-detecting elements spaced apart from the LED, each capable of independently sensing light radiation reflected through the skin and capillaries from the light-emitting element and producing an output signal proportional thereto. A barrier layer attached to the support shield from the light-detecting elements light radiation that is not emitted from the LED.
US07740586B2
A hand held ultrasonic instrument is provided in a portable unit which performs both B mode and Doppler imaging. The instrument includes a transducer array mounted in a hand-held enclosure, with an integrated circuit transceiver connected to the elements of the array for the reception of echo signals. A digital signal processing circuit performs both B mode and Doppler signal processing such as filtering, detection and Doppler estimation, as well as advanced functions such as assembly of multiple zone focused scanlines, synthetic aperture formation, depth dependent filtering, speckle reduction, flash suppression, and frame averaging.
US07740580B2
Methods for covering an opening in an analyte meter are provided. Also provided are methods of determining analyte concentration.
US07740575B2
A fluid pressure generating means (10) for a heart assist device having blood pumping means. The pressure generating means (10) includes a housing (11), defining an interior volume (18), and having a substantially rigid first housing portion (12), a substantially rigid second housing portion (14), a flexible third housing portion (16) extending between the first (12) and second (14) housing portions and an inlet/outlet port (15) adapted for fluid communication with the blood pumping means. The pressure generating means (10) also includes a fluid filling the housing and a motor (20) disposed within the housing (11) and connected between the first (12) and second (14) housing portions. Actuation of the motor (20) moves the first (12) and second (14) housing portions relative to one another to generate fluid pressure changes at the inlet/outlet port (15). A related heart assist device and method for the treatment of congestive heart failure, myocardial ischemia and like conditions are also disclosed.
US07740574B2
A lightweight inductive apparatus is integrated into at least one therapeutic device (Step 101). Miniaturized circuitry containing logic for a mathematical model having at least one waveform parameter used to configure at least one waveform to be coupled to a target pathway structure such as molecules, cells, tissues, and organs, is attached to the coil by at least one wire (Step 102). The configured waveform satisfies a SNR or Power SNR model so that for a given and known target pathway structure it is possible to choose at least one waveform parameter so that a waveform is detectable in the target pathway structure above its background activity (Step 103). A repetitive electromagnetic signal can be generated for example inductively, from said configured at least one waveform (Step 104). The electromagnetic signal is coupled to a target pathway structure by output of the inductive apparatus (Step 105).
US07740572B2
A resistance chair with wheels assists users with performing correct abdominal crunches by guiding the user's effort. The resistance chair includes a seat connected to a hinged back with back support that extends to support the user's back and assist in the crunch recovery following the crunch extension.
US07740571B1
Exercise apparatus includes rotatable horizontal cylinder supporting user in a wide variety of exercises. Transversely spaced elongated handles extend from behind and lower than the cylinder upward and forward to substantially higher than the cylinder. The frame, cylinder, and elongated handles arranged so that user's body is supported primarily by the cylinder while user's hands can grasp the elongated handles sequentially higher and lower positions and can selectively pull and push translating user's body fore and aft on the cylinder. In exemplary embodiment, handles are bowed with upper portions positioned substantially above said cylinder to enable user sitting on said cylinder to reach upward and grasp handle upper portions, and frame includes transversely spaced posts, handles include portions extending downward to engage posts. Other features include lower handle set, vertically adjustable cylinder and soft surface cylinder and handles.
US07740570B2
An elastomeric band exercise device is modified by adding a cushion to the band to permit it to be comfortably stepped on with a bare foot without discomfort. The modification is particularly advantageous when the device is used in performing aquatic exercises. Each handle has a waterproof friction grip covering a steel weight bar. The handle is connected to the band by a retainer ball in the end of the band and a washer inserted between the ball and a throat in the handle through which the band is extended.
US07740566B2
A wheeled walker for training an individual to walk by enabling hip flexion. The walker is equipped with a pulley located between two anchors points to which the ends of an elastic cord are attached a middle portion of the elastic cord runs over the pulley. A first harness for receiving a foot of the user is slidingly coupled to the segment of the elastic cord located between the first anchor point and the pulley. A similar harness for receiving the other foot of the user is slidingly coupled to the segment of the elastic cord located between the second anchor point and the pulley.
US07740558B2
A transmission control unit predicts a next gear position when a predetermined gear position is achieved. In accordance with a result of the prediction, the transmission control unit operates a predetermined synchromesh to execute a standby control (pre-shift control). In the standby control, a transmission input shaft connected to a friction transfer mechanism not used for achieving a current gear position and a transmission output shaft are connected to each other via a predetermined gear train, and made standby. The transmission control unit makes different from each other an engagement load of the synchromesh when a connection of the synchromesh is done in accordance with the prediction result and an engagement load of the synchromesh when a connection of the synchromesh is done in accordance with the other condition different from the prediction result.
US07740549B2
The invention relates to sports training devices and can be used for training a volleyball spike-motion. The inventive device comprises a bearing frame, a ball, and a unit for returning the ball to the initial position thereof, which unit is provided with an elastic stretching connected to the frame by one end thereof, a rod whose one end is fixed to the frame in such a way that it has at least two degrees of freedom, whereas the second end of the rod is connected to the ball, and the second end of the stretching is connected to the rod. The frame is also provided with a limiter of traveling the rod. The device enables the ball to be moved along an arc, thereby increasing the quality of the spike-motion training, and improves effectiveness and safety of the training.
US07740542B2
A water transportation system and method are described, generally related to water amusement attractions and rides. Further, the disclosure generally relates to water-powered rides and to a system and method in which participants may be actively involved in a water attraction. This transportation system comprises at least two water stations and at least one water channel connecting the at least two water stations for the purpose of conveying participants between the at least two water stations. In addition, the water transportation system may include conveyor belt systems and water locks configured to convey participants from a first source of water to a second source of water which may or may not be at a different elevation.
US07740539B2
A parimutuel betting game featuring in-game wagers and payoffs, and real time parimutuel style odds, based on events unfolding during a live event, a principal objective being to acquire the largest number of betting tokens by the end of the event. An administrator oversees a plurality of betting lines associated with betting events. Players are allowed to bet tokens on an open betting line until it is closed by the administrator. The line will close at or before the time the situation in the live event changes appreciably, so the posted odds on the betting lines are in synch with the live event. When a line is closed, a new line may open. When a termination event occurs for a given betting event, the betting event is terminated and all lines that opened since the previous termination are paid off simultaneously in parimutuel style. The betting lines preferably have a hierarchical structure. The game may be played over the Internet.
US07740532B2
A key reception processing unit 203 receives a key-designated area designated by means of a tenkey 211, a timing detector 205 detects a timing at which the key-designated area was received, a meet section detector 204 detects a meet section where the center position of a ball object 402 displayed to move on a display screen of a monitor 22 passes, and a game progress processing unit 206 proceeds a game in accordance with a batting result obtained by combining a batting result corresponded beforehand to the detected timing and a batting result corresponded beforehand to the detected meet section.
US07740524B2
A sanding tool for sanding drywall corner joints is provided. The tool has an elongated mounting plate with a swivel handle attached to one side, and to the other side is attached one or more circular sanding disk holders to which disks of sanding medium are removably attached to a flat face of the sanding disk holder. The sanding disk holders are rotatably mounted on short axles attached to the mounting plate, and are each configured having a relatively wide edge that frictionally engages a wall adjacent the wall being sanded. This causes the sanding disk holder to rotate, sanding the drywall joint with a rotary motion instead of a linear motion.
US07740518B2
A jousting element for use in a game. The jousting element has a body which is arranged around a cylindrically aligned vertical axis. The body is configured to rotate about the vertical axis and to be carried above a playing surface. A traveling component connected to the body enables the body of the jousting element to be carried above the playing surface along multiple directions of travel. Attached to the body is a first playing component. The first playing component enables the jousting element to engage a second jousting element.
US07740504B2
A power circuit breaker having a simple structure with a small number of components is provided. The power circuit breaker includes: a circuit receiver which receives a pair of circuit terminals connected to an end of an opened power circuit; and a plug body having a fuse to be mounted on the circuit receiver to close the power circuit. In the fuse, a pair of terminals extending from a housing, which receives a fuse element of the fuse, is bent approximately at right angles at the middle of the terminal. A central curving portion of the bent part is provided with a notch. A cross section of the terminal exposed within the notch is pressed by a jig, which fits with the notch, so that the fuse is press-fit into the plug body.
US07740501B2
Hybrid cables for conveying data and conducting operating power to electrically powered devices and a vehicle utilizing such cables are disclosed.
US07740498B1
A backward compatible connector assembly that facilitates electrical communication between computer subsystems includes a receptacle, a receiver assembly and a conductor array. The receptacle includes a plurality of first connectors having a first connector length, and a plurality of interspersed second connectors having a second connector length that differs from the first connector length. The first connectors include data pins and the second connectors can include ground pins for single-ended signaling. Alternatively, the second connectors can include a plurality of data pins to form differential pairs of connectors for low voltage differential signaling. The receiver assembly includes first connector receivers that receive the first connectors, and second connector receivers that receive the second connectors. The conductor array can include approximately 40 signal-bearing conductors that have interspersed ground lines or signal-bearing lines. The first connector receivers have a first receiver depth that is different than a second receiver depth of the second connector receivers. The connector assembly can include 40 first connectors and first connector receivers, and 38 second connectors and second connector receivers.
US07740496B2
A hinge structure with an electrical connector is connected to a first body of an electronic device through a support frame. A pivot portion of the hinge structure is connected to a second body of the electronic device and includes a rotating shaft connected to the support frame, such that the first body is capable of rotating relative to the second body. The electrical connector is a power input connector disposed on the support frame, such that a power line is inserted in the power input connector to electrically connect to the electronic device.
US07740494B2
The present invention discloses a data storage apparatus, including a memory module, a USB connector connected with the memory module, a housing for accommodating the memory module, a movable carriage for holding the memory module and the USB connector, and a rotary driving mechanism for transmitting a rotary motion into a linear motion for driving the USB connector.
US07740489B2
A connector assembly includes a housing, a contact and a compressive coupling member. The housing has a mating interface and a mounting interface on opposing sides of the housing. The mounting interface is configured to engage a first substrate when the housing is mounted to the first substrate. The mating interface is configured to mate with a mating connector that is mounted to a second substrate. The housing is configured to engage and interconnect the substrates in a parallel arrangement. The contact extends between and protrudes from the interfaces of the housing and is configured to provide an electrical connection between the substrates. The compressive coupling member is configured to extend through the substrates and the housing in a direction transverse to the interfaces. The coupling member is configured to apply a compressive force to the housing to secure the housing with the mating connector to electrically and mechanically interconnect the substrates.
US07740487B2
A connector and a method of manufacturing the same one are provided. The connector includes an insulating casing and a plurality of terminals. The insulating casing has a joining surface and a plurality of terminal holes. The terminal holes are arranged to pass through the joining surface in a manner to slant relative to the insulating casing. Each terminal hole has a pair of opposite inner walls. The insulating casing further has a plurality of positioning parts adjacent to at least one of the respective inner walls of the respective terminal holes. The terminals are located within the respective terminal holes. With the use of the positioning parts, when the terminal holes of the insulating casing is formed, the pins do not tend to break and then the slant terminal holes are smoothly formed.
US07740484B1
A rotatable receptacle includes a rotary member, a power cord and a fixing stand. The rotary member is fixed by the fixing stand. The fixing stand is electrically connected to the rotary member and the power cord. The rotary member includes multiple conductor terminals, which are arranged at different rotating tracks. The fixing stand includes multiple conductor slices. The conductor slices have respective ring-shape contact regions of different size. When the rotary member is rotated with respect to the fixing stand, the conductor terminals of the rotary member are continuously electrically with corresponding ring-shape contact regions of the fixing stand.
US07740474B2
A support for structural components that are subjected to a thermal treatment process. The support includes a frame having limbs and extending therefrom a grid of intersecting strands. In order to prevent the support from warping even when subjected to strong thermal loads or variations in temperature, the frame is produced from a temperature-resistant material and the strands are produced from carbon fibers or ceramic fibers that form the grid, extending from the limbs of the frame.
US07740459B2
A method for producing a micromechanical component, preferably for fluidic applications having cavities. The component is constructed from two functional layers, the two functional layers being patterned differently using micromechanical methods. A first etch stop layer having a first pattern is applied to a base plate. A first functional layer is applied to the first etch stop layer and to the first contact surfaces of the base plate. A second etch stop layer, having a second pattern, is applied to first functional layer. A second functional layer is applied to the second etch stop layer and to the second contact surfaces of the first functional layer. An etching mask is applied to the second functional layer. The second and the first functional layer are patterned as sacrificial layers by the use of the first and the second etch stop layer by etching methods and/or by using the first and the second etch stop layer. By supplementing patterning of the base plate, additional movable fluidic elements may be implemented, using the method. The method is preferably used for producing a micropump having an epitactic polysilicon layer as the pump diaphragm.
US07740457B2
A device for delivery of flowable media, especially of lubricants, includes a pump (1) driven by a motor and forming a component of a line system. At least one heating element (21) activated by energy supply is located outside of the housing (3) of the pump (1) in a position enabling heat transfer to the housing (3).
US07740453B2
A multi-segment wind turbine blade comprises at least two blade segments. A first spar cap segment is attached to a first blade segment and a second spar cap segment is attached to a second blade segment. The first and second spar cap segments are configured to form a scarf joint. First and second spar cap brackets are attached in locations of the first and second spar cap segments, respectively, selected to facilitate alignment of the first and second spar cap segments at the scarf joint. At a field site, the first and second spar cap segments are bonded after fastening the first and second spar cap brackets.
US07740436B2
A metal clinch fastener has portions thereof selectively hardened to enable use of the fastener with metal members of differing hardness values. The selective hardening of the fastener enables mounting with application of required forces for piercing and/or plastic deformation of the metal member without undesirable deformation or distortion of the fastener. The screw thread region or zone of the fastener has a relatively lesser hardness suitable and may be pre-threaded or later threaded by engagement with a thread forming screw.
US07740426B2
A drill having a web which is provided by a central portion of a cylindrical main body of the drill and which includes a back-tapered portion and a constant-thickness portion. The cylindrical main body has a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion contiguous to the large diameter portion, such that a step is provided between the large and small diameter portions. The large diameter portion provided by the axially distal end portion of the cylindrical main body has an axial length which is larger than an axial length of the back tapered portion of the web provided by the axially distal end portion of the web, such that a boundary between the back-tapered portion and the constant-thickness portion of the web is located in the large diameter portion of the cylindrical main body.
US07740424B2
An apparatus and method are disclosed for separating articles from a group of articles. The apparatus includes a container for containing one or more articles coupled to a suitable fluidizer for suspending articles within the container and transporting articles to an induction tube. A portal in the induction tube introduces articles singly into the induction tube. A vacuum pulls articles through the induction tube separating the articles from the group of articles in the container. The apparatus and method can be combined with one or more unit operations or modules, e.g., for inspecting articles, assessing quality of articles, or ascertaining material properties and/or parameters of articles, including layers thereof.
US07740423B2
A vacuum modulating air control valve includes a valve body with air intake ports, an output port, and a valve throat. A valve member is slidably mounted within the valve body between open positions relative to the valve throat and a closed position, to which the valve member is urged by a valve spring. A pneumatic cylinder has a piston forming a vacuum chamber and has a piston rod connected to the valve member. The output port is connected to a feedpoint of a vacuum conveying system, and the vacuum chamber is connected to a vacuum line communicating with the vacuum conveying system. A vacuum level within the vacuum chamber retracts the valve member from the throat, thereby admitting ambient air into the vacuum conveying system to control a material-to-air ratio within the system.
US07740421B2
A water system for the admission of pressurized water to spray systems arranged on a powered support assembly for underground mining, having at least one spray system for plow or shearer track spraying and having at least one further spray system for goaf space spraying, canopy spraying and side spraying. A central water line feeds spray nozzles of the spray systems. To increase the operating reliability of the water system and thus of the powered support assembly, the control valves for the spray systems are accommodated in a spray valve block which is provided with a connection for the water line and which can be arranged on the powered support assembly as a unit separated from a hydraulic valve block.
US07740416B2
A hand or mechanically powered tamper tool which has a removeable, replaceable, tool head assembly. The tool head assembly is a separable component from the upper section of the tamper tool which consists of the mounting plate and its attached tamper handle. The tool head assembly has a rubber or similarly resilient material pad bonded to the underside of a backing plate. Connection elements, such as bolts, are permanently secured between the pad and the backing plate. The bolts extend through and are upstanding from the backing plate. The bolts are configured to then extend through openings in the tamper mounting plate, where nuts are used to secure the tool head assembly to the mounting plate. The tool head assembly is thus removeable from the mounting plate and its handle or supporting element and allows for the simple and ready replacement of a used and worn tool head assembly with a new tool head assembly.
US07740415B1
A device to secure, cut and sequentially remove a manhole from a street environment. The manhole removing device is supported and rotatably driven hydraulically by a mobile operation equipment. A circular disk assembly has adjustable pavement cutters adjustably positioned from there within inter-related manhole centering and a locking alignment and engagement plate assembly define a one-step cutting and removal of an existing manhole from the street for replacement.
US07740410B2
A developing apparatus has a substrate holder to hold a substrate, a heater which is provided in a substrate holder, and heats a substrate on a substrate holder for processing a resist film by PEB, a cooler to cool a substrate on a substrate holder, a developing solution nozzle to supply a developing solution to a substrate on a substrate holder, and a controller to control a heater, a cooler and a developing nozzle.
US07740400B2
A control drip mixer attachment is in combination with a hub type food mixer. The control drip mixer attachment includes a container with a side wall and a bottom wall forming an interior of the container. A shaft is connected to the container, with the shaft being adapted and arranged to be removably inserted into a hub section of the mixer. An outlet opening is in fluid communication with the interior of the container near the bottom wall and is located vertically above the bowl of the mixer.
US07740396B2
A system and method are provided for improving the operational performance of a moving cement mixer vehicle with a rotatable mixing drum by automatically stopping the rotation of the mixing drum at select moments. The system may include a sensor adapted to deliver a signal indicative of an operational parameter, such as steering angle of the vehicle, and a processing unit adapted to receive the signal from the sensor and deliver a control signal based on the signal for stopping rotation of the mixing drum.
US07740384B2
A lighting assembly comprising a socket member having a substantially tubular wall defining a cavity therein and a reflector having a first substantially tubular section telescopically received within the socket member side wall. The reflector includes first and second recesses in the first tubular section wherein the first recess is located at a first distance from an end of the first tubular section and the second recess is located at a second distance, greater than the first distance, from an end of the first tubular section. The lighting assembly includes a resilient or spring-biased member, such as a leaf spring, coupled to the socket member extending into the cavity wherein the socket member and reflector are adapted to be coupled together at first and second different positions with the first resilient member being receivable in the first recess in the first position and the first resilient member being receivable in the second recess in the second position.
US07740383B2
An exemplary optical plate includes a transparent layer and a light diffusion layer. The transparent layer includes a light input interface, a light output surface opposite to the light input interface, and a plurality of micro-depressions formed on the light output surface. The micro-depressions are arranged along a plurality of imaginary, separate, circular arcs. Each micro-depression has at least three side surfaces connected to each other, and a transverse width of each side surface increases along a direction away from the light diffusion layer. The light diffusion layer is integrally formed in immediate contact with the light input interface of the transparent layer, and free of air or gas pockets trapped in an interface therebetween. The light diffusion layer includes a transparent matrix resin and a plurality of diffusion particles dispersed in the transparent matrix resin.
US07740381B2
An apparatus and method for a high intensity lighting fixture. In one aspect, instead of a spun aluminum bowl-shaped reflector, a die cast metal reflector frame, somewhat simulating a bowl shape, includes an inner surface with mounting structure. A high reflectance sheet or plurality of high reflectance inserts are placed onto the mounting structure to create a reflecting surface. This allows high customability of the reflecting surface and minimizes light loss.
US07740376B2
A flexible light emitting module includes: a flexible substrate; and a flexible multi-layer structure formed on the flexible substrate, and including a plurality of light emitting bare chips that are disposed on the same level and that cooperatively define a spacing thereamong, a dielectric material that fills the spacing and that cooperates with the bare chips to form a light emitting layer, and first and second conductive layers sandwiching and adapted to connect the light emitting layer to a power source.
US07740374B2
An exemplary optical plate includes one or more transparent plate unit. The transparent plate unit includes a light output surface, a bottom surface, a plurality of spherical depressions, a plurality of enclosing V-shaped protrusions, and one or more lamp-receiving portion. The light output surface is opposite to the bottom surface. The spherical depressions are formed on the light output surface. The enclosing V-shaped protrusions are formed on the bottom surface. The lamp-receiving portion is defined in the bottom surface. A backlight module using the present optical plate is also provided.
US07740366B2
The present invention relates to two-sided illumination LED lens and LED module and an LED two-sided illumination system using the same; and, more particularly, to two-sided illumination LED lens and LED module including an incidence unit on which light impinges; a first exit unit corresponding to the incidence unit and transmitting a portion of the light upward; a reflection unit extended from the first exit unit and reflecting another portion of the light; and a second exit unit facing the first exit unit and transmitting the light reflected at the reflection unit downward, and an LED two-sided illumination system using the same.
US07740364B2
A direct light type backlight unit having a structure in which divided luminance areas are sequentially turned on and off and a liquid crystal display device employing the backlight unit are provided. The backlight unit includes: a base substrate; a plurality of point light sources arranged in a plurality of lines and mounted on the base substrate; and a reflector sheet vertically formed between lines of the point light sources, reflecting light emitted from the point light sources.
US07740363B2
This invention relates to a deformable-mirror holder for holding a mirror in a desired position, to within accepted tolerances, even whilst the mirror is deforming or in a deformed state. In particular, this invention relates to a holder for a bimorph mirror. A deformable-mirror holder is provided comprising a body with a central aperture for receiving a deformable mirror, the central aperture being defined by a plurality of flexible beams, with each flexible beam having an end shaped to provide a supporting surface and a flexible portion that connects the beam's end to the holder's body.
US07740356B2
A method to encode both high-resolution and low-resolution reflected features of a cornea to improve the measurements for reflection based corneal topography systems. The corneal topography reflective target provides for multiple resolutions of measurements to be obtained from a single acquisition.
US07740354B2
The present invention relates to a gradient index progressive addition spectacle lens that provides improved optical performance and a wide visual field. The lens comprises a plurality of axially layered and bonded lens sections of continuous curvature at least one of which has a refractive index gradient oriented transverse to a meridian of the lens that functions as a progressive intermediate vision zone between viewing portions of different refractive index that provide the refractive powers for corresponding vision portions of the lens. The other layer(s) of the lens incorporates a generally constant or similarly changing refractive index.
US07740353B2
An adjustable visual optical element is provided, which may be supported, for example, by an eyeglass. The optical element is preferably adjustable in each of the X, Y, and Z axes to allow the wearer to optimize projection of the optical element. A view axis of the display is preferably also angularly adjustable with respect to a wearer's straight ahead normal line of sight. Source electronics may be carried onboard the eyeglasses, or may be connectable to the eyeglasses via either a hardwire, optical guide, or radiofrequency link.
US07740342B2
A unit cell for a thermal inkjet printhead includes a substrate portion that defines an ink supply passage, Drive circuitry and interconnect layers are positioned on the substrate portion. A nozzle plate defining a nozzle is provided. Side walls depend from the nozzle plate and are positioned on the substrate portion to define an ink chamber. A heater element is connected to the drive circuitry and is positioned intermediate the nozzle plate and the substrate portion. The heater element is suspended in the ink chamber in alignment with the nozzle and is shaped to be symmetrical about two planes that intersect along an axis extending through a center of the nozzle.
US07740306B2
A utility trailer structural panel (10) of the skin-stiffener type has a skin (15) supported by uniformly spaced stiffeners or roof bows (39). Stiffeners or roof bows (39) are secured to panel skin (15) and extend outwardly from the associated panel skin (15). Each stiffener (39) has central flange (35) from which extend webs (36, 37) to mounting flanges (41, 42). Mounting flanges (41, 42) have free edges and respective beads or curls (44, 46) formed thereon for stabilizing of flanges (41, 42) to improve load transfer at the interface between the roof bows (39) and the skin (15).
US07740295B2
The present invention is directed to a system and method for connecting attachments to a vehicle including in a first embodiment a bumper guard that provides a barrier of protection for vehicle bumpers. The bumper guard includes two pieces, a first piece or bumper guard locator and a second piece or bottom piece. The first piece is attached to a vehicle through the lower holes in a license plate and is secured or locked in place using a locking mechanism. The second piece attaches, or depends from the first piece and is dimensioned and configured to rest over a bumper of the vehicle. The second piece is removably connected to the first piece and may be replaced when damaged or worn. Alternatively, in a second embodiment of the invention, the second piece may be a different component such as a “tailgating platform tray”, or other component module that attaches to a “T” locking system. The bumper guard or platform tray can be easily attached to the vehicle, stored and removed.
US07740294B2
A vehicle protector having an elongated body with a front surface, a back surface, a top, a bottom, and a first and second end, the first and second ends disposed opposite from one another, with first and second top straps disposed on the front surface nearer to the top than the bottom, the first top strap having a distal end extending from the first body end and the second top strap having a distal end extending from the second body end. Upon the application of tensile forces to the first and second top straps and the first and second bottom straps, the top of the body is drawn towards the bottom of the body on the back surface.
US07740290B2
An electronic device includes a first housing, a first lock mechanism disposed in the first housing, a second housing, and a second lock mechanism disposed at the second housing. The first housing has a first surface. The second housing pivoted to the first housing is suitable for rotating relatively to the first housing. The second housing has a second surface and a third surface which are respectively disposed at the two opposite sides of the second housing. When the second surface is closed to the first surface and a first portion of the second slider is protruded from the second surface, the first portion is locked with the first lock mechanism. When the third surface is closed to the first surface and a second portion of the second slider is protruded from the third surface, the second portion is locked with the first lock mechanism.
US07740278B2
A steering gearbox mounting structure having an intermediate bracket mounts a steering gearbox for steering wheels of a vehicle on a subframe of the vehicle. The intermediate bracket has a breakable portion which breaks when a force greater than a predetermined force is applied to the breakable portion to provide an impact absorbing stroke of an engine of the vehicle. The breakable portion may have a thin portion such as a plate or a recess portion and is more breakable in the traveling direction than the width direction. First and second intermediate brackets may be used which include first and second kinds of breakable portions that are breakable in different modes, respectively.
US07740277B2
A motor vehicle, in particular cabriolet, has a rollover protection device disposed behind the seats. The rollover protection device has a supporting frame, which extends in a vehicle transverse direction and which is fastened to the adjoining vehicle supporting structure, and at least one rollover protection cassette which contains a deployable rollover body. The supporting frame contains lateral upright column sections, a transversely running connecting profile and support elements which are connected to the column sections. Here, it is important that the at least one rollover protection cassette or a housing thereof is a constituent supporting part of the multi-part supporting frame which extends in the vehicle transverse direction.
US07740266B2
A system is described for attenuating intermittent forces at the interconnection between a towing vehicle and a trailer. The system includes a linear rocking member suspended between the towing vehicle and the trailer, a shock absorber between the linear rocking member and the vehicle, and a pendulum having a fulcrum connected to the vehicle and a swinging component rotationally connected to the linear rocking member, and a fastening device connecting the linear rocking member to the trailer to be towed.
US07740257B2
An air suspension system for a multi-axle vehicle has an air bag system including at least one air bag operatively associated with the vehicle wheels on selected wheel and axle sets to control relative movement between each of the selected wheels and a supporting frame structure of the vehicle. The system has an air-flow control arrangement to control the flow of air into each air bag to thereby control the relative movement of the wheels and vehicle frame structure. A pressurizing arrangement is provided to maintain a selected, predetermined pressure in the air bag system when the vehicle is at rest to thereby maintain a desired vehicle height. The pressurizing arrangement includes a valve to admit pressurized air to or exhaust air from the air bag system to maintain the predetermined vehicle height. The valve is actuated by a link associated with a rocker member connected to spaced axles of the vehicle.
US07740252B2
A payload-carrying motor vehicle comprises a steer axle, at least one drive axle and a tag axle. All of the axles have wheels with tires and brakes and a tag axle suspension system is adapted to suspend the tag axle in an active condition wherein the tag axle is pivotal about a first axis parallel to the other axles and also about a second axis located equidistant from the tag axle wheels and laying in a plane at right angles to the first axis and wherein the tag axle trails the drive axle and is forced to urge the tag axle tires against a road surface to aid in supporting the vehicle. A tag axle operating system is adapted to establish the tag axle in the active condition and relieve the force on the tag axle when the tag axle pivots about the second axis and reaches a predetermined tilt angle in maintaining contact of the tag axle tires with a road surface.
