US07884118B2
The compounds of the formula (I) in which R1 represents cycloalkyl, and its stereoisomers and any mixtures thereof are highly suitable as microbicides for protecting plants and materials.
US07884114B2
The present invention relates to a compound which is N-(4-{4-[(6-butyl-8-quinolinyl)oxy]-1-piperidinyl}butyl)ethanesulfonamide and salts thereof, processes for its preparation, to compositions containing it and to its use in the treatment of various diseases, such as allergic rhinitis.
US07884109B2
The present invention provides novel purine and imidazopyridine derivatives useful for the prevention and treatment of autoimmune diseases, inflammatory disease, mast cell mediated disease and transplant rejection. The compounds are of the general formulas:
US07884107B2
In its many embodiments, the present invention discloses novel compounds, as inhibitors of HDM2 protein methods for preparing such compounds, pharmaceutical compositions including one or more such compounds, methods of treatment, prevention, inhibition, of one or more diseases associated with the HDM2 protein or P53 using such compounds or pharmaceutical compositions.
US07884106B2
A method of stabilizing lipid-rich plaques and method of preventing the rupture thereof, characterized in that an effective amount of 2-[4-[2-(benzimidazol-2-ylthio)ethyl]piperazin-1-yl]-N-[2,4-bis(methylthio)-6-methyl-3-pyridyl]acetamide, its acid adduct salt or a hydrate thereof is administered to patients with lipid-rich plaques. Prevention of plaque rupture and stabilization of plaques can be attained by reducing the occupancy of macrophages in lipid-rich plaques being unstable and tending to rupture among plaques being a lesion from a seat of atherosclerosis and simultaneously increasing the occupancy of collagen therein.
US07884105B2
This invention comprises the novel compounds of formula (I) wherein R1, R2 and X have defined meanings, having histone deacetylase inhibiting enzymatic activity; their preparation, compositions containing them and their use as a medicine.
US07884097B2
Methods and compositions for treating disease caused by infectious agents, particularly tuberculosis. In particular, methods and compositions comprising novel diamine compositions for the treatment of infectious diseases are provided. In one embodiment, these methods and compositions are used for the treatment of mycobacterial infections, including, but not limited to, tuberculosis.
US07884095B2
A method is provided for treating pain in patients recovering from post-surgical trauma by administering between about 13 to about 30 mg of diclofenac potassium in a liquid dispersible formulation over a period of at least 24 hours, wherein the daily total amount of diclofenac potassium administered is less than or equal to about 100 mg. The method is particularly useful in treating acute pain in bunionectomy patients.
US07884091B2
This invention generally pertains to the field of psychiatry. In particular, this invention pertains to the discovery that agents which inhibit the binding of cortisol to its receptors can be used in methods for treating delirium. Mifepristone, a potent specific glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, can be used in these methods. The invention also provides a kit for treating delirium in a human including a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist and instructional material teaching the indications, dosage and schedule of administration of the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist.
US07884087B1
An amide of hyaluronic acid or a derivative thereof which comprises at least one repetitive unit of general formula (I): wherein R═NR6R7, or alcoholic group of the aliphatic, aromatic, arylaliphatic, cycloaliphatic, heterocyclic series, OH, O—, alcoholic group of hyaluronic acid, amino group of deacylated hyaluronic acid; R1, R2, R3, R4═H, SO3—, acyl group derived from a carboxylic acid of the aliphatic, aromatic, arylaliphatic, cycloaliphatic, heterocyclic series, —CO—(CH2)2—COOY; Y═ negative charge, or H; R5═—CO—CH3, H, SO3—, acyl group derived from a carboxylic acid of the aliphatic, aromatic, arylaliphatic, cycloaliphatic, heterocyclic series, acylic group of hyaluronic acid; R6═ is H or a aliphatic, aromatic, arylaliphatic, cycloaliphatic, or heterocyclic group, substituted or unsubstituted; R7═ is H or an aliphatic, aromatic, arylaliphatic, cycloaliphatic, or heterocyclic group, substituted or unsubstituted; wherein at least one of R or R5 forms an amide group.
US07884075B2
The present invention relates to a proteinaceous construct (also designated as polymer-VWF-conjugate) comprising plasmatic and/or recombinant von Willebrand factor (VWF), said VWF being bound to at least one physiologically acceptable polymer molecule, as well as to a complex between said proteinaceous construct and at least one factor VIII (FVIII) protein. The physiologically acceptable polymer molecule can be, for instance, polyethylene glycol (PEG) or polysialic acid (PSA). Further the present invention relates to methods for prolonging the in vivo-half-life of VWF or FVIII in the blood of a mammal having a bleeding disorder associated with functional defects of or deficiencies of at least one of FVIII or VWF.
US07884067B2
The present invention provides polypeptides and peptides derived from cadherin. The polypeptides and peptides are useful in a method of inhibiting amyloid deposition and a method of inhibiting tumor metastasis. A method of determining susceptibility to Alzheimer's disease and a method of screening for agents that modify cadherin processing are also provided.
US07884053B2
This invention pertains to the field of combination oligomers, including the block synthesis of combination oligomers in the absence of a template, as well as related methods, kits, libraries and other compositions.
US07884040B2
Optical glass has a refractive index of 1.83 or above and an Abbe number of 26 or less and contains SiO2, TiO2, Nb2O5 and Na2O as its essential constituents in such proportions on a final oxide basis that the amounts of its oxide constituents as expressed on a mass percentage basis may satisfy the relationship: (TiO2+Nb2O5)/(Na2O+K2O)=3.0 to 4.0.
US07884039B2
The invention relates to a dark gray soda-lime silicate glass composition which includes a coloring part essentially consisting of the compounds below in contents varying within the following weight limits: Fe2O3 (total iron)0.7 to 0.95% CoO50 to 80 ppm NiO400 to 700 ppm or Fe2O3 (total iron)0.7 to 0.95% CoO200 to 300 ppm NiO1500 to 1900 ppm said composition being free of selenium, having a redox of 0.40 or less, and the glass having a light transmission factor (TLA) under illuminant A of 50% or less and an overall energy transmission factor (TE) of less than 45%, these being measured for a thickness of 3.85 mm. The invention also relates to glass sheets, optionally thermally toughened, obtained from the aforementioned composition and to glazing comprising at least one of these sheets, especially as “privacy” windows for automobiles.
US07884037B2
The present invention generally relates to a wet wipe or sheet that is suitable for contacting the skin and that has a stratified wetting composition therein. More specifically, the present invention related to a wet wipe, which may optionally be an ion-triggerable, water-disintegratable wipe, wherein the organic phase, and more particularly one or more components of the organic phase, of the wetting composition is concentrated near the surface of the wipe, and the aqueous phase of the wetting composition is concentrated in the bulk of the wipe. The present invention is further directed to a number of processes for preparing such a wet wipe. For example, in one embodiment an emulsified wetting composition is applied to a fibrous substrate of the wet wipe, and then treated to destabilize the emulsion. In an alternative embodiment, an emulsified wetting composition may be destabilized prior to it being applied to the fibrous substrate. As a result of the destabilization, the emulsion undergoes phase separation after being applied to the fibrous substrate.
US07884036B1
Methods for treating a substrate in preparation for a subsequent process are presented, the method including: receiving the substrate, the substrate comprising conductive regions and dielectric regions; and applying an oxidizing agent to the substrate in a manner so that the dielectric regions are oxidized to become increasingly hydrophilic to enable access to the conductive regions in the subsequent process, wherein the dielectric region is treated to a depth in the range of approximately 1 to 5 atomic layers. In some embodiments, methods further include processing the substrate, wherein processing the conductive regions are selectively enhanced. In some embodiments, the oxidizing agent includes atmospheric pressure plasma and UV radiation.
US07884030B1
During semiconductor fabrication homogeneous gap-filling is achieved by depositing a thin dielectric layer into the gap, post deposition curing, and then repeating deposition and post deposition curing until gap-filling is completed. Embodiments include depositing a layer of low deposition temperature gap-fill dielectric into a high aspect ratio opening, such as a shallow trench or a gap between closely spaced apart gate electrode structures, as at a thickness of about 10 Å to about 500 Å, curing after deposition, as by UV radiation or by heating at a temperature of about 400° C. to about 1000° C., depositing another layer of low deposition temperature gap-filled dielectric, and curing after deposition. Embodiments include separately depositing and separately curing multiple layers.
US07884021B2
A method for fabricating a micro structure includes disposing a sacrificial material in a recess formed in a lower layer and forming a layer of compensatory material on the sacrificial material in the recess. The compensatory material is higher than the upper surface of the lower layer. A first portion of the compensatory material is removed to form a substantially flat surface on the sacrificial material. The substantially flat surface is substantially co-planar with the upper surface of the lower layer. An upper layer is formed on the lower layer and the substantially flat surface.
US07884019B2
A method of forming a dual-damascene structure is disclosed. A lower dielectric hardmask layer and an upper dielectric hardmask layer are deposited on an ultra low-k film. A first via is formed in the upper hardmask layer. Next, a first trench is formed using the tri-layer resist scheme. Finally, a full via and a full trench are formed simultaneously. An optional etch-stop layer can be used in the ultra low-k layer to control trench depth.
US07884015B2
Methods for forming interconnects in microelectronic workpieces and microelectronic workpieces formed using such methods are disclosed herein. One embodiment, for example, is directed to a method of processing a microelectronic workpiece including a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of microelectronic dies. The individual dies include integrated circuitry and a terminal electrically coupled to the integrated circuitry. The method can include forming a first opening in the substrate from a back side of the substrate toward a front side and in alignment with the terminal. The first opening has a generally annular cross-sectional profile and separates an island of substrate material from the substrate. The method can also include depositing an insulating material into at least a portion of the first opening, and then removing the island of substrate material to form a second opening aligned with at least a portion of the terminal. In several embodiments, the method may include constructing an electrically conductive interconnect in at least a portion of the second opening and in electrical contact with the terminal.
US07884011B2
A seal ring is provided between a region where a circuit is formed on a semiconductor substrate and a dicing region. The seal ring has a portion where sealing layers of which the cross sectional form is in T-shape are layered and a portion where sealing layers of which the cross sectional form is rectangular are layered.
US07884010B2
A wiring structure has a silicon layer, a backing layer provided on the silicon layer, the backing layer comprising a copper alloy containing a manganese, and a copper layer provided on the backing layer, and a diffusion barrier layer having an electrical conductivity, the diffusion barrier layer being provided at a region including an interface between the silicon layer and the backing layer, in which a manganese in the diffusion barrier layer is enriched compared with the backing layer.
US07884004B2
Semiconductor-based electronic devices and techniques for fabrication thereof are provided. In one aspect, a device is provided comprising a first pad; a second pad and a plurality of nanowires connecting the first pad and the second pad in a ladder-like configuration formed in a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) layer over a buried oxide (BOX) layer, the nanowires having one or more dimensions defined by a re-distribution of silicon from the nanowires to the pads. The device can comprise a field-effect transistor (FET) having a gate surrounding the nanowires wherein portions of the nanowires surrounded by the gate form channels of the FET, the first pad and portions of the nanowires extending out from the gate adjacent to the first pad form a source region of the FET and the second pad and portions of the nanowires extending out from the gate adjacent to the second pad form a drain region of the FET.
US07884002B2
A method of fabricating a self-aligned Schottky junction (29) in respect of a semiconductor device. After gate etching and spacer formation, a recess defining the junction regions is formed in the Silicon substrate (10) and a SiGe layer (22) is selectively grown therein. A dielectric layer (24) is then provided over the gate (14) and the SiGe layer (22), a contact etch is performed to form contact holes (26) and the SiGe material (22) is then removed to create cavities (28) in the junction regions. Finally the cavities (28) are filled with metal to form the junction (29). Thus, a process is provided for self-aligned fabrication of a Schottky junction having relatively low resistivity, wherein the shape and position of the junction can be well controlled.
US07883995B2
A novel top-down procedure for synthesis of stable passivated nanoparticles uses a one-step mechanochemical process to form and passivate the nanoparticles. High-energy ball milling (HEBM) can advantageously be used to mechanically reduce the size of material to nanoparticles. When the reduction of size occurs in a reactive medium, the passivation of the nanoparticles occurs as the nanoparticles are formed. This results in stable passivated silicon nanoparticles. This procedure can be used, for example in the synthesis of stable alkyl- or alkenyl-passivated silicon and germanium nanoparticles. The covalent bonds between the silicon or germanium and the carbon in the reactive medium create very stable nanoparticles.
US07883993B2
The invention relates to a semiconductor device with a semiconductor chip and a rewiring layer, the semiconductor chip being embedded in a housing plastics composition by its rear side contact. The active top side of the semiconductor chip forms a coplanar overall top side with the top side of the housing plastics composition. The rear side contact is led to the overall top side via a flat conductor sheet tape, so that the rear side contact of the semiconductor chip can be accessed from the overall top side.
US07883992B2
A laser beam is applied to an intersection area of each second street of a wafer by using a dicing apparatus to thereby form a first modified layer along the intersection area. Thereafter, the wafer is divided along each first street intersecting each second street at right angles to obtain a plurality of wafer strips. Thereafter, the laser beam is applied along the remaining area of each second street other than the intersection area to form a second modified layer along the remaining area of each second street. Thereafter, an external force is applied to each wafer strip in which the first and second modified layers have been formed along each second street, thereby dividing each wafer strip along each second street to obtain a plurality of devices.
US07883991B1
A method of bonding and detaching a temporary carrier used for handling a wafer during the fabrication of semiconductor devices includes bonding a wafer onto a carrier through a first adhesive layer and a second adhesive layer, in which the edge zone of the wafer and the carrier is covered by the first adhesive layer while the edge zone is not covered by the second adhesive layer. A wafer edge clean process is then performed to remove the first adhesive layer adjacent the edge of the wafer and expose the edge zone of the carrier, followed by removing the second adhesive layer from the carrier. After detaching the carrier from the wafer, the first adhesive layer remaining on the wafer is removed.
US07883988B2
One surface of a single crystal semiconductor substrate is irradiated with ions to form a damaged region in the single crystal semiconductor substrate. An insulating layer is formed over the one surface of the single crystal semiconductor substrate. A surface of a substrate having an insulating surface and a surface of the insulating layer are disposed in contact with each other to bond the substrate having the insulating surface and the single crystal semiconductor substrate to each other. Heat treatment is performed to divide the single crystal semiconductor substrate along the damaged region and to form a semiconductor layer over the substrate having the insulating surface. One surface of the semiconductor layer is irradiated with light from a flash lamp under conditions where the semiconductor layer is not melted, to repair a defect.
US07883985B2
The chip for the multi-chip semiconductor device having the markings for alignment formed on the front surface and/or the back surface of the chip only by the processing from the front surface of the chip (photolithography, etch) and the method for manufacturing same are presented, without adding any dedicated process step to the formation process for the marking for alignment. In the chip for the multi-chip semiconductor device having two or more electroconductive through plug in one chip for the multi-chip semiconductor device, one or more electroconductive through plugs are employed for the marking for alignment, and the chip is configured to allow identification of the marking for alignment on the front surface and/or the back surface of the chip for the multi-chip semiconductor device. Then, an insulating film is provided on the front surface and/or the back surface of the electrically conducting through plug.
US07883983B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, includes: forming a gate insulating film on a semiconductor substrate; forming a first metal film on the gate insulating film; forming a second metal film on the first metal film; and patterning a stacked film of the first and second metal films such that the stacked film is left in a gate electrode formation region and a resistive element formation region. The method further includes: removing the second metal film in the resistive element formation region with protecting a contact hole formation region. The method further includes: forming an interlayer insulating film so as to cover the stacked film; and removing the interlayer insulating film formed in the contact hole formation region to form a contact hole leading to the second metal film.
US07883953B2
A semiconductor process and apparatus includes forming <100> channel orientation CMOS transistors (24, 34) with enhanced hole mobility in the NMOS channel region and reduced channel defectivity in the PMOS region by depositing a first tensile etch stop layer (51) over the PMOS and NMOS gate structures, etching the tensile etch stop layer (51) to form tensile sidewall spacers (62) on the exposed gate sidewalls, and then depositing a second hydrogen rich compressive or neutral etch stop layer (72) over the NMOS and PMOS gate structures (26, 36) and the tensile sidewall spacers (62). In other embodiments, a first hydrogen-rich etch stop layer (81) is deposited and etched to form sidewall spacers (92) on the exposed gate sidewalls, and then a second tensile etch stop layer (94) is deposited over the NMOS and PMOS gate structures (26, 36) and the sidewall spacers (92).
US07883949B2
Methods of forming a p-channel MOS device in silicon carbide include forming an n-type well in a silicon carbide layer, and implanting p-type dopant ions to form a p-type region in the n-type well at a surface of the silicon carbide layer and at least partially defining a channel region in the n-type well adjacent the p-type region. A threshold adjustment region is formed in the channel region. The implanted ions are annealed in an inert atmosphere at a temperature greater than 1650° C. A gate oxide layer is formed on the channel region, and a gate is formed on the gate oxide layer. A silicon carbide-based transistor includes a silicon carbide layer, an n-type well in the silicon carbide layer, and a p-type region in the n-type well at a surface of the silicon carbide layer and at least partially defining a channel region in the n-type well adjacent the p-type region. A threshold adjustment region is in the channel region and includes p-type dopants at a dopant concentration of about 1×1016 cm−3 to about 5×1018 cm−3. The transistor further includes a gate oxide layer on the channel region, and a gate on the gate oxide layer. The transistor may exhibit a hole mobility in the channel region in excess of 5 cm2/V-s at a gate voltage of −25V.
US07883943B2
A method for manufacturing a thin film transistor and a display device using a small number of masks is provided. A conductive film is formed, a thin-film stack body having a pattern is formed over the conductive film, an opening portion is formed in the thin-film stack body so as to reach the conductive film, a gate electrode layer is formed by processing the conductive film using side-etching, and an insulating layer, a semiconductor layer, and a source and drain electrode layer are formed over the gate electrode layer, whereby a thin film transistor is manufactured. By provision of the opening portion, controllability of etching is improved.
US07883939B2
A method for manufacturing a thin but robust stack of electrically connected thin film semiconductor elements includes the steps of forming a first element to be stacked: forming a separation layer and a semiconductor element layer over a substrate, forming a wiring connected to the semiconductor element layer, forming a protective material over the semiconductor layer and the wiring, forming a conductive region electrically connected to the wiring in the protective layer, and separating the semiconductor element layer from the substrate along the separation layer. A second element is formed according to the aforementioned process, and the first element is stacked thereon, before separating the second element from its substrate. The first element is bonded to the protective layer of the second element so that the semiconductor element layers of the first and the second element are electrically connected to each other through the protective layer, without damaging the protective layer.
US07883936B2
In a method and system for fabricating a semiconductor device (100) having a package-on-package structure, a base laminate substrate (BLS) (110) is formed to include a base center portion (112) and a peripheral portion (114) separated by a barrier element (120). The barrier element (120) forms a peripheral wall (118) to surround the base center portion (112). A frame shaped top laminate substrate (TLS) (130) is disposed over the peripheral portion (114) of the BLS (110). The TLS (130) has an open top center portion (132) matching the base center portion (112) surrounded by the peripheral wall (118) to form a cavity (140). A plurality of conductive bumps (150) each disposed between a top contact pad (134) of the TLS and a base contact pad (116) of the peripheral portion (114) of the BLS (110) are formed to provide electrical and mechanical coupling therebetween. The barrier element (120) forms a seal between the cavity (140) and the plurality of conductive bumps (150).
US07883935B2
Aimed at improving adhesiveness between upper and lower interconnects in semiconductor devices, a semiconductor device of the present invention includes a second dielectric multi-layered film formed on a substrate, and containing a lower interconnect; a first dielectric multi-layered film formed on the second dielectric multi-layered film, and having a recess; an MOx film formed on the inner wall of the recess, and containing a metal M and oxygen as major components; an M film formed on the MOx film, and containing the M as a major component; and an electric conductor formed on the M film so as to fill the recess, and containing Cu as a major component, wherein the surficial portion of the interconnect fallen straight under the bottom of the recess has an oxygen concentration of 1% or smaller.
US07883928B2
An image sensor and fabricating method thereof are provided. The image sensor can include a color filter on a semiconductor substrate, a microlens on the color filter layer, and a carbon-doped low temperature oxide layer on the microlens.
US07883926B2
Image sensor devices and methods for fabricating the same are provided. An exemplary embodiment of an image sensor device comprises a support substrate. A passivation structure is formed over the support substrate. An interconnect structure is formed over the passivation structure. A first semiconductor layer is formed over the interconnect structure, having a first and second surfaces, wherein the first and second surfaces are opposing surfaces. At least one light-sensing device is formed over/in the first semiconductor layer from a first surface thereof. A color filter layer is formed over the first semiconductor layer from a second surface thereof. At least one micro lens is formed over the color filter layer.
US07883923B2
Embodiments relate to an image sensor and a method for manufacturing an image sensor. According to embodiments, a method may include forming a semiconductor substrate including a pixel part and a peripheral part, forming an interlayer dielectric film including a metal wire on and/or over the semiconductor substrate, forming photo diode patterns on and/or over the interlayer dielectric film and connected to the metal wire in the pixel part, forming a device isolation dielectric layer on and/or over the interlayer dielectric film including the photo diode patterns, forming a first via hole on and/or over the device isolation dielectric layer to partially expose the photo diode patterns, and forming a second via hole on and/or over the device isolation dielectric layer to expose the metal wire in the peripheral part. According to embodiments, vertical integration of transistor circuitry and a photo diode may be achieved.
US07883919B2
A method for fabricating a negative thermal expanding system device includes coating a wafer with a thermally decomposable polymer, patterning the decomposable polymer into repeating disk patterns, releasing the decomposable polymer from the wafer and forming a sheet of repeating patterned disks, suspending the sheet into a first solution with seeding compounds for electroless decomposition, removing the sheet from the first solution, suspending the sheet into a second solution to electrolessly deposit a first layer material onto the sheet, removing the sheet from the second solution, suspending the sheet into a third solution to deposit a second layer of material having a lower TCE value than the first layer of material, separating the patterned disks from one another, and annealing thermally the patterned disks to decompose the decomposable polymer and creating a cavity in place of the decomposable polymer.