US07740248B2
A seal assembly capable of low temperature service is disclosed. It features upper and lower metallic backup rings that are specially shaped to act as a spring to keep the sidewalls of such rings in contact with the inside and outside surfaces to be sealed to prevent extrusion of the seal material even in low temperature situations. Inner and outer grooves are provided. O-ring seals, used for the ID of the seal, are manufactured to have a slightly greater diameter than the groove into which they will be installed. The greater length provides stored energy to promote sealing functionality in cold temperature situations. The O-rings used for the OD of the seal are manufactured to have a slightly smaller diameter than the groove into which they will be installed. The shorter length provides stored energy to promote sealing functionality in cold temperature situations.
US07740247B2
The present invention is a compound sliding seal unit of markedly reduced size and height dimensions which is employed as a discrete assembly for both the passage across and the at-will height adjustment of a mounted, rotatable shaft which extends from the atmospheric environment portion into the vacuum environmental portion of an ion implanter apparatus. The extended, rotatable shaft is typically fashioned as either a rotatable hollow tube or conduit (suitable for the passage of electrical components) and/or as a rotatable support suitable for the mounting of a pivotal scanning radial arm translation system. The manner of construction and the substantially reduced height dimensions of the compound sliding seal unit permits on-demand changes of height for the mounted, rotatable shaft which extends from the atmospheric environment and extends through the compound unit into the confined and limited spatial volume of a vacuum environment within a conventional ion implantation apparatus. The compound unit also allows the user to maintain a high vacuum within the vacuum environment despite the fact that the height of the feed-through member can be raised and lowered repeatedly at will. Its compact size frees space which can be used to extend the vacuum chamber for purposes such as a deep Faraday cup for beam measurement.
US07740243B1
The present invention is directed to a poker lottery game, including a poker lottery ticket, which leverages commonly known gaming rules and introduces multiple levels of game play. The ticket may be generated by a terminal located at, but separate from, a point of sale location. The ticket includes one or more lottery numbers along with card values corresponding to the lottery numbers. The ticket may be generated with one or more levels of play disabled or with one or more of the lottery numbers/card values concealed. The disabled levels may be enabled, the one or more of the lottery numbers/card values may be revealed, or the play value of one or more levels may be increased by registering the ticket, as part of a loyalty rewards program or web loyalty program, by purchase, by disabling one or more enabled game play levels or by combining multiple poker lottery tickets.
US07740240B2
In a paper feeding apparatus, a paper feeding unit has a paper mounting surface provided with an air-blowing outlet. The paper feeding structure feeds an uppermost sheet of a stack of paper on the paper mounting surface. An air pump supplies air to an air-blowing outlet, a first air-blowing member and a second air-blowing member. The air-blowing outlet is so provided as to blow air to an approximately whole undersurface of the paper stacked on the paper mounting surface. When air is being supplied to the air-blowing outlet, an electronic control unit inhibits the feeding of sheets of paper by the paper feeding unit.
US07740235B2
A mount having an insulation body is arranged between a bearer and an elevator drive, wherein a fastening connects the elevator drive with the bearer. Plugs are embedded in the insulation body, wherein the plugs distributed in a grid-like manner in rows and columns over the insulation body. The plugs, which can be broken out, enable a uniform spring deflection in the case of different loading. The insulation body required for the respective application can be produced by breaking out the appropriate number of plugs.
US07740233B1
Fence apparatus and related methods for making a fence panel and for connecting the panel to other panels and post elements to form a modular type fence are disclosed. These include a generally planar section of fencing material formed from spaced-apart wires, and the related brackets and posts of the system providing simplified installation, removal, handling, and storage of the fence components.
US07740224B2
A valve, in particular, a proportional seat valve or gate valve, includes a valve housing (10) and at least three fluid connections (1, 2, 3) extending through the valve housing. A main piston (18) extends in the valve housing (10). A pilot piston (24) for executing a pilot control (26) may be controlled by a current-carrying magnetic device (28). During an open pilot control (26), fluid from one (2) of the connectors (1, 2), controlled by the main piston (18), reaches the connector (3), controlled by the pilot piston (24), by a cross-sectional narrowing (38) in the main piston (19). The pilot control (26) and, as a result of the corresponding pressure drop, the main piston (18) achieves a control position, controlling both fluid connections (1, 2) with regard to fluid amount.
US07740220B2
There is disclosed a two-part bracket for holding a pole. The two-part pole bracket has a first part, for holding the pole, and a second part, including a cylindrical hollow sleeve, for attaching to a support surface. The first part has an elongate body with a tubular upper section and a tubular lower section. The cylindrical hollow sleeve of the second part is sized and shaped to receive at least a portion of the tubular lower section of the first part. A disengageable rotational interlocking means located between the first part and the second part prevents a rotation therebetween when the first and the second parts are rotationally interlocked. The bracket may be used to hold a light pole, flag pole, umbrella pole, or the like at an angle relative to vertical.
US07740217B2
A holder for two beverage containers is provided for installation in a motor vehicle. The holder has a pull-out element having insertion openings for the beverage containers. The pull-out element is guided not only displaceably but also is mounted pivotally, so that, as desired, one insertion opening instead of both insertion openings is accessible and available for use.
US07740216B1
A support system for a bird feeder. The support system allows vertical and circumferential adjustment of the bird feeder, and prevents dislodgement of the bird feeder from the support system.
US07740208B2
A crossing frog includes: a cradle assembly which includes a movable point fitting component which has two projection elements which are mutually spaced-apart, a movable point which is mounted in the cradle assembly and fitted in the fitting component, spacer components which are interposed between the projection elements and the movable point, and accommodation for removably fixing the movable point in the fitting component. The spacer components are fixed to the projection elements in a removable manner by the accommodation for removable fixing so that it is possible to remove the point in a vertical direction relative to the cradle assembly.
US07740206B2
A wake vortex alleviator is provided. The wake vortex alleviator produces rapid variations in the position of vortices emanating from aerodynamic surfaces by using an active flap that moves span-wise back and forth along the outboard section of the surface. Rapidly moving the flap back and forth in a slot at an appropriate frequency will cause the vortex to oscillate, resulting in interaction between other vortices and subsequent destruction much earlier than it would occur naturally. The slot is positioned near the aerodynamic surface trailing edge and generally transverse to a chord line of the aerodynamic surface. The flap can be moved using a variety of actuators to position, translate and stow the flap. The oscillation frequency and position are guided by information feedback according variations in lift in the aerodynamic surface, such as wind gusts. The flaps can control yaw, roll and pitch of the aerodynamic surface.
US07740205B1
An auxiliary wing and flap assembly for an aircraft which is to be extendable from a retracted position to a deployed position. Relative to the chord of the wing, the split flap is located directly adjacent the trailing edge of the wing with the auxiliary wing assembly being located at approximately the mid length of the chord of the wing. A split flap assembly extends approximately one-half the length of the aircraft wing with the auxiliary wing assembly extending the total length of the aircraft wing. The split flap is extendable to assume approximately a sixty degree angle relative to the bottom surface of the aircraft wing while the auxiliary wing assembly is extendible to assume a maximum of ninety degree angle relative to the bottom surface of the aircraft wing. The chord length of the split flap is equal to approximately 0.15 of the chord length of the aircraft wing while the auxiliary wing assembly has an airfoil-shaped member that has a chord length of approximately 0.25 the chord length of the aircraft wing.
US07740192B2
A rotating bi-directional pneumatic gun has a body and a guiding tube mounted rotatably in the body. The guiding tube has an outer surface, a front notch, a rear notch, a front groove and a rear groove. The front notch and the rear notch are defined longitudinally in the outer surface of the guiding tube and are kept from communicating with each other. The front groove and the rear groove communicate respectively with the front notch and the rear notch and each have multiple inclined bores extending respectively toward the front end and the rear end of the barrel. Rotating the guiding tube can change the direction of air flow of the pneumatic gun, and the rotating bi-directional pneumatic gun is convenient to operate and easy to assemble.
US07740189B2
A suspension arrangement mounted in support of a boom lift assembly and boom supported thereon on a chassis of an agricultural sprayer is provided. The boom lift assembly is configured to move the boom between a raised, inoperative position and a lowered, operative position. The suspension arrangement includes a pivot linkage pivotally coupling the boom lift assembly and the chassis, and a dampener located between the boom lift assembly and the chassis. During operation of the sprayer, the dampener of the suspension arrangement reduces transfer of an impact force or stress force from transferring between the chassis and the boom lift assembly so as to isolate suspension of the boom lift assembly from the chassis of the sprayer.
US07740184B2
Methods of providing dehumidification control in unoccupied spaces are disclosed. An illustrative method can include the steps of providing a controller having an away mode of operation adapted to provide dehumidification within the interior space of a building or room, providing one or more system components adapted to control the humidity and/or temperature within the interior space, initiating the away mode of operation within the controller, and operating the one or more system components for at least one cycle to reduce the humidity within the interior space.
US07740183B2
The disclosure relates to a thermostatic mixer, including a device for the dynamic regulation of the cold water flow which supplies the mixer. A resistance is generated to the flow of cold water supplied to the thermostatic mixer when small flows of mixed water are required, and said resistance is lifted or reduced when large flows of mixed water are required. Said operation is automatically carried out by devices for dynamic regulation of flow, whereby the flow cross-section provided for the incoming cold water is reduced when the drawn flow is reduced and a larger flow cross-section reestablished when a larger flow is required.
US07740176B2
A TTR time of a reading apparatus can also be reduced by designing an apparatus to exhibit a certain timing relationship between a receipt of a trigger signal and/or more of image capture and decoding. An apparatus in one embodiment can be configured to continuously capture frames of image data prior to receipt of a trigger signal and can further be configured so that an output decoded message is decoded from a frame of image data having a capture initiation time of prior to the time of receipt of a trigger signal. An apparatus configured to output a decoded message from a frame of image data having a capture initiation time of prior to a time of receipt of a trigger signal can have a TTR time of less than a frame capture period of the apparatus.
US07740175B2
The laser scanning system includes a laser scanning plane generation mechanism disposed within a housing mounted in or on a countertop at the POS station. The mechanism generates first and second pluralities of laser scanning planes which (i) intersect within predetermined scan regions contained within a 3-D scanning volume defined outside of the housing, and (ii) generate a plurality of groups of intersecting laser scanning planes within the 3-D scanning volume. The plurality of groups of intersecting laser scanning planes form a complex omni\-directional 3-D laser scanning pattern within the 3-D scanning volume capable of scanning a bar code symbol located on the surface of any object including a six-sided rectangular box-shaped object, presented within the 3-D scanning volume at any orientation and from any direction at the POS station so as to provide six-sided 360-degree omni-directional bar code symbol scanning coverage at the POS station.
US07740172B1
Systems and methods for automating the price adjustments for items in a network-based environment are described in this application. The price adjustment can consider both the price information and non-price information of an item. The price information can include the price of the item charged by a single seller or a group of sellers, as well as a customer's reaction to that price. The non-price information can contain any criteria other than the price of the item, including actual or anticipated inventory levels, initial cost, product life cycle, future demand, etc. The systems and methods can then adjust the price of the item for sale on an automated, or even semi-automated, basis without the need for manual intervention. The systems and methods could also contain a feedback mechanism that tracks the price adjustment and the conditions for making that adjustment, thereby aiding the formulation of pricing strategies for the item.
US07740171B2
In some embodiments, the present application relates to card-free programs provided by a merchant to a customer, whereby the customer has access to functions such as payment options and/or loyalty program benefits without needing to present a physical card at a point of sale. For example, a customer may make a card-free purchase of goods or services from a merchant, whereby the customer need not present a card such as a debit card, credit card, loyalty card, or other physical tender to make a purchase. Further, the customer need not provide biometric data or otherwise use an electronic device or identifier to make a purchase. Alternatively or additionally, the customer may access a loyalty program without needing to provide a physical card or data associated with a card.
US07740167B2
A method of recording a transaction relating to an item, said item comprising a product contained in a package, said package having an interface surface containing information relating to the item, the interface surface having disposed thereon coded data indicative of an identity of the item and of coordinates of a plurality of locations of the interface surface, the method including the steps of: marking the interface surface using an optically imaging pen having a marking nib; sensing at least some of the coded data in the vicinity of the pen; generating indicating data using at least some of the sensed coded data, said indicating data comprising data regarding the identity of the item and positions of the pen relative to the interface surface; and transmitting the indicating data to a computer system.
US07740164B2
The embodiments of the present invention provide a blank foldable material that may be configured to form a container. When formed, the container is self-locking and includes a rollover panel assemblies formed by spaced apart fold lines that forms bearing surfaces for vertically stacked containers. The container includes a inside taper that functions to prevent telescoping of vertically stacked container, and to hold the various corner panels in their proper location. The blank is configured to form a container that includes corners having multiple thicknesses for strength and stability. The container is self locking, easy us manufacture yet high strength.
US07740150B2
A holster is provided for use with a hot melt dispensing handgun having a nozzle, with the holster including a body defining a cavity and further including a nozzle garage. The body is operable for receiving at least a portion of a handgun within the cavity and for supporting the handgun when the handgun is inactive. The nozzle garage has a housing defining a hollow interior communicating with the cavity and also includes a heating element. The nozzle garage is operable for receiving at least a portion of a nozzle within the hollow interior and for heating the nozzle of the handgun when the handgun is inactive.
US07740149B2
Apparatus and methods relate to containers having a sidewall portion with at least one generally vertical corrugation therein. The containers can be of a variety of shapes, sizes, cross-sections, and materials. The corrugation improves the container sidewall strength and resistance to buckling under compressive loads such as stacking of multiple containers.
US07740144B2
The present invention generally relates to a display system for a display shelf having a top surface and a bottom surface. The display system includes an engagement member and a display member. The engagement member is located substantially beneath the display shelf and includes a resilient portion for releasably securing the display system to the display shelf. The display member is connected to and protrudes away from the engagement member.
US07740139B2
A carrier is formed of foldable sheet material, the carrier being usable with a container. The container has a top, a bottom and sides, the top having a handle, and at least one of the sides having a mouth for emptying contents from the container. The carrier includes a bottom, side panels adjoined and connected to the bottom, and a handle panel formed with at least one of the side panels. The handle panel includes a first aperture for fitting over the handle on the top of the container such that at least a portion of one of the side panels of the carrier rests against a side of the container directly opposite to the mouth.
US07740128B2
A self-synchronizing system and method for conveyor belt sensor operation is disclosed based on the address of an RFID tag in the belt and the location of that tag in the system memory. A moving conveyor belt system has a plurality of sensors spaced along the belt and a sensor reader for detecting and identifying the presence of a sensor passing by the sensor reader. The belt further includes a plurality of identification tags spaced along the belt and a tag reader for detecting and identifying the presence of a tag passing by the tag reader. Associated time and distance target values are acquired from a calibration table for a next sensor (S1) based upon a detected and identified functional tag. Time and distance counters are initiated. The conveyor belt may be stopped in the event that the next sensor (S1) is not detected before the time and distance target values are exceeded.
US07740123B2
A packaging device for grouping product items, especially semi-soft tissue paper packs (7), to a bundle of layered rows (L1, L2, L3) of said product items (7) having a supply line (1) including a main conveyor belt (5) constituently carrying and supplying a stream of product items (7) in a defined orientation along an infeed main path (6) to a transfer position (18), an elevator means (2) having a plurality of stack-forming receptacles (23) each receiving a grouped row (L1, L2, L3) of a specified number of said product items (7) in a chopped manner from the transfer position of said supply line (1) at an input end of the elevator means (2), wherein the elevator means (2) is adapted to successively displace the stacked grouped rows of product items (7) in a side-by-side relationship orthogonally to the infeed main path (6) to an output end of the elevator means (2), and an outfeed unit (3) engaging with the elevator means (2), commonly removing a specified number stacked grouped rows (L1, L2, L3) of said product items (7) in the side-by-side relationship from the output end of the elevator means (2) to form said bundle of product items (7).
US07740115B2
A bicycle sensor unit is provided that comprises a bicycle brake part and a sensor fixedly attached to the bicycle brake part to detect rotational behavior of a bicycle wheel. The bicycle brake part is one of a bicycle brake attachment member configured to be non-movably coupled to a bicycle frame and a bicycle brake arm configured to support a bicycle brake pad for movement against a rim of the bicycle wheel. Preferably, the sensor unit is part of a bicycle brake device that comprises both the bicycle brake attachment member and the bicycle brake arm, a bicycle brake pad and the sensor.
US07740111B2
An elevator group control system for controlling multiple elevators cars each of which serves a plurality of floors includes a route preparation section which, at a time of assigning a hall call to one of the elevator cars, calculates a future trajectory for each of the elevator cars. The future trajectory for each elevator is for a case in which the hall call is assigned to the elevator car. A selecting unit which determines a selected one of the elevator cars to which the hall call is to be assigned using the calculated future trajectories.
US07740108B2
An apparatus and method, for supporting a work piece, utilize an expandable articulated support frame having a plurality of telescopic columns arranged in rows and interconnected by a plurality of connecting rods pivotably connected to each other and the telescopic columns at intersections thereof, with upper ends of the telescopic columns being adapted for supporting the work piece thereupon.
US07740099B2
A transporter that includes a platform for supporting a load and at least one primary ground-contacting element. The transporter includes an actuator for applying torque to the at least one primary ground-contacting element for propelling the transporter with respect to a surface. The transporter also includes a controller for controlling the actuator, the controller includes an input for receiving specification by a user of a desired direction of travel based on a position of a member with respect to a fiducial axis, a differentiator for calculating a rate of change of the position of the member with respect to the fiducial axis, and a processor for generating a yaw command signal based at least on the position of the member and the rate of change of the position of the member which is weighted based on the level of experience of the user.
US07740096B2
A device for adjusting seat components as a function of a signal from a video sensor system. Furthermore, a safety belt is adjusted as well as a function of the signal. This adjustment is carried out as a function of the occupant class, the occupant volume, the occupant pose, and the head position.
US07740091B2
A drive wheel steering system for a lawnmower has a handle bar assembly that is pivotal about a vertical axis to provide directional control of the mower and rotatable about a horizontal axis to provide speed control of the mower. A control bar is operable to set a desired forward speed of the mower via engagement of a cam and the linkage assembly providing directional and speed control for the mower.
US07740086B2
A suction device (11) for a hammer drill (6) has a first end (12) with a securing device (14) for securing the suction device (11) to the hammer drill (6) and a second end (13) opposite first end (12) and which has a contact area (15) with which the suction device (11) contacts a constructional component, the suction device (11) further having a receiving space (20) which at least partially encloses a working tool (7) of the pick power tool (6), and being provided with a connection device (18) for a vacuum source. A retaining element (21) having a through-opening (22) for the working tool (7) and a plurality of suction openings (23) is provided in an area (19) of the second end (13).
US07740084B2
A utility cart and a folding stacking frame for mounting agriculture implements is disclosed. The folding stacking frame includes wings that extend to a working position transverse to the direction of travel of the utility cart to extend across numerous rows of crops. The frame permits the wings to be folded forward so that they are generally parallel with the direction of travel, and then stacked above the utility cart in a transportation position. The wings can be provided with self-tucking wheels that provide support for the wings when in the working position, and which tuck to a collapsed position when the wings are folded to the transportation position. The utility cart can ride on tracks which closely follow the contours of the ground. The track construction utilizes idler wheels mounted on tandem arms to support the track. The idler wheels pivot independently from each other, and allow the track to twist and bend to match the contours of the ground.
US07740083B2
A sod harvesting apparatus comprises at least two different configurations. In at least one configuration, the sod harvesting apparatus is set up to harvest sod from a field. In at least one configuration, the sod harvesting apparatus is set up for transportation, storage, or the like, by reducing the overall size of the sod harvesting apparatus.
US07740080B2
A seal for use in sealing on a wellhead assembly, where the seal is pressure energized and comprises an annular element having an inverted portion on its outer portion along its length. The seal may further include upper and lower ring members sandwiching the element between the ring members. The seal is formable by adjoining the open surfaces of two “W” shaped annular seals along their edges thereby forming an element responsive to pressure.
US07740072B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus for inducing fractures in a subterranean formation and more particularly methods and apparatus to place a first fracture with a first orientation in a formation followed by a second fracture with a second angular orientation in the formation are provided. First and second fractures are initiated at about a fracturing location. The initiation of the first fracture is characterized by a first orientation line. The first fracture temporarily alters a stress field in the subterranean formation. The initiation of the second fracture is characterized by a second orientation line. The first orientation line and the second orientation line have an angular disposition to each other.
US07740071B2
A clay stabilizer which is capable of inhibiting swelling in a wide variety of clay types and is also capable of restoring permeability in formations which have previously been damaged by clay swelling. Amine salts of differing molecular weights configurations and ionic strength are combined to provide transport into micropores, mesopores and macropores in the formation and to effect cationic change therein. A poly quaternary amine having a high to very high charge density is added along with lower molecular weight amine salts to substantially permanently exchange cations with the clay in the formation.
US07740067B2
A method of servicing a wellbore comprising preparing a liquid plug, allowing the liquid plug to polymerize into a highly deformable elastic plug, and placing the highly deformable elastic plug into a wellbore. A method of servicing a wellbore comprising preparing a liquid plug, allowing the liquid plug to polymerize into a highly deformable elastic plug, combining the highly deformable elastic plug with at least one conventional plug to form plug combination, and placing the plug combination into a wellbore. A method of servicing a wellbore comprising preparing a liquid plug, allowing the liquid plug to polymerize into a highly deformable elastic plug, placing the highly deformable elastic plug into a wellbore, and deforming the highly deformable elastic plug.
US07740063B2
A method for the phylogenetic identification of indigenous anaerobic denitrifying bacterial species in an oil well is described. The method avoids the process of enrichment of microbial samples.
US07740062B2
A system and a method for recovering hydrocarbons from a reservoir containing hydrocarbons, by in-situ combustion. The system includes a primary liquid production wellbore having a substantially horizontal primary production length extending through the reservoir, a vent well in fluid communication with the reservoir at a venting position which is relatively higher in the reservoir than the primary production length, an injector apparatus in fluid communication with the reservoir along an injection line in the reservoir which is relatively higher in the reservoir than the primary production length and relatively lower in the reservoir than the venting position, and an injection gas source connected with the injector apparatus. The method includes providing the system, injecting an injection gas containing oxygen into the reservoir to cause combustion of hydrocarbons contained in the reservoir, producing hydrocarbon liquid from the primary liquid production wellbore, and venting combustion gases from the vent well.
US07740050B2
A mold (200) for manufacturing a heat dissipation apparatus (10) includes a movable mold (20) and a fixed mold (30) covering the movable mold. The heat dissipation apparatus includes a plurality of fins (12). One of the movable mold and the fixed mold includes an insert group (50). The insert group includes a plurality of separated inserts (51) stacked together. A plurality of compartments (513) are formed between adjacent inserts of the insert group for forming the fins of the heat dissipation apparatus when molten metal is injected into the mold.
US07740040B2
A shaping drum for a tire blank comprising bottom zones formed of a circular reinforcement ring which is moved in rotation about an axis XX′, comprising bead-holding means (2a, 2b) mounted opposite one another on a central spindle. Each of the bead-holding means comprises a support (5a, 5b) mounted to be axially movably relative to the spindle. An assembly of return segments (9a, 9b) is distributed circumferentially around the axis XX′, which circulate radially between two circular rings (6a, 7a, 6b, 7b) fixed on the support (5a, 5b), and comprises a bead-receiving seat (10a, 10b). A turn-up membrane (12a, 12b) can slide over the bead-receiving seat, anchored in an airtight manner by its two ends (121a, 122a, 121b, 122b) on the radially outer circumference of the circular rings (6a, 7a, 6b, 7b) and anchored mechanically by appropriate means (14a, 14b) on the return segments (9a, 9b) along a circumferential anchoring line (90a). The section of the bead-receiving seat (10a, 10b) is of essentially circular shape with a developed length L1, and the circumferential anchoring line of the turn-up membrane (121, 12b) on the return segments (9a, 9b) is axially offset towards the centre of the drum by a length L2 relative to the bead receiving seat (10a, 10b), the length L2 being between 0.7 and 2 times the length L1.
US07740036B2
A system for pressurizing wheel hub formed from an air-tight sealing arrangement located on each end of a wheel hub to form a closed air system in the interior of the wheel hub. The closed air system fluidly coupled to a DC power air compressor or pressurized air tank for receiving pressurized air. A pressure gauge provides a visual indication of the air pressure in the closed air system whereby a breached seal condition within the wheel hub can be detected.
US07740035B2
A system for dissipating sound shock waves within a vehicle tire includes a wheel upon which a tire is mounted to create an internal air chamber defined by the wheel and the tire. A flow-resistant barrier is coupled to the wheel or the tire and defines an air cavity within the internal air chamber. The barrier comprises a material that provides an acoustical resistance to sound shock waves passing therethrough. The air cavity defined by the barrier has a volume such that air within the cavity offers relatively small impedance to the passage of shock waves through the barrier and into the air cavity. The barrier also can produce frictional heat when displaced by a shock wave, thereby converting energy of the shock wave to heat to reduce noise associated therewith.
US07740027B1
Apparatus applies chemicals to water in an air conditioning condensate tray. It has an elongate reservoir body with an open upper end, a closed lower end, and a central cavity enclosed by an encircling wall. The central cavity receives chemicals to prevent the growth of microorganisms. A closure closes the central cavity. A tubular member is operatively connected at a first end to an aperture in the wall, and has a second end extending outwardly therefrom. The second end is constructed for receiving condensate water from the condensate tray, providing a fluid passage to the central cavity in a first mode of operation when water in the condensate tray is above a preset level; and for dispensing water to the tray from the central cavity in a second mode of operation with chemicals disposed in the water from contact within the central cavity.
US07740025B2
An improved method and apparatus to prevent clogging of condensate drain lines with a biocide delivery system that prevents the growth of bioorganic growth in the liquid trap using time release biocide tablets or liquid biocide. When using solid biocide tablets erosion and dissolution of the tables is reduced. When using liquid biocides, combination of initial release followed by gradual release of residual liquid biocide in the drain water is attainable. Drain line are promoted from clogging while being installed anywhere on the drain line upstream of the liquid trap. The apparatus can also be incorporated with a liquid trap, allowing placement anywhere in the drain line.
US07740017B2
A method for treating the lung during an acute episode of reversible chronic obstructive pulmonary disease such as an asthma attack. The method comprises transferring energy to an airway wall of an airway such that a diameter of the airway is increased. The energy may be transferred to the airway wall prior to, during or after an asthma attack. The energy may be transferred in an amount sufficient to temporarily or permanently increase the diameter of the airway. The method may be performed while the airway is open, closed or partially closed.
US07740016B1
The present invention discloses an ankle and foot immobilizer has a base, a spine perpendicular to the base, and a shoulder perpendicular to both the base and spine. A foot cover is rotatably attached to the shoulder and engageable to the foot so that the sole is either resting upon the base to obtain a top view of the foot or so that the sole is resting against the spine to obtain a side-view of the foot. A vertical leg support that is releasably attached to the spine is provided to secure the leg in a vertical fashion. A horizontal leg support that is releasably attached to the spine is provided to secure the leg in a horizontal fashion. The base can have a cassette holder to so that a separate cassette holder is not required. The immobilizer has an anchor that can be releasably secured to a standard x-ray table such as a suction cup.
US07740009B2
A system for controlling spark of an engine is disclosed. In one embodiment, a number of sparks produced by a spark plug is varied. The system may improve engine operation, at least during some conditions.
US07740008B2
A mixer assembly (204, 603) for mixing intake air from an intake system (124) with exhaust gas from an exhaust gas recirculation system (134) to yield a mixture stream includes an intake air conduit (202, 700) having an inlet (206, 706) fluidly connected to the intake system. The mixer assembly (204, 603) also includes a mixer (200, 600) having an inlet (208, 702) fluidly connected to the exhaust gas recirculation system (134). The mixer (200, 600) is at least partially disposed in the intake air conduit (202, 700) and includes an outer pipe (203, 604) and a dividing portion (217, 602) disposed within the outer pipe. The dividing portion (217, 602) divides a first passage (216, 612) from at least one second passage (218, 608), the first passage having an outlet (216′, 612′) that is at a first height, and the second passage having an outlet (218′, 608′) that is at a second height.
US07740000B2
A method to manage and control engine operation includes injecting an initial mass of fuel into a combustion chamber to form a combustion charge, monitoring combustion and injecting a main mass of fuel into the combustion chamber substantially coincident with a start of combustion of the combustion charge.
US07739997B2
A remote drain and filter arrangement for a portable engine-driven generator is disclosed that positions the oil filter and oil drain at a location outside the enclosure of the generator. The arrangement generally consists of an oil filter assembly and oil drain assembly. The oil filter assembly includes an oil filter adapter used to interface with the oil filter and is coupled to the engine via oil conduits. The oil drain assembly includes an oil drain conduit and a flow control device that allows the oil to be drained from a location outside of the enclosure of the generator. A pump can be used to allow for sufficiently longer oil conduits. The invention is retrofittable to current engine-driven generators and can also be incorporated into future designs.
US07739991B2
A rocker cam is comprised of a first split body and a second split body, which are joined with a joint split face that contains an axial line of a cam shaft. The first split body has a first pin support portion that supports one end portion of the connection pin, and the second split body has a second pin support portion that is located so as to face the first pin support portion and supports the other end portion of the connection pin. The connection pin is supported at the first and second pin support portions at its both end portions. Accordingly, a separation force that acts on the first and second split bodies of the rocker cam during its repeated rocking movement can be reduced without improperly increasing its rigidity.
US07739989B2
A valve-operating mechanism for an internal combustion engine having intake and exhaust valves and valve control members for controlling the intake and exhaust valves. The intake and exhaust valves are configured as dual valves having an outer valve and an inner valve. The valve control members, at least during scavenging, simultaneously close the outer valves of the intake and exhaust valves, producing a non-overlapping state, and simultaneously open the inner valves of the intake and exhaust valves, producing an overlapping state.
US07739977B1
A visual indicator device for use on a vehicle that includes a bed and a tailgate that engages with the bed and that may assume open and closed positions relative to the bed. The visual indicator device is for determining, from the cab of the vehicle via a rearview mirror, the status of the position of the tailgate. The visual indicator device includes a support mechanism including a first mechanism mounted to the bed and a second mechanism mounted to the tailgate, an actuation pin mechanism that intercouples the first and second mechanisms, and an indicator flag supported by the first mechanism and responsive to the position of the actuation pin mechanism so that the indicator flag has an indicating position when the tailgate is disengaged from the bed so that the actuation pin mechanism is out of engagement with the indicator flag, and has a rest position when the tailgate is engages with the bed whereby the actuation pin mechanism is in engagement with the indicator flag.
US07739976B2
This invention is a kayak having port and starboard flares to widen the hull above the shear/water line. The flares extend outboard from the sidewalls of the kayak hull, increasing in width toward the cockpit. The flares have substantially reduced width adjacent the cockpit to define a recess that allows unobstructed paddling. The flares increase the stability of the kayak in rough water conditions without increasing the drag on the hull.
US07739975B1
A method for making a pontoon for a pontoon boat and the pontoon made from the method. The method having an initial step of providing a sheet metal strip that has a width and a length. The strip is then formed longitudinally through successive rollers to provide a central portion having a closed cross section in which the lateral edges of the strip meet. After this stage of the process, end caps are formed at each end of the central portion. Typically, one of the end caps is a nose cone that is pointed and cuts the water as the boat moves forward. The end caps may be formed independently and separately of the strip or may be formed from material at the end of the formed strip.
US07739970B2
A tufting machine that includes spaced rows of needles of inserting yarns into a backing material. The needles are engaged by opposed loopers and level cut loop pile hooks that pass between one another so as to engage the opposite row of needles for forming cut pile and loop pile tufts of yarns in the backing material.
US07739968B2
A system, apparatus and method for the combustion of metals and other fuels are provided. The system can include: a fuel combustion apparatus including a combustor having a combustion chamber for burning ground particles from a fuel charge, and a fuel supply apparatus for supplying the ground particles of fuel from the fuel charge to the combustor. The fuel supply system can include a fuel charge holder assembly to house and store the fuel charge, a grinder assembly including a grinder housed within the charge holder assembly and configured to pulverize the fuel charge to produce a combustible fuel to be consumed in the combustion chamber, and a fuel charge linear feed assembly including a piston in contact with the fuel charge within the charge holder assembly to selectively bias the fuel charge into the grinder to thereby a control consumption rate of the fuel charge. Exhaust from the combustion chamber can be used in the incineration of radioactive, chemical and mixed hazardous materials, and in the propulsion of a vehicle in both an air or water environment.
US07739965B2
Shipping and storage containers, racks, and pallets including automatic interlocking mechanisms are provided. An embodiment of the automatically locking pallet includes a pallet frame including a forklift tine opening, a pallet platform, a locking component movable into and out of a locking arrangement with an interface fitting of a storage assembly when the automatically locking pallet and the storage assembly are stacked, and an actuator operatively connected to the locking component. The actuator may be activated by a forklift tine entering the forklift tine opening to move the locking component out of the locking arrangement.
US07739963B2
A breakaway tray assembly for supporting items is disclosed. The tray assembly has a first tray that is movably attached to a support structure and a second tray that is pivotally attached to and extends from the first tray. The support structure has a bracket that supports the first tray in the extended generally horizontal position and can assist in holding the first tray in a generally vertical position when said first tray is placed in a stored-away position. The second tray has an upright position wherein it is generally coplanar with and semi-rigidly extends from the first tray. The second tray also has a breakaway position where it is not generally coplanar with the first tray.
US07739943B2
A vehicular hydraulic system having a pump, first application, pressure-dump valve and second application arranged in series. The pressure-dump valve diverts a portion of the primary fluid flow past the second application when the pressure exceeds a threshold value. A valve member in the pressure-dump valve defines a pressure-reducing orifice that communicates fluid across the valve member. A check valve prevents flow through the pressure-reducing orifice when the pressure in the valve is below the threshold value. When the pressure exceeds the threshold value, fluid flows through check valve and the pressure reducing orifice resulting in the movement of the valve member and exposure of a bypass port thereby diverting a portion of the primary fluid flow past the second application. The check valve may be selectively variable to provide for the adjustment of the threshold value. A priority valve may also be provided upstream of the first application.
US07739938B2
The launching of an unmanned projectile includes pre-packaging a barrel with a projectile, a pusher cup, and a gas generator. The gas generator generates gas to propel the projectile out of the barrel. A pressure chamber increases a pressure of the gas in the barrel. The pressure chamber comprises a front body portion connected to the gas generator; an aft body portion connected to the front body portion and the gas generator; and a vent sleeve positioned around the front body portion and adapted to provide an aperture through which the gas exits the barrel in order to control a level of gas pressure in the barrel. A triggering of the gas generator causes the pusher cup to push the projectile out of the barrel at a predetermined launch velocity in order to attain a predetermined self-propelled flight trajectory, wherein the triggering causes the pusher cup to exit the barrel.
US07739934B2
Power tool includes a movable blade and a detection system for detecting contact between the blade and an object. Detection system includes an excitation plate capacitively coupling the drive signal to the movable blade. A circuit generates an in phase component signal and a quadrature component signal from a blade current signal indicative of the instantaneous current drawn by the movable blade and calculates an energy of the blade current signal considering the in-phase and the quadrature components. The circuit compares the energy of the blade current signal to an adaptive trigger threshold to detect contact between the blade and the object based on whether the energy of the blade current signal is greater than the adaptive trigger threshold.
US07739932B2
A tool-holding device for an insert tool (14) equipped with an at least essentially disk-shaped hub (42), in particular for a hand-guided angle grinder (32) or a hand-guided circular saw, having a drive device (12) that includes a leaf spring unit (58) and is able to clamp the insert tool (14) in the axial direction (64).The leaf spring unit (58) has at least one freely extending spring piece (110) that extends at least partially in the circumference direction (50, 52).
US07739931B2
A tool bit suited to use in a machining apparatus for lathing of photoreceptor blanks includes a cutting portion which defines a plurality of projections. During lathing, the projections extend into the blank successively greater distances. When the blank is rotated, each projection cuts a successively radially inward portion of the workpiece. The resulting swarf is thinner and generally easier to handle than for a tool with a single cutting edge, thereby enabling vacuum suction of the swarf.
US07739930B2
The invention relates to a universal key (1), particularly a control cabinet key, with multiple key arms (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d), on which tool heads (12a, 12b, 13a, 13b) and/or retainers (5) for attaching tool heads (12a, 12b, 13a, 13b) or bits (6) are arranged, where at least one key arm (2a, 2b) forms a pen-shaped, hollow handle (3), and the hollow handle (3) displays at least one opening (10, 11), through which at least one other key arm (2c, 2d) can be folded out and in. (FIG. 1)
US07739922B2
The detection unit Ud is configured by arranging two strain sensitive elements X1 and X2 respectively at each side of the X-axial direction relative to the center of the strain causing plate 2, and arranging two strain sensitive elements Y1 and Y2 respectively at each side of the Y-axial direction relative to the center of the strain causing plate 2. The signal processing part Um is provided with the X-axial bridge circuit 4 for detecting a force in the X-axial direction by the strain sensitive elements X1 and X2 arranged at the both sides in the X-axial direction, the Y-axial bridge circuit 5 for detecting a force in the Y-axial direction by the strain sensitive elements Y1 and Y2 arranged at both sides in the Y-axial direction, and the Z-axial bridge circuit 6 for detecting a force in the Z-axial direction by a bridge circuit including the X-axial bridge circuit 4 and the Y-axial bridge circuit 5.
US07739916B2
A pressure sensor for sensing a fluid pressure comprising: a first chamber including a first conductive membrane, wherein a fluid is sealed within the first chamber at a reference pressure such that the first conductive membrane deflects from pressure differences between the reference and the fluid pressure; a second chamber including a second conductive membrane sealed from the fluid pressure, wherein the second membrane deflects in response to a change in temperature which the pressure sensor is exposed thereto; and a circuit in electrical communication with the first and second conductive membrane, the circuit being configured to obtain a first and second signal from the first and second conductive membranes respectively, the first and second signals being indicative of the deflection of the first and second conductive membranes, wherein the circuit adjusts the first signal by the second signal to generate an output signal indicative of the fluid pressure.
US07739906B2
A sensor module includes a substrate having a cavity in a surface thereof; a first sensor inside the cavity; a second sensor inside the cavity; and a lid body sealing the cavity and including an internal surface. The second sensor includes a first electrode located on an internal surface of the lid body and a second electrode located in the cavity.
US07739896B2
The method and apparatus in one embodiment may have: operating one of two resonators of a class II coriolis vibratory gyro in a closed loop mode and another of the two resonators in an open loop whole angle mode; sensing an angular rate by each of the two resonators; calibrating the scale factor of the closed loop resonator to yield the same integrated whole angle as measured by the open loop resonator; reversing operation of the two resonators such that the one of two resonators is operated in an open loop mode and the another of the two resonators in a closed loop whole angle mode; and alternately proceeding between open and closed loop operation of the two resonators, thereby self-calibrating scale factors respectively of the two resonators.
US07739894B2
Provided is a die cushion controller that controls an ascending/descending speed of a die cushion based on a predetermined pressure pattern 56. The pressure pattern 56 has a low pressure target value PL which is first followed by an increased cushion pressure, a high pressure target value PH corresponding to a requisite cushion pressure for retaining a workpiece, and a complementary target value PC which is followed by the cushion pressure at a substantially linear increase rate for a predetermined period of time T2 until the cushion pressure exceeds the low pressure target value PL and reaches the high pressure target value PH. The cushion pressure overshooting the low pressure target value PL continues to follow the complementary target value PC, so that an overshooting amount occurring at a time point at which the cushion pressure reaches the high pressure target value PH can be reduced. As a result, pressure variation in the cushion pressure can be suppressed.
US07739888B2
The invention relates to a method and related equipment for manufacturing shaped fabrics or anatomically shaped tubular hosiery and knitwear items, obtained with Raschel looms having preferably two parallel needle beds and automatic latch needles. During the knitting process, by gradually varying the height of the needle bed and of the sinking plane lying above with respect to the needles sliding in the same bed, knitting density can also be suitably changed. As a consequence, concerned anatomic parts such as the bodice and ankles of a pair of tights or a stockings as well as the waist and sleeves of a sweater can be shaped with higher accuracy and effectiveness.
US07739873B2
A gas turbine engine combustion system includes a plurality of fuel injectors circumferentially disposed around a combustor in a one to one fuel supply relationship with a plurality of fuel nozzle valves, and an electronic controller for controlling the fuel nozzle valves to eliminate and/or reduce hot streaking in response to sensed hot streak conditions. The fuel nozzle valves may be modulating valves. The electronic controller may be used to individually control the fuel nozzle valves. The hot streak conditions may be sensed with temperature sensors such as temperature sensors operably mounted in the combustor. A program in the electronic controller may be used for determining broken or malfunctioning sensors by calculating a combustor temperature and comparing it to measured temperatures from the sensors and comparing the measured fuel pressures in the individual fuel nozzle circuits with the simulated or calculated fuel pressures.
US07739868B2
A deterioration diagnostic system of an exhaust gas purifying catalyst includes: an upstream side switching frequency calculator calculating the number of times of switching on the upstream side; a reference value calculator calculating a downstream side rich/lean determination level having a first width; a downstream side rich/lean determination level adjuster setting the first width to a second larger width when the number of times of switching on the upstream side is smaller than a predetermined value; a downstream side switching frequency calculator calculating the number of times of switching on the downstream side; a frequency ratio calculator calculating a frequency ratio between the number of times of switching on the downstream side and the number of times of switching on the upstream side; and a deterioration determiner determining the deterioration of the exhaust gas purifying catalyst when the frequency ratio is larger than a predetermined value.
US07739863B1
A rope structure adapted to engage an external structure comprising a primary strength component and a coating. The primary strength component comprises a plurality of fibers. The coating comprises a lubricant portion and a binder portion that fixes the lubricant portion relative to at least some of the fibers. The coating is applied to the primary strength component such that the lubricant portion reduces friction between adjacent fibers and reduces friction between fibers and the external structure.
US07739862B2
The invention relates to a thread clamping device for lower winding threads on spindles of a ring spinning frame or ring twisting frame. A clamping sleeve is provided between a clamping ring and a radially protruding flange on the spindle which can be axially displaced between a clamping position, which is defined by the position on the clamping ring, and an open position. The clamping sleeve is associated with an actuation device for the axial displacement thereof, which co-operates with radially extending means on the clamping sleeve. The clamping sleeves are associated with elements for fixing the position thereof at least in the clamping position. The aim of the invention is to introduce lower windings into the clamping gap and to improve the removal thereof from the clamping gap. As a result, the actuation elements and/or the radially protruding means are maintained on the clamping sleeve in a radially, elastically touching manner in relation to each spindle axis and are provided with rising sloping surfaces which are radially effective in both relative directions of movement.
US07739859B2
An apparatus comprises a rotating conveying system for conveying along a curved path components of packaging units comprising containers and container closures, a filling device for filling with a product the containers on the rotating conveying system, a sterilizing device for sterilizing at least part of the components mounted along the path and comprising an irradiating device arranged to emit radiation.
US07739858B2
A method for forming individual letters provided with envelopes from printed same-size sheets, includes pre-printed envelope forms for forming the envelopes, and in the immediate vicinity of each envelope form one or more letter forms for forming a letter or letters and inserting them in the envelope. The envelope form is led as such to envelope formation; the letter forms are cut at least on one side into letters which are smaller than the letter forms; the letters are brought to contact with the envelope form; the envelope form is folded in two around the letters and glued at the side edges to form an open envelope; and the open flap of the envelope is glued and folded so that a sealed letter provided with an envelope is formed.
US07739852B2
A bracketing system is provided having two brackets joined by a flexible adhesive material that allows bridging or backing members of variable lengths and widths to be mounted between vertical studs to enhance stability of the wall construction. A wall construction assembly according to an embodiment of the invention comprises two vertical studs and a bridge backing member mounted there between by a bracketing system, which includes a left bracket and a right bracket connected by a flexible adhesive material. Because the bridge backing member can be adjustably sized to be secured on the brackets, it can be sized to fit between studs regardless of any variation in the spacing of the studs. This obviates the need to prefabricate bridge backing members to fit between variably spaced studs. The bridge backing member can be mounted flush with the stud to eliminate unevenness in the wall structure. Bridge or backing members of various widths and lengths can be mounted to the bracketing system.
US07739848B2
An insulated building panel includes a male connector configuration as well as a female connector configuration that are both formed of generally bent surfaces. The male connector as well as the female connector extends outwardly from the side faces of an insulating foam core so that the foam is protected from damage. The male connector is formed by bending the metal edge into a generally U shaped configuration with the outer edge of the U bent downwardly towards the interior of the panel. The female connector is bent back almost towards itself and terminates in a curvilinear gutter portion. The female portion includes a detent edge that defines a shallow receptacle into which a male detent edge is inserted so as to lock the male and female connectors in a nested position, thereby securing two panels together.
US07739843B2
A pre-stressed segmented concrete tower for wind power generators is described, and a method for its fabrication, wherein in a pyramidal structure is formed by prefabricated segments, the structure comprising three rounded walls formed with semi-circular segments, and three flat walls, formed with flat segments between the semi-circular walls. One standard curved mold is used for the semi-circular walls, and the flat walls are fabricated horizontally, over templates.
US07739829B2
Insect pests can be transported around the world in wooden shipping containers. To prevent the spread of wood-borne insect pests, it is necessary to kill insects within the wood. The wood is placed in a vacuum container having a flexible wall. The flexible wall presses against the wood and enables the wood to be heated by conduction. The wood and flexible wall can to be heated by contact with ambient or heated air, for example. Desiccant or dry air can be used to increase the rate of dehydration. Insects in the wood are typically killed after losing 25-50% of their body weight by dehydration. This technique will kill beetle larvae, nematodes and other invasive and destructive insects that live inside solid wood, and is particularly applicable for rendering wood acceptable for use in pallets and other containers shipped internationally.
US07739821B1
A lightweight, compact, collapsible, and easily concealed pistol. The pistol has a barrel and a handgrip which are pivotally attached to the frame. The barrel is locked to the frame by a barrel lock. Operation of the barrel lock releases the barrel, allowing the barrel to pivot for reloading. In the collapsed position, the handgrip folds to cover the frame and the trigger, which is retracted therein. In the firing position, the handgrip is rotated away from the barrel, and locks in place via grip locks disposed in the frame, and the trigger extends from the frame. The hammer is pivotally attached to the frame. The hammer incorporates a firing pin. A safety located on the hammer retracts the firing pin within the hammer to prevent firing the pistol in the safe position, and extends the firing pin to fire the pistol.
US07739820B2
A spring loaded display device is described particularly suited for attachment to the leading edge of a shelf such as a bookshelf, the display unit including a clip mechanism for securely grasping the top and bottom surfaces of a shelf at its edge, the clip mechanism hingedly connected to a display unit which can freely rotate about the hinged connection. The display unit itself, generally of rectangular configuration, is designed to receive a document, and includes a transparent face so that the document contents may be easily viewed.
US07739813B2
There is provided a telescoping boom system for an excavating apparatus which includes a linkage member having a pivot segment and lever segment pivoted about a rotating fixed boom. A first hydraulic cylinder is coupled from the fixed boom to the pivot segment. A second hydraulic cylinder is coupled from the lever segment to a retractable outer boom. The first hydraulic cylinder extends to rotate the pivot segment away from a proximate end of the fixed boom, thus forcing the lever segment to rotate towards the proximate end of the fixed boom. The second hydraulic cylinder retracts and combines with the extension force of the first hydraulic cylinder across the linkage member to provide a retraction force to the outer boom.
US07739812B2
A cutter head for a cutter suction dredger to be mounted rotatably about a cutter head center axis with respect to a suction device for sucking up material cut loose by the cutter head from the bottom of a body of water, which cutter head includes a base ring, a boss spaced from the base ring in the direction of the center axis, and a plurality of arms which extend from the base ring to the boss and are distributed at regular intervals in the peripheral direction, each arm has a series of teeth located on the radially outermost parts of the arm and directed outwards at an angle with respect to the peripheral direction, the direction of rotation of the cutter head being set such that the teeth perform a cutting movement, with non-return mechanisms, preventing movement of cut material from the center axis to the exterior.
US07739810B2
An article of footwear for contact sports is disclosed. The article of footwear also includes pads disposed along its medial and lateral sides, including pads associated with the malleolus. Additionally holes along the toes, the bottom, and at the heel allow for increased contact of the user's foot with the ground, allowing greater feel and balance.
US07739809B2
Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide a sole assembly having a first fixed portion and a second removable portion, wherein the removable portion is removably mounted to allow replacement, at least one projection extending from a peripheral edge area of the second portion and configured to be engaged with at least one portion of the sole assembly, at least one aperture formed in the second portion and at least one securing device which projects at least partially through the at least one aperture to secure the second portion to the sole assembly.
US07739804B2
A level for gauging stud orientation. The level includes an elongate frame, a level indicator secured to the frame, two support arms pivotably secured to the frame to facilitate holding of the level against the stud, and a coordinating arm pivotably secured to each of the support arms for synchronous movement of the support arms. The frame has two side-faces and at least one main reference surface extending therealong and having a mainwidth. The coordinating arm is substantially parallel to the main reference surface. Each support arm has a proximal end and extends to a free distal end to which an end member is secured. Each end member extends from a respective one of the distal ends crosswise with respect to the mainwidth and terminates in a stud-engaging portion which extends in a direction intersecting the plane of the reference surface. When the reference surface is against a stud surface the stud-engaging portions engage the opposite side of the stud for hands-free holding of the level thereagainst.
US07739799B2
A combination utility and sporting knife includes a longitudinal knife handle, a utility blade carrier disposed within the handle and linearly movable within the handle, a utility blade carried by the blade carrier, a manual movable blade moving member operatively connected with the blade carrier, and a pivotally movable blade pivotally connected to the handle. The utility blade and the pivotally movable blade are extendable from opposite ends of the handle. The utility blade edge and the pivotally movable blade edge both are exposed towards the bottom portion of the handle when the pivotally movable blade and the utility blade are in operative positions thereof so that the bottom and top portions of the handle retain their relative bottom and top orientations for use of either the utility blade or the pivotally moveable blade.
US07739795B1
A method of manufacturing a corner module assembly wherein a wheel hub is attached to the knuckle and the knuckle is held by a clamping force applied through locator pads and thereafter a radial mounting surface and first and second bosses on the knuckle are machined into parallel alignment with the bases of the locator pads. After a rotor is fixed against the machined radial mounting flange, the first and second braking surfaces on the rotor finished machined, if necessary, into the same parallel alignment with the bases such that first and second friction member retained in a caliper are located in parallel alignment with the first and second braking surfaces when the caliper that is attached to the first and second bosses on the knuckle and finally attachments surfaces on the knuckle are machined. This sequentially machining substantially eliminates assembly tolerances of the corner module assembly.
US07739785B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a head gimbal assembly manufacturing method which can attach another magnetic head slider to a suspension to be reused without addition of solder. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a head gimbal assembly (HGA) is attached to a jig. Both sides of a portion close to the rear end of a magnetic head slider are gripped with hot tweezers heated at about 200° C. They are heated for about four seconds while applying force in a direction of peeling off the magnetic head slider from gimbals, thus removing the magnetic head slider from the gimbals. When another magnetic head slider is attached to the suspension, an adhesive adhered to the gimbals is removed and another adhesive is applied to the gimbals. The back of another magnetic head slider is pressed to the adhesive, whereby the magnetic head slider is fixed to the gimbals. Next, the solder fillet left on the gimbals is irradiated with laser beams to be melted and joined to an electric terminal.
US07739783B1
According to some embodiments of the invention, a system for securing a helmet to the head of a user is provided. The system includes a helmet body, and a roll cage disposed substantially within the helmet body. The system also includes at least a portion of a helmet retention system coupled to the roll cage so that a force applied to the strap is transferred to the roll cage before being transferred to the helmet body.
US07739782B2
A blind fastener (11) for installation in a thermoplastic workpiece, which blind fastener has a leading end face (21) which is substantially flat and non-abrasive and without drilling teeth, so that when the leading end face of the fastener is held in contact with the near face of the thermoplastic workpiece (22) and heat and pressure are applied to the contacted area of the workpiece by means of the leading end of the fastener, the fastener progressively forms a hole through the thermoplastic workpiece in which hole it can then be installed.
US07739781B2
A stent has surface sculpturing, preferably on its outer surface only, having, for example, microspheres, having the function of increasing the actual geometric surface area of the stent, of creating undercuts and roughness to encourage the application of coatings of active or activatable agents, as well as of improving the attachment of the stent to the blood vessel wall.
US07739778B2
A method for machining particularly spectacle lenses by means of a machine which comprises at least one cutting unit and at least one turning unit in a common working space, wherein at least two spectacle lenses are machined at the same time in the working space, one of said spectacle lenses being cut while the other is turned. The machine frames of the cutting unit and of the turning unit are essentially decoupled from one another in terms of vibration and/or at least two machining units of the machine comprise workpiece spindle units for generating a transverse movement of the spectacle lens to be machined with respect to the respective tool, the workpiece spindle units being arranged essentially perpendicular to one another. As a result, it is possible for spectacle lenses to be machined in an extremely short time with high machining performance and with high surface precision and quality.
US07739777B2
A method of manufacturing an ink-jet head according to the present invention includes a step of providing a vibration plate in which grooves associated with respective pressure chambers are formed on a surface of the vibration plate, and a piezoelectric layer forming step of forming a piezoelectric layer by depositing particles of a piezoelectric material on the surface of the vibration plate on an opposite side of a channel unit. Since grooves corresponding to the grooves in the vibration plate are formed also in the piezoelectric layer, it is possible to reduce a cross talk between operating sections of the piezoelectric layer. Further, chip and crack is hardly developed in the piezoelectric layer.
US07739776B2
A modular columbarium system comprised of modular niche units each having a plurality of urn niches defined therein, wherein adjacent modular niche units are secured to one utilizing an interlocking system that provides alignment and stabilization of the units. The columbarium system is a modular design which facilitates the easy relocation of the modular niche units and the redesign of the columbarium system. The interlocking system connects the modules of the columbarium system to one another to enable easy expansion of the system without diminishing its stability. The modular niche units can also be used with existing columbarium systems. Memorial plates of various sizes are provided to cover the niche openings such that couples or family members can be grouped together under one memorial plate.
US07739774B2
In the case of an apparatus on a spinning preparation machine, e.g. a draw frame, flat card, combing machine or the like, in particular a double-head draw frame, with at least two driven drafting systems having force-transmitting means for driving drafting rollers of the drafting systems and at least one drive motor, a coupling is present between a drive motor and a drive shaft. To allow the effectiveness and efficiency to be substantially increased in a structurally simple and cost-effective manner, the respective drive chains are connected via a respective controllable coupling to the motor and the rotational speed of the motor can be reduced for the engagement and disengagement process.
US07739764B2
A method of determining static and dynamic imbalance conditions in a horizontal axis washing machine utilizes a number of dynamic algorithms to automatically determine the total load size, the magnitude of any static load imbalance, and the magnitude of any dynamic load imbalance for any given load in a given washing machine based on power measurements from the washing machine motor obtained in predetermined speed profiles.
US07739754B2
A seat pad for a cyclist garment, a method of manufacture thereof, and a cyclist garment including the same, are provided. The multi-layer seat pad includes an inner layer for contacting the cyclist, an outer layer for affixing to the garment, and a compressible, resilient middle layer disposed between the outer and inner layers, wherein the outer layer covers less than all of the inner layer.
US07743424B2
The present invention discloses a method for protecting data in a hard disk, such that when a computer executes a power-on self test (POST) of a basic input/output system (BIOS), completes initialization of memories and calls an interrupt routine of the BIOS to read a hard disk area after initialization program codes of interface devices of all hard disk are executed, the computer will determine whether or not the hard disk has added a protection description data with a portion that matches with a computer identification code of the computer before accessing data in the hard disk.
US07743421B2
Communication network security risk exposure management systems and methods are disclosed. Risks to a communication network are determined by analyzing assets of the communication network and vulnerabilities affecting the assets. Assets may include physical assets such as equipment or logical assets such as software or data. Risk analysis may be adapted to assess risks to a particular feature of a communication network by analyzing assets of the communication network which are associated with that feature and one or more of vulnerabilities which affect the feature and vulnerabilities which affect the assets associated with the feature. A feature may be an asset itself or a function or service offered in the network and supported by particular assets, for example.
US07743405B2
A method of authentication via a secure wireless communication system; the method comprising sensing that a mobile device has come within range of a secure network; initiating a program within the mobile device offering the user a plurality of authentication options; processing the chosen authentication option and providing requested user data to a service provider for the secure network, only if the chosen authentication option within the mobile device permits provision of the requested user data.
US07743382B2
The execution environment provides for scalability where components will execute in parallel and exploit various patterns of parallelism. Dataflow applications are represented by reusable dataflow graphs called map components, while the executable version is called a prepared map. Using runtime properties the prepared map is executed in parallel with a thread allocated to each map process. The execution environment not only monitors threads, detects and corrects deadlocks, logs and controls program exceptions, but also data input and output ports of the map components are processed in parallel to take advantage of data partitioning schemes. Port implementation supports multi-state null value tokens to more accurately report exceptions. Data tokens are batched to minimize synchronization and transportation overhead and thread contention.