US07883916B2
A complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor comprises a first photosensitive diode comprising a first semiconductor material is formed in a first semiconductor substrate. A second photosensitive diode comprising a second semiconductor material, which has a different light detection wavelength range than the first semiconductor material, is formed in a second semiconductor substrate. Semiconductor devices for holding and detecting charges comprising a sensing circuit of the CMOS image sensor may also be formed in the second semiconductor substrate. The first semiconductor substrate and the second semiconductor substrate are bonded so that the first photosensitive diode is located underneath the second photosensitive diode. The vertical stack of the first and second photosensitive diodes detects light in the combined detection wavelength range of the first and second semiconductor materials. Sensing devices may be shared between the first and second photosensitive diodes.
US07883912B2
According to one aspect of the present invention, at least one or more of patterns required for manufacturing a display device, such as a conductive layer which forms a wiring or an electrode and a mask, is formed by a droplet discharging method. At that time, a portion of the gate insulating film where is not located under the semiconductor layer is removed during manufacturing steps of the present invention.
US07883909B2
A device and method for measuring ion beam angle with respect to a substrate is disclosed. The method includes forming a plurality of shadowing structures extending substantially perpendicular from an upper surface of the substrate, directing an ion beam toward the substrate, the plurality of shadowing structures interrupting an incident angle of the ion beam to define implanted and non-implanted portions of the substrate. The method further includes measuring the dose of implanted species within the substrate, determining an implanted surface area as a function of measuring the dose of implant, determining non-implanted surface area based on the implanted surface area, and obtaining the ion beam angle as a function of the non-implanted surface area.
US07883907B2
Various embodiments disclosed herein include methods for measuring a parameter associated with a workpiece. Such a method may include providing a first overlay pattern on the workpiece and a second overlay pattern over the first overlay pattern. The first overlay pattern may comprise a first plurality of features spaced apart from each other, and the second overlay pattern may comprise a second plurality of substantially optically transmissive features spaced apart from each other. The second plurality of features may be offset with respect to and partially overlapping the first plurality of features. The method may further comprise directing light onto the first and second overlay pattern such that the light is reflected from both the first and second overlay patterns and using reflectometry to obtain a measure of the parameter from the reflected light.
US07883898B2
Systems and methods are described for measuring pH of low alkalinity samples. The present invention provides a sensor array comprising a plurality of pH indicators, each indicator having a different indicator concentration. A calibration function is generated by applying the sensor array to a sample solution having a known pH such that pH responses from each indicator are simultaneously recorded versus indicator concentration for each indicator. Once calibrated, the sensor array is applied to low alkalinity samples having unknown pH. Results from each pH indicator are then compared to the calibration function, and fitting functions are extrapolated to obtain the actual pH of the low alkalinity sample.
US07883896B2
The present invention relates to nucleic acids and polypeptides associated with lung cancer. The invention is more specifically related to a nucleic acids and the polypeptides transcribed thereof, the expression of which is significantly altered in association with lung cancer. The invention relates to a series of differentially spliced transcripts of the gene disclosed herein, that are associated with tumors of the respiratory tract. Furthermore the present invention provides a method for early diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring of the disease course and for therapy and vaccination of cell proliferative disorders such as e.g. lung tumors.
US07883893B2
Membrane proteins represent ˜30% of the proteome of both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Unique to cell surface receptors is their biogenesis pathway, which involves vesicular trafficking from the endoplasmic reticulum through the Golgi apparatus and to the cell surface. Increasing evidence suggests specific regulation of biogenesis for different membrane receptors, hence affecting their surface expression. A pulse-chase assay can be used to monitor function recovery after chemobleaching (FRAC) to probe the transit time of the cell surface receptors to reach the cell surface. This method distinguishes molecular density from functional density. The ability of the reported method to access the biogenesis pathways in a high-throughput manner facilitates the identification and evaluation of molecules affecting receptor trafficking.
US07883889B2
The present invention discloses a method of generation of antigen presenting cells, comprising: a collecting said cells from a subject, b. activating said collected cells; c. culturing and optionally expanding ex vivo said activated cells; d. treating said cultured and optionally expanded cells with DNA hypomethylating agents so that said cells concomitantly express multiple tumor associated antigens. The cells obtainable according to the method of the present invention, as well as the cellular components thereof whether alone or in combination with said cells, are useful for prevention and treatment of malignancies of different histotype that constitutively express one or more of the multiple tumor associated antigens that are expressed in said cells. Conveniently, said cells and/or cellular components are in the form of a vaccine. Said vaccines are advantageous over the prior art in that as they concomitantly express multiple/all methylation-regulated tumor associated antigens.
US07883884B2
The present invention concerns an anaerobic digestion of animal manures, energy crops and similar organic substrates. The process is capable of refining nutrients comprised in the digested biomass to fertilizers of commercial quality. The invention also provides a method for oprocessing animal carcasses or fractions thereof including meat and bone meal etc., with the objective of providing an alternative means for processing the organic waste material of animal origin while at the same time facilitating the production of fertilizers. The risk of spreading BSE prions or any other prions to animals or humans is thus substantially reduced if not eliminated. The biogas and slurry separation system according to the present invention is preferably integrated with the operations of animal husbandries into a total concept in which the internal and external performances of animal husbandries are optimised. The internal performances concern quality aspects related to the management of the animal houses and include industrial hygiene, animal welfare, gaseous and dust emissions and food safety. The external performances concern mainly energy production and emissions to the environment of nutrients and greenhouse gases and the sale of high quality food product.
US07883882B2
Disclosed herein are methods of manufacturing renewable chemicals through the manufacture of novel triglyceride oils followed by chemical modification of the oils. Methods such as transesterification, hydrogenation, hydrocracking, deoxygenation, isomerization, interesterification, hydroxylation, hydrolysis and saponification are disclosed. Novel oils containing fatty acid chain lengths of C8, C10, C12 or C14 are also disclosed and are useful as feedstocks in the methods of the invention.
US07883858B2
The present invention relates generally to methods for identifying drug side effects by detecting perturbations in organ-specific molecular blood fingerprints. The invention further relates to methods for identifying drug-specific organ-specific molecular blood fingerprints. As such, the present invention provides compositions comprising organ-specific proteins, detection reagents for detecting such proteins, and panels and arrays for determining organ-specific molecular blood fingerprints.
US07883857B2
An isolated polypeptide is provided. The isolated polypeptide comprising an antigen recognition domain capable of specifically binding a CD44 polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2 and incapable of binding a CD44 polypeptide selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID NO: 4 or 6.
US07883851B2
Disclosed are methods and compositions for determining whether a person carries an allele associated with increased risk for coronary atherosclerosis by determining whether the person has had RA-CHR9 allele, such as by determining whether the person has an RA-CHR9 allele-associated single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP).
US07883850B2
This invention relates to plant breeding and the protection of plants from insects. More specifically, this invention includes novel transformation events of cotton plants comprising one or more polynucleotide sequences, as described herein, inserted into specific site(s) within the genome of a cotton cell. In highly preferred embodiments, said polynucleotide sequences encode “stacked” Cry1F and Cry1Ac lepidopteran insect inhibitory proteins. However, the subject invention includes plants having single cry1F or cry1Ac events, as described herein. Additionally, the invention is related to cotton plants derived from that transformation event and to assays for detecting the presence of the event in a sample. More specifically, the present invention provides DNA and related assays for detecting the presence of certain insect-resistance events in cotton. The assays are based on the DNA sequences of recombinant constructs inserted into the cotton genome and of the genomic sequences flanking the insertion sites. These sequences are unique. Based on these insert and border sequences, event-specific primers were generated. PCR analysis demonstrated that these cotton lines can be identified in different cotton genotypes by analysis of the PCR amplicons generated with these event-specific primer sets. Thus, these and other related procedures can be used to uniquely identify these cotton lines. Kits and conditions useful in conducting the assays are also provided. These materials and methods can also be used to assist breeding programs to further develop traits in cotton.
US07883839B2
A method is provided for creating a plurality of substantially uniform nano-scale features in a substantially parallel manner in which an array of micro-lenses is positioned on a surface of a substrate, where each micro-lens includes a hole such that the bottom of the hole corresponds to a portion of the surface of the substrate. A flux of charged particles, e.g., a beam of positive ions of a selected element, is applied to the micro-lens array. The flux of charged particles is focused at selected focal points on the substrate surface at the bottoms of the holes of the micro-lens array. The substrate is tilted at one or more selected angles to displace the locations of the focal points across the substrate surface. By depositing material or etching the surface of the substrate, several substantially uniform nanometer sized features may be rapidly created in each hole on the surface of the substrate in a substantially parallel manner.
US07883811B2
A control apparatus for a fuel cell stack includes a fuel cell stack having a stacked body formed by stacking fuel cell units together and a pair of end plates sandwiching the stacked body therebetween; electrical heaters disposed near the ends of the stacked body or the end plates, respectively; a water purging device for purging water which is generated during a power generation operation in the fuel cell stack, and which is held in the fuel cell units; and a control unit which controls the power generation operation in the fuel cell stack, and which is operatively connected to the electrical heaters and the water purging device. The control unit is adapted to operate the electrical heaters and the water purging device when the power generation operation is stopped.
US07883803B2
A solid oxide fuel cell power generation system's entire output is made up of three streams: water, sequestered carbon dioxide provided into a storage tank, and carbon dioxide depleted air. Thus, the system generates electricity from a hydrocarbon fuel, while outputting substantially no pollutants into the atmosphere and cleaning the air by removing carbon dioxide from the air exhaust stream. Thus, the system outputs cleaner air than it takes in without releasing pollutants into the atmosphere, while generating electricity from a readily available hydrocarbon fuel, such as natural gas.
US07883785B2
The present invention describes novel organometallic compounds which are phosphorescent emitters. Such compounds can be used as active components (=functional materials) in a variety of different applications which can in the widest sense be considered part of the electronics industry.The compounds of the invention are described by the formulae (I), (Ia), (II) and (IIa).
US07883780B2
The present invention provides a laminate comprising a resin layer and a copper foil. The resin layer is made from a liquid crystalline polyester having at least one structural unit selected from a structural unit derived from aromatic diamine and a structural unit derived from aromatic amine with a phenolic hydroxyl group in an amount of 10 to 35% by mole on the basis of the total structural units in the polyester. The copper foil has a tensile modulus of 60 GPa or smaller and a tensile strength at break of 150 MPa or smaller measured after heat treatment at a temperature of 300° C. The copper-foil laminate has good flexibility and high durability with little anisotropy is provided.
US07883778B2
A sheet glass that has a side surface with an average surface roughness equal to or less than 0.2 μm is provided. Furthermore, a method of manufacturing a sheet glass is provided that includes processing a base-material glass sheet to obtain a sheet glass that has a side surface with an average surface roughness equal to or less than 0.2 μm. Moreover, a method of manufacturing a sheet glass is provided that includes processing a base-material glass sheet so that an average surface roughness of a side surface becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value according to a section modulus of the sheet glass that is to be manufactured.