US07743381B1
A computer accessible medium may be encoded with instructions which, when executed: replicate a checkpoint segment from a first local storage of a first node to at least one other node; and load a copy of the checkpoint segment from the other node to a second local storage of a second node. The checkpoint segment is stored into the first local storage by an application, and comprises a state of the application. The copy of the checkpoint segment is loaded into a second local storage responsive to a request from the second node to load the copy. The second node is to execute the application. In some embodiments, the copy of the checkpoint segment may also be loaded into a global storage.
US07743380B2
Embodiments of the invention distribute profiling responsibilities for a clustered application to various instances of the application that generally run on different computer hosts. In an embodiment, the profiling responsibility is measured in terms of metrics wherein each profiling agent of an instance collects metrics about that instance. The metrics are prioritized and assigned to instances such that the highest priority metrics are assigned if possible. Each metric is associated with an expected performance overhead, and the assignment of metrics to an instance is done such that the performance overhead on that instance and/or host does not exceed a threshold. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US07743379B2
A method, system and computer program product are provided for representing resource sets in a variable format. Variable resource sets are represented in two parts: a system topology domain and a system detail level. Logical entities are allowed to consume variable resource sets to specify the domain and level required in the attachment. Thus, the resource set attachment is made using a domain system detail level, but the actual resources represented are derived dynamically. That is, the elements that were once statically represented by bits in the resource set are now derived dynamically to reflect the system state at the time they are being used.
US07743375B2
An information handling system includes instruction processing nodes in respective physical partitions. A communications bus couples two information processing nodes together. Each node includes hardware resources such as CPUs, memories and I/O adapters. Prior to a command to merge the physical partitions, the communication bus exhibits a disabled state such that the two information processing nodes are effectively disconnected. After receiving a command to merge the physical partitions, the system enables the communication bus to effectively hot-plug the two nodes together. A modified master hypervisor in one node stores data structures detailing the hardware resources of the two nodes. The modified master may assign resources from one node to a logical partition in another node.
US07743373B2
A method and apparatus enhancing software catalog manageability, providing abstract software configuration, and desired state management. A first mechanism enhances software catalog manageability. The first mechanism includes a software model that separates metadata of software from actual binaries of the software. A second mechanism abstracts software configuration for automation. The second mechanism includes a hierarchical software resource template structure that specifies parameters, dependencies between parameters, features, options, and parameters that cannot be predefined. A third mechanism provides for desired state management and patch compliance assessments. The third mechanism checks against a server template or software resource in a data center model against what is installed on actual machines to determine compliance.
US07743366B2
A system and method for compiling a computer program comprising (a) performing a compilation generating an initial mapping of each code portion of the program in the memory; b) evaluating and generating a cost value associated with the initial mapping; c) if the cost value does not satisfy a threshold cost value, re-performing the compilation having regard to the record of each memory section; d) re-evaluating and generating a revised cost value associated with the modified mapping; e) iteratively repeating steps (c) and (d) until a predetermined condition is met; and f) outputting the mapping whose associated cost value most closely satisfied the threshold cost value. Such an approach enables a reduction in the power consumption resulting from memory accesses, reduces local memory requirements, and reduces the risk that size and complexity of the computer program will be constrained by the given local program memory size.
US07743359B2
An apparatus and method of synthesizing a photolithographic data set includes using a first computational model to calculate a first figure-of-merit for the photolithographic data set; changing a first part of the photolithographic data set to increase the first figure-of-merit; and then using a second computational model to calculate a second figure-of-merit of the photolithographic data set; and changing a second part of the photolithographic data set to increase the second figure-of-merit. The second computational model enables figure-of-merit calculations to be executed at a significantly faster execution rate than the first computational model.
US07743349B2
The present invention provides a method and a system for designing an integrated circuit comprising a plurality of elements. The method includes obtaining a lithography-simulated layout corresponding to at least one element. The lithography-simulated layout accounts for lithography effects on the element. The method further includes determination of an equivalent circuit representation that is compatible to a circuit analysis tool, corresponding to the lithography-simulated layout with respect to one or more performance characteristics and based on user preferences. The method also provides equivalent circuit representation to the circuit analysis tool that analyzes one or more performance characteristics of the elements.
US07743348B2
Input is provided to an application using a plurality of physical objects disposed adjacent to an interactive display surface. A primary location is determined where a primary physical object, e.g., a finger or thumb of the user, is positioned adjacent to the interactive display surface. An additional location is determined where an additional physical object is positioned adjacent to the interactive display surface. The attribute might be a size of an image or selected portion of the image that will be retained after cropping. A change in position of at least one of the objects is detected, and the attribute is adjusted based on the change in position of one or both objects. A range of selectable options of the application can also be display by touching the interactive display surface with one's fingers or other objects, and one of the options can be selected with another object.
US07743346B2
A graphical user interface for graphically managing the navigational usability of an interactive map is described. In one embodiment, the graphical user interface includes a layer hierarchy having a first layer and a second layer. The graphical user interface also includes a first display range bar associated with the first layer and configured to show a range of map scales at which the first layer is displayed in the digitized map. In addition, the graphical user interface includes a second display range bar associated with the second layer and configured to show a range of map scales at which the second layer is displayed in the digitized map.
US07743344B2
The present invention relates to a method for optimizing the use of client capacity when providing information contents to a user. First, two modes of navigation of the client are defined: a first, continuous navigation mode, characterized by restricted movement among the contents, and a second, discontinuous mode, characterized by unrestricted movement among the contents. Then it is determined which mode of navigation the user is currently using, and the utilization of client capacity is adapted based on the currently used mode of navigation. In the first mode of navigation, user action can be more easily anticipated, and the client capacity can be used for improving the ongoing media consumption. In the second mode of navigation, user action is more difficult to predict, and client capacity may be needed for handling unexpected actions.
US07743342B2
The sizes of icons for moving images (the size of a rectangle on the front side of each icon, the length of each icon in the depth direction thereof, etc.) that specify moving-image files are changed depending upon file information (moving image playback times, image sizes of the frames that make up the moving images, sizes of the moving-image files, etc.) concerning the moving-image files specified by the icons for the moving images. The content of each moving-image file can be ascertained by observing the icon for its moving image.
US07743341B2
Icons are arranged in foreground background positions in an interface environment to define a multidimensional path extending from a terminus. The icons transition between the foreground position and the background positions along the multidimensional path.
US07743335B2
A system and method for creating a graphical program which accesses registers of a hardware device. In one embodiment, a register access node or primitive may be included in a graphical program, such that when the graphical program is executed on the computer system, the register access node is operable to access (i.e., either read or write) registers of a hardware device in the computer system. The method may comprise first displaying a register access node in the graphical program in response to user input. For example, the user may select the register access node from a palette and drag and drop the register access node onto a window of the graphical program being created. The user may then configure the register access node to access one or more registers of a selected hardware device, e.g., by using a user interface for performing this configuration. In one embodiment, the computer may store a description of the hardware device, wherein the register access node uses the description of the hardware device to access registers of the hardware device during execution of the graphical program. In one embodiment, configuring the register access node may include displaying a list of registers or a list of fields of registers described in the description of the hardware device and receiving user input to select one or more of the registers from the list of registers. The list may also or instead comprise a list of mnemonic names of registers and/or a list of mnemonic names of fields in the registers. The user may thus configure the register access node to access selected registers described in the description of the hardware device.
US07743333B2
A system, method, computer program and system for suspending a result set and continuing from a suspended result set for a scrollable cursor is disclosed. The rows from a row source corresponding to the scrollable cursor result set are suspended into storage so that when a fetch is requested the data can be sent (continued) from the suspended storage and does not depend on the original scrollable cursor row source or session to be available.
US07743332B2
A user interface to display and manage a plurality of entities as if a single entity is provided. The user interface includes a representation of the collection of entities as a whole, and a representation of members associated with the entity. If an action is performed on the representation of the entities as a whole, then the action is propagated to the collection of entities, if the action is performed on the representation of the member associated with the entity, then the action is directed to the member.
US07743329B2
Incorporating interactive media into a playlist allows for media, operable to play automatically without a prompt after being loaded, to be loaded into a playlist and played from the playlist without overlapping playback with other media in the playlist. Incorporating interactive media into a playlist involves employing a playlist, a media wrapper, a media control, and a media player to preroll media, immediately stop playing the prerolled media while other media is playing, signal that media has finished playing in order to seamlessly begin playing the next media in the playlist.
US07743313B2
A system for processing a data signal (such as an ADSL or VDSL signal) includes a first decoder unit, such as a convolutional decoder or a QAM decoder, for receiving the data signal, decoding the second level of encoding and outputting a decoded signal and a first error indication signal indicative of errors in the decoded signal. A redundancy decoder employs the decoded signal and the first error indication signal (or transformed versions thereof) to perform redundancy decoding.
US07743311B2
A combined encoder/syndrome generator is provided that has a reduced delay. The combined encoder/syndrome generator generates check symbols during an encoding process and error syndromes during a decoding process. The combined encoder/syndrome generator has two or more blocks. The output of each block is fed as an input into a subsequent block. Each block can perform computations in parallel to reduce the delay of the encoding system.
US07743310B2
A generation device generates a frame to be transmitted to a destination communication apparatus. The frame includes a first separation field, a first MAC protocol data unit (MPDU) following the first separation field, a second separation field following the first MPDU, a third separation field following the second separation field, and a third MPDU following the third separation field. The second separation field includes length information set to a value of zero to indicate no second MPDU directly follows the second separation field. The first MPDU includes a first MAC header, a first data field, and a first frame check sequence (FCS). The first FCS is for detecting an error occurred in at least the first data field. The third MPDU includes a third MAC header, a third data field, and a third FCS. The third FCS is for detecting an error occurred in at least the third data field.
US07743306B2
The X-type of each bit permutation is determined (step 301). When there are X-types except for X-type 1, i.e., X-type with no don't-care bits, total capture state transition numbers TECTA1 and TECTA2 for capture clock pulses C1 and C2 are calculated (step 303). As a result, when TECTA1>TECTA2, an X-type is selected for the capture clock pulse C1 and a first X-filling processing is performed (see step 305). On the other hand, when TECTA1≦TECTA2, an X-type is selected for the capture clock pulse C2 and a second X-filling processing is performed (step 306).
US07743301B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit includes an MISR (Multiple-Input Signature Register) for generating and storing compressed code based upon code from a ROM, and for reading out and outputting the compressed data that has been stored. The MISR has a clock change-over unit for changing over a clock in such a manner that the MISR is caused to operate at a high-speed clock when the compressed data is generated and stored, and at a low-speed clock when the stored compressed data is read out and output.
US07743299B2
A low overhead dynamically reconfigurable shared scan-in test architecture is provided. This test architecture advantageously allows for changing scan inputs during the scan operation on a per shift basis. The flexibility of reconfiguring the scan input to scan chain mapping every shift cycle can advantageously reduce both test data volume and test application time.
US07743296B1
A method of programming a programmable logic device (PLD), in accordance with an embodiment, includes receiving trigger unit information of a logic analyzer via a software interface for monitoring internal PLD signals and providing trigger unit output signals based on the internal PLD signals for the corresponding trigger units; and receiving trigger expression information of the logic analyzer via the software interface as a text string of logic operators and operands, wherein the operands represent the trigger unit output signals. The method may further include generating configuration data based on the trigger unit information and the trigger expression information; and providing the configuration data to the PLD, wherein a trigger expression based on the trigger expression information is stored within memory of the PLD.
US07743292B2
The invention provides a memory card testing apparatus for performing automated operations on memory cards. The memory card testing apparatus comprises a host device, a database, a processing unit and an interface. The host device is provided for accessing a memory card. The database maintains a plurality of test script files to be processed. The processing unit is coupled to the database for selecting a test item from one of the plurality of test script files according to a device identification number corresponding to a target device to be tested and a communication protocol associated with the memory card. The interface is connected to the processing unit and the host device for enabling the host device to execute at least one card command on the memory card according to the test item.
US07743291B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array, a plurality of data input/output terminals, a plurality of signal paths for writing data supplied to the data input/output terminals to the memory cell array in parallel, a plurality of latch circuits temporarily holding the data on the signal paths, respectively, and a selector selectively supplying the data to the latch circuits from a test data terminal during a test operation. The data can be thereby supplied from the test data terminal to the latch circuits in parallel during the test operation. The number of terminals used at an operation test can be, therefore, greatly decreased.
US07743289B2
A first mathematical expression indicating a dependence of SER on an information storage node diffusion layer area at the same information storage node voltage Vn is derived with a use of a result of measuring a relationship between SER and the information storage node diffusion layer area of a storage circuit or an information holding circuit composed of MISFET using a plurality of information storage node voltages Vn as a parameter. Then, a second mathematical expression is derived from the measurement result by substituting a relationship indicating a dependence of SER on an information storage node voltage at the same information storage node diffusion layer area Sc into the first mathematical expression. SER can be calculated by substituting a desired information storage node diffusion layer area and a desired information storage node voltage of a storage circuit or an information holding circuit into the second mathematical expression.
US07743287B2
SAM is a very attractive memory option for systems due to its higher speed and reduced area when compared to RAM. However it is generally not used in implementations of FECCs due to its limitation to sequential accesses. According to the present invention, Forward Error Correcting Code encoder and decoder structures are shown to allow the use of SAM in their memory designs. Thus SAM is utilized in FECC implementations to achieve better area efficiency for the same amount of memory as well as higher throughput for the hardware implementations.
US07743285B1
One embodiment relates to a high-availability computation apparatus including a chip multiprocessor. Multiple fault zones are configurable in the chip multiprocessor, each fault zone being logically independent from other fault zones. Comparison circuitry is configured to compare outputs from redundant processes run in parallel on the multiple fault zones. Another embodiment relates to a method of operating a high-availability system using a chip multiprocessor. A redundant computation is performed in parallel on multiple fault zones of the chip multiprocessor and outputs from the multiple fault zones are compared. When a miscompare is detected, an error recovery process is performed. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.
US07743277B2
A data storage system using flash storage maintains a status indicator corresponding to data written into the flash storage. The status indictor of the data indicates whether a disruption, such as a power disruption or a device disconnection, occurred when the data was being written into the flash storage. The data storage system determines whether the data may be corrupted based on one or more of the status indictors. The data storage system may make this determination at a selected time or after a power-up of the data storage system. If the data is determined to possibly be corrupted, the data storage system may optionally discard the corrupted data from the flash storage or flag the corrupted data for future removal.
US07743273B2
In a serial communication system in which data is transmitted from a first unit to a second unit in synchronization with a clock signal, the mode of communication between the first and second units is switched between a first communication mode in which data is transmitted from the second unit to the first unit in synchronization with the clock signal, and a second communication mode in which a signal asynchronous to the clock signal is transmitted from the first unit to the second unit.
US07743268B2
A communication apparatus is provided. The communication apparatus includes a transmission unit adapted to transmit data via a network, a receiving unit adapted to receive data supplied via the network, an interface unit adapted to supply to-be-transmitted data to the transmission unit and extract particular information from data received by the receiving unit, and a control unit configured to control an operation state of the interface unit.
US07743260B2
A storage firewall architecture, method and system that works in parallel with existing security technologies and, inter alia, provides application software authentication, user authentication & authorization in the execution of an application, examination, verification, and authentication of all storage access requests, monitoring of protected storage to detect & repair anomalous changes, encryption of protected storage, both data and software, provisioning (deployment) of patches, configuration changes, and software through a secure synchronization link to a configuration and patch management server, and server-based system administration & configuration to prevent malware from penetrating local configuration mechanisms.
US07743259B2
A system and method for the secure distribution and consumption of electronic documents using a standard rendering engine. The documents can usage rights associated therewith. A server stores at least one of the documents in computer readable form. A client having a standard application program including a rendering engine capable of rendering unencrypted documents for viewing is operated by a user. The client and the server are coupled by a communications network. A security module controls requested for at least one of the documents on the server from the client and delivers the document and a set of rights associated with the document to the client.
US07743255B2
A database management system that supports multiple databases in an instance with controlled sharing between the databases. The invention can also support execution of procedures and other modules in the context of any principal possibly different from that of the caller. Trusted certificates can be employed to permit access to procedures (or other modules). The security context of the invention can enable the building blocks of building a pure trusted sub-system model of authorization.
US07743254B2
Described are a system and method for presenting security information about a current site or communications session. Briefly stated, a browsing software is configured to receive a certificate during a negotiation of a secure session between a local device and a remote device. The certificate includes security information about a site maintained at the remote device. The security information is displayed to a user of the browsing software in a meaningful fashion to allow the user to make a trust determination about the site. Displaying the security information may include presenting a certificate summary that includes the most relevant information about the certificate, such as the name of the owner of the site and the name of the certificating authority of the certificate.
US07743250B2
Techniques suitable for facilitating communications between various computer programs operating on various nodes in a distributed computing environment are disclosed. The techniques can be used by a traffic manager operating in such environments. The traffic manager is capable of monitoring traffic exchanged between client and server programs operating in the distributed computing environment. Moreover, the traffic manager can be used to implement a variety of desirable features across different computing environments. These computing environments are typically separated by one or more distinguishing characteristics. As will be appreciated, the traffic manager provides an integral and cost effective solution which can bridge these distinguishing characteristics as well as define and enforce policies across disparate computing environments. This is achieved by centralizing the generation of interfaces which allow interaction between any of the nodes in a distributed computing system. This avoids the redundancy and inefficiency inherent in building these capabilities in each node, particularly in complex systems.
US07743247B1
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for a trusted service provider (TSP) which assists with the secure exchange of data across the public switched telephone network. Communications are routed via a TSP, which uses cryptographic techniques to conceal the identities (e.g., telephone numbers) of the call initiator and call recipient, thereby preventing traffic analysis attacks. The TSP also performs cryptographic handshakes with the call initiator and call recipient to authenticate callers. The TSP further provides cryptographic keying material which communicants may use to help protect communications and to directly authenticate and identify each other. Although the TSP is trusted to negotiate the connection and is involved in the process, the communicants can perform their own key agreement and authentication for protecting data routed via the TSP.
US07743246B2
A method of securely exchanging cryptographic identities through a mutually trusted intermediary is disclosed. Data, which specifies a petitioner's cryptographic identity and a petitioner's resource identifier, is received. Input, which specifies an authority's resource identifier, is received. The petitioner's cryptographic identity and the petitioner's resource identifier are sent to a destination that is associated with the authority's resource identifier. Data, which specifies the authority's cryptographic identity, is received. The authority's cryptographic identity is sent to a destination that is associated with the petitioner's resource identifier.
US07743240B2
Applications which function under a first operating system also function when it becomes necessary to call into action a second operating system due to provision having been made for configuration and other settings necessary to the execution of such applications (here generically called policy settings or policy source data) to be made available to the second operating system.
US07743238B2
The present invention relates to a data processing apparatus and method for accessing items of architectural state. The data processing apparatus comprises a plurality of registers operable to store items of architectural state, and a plurality of functional units, each functional unit being operable to perform a processing operation with reference to one or more of those items of architectural state. At least one of the functional units has a register cache associated therewith having one or more cache entries, each cache entry being operable to store a copy of one of the items of architectural state, and a register identifier identifying the register containing that item of architectural state. Control logic is operable to determine a subset of the items of architectural state to be copied in the register cache in dependence on the processing operation of the functional unit with which the register cache is associated. This assists in alleviating demands on access ports associated with the registers.
US07743235B2
A parallel hardware-based multithreaded processor is described. The processor includes a general purpose processor that coordinates system functions and a plurality of microengines that support multiple hardware threads or contexts. The processor also includes a memory control system that has a first memory controller that sorts memory references based on whether the memory references are directed to an even bank or an odd bank of memory and a second memory controller that optimizes memory references based upon whether the memory references are read references or write references. Instructions for switching and branching based on executing contexts are also disclosed.
US07743231B2
Provided are a method, information processing system, and computer readable medium for identifying active bits in a vector. The method comprises receiving a pointer associated with a vector of bits. The pointer is associated with a current bit within the vector of bits. The vector of bits if grouped into groups of a mathematical power of two, which is any non-negative integer powers of two. One or more current groups are determined which are the groups of the mathematical power of two comprising the current bit. The one or more current groups of the power of two are analyzed. A largest group of the power of two is identified in the one or more current groups comprising all empty bits. The pointer is set to point to a bit following a last bit in the identified largest group of the power of two comprising all empty bits.
US07743230B2
A multi-level cell (MLC) memory array may be programmed using a programming circuit having a binary input register to store data to be input into the MLC array and a register to store a programming vector, where each element in the programming vector corresponds to a charge storage region of an MLC in the array. A controller may map pairs of bits from the input register to elements in the programming vector, such that mapping a pair of bits to an element of the programming vector may set the vector element to a “program” value if the pair of bits corresponds to at least one specific program state associated with the programming vector.
US07743225B2
A method for storing a data block in a storage pool, including receiving a write operation for the data block, writing the data block into the storage pool, determining a first indirect block to store in the storage pool, wherein the first indirect block references the data block, writing the first indirect block to a first location in the storage pool, creating a copy of the first indirect block, and writing the copy of first indirect block to a second location in the storage pool.
US07743217B2
A process to make the cache memory of a processor consistent includes the processor processing a request to write data to an address in its memory marked as being in the shared state. The address is transmitted to the other processors, data are written into the processor's cache memory and the address changes to the modified state. An appended memory associated with the processor memorizes the address, the data and an associated marker in a first state. The processor then receives the address with an indicator. If the indicator indicates that the processor must perform the operation and if the associated marker is in the first state, the data are kept in the modified state. If the indicator does not indicate that the processor must perform the operation and if the processor receives an order to mark the data to be in the invalid state, the marker changes to a second state.
US07743186B2
Bus communication for components of a system on a chip. In one aspect of the invention, a system including bus communication to a slave includes a bridge operative to interface a first bus protocol to a bus matrix that uses a second bus protocol. A first serializer coupled to the bridge serializes information received from the bridge and sends the serialized information over a communication bus. A second serializer coupled to the communication bus receives the serialized information and deserializes the serialized information. A slave uses the first protocol and is coupled to the second serializer, where the deserialized information is provided to the slave, and the slave provides a response to the information from the bridge.
US07743185B2
A method, system, and computer program product in a data processing system are disclosed for dynamically selecting software buffers for aggregation in order to optimize system performance. Data to be transferred to a device is received. The data is stored in a chain of software buffers. Current characteristics of the system are determined. Software buffers to be combined are then dynamically selected. This selection is made according to the characteristics of the system in order to maximize performance of the system.
US07743177B2
Provided herein is multi-function platform comprising a plurality of devices and a large memory that is external to the devices and shared among the devices. In an embodiment, a Direct Memory Access (DMA) controller is provided for each device to efficiently transfer data between the device and the shared memory. More than one DMA may be provided for a device. For example, separate DMAs may be provided for different components of a device that perform different subfunctions enabling efficient transfer of data between the different components of the device and the shared memory. In another embodiment, each device comprises a local embedded memory and is provided with a DMA for transferring data between the local memory and the shared memory. Examples of devices that can be included in the platform include a GNSS receiver, a audio player, a video player, a wireless communication device, a routing device, or the like.
US07743160B2
Techniques for suspending a TCP three-way handshake, offering the partial connection to an L-7 application or module at a proxy to perform further processing, and then allowing the L-7 application or module to instruct the proxy's network kernel to perform various actions are described. In various embodiments these actions may include: silently dropping the connection, verbosely rejecting the connection, accepting and processing the connection locally, or forwarding the connection to another proxy or the original destination. This additional functionality is provided, in one particular embodiment, via extensions to the POSIX socket API.
US07743150B1
In one embodiment, a method for correlating web service messages includes operating an autonomous software agent. This agent can detect a correlation key of a message, and then associate the message with the detected correlation key while a transaction is pending. During the transaction, the message can be accessed to retrieve information. In another embodiment, the method includes further operating said autonomous software agent to acquire a subset of rules governing execution of the transaction. The agent can be configured to intercept a noncompliant message associated with the correlation key. If it does, the agent can modify the noncompliant message to comply the said subset of rules.
US07743144B1
To secure an access provider, communications to/from the access provider are monitored for a partially-completed connection transaction. Detected partially-completed connection transactions are terminated when they remain in existence for a period of time that exceeds a threshold period of time. The monitoring may include detecting partially-completed connection transactions initiated by an access requestor, measuring the period of time that a partially-completed connection transaction remains in existence, comparing the period of time with the threshold period of time, and resetting a communication port located on the access provider.
US07743139B1
Systems in the current art provide capacity planning for packet networks. These systems require input data that characterizes traffic demands. The demands may be expressed as matrixes that record the number of bytes and packets exchanged between access routers or service nodes for each type-of-service. This invention defines a system and method to calculate these traffic matrixes. Access routers in a service node export flow records to a Record Collector. The flow records are processed to create ingress and egress records that are stored on the Record Collector. This data is uploaded to a Capacity Planning Server at which the traffic matrixes are generated. The egress access router(s) for a flow are determined by searching for matching ingress and egress records. Matching records have identical source and destination addresses. This algorithm requires no knowledge of the complex topology and routing protocols that are used within packet networks. Sampled or non-sampled flow records may be used. The concepts in this invention may also be used to calculate traffic matrixes for virtual private networks (VPNs).
US07743126B2
Systems and methods for implementing recovery processes on failed nodes in a distributed computing environment are described. In accordance with this scheme, one or more migratory recovery modules are launched into the network. The recovery modules migrate from node to node, determine the status of each node, and initiate recovery processes on failed nodes. In this way, scalable recovery processes may be implemented in distributed systems, even with incomplete network topology and membership information. In addition, the complexity and cost associated with manual status monitoring and recovery operations may be avoided.
US07743122B1
A method of reliably communicating via a computer network by identifying hub nodes in the network, identifying leaf nodes in the network, communicating from hub nodes to corresponding leaf nodes, reporting from leaf nodes to corresponding hub nodes, communicating between hub nodes, re-designating a leaf node as a hub node if the leaf node identifies a region of the network not known by a hub node, re-designating a hub node as a leaf node if the hub node becomes redundant, re-designating a leaf node as a hub node if the leaf node loses connectivity to its hub node, and returning to the third step for additional processing.
US07743114B1
The Automated Data Delivery Systems (ADDS) are two delivery systems designed to either deliver specific data to customer computers over a network such as the Internet or from one application program to another application program. In both cases the user computer requesting data delivery can either have an automatic data reception capability or receive the data without screening the incoming data. In particular, ADDS are systems that allow data delivery services to be offered on the Internet or an Intranet between two Internet/Intranet sites (I2I) or a data delivery service to be offered between an Internet site and a User Computer (I2U). In addition the ADDS invention includes a modification to existing or future application programs that allow the program to deliver 1) specified data 2) in the format specified by the user 3) to the location specified by the user, and 4) at a schedule specified by the user.
US07743106B2
A method of generating a message by providing on a communication channel an indication of a message identifier, the combination of communication channel and identifier uniquely indicating a message for any specific destination.
US07743102B1
A system for selectively and automatically compressing and decompressing data in a manner such that the data file can be rendered in a pseudo-native form and such that a rendering application program can be invoked by the system includes a first computer-based device having software thereon for determining whether a data file is one of a native uncompressed form and compressed form upon one of attaching, detaching, receiving, rendering and accessing the data file. Software compresses the native uncompressed form of the data into an attachment, and software for enhancingly renders the attachment to a viewer in a pseudo-native form, wherein the attachment remains compressed and is rendered to appear as being in a native-uncompressed form.
US07743099B2
Visibility profiles associated with a substantially real time messaging environment are disclosed. Additionally, techniques for managing visibility profiles are disclosed, which include automatically associating a first profile with a first situation, automatically associating a second profile with a second situation, and where the first and second profiles are associated with visibility. Visibility profiles may be used to manage the appearance of a user to other users/friends for communication using applications such as instant messaging, electronic mail, web-based mail programs, or other types of data communication exchange applications.
US07743094B2
Techniques are provided which can allow a host to determine whether to send a DNS request via a distributed Domain Name Service (DNS) protocol or a regular DNS protocol.
US07743089B2
A method and system are disclosed for providing functionality on a network. A mobile agent moves from a first node to a target node and, at the target node, performs as an application layer gateway.
US07743086B2
The described systems and methods can be used to estimate the global distributed kernel density without prior information of data using a gossip based method. In the gossip based method, a node in a distributed network periodically selects and exchanges kernels with a random node in the network. After exchanging, both the initiating and the target node use the received kernels to update their local estimates. In addition, a data reduction method can be used to optimize the size of the kernel set at each node.