US07883770B2
A process for improving vehicle seat craftsmanship by camouflaging a receiving surface on a predetermined vehicle component (e.g., a foam seat cushion) is described. The camouflaging conceals the vehicle component from observation. One example of the process includes designating a receiving surface area on the vehicle component and providing a covering material having an opaque characteristic. The covering material includes an opaque dye that bonds with the polyurethane foam that is poured into a mold with deionized water for solidification. Another example of the process further includes spraying the covering material according to a surface of the mold cavity which corresponds to the designated receiving surface area on the vehicle component.
US07883742B2
This disclosure relates generally to networks of polymers in fullerene compounds and polymers, to methods of preparing precursors for such networks, and to their subsequent use as low dielectric constant materials in microelectronic devices.
US07883741B2
The method comprises a stage of drying of the granular materials followed by a stage of coating of the whole thereof with a hot bituminous binder.According to the invention, the drying stage is carried out in conditions which allow a fraction of the initial humidity of the granular materials to remain.The invention has application in road building.
US07883736B2
A process for making an endoprosthesis comprising: (a) applying a powder that includes a metal hydride to a surface of a metal endoprosthesis, or precursor tubing thereof; and (b) exposing the powder to a heat source to melt the powder and liberate hydrogen gas, thereby forming a porous coating on the surface of the endoprosthesis, or precursor tubing thereof.
US07883735B2
An apparatus and method for producing a substantially spiral shaped food product is disclosed herein. The apparatus includes a die defining a plurality of apertures disposed in a circle about a center. The apparatus also includes at least one cutting blade disposed for rotation about the center and operable to intermittently pass fully across each of the apertures during rotation. The apparatus also includes a plurality of slicing blades arranged for individual rotation about one of the plurality of apertures. The plurality of slicing blades are also arranged for continuous extension less than fully across the one aperture. The apparatus also includes a planetary coupling arrangement operably disposed to facilitate reciprocating rotation between the at least one cutting blade and the plurality of slicing blades.
US07883730B2
Use of lysine imines and compositions containing them as a source of rumen protected lysine for ruminant animals.
US07883719B2
A patch comprising a backing layer and an adhesive layer disposed on the backing layer and compounded with an adhesive agent and oxybutynin and/or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein the adhesive agent comprises an acrylic polymer substantially free of both carboxyl group and hydroxyl group and a rubber polymer, in which weight ratio of content of the acrylic polymer to content of the rubber polymer is from 1:4 to 1:19.
US07883709B2
This invention relates to the stabilization of a bacterial ADP-ribosylating exotoxin class protein (bARE), a method for analysing a bARE class protein, a method for the stabilization of the bARE class bacterial protein, compositions comprising a stabilized bARE protein, compositions comprising a substantially integral bARE class protein and immunogenic composition formulations incorporating same.
US07883705B2
To provide an antibody against FGF23 and a pharmaceutical composition such as a preventive or therapeutic agent which can prevent or treat by suppressing an action of FGF23 by using the antibody. An antibody or its functional fragment against human FGF23 produced by hybridoma C10 (Accession No. FERM BP-10772).
US07883704B2
Human antibodies, preferably recombinant human antibodies, that specifically bind to human interleukin-12 (hIL-12 ) are disclosed. Preferred antibodies have high affinity for hIL-12 and neutralize hIL-12 activity in vitro and in vivo. An antibody of the invention can be a full-length antibody or an antigen-binding portion thereof. The antibodies, or antibody portions, of the invention are useful for detecting hIL-12 and for inhibiting hIL-12 activity, e.g., in a human subject suffering from a disorder in which hIL-12 activity is detrimental. Nucleic acids, vectors and host cells for expressing the recombinant human antibodies of the invention, and methods of synthesizing the recombinant human antibodies, are also encompassed by the invention.
US07883701B2
A method for reducing gastrointestinal inflammation, enhancing growth, or improving feed efficiency in a human or non-human animal is disclosed. The method involves administering to the animal an agent that can reduce the formation of the signal transduction complex of endotoxin, TLR4 and CD14 on the cellular surface of a cell in the gastrointestinal tract of the animal. In a preferred embodiment, an antibody against the extracellular domain of TLR4 or CD14 is used to reduce the formation of the complex. A composition that contains the antibody and an ingestible carrier is also disclosed. Further disclosed is a method for producing a peptide for enhancing growth, improving feed efficiency, or both in a human or non-human animal.
US07883700B2
Human anti-human IL-21 monoclonal antibodies and the hybridomas that produce them are presented. Certain of these antibodies have the ability to bind native human IL-21, a mutant recombinant IL-21 protein and/or peptide regions of human IL-21. These human anti-IL-21 antibodies are useful in therapeutic treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, particularly diseases mediated by T follicular helper cells, B cells TH cells or TH17 cells.
US07883686B2
MCM-22 family molecular sieve composition, its method of making, and use for hydrocarbon conversions
This disclosure relates to a crystalline MCM-22 family molecular sieve having a platelet aggregates morphology wherein greater than 50 wt % of the molecular sieve having a crystal diameter greater than 1 μm as measured by the SEM. The crystalline MCM-22 family molecular sieve of this disclosure, wherein the platelet aggregates morphology is rosette habit morphology, or multiple layer plate's morphology.
US07883674B2
A coke removal system removes coke deposits from the walls of a high temperature passage in which hydrocarbon fuel is present. The system includes a carbon-steam gasification catalyst and a water source. The carbon-steam gasification catalyst is applied to the walls of the high temperature passage. The water reacts with the coke deposits on the walls of the high temperature passage to remove the coke deposits from the walls of the high temperature passage by carbon-steam gasification in the presence of the carbon-steam gasification catalyst.
US07883654B2
Two catalyst electrode layers (CEL) are separately formed on two surfaces of a proton exchange membrane (PEM). The structure and processes are simple in the present invention for obtaining a membrane exchange assembly (MEA) with its thickness controllable. The MEA obtained can have a structure of CEL+PEM+CEL′. If a gas diffusion layer (GDL) is added before obtaining the CEL, a MEA having a structure of GDL+CEL+PEM+CEL′+GDL′ is obtained.
US07883651B1
The incorporation of borates during the manufacture of lignocellulosic based thermoplastic materials containing about 25 to 75 percent by weight of the thermoplastic material will increase their resistance to surface impairment caused by mold as well as increase their resistance to fungal decay. For resistance to surface impairment, the preferred amount is 3 to 5 percent of the boron containing fungicide. When fungal decay resistance is needed the preferred amount is about 0.3 to 2 percent of the boron containing fungicide.
US07883643B2
The invention provides a process for preparing an overvoltage protection material comprising: (i) preparing a mixture comprising a polymer binder precursor and a conductive material; and (ii) heating the mixture to cause reaction of the polymer binder precursor and generate a polymer matrix having conductive material dispersed therein, wherein the polymer binder precursor is chosen such that substantially no solvent is generated during the reaction.
US07883635B2
A substrate treating apparatus for treating substrates with a treating solution having a mixture of a chemical and a diluent. The apparatus includes a treating tank for storing the treating solution, a heating device for heating the treating solution, a supply pipe for supplying a gas at a fixed flow rate, the supply pipe having a detecting end at a predetermined depth in the treating tank, a pressure detecting device for detecting a pressure in the supply pipe, a converting device for converting the pressure detected by the pressure detecting device into a voltage, a storage device for storing, as a reference voltage, a voltage received from the converting device when a reference liquid at a reference temperature is stored in the treating tank, and a computing device for deriving an actual specific gravity of the treating solution from the reference voltage stored in the storage device, and a treatment voltage received from the converting device when the treating solution stored in the treating tank has been heated to a treating temperature by the heating device.
US07883632B2
A plasma processing apparatus that enables polymer to be removed from an electrically insulated electrode. A susceptor of the plasma processing apparatus is disposed in a substrate processing chamber having a processing space therein. A radio frequency power source is connected to the susceptor. An upper electrode plate is electrically insulated from a wall of the substrate processing chamber and from the susceptor. A DC power source is connected to the upper electrode plate. A controller of the plasma processing apparatus determines a value of a negative DC voltage to be applied to the upper electrode plate in accordance with processing conditions for RIE processing to be carried out.
US07883629B2
During the patterning of stressed layers having different types of intrinsic stress, the effects of the deposition of a silicon dioxide based etch indicator material between the first and second dielectric layers may be significantly reduced by a controlled etch on the basis of optical measurement data indicating the etch rate and, thus, the performance of the respective etch process. In other cases, highly efficient etch indicator species may be incorporated into the stressed dielectric layers or may be formed on a surface portion thereof with reduced layer thickness, thereby providing an enhanced endpoint detection signal without creating the negative effects of silicon dioxide based indicator layers. In one illustrative embodiment, a stressed silicon, nitrogen and carbon-containing layer may be combined with a stressed silicon and nitrogen-containing layer, wherein the carbon species provides a prominent endpoint detection signal.
US07883628B2
A method for reducing the roughness of a free surface of a semiconductor wafer that includes establishing a first atmosphere in an annealing chamber, replacing the first atmosphere with a second atmosphere that includes a gas selected to and in an amount to substantially eliminate or reduce pollutants on a wafer, and exposing the free surface of the wafer to the second atmosphere to substantially eliminate or reduce pollutants thereon. The second atmosphere is then replaced with a third atmosphere that includes pure, and rapid thermal annealing is performed on the wafer exposed to the third atmosphere in the annealing chamber to substantially reduce the roughness of the free surface of the wafer.
US07883626B2
A process for neutralizing acid mine drainage which includes a neutralizer and binder component consisting of steel slag in an amount of 75% to 95% by weight of the agglomeration, a sodium carbonate selected from the group consisting of soda ash and pulp liquor in an amount of 0.5% to 25% of the agglomeration, and, optionally, a lime component selected from the group consisting of limestone sand and slag. Further included is a dissolution control and filtration component consisting of an organic material in an amount of 0.24% to 15% by weight of the agglomeration selected from the group consisting of recycled newsprint, sphagnum peat moss, and sawdust. Next is a dispersant and neutralizer component consisting of a surfactant in an amount of 0.01% to 0.075% by weight of the agglomeration. The agglomeration may further comprise an oxidation component such as calcium peroxide, potassium permanganate, and hydrogen peroxide.
US07883621B2
According to the invention, the filter is fixed to the engine block by screwing it to an attached connecting sleeve. The connecting sleeve contains a bypass valve, in the form of a tubular piston sliding in a through-passage and pushed against an intermediate shoulder by a spring. By sliding, the piston opens or closes a radial passage establishing direct communication between the inlet passage and the through-passage of the device. If the filter element of the filter is clogged, the pressure rise in the inlet passage causes the piston to move and the radial passage to open to reduce the pressure rise and ensure a satisfactory flow of oil. This reduces pressure rises upstream of the filter and ensures sufficient lubrication of the engine even in the case of clogging of the filter.
US07883613B2
The present invention provides a capillary electrophoresis apparatus in which a capillary is easily attached to and detached from a migration medium filling unit without mixing impurities into the capillary. Mixture of impurities such as dust is also prevented when a capillary negative-electrode end is brought into contact with a sample stored in a vessel. Furthermore, temperature control is efficiently performed in the capillary. In the capillary electrophoresis apparatus, the whole of capillary array can be supported by grasping a grip portion by hand. A migration medium filling mechanism includes a slide mechanism which moves a polymer block with respect to a capillary head. The capillary electrophoresis apparatus includes a vessel in which a sample and a buffer can simultaneously be stored. Temperatures of the capillary and an irradiation and detection unit are controlled by a temperature control function provided in a thermostatic device.
US07883605B2
Various embodiments of a process for pyrolyzing hydrocarbonaceous material are provided. In one embodiment the process for pyrolyzing hydrocarbonaceous material includes charging a reactor with a feed material comprising hydrocarbonaceous material, heating the feed material, and collecting liquid product from the reactor which is anaerobic in operation. At least 5% of the organic carbon atoms which are not present in an aromatic ring of a compound of the feed material are present in an aromatic ring of a compound in a liquid portion of the product.
US07883603B2
A method for making a sheet of paper and/or cardboard and the like, comprises, prior to forming said sheet, adding to the fibrous suspension, separately or mixed, in any sequence of introduction, into one or more injection points, at least three dry strength agents respectively: first agent corresponding to a (co)polymer having a cationic filler density higher than 1 meq/g and exhibiting primary amine functions; a second agent corresponding to a synthetic organic (co)polymer having cationic filler density higher than 0.1 meq/g; and a third agent corresponding to a (co)polymer having an anionic filler density higher than 0.1 meq/g.
US07883590B1
A method of forming high temperature heat treatable aluminum alloys that can be used at temperatures from about −420° F. (−251° C.) up to about 650° F. (343° C.) are described. The alloys are strengthened by dispersion of particles based on the L12 intermetallic compound Al3X. These alloys comprise aluminum, copper, magnesium, at least one of scandium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, and lutetium; and at least one of gadolinium, yttrium, zirconium, titanium, hafnium, and niobium. Lithium is an optional alloying element.
US07883589B2
The free-cutting copper alloy according to the present invention contains a greatly reduced amount of lead in comparison with conventional free-cutting copper alloys, but provides industrially satisfactory machinability. The free-cutting alloys comprise 71.5 to 78.5 percent, by weight, of copper, 2.0 to 4.5 percent, by weight, of silicon, 0.005 percent up to but less than 0.02, by weight, of lead, and the remaining percent, by weight, of zinc.
US07883582B2
A gas exhaust unit evacuates the inside of a vacuum transfer chamber at a constant exhaust rate. An gas exhaust valve is kept normally open, and a purge gas (N2 gas) is supplied from a purge gas supply source into the vacuum transfer chamber via a mass flow controller (MFC) and an opening/closing valve. A main control unit controls a pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber to be within a specified range through a flow rate set value for the MFC while monitoring a pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber via a vacuum gauge. The main control unit determines occurrence of abnormality when the pressure exceeds a specified upper limit and then takes such actions as changing a flow rate set value for the MFC, giving an alarm and stopping the operation of a vacuum processing apparatus.
US07883578B2
Homogeneity residuals of the refractive index have a strong influence on the performance of lithography tools for both 193 and 157 nm application wavelengths. By systematic investigations of various defects in the real structure of CaF2 crystals, the origin of homogeneity residuals can be shown. Based on a quantitative analysis we define limiting values for the individual defects which can be either tolerated or controlled by optimized process steps, e.g. annealing. These correlations were carried out for all three relevant main crystal lattice orientations of CaF2 blanks. In conclusion we achieved a strong improvement of the critical parameters of both refractive index homogeneity and striae for large size lens blanks up to 270 mm diameter.
US07883566B2
A method of using scrap rubber and other scrap materials, such as tires or parts or pieces of tires, to manufacture or melt steel and other metals in a furnace is disclosed. The scrap rubber may be used as a carbon source for the manufacture of steel and other metals, and may be used as an energy source to melt the scrap metal used to make the steel and other metals. The net benefit of this method includes reducing the amount of scrap rubber, such as tires, to be sent to a waste disposal facility or landfill, thereby improving the environment. In addition, by increasing the use of scrap rubber as a source of energy for steel or metal production, less energy is required from other sources.
US07883565B2
An economically efficient agricultural pellet of enhanced structural integrity comprises up to about 15% by weight of non-crystalline silica fibers blended with one or more other nutrient substances, such as calcium silicate and/or magnesium sulfite, such that the silica fibers to form an interlaced matrix dispersed throughout the body of the pellet. Fragmentation agent(s) and/or soil amendments may also be included. The silica fiber matrix provides both structural reinforcement and a source of bio-available silicon. In embodiments including calcium silicate, additional structural integrity is gained through pozzolonic bonding.
US07883554B2
Provided are a lithium secondary battery with suppressed decomposition of an electrolytic solution, and a preparation method thereof. The lithium secondary battery includes a current collector, a cathode and an anode having each active material layer formed on the current collector, and a polymer electrolyte interposed between the cathode and the anode. In the lithium secondary battery, a fluorine resin film is formed on at least one surface of the active material layers of the cathode and the anode. A fluorine resin exists in pores between constituents contained in at least one active material layer of the cathode and the anode. The polymer electrolyte is a polymerized product of a crosslinking monomer and an electrolytic solution including a lithium salt and an organic solvent. Also, a porous membrane made of an insulating resin is interposed between the cathode and the anode.
US07883551B2
The present invention is directed to a crystallization process and apparatuses for such processes. In a first aspect, the process of the invention comprises a step wherein a liquid comprising a solvent and material dissolved therein, is subjected to crystallization conditions in the presence of Dean vortices, which Dean vortices result from said liquid flowing through a channel having at least one curvature. In a second aspect, the invention is directed to a crystallization process, which comprises a step wherein a liquid comprising a solvent, material dissolved therein and heterogeneous particles is subjected to crystallization conditions in the presence of Dean vortices, which Dean vortices result from said liquid flowing through a channel having at least one curvature, wherein said material crystallizes on solid surfaces, in particular on surfaces of the heterogeneous particles present in the feed.
US07883546B2
A power generating leg, configurable to be coupled to a person's lower limb, comprising a thigh link, a shank link, a knee mechanism, a torque generator, and a power unit. The knee mechanism is connected to said thigh link and said shank link, and configured to allow flexion and extension movements of said thigh link and said shank link relative to each other. The torque generator is configured to generate torque between said shank link and said thigh link. The power unit is coupled to said torque generator, and configured to cause said torque generator to generate torque. When said power unit is in a power regeneration mode, said power unit causes said torque generator to generate a torque that opposes the angular velocity of said thigh link and said shank link relative to each other and said power unit converts a portion of the power associated with the product of said torque and said angular velocity of said shank link and thigh link relative to each other into electrical power to be stored in a storage device.
US07883539B2
Devices and methods for treatment of a failing heart by reducing the heart wall stress. The device can be one which reduces wall stress throughout the cardiac cycle or only a portion of the cardiac cycle.
US07883533B2
A device and method for increasing the number and type of ions in a hydrotherapy treatment to assist in removing unwanted chemicals from the body. A battery-powered array is submerged into a liquid foot bath to generate ions through electrolysis. The array has at least two electrodes, one containing copper and/or zinc, the other steel. The device can be run in two modes, thereby creating different types of ions and enabling the removal of different types of chemicals. The device uses a current and voltage regulator to deliver a regulated amount of current into the array regardless of the conductivity of the liquid, and electrical circuitry is used to control the duration and mode of the treatment. Excessive heat is dissipated with a heat sink.
US07883532B2
An improve spinal surgical implant used primarily in the posterior aspect of the spinal column for spinal reconstruction; revision surgery; deformity correction; and/or tumor surgery and/or trauma surgery of the cervical, thoracic and/or and lumbo-sacral spine.
US07883527B2
A system for sealing a hole in a body, comprising a generally cylindrical mesh formed from a plurality of helical strands which is inserted into the hole, with at least one end of the cylindrical mesh being moved least partially through an interior portion of the cylindrical shaped mesh such that the mesh expands radially outwards against sides of the hole.
US07883521B2
Apparatus for the removal of lens tissue includes a first instrument for inserting into a lens capsule and removing a cataract therein, the first instrument including a lumen for aspiration of cataract tissue and irrigation fluid from the lens capsule and manipulate the cataract until cataract is removed. The second instrument includes an irrigation port for introducing the irrigation fluid into the lens capsule.
US07883508B2
A catheter assembly for pressure-sensitive control of ablation treatment is disclosed. The assembly includes a conductive element, an electrode, and a pressure sensitive conductive composite member positioned between the conductive element and the electrode. At least one of the conductive pin, the pressure sensitive conductive composite element and the ablation electrode are moveable to create an engagement position and a non-engagement position. In the engagement position, the elements are electrically coupled such that ablation energy may be delivered from the conductive pin to the ablation electrode via the pressure sensitive conductive composite element. In the non-engagement position, the elements are electrically decoupled such that ablation energy is not delivered to the ablation electrode. A related method for pressure-sensitive control of ablation is also disclosed.
US07883503B2
A directionally limited illuminating balloon catheter includes a multi-lumen shaft having a distal end and a hollow balloon portion disposed at the distal end and inflated through the shaft, the balloon portion having a light source illuminating only a portion of the environment outside the balloon portion. The balloon portion can be have a directionally limited light source directing substantially all illumination towards the shaft. Also provided is a directionally illuminating balloon catheter kit including a set of illuminating catheters each having the light source with different sized illuminating areas to illuminate a different sized partial portion of the environment outside the balloon portion.
US07883498B2
Absorbent articles suitable for use as diapers or other hygiene products are provided. The absorbent articles have one or more closure system features including dual elasticity, rear closure, and the use of co-adhesives for the fasteners. Products according to the invention may provide any of several benefits, including a high level of comfort in use, resistance to tampering by the wearer, and relatively quiet attachment and detachment of the closures.
US07883495B2
A disposable absorbent article with an associated polymer film that is positioned to be activated by contact with bodily fluids, wherein the polymer film can release odor control and/or skin wellness agents upon contact with such bodily fluids. The polymer film can release the odor control and/or skin wellness agents immediately, gradually over a period of time after contact with such bodily fluids, or a combination of both. The polymer film can also be used for household cleaning applications, in which the polymer film can similarly contain and subsequently release household cleaning agents upon contact with water.
US07883492B2
A catheter for administering a substance into body tissues includes an elongated catheter body that has at least one portion of the length of the catheter body that expands after the catheter is inserted in the patient's body. The portion that expands provides a seal against backflow of the substance along the outer surface of the catheter body and away from the intended treatment area.
US07883476B2
A disposable tissue removal device comprises a “tube within a tube” cutting element mounted to a handpiece. The inner cannula of the cuffing element defines an inner lumen and terminates in an inwardly beveled, razor-sharp cutting edge. The inner cannula is driven by both a rotary motor and a reciprocating motor. At the end of its stroke, the inner cannula makes contact with the cutting board to completely sever the tissue. An aspiration vacuum is applied to the inner lumen to aspirate excised tissue through the inner cannula and into a collection trap that is removably mounted to the handpiece. The rotary and reciprocating motors are hydraulically powered through a foot pedal operated hydraulic circuit. The entire biopsy device is configured to be disposable. In one embodiment, the cutting element includes a cannula hub that can be connected to a fluid source, such as a valve-controlled saline bag.