US07743081B2
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that can recommend leisure activities to a user. During operation, the system receives one or more activity types. Next it receives a bound in terms of a nearness metric such as travel distance, travel time, or travel cost. Next, it receives location information associated with a computing device of the user. The system then uses the location information to identify a cell stored in a spatial database. The system then returns a set of leisure activities that match the activity types and that are within the bound relative to the cell. The spatial database includes leisure activity data that is segmented based on physical position such as latitude and longitude. Moreover, the cells of the spatial database are linked based on the nearness metric.
US07743065B2
Data objects can be cross-referenced or linked between multiple systems by normalizing the communications between the multiple systems rather than creating hard code links. The normalization includes creating and inserting data mapping information in messages exchanged by the multiple systems, according to certain embodiments. According to certain other embodiments, an alert mechanism may be included in the message to indicate that mapping information is present in the message.
US07743060B2
Disclosed is a technique for indexing data. For each token in a set of documents, a sort key is generated that includes a document identifier that indicates whether a section of a document associated with the sort key is an anchor text section or a context section, wherein the anchor text section and the context text section have a same document identifier; it is determined whether a data field associated with the token is a fixed width; when the data field is a fixed width, the token is designated as one for which fixed width sort is to be performed; and, when the data field is a variable length, the token is designated as one for which a variable width sort is to be performed. The fixed width sort and the variable width sort are performed. For each document, the sort keys are used to bring together the anchor text section and the context section of that document.
US07743059B2
Computer-implemented processes are disclosed for clustering items and improving the utility of item recommendations. One process involves applying a clustering algorithm to a user's collection of items. Information about the resulting clusters is then used to select items to use as recommendation sources. Another process involves displaying the clusters of items to the user via a collection management interface that enables the user to attach cluster-level metadata, such as by rating or tagging entire clusters of items. The resulting metadata may be used to improve the recommendations generated by a recommendation engine. Another process involves forming clusters of items in which a user has indicated a lack of interest, and using these clusters to filter the output of a recommendation engine. Yet another process involves applying a clustering algorithm to the output of a recommendation engine to arrange the recommended items into cluster-based categories for presentation to the user.
US07743057B2
A system and method for viewing models and model variables within a sophisticated modeling environment is disclosed. The system provides varying levels of insight into a modeling infrastructure to help the user understand model and model variable dependencies, usage, distribution, and/or the like. The method includes storing model and model variable data within a relational database system, receiving a request from a user interfacing with the system via a web interface, extracting search criteria and presentation preferences from the request, formulating and executing one or more queries on the database to retrieve the required data, formatting the data in accordance with the request, and retuning the data to the requesting user in the form of a web page.
US07743056B2
A method for identifying a result responsive to a current location of a client device includes receiving, form a client device and at a host, a search query that includes a point of interest and a current location of the client device. The method also includes automatically updating the search query as the current location of the client device changes and instructing the host to identify a potential location associated with the point of interest and located within a user-defined proximity from the current location of the client device.
US07743051B1
Methods and systems for searching e-mails are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for searching e-mails includes receiving input indicative of one or more search terms. A query plan is determined based on the one or more search terms. The method includes performing a search in response to the query plan to determine information related to the one or more e-mails. Then, a set of results are generated based on the information related to the one or more e-mails.
US07743039B2
File systems which provide several different and improved locking capabilities. An application on a client workstation communicates through a client driver to a server which interfaces with a metadata database, which contains locking information about the files. Applications perform as normal. The client driver provides lock and unlock requests to the server when a write lock or a read with intent to write lock is required. If only a read lock is considered appropriate, the client driver does not provide a lock request. The server transparently performs read operations and read locking using the metadata database without specific requests from the client driver. When a read with intent to write or write lock is required, the lock ownership is placed with a given expiration time. When the time expires the lock is not automatically released but remains with the particular requesting client driver until another client driver requests it.
US07743033B2
The intelligent distributed file system enables the storing of file data among a plurality of smart storage units which are accessed as a single file system. The intelligent distributed file system utilizes a metadata data structure to track and manage detailed information about each file, including, for example, the device and block locations of the file's data blocks, to permit different levels of replication and/or redundancy within a single file system, to facilitate the change of redundancy parameters, to provide high-level protection for metadata, to replicate and move data in real-time, and so forth.
US07743026B2
Mapping a server file to a corresponding locally stored copy of a server file and redirecting an application to a server file or to a corresponding local copy of the server file are provided for opening a most up-to-date and/or most reliable version of the desired file.
US07743017B2
An SFA server stores a customer database. The customer database stores: a customer name and/or staff name of corresponding customer; a business transaction of the customer; detail information representing business activities for achieving the business transaction, a completion scheduled date, and an actual completion date; information for determining whether each maturity stage has been attained; a check flag representing whether a maturity item has been attained, and a strategic scenario showing some plans for the business transaction toward the customer. Each of sales-staff terminal inputs the above data, stores the input data, and displays the detail information of the business activities in chronological order of the scheduled dates in the form of a list. The displayed data can be viewed from a manager terminal as well. An SCM server estimates the demand for products, based on the check flag stored in the customer database.
US07743008B2
A self-adaptive resource management method and a corresponding system. An authority publishes multiple rules into a corresponding repository. Each rule defines a desired target configuration for a category of subjects. Some rules are also associated with a corresponding stage in a predefined flow of application of the rules. A supervisor publishes the value of a current stage into a workflow repository. Each subject retrieves and applies the rules for its category and corresponding to the current stage. Information about the compliance of the subjects with the corresponding rules is published in a membership data repository. The supervisor detects the completion of the current stage when the subjects are compliant with the corresponding rules, and updates the value of the current stage to start a further stage.
US07743007B2
An apparatus, device, methods, computer program product, and system are described that provide a graphical illustration of a first possible outcome of a use of a treatment parameter with respect to at least one body portion, based on a first dataset associated with a first predictive basis, and that modify the graphical illustration to illustrate a second possible outcome of the use of the treatment parameter, based on a second dataset associated with a second predictive basis.
US07743006B2
A method and apparatus are disclosed for modeling a system to estimate values and associated uncertainties for a first set of variables describing the system. A second set of system variables is selected, where the second set is directly or indirectly causally related to the first set of variables. Data is obtained or estimated for each variable in the second set and the quality of selected data is appraised. A network is formed with nodes including both sets of variables and the quality appraisals, having directional links connecting interdependent nodes, the directional links honoring known causality relationships. A Bayesian Network algorithm is used with the data and quality information to solve the network for the first set of variables and their associated uncertainties.
US07743004B2
A pulse signal processing circuit, a parallel processing circuit, and a pattern recognition system including a plurality of arithmetic elements for outputting pulse signals and at least one modulation circuit, synaptic connection element(s), or synaptic connection means for modulating the pulse signals, the modulated pulse signals then being separately or exclusively output to corresponding signal lines.
US07743000B2
A printer which provides detailed information on usage of consumables such as paper, ink, toner, etc., aiding in planning print tasks and ordering supplies. The printer also provides information on printer setting usage and print costs.
US07742999B2
Various disclosed help center features provide help to a user without a staffed help center, provide help to a user before the user recognizes the need, or create targeted commerce opportunities for a provider of goods or services. One help center feature provides a user with help that is specifically related to a component in the user's computer system and that is supplied to the help center feature by the component manufacturer. Another help center feature detects a condition that degrades performance, and hence user satisfaction, and alerts the user. Another help center feature detects an attempt by a computer system to inform the user of degraded performance and offers the user a solution. Another help center feature provides a user with a commerce opportunity specifically related to a component in the user's computer system and/or to the user's geographic location.
US07742995B2
An identification token such as a proximity payment device may be integrated with a wristwatch. For security purposes, the identification token may be disabled when removed from the user's wrist. The identification token may be re-enabled by interaction with a docking station or personal computer at the user's residence.
US07742994B1
Techniques are described for facilitating interactions between computing systems, such as by using an authorization system to automatically authorize financial payments between parties in accordance with previously specified private authorization instructions of at least one of the parties. In some situations, some or all of the payments are associated with commerce-related or other transactions, such as transactions initiated by a consumer via the Web to acquire items from a retailer. The authorization instructions may include predefined instruction sets that regulate conditions under which a potential payment can be authorized, with the instruction sets each associated in some situations with a reference. After one or more parties each supply one or more such references or otherwise indicate one or more such instruction sets for use with a potential payment, the authorization system can determine whether to authorize the payment based on whether the instruction sets are compatible or otherwise satisfied.
US07742987B2
Processing transactions involving participants that do not support the same currency generally involves incrementing and decrementing currencies associated with the participants. This allows the participants to participate in transactions where they would not ordinarily be able to do so. A request is received from a first participant to process a transaction using a first currency that is not recognized by a second participant in the transaction. In response to receiving the request from the first participant, an amount of the first currency associated with the first participant is decremented. Also in response to receiving the request from the first participant, an amount of second currency associated with the first participant is incremented. The second participant recognizes the second currency. The transaction is processed using the amount of second currency associated with the first participant.
US07742984B2
A transaction and payment and processing system securely conducts transactions over the public telephone network. The transactions may be between and among entities of any type such as individuals, merchants, utilities, banks, etc. Nothing more than access to a telephone is required after initial registration of a user.
US07742980B1
The invention provides a method and system capable of automatic loan approval, in which lenders can both provide information to brokers regarding their loan policies, and in which brokers can obtain information regarding likely lender treatment of prospective borrowers. Thus, brokers search a database of possible loan programs made available by lenders, rather than lenders searching a database of possible loans made available by brokers.
US07742971B2
In determining a winning allocation in a forward auction, reverse auction or an exchange, a plurality of allocations are defined wherein each allocation defines a trade between one or more potential buyers and one or more potential sellers. At least one potential buyer is queried regarding at least one preference of the buyer about at least one allocation or a bundle associated therewith. The buyer's reply or intimation to the query is received and, based on the reply or intimation, each allocation that is either not feasible or not optimal is eliminated from consideration as the winning allocation. This process is repeated until a predetermined criteria is met whereupon one of the remaining allocations is selected as the winning allocation.
US07742960B2
The invention relates to a method for calculating in a network that comprises links, a price for using a specific link in the network. The method comprises the following steps: a) a comparison step for determining a price difference between the price for using the specific link and the price for using instead of the specific link an alternative path in the network, which does not comprise the specific link, b) a change-calculation step for determining a link-price change in the price for using the specific link, and a link-price change in the price for using the links in the alternative path, in response to the determined price difference, c) a combination step for combining for the specific link the determined link-price changes on the price for using the specific link from all links in the network, to determine a total price-change for the specific link, d) a merging step for merging the determined total price-change with a market-induced price change in the price for using the specific link, to calculate the price for using the specific link, wherein the market-induced price change is being driven by at least one random variable.
US07742959B2
The present invention is a method and apparatus for filtering high frequency time series data using a variety of techniques implemented on a computer. The techniques are directed to detecting and eliminating data errors such as the decimal error, monotonic series of quotes, long series of repeated quotes, scaling changes, and domain errors. Further, by means of comparison with nearby quotes in the time series, the techniques are also able to evaluate the credibility of the quotes.
US07742954B1
A system and method for providing an enhanced, automated qualifying process that can do an automated or partially automated evaluation of new supplier and provide different levels of certification as a result. In another embodiment, the system and method can supply a collaboration toolkit for the supplier to interact in an automated way with the service supplier and its customers. Furthermore, in another embodiment, the support functions in the portal may be used to simplify or automate interactions, in particular with small, independent contractors that do not have a large in-house Information Technology department.
US07742951B2
A method of enabling adaptable demonstrations of a household appliance comprising providing consumer-specific updates to a demonstration software at a location remote from an appliance and downloading the consumer-specific updates to the appliance over an information network in response to a determined characteristic of the consumer or enabling a video conference over multimedia interface during the demonstration.
US07742950B2
A system and method for distributing content for a broadcaster on a communications network. The system may include a database operable to maintain the content for the broadcaster, the broadcaster being a subscriber for use of at least one visual appliance. A user interface may be in communication with the database and be operable (i) to provide a self-servicing scheduler for the broadcaster to form a playlist of the content and (ii) to distribute the playlist and associated scheduled content across the communications network. A server may be operable to receive the playlist and scheduled content associated therewith via the communications network. A visual appliance may be in communication with the server and be operable to receive and display the scheduled content.
US07742948B2
A method of and system for allocating a purchasing contract over a temporal period associated with the purchasing contract is disclosed. The method includes receiving data regarding the purchasing contract in a computerized system, distributing the received data regarding the purchasing contract over the associated temporal period, and applying at least one rule to the distributed data to determine whether the distribution of the data regarding the purchasing contract should be accepted or rejected. The system includes means for receiving data regarding the purchasing contract, means for distributing the received data regarding the purchasing contract over the associated temporal period, and means for applying at least one rule to the distributed data to determine whether the distribution of the data regarding the purchasing contract should be accepted or rejected.
US07742929B1
A computer implemented system for determining average product revenue is provided. The system includes at least one data store that is operable to maintain revenue data for a plurality of products. The system also includes a processor programmed to calculate a first revenue-based age metric based on revenue from a first product over a period, an age factor for the first product, and revenue for a group of products over the period. The processor is further programmed to calculate a second revenue-based age metric based on revenue from a second product over the period, an age factor for the second product, and revenue for the group of products over the period. The first and second revenue-based age metrics may be used to compare the first and second products.
US07742926B2
Compression of audio signal data is described herein. In various embodiments, the compression of each unit of the audio signal data includes the employment of a distribution substantially representative of a subblock of residual data of the unit of audio signal data, to reduce the amount of data having to be transmitted to transmit the unit of audio signal data to a recipient.
US07742924B2
The present invention provides a dialog system, a dialog execution method and a computer program which are capable of easily updating input information and output information of a dialog scenario and easily changing a plurality of modalities by using a general-purpose dialog scenario. In a dialog system that receives information from outside, controls the pursuit of dialog along the stored dialog scenario and outputs information along the dialog scenario to the outside, a dialog scenario written by using information for identifying the meaning of words/phrases used in the input information and the output information is stored, one or a plurality of words/phrases are stored in association with information for identifying the meaning of words/phrases, input information is analyzed, a corresponding word/phrase is extracted based on the derived information for identifying the meaning of words/phrases, and output information along a dialog scenario stored, based on the extracted word/phrase is outputted.
US07742922B2
An embodiment provides search results from a speech initiated search query. The system receives voiced utterances from a user, converts the voiced utterances through use of a speech recognition application, system or method into data strings, identifies from the data strings a search engine identifier representing a search engine chosen by the user to perform a search, identifies from the data strings a query term to be searched for, modifies the query term to be searched for by replacing any spaces in the query term to be searched for with a query term separator compatible with the search engine represented by the search engine identifier thereby creating a modified query term to be searched for, constructs a uniform resource locator that includes the modified query term to be searched for such that the constructed uniform resource locator represents a valid request to the search engine represented by the search engine identifier, opens the constructed uniform resource locator which causes the chosen search engine to make a search for the modified query term, and provides the results of the search system to the user.
US07742919B1
The present invention provides various elements of a toolkit used for generating a TTS voice for use in a spoken dialog system. The embodiments in each case may be in the form of the system, a computer-readable medium or a method for generating the TTS voice. One embodiment of the invention relates to a method of correcting a database associated with the development of a text-to-speech (TTS) voice. The method comprises generating a pronunciation dictionary for use with a TTS voice, generating a TTS voice to a stage wherein it is prepared to be tested before being deployed, identifying mislabeled phonetic units associated with the TTS voice, for each identified mislabeled phonetic unit, linking to an entry within the pronunciation dictionary to correct the entry and deleting utterances and all associated data for unacceptable utterances.
US07742916B2
A method for evaluating the processing delay of a speech signal contained in data packets received in a receiver terminal having a telephony module during a voice call to a terminal sending the data packets over a packet-switched network. The method includes the step of obtaining from the received data packets a stream of audio packets containing the speech signal. Within a predetermined decoding time, the stream of obtained audio packets is decoded and a first reconstituted speech signal is created. At least a portion of the speech reconstituted by the telephony module is duplicated to create a second reconstituted speech signal. The time difference between the first and the second reconstituted speech signals is determined. The processing delay of the speech signal in the receiver terminal is calculated from at least the determined time difference between the reconstituted first and second speech signals and the predetermined decoding time.
US07742913B2
The disclosed embodiments include systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer-readable mediums for compensating one or more signals and/or one or more parameters for time delays in one or more signal processing paths.
US07742909B2
Systems and media for reconstructing data from simulation models are disclosed. Embodiments may include a media containing instructions for accessing an alias from an alias file. The media may include instructions for searching for a net name and, if the net name is not found, searching an alias index file for an alias index entry associated with the net name, the alias index entry having a net name and an associated position. The instructions may also include, if the net name entry is found, instructions for accessing from an alias file an alias associated with the net name. A further embodiment may include instructions for receiving a net name and a position of an alias in the alias file, creating an alias index entry for the alias having a net name and the position of the alias, and storing the created alias index entry in the alias index file.
US07742885B2
A vehicle power supply device has a capacitor unit including capacitors storing auxiliary power; a temperature sensor; a charge circuit; a capacitor-unit current detector; a capacitor-unit voltage detector; a controller; a storage; and a determination unit. The determination unit determines the degradation level of the capacitor unit based on at least one of an internal resistance standard value and a corrected calculated value of capacitance. This structure determines degradation of the vehicle power supply device more accurately than ever, so that the device can be used until the end of the actual life.
US07742882B2
A method for producing a value T being representative of the mean engine torque generated on a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine includes the steps of producing a speed vector including values being representative of instantaneous speeds of the engine during a sampling period, determining a mean engine speed n during said sampling period from the speed vector, determining a value Px, being representative of the frequency contribution of the speed vector at the frequency x*n, where x is a pre-selected order, and producing a value T being representative of the mean engine torque on the crankshaft during said sampling period, wherein T is derived from a mathematical expression including a polynomial having at least a term k*n*Px, where k is a polynomial constant. A device for producing a value T is also disclosed.
US07742868B2
A direct injection spark ignition multi-cylinder internal combustion engine operative in a controlled auto-ignition combustion mode includes a direct fuel injection system, a spark ignition system and a controllable engine valve system. The air/fuel ratio in the exhaust gas feedstream and an intake mass air flow are measured and an actual air/fuel ratio is calculated based upon the intake mass air flow and engine fueling. Magnitude of a negative valve overlap period between an exhaust valve closing and an intake valve opening is adjusted based upon the measured mass air flow. Timing of pre-injection fueling is adjusted during the negative valve overlap period based upon the measured air/fuel ratio.
US07742865B2
The driving force control unit comprises a plurality of control modes for controlling a driving force, each of control modes having each driving force characteristic; a vehicle driving condition detecting unit for detecting a vehicle driving condition; a selector for selecting one control mode from the plurality of control modes; a driving force setting unit for setting a driving force indication value according to the driving force characteristic selected by the selector based on the vehicle driving condition; and a shift lever position detector for detecting a shift lever position of a transmission. The control mode includes a reverse control mode having a reverse driving force characteristic suitable for traveling the vehicle in reverse direction. The driving force setting unit changes the control mode to the reverse control mode when the shift lever is detected in a position of a reverse range, and sets the driving force indication value according to the reverse driving force characteristic.
US07742858B2
An electric power steering apparatus including a steering torque detecting section configured to detect a steering torque applied to an operation member for steering a vehicle, a steering state judging section configured to determine whether forward stroke steering that steers the operating member away from a steering angle midpoint is performed, a motor controlling section configured to control the driving of an electric motor based on the steering torque detected by the steering torque detecting section, and a phase compensating section provided in the motor controlling section for performing phase compensation, such that, when the forward stroke steering is not performed according to the steering state judging section, a gain in a predetermined frequency band in frequency response characteristics of the phase compensation is lower than gains in frequency bands lower and higher than the predetermined frequency band, and is lower than a gain in the predetermined frequency band when the forward stroke steering is performed.
US07742831B2
The present invention is directed to a novel method for creating a display for a valuable item. On one example, the method includes the steps of selecting an item to be display, selecting a base material to create a display, creating a three dimensional map of the item to be displayed, and milling the base using an instruction program to create a cavity within the base that is configured and adapted to receive the valuable item. The present invention is also directed to a novel base display for displaying an item of value.
US07742830B1
A data center control system includes a storage configured to maintain an emission usage value indicative of an estimated amount of greenhouse gas emission caused by consumption of power by resources within one or more data centers. The control system also includes a controller that may provide a signal to control an operation of at least one of the resources depending upon the indication of the estimated amount of greenhouse gas emission.
US07742818B2
A gastro-electric stimulation system includes an INS for producing an electrical stimulation signal, at least one medical electrical lead, and at least two electrical contacts. The medical electrical lead has a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end being connected to the INS and the distal end being adapted for placement in or near a patient's stomach or appropriate nerve or nerve portion. The electrodes are disposed near the distal end of the medical electrical lead, and the electrodes are electrically connected through the medical electrical lead to the INS to receive the electrical stimulation signal and convey such signal to the selected electrode implant position. The electrical stimulation signal is provided in an amount and manner adapted to decrease the pH of the gastric acid in the patient's stomach and/or to increase the amount of gastric acid produced thereby.
US07742815B2
A system and method for administering a therapeutic treatment to the heart, includes a pressure sensor positioned in the pulmonary artery, an implantable medical device located remotely from the sensor, and communication means for communicating pressure data from the pressure sensor to the implantable medical device. The system includes a control module operatively coupled to the implantable medical device. The control module is adapted for comparing the pulmonary arterial pressure data to a pre-programmed value, adjusting an operating parameter of the implantable medical device based on the relationship of the pulmonary arterial pressure to the pre-programmed value, and repeating this process until the relationship between the pulmonary arterial pressure data and the pre-programmed value is such that no adjustment is necessary.
US07742812B2
A method of detecting a cardiac event that includes sensing cardiac signals from a plurality of electrodes, determining rates of change of the sensed cardiac signals, and determining a range of the sensed cardiac signals. The sensed cardiac signals are detected as being associated with the cardiac event in response to the determined rates of change and the determined range.
US07742811B2
An implantable electrical method and apparatus for the treatment of cancer tumors based on the usage of various levels of electrical fields and current to assist in specific ways to reduce tumor size. The appropriate voltage, currents, and time duration as well as the usage of adjunctive pharmacological therapy are taught.
US07742808B2
The invention provides a heart rate monitor, a method and a computer software product. The method determines from the user's electrocardiogram a reference value of a heart rate variable characterizing the heart rate; determines at least one environmental parameter value obtainable from air pressure using air pressure measurement; associates the reference value of the heart rate variable with at least one environmental parameter value; and records in a register at least one environmental parameter value and the reference value of the heart rate variable associated with the at least one environmental parameter value.
US07742800B2
A method for increasing sensitivity and/or specificity of a magnetic resonance spectroscopy imaging technique for detecting a neurodegenerative disease is provided. The method includes acquiring magnetic resonance spectroscopy data from the brain of a subject, while suppressing certain metabolites in the spectrum via a data acquisition protocol, to improve quantification accuracy for the remaining metabolites, and quantifying a metabolite concentration or a metabolite concentration ratio from the spectral data as an indicator of the neurodegenerative disease.
US07742798B2
In a method and magnetic resonance tomography apparatus for evaluation of a cinematographic image series of the heart during a heart cycle, wherein the image series is acquired with an acquisition unit, and in the image series healthy heart muscle tissue is presented as differentiable from damaged heart muscle tissue, at least two individual images of the image series are processed in a data processing unit, with at least one region of the healthy heart muscle and/or of the damaged heart muscle being detected in each of the individual images by a pattern recognition algorithm, and at least one descriptive quantity is measured that describes a geometric property of the region that has been detected by the pattern recognition algorithm, a dynamic change of the descriptive quantity is detected, and medically-relevant information that is acquired from the dynamic change of the descriptive quantity is made available as an output.
US07742797B2
The invention relates to a device and a method for intraluminal imaging. The device features an imaging instrument and a transport unit, with which the imaging instrument is moved in a lumen at a defined speed over a defined distance. The device further features a rigid, i.e. mechanically-stable singly or multiply curved guide pipe, which has an internal diameter matched to the external diameter of the imaging instrument to accommodate and guide the imaging instrument and is made from a material which is transparent for the radiation or to the waves used in imaging. The guide pipe features at least one marking detectable with the imaging at a known position on the guide pipe and is mechanically connectable to the transport unit. The device and the method make it possible in a simple manner to record a 3D image data set from the intraluminal recorded 2D sectional images.
US07742796B2
A method for imaging a breast is provided. The method includes positioning a breast within a breast holder including a flexible membrane and creating at least a partial vacuum within the flexible membrane. A method of upgrading a mammography system and various configurations of breast holders are also provided.
US07742793B2
A method and apparatus to provide appropriate coupling between resonators in an HTS microstrip filter are disclosed. Primary and secondary couplings between a pair of resonators are utilized. With a given spacing, the primary coupling is fixed, while the secondary coupling can have different magnitude. In addition, the secondary coupling can have the same phase or opposite phase as the primary coupling. With different combinations, large or small bandwidth filters can be made without very small or very large spacing between resonators. The same cross coupling layout configuration may be designed to achieve either positive or negative results.
US07742781B2
To enable point-to-multipoint communication services in an existing cellular communication system infrastructure, each member subscriber station, i.e., a subscriber station participating in such a service, is receiving a forward link shared channel, and in certain embodiments additionally a forward link dedicated channel. Because transmission on the forward link channels from neighboring sectors presents interference to the transmission from the sector serving the subscriber station, it is desirable to control the forward link channel transmission power to the minimum acceptable power. Additionally, a transmission form each member subscriber station on a reverse link channel presents interference to other subscriber stations. Therefore, it is desirable to control the reverse link channel transmission to the minimum signal level. Consequently, a method and apparatus for a power control that enables point-to-multipoint services in an existing infrastructure of a wireless cellular telephone system is disclosed.
US07742772B2
A system and method are disclosed for determining a position of a wireless communication device. A method includes determining a respective (x,y) position of two wireless communication devices, determining a distance between the two wireless communication devices, and determining a relative elevational differential between the two wireless communication devices. The relative elevational differential is determined based on the determined (x,y) positions of the two wireless communication devices and the determined distance between the first and second wireless communication devices. The (x,y) positions may be determined using GPS receivers incorporated in the wireless communication devices. Determining the distance between the devices may be accomplished using RF ranging. The relative elevational differential may be derived using the Pythagorean theorem.
US07742769B2
Methods and apparatus for providing statistics on the number, distribution and/or flow of people or devices in a geographic region based on active wireless device counts are described. Wireless devices may be of different types e.g., cell phones, PDAs, etc. Wireless communications centers report the number and type of active devices in the geographic region serviced by the wireless communications center and/or indicate the number of devices entering/leaving the serviced region. The active wireless device information is correlated to one or more targeted geographical areas. Population counts are extrapolated from the device information for the targeted geographic areas. Traffic and/or flow information is generated from changes in the device counts or population estimates over time and/or from information on the number of active devices entering/leaving a region. Reports may include predictions of crowd population characteristics based on information about the types and/or number of different wireless devices being used.
US07742761B2
In a mobile communication system, a base station controller has a handoff information management table for storing distance information for each mobile station notified from each of base stations and a detection unit for updating the handoff information management table each time a new handoff information was received from the base stations and detecting any of the mobile stations that is moving out of a service area into an out-of-communication range. The detection unit performs the out-of-range detection by selecting any of the mobile stations currently communicative only with one or more of the border cell base stations as a detection target and comparing the distance information in the handoff information management table with a predetermined threshold value.
US07742738B2
A method and system for achieving a link budget improvement in a diverse OFDM radio system by addressing the timing misalignment issue that can occur due to the differences in propagation time in signals between mobile stations and Radio Access Nodes. Timing misalignment is shared or split between the primary path to a primary Radio Access Node and a diverse path to a diverse Radio Access Node. The relative timing offsets between mobile stations are adjusted, the mobile stations are grouped into zones using a variety of different grouping techniques, and the transmission for each mobile station is scheduled, using one or more of a variety of scheduling techniques.
US07742729B2
A transfer device including a first combination including an intermediate transfer medium and a transfer member applying a transfer bias, and/or a second combination including an intermediate transfer medium, a second transfer member applying a second transfer bias, and an opposing member configured to transfer the toner image on the intermediate transfer medium to a receiving material at a second transfer nip. When the first combination is subjected to 60-second application of a voltage of 1 kV, followed by discharging, 300 times, the absolute value of logarithmic difference between first and 300th combined volume resistances is not greater than 0.8 [log(Ω)]. When the second combination is subjected to 60-second application of a voltage of −1 kV, followed by discharging, 300 times, the absolute value of logarithmic difference between the first and 300th combined volume resistances is not greater than 0.5 [log(Ω)].