US07883461B2
An incrementally adjustable wound retractor, which provides access to a body cavity, includes an inner ring having a diameter greater than the desired diameter of the wound incision, an outer ring having an annular axis and a diameter greater than the desired diameter of the wound incision, and a flexible sleeve disposed in a generally cylindrical form between the inner and outer rings. The outer ring includes first and second circular tubes spaced apart axially with each including a lumen having a rigid, noncompliant split hoop positioned therein. The outer ring may be rolled over itself and around the annular axis to retract the sleeve with sufficient force to stretch the incision to the desired diameter. A gel cap seal may be coupled to the outer ring outside of the biological body to seal the opening produced by the wound retractor between the body cavity and outside the body cavity.
US07883449B2
An auxiliary supporting device is designed for supporting and fixing a bicycle. When a user rides a bicycle which is set up on this supporting device, the bicycle will neither move forward nor fall down if the user applies the skill of riding bicycle. This device can be used to train a rider for better bicycle controllability or to let user exercise at a fixed location.
US07883443B2
A method of controlling an engine for a vehicle including increasing an amount of air taken into the engine to an amount larger than an idling air amount corresponding an idling engine speed, when an engine speed of the engine is predetermined value or more, a throttle valve for controlling the amount of air taken into the engine has not been operated to be opened, and a clutch is in an off-state not to permit transmission of a drive force from the engine to a running drive element of the vehicle.
US07883439B2
A gas turbine engine includes an epicyclic gear train that drives a turbo fan. The epicyclic gear train employs a one-piece carrier in which the spaced side walls are interconnected with circumferentially spaced apart mounts to form a unitary structure. Baffles are secured to the carrier near the mounts and provide lubrication passages that spray oil onto the sun gear and/or intermediate gears arranged between the baffles. The baffles can be constructed from a different material than the carrier since the baffles are not structural components in the gear train.
US07883438B2
A support shaft provides lubrication to a journal bearing during windmilling operation of a gear set. A primary oil pump provides oil from an oil supply during driven operation of the fan, and a secondary oil pump provides oil from an internal sump during windmilling operation of the fan. During driven operation of the fan, oil is pumped with the primary oil pump through a primary oil flow path to an outer surface of the support shaft. During windmilling fan operation, oil is pumped from an internal sump with a secondary oil pump through the secondary oil flow path. The secondary oil flow path has a smaller flow capacity, and the secondary oil pump is a smaller capacity pump.
US07883434B2
A structure for a bat is described by using multiple composite tubes bonded to one another, wherein apertures, or “ports,” are molded between the tubes to improve the stiffness, strength, aerodynamics and comfort of the bat.
US07883432B2
Rotatable sleeves are disposed adjacent the ends of the crossbar of a goalpost. A stub is integrally formed with each of the sleeves and each stub protrudes through an opening in the crossbar. The opening in the crossbar is dimensioned to permit back to front movement of the stub and corresponding rotation of the sleeve until verticality of the stub and its associated upright is achieved. At that point, the sleeve is locked against further rotation by means of a tapping block previously installed in the sleeve and engaged with a serrated bolt through an appropriately dimensioned opening in the crossbar and corresponding holes in the sleeve. Once the bolts are tightened into the tapping block, the sleeve is drawn tightly against the interior surface of the crossbar, thereby locking the sleeve and the stub and the upright against further rotation.
US07883431B2
There is provided a golf club head capable of increasing carry on average even if being used by an amateur golfer who is prone to hit a ball with various hit points across the clubface. A golf club head 1 has a face part 2, a crown part 3, a sole part 4, a side part 5, and a hosel part 6, which are formed of titanium or a titanium alloy. The golf club head 1 is formed by integrating a head body 10 and a face plate 30 with each other by welding such as laser welding or plasma welding. A thick part 20 is provided only in the central portion in the toe-heel direction of the cross corner portion between the face part 2 and the sole part 4. The width in the toe-heel direction of the thick part 20 is 20 mm or narrower.
US07883430B2
Golf club heads are releasably engaged with shafts so that the club heads and shafts can be readily interchanged and/or so that the shaft position with respect to the club head can be readily changed. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include: a shaft adapter, a shaft retainer, and a club head having an interior chamber. The club head and shaft may be changed by releasing the securing system and exchanging the original parts with different parts. Furthermore, the shaft may be bent or otherwise extend at an angle from the shaft adapter so as to allow adjustment of the shaft position with respect to the club head.
US07883425B2
A floor system for simulating a natural environment, such as snow, is disclosed. The system includes a confinement member that holds an aggregate. The confinement member may be positioned between a pair of disturbing agent layers comprising meshes that contact the confinement member at a plurality of discrete points. Force applied to the floor system by a user walking across the system results in force being communicated to the confinement member through the disturbing agent layers through the plurality of discrete contact points. The force applied at each of the discrete contact points causes portions of the aggregate proximate to the contact points to shift, resulting in vibrations and sounds that simulate the sound and feel of walking on snow. Additional layers for support, durability, and comfort may also be included in the floor system.
US07883423B2
A shaft coupling mechanism for an electric power steering apparatus includes a coupling base body coupled to a rotating shaft; a coupling base body coupled to a steering shaft serving as a rotating shaft; and a rotation transmitting member which is disposed between the both coupling base bodies and transmits the rotation of the coupling base body in a direction about the axis, i.e., in an R direction, to the coupling base body as rotation in the R direction.
US07883415B2
A method for processing interactive user control with a scene of a video clip is provided. The method initiates with identifying a head of a user that is to interact with the scene of the video clip. Then, the identified head of the user is tracked during display of the video clip, where the tracking enables detection of a change in position of the head of the user. Next, a view-frustum is adjusted in accordance with the change in position of the head of the user. A computer readable media, a computing device and a system for enabling interactive user control for defining a visible volume being displayed are also included.
US07883413B2
A disclosed gaming machine may be customized according to one or more player preferences. A player may view and modify player preferences stored in a player preference account as preference account information. The preference account information may include but is not limited to loyalty point account information, loyalty point account settings, promotional opportunities, preferred games, preferred game features for the preferred games, preferred gaming machine settings, preferred bonus games, preferred service options and preferred progressive games. The preference account information may be stored in a plurality of preference accounts on a preference account server. Using a preference account interface which may be compatible with a web-browser, a player may be able to view and modify preference account information stored on the preference account server from a number remote devices such as a gaming machine, a home computer, a hotel room video interface and a casino kiosk.
US07883407B2
Periodic prize draws are conducted by a jackpot controller (13) in a gaming system having one or more electronic gaming devices (10). The probability of each electronic gaming device winning a particular prize draw is dependent upon the amount wagered on that gaming machine during a period preceding that prize draw. The prize may be a progressive jackpot which comprises an initial starting value and a contribution from the amounts wagered on the electronic gaming devices. If an electronic gaming device wins a prize draw, its player may be granted a feature game to determine the actual prize. Jackpots are suspended pending the completion of the feature game. The probability that a gaming device will win the prize draw, or the relative win probabilities of the gaming devices, may be displayed graphically.
US07883406B2
A method is set forth for playing a bonus game in a secondary slot machine adjacent a primary slot machine. The primary slot machine issues a bonus qualifying signal to the secondary slot machine to start play of a bonus game when a bonus qualifying event occurs. The reels of the bonus game include value symbols, null symbols, and end game symbols which may be of two basic types: a lose game symbol and a stop game symbol. After the random spin, the values of any value symbols displayed on the payline of the secondary slot machine are accumulated into an accumulated winning value. The value symbols could include positive integer values, negative integer values, and multiples. The random spinning, determination of values of any value symbol and the accumulation of a winning value is repeatedly continued until an end of the bonus game occurs.
US07883392B2
A toy helicopter, in accordance with the present disclosure, includes a body having a longitudinal length and a main rotor. There is an element movable along the longitudinal length. The element allows a user to selectively adjust the location of the center of gravity of a toy helicopter by moving the element along the longitudinal length, thereby changing the velocity of the helicopter.
US07883388B2
A method of manufacturing a display device having a display panel that includes a first electrode, a light emitting layer formed on the first electrode, and a second electrode on the light emitting layer, the manufacturing method comprising: aging the display panel by applying a predetermined electrical signal and a predetermined temperature so that the luminance of the light emitting layer lies between about 10 nits and 10,000 nits.
US07883386B2
An organic light emitting display (OLED) pixel structure and a method for manufacturing the same, which can be applied for improving the resolution of an OLED without significantly changing the current OLED manufacturing process. With a novel pixel arrangement and circuit layout, an organic light emitting material is evaporated onto a substrate through a mask and thus a plurality of sub-pixels are formed simultaneously while enabling each sub-pixel to correspond to different pixels. Thereby, the area of each sub-pixel is reduced and the resolution of a display is increased.
US07883385B2
An outboard motor having an engine cover formed from a lower cover fixed to a casing and an upper cover joined to the lower cover at a first mating surface. A linear member lead-out part is formed from a case part integrally connected to the lower cover. The linear member lead-out part is closer to one side wall and projects forward from a front wall of the lower cover. A lid member is joined to the case part by a second mating surface disposed below the first mating surface. A water entrance chamber is formed in the lower cover and has front and rear walls defined by a pair of wall portions integrally provided with the lower cover while being spaced in a fore-and-aft direction. The water entrance chamber is disposed on the side on which a small gap is formed between the lid member and the lower cover.
US07883384B1
A self-contained hydraulic thruster for vessel. The hydraulic thruster incorporates a lower unit housing tiltably attached to a lower unit mounting tube attached to a base, a tube whose upper end is attached through the lower unit housing, and a shaft slidably disposed within the tube. A substantial length of tube extends downwards from the lower unit housing, thus providing support for the shaft. An actuator is disclosed which extends and retracts the shaft relative to the tube. A steering clamp is releasably attached to an end of the shaft which protrudes through the top of the lower unit housing. A steering clamp key traveling in a shaft keyway, or a shaft key in combination with a steering clamp keyway, help maintain constant the angular orientation between the steering clamp and the shaft. A steering gear meshing with a steering assembly, or an actuator driving a tie rod, provide steering.
US07883382B2
A grounding system includes a mounting surface, a first ground conductor including first and second ends, a plurality of second ground conductors, and a grounding apparatus. The grounding apparatus includes an elongated conductive member having a first end including an open jaw lug structured to receive and electrically and mechanically engage a portion of the first ground conductor extending transverse to the elongated conductive member, an opposite second end, and an intermediate portion disposed between the first end and the opposite second end. The intermediate portion includes a plurality of lugs. Each of the plurality of lugs is structured to receive and electrically and mechanically engage an end portion of a corresponding one of the second ground conductors. The intermediate portion further includes a plurality of mounting apertures. Each of a plurality of fasteners mounts the intermediate portion to the mounting surface at a corresponding one of the mounting apertures.
US07883380B2
A wire coupling device which may be used joining at least a separate first wire and second wire comprising: a housing having at least a first port and a second port, each port configured to receive a separate wire; a camming member disposed between the at least first and second ports, the camming member rotatable between a first, open position and a second, closed position, where the camming member provides electrical contact between the at least first wire and second wire when in the second, closed position.
US07883376B2
There is disclosed a connector and method for terminating a cable comprised twisted pairs of conductors. In one aspect of the invention the connector comprises a wire lead guide for arranging the twisted pairs of conductors and a plurality of piercing contacts which interconnect with respective ones of the twisted pairs of conductors when the wire guide is secured to the module. In a further aspect of the invention the wire lead guide ensures that the spacing between the conductors of a particular twisted pair is maintained, thereby improving the performance of the subsequent assembly.