US07742728B2
An image forming apparatus includes a belt, plural photosensitive drums that face the belt, plural developing devices that develop plural latent images formed on the plural photosensitive drums using a developing agent, where the developing devices are disposed around the respective photosensitive drums, and plural image forming devices, where each one of the plural image forming devices includes one of the plural photosensitive drums and one of the plural developing devices, and the photosensitive drum of an adjacent one of the plural image forming devices is disposed vertically within a horizontal width of the developing device of one of the plural image forming devices.
US07742721B2
A transferring device installed in an image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member configured to bear toner images on the surface. There is a transferring member configured to contact the image bearing member to form a transferring nip. A lubricant supplying member is configured to supply a lubricant to the surface of the transferring member, and there is a transferring member cleaning member such as a blade configured to remove residual toner and which contacts the surface of the transferring member. There is also a foreign material removing member configured to remove residual foreign material from the surface of the transferring member.
US07742718B2
A developing device includes: a developing roller that supplies toner so as to develop an electrostatic latent image into a toner image; and a seal member that prevents toner from leaking from end portions in the axial direction of the developing roller to the outside and the developing device is characterized by a structure in that the developing roller includes a sheet member disposed so as to cover the surface of the end portions in the axial direction of the developing roller, and the sheet member has no seam in the circumferential direction, and has a surface roughness that is smaller than that of the developing roller, or has a surface hardness that is higher than that of a synthetic resin as a base material of the toner.
US07742707B2
A function executing device for executing a function by utilizing a consumption article may be provided with a device main body, a sensor, an information output device, and a controller. A consumption article housing case for housing the consumption article may be mounted on the device main body. The sensor may detect the quantity of the consumption article within the consumption article housing case mounted on the device main body. The information output device may output information to the exterior in a case where the quantity of the consumption article within the consumption article housing case mounted on the device main body has become less than a predetermined quantity. The controller may prevent the information output device from outputting the information twice or more in a period between a time where the consumption article housing case is mounted on the device main body and a time where the consumption article housing case is dismounted from the device main body and a next consumption article housing case is mounted on the device main body.
US07742703B2
An apparatus and method are applied to characterizing an dispersion-affecting element for use in controlling chromatic dispersion in an optical communications link. Information regarding the behavior of the dispersion-affecting element is recorded and stored in a medium that is provided for deployment with the dispersion-affecting element to enable improved management and active control of the dispersion-affecting element. The suitability of the dispersion-affecting element for operating under different conditions may also be characterized.
US07742699B2
Two data signals are subjected to a binary differential phase modulation and transmitted as POLMUX multiplex signals. The types of modulation are selected in such a way that they are orthogonal in relation to each other and do not influence each other during the demodulation of the signals. There is thus no need to regulate the polarization on the receiving side.
US07742695B2
A camera system for driving a diaphragm by a stepping motor including first and second coils and capable of 2-phase driving, includes a display unit configured to display an image signal, a live view control unit configured to display image signals sequentially read from an image sensor in the display unit, and a control unit configured to set only one of the first and second coils to be in an energized state when the live view control unit displays the image signals in the display unit.
US07742690B2
An imaging apparatus for recording an imaging result on a recording medium includes an imaging device operable to obtain an imaging result; an optical system operable to form an optical image on an imaging plane of the imaging device; a first motion detector operable to detect a movement of the imaging apparatus and to output a detection result; and a recorder operable to record the imaging result, together with the detection result, on the recording medium.
US07742674B2
A spectral filter comprises a planar optical waveguide having at least one set of diffractive elements. The waveguide confines in one transverse dimension an optical signal propagating in two other dimensions therein. The waveguide supports multiple transverse modes. Each diffractive element set routes, between input and output ports, a diffracted portion of the optical signal propagating in the planar waveguide and diffracted by the diffractive elements. The diffracted portion of the optical signal reaches the output port as a superposition of multiple transverse modes. A multimode optical source may launch the optical signal into the planar waveguide, through the corresponding input optical port, as a superposition of multiple transverse modes. A multimode output waveguide may receive, through the output port, the diffracted portion of the optical signal. Multiple diffractive element sets may route corresponding diffracted portions of optical signal between one or more corresponding input and output ports.
US07742672B2
A base composition is provided. The base composition includes a binder, a reactive monomer, and an anti-haze additive. The binder may include an optically transmissive polymer. The reactive monomer may be both curable and volatile. The binder and the reactive monomer have differing refractive indices relative to each other. A cured layer formed from the base composition may be formed into an article have particular properties. A method of making the layer is provided.
US07742670B2
A polymer based index-matching gel for use with nanostructure optical fibers is disclosed. The index-matching gel has at least one polymer component having a viscosity η at 25° C. of 3 Pa-s≦η≦100 Pa-s, which prevents the index-matching gel from wicking into the voids and down the nanostructure optical fiber to a depth where the fiber performance and/or device performance is compromised. The gel is suitable for use when mechanically splicing optical fibers when at least one of the optical fibers is a nanostructure optical fiber. The gel is also suitable for use in fiber optic connectors wherein at least one of the optical fibers constituting the connection is a nanostructure optical fiber.
US07742666B2
An optical beam splitter includes an input waveguide, two or more branching arms, two or more fan-out arms, and two or more output waveguides. The input waveguide receives an input light beam. The two or more branching arms are coupled to the input waveguide at a separation point and split the input light beam at the separation point into two or more light beams. Each fan-out arm is coupled to one of the branching arms and fans-out one of the two or more light beams to a predetermined output pitch. Each output waveguide is coupled to one of the fan-out arms and transmits one of the two or more light beams out of the optical beam splitter.
US07742663B2
A wave energy transmission apparatus has a conduit made from a refractory oxide. A transparent, refractory ceramic window is coupled to the conduit. Wave energy passing through the window enters the conduit.
US07742660B2
Image processing includes computing image ft from image fs, where images ft and fs are representations of a self-similar image at scales t and s in a scale-space, where t
US07742657B2
The present invention relates to an intermediate image synthesizing method using a mesh based on a multi-view square camera structure.In accordance with the present invention, an accurate disparity vector may be obtained since a shared area is searched for a predetermined time interval using a distance matching and a synthesized image is generated for each area based thereon, an occlusion region is reduced by using three reference images, the synthesized image may be easily generated even for an image having a large disparity, and a converted outline may be accurately expressed, and a high three-dimensional effect may be represented due to the image conversion through the mesh based on a vertex of the outline.
US07742649B2
An image compression system and method is described, which makes use of the symmetry found in faces and heads to perform the compression. The image is divided along the line of symmetry, and pairs of corresponding pixels on the two divided sides are determined. A weighted average and a weighted variance of the pixel values of the pairs is computed, and is used to encode the image. A transform such as the Karhunen-Loeve transform is used to compute the weighted averages and variances.
US07742647B2
Disclosed is an imaging device provided with a moving image decoding section to decode encoded moving image data encoded by MPEG technique into moving image data, blur total motion vector estimating section to obtain motion vector of macroblock selected by macroblock selecting section that is suitable for estimating a total motion vector as well as to estimate the total motion vector of frame according to the motion vector, and a total motion vector interpolating section to perform blur correction when replaying moving image according to the estimated total motion vector.
US07742640B1
Methods for segmenting the reflected light of an illumination source having a characteristic wavelength from background illumination (i.e. clutter) in structured lighting systems can comprise pulsing the light source used to illuminate a scene, pulsing the light source synchronously with the opening of a shutter in an imaging device, estimating the contribution of background clutter by interpolation of images of the scene collected at multiple spectral bands not including the characteristic wavelength and subtracting the estimated background contribution from an image of the scene comprising the wavelength of the light source and, placing a polarizing filter between the imaging device and the scene, where the illumination source can be polarized in the same orientation as the polarizing filter. Apparatus for segmenting the light of an illumination source from background illumination can comprise an illuminator, an image receiver for receiving images of multiple spectral bands, a processor for calculations and interpolations, and a polarizing filter.
US07742634B2
An object of this invention is to provide an image processing method and image processing apparatus capable of extracting the position of an object in the unit of sub-pixel. An edge pixel, density gradient direction and edge position in the unit of sub-pixel are extracted from a model image obtained by photographing a high-quality model of the object and registered in a hard disk. After a processing object image is inputted, CPU obtains a position of an image region corresponding to the model image and after that, extracts an edge pixel whose edge position in the unit of sub-pixel is related to a corresponding pixel on the model image side in that image region. The edge position in the unit of sub-pixel is extracted for these edge pixels and the quantity of deviation between the extracting position and the edge position on the model image side is calculated. The position in the unit of pixel is corrected with an average value of the quantity of deviation obtained for each edge pixel so as to obtain a real position of the object.
US07742632B2
An inspection system uses inspection data biased to compensate for mismatches that occur as a result of using an optical lithography system to print an alternating phase shift mask that operates at a wavelength of light that is different from the wavelength of light that an inspection system uses to inspect the mask for defects.
US07742622B2
The present invention discloses a target detection process that acquires imagery from a target; compares the acquired imagery with image metric data; applies criteria to eliminate false detections and reduce clutter; applies morphological operators on the acquired imagery; probability rank orders the target imagery; divides the imagery into a series of detected target windows; and displays the detected target windows. The imagery undergoes light target detection, dark target detection or both. A morphological operator isolates targets from their background. Two concatenated morphological filter patterns are used to screen imagery data. Spatial discontinuities at the pixel level can be detected. The detected target window images are presented to a user in a mosaic format.
US07742619B2
This invention is a new approach for the image watermarking in the wavelet transform domain based on sequency of the host and watermark image. For each sub-band a first transform level of the host image is thresholded and binarized. Sequencies of thresholded and binarized data host image are compared with sequencies of the discrete wavelet transformed watermark image to form a watermarking sequency mask. The watermarked wavelet domain data is formed by combining data elements of the discrete wavelet transformed host image with corresponding data elements of the wavelet transformed watermark image as filtered by the watermarking mask. A reverse process can extract the watermark with a high degree of accuracy even after attack upon the watermarked host image.
US07742616B2
Provided is an electromagnetic acoustic transducer including a main body formed of a non-metal material and having a hollow portion, a magnetic field generation portion generating two magnetic fields parallel to a lengthwise direction of the rod member and in opposite directions to each other, at both sides of the rod member that is inserted in the hollow portion of the main body, and a coil wound around an outer circumferential surface of the main body.
US07742593B2
A telephone handset for a broadband telecommunication system, whose housing is composed of an upper shell and a lower shell forming a joining edge, shall guarantee a reliable coupling of the resonance volume to the free field with a particularly low sound leakage. For this purpose, the joining edge is provided according to the invention with a number of coupling slots.
US07742581B2
A secure electronic message exchange system, including a plurality of workstations, a communications medium, and a control platform coupled to a workstation of the plurality of workstations by the communications medium. The control platform includes one or more apparatuses for monitoring, controlling, converting, and billing related to, messages exchanged between a plurality of local users and a plurality of remote users. The control platform also prevents a forwarding of or a copying of a message, sent by a local user of the plurality of local users and received by a remote user of the plurality of remote users, to another party, where the control platform provides authentication of the remote user.
US07742573B2
A system is provided, which includes a rotatable gantry for receiving an object to be scanned. The system includes an x-ray source for projecting x-rays of two different energy levels towards the object and also a power supply, which energizes the x-ray source to two different voltage levels at a predetermined rate for generating x-rays at two different energy levels. The power supply in the system includes a fixed voltage source to input a voltage to a switching module with number of identical switching stages. Each stage in the switching module consists of a first switch, which charges a capacitor in a conducting state and output a first voltage, a second switch, which connects the fixed voltage source and the capacitor in series to output a second voltage in a conducting state and a diode which blocks a reverse current from the capacitor to the power supply.
US07742566B2
A multi-energy imaging system and method for selectively generating high-energy X-rays and low-energy X-ray beams are described. A pair of optic devices are used, one optic device being formed to emit high X-ray energies and the other optic device being formed to emit low X-ray energies. A selective filtering mechanism is used to filter the high X-ray energies from the low X-ray energies. The optic devices have at least a first solid phase layer having a first index of refraction with a first photon transmission property and a second solid phase layer having a second index of refraction with a second photon transmission property. The first and second layers are conformal to each other.
US07742562B2
A treatment couch having a tabletop that has a radiolucent region, and a lower-torso assembly that has a first slide member coupled to a slot of the tabletop, a second slide member coupled to a slot of the first slide member, and a link member coupled to the first and second slide members. The lower-torso assembly may be configured to adjust a patient along a longitudinal direction relative to a shoulder line of the tabletop while the lower-torso assembly remains outside the radio lucent region of the tabletop.
US07742557B2
The invention relates to a method for generating a 3D reconstruction of an especially large body that cannot be captured by a single projection by capturing at least two projections, which together capture the body, at each of the positions taken up by a C-arm X-ray unit. Data from the two projections is projected onto a virtual detector and the data from the virtual detector is then used for the filtered back projection procedure. It is assumed here that the real source remains motionless and that only the detector moves. A virtual detector D1′/D2′ is only used in order to carry out large scale filtering in the event that real sources Q1 and Q2 for the two projections do not coincide. A return is then made to two independent projections. These two independent projections are used separately in the filtered back projection procedure to generate the 3D reconstruction.
US07742546B2
For eigenmode transmission with minimum mean square error (MMSE) receiver spatial processing, a transmitter performs spatial processing on NS data symbol streams with steering vectors to transmit the streams on NS spatial channels of a MIMO channel. The steering vectors are estimates of transmitter steering vectors required to orthogonalize the spatial channels. A receiver derives a spatial filter based on an MMSE criterion and with an estimate of the MIMO channel response and the steering vectors. The receiver (1) obtains NR received symbol streams from NR receive antennas, (2) performs spatial processing on the received symbol streams with the spatial filter to obtain NS filtered symbol streams, (3) performs signal scaling on the filtered symbol streams with a scaling matrix to obtain NS recovered symbol streams, and (4) processes the NS recovered symbol streams to obtain NS decoded data streams for the NS data streams sent by the transmitter.
US07742529B1
A decoder for video signals, such as MPEG which use motion-compensated bidirectional predictive coding, performs concealment of lost or corrupted portions of a picture. For this purpose, it estimates missing motion vectors by combining the two vectors which accompany a bidirectionally coded frame to create a substitute vector. An encoder can be modified to enhance this decoder operation, including forcing at least one frame per group of frames to be coded using bidirectional prediction, and constraining the two vectors so that the substitute vector is closer to the wanted value.
US07742527B2
A multi-scanner scans a signal according to several different patterns. A scanning pattern selector determines which scanning pattern produced the most efficient coding result, for example, for runlength coding, and outputs a coded signal, coded most efficiently, and a selection signal which identifies the scanning pattern found to be most efficient.
US07742523B2
A video encoder (70) for coding moving pictures comprising a buffer (16c) with a plurality of memory areas capable of storing frames composed of top fields and bottom fields, a motion estimation unit (19) operable to code, field by field, inputted pictures performing moving estimation and moving compensation by referring, field by field, to the picture data stored in a memory area, a motion compensation unit (16d), a subtractor (11), a transformation unit (13) and a quantization unit (14), a memory management unit (71) operable to manage, frame by frame, a plurality of memory areas, an inverse quantization unit (16a) and inverse discrete cosine transform unit (16b) operable to decode picture data in coded fields and store the picture data in the decoded field in any of the plurality of memory areas under the management by the memory management unit (71).
US07742520B2
An equalization circuit that allows particularly for lowpass filtering by transmission lines comprises a compensating equalizer controlled according to whether the edges between bits in the data waveform are early or late. Adjusting the equalization causes edges to appear in the same place, whereas if the adjustment is incorrect certain edges will be late and certain edges will be early depending on the history of “1”s and “0”s in the data stream. This is an effect of so-called intersymbol interference. The control mechanism includes circuits for recognizing patterns of “1”s and “0”s in the recent history of the data waveform whose occurrence is used to trigger the adjustment of the equalizer.
US07742519B2
A method employing an improved rate-matching algorithm used during transmission and reception of information packets involves performance of a complete process of puncturing or repetition in two steps. In the first step the action to be taken on each bit of the input register is calculated and is stored in the form of flag bits in flag register. In step 2, puncturing/repetition are performed on input bits and the output is stored in output register. Input bits can be processed in groups in step 2, reducing the number of steps required in the complete rate matching process.
US07742514B1
The apparatus includes a diode laser, a current source interconnected with the diode laser, and four limiting circuits. The first limiting circuit limits peak current flowing to an anode connection of the diode laser. The second limiting circuit limits peak current flowing from a cathode connection of the diode laser, wherein the first and second limiting circuits are independent from each other. The third limiting circuit limits average current flowing through the diode laser. Finally, the fourth limiting circuit limits average current flowing through the diode laser, wherein the third and fourth limiting circuits are independent from each other. Other embodiments and features are also disclosed.
US07742513B2
A pattern generator 2 produces a predetermined pattern signal 11 which is an electric signal, and a LD output light 12 of light signal is produced by inputting the pattern signal 11 to a plurality of semiconductor lasers (LD) 3 as a pump light source. To make a output light 14 to be a pulsed light not following a surge pulse rectangular, a fiber laser modulator 1 is configured that the pattern signal 11 generated by a pattern generator 2 includes four phases power level: low powered phase, power rising phase, high power phase and power decreasing phase.
US07742512B2
A robust scalable laser. The laser includes plural fiber laser resonators. A cavity that is external to the fiber laser resonators combines plural laser beams output from the plural fiber laser resonators into a single output laser beam. In a specific embodiment, the plural fiber laser resonators are eye-safe double-clad Er:YAG laser resonators that are pumped via laser diode arrays.
US07742510B2
A compact optically-pumped solid-state laser designed for efficient nonlinear intracavity frequency conversion into desired wavelengths using periodically poled nonlinear crystals. These crystals contain dopants such as MgO or ZnO and/or have a specified degree of stoichiometry that ensures high reliability. The laser includes a solid-state gain media chip, such as Nd:YVO4, which also provides polarization control of the laser; and a periodically poled nonlinear crystal chip such as PPMgOLN or PPZnOLT for efficient frequency doubling of the fundamental infrared laser beam into the visible wavelength range. The described designs are especially advantageous for obtaining low-cost green and blue laser sources.
US07742501B2
Systems and methods for transporting data from a source network to a destination network by way of a transport network. Data transmission units (DTUs) from the source network are received at a server logically located between the source and the transport networks. These first DTUs are subdivided into second DTUs and are transmitted to the destination network by way of the transport network. Also transmitted are encoded or extra second DTUs that allow the original first DTUs to be recreated even if some of the second DTUs are lost. These encoded second DTUs may be merely copies of the second DTUs transmitted, parity second DTUs, or second DTUs which have been encoded using erasure correcting coding. At the destination network, the second DTUs are received and are used to recreate the original first DTUs. In the event an insufficient number of second DTUs are received, such that recreating the original first DTU cannot be accomplished, a re-transmission of the second DTUs is requested.
US07742497B2
Priority-based access systems and methods for shared communication media are provided. The priority and a corresponding weight of traffic to be transmitted on a shared communication medium are determined. This determination may be made, for example, before a first attempt to transmit the traffic, or before a subsequent traffic transmission attempt following an unsuccessful transmission attempt. The weight controls a rate of change of an exponential delay range limit factor in proportion to a number of attempts to transmit the traffic. The resultant weighted delay range limit factor is used to determine a range of delays from which a delay is selected. A transmission back-off time is then determined based on the selected delay.
US07742477B1
A method, apparatus and computer program product each provides interconnectivity between autonomous systems. A control plane and a data plane are included in a network device. A single interface is included in the control plane for all customers. An interface is included in the data plane for each respective one of the customers.
US07742476B2
The present invention a synchronous peer to peer transfer model that utilizes all available network bandwidth to deploy application code to an entire cluster as fast as it can be sent to one machine. A method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes: determining a number N of simultaneous connections that should be opened to the cluster members to maximize network bandwidth; and synchronously deploying the application to the cluster members using the N simultaneous connections.
US07742475B2
Techniques for dynamically distribute replication points based on routing metrics are provided. A receiver list may be split based on the routing metrics. For example, the receiver list may be split based on unicast reachability over an interface. If portions of egress routers are reachable over different interfaces, the portions are included together in a sublist. Thus, the list is split into sublists based on the reachability. Point-to-point links are then set up between a head end router and an egress router in each sublist. The sublist is then sent to each egress router, which can perform the process above in setting up a point-to-point link to another egress router in each sublist.
US07742470B2
A method of assigning resources within a network element within which a traffic termination point or AAL2 termination point has been established is described. The network element accepts a connection request, and it is then ascertained whether available resources have sufficient capacity to establish the requested connection. In the event that there is sufficient capacity, it is ascertained whether the termination points defined in relation to the available resources fragments the resources such that the connection cannot be established. If the resources are so fragmented, then one or more of the termination points are reallocated, without breaking the connection to which they relate, thereby defragmenting the resources sufficiently that the requested connection can be established.
US07742449B2
At least a mobile terminal 10, base station radio apparatuses 20a and 20b that communicate with the mobile terminal 10, and a radio base station control apparatus 30 that controls the transmission powers of the base station radio apparatuses 20a and 20b are at least provided. When a handover function test is performed between cells that are covered by the base station radio apparatuses 20a and 20b, the radio base station control apparatus 30 calculates a difference between the levels of the reception fields of the base station radio apparatuses 20a and 20b that cover the cells for which the handover test of the mobile terminal 10 is to be performed. Then, the radio base station control apparatus 30 controls the transmission powers of the base station radio apparatuses 20a and 20b so that the difference is equal to or smaller than a predetermined threshold value. Thereafter, the radio base station control apparatus 30 performs the handover function test between the cells covered by the base station radio apparatuses 20a and 20b, the difference between the levels of the reception fields from which is equal to or smaller than the threshold value.
US07742441B2
Apparatus, and an associated method, for paging an access terminal in a radio communication system. A page indication count setter selects the page indication count, i.e., the number of page indications per page, to be included in a quick page message. The set page indication count is dependent upon communication activity, e.g., the system paging load, identified by a communication activity input indicia identifier.
US07742437B2
A networking device such as a router may include, in one embodiment, a database storing a plurality of link state entries, and a cache operatively coupled with the database, the cache storing entries relating to the link state entries of the database. The networking device may also include a module for sending, over a network, packets including link state data, the module operatively coupled with the cache. In one example, the module accesses the cache to create one or more packets including link state data. Embodiments of the invention may be used for forming CSNP packets (complete sequence number packets) without the need for having to repeatedly walking a link state database in order to form the CNSP packets.
US07742436B2
The present invention relates to an agent for distributed networking and a processor-readable software code. The agent may include, for example, a cosite analyzer, an EMI sniffer, an asset controller module, an asset discovery module, and a link negotiator. The agent may be configured to initiate and optimize network configurations for radio communications systems based on parameters. The software code may receive data associated with a network plan, may determine if any planned links are included in the network plan and may establish connectivity of a confirmed link between at least two nodes in the network. Additionally, the software code may determine if a non-planned link should be added to the network and may establish connectivity for the non-planned link based on a priority associated with the non-planned link.
US07742429B1
A method and system for fast transporting real-time media stream data package is based on the Real-time Transport Protocol/Real-time Transport Control Protocol of User Datagram Protocol for network nodes such as media gateway, Integrated Access Device (IAD) and multimedia terminal. The improvement of the system lies in the adding of an IP data package fast filter module, a UDP fast sending module and a policy ARP table process module based on local UDP port. The method involves: fast receiving the real-time media stream data package transmitted on the basis of RTP/RTCP protocol; fast sending the real-time media stream data package transmitted on the basis of RTP/RTCP protocol; and a policy ARP table based on UDP port and its refurbishing system.
US07742426B2
A system, method, and computer-readable medium for performing network system diagnostics is provided. The method includes obtaining a respective identification of a first target device and a second target device deployed in a network; iteratively querying neighbor devices of at least one node in a communications path between the first and second target devices, wherein the neighbor devices and the first and second target device may comprise heterogeneous network nodes; and generating a layer 2 path trace that comprises identification of network devices interconnected on a physical path between the first and second target devices. A computer-readable medium includes instructions for execution by a processing system, wherein the instructions are configured to perform the foregoing method. A system includes a data processing system including a processor device for executing a diagnostics engine implemented as a set of computer-executable instructions configured to perform the foregoing method.
US07742422B2
Routing data packet traffic in packet networks, expediting the flow of the data packets and reducing the effects of congestion at nodes is accomplished by capturing latency data for nodes for initial measurement times; and computing a least squares estimate of the delay as a recursive least-squares solution.
US07742417B2
Mechanisms for burst traffic smoothing for Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) processing elements are provided. A dispatch queue management engine determines whether a received packet is a TCP or UDP packet. If the packet is a TCP packet, the packet is automatically added to the dispatch queue. If the packet is a UDP packet, a value for a drop function ƒ is generated and a random or pseudo-random number r is generated. If r has a predetermined relationship to ƒ, then the UDP packet is added to the dispatch queue, otherwise the UDP packet is discarded. The value for ƒ is based on the current dispatch queue load, the network quality, the retransmission rate, and the allowable drop rate. Thus, the determination as to whether to drop UDP packets or not is configurable by an administrator and also adaptable to the current network and dispatch queue conditions.
US07742415B1
A determination of latency in IP networks is performed by sensing packets, determining a status of the sensed packets and comparing original packets with acknowledgements (ACKs). A packet header on a physical layer interface (e.g., int 0) is sensed. A determination is made of a sensed packet status. If the packet is sensed, a hashed record of the packet header is created, including a local clock time of when the packet was sensed. A determination is made as to whether the packet represents an ACK to a previously sensed TCP packet. If the packet represents an ACK to a previously sensed packet, a time delay between the previous sensing of the packet and the ACK is calculated. The time delay is the TCP ACK Round Trip Time (TCP RTT).
US07742410B1
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for using gap packets to create a bandwidth buffer over which packets can be sent to reduce or eliminate overflow conditions. One implementation sends a series of packets from a first device to a second device, the series of packets including interspersed information packets and gap packets. The first device determines when to insert the gap packets into the series of packets, and the gap packets received by the second device are dropped. The determination of when to insert one of the gap packets into the series of packets may be based on an occupancy level of a buffer, such as, but not limited to comparing it to a predetermined or variable threshold value. Also, the rate of sending gap packets and/or the size of the gap packets may be varied to adjust the size of bandwidth buffer created by the gap packets.
US07742409B2
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for compensating for a performance degradation of an application session in a plurality of application sessions associated with a network link. The performance of each application session in the plurality of application sessions associated with the network link is determined. The performance of each application session in the plurality is then compared. From this comparison, a lowest performance application session in the plurality of application sessions is identified. Corrective action is performed on packets scheduled to be transmitted over the lowest performance application session.
US07742402B2
Disclosed is a path switching control system for controlling path switching, including: an active path control unit for controlling active paths; a standby path control unit for controlling standby paths; and a path switching control unit being configured in hardware and for controlling the path switching, wherein the path switching control unit includes: a control information reading unit for reading control information from the active path control unit on the occurrence of a failure in the active path control unit; and a control information writing unit for writing the control information read by the control information reading unit into the standby path control unit. A computer system using the path switching system and a path switching control method are also disclosed.
US07742399B2
A mobile ad-hoc network (MANET) communicates between a source node and destination node and includes a plurality of intermediate nodes. A main communication path is established between the source node through intermediate nodes to the destination node based on an underlying routing protocol. Alternative communication paths are established among neighboring nodes as standby nodes that are positioned an “n” hop distance from nodes of the main communication paths to form a tube of multiple communication paths from the source node to the destination node. The main communication path reconfigured within the tube of multiple communication paths to an alternative communication path using at least one standby node when the main communication path is broken.
US07742398B1
A technique is disclosed for redirecting information in a segmented virtual machine. The technique includes sending information to a shell VM and redirecting the information to bypass the shell VM. A technique for evaluating whether to redirect information may include sending a discovery packet, receiving a reply to the discovery packet; and determining whether a switch is capable of stitching based on the reply. A technique for responding to a discovery packet may include receiving the discovery packet at a switch and sending a response indicating a capability of the switch.
US07742395B1
A method for lightpath restoration in a reconfigurable optical network comprises the steps of naming each network addressable element in said reconfigurable optical network, determining current topology in said reconfigurable optical network, determining current resources in said reconfigurable optical network, requesting establishment of a lightpath, requesting reservation of restoration capacity, allocating the lightpath, and reserving the restoration capacity. Also disclosed is a method for lightpath restoration that comprises the steps of reserving restoration capacity, detecting transmission failures in the reconfigurable optical network, handling exceptions as a 10 result of transmission failures, and allocating transmission capacity.