US07883371B1
An electrical connector includes a housing member and a number of contacts attached to the housing member. The contacts include a number of first contacts and second contacts arranged side by side along a transverse direction, respectively. The second contacts include a first pair of differential contacts, a second pair of differential contacts and a grounding contact disposed therebetween. At the mounting end of the electrical connector, a space between the grounding contact and the differential contact of each pair most adjacent to the grounding contact is much bigger than any internal space between the differential contacts of each the first or the second pair. As a result, a rear wall of the housing member can provide adequate area for easily mounting a fiber optical lens.
US07883366B2
A connector assembly includes an array of signal contacts having mating portions configured for mating engagement with corresponding signal contacts of a mating connector assembly. The assembly also includes a housing holding the array of signal contacts in rows and columns. The signal contacts are arranged along axes of the rows and columns, and the mating portions of the signal contacts are oriented at a non-orthogonal angle relative to the axes of the rows and columns.
US07883362B2
A joint connector has a housing (10) with cavities (11) capable of accommodating mating terminals (30) and a joint terminal (40) with a strip-like base (41) and terminal portions (42) projecting at specified intervals from the strip-like base (41). Insertion openings (18) are formed in a part of the housing (10) before the cavities (11) and communicate with the cavities (11). The joint terminal (40) is mounted into the housing (10) from the front with the terminal portions (42) in the lead. The strip-like base (41) has engaging holes (43) located between the terminal portions (42). Engaging projections (19A) project from a resilient wall (19) continuous with left and right side wall portions (12D) of the housing (10) and engage with the engaging holes (43).
US07883358B1
A connection-sensing DC plug has an insulative body, a connection portion, two power terminals, a conductive sheet and a retractable pin. The connecting portion is adapted to electronically connect to a target device and has an isolation layer and a ground layer. The conductive sheet is mounted in the insulative body and contacts either the isolation layer or the ground layer. The retractable pin is movably mounted in the insulative housing parallel to the connecting portion, with one end securely engaging the conductive sheet and the other end protruding from the insulative body. When the DC plug is connected to the target device, the retractable pin is pressed and moves inward to bend the conductive sheet, turning the conductive sheet to a floating state and resulting in a trigger signal.
US07883353B2
An electronic storage device for connecting with a host system in accordance with the present invention includes a frame defining a receiving cavity, a main body rotatably received in the receiving cavity of the frame and including an electrical connector with an interface and a pivoting portion cooperating with the frame to realize the rotation of the main body. At least one of the frame and the main body forms a number of elastic pieces protruding into the receiving cavity. At least one of the main body and the frame defines a receiving space surrounded by a number of cooperating edges curved inwardly, and a number of recesses formed at the cross of each adjacent two cooperating edges. At a first position, the elastic pieces are respectively received in the recesses. As the main body is actuated to rotate, each elastic piece is actuated by the cooperating edge to produce deformation and slide along the curved cooperating edge and located in a neighboring recess with the main body rotating to a second position.
US07883352B2
An integrated circuit socket includes an insulating housing having a plurality of contact openings arranged in rows and a recess that receives an integrated circuit package. A plurality of contacts arranged in a first contact group and a second contact group in the insulating housing. Each of the contacts has a flat plate fixing member fixed in the contact opening, a connecting member extending from a lower portion of the fixing member, and a spring member extending diagonally upward from an upper portion of the fixing member. The spring member has a contact member extending into the recess. The contacts are arranged in the contact openings such that the spring members are arranged at an angle offset from a direction of arrangement of the rows and the spring arms of the first contact group are arranged in a direction opposing the spring arms of the second contact group.
US07883344B1
An electrical connector having a dielectric housing. The housing has an elongated, vertically extending portion and a base portion. The base portion extends laterally beyond the elongated, vertically extending portion. The connector includes a pair of retention posts disposed through a portion of a base of the connector. The base of the housing has an alignment pin deposed between the retention posts for extending into a hole in the surface of the printed circuit board. A pair of dust cover members is insertable into sidewalls of the housing.
US07883343B1
A solar cell that is readily manufactured using processing techniques which are less expensive than microelectronic circuit processing. In preferred embodiments, printing techniques are utilized in selectively forming masks for use in etching of silicon oxide and diffusing dopants and in forming metal contacts to diffused regions. In a preferred embodiment, p-doped regions and n-doped regions are alternately formed in a surface of the wafer through use of masking and etching techniques. Metal contacts are made to the p-regions and n-regions by first forming a seed layer stack that comprises a first layer such as aluminum that contacts silicon and functions as an infrared reflector, second layer such titanium tungsten that acts as diffusion barrier, and a third layer functions as a plating base. A thick conductive layer such as copper is then plated over the seed layer, and the seed layer between plated lines is removed. A front surface of the wafer is preferably textured by etching or mechanical abrasion with an IR reflection layer provided over the textured surface. A field layer can be provided in the textured surface with the combined effect being a very low surface recombination velocity.
US07883340B2
According to various aspects, exemplary embodiments are provided of contacts that may be compatible with surface mount technology. The contacts may be surface mountable for establishing an electrical pathway (e.g., electrical grounding contact, etc.) from at least one electrically-conductive surface on the substrate to another electrically-conductive surface (e.g., EMI shield, battery contact, etc.). In one exemplary embodiment, a contact generally includes a resilient dielectric core member. At least one outer electrically-conductive layer is electrocoated onto the resilient dielectric core member. A solderable electrically-conductive base member may be coupled to the resilient core member and/or the outer electrically-conductive layer. The base member may be in electrical contact with the outer electrically-conductive layer.
US07883339B2
A socket connector includes a frame having a receiving cavity therein, a plurality of wafers aligned along a direction and received in the receiving cavity of the frame, and a plurality of contacts. The wafer is formed with a plurality of parallel slots located along at least one surface thereof and matched with corresponding slots of a neighboring wafer to constitute a plurality of receiving holes. The contacts are received in the receiving holes respectively. Each contact includes a top contacting section extending upwardly beyond an upper surface of the wafers and a bottom contacting section extending downwardly beyond a lower surface of the wafers.
US07883338B2
A moisture proof, telescoping coupler assembly for electric metal tubes and threaded rigid pipe with an enhanced grounding arrangement both internally and externally for electrically grounding the telescoping tube to the coupler body, Moisture proof sealing is improved by centering the electric metal tube within the coupler body adjacent the seal preventing possible leaking after securing the electric metal tube to one end. A modified arrangement utilizes a snap fitting retaining ring for securing an electric metal tube to the coupler body to provide for unidirectional insertion of an electric metal tube into the open end of a coupler body in a manner that prohibits unintentional separation of the tube and/or retainer ring from the coupler body.
US07883335B2
Gingival retraction cords are constructed from two or more strands that are interlocked to form a knitted, braided, woven, or twisted retraction cord. At least one strand is made from an absorbent material and another strand is made from a degradation-resistant material, such as nylon, polyester, fiberglass, or metal. The absorbent strands are impregnated with an active agent. The degradation-resistant strands resist degradation by the active agent. Alternatively, one or more strands are used to make the knit, weave, or braid and each strand is made from two or more different fibers. For example, one or more absorbent fibers and one or more synthetic fibers can be twisted to make a blended strand. The blended strands can be used to knit, braid, or weave a retraction cord. Because the degradation-resistant strands are part of the strand pattern, the retraction cords can be made sturdier without adversely affecting the cord's inherent deformation properties.
US07883325B2
First and second structures are connected by helical fibers. The orientation between the first and second structures are changed, and by doing so, the positions of the helical fibers are correspondingly changed. The position of change of the helical fibers can be used for a pumping effect, or to change some other fluidic characteristics. One other fluidic characteristics, for example, may use the movement of the helical fibers as a valve.
US07883308B2
A slotted set screw includes a slot in an upper end surface and a cut metal waste storing recess respectively formed at two ends of the slot. The cut metal waste storing recess is defined by a vertical wall and a flat bottom wall to have a large opening, separated from the slot for a little distance. The opening of the cut metal waste storing recess communicates with the outside of the threads of the set screw. Thus, cut metal waste may be stored in the cut metal waste storing recesses during cutting threads of the set screw and cannot fall into and remain in the slot to result in extra cleaning work for the waste in the slot.
US07883304B2
The present invention provides an automatic bottom lock comprises a lock base, and a lock body fastened above the lock base comprising a hook provided thereon having a transverse guiding slope extending forward and downwardly from a top at a front side of the hook, a hooking slope extending backward and downwardly from a lower end of the transverse guiding slope, a transverse sliding slope extending backward and downwardly from a top at a rear side of the hook, and a locating plane at the bottom of the lock body extending backward and downwardly from the transverse sliding slope, wherein the locating plane is vertical to the horizontal plane, and extends left and right along the lock body.
US07883299B2
A metal cutting system with a tool holder, a shim, an insert with a top depression, a top piece and a clamp. A rake face cooling channel for fluid delivery is formed between the top piece and the depression in the insert. A primary discharge slot at the end of the rake face cooling channel delivers fluid from below the cutting edge of the insert. A second cooling channel for delivery of fluid to the flank face is formed between the insert and the shim or is formed between the shim and the tool holder with a portion of the cooling channel passing through the shim.
US07883292B2
A method and apparatus for storing, deploying and retrieving a plurality of seismic devices is described. The apparatus includes a ramp device coupled to a portion of a trailing end of a vessel, a cable handling device positioned between the ramp device and a leading end of the vessel to define a cable path across the ramp device, and at least one conveyor system having a first end located adjacent the ramp device and a second end extending toward the leading end of the vessel. A deployment method includes providing nodes from a storage area to a workstation where the nodes may be attached to a cable. A retrieval method includes routing a cable through a workstation to detach nodes from the cable section and transfer the detached nodes to the storage area.
US07883286B2
A device for packaging and method for applying a product configured to be applied on fibers. One example of the device includes a base incorporating a recess to accommodate a cup. This example of the device also includes a cup forming a seat for receiving a stick of product and a driving means for moving the cup relative to the base between a stowed position of the cup in the recess and a usage position in which an applicator portion of the stick emerges at least partially from an opening of the recess. The device includes a plurality of separator/comb elements extending around at least a portion of the opening of the recess, the separator/comb elements being configured so as to engage with the fibers to separate/comb them simultaneously to, or after the application of, the product onto the fibers by the applicator portion. A method is of using the device is also provided.
US07883281B2
An interchangeable lens system includes an interchangeable lens capable of communication between the interchangeable lens and a camera body. The interchangeable lens includes a camera identifying unit that identifies a camera body from information obtained by the communication between the interchangeable lens and the camera body. In response to a data transmitting request instruction transmitted from the camera body through the communication, the camera identifying unit converts reply data into a format adapted for the camera body on the basis of an identifying result of the camera identifying unit, and transmits the reply data.
US07883277B2
For integrated circuits including circuit packaging and circuit communication technologies provision is made for a method of interconnecting or mapping a two-dimensional optoelectronic (OE) device array to a one-dimensional waveguide array. Also provided is an arrangement for the interconnecting or mapping of a two-dimensional optoelectronic (OE) device array to a one-dimensional waveguide array.