US07742379B2
There are provided: an optical recording method containing a deviation detecting step, a horizontal location controlling step, and an interference image recording step; an optical recording apparatus containing a derivation detecting unit, a horizontal location controlling unit, and an interference image recording unit; an optical recording medium recorded in accordance with the optical recording method; and an optical reproducing method reproducing a recorded information recorded in accordance with the optical recording method.
US07742377B2
An image forming apparatus at least includes a photoreceptor, a light emitter, a detector and a controller. The light emitter irradiates the photoreceptor with a laser beam so as to form an electrostatic latent image thereon. The detector detects an incident amount of the laser beam falling on a light receiving portion of the detector on a main scan line. The controller changes at least one of a detection sensitivity of the detector for a laser beam and an emission amount of the laser beam emitted from the light emitter when the incident amount of the laser beam detected by the detector is not greater than a predetermined value.
US07742376B2
A recording medium equipped with recording/reproducing control information, and a method and apparatus for controlling the recording medium using the control information are disclosed. The recording medium includes: a data area in which data is recorded; and a management area in which control information is recorded, wherein the management area includes a plurality of first control information units equipped with the control information and a plurality of second control information units, the second control information unit being formed by grouping at least one first control information units among the plurality of first control information units, and the control information includes information indicating the number of consecutive second control information units among the plurality of second control information units. Therefore, the recording medium can be effectively controlled.
US07742360B1
A combined container and date-notification mechanism includes a container that has a body and a lid removably attached thereto for maintaining the perishable food item isolated from the environment. A mechanism is included for identifying a date when the perishable food item is placed inside the body such that a user can quickly identify a number of days that the perishable food has been housed within the container without removing the lid from the body. An identification marker is adjustably connected to the date-identifying mechanism and is spaced from the affixing mechanism. A mechanism is included for removably affixing the date-identifying mechanism onto the lid such that the user can selectively affix the date-identifying mechanism onto alternate containers. The affixing mechanism is formed from water insoluble material.
US07742349B2
A circuit can control a bit rate of information output from a multi-purpose register (MPR) of a semiconductor memory device in a test mode, thereby reducing current consumption for outputting information in a multi-purpose register (MPR). The semiconductor memory device includes a multi-purpose register configured separately to store a plurality of information, and to control a bit rate of the stored information in a test mode, each of the information having multiple bits, and a connection selector configured selectively to connect an output terminal of the multi-purpose register to one of a number of global lines according to an operation mode.
US07742340B2
A set of reference cells is used for sensing the data values stored at bit cells of a memory device. In response to an event, the reference cell providing the highest output of the set is selected as the reference cell to be used for subsequent memory access operations. The remaining reference cells are disabled so that they can recover back to or near their original non-degraded states. At each successive event, the set of reference cells can be reassessed to identify the reference cell that provides the highest output at that time and the memory device can be reconfigured to utilize the reference cell so identified. By utilizing the reference cell having the highest output to provide the read reference and disabling the remaining reference cells, the likelihood of the read reference falling below a minimum threshold can be reduced.
US07742339B2
Selecting a read voltage level for a NVM cell by using an initial value for the read voltage and performing a read operation, comparing an actual number of bits found to an expected number of bits and, if there is a discrepancy between the actual number and the expected number, adjusting the read voltage level, based on variable data such as statistics available, level occupation, neighbor level, previous chunks data, and other data used during read, program or erase. For example, based on a number of missing bits, or upon a result of a previous read operation, or a result obtained at another program level, or upon how many times the memory cell has been cycled, or upon how many memory cells are at each program level, or on a number of bits at another program level in a selected chunk of memory.
US07742336B2
A nonvolatile trap charge storage cell selects a logic interconnect transistor uses in programmable logic applications, such as FPGA. The nonvolatile trap charge element is an insulator located under a control gate and above an oxide on the surface of a semiconductor substrate. The preferred embodiment is an integrated device comprising a word gate portion sandwiched between two nonvolatile trap charge storage portions, wherein the integrated device is connected between a high bias, a low bias and an output. The output is formed by a diffusion connecting to the channel directly under the word gate portion. The program state of the two storage portions determines whether the high bias or the low bias is coupled to a logic interconnect transistor connected to the output diffusion.
US07742321B2
A method and an apparatus for measuring the output currents of a frequency converter, preferably a vector-controlled frequency converter, which comprises a mains bridge (10) connectable to an alternating-current network and a load bridge (11) connectable to an alternating-current load and between these a direct-voltage intermediate circuit, by using current samples obtained from a current measuring sensor in the intermediate voltage circuit, wherein a sample is taken from the signal of the current measuring sensor substantially simultaneously with a point of change of the output voltage vector and upon the lapse of a predetermined delay after the point of change after the switching effects have settled.
US07742316B2
Apparatus for protecting a multi-surface housing from mechanical vibration (shock) and electromagnetic interference (EMI). A protection assembly incorporates an EMI shield member with a base portion configured to extend adjacent a first surface of the housing. A tab portion extends from an edge of the base portion adjacent a second surface of the housing. An elastomeric member extends adjacent the second surface and encapsulates the tab portion. The protection assembly preferably forms a tub-shaped recess to receivingly nest the housing. A host device interconnect feature preferably extends from the base portion to facilitate an electrical interconnection of the shield member with a host device. The protection assembly is preferably formed by molding the elastomeric member onto the shield member using an injection molding process. The housing is preferably characterized as a data storage device housing which encloses at least one data storage medium.
US07742307B2
A printed circuit board (PCB) assembly is provided. The PCB assembly is adapted for mounting at least one heat-generating electrical device and providing integrated heat dissipating capability to dissipate heat generated by the electrical device. The PCB assembly has a top surface and a bottom surface and comprises a signal carrying layer and an insert of pyrolytic graphite (PG). The signal carrying layer, disposed between the top surface and the bottom surface, comprises a material that is both thermally conductive and electrically conductive (such as at least one of aluminum, copper, and silver and alloys thereof) and has at least a portion lying in a first plane. The insert of PG is disposed within at least a portion of the first plane of the signal carrying layer, is in thermal contact with the signal carrying layer, and is constructed and arranged to have its greatest electrical conductivity in the first plane. Optionally, a conductive via can be formed in portions of the signal carrying layer not occupied by the insert of PG, where the conductive via operably couples a first side of the signal carrying layer to a second side of the signal carrying layer.
US07742294B2
A portable computing device, including a latch apparatus and system, may include a rotatable high wear plastic oversnapping arm, a pivot portion on the portable computing device, and an enclosure door with a geometric mating feature. The oversnapping arm may be configured to rotate 90° about the pivot portion to snap over the geometric mating feature and secure the enclosure door in a closed, latched position. As the oversnapping arm is rotated downward, its progress may be frictionally impeded by the geometric mating feature. Applying downward pressure on the oversnapping arm towards the physical interference may cause the oversnapping arm to bend over the interfering feature and snap into a closed, geometrically interlocked position. In the closed, latched position, the oversnapping arm may apply a positive pressure against the enclosure door. The positive pressure on the enclosure door increases the environmental sealing capabilities by putting additional pressure on the existing environmental seal.
US07742290B1
A portable computer, such as a tablet personal computer, is provided having a display screen, a transparent input panel, and a hinge. The hinge can secure the input panel over the display screen when in a closed position, or secure the input panel away from the display screen when in an opened position. At least one of the opposed first and second planar surfaces of the input panel are contact-sensitive. At least one of the first and second surfaces can also include a resistive film or a capacitive film. Transceivers can be mounted on the computer near the lateral extents of the input panel for measuring acoustic, magnetic, electromagnetic, or optical signals transmitted across a surface of the input panel to detect where an object is placed upon or near the input panel. The input panel can also accommodate a template containing a QWERTY keyboard. When the input panel is opened and the keyboard template is inserted thereon, the input panel can receive keyboard input; when closed, the input panel can receive a stylus or fingertip input.
US07742287B2
Disclosed is a laptop computer including a body and a display articulably connected to the body. The laptop computer includes at least one drive unit capable of moving the display relative to the body.
US07742279B2
A secondary battery comprises a single-plate lead acid battery (Va), a positive electrode capacitor layer and a negative electrode capacitor layer, which are formed on the respective surfaces of a positive electrode plate, and a negative electrode plate. Each of the positive electrode plate and negative electrode plate contains an active material, to have a configuration in which activated carbon has a concentration gradient. The electronic resistance between a collector terminal and the center of a portion where activated carbon is present at a high concentration is lower than the electronic resistance between the collector terminal and the center of a portion where activated carbon is present at a low concentration. In the single-plate lead acid battery, charges are accumulated in the positive electrode capacitor layer and in the negative electrode capacitor layer.
US07742262B2
A magnetoresistive element includes a first magnetic layer a magnetization direction of which is substantially pinned, a second magnetic layer a magnetization direction of which varies depending on an external field, a magnetic spacer layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, and electrodes which supply a current perpendicularly to a plane of a stacked film including the first magnetic layer, the magnetic spacer layer and the second magnetic layer. In this element, the magnetization directions of the first and the second magnetic layers are substantially orthogonal at zero external field.
US07742261B2
The conventional free layer in a TMR read head has been replaced by a composite of two or more magnetic layers, one of which is iron rich The result is an improved device that has a higher MR ratio than prior art devices, while still maintaining free layer softness and acceptable magnetostriction. A process for manufacturing the device is also described.
US07742255B2
Apparatus and method for head-disc interface (HDI) modal response monitoring. A sensing element disposed on a rigid actuator arm is mechanically impedance matched to a head-disc interface (HDI) supported by the actuator arm to resonate at a predetermined frequency corresponding to at least one disturbance associated with the HDI.
US07742252B2
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for dynamically controlling a recording head substrate bias voltage. The apparatus includes a midpoint module and a substrate module. The midpoint module calculates a midpoint voltage of a plurality of data read elements and servo read elements contained in the head. The substrate module calculates a substrate bias voltage. The apparatus, system, and method dynamically control the substrate bias voltage post-assembly, minimizing certain head degradations and extending the life of associated head readers.
US07742249B2
A color wheel includes a fixing base, a ring filter, a washer, and a fixing ring. The fixing base has a protrusion portion and a supporting portion. The ring filter is fit on the protrusion portion. An inner margin of the ring filter leans on the supporting portion. The washer is connected to the protrusion portion. The ring filter is disposed between the washer and the supporting portion. The washer and the supporting portion clip the inner margin of the ring filter. The fixing ring has an annular supporting portion, a side wall surrounding the annular supporting portion, and fixing blocks connected to the side wall and dotted on an outer margin of the ring filter. The outer margin of the ring filter leans on the annular supporting portion. The fixing blocks, the side wall, and the annular supporting portion clip the outer margin of the ring filter.
US07742241B2
An imaging lens system, in order from the object side to the image side thereof, includes a first lens with positive refractive power, a second lens with positive refractive power, a third lens with negative refractive power and an image sensing element. The imaging lens system satisfies the following formulas: L/TTL>1.23, and 0.3
US07742232B2
A new three-dimensional imaging system has been needed to overcome the problems of the prior arts using conventional variable focal length lenses, which have slow response time, small focal length variation, and low focusing efficiency, and require a complex mechanism to control it. The three-dimensional imaging system of the present invention uses the variable focal length micromirror array lens. Since the micromirror array lens has many advantages such as very fast response time, large focal length variation, high optical focusing efficiency, large size aperture, low cost, simple mechanism, and so on, the three-dimensional imaging system can get a real-time three-dimensional image with large depth range and high depth resolution.
US07742228B2
A far-optical device comprising a reversal system (1) and an adjustable optical magnification means with more than fourfold magnification, wherein the far-optical device has an optical beam deflection means (2) which at all magnifications ensures a subjective field of view of the far-optical device of at least 22° at least for light of a wavelength of about 550 nm.
US07742227B2
Providing a microscope apparatus including an optical mount member capable of supporting various optical devices even without a large amount of space. A base body 10 arranged on a mount surface 9a of a vibration isolation table 9 is provided substantially perpendicularly to the mount surface 9a. A plurality of rails 32 through 36 are provided on the base body 31 vertically to the mount surface 9a so as to provide a plurality of extension optical devices such as a Galvanic scanner 64 to be combined with the microscope main body 10.
US07742224B1
Systems and methods are disclosed for amplifying optical signals in the 850 nm window. In one embodiment, an amplifier system includes a span of Thulium-doped fiber (TDF) and two pump systems. The TDF span receives and transports optical signals in the 850 nm window. A first pump system pumps the TDF span at a wavelength in the range of 1390 nm to 1430 nm, and a second pump system pumps the TDF span at a wavelength in the range of 670 nm to 720 nm. The pumping generates gain in the optical signals in the 850 nm window. In another embodiment, the amplifier system includes a single pump system. The pump system pumps the TDF span at a wavelength in the range of 1390 nm to 1430 nm to generate gain in the 850 nm window.
US07742221B2
A short wavelength light source of the present invention comprises a nonlinear crystal having a periodical polarization reversal structure. The polarization reversal structure of the nonlinear crystal is divided into a plurality of regions and the polarization reversal structure and the optical axis of the fundamental wave are inclined with different angles in the respective regions, so that higher harmonic generated is divided into a plurality of beams. By dividing the higher harmonic component into a plurality of beams, it is possible to reduce the power density of the higher harmonic and generate walk off in the fundamental wave and the higher harmonic, thereby to suppress generation of the sum frequency waves of the fundamental wave and the higher harmonic so as to enhance the tolerance to high output. Therefore, SFG generation is suppressed, and a high output power coherent light source is realized.
US07742220B2
A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device includes a reflective element that includes at least one stop member. The device also includes an electrode and an aperture that extends at least partially through the electrode. The aperture has a boundary. The device has an electrically nonconductive surface within the aperture or on a portion of the boundary of the aperture. A support structure separates the reflective element from the electrode. The reflective element can be moved between a first position and a second position. The stop member is spaced from the electrically nonconductive surface when the reflective element is in the first position. A portion of the stop member is in contact with the electrically nonconductive surface when the reflective element is in the second position. The reflective element and the electrode are electrically isolated from each other when the reflective element is in the second position.
US07742219B2
A micro-mechanical structure according to the present invention includes: a base 1; an elastic supporting member 5 having elasticity, the elastic supporting member 5 being formed on the base 1; and a movable section supported by the elastic supporting member 5 so as to be capable of making a relative move with respect to the base 1. This movable section includes a movable electrode 6 opposing the base 1 via a first gap, and a mirror 8 being affixed to the movable electrode 6 via a vertical rib 7.
US07742211B2
A holographic memory system is disclosed. The holographic memory system comprises: a light source configured to generate a light beam; a photosensitive holographic storage medium configured to at least partially reflect the light beam; and an alignment module configured to determine an angular orientation of the storage medium based on the reflected light beam.
US07742190B2
An image processing method includes the steps of detecting a dynamic range of input image data, performing resolution conversion processing to increase the number of grayscale levels of the input image data, and performing dithering processing to reduce the number of grayscale levels of each pixel of the input image data. The number of pseudo grayscale levels in the dithering processing is determined, based on a parameter indicating the level of the dynamic range and a parameter concerning the resolution conversion processing.
US07742188B2
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus fuses an image to a recording medium by heat and pressure. To ensure that the recording medium does not stick to the fusing roller, a non-printable margin is normally reserved at the leading edge of the recording medium. When the recording medium has sufficient stiffness, however, as determined from its thickness and other factors such as its width or orientation, marginless printing is permitted. The setting of an unnecessary margin is thereby avoided.
US07742185B2
A method for scheduling print jobs for a plurality of printers (40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50) includes, for each of a plurality of print jobs, determining a number of pages of a first print modality (such as black only printing) and of a second print modality (such as color printing) for the print job. A file header is determined, based on the number of pages of the first and second print modalities in the print job. The file header is associated with the print job and the print job transmitted, along with the file header, to a print job scheduler (10). The scheduler schedules a sequence for printing the plurality of print jobs by the plurality of printers, based on minimizing, for at least one of the plurality of printers, a number of periods of time during the sequence of printing where the at least one printer is in a non-operational mode; and/or maximizing continuous run time for at least one of the printers.
US07742183B2
Disclosed herein is a printing control apparatus for enabling an image forming apparatus, having a network connection function and printing data interpretation function, to print printing data written in a format that cannot be interpreted by the interpretation function of the image forming apparatus. The printing control apparatus, connected between a network and an image forming apparatus having a network interface, determines whether or not a data packet received from the network is printing data (S303), and when the received data packet is printing data, encodes the received data packet in a format interpretable by the image forming apparatus (S305) to be outputted to the image forming apparatus.
US07742180B2
In image reading apparatus capable of performing a read-while-feed operation in which an original is read while being fed by an image sensor placed at a fixed position, presence/absence of dust and/or dirt on a platen is detected, and, in a case where dust and/or dirt are detected at all of a plurality of predetermined positions by said detector, the read-while-feed operation is inhibited and the presence of dust and/or dirt is notified to a user. When, removal of dust and/or dirt on the platen is detected in a state that the read-while-feed operation is inhibited, the read-while-feed operation is allowed.
US07742179B2
An image data processing apparatus shifting to a power saving mode depending on whether a particular process is in progress on an image processing apparatus. A controller examines processes of host computers through a network, and controls a state of supplying power to blocks functioning for an image forming process, the blocks including a rasterizer, a memory, a printer engine, and a compressor/expander.
US07742177B2
The invention can provide apparatus and methods for processing wafers using Noise-Reduction (N-R) metrology models that can be used in Double-Patterning (D-P) processing sequences, Double-Exposure (D-E) processing sequences, or other processing sequences.
US07742169B2
A polarizing device including a plurality of polarized light radiating units for radiating polarized light rays each of which is polarized in a particular direction, a rotary reflector for receiving light rays emitted by the plurality of polarized light radiating units while being rotated and for outputting reflected light in a certain direction, and an analyzer disposed midway an optical path of the reflected light from the rotary reflector to set a polarization direction of the reflected light in a certain direction, wherein each of the polarized light radiating units includes a light source, a polarizer for setting a polarization direction of light from the light source, and a first compensator for compensating for a change in a state of polarization attributable to the rotary reflector, and the plurality of polarized light radiating units are disposed in a radial arrangement that is centered at the rotary reflector.
US07742161B2
A device for measuring the illumination of a light bulb wherein it has a sensor for measuring the illumination of the bulb and a device for measurement and comparison of the value of illumination of the bulb to at least one threshold.
US07742158B2
The measurement apparatus includes: a support arranged to receive a lens; lighting element including an optical system for generating a collimated light beam directed towards the lens under measurement installed on the support; detachment elements for detaching light rays from the light beam, for detaching a localized group of at least three non-coplanar light rays grouped together about a measurement axis in a measurement cylinder of section substantially smaller than the section of the lens under measurement; acquisition elements for identifying the deflections imparted by the lens on the detached light rays and for delivering a signal representative of the deflections; and an electronic and computer system programmed to deduce from said deflections the value of the refractive characteristic of the lens at the measurement point.
US07742154B2
In an apparatus for testing value documents, such as for example bank notes, an area of the bank note is captured from different directions with the help of two optical sensors aligned symmetrically to each other. The measured values supplied by the sensors on the one hand are added up in order to obtain a total measured value which is insensitive to asymmetric effects of the value document, and on the other hand the measured values are subtracted in order to capture exactly these asymmetric effects. In this way with the help of one single apparatus there can be tested authenticity features as well as the quality of the actual state of the value document.
US07742147B2
An exposure apparatus for measuring a position of a stage, configured to hold a substrate, using a laser interferometer, and exposing the substrate through an original, and an optical element opposite to the substrate with a gap between the optical element and the substrate filled with liquid. A first supply nozzle is arranged around the optical element, which supplies the liquid to the gap, a first recovery nozzle arranged around the first supply nozzle recovers the liquid from the gap, a second supply nozzle supplies a gas outside the first recovery nozzle, a controller controls an amount of the liquid supplied from the first supply nozzle and an amount of the liquid and gas recovered from the first recovery nozzle, and a wall portion is arranged around the optical element and substantially parallel to a surface of the substrate. If Q1 is the amount of the liquid supplied from the first supply nozzle and Q2 is a sum of the amount of the liquid and gas recovered from the first recovery nozzle, a relationship Q1
US07742142B2
A display including a display panel, a circuit board and a tape carrier package structure is provided. The circuit board is disposed at the display panel. The tape carrier package structure includes a substrate having an opening, a plurality of leads, a chip, and a blocking bar. The substrate is between the display panel and the circuit board. A plurality of leads, each having an inner lead and outer lead, are disposed around the opening on the substrate. A portion of the outer leads is electrically connected to the display panel, and another portion is electrically connected to the circuit board. The chip has a plurality of contact points, and is disposed at the opening of the substrate. The contact points are electrically connected to the inner leads. Moreover, the blocking bar is disposed on the substrate between the chip and the display panel.
US07742140B2
An in-plane switching mode liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel. The liquid crystal panel includes first and second substrates and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first and second substrates. The first substrate includes a common electrode and a pixel electrode thereon. A top case is mounted over the second substrate and covers the second substrate. A driving unit is connected to the first substrate and outputs a common voltage. At least one common voltage transmission wire is configured to contact an inner surface of the top case and connected to the driving unit. At least one common voltage applying conductor is connected to the common voltage transmission wire and the common electrode.
US07742137B2
A liquid crystal display device comprising a pair of substrates, a liquid crystal display panel having a liquid crystal layer positioned between the substrates, a transparent protective plate arranged on a front surface side of the display panel, and an optically transparent layer between the display panel and the protective plate, and wherein the protective plate includes fine concavity and convexity configurations on at least a surface thereof toward the display panel.
US07742127B2
A novel liquid crystal display device is disclosed. It comprises, at least, a pair of polarizing plates, and a liquid crystal cell, disposed between the pair of polarizing plates, comprising a pair of substrates opposed to each other, electrodes disposed on at least one of the pair of substrates, capable of forming an electric field including a component parallel to the pair of substrates, liquid crystal layer, of which alignment is controlled, disposed between the pair of substrates, a plurality of pixel regions respectively having first, second and third pixels, and a plurality of color filter layers, respectively having first, second and third color filter layers, each corresponding to the first, second and third pixel regions, wherein Rth is different between at least two of the first, second and third color filter layers.
US07742122B2
The invention relates to a blue composition for a color filter to realize an image having a high color purity corresponding to the emission wavelength of an improved LED backlight, a color filter and a color image display device.
US07742118B2
A method of manufacturing a thin film transistor array panel is provided, the method includes: forming a gate line on an insulating substrate; forming a gate insulating layer; forming a semiconductor layer; forming a data conductive layer including a data line and a drain electrode; depositing a passivation layer; forming a photoresist including a first portion located on an end portion of the gate line, a second portion thicker than the first portion and located on the drain electrode, and a third portion thicker than the second portion; exposing a portion of the passivation layer under the second portion of the photoresist and a portion of the gate insulating layer under the first portion of the photoresist by etching using the photoresist as an etch mask; forming first and second contact holes exposing the drain electrode and the end portions of the gate line, respectively; and forming a pixel electrode connected to the drain electrode through the first contact hole.
US07742115B2
A pixel structure disposed on a substrate is provided. The pixel structure includes a first and a second capacitor electrode, a dielectric layer, a passivation layer, a pixel electrode, and an active device. The first capacitor electrode is disposed on the substrate and has a first notch. The dielectric layer covers the first capacitor electrode, and the second capacitor electrode is disposed on the dielectric layer above the first capacitor electrode. The passivation layer is disposed on the dielectric layer to cover the second capacitor electrode, and the passivation layer has a contact opening above the first notch for exposing a part of the second capacitor electrode. The pixel electrode is disposed on the passivation layer and is electrically connected to the second capacitor electrode through the contact opening. The active device is electrically connected to the pixel electrode. Additionally, a method for repairing the pixel structure is also provided.
US07742111B2
A highlight detecting circuit for detecting a highlight segment within a video signal includes a pitch-tracking module for estimating a plurality of pitch values for an audio signal; a pitch difference detecting module coupled to the pitch-tracking module for computing a plurality of pitch difference values according to the pitch values; and a highlight detecting module coupled to the pitch difference detecting module for determining a starting point and a stopping point of the highlight segment according to the pitch difference values.
US07742108B2
Methods and systems for separating a picture part of interest from an arbitrary background in real time videos are presented. The background may be a moving or still frame. The picture part of interest and background frames may be in or out of focus. One separation approach employs the difference between luminance and chrominance values of the input and background frames where changes in luminance from frame to frame are compensated for. In another approach, picture part of interest separation is based solely on spatial resolution differences between the background and the picture part of interest frames. The present invention also teaches a method and system for parameter matching of the picture part of interest and the basic picture into which the picture part of interest is embedded. The invention further teaches a method and system for embedding a separated picture part of interest into a basic picture containing text.
US07742103B1
A method and system for performing fuzzy logic based de-interlacing on film source fields that might be mixed with video on film. An embodiment of the invention comprises an adaptive de-interlacer by weighing between merge operation and interpolation operation in the case of occurring video on film motion object. A weighing factor is generated from video on film pattern based on fuzzy logic inference rules. This weighing factor specifies the weighting between merging and interpolating in assigning the pixel values of the progressive display output.
US07742096B2
An image pickup apparatus that can accurately correct an error in the position of a taking lens due to a loss of synchronism of the stepping motor during opening and closing of the lens barrier. The position of a taking lens retractable into the body of the image pickup apparatus is detected. A reference position is provided on one of both sides of a section in which the lens barrier is driven to open and close, the one side being a side on which the lens barrier is not driven to open and close.
US07742095B2
Provided is a display technique whereby it is possible for an area, which an operator desires to zoom and display, to be zoomed and displayed in conformity with the size of the screen through a simple operation. This is achieved by an information processing apparatus capable of displaying any desired area, which has been designated in an image (801) displayed on a screen, upon enlarging the size of the area, the apparatus including: partitioning unit (step S1303) configured to partition the image into a plurality of areas based upon a given command; identifying unit (step S1304) configured to identify each area of the partitioned image; storage control unit (step S1304) configured to store results of the identification in storage means in association with the information concerning user operation; and pointer moving unit (step S1311) configured to successively move a pointer that is for designating each area. An area (any of blocks 0 to 6), which has been designated by the pointer, is enlarged and displayed in conformity with the size of the screen (step S1310).
US07742091B2
A voltage amplifier is provided. The voltage amplifier includes an amplifier stage to amplify an input signal. A bias current generator supplies a bias current to the amplifier stage. The bias current generator is controllable in response to a frame rate signal that is representative of a video frame rate. A compensation network stabilizes a loop response of the voltage amplifier. The compensation network is controllable in response to the frame rate signal.
US07742083B2
In an image record organization method, camera, and system, a plurality of image records are provided and a value index is determined for each of the image records. The image records are classified into unacceptable records having respective value indexes within a predetermined threshold and acceptable records having respective value indexes beyond the threshold. The unacceptable records are demarcated from the acceptable records.
US07742082B1
A system and method of increasing the sensitivity of an optical detector formed from a two-dimensional array of sensor elements, each of said sensor elements having a dynamic range. A gradient-detection algorithm is applied to an image received from the optical detector in order to identify a shape and position of a first subset of pixels in the image. The first subset of pixels corresponds to an object represented in the image. A determination is made whether one or more of the sensor elements corresponding in shape and position to the first subset of pixels have been exposed outside of their dynamic range. If one or more sensor elements have been overexposed, at least one of the gain or offset associated with the one or more of the sensor elements is adjusted, such that the one or more sensor elements are exposed within their dynamic range. The adjustment of the gain or offset of the one or more sensor elements is performed independently of any gain or offset adjustment applied to other sensor elements in the optical detector.
US07742075B2
A lens driving device having a simplified structure in which a holding member is moved relative to a stationary member with appropriate viscous damping is provided. The lens driving device includes the holding member configured to hold a compensation lens for image stabilization, the stationary member configured to support the holding member in a movable manner in a plane that is perpendicular to a light axis, a driving unit configured to change the position of the holding member relative to the stationary member, and a damping material disposed between the holding member and the stationary member. The damping material has a transition region in a frequency range between 0.3 Hz and 100 Hz.
US07742063B2
An apparatus comprising a buffer circuit, a rotation circuit and a memory. The buffer may be configured to store original image data in one or more sub-matrices. The rotation circuit may be configured to (i) produce rotated data and (ii) store the rotated data in a transposed matrix. The memory may be configured to position the rotated data in the transposed matrix. The transposed matrix comprises final image data rotated by a predetermined angle from the original image data.
US07742060B2
Embodiments of the invention provide sampling methods suited for graphics hardware acceleration. A graphics application may specify a grid of pixels to be rendered. The graphics application may supply a graphics rendering engine with one or more sets of camera parameters. Each set of camera parameters is used to alter the position of the pixel grid relative its original position so that a grid of samples can be generated at the new grid position. The graphics rendering engine then renders a grid of samples at the new grid position. Each sample grid may be used sampled to determine a set of intermediate color values that may be blended together to generate a final color value for each pixel in the pixel grid.
US07742053B2
A graphics processing system comprises at least one memory device storing a plurality of pixel command threads and a plurality of vertex command threads. An arbiter coupled to the at least one memory device is provided that selects a command thread from either the plurality of pixel or vertex command threads based on relative priorities of the plurality of pixel command threads and the plurality of vertex command threads. The selected command thread is provided to a command processing engine capable of processing pixel command threads and vertex command threads.
US07742050B2
A system and method for optimizing the performance of a graphics intensive software program for graphics acceleration hardware. This system and method encompasses a procedure that validates the different functions of a 3D acceleration capable video card, decides whether to use the acceleration hardware and optimizes the software application to selectively use the functions that work on the specific video acceleration card. Functions checked include sub-pixel positioning, opacity, color replacement and fog. If these tests are successful, then the graphics acceleration is used by the software application. However, if the tests are not successful the decision is made not to use graphics accelerator. Those with ordinary skill in the art will realize that it is not necessary to perform all of the tests in a specific order. Additionally, other types of tests could be performed to ensure software application and video card compatibility before the software application is uses graphics acceleration to render 3D graphics.
US07742049B2
A method and apparatus for displaying characters on a TV screen in an electronic appliance such as a DVD player is disclosed. Vertically compressed character fonts are stored. When it is requested to display a character, the stored character font is read and displayed in a video field and then the character font is displayed again in the next video field, whereby flickering can be effectively eliminated with a reduced-size memory for storing fonts data.
US07742042B2
A touch-sensitive device for use as an electronic input device for controlling by scrolling the visible portion of a document or image relative to a display. The device can include various improved configurations such as physically separate opposed input surfaces at opposite longitudinal ends and/or lateral sides. The end regions of a touch sensitive surface may be rounded and/or tapered to provide relative positional feedback to the user. Tactile positional feedback can also include surface texture changes on the scrolling area and/or changes in the surface of the frame in the region immediately adjacent the scrolling area. The touch sensitive areas may be provided within a split alphanumeric section of an ergonomic keyboard to enable scrolling without the user having to remove his or her hands from the alphanumeric section.
US07742040B2
A keypad is disclosed which has a plurality of keys (12) for the input of information. Each key has a first switch (80) and a second switch (90). The first switches (80) are all connected to a common electrical interconnection (120) and the second switches (90) are connected into a matrix electrical interconnection (62, 100). The microprocessor (66) detects a global signal on the common interconnection (120) and supplies scan signals to the matrix interconnection (62, 100) to enable detection of a particular key. The processor (66) may also selectively change the state of lines (62, 100) of the matrix and also maintain particular lines in a predetermined state by open drain ports of the processor to which the lines of the matrix are connected.
US07742039B2
An information processing apparatus is comprised of a data input device for inputting informations, a memory for storing the informations input by the data input device, a processor for processing the informations in a form of a plurality of pages, a displaying device for displaying the informations formed in a unit of the pages, a device for registering image data in respect of owner name input by the data input device, a device for judging whether or not a predetermined process is done at one of the pages, and a device for storing the image data at a predetermined position of the one of the pages by a judged result of the judging device, wherein when the one of the pages is displayed, the stored image data is displayed with the informations.
US07742023B2
In an electroluminescence display device having, on a display panel, a display portion in which pixels are arranged in matrix, an external connection terminal is placed along a lateral side of the display panel and a vertical scan driver circuit is placed on a lateral side of the display panel which opposes the lateral side on which the external connection terminal is placed. Lines for a horizontal scan driver circuit and for the vertical scan driver circuit can be provided only on three sides of the display panel including the side on which the external connection terminal is provided, a side opposing this side, and another side. By not placing the line for the driver circuits on the remaining side, spaces can be secured on this side for a drive current line which supplies power to an electroluminescence element. With this structure, a size of a frame portion can be reduced while securing sufficient width for the drive current common line.
US07742018B2
A plasma display device which selectively generates address discharge in each display cell in accordance with pixel data based on a video signal in an address period, applies a sustain pulse between row electrodes forming each row electrode pair in a sustain period, and applies a wall-charge adjusting pulse between row electrodes forming each of said row electrode pairs in a period from an end of the address period to a beginning of the sustain period.
US07742012B2
Methods for controlling complementary dual displays for use with an electronic device are presented including: sending a video signal to a first display, wherein the first display is a low resolution, high frame rate display; displaying the video signal on the first display; and printing a frame of the video signal to a second display, wherein the second display is a high resolution, low frame rate display, the printing including, loading a portion of a current frame of the video signal into a frame buffer, and displaying the current frame of the video signal to a second display, such that a high resolution static image is displayed on the second display.
US07742009B2
An antenna for the non-contact interface of a plug-in dual-interface smart card, wherein the plug-in smart card includes a card module and chip base, the antenna includes a substrate, antenna loop fixed on the first surface of the substrate, and the first and second pins of the antenna, wherein the substrate comprises a structure to cooperate with the card module, the first and second contact points on the second surface, and the first and second vias. The first and second contact points and structure cooperating with the card module are arranged on the substrate on the position corresponding to the contact points of the plug-in smart card. The first and second antenna pins connect with the first and second contact points via the first and second vias.
US07742004B2
An on-vehicle antenna system which offers a superior receiving performance, by suppressing reception of reflected/scattered waves coming from inside of the vehicle's cabin; these reflected/scattered waves being an adverse factor which deteriorates signal receiving performance of an antenna. The antenna system is installed at glass pane portion of a vehicle with direction (12) of the greatest radiation pattern (11) directed towards ahead (14) of the vehicle from boundary plane (10) containing power supply portion (9), while direction (13) of the smallest radiation pattern (11) towards behind (15) of the vehicle. The above-configured antenna system can suppress those waves reflected/scattered in the vehicle cabin from being received; as the result, it demonstrates improved characteristics.
US07742003B2
A broadband antenna for wireless signal transmission of an electronic device is disclosed. The broadband antenna has a radiating element, a grounding element, a short-circuiting element and a feeding plane. The radiating element has a first radiation area and a second radiation area, the first radiation area and the second radiation area perpendicularly connected to each other substantially. The feeding plane perpendicularly connected to the second radiation area substantially, the feeding plane comprising a feeding point, a first end and a second end; wherein a distance between the feeding point and the first end is less than a distance between the feeding point and the second end. The short-circuiting element is used for connecting the first radiation area with the grounding element or connecting the feeding plane with the grounding element.
US07741998B2
An antenna device for a portable radio communication device operable in at least a first and a second frequency band, includes first and second electrically conductive planar radiating elements. The first radiating element has a feeding portion connectable to a feed device of the portable radio communication device. The second radiating element includes a grounding portion connectable to ground. A controllable switch is arranged between the first and second radiating elements for selectively interconnecting and disconnecting the radiating elements. The state of the switch is controlled by means of a control voltage input. A first filter is arranged between the feeding portion and the control voltage input, to block radio frequency signals. By providing a high pass filter between the first and second radiating elements above a ground plane, quad-band operation is provided with high efficiency in a physically small antenna device.
US07741997B1
A phased array antenna system is provided, which includes one or more switchable sub-groups. Each switchable sub-group can be switchably configured to associate one or more waveform signals with one or more of a plurality of controller circuits using a first switching network, and to associate one or more of the plurality of controller circuits with one or more of a plurality of antenna elements using a second switching network. The switching networks permit a phased array antenna system to switchably control one or more beams, with different scanning ranges and coverage areas depending upon mission requirements.
US07741994B2
A GPS server capable of receiving information for use in determining ionospheric errors using mathematical formulas and sending ionospheric error correction information to GPS receivers that are in a location capable of receiving the ionospheric error correction information.
US07741993B1
A method for determining the level of a bed of polymer particles in a vessel comprising providing water wet polymer particles and employing a guided wave radar probe unit carrying a pair of radar active probes spaced from the guided wave radar probe unit by a radar inactive member, and positioning the radar inactive member so that polymer particles that are introduced into the vessel first encounter the radar inactive member.
US07741990B2
A method for the detection of moving objects by SAR images envisages the steps of: generating a pulse-repetition frequency signal starting from a radar signal; and generating a sequence of SAR images starting from the pulse-repetition frequency signal. In particular, SAR images with low azimuth resolution are generated by of coherent integration of the pulse-repetition frequency signal for a sub-aperture time shorter than an aperture time. In addition, the method envisages generating difference images through point-to-point difference between subsequent low azimuth resolution SAR images, and recognizing patterns associated to moving objects in the difference images.
US07741985B2
A digital/analogue converter for converting an input n-bit digital code, where n is an integer greater than one, has an n-bit digital input and an output for connection to a load, and includes: an array of (n−1) switched capacitors; and a switching arrangement. In one example embodiment, the switching arrangement is adapted, in a zeroing phase of operation, to connect a first reference voltage to the first plate of at least one capacitor of the array and to connect a second plate of the at least one capacitor to a voltage that, for at least one value of the input digital code, is different from the first reference voltage and is further adapted, in a decoding phase of operation, to enable, dependent on the value of the input digital code, injection of charge into the at least one capacitor. In one example embodiment, the converter may be a bufferless converter having an output for direct connection to a capacitive load.
US07741974B1
Reminding of the owner of a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port connectible device that the same has been left connected to a USB port of a powered computer is provided by an alarm disposed on a portable base for the device activated by cessation of reception of a limited range radio frequency (RF) signal. Transmission is powered by the computer through the USB port. The portable base has an independent power source for reception/alarm circuitry preferably switched on by separation of a USB port connectible device and/or signalling attachment from the portable base and switched off by physical reunion of the same. Alarm activation while retrieving the USB port connectible device from the USB port of a computer is avoided with an alarm activation delay exceeding in duration a transmission interval minimizing the likelihood of RF signal interference between multiple proximate reminders or other signals of the same RF. An identification (ID) number carried by the RF signal and recognized by a portable base thereby associated with a particular USB port connectible device and/or signalling attachment avoids defeat of alarm activation by reception of another signal of the same RF.
US07741967B2
A locating system for an archive having multiple objects stored therein includes an RFID reader device having an RFID reader to detect and read RFID tags on the objects. A central processing unit includes a database to store information on each object in the archive, a location engine operating system in communication with the RFID reader device, and a data structure to store a relative position of each object in the archive relative to each other object in the archive. A method of locating an object within an archive containing multiple objects includes carrying an RFID reader device through the archive. The RFID reader device queries each RFID tag for the identifier associated with the RFID tag and determines whether each identifier is an old identifier stored in a memory or a new identifier not stored in the memory. If one or more of the identifiers is a new identifier, a linkage is defined between each object associated with a new identifier and each other object within the range of the RFID reader device. Each linkage is saved in a data structure and each new identifier is stored in the memory.
US07741966B2
A proximity detection apparatus for a control unit for use in controlling a medical device, the proximity detection apparatus comprising: a detecting part and an emitting part; one part being located in the medical device and the other part in the control unit, so that when the control unit is attached to the medical device the detecting part detects the emitting part and instructs the control unit to select a first mode of operation and when the control unit is detached from the medical device, the detecting part does not detect the emitting part and instructs the control unit to select a second mode of operation.
US07741959B2
In a control and management system for automobiles, a central processor in the system connects traditionally unrelated vehicle subsystems together to realize synergistic functions such as smart driving, automatic parking, etc. A master interface having a display is employed in the system to help a user control and manage the vehicle functions.
US07741957B2
The present invention provides method for break reminder and a display device. The display device includes a display unit; a clock counter; a distance estimator configured for detecting if the display device being used by a user, calculating distance between the user and a front of the display device, and generating a tracking signal if the distance is less than a predetermined distance; and a central processing unit configured for waiting for the tracking signal, resetting a worked time and a rested time when the tracking signal is received, signaling the clock counter to track the worked time, detecting if the worked time is less than a first predetermined time, and signaling the display unit to output the message prompt when the worked time is equal to or greater than the first predetermined time, thereby the present invention can prevent the user of the display device from fatigue.
US07741955B2
Method for rapidly detecting identifier (ID) of tags, by radio frequency identification (RFID) reader in communication system that includes RFID reader and at least two tags communicating with RFID reader, is provided. RFID reader generates a prefix when IDs contained in at least two messages received collide with each other, prefix including a first colliding bit, which is set to ‘0’ or ‘1’, from high-order bits and non-colliding high-order bits. RFID reader sends a first message containing information that requests transmission of an assigned ID in a preset transmission period when the bits of the generated prefix match bits corresponding to the prefix, in the assigned ID. Tags receive a first message that contains a prefix including at least one bit, and sends a second message containing an assigned ID during a preset transmission period when the bits of the prefix match bits corresponding to the prefix, in assigned ID.
US07741951B2
A barrier movement operator system having a receiver for receiving, learning and responding to transmitted rolling code type access codes; at least one trained transmitter for operating the system by transmitting a rolling code type access code to the receiver; at least one learning transmitter for learning the rolling code type access code from said trained transmitter in order to operate the system; a controller for evaluating the relationship between the learning transmitter rolling type access code and the trained transmitter rolling type access code; and a device for providing a barrier movement in response to access codes received by the receiver. The barrier movement operator provides a method of learning valid security codes by a security code receiver comprising the steps of receiving a first security code, then within a predetermined period of time receiving a second security code, having a predetermined relationship to the first security code; and storing a representation of the second security code as a valid security code.
US07741950B2
The invention relates to a humidity sensor comprising a sensor element, a molding, which preferably consists of a thermoplastic material or a two-component polyurethane, epoxy or silicone casting and which is adapted to adhere to the sensor element, a dead-space volume, which is arranged in connection with the sensor element and which is covered by a membrane. The membrane is attached to an external surface of the molding and is adapted to protect the sensor element from exposure to ambient moisture and dirt and allowing diffusion of ambient air gas molecules, like water vapor, into the dead-space volume. The dead-space volume is less than 100 mm3.
US07741949B2
A varistor includes a ceramic insulating substrate, a varistor section having an outer surface, and first and second external electrodes provided on the outer surface of the varistor section. The varistor section includes a varistor layer on the ceramic insulating substrate, first and second internal electrodes, and first and second via-conductors embedded in the varistor layer and exposing from the varistor layer. The second internal electrode has a portion facing the first internal electrode. The first internal electrode and the portion of the second internal electrode sandwiches at least a portion of the varistor layer. The first and second via-conductors are connected to the first and second internal electrodes, respectively. The first and second external electrodes are connected to the first and second via-conductors, respectively. This varistor has a small thickness and a large mechanical strength.
US07741943B2
A component coil for constructing transformers and the transformer constructed therefrom are disclosed. The component coil includes a substrate having an insulating layer of material having top and bottom surfaces. First and second traces are included on the top and bottom surfaces. Each trace includes a spiral conductor. The inner ends of the spiral conductors are connected by a conductor that passes through the insulating layer. The first and second spiral conductors are oriented such that magnetic fields generated by the first and second spiral conductors have components perpendicular to the top surface and in the same direction. The component coils can be used to construct a power transformer or a galvanic isolator.
US07741936B1
The present invention provides a monolithic inductor developed using radio frequency micro electromechanical (RF MEMS) techniques. In a particular embodiment of the present invention, a tunable radio frequency microelectromechanical inductor includes a coplanar waveguide and a direct current actuatable contact switch positioned to vary the effective width of a narrow inductive section of the center conductor of the CPW line upon actuation the DC contact switch. In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the direct current actuatable contact switch is a diamond air-bridge integrated on an alumina substrate to realize an RF switch in the CPW and microstrip topology.
US07741933B2
An electromagnetic composite metamaterial including an electromagnetic medium and a plurality of spaced electromechanical resonators disposed in or on the electromagnetic medium configured to control electromagnetic wave propagation properties in the electromagnetic composite metamaterial.
US07741932B2
A torsional resonator for suppressing unnecessary flexural vibration and providing excellent resonance characteristic is provided. A vibrator is a beam structure or a paddle-like projection structure added onto a beam structure and an electrostatic force produced due to the potential difference between an electrode and the vibrator adds a moment with the axis of the beam of the vibrator as the center axis, but does not add a force for producing flexure to the beam. As one method, the same AC signal and DC bias voltages different in polarity are applied to an electrode pair of the electrode brought away from the vibrator and the electrode brought close to the vibrator with torsional vibration of the vibrator, so that only torsional vibration can be excited.
US07741930B2
There is provided a filter including a first resonator, a second resonator in which an excitation efficiency is reduced more than the first resonator, and an inductor connected in parallel with the second resonator.
US07741925B2
A temperature detector circuit using a MOS transistor capable of reducing manufacture variation of a mobility and realizing stable output characteristics which are not affected by temperature dependency may be offered. In one example, the temperature detector circuit includes a pair of depression type transistors to output a voltage which is proportional to temperature from a connecting point of a source of a first transistor and a drain of a second transistor. The transistors are the same conducted type of current and are formed in different channel size, which are connected between power supplies in series, and have a configuration in which first transistor's gate and source are connected each other and a first transistor's drain is connected with a second power supply and second transistor's gate and drain are connected each other and a second transistor's source is connected with a first power supply.
US07741924B2
A temperature-compensated crystal oscillator including an oscillation circuit which includes an oscillator, a temperature detector, a voltage variable capacitance element coupled to an oscillation loop of the oscillation circuit, and a temperature compensation circuit. The temperature compensation circuit is configured to apply a compensation voltage to the voltage variable capacitance element to compensate a temperature change in response to temperature data detected by the temperature detector. The temperature compensation circuit has a plurality of correction point data. The respective correction point data is set in advance for each divided temperature zone, selects a first correction point data in a lower temperature zone and a second correction point data in a higher temperature zone, as compared with the detected temperature data, performs an interpolation between the first and second correction point data by a weighted averaged first-order interpolation, and generates the compensation voltage.
US07741923B2
A transistor voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) and a frequency synthesizer having the transistor VCO are provided. The frequency synthesizer adopts a divide-by-five injection-locked frequency divider, which includes a five-stage inverter ring oscillating frequency dividing circuit for reducing the operating frequency of the oscillating signal from the VCO, thus decreasing power consumption due to counting operation of the frequency synthesizer. The transistor VCO includes three transistor switching capacitor sets connected in parallel to one another to form a parallel structure. The gates of the transistor switching capacitor sets are connected to respective operating voltage sources, so as to switch the status of the corresponding transistor switching capacitor set, which in turn adjusts the harmonic frequency generated by the VCO, thereby allowing the VCO to generate a corresponding operating frequency with enough bandwidth.
US07741919B2
A voltage controlled oscillator and a method of operating a voltage-controlled oscillator are disclosed. The oscillator comprises a current controlled oscillator having a variable frequency current output, a first control path for generating a first control current having a first adjustable gain, and a second control path for generating a second control current having a second adjustable gain. A summer is provided for adding the first and second control currents to obtain a summed control current, and for applying the summed control current as an input current to the current controlled oscillator. A control sub-circuit is used for controlling the gain of the first control current as a function of a defined voltage on the second control path to maintain constant the gain of the current output of the current controlled oscillator over a given operating range of the current controlled oscillator.
US07741912B1
The present invention relates to amplifier bias circuitry, which provides a direct current (DC) bias to a radio frequency (RF) amplifier. The amplifier bias circuitry includes a control loop having a control loop bandwidth, and an output impedance associated with providing the DC bias to the RF amplifier. The amplifier bias circuitry may vary the DC bias, the output impedance, the control loop bandwidth, or any combination thereof, to meet wireless communications requirements. For example, in a multi-mode radio, low output impedance may be needed to meet linearity requirements of the RF amplifier associated with wireless communications protocols in one mode of the multi-modes; however, some low output impedance designs may reduce the control loop bandwidth below that needed to meet modulation requirements associated with wireless communications protocols in another mode of the multi-modes.
US07741911B2
An operational amplifier includes a first stage and a second stage, the first stage for receiving two input signals and the second stage being coupled to the first stage, wherein the second stage includes a first part with a first output of the operational amplifier, and a second part with a second output of the operational amplifier. A method includes providing a first current to the first part of the second stage, and providing a second current to the second part of the second stage. The method further includes adjusting the first current based on a current consumption of the first part of the second stage, and adjusting the second current based on a current consumption of the second part of the second stage, wherein the sum of the first current and the second current is substantially constant.
US07741910B2
A circuit is disclosed that comprises a capacitor gain-boost circuit and an amplifier coupled to capacitor gain-boost circuit. A capacitor gain-boost circuit comprises of capacitor, gain-boost amplifier and biasing circuit. The gain-boost amplifier and capacitor provides optimum biasing operation and performance. Accordingly, through the use of capacitor gain-boost circuit, the supply voltage range and power consumption of an amplifier is optimized while the gain of amplifier is improved.
US07741906B1
Method of and circuit for generating parameters for a predistortion circuit in an integrated circuit
A method of generating parameters for a predistortion circuit in an integrated circuit is disclosed. The method comprises receiving, at the predistortion circuit, an input signal to be amplified by a power amplifier; receiving an output of the power amplifier at an input of the integrated circuit; comparing an output of the predistortion circuit with the output of the power amplifier; conforming the output of the power amplifier with the output of the predistortion circuit; and generating parameters to be applied to the predistortion circuit based upon the conformed output of the power amplifier and the predistortion circuit. An integrated circuit having a circuit for generating parameters for a predistortion circuit of the integrated circuit is also disclosed.
US07741902B2
In a class-D amplifier, the input signal is compared with a carrier signal to generate a basic PWM signal, the PWM signal is then sent to a pulse processing unit, and by comparing with a basic periodic signal, half-width of the output PWM signal is extracted. Then, in the pulse processing unit, the half-width PWM pulse signal is used to generate a complete pulse whose width equals to the output PWM signal. The output power of the class-D amplifier can be kept as large as that by using differential input signals although the input signal is single-end and the entire signal processing path is kept single-ended.
US07741898B2
A circuit and method are given, to realize a high efficiency voltage multiplier for integrated circuits generating an internal and flexible positive or negative high voltage on-chip supply voltage from low external positive or negative supply voltages or ground. Applying multi-phase control signals to voltage boost internal nodes allows for eliminating threshold voltage drop losses and thus improves the voltage pumping gain compared to circuits with diode-configured FETs of prior art. Making use of voltage signals from antecedent stages in order to bias the bulk of MOS transistors fabricated in triple-well technology enables relaxing of the gate oxide stress within high order stage MOS transistors. Such a method, called leap-frog bulk potential tracking method, makes MOS transistors from different stages exhibit about the same body effect, which is very important because MOS transistors of higher order stages now show the same performance as MOS transistors from lower order stages. Important also in terms of efficiency as the charge sharing speed of high order MOS transistors always dominates the total charge pump performance and the driving force of pumped currents, thus also allowing for a greater number of serially connectable stages overall or a smaller number necessary for a certain targeted output voltage.
US07741897B1
A method and apparatus for self gate pumped NMOS high speed switch have been disclosed.
US07741895B2
A semiconductor switch circuit is provided that enables current consumption to be reduced even in a conduction state. A semiconductor switch circuit 100 has P-type MOS transistors Q101 and Q102 for conduction that share a source and are connected in series between an input/output terminal 101 and input/output terminal 102, a P-type MOS transistor Q103 and N-type MOS transistor Q105 having drains connected to the gate of Q101, a P-type MOS transistor Q104 and N-type MOS transistor Q106 having drains connected to the gate of Q102, and a control terminal 103 connected to the gates of the transistors. Further semiconductor switch circuit 100 is configured with the sources and back gates of Q103 and Q104 connected to the sources of Q101 and Q102. Therefore, it is possible to switch the path between input/output terminal 101 and input/output terminal 102 between a conduction state and non-conduction state by means of voltage control by voltage value Vcont of a control signal applied to control terminal 103.
US07741892B2
Disclosed is a data output controller that includes an enable signal controller, which generates a control signal having a predetermined pulse width in response to a DQ off signal and a write signal and generates a clock enable signal in response to a read signal and the control signal in synchronization with the control signal when the read signal is activated, and a clock generator that receives the enable signal and an internal clock signal and generates a data clock signal in synchronization with the internal clock signal during an activation period of the enable signal.
US07741886B2
A frequency divider including a first frequency-dividing unit, a second frequency-dividing unit, a selecting unit, and a counting unit is provided. The first frequency-dividing unit receives an input signal and divides a frequency of the input signal for outputting a plurality of phase signals, wherein phases of the phase signals are mutually different. The selecting unit is connected to the first frequency-dividing unit for selecting one of the phase signals according to a control signal, so as to output an inner signal. The second frequency-dividing unit is coupled to the selecting unit for dividing a frequency of the inner signal to serve an output signal. The counting unit is coupled to the selecting unit for counting the inner signal and outputting a counting result as the control signal. Therefore, the output signal with about 50% duty cycle can be provided.
US07741881B2
In some embodiments a power circuit includes a driver output, a MOSFET, and circuitry to ensure a full and fast positive drive to a gate of the MOSFET when the driver output goes to a high signal level, and to ensure a full and fast low negative drive to the gate of the MOSFET when the driver output goes to a low signal level. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07741880B2
A data receiver and a data receiving method in which the data receiver generates two comparison signals based on amplitude modulated differential input signals, amplifies the comparison signals, compares amplified signals, and outputs logic operation results based on the amplitude modulated differential input signals and the comparison signals, thereby detecting data bits. Accordingly, the number of necessary amplifiers and comparators is reduced and a separate reference voltage generator is not needed, so that chip size reduction and low-power operation is accomplished.
US07741876B2
A differential transmission line that has three or more signal lines and with which there is little unwanted radiation noise is provided. The differential transmission line 2 is provided with three signal lines 2a, 2b, and 2c that transmit differential signals from a differential driver IC1 to a differential receiver IC3, and the majority of the signal lines 2a, 2b, and 2c is provided in conductor layers T2 and T3 of a printed circuit board 4. The signal lines 2a, 2b, and 2c are provided with a signal line parallel segment, a signal line route length adjustment segment that is on the differential driver IC1 side and that connects from differential signal output terminals 1Ea, 1Eb, and 1Ec in the differential driver IC1 to the signal line parallel segment, and a signal line route length adjustment segment that is on the differential receiver IC3 side and that connects from the signal line parallel segment to differential signal input terminals in the differential receiver IC3, wherein the signal lines 2a, 2b, and 2c are formed such that their signal line route length adjustment segments on the differential driver IC1 side are equal in length to one another.
US07741873B2
A receiver for receiving a reduced swing signal from a transmission channel is disclosed, in which the swing of the reduced swing signal is less than the power supply of the receiver and possibly is less than the power supply of the transmitter. The receiver comprises a level shifter for offsetting the reduced swing signal, and an amplifier which receives both the reduced swing signal and its offset to produce a full swing signal output referenced to the power supply of the receiver. The full swing signal can thereafter be buffered, and eventually can be captured by a clock. Optionally, the disclosed reduced swing receiver also contains calibration circuitry for improving the integrity of the full swing signal output, and in particular for countering the effects of process, and in some embodiments temperature, variations, which alter the characteristics of the transistors which make up the receiver circuitry. More particularly, the calibration circuitry compensates for the unbalanced way in which process and temperature variations impact transistors of differing polarities (e.g., n-type and p-type).
US07741872B2
A level shifter for shifting an input signal to an output signal. The level shifter includes an input buffer biased a first voltage and a ground voltage; an output buffer and a level-processing unit both biased between a second voltage and the ground voltage; and a voltage-drop unit coupled to the level-processing unit and biased between the first voltage and the second voltage. While the first voltage is in an OFF state and the second voltage is switched on, the voltage-drop unit provides an initializing voltage for the level-processing unit according to the second voltage to shift the input signal to provide the output signal.
US07741870B2
A single terminal is usable to configure an integrated circuit into one of three states. A circuit within the integrated circuit is coupled to the terminal and determines whether the terminal: 1) is tied low by an external connection, or 2) is tied high by an external connection, or 3) is floating or is substantially floating. If the circuit determines that the terminal is floating or is substantially floating, then the circuit sets an operational characteristic of a portion of the circuit (for example, sets a maximum current with which the circuit charges a battery) to have a value that is a function of a resistance of an external resistor coupled to the terminal. If no external resistor is present, then the terminal is floating and the operational characteristic is set to have a zero value. The terminal and circuit are particularly suited to use in a USB battery charger.
US07741867B2
Memory devices and systems incorporate on-die termination for signal lines. A memory device comprises an integrated circuit die. The integrated circuit die comprises a pair of input signal pins that supply a pair of input signals, and an on-die termination circuit coupled between the pair of input signal pins that differentially terminates the pair of input signals.
US07741859B2
The invention relates to a method for determining the sealing of a substance on a support by determining the electrical noise.