US07883276B2
The present invention is directed to systems and methods that couple together optical devices in a manner that prevents damaging light from escaping the coupling except through the devices. In order to prevent damaging light from coming into contact with the user, the present invention obscures the source optical device by using at least one moveable gate to prevent damaging light from being transmitted outside of the coupling until such time as the target optical device is fully inserted into the coupling, thereby preventing light that could potentially damage a person from escaping the system except through the optical device.
US07883264B1
A method and apparatus for personal product delivery have been disclosed.
US07883263B1
Improved preconditioners (10) are provided for partial moisturization of human food or animal feed ingredients prior to downstream final processing thereof in an extruder (56) or pellet mill. The preconditioner (10) preferably includes an elongated housing (12) having a wall (14) with an inlet (20) and an opposed outlet (22). The housing (12) also has a larger diameter end wall (16) proximal to the inlet (20), a smaller diameter end wall (18) proximal to outlet (22), and a progressively converging housing wall (14) with a taper angle of from about 2-9°. A shaft (36) extends along the length of housing (14) and supports a plurality of outwardly extending mixing elements (46) positioned in axially and circumferentially spaced relationship along the length of the shaft (36). The outer margins (54) of the mixing elements (46) cooperatively define a taper along the length of the housing wall (14). The shaft (36) is designed to operate at high rotational speeds, and the mixing elements (46) may be selectively angularly oriented to retard or increase the flow rate of materials through the preconditioner (10). The simplified preconditioner (10) is operable to provide high degrees of moisturization and precooking.
US07883260B2
In a backlight assembly and a flat panel display apparatus, the backlight assembly has a diffusing plate, a supporting member and reflecting plate. The supporting member has a base body portion, a supporting portion supporting the diffusing plate and a lamp holder receiving lamps to uniformly maintain spaced intervals between the lamps. The base body portion is disposed under the reflecting plate. The supporting portion and the lamp holder are inserted through engaging openings formed at the reflecting plate such that the supporting portion and the lamp holder are upwardly protruded with respect to the reflecting plate. Accordingly, the backlight assembly may reduce an area of the reflecting plate covered by the supporting member, thereby providing the light having uniform brightness distribution.
US07883259B2
A holder is disposed at a side of a back light module adjacent to a light incident side of a light guide plate (LGP). A light source module is fixed on a wall of the holder that faces the light incident side. A holder engager on a side wall of the LGP engages with an LGP retainer of the holder. When the LGP expands or contracts due to changes of temperature, the holder and the light source module move with the side of the LGP, thereby a gap between the light source module and the light incident side is maintained and the luminance of the backlight module is stabilized.
US07883257B2
An optical film and a display device having the same are disclosed. The display device comprises a display panel including a plurality of subpixels and an optical film disposed at one side of the display panel, the optical film includes a base film and a plurality of prisms, wherein a bias angle between a long axis direction of the subpixels and a longitudinal direction of the prisms is substantially 2 to 88 degrees.
US07883256B2
There is disclosed a timepiece (40) including optical means for forming a decorative pattern, in the form of a figurative image, in response to an action by the user. The optical means forming a figurative image include an optical guide (1, 51) having two large faces (10, 11) and at least one lateral face (12). Optical extractors (19) each having at least one light reflective surface (20) are arranged in at least one of the large faces (11). A light source (8, 8a, 8b, 8c) is arranged so as to emit light in the direction of the reflective surfaces (20), via the lateral face (12) of the optical guide. Thus, each of the reflective surfaces causes a reflected light beam to form in a well defined direction, the set of light beams forming a figurative image in that direction, which can typically be selected as the normal with respect to the mid-plane of the watch.
US07883240B2
An LED based light source assembly (10) comprises a circuit board (11), a plurality of LEDs (13), a heat sink (15) and a plurality of fasteners (17). The circuit board comprises a first surface (12) and a second surface (14) opposite to the first surface. The first surface is provided with electrical conductive traces (118). The plurality of LEDs are arranged on the first surface of the circuit board and electrically connecting with the electrical wires of the circuit board. The heat sink thermally contacts the second surface of the circuit board. The plurality of fasteners each comprise a first end (172) and a second end (174) opposite to the first end. The first end of each of the fasteners abuts on the first surface of the circuit board. The second end of each of the fasteners extends through the circuit board to be secured to the heat sink.
US07883234B2
A modular in-road lighting system is easily installed in the road and is convenient for repair, replacement and maintenance. The lighting system includes at least one modular light, at least one modular cable and a control unit. The top surface of the modular light is flush with a road surface so as to avoid abrasion by passing items. The modular light includes an illumination source and a control circuitry. The illumination source and the control circuitry are configured to emit light in selected direction(s).
US07883233B2
An assembly for providing illumination to a selected incident area includes a support; a first illumination device coupled to the support, the first illumination device including a first light emitting device and a first lens positioned for focusing light emitted by said first light emitting device; a second illumination device coupled to the support, the second illumination device including a second light emitting device and a second lens positioned for focusing light emitted by said second light emitting device; the first and second lenses projecting defocused images of the respective first and second light emitting devices to the selected incident area.
US07883227B1
Methods are provided for adapting existing manufacturing processes for non-illuminated data-entry devices and mouses to the manufacture of illuminated data-entry devices. Luminescent sheets of one or more colors underlying optically transmissive device components provide illumination of the components visual to a user of the device. The optically transmissive components may be doped with phosphors or tinted to provide components that emit light of different colors. The intensity of illumination of the luminescent sheet may be controlled by the user and may vary in response to the background light of the environment.
US07883221B2
A portable telephone device with incorporated projector 10 displays the contents of a received email upon a main liquid crystal display device 204 This portable telephone device with incorporated projector 10 projects the contents of the received email after having changed its vertical-horizontal ratio (its row-column ratio) so that the number of characters in the horizontal direction becomes greater, as compared to the display screen of the main liquid crystal display device 204, upon which the numbers of characters being displayed vertically and horizontally are equal.
US07883207B2
Aspects of the present invention provide multifocal lenses having one or more multifocal inserts comprising one or more diffractive regions. A diffractive region of a multifocal insert of the present invention can provide a constant optical power or can provide a progression of optical power, or any combination thereof. A multifocal insert of the present invention can be fabricated from any type of material and can be inserted into any type of bulk lens material. A diffractive region of a multifocal insert of the present invention can be positioned to be in optical communication with one or more optical regions of a host lens to provide a combined desired optical power in one or more vision zones. Index matching layers of the present invention can be used to reduce reflection losses at interfaces of the host lens and multifocal insert.
US07883201B2
An image forming apparatus includes: a conveyance device which conveys an ejection receiving medium; and an ejection head which ejects and deposits droplets of liquid on the ejection receiving medium conveyed by the conveyance device, the deposited droplets of the liquid constituting an image on the ejection receiving medium, wherein the following conditions are satisfied: γS≧γL; and d≧√{square root over (2)}×l, where γS is a surface energy of the ejection receiving medium, γL is a surface energy of the liquid, d is a diameter of each of the droplets of the liquid deposited on the ejection receiving medium, and l is a maximum of a resolution pitch of the image.
US07883200B2
A recording sheet including base paper including pulp fiber and filler, wherein the recording sheet further includes carboxylic acid. An ink jet recording method and an electrophotographic image recording method using the recording sheet.
US07883198B2
A valve assembly is provided for a high-speed phase change ink image producing machine between a first storage reservoir for receiving and holding a first volume of melted ink from a source and a second storage reservoir for holding a second volume of melted ink to be delivered under pressure to a printhead system. The valve assembly includes a passive valve disc movable from the closed position in which said disc abuts a valve seat in sealed contact, and an open position in which said valve disc is supported by an angled surface. An upper portion of the valve disc is unsupported and a flow director surface behind the disc directs fluid flow against the upper portion to assist in closing the valve. The surface characteristics of the valve seat are controlled to improve the “crack” time of the valve disc when opening.
US07883180B2
A nozzle plate of an inkjet printhead, and a method of manufacturing the nozzle plate. The nozzle plate includes a substrate through which nozzles are formed; an ink-philic coating layer formed on an outer surface of the substrate and inner walls of the nozzles; and an ink-phobic coating layer selectively formed on the ink-philic coating layer disposed around the nozzles.
US07883171B2
A liquid discharging apparatus is provided. The liquid discharging apparatus includes a liquid discharging head that is provided on a carriage reciprocating in a running direction of the carriage, a cooling liquid flow channel that is provided on the carriage; a cooling liquid outgoing channel; and a cooling liquid returning channel, wherein the recording liquid flow channel is led to a first side of the running direction from the carriage, at least one of the cooling liquid outgoing channel and the cooling liquid returning channel is led to a second side that is opposite the first side of the running direction from the carriage, and the recording liquid flow channel and the cooling liquid flow channel are partially separated from each other by a pressure transmission unit so as to enable the recording liquid flow channel and the cooling liquid flow channel to transmit pressure to each other.
US07883164B2
A liquid storing device includes a storage unit that stores a liquid to be consumed and a rotation member inside the storage unit that rotates around a rotation axis. A blade member is installed to the rotation member to be movable in the axis direction of the rotation axis with respect to the rotation member and has a specific gravity smaller than that of the liquid. A detection member detects the blade member when the blade member is located vertically at a detection position. When the rotation member rotates in one direction, the blade member agitates the liquid while moving toward the lower side of a liquid surface of the liquid in the vertical direction along the axis direction in accordance with rotation of the rotation member. When the rotation member stops rotating, the blade member floats toward the liquid surface due to buoyancy of the liquid.
US07883153B2
A road milling drum assembly that is for use with a road milling machine. The road milling drum includes a core portion carrying a first road planing bit assembly wherein the core portion detachably connects to the road milling machine. The first road planing bit assembly has a first milling width. The assembly further including one of the following components selected from the group of: (1) a protective cover that detachably connects to the core portion and the road milling machine; or (2) a milling extension segment carrying a second road planing bit assembly wherein the milling extension segment detachably connects to the core portion and the road milling machine. The second road planing bit assembly has a second milling width wherein the road milling drum has a milling width equal to the sum of the first milling width and the second milling width.
US07883150B2
A portable and self storing head and neck support having a horseshoe shaped portion filled with batting material attached at the top to a rectangular shaped portion having closed sides and a continuous open interior resulting in an open end opposite the point of attachment to the horseshoe shaped portion with an internal strap secured at the closed sides said strap incorporating an elastic member.
US07883146B2
A seating arrangement in which a modular seat/console that moves between a first space between front seats, an intermediate position, and a second space between rear seats. The seat/console may function as a seat in the second space, or in the intermediate position. In the intermediate position, the seat/console in the seat configuration may advantageously be used to support a child safety seat. The seat/console may also be configured as a console in either the rear seat, intermediate, or front seat positions. The seat/console is provided with an adjustable height support.
US07883139B2
A drainage arrangement for a tailgate of a motor vehicle body has water outflow spouts in the inner panel of the tailgate. The water outflow spouts are arranged correspondingly to water outflow openings in a rear part or a rear-end trim panel of the body behind a vehicle license plate as viewed in relation to the direction of travel.
US07883138B2
A convertible includes an automobile body and a movable roof having at least a rear roof part and an upper roof part, wherein the rear roof part extends at least between a belt line and the upper roof part. The upper roof part is located above a passenger compartment and in front of the rear roof part. The rear roof part has a middle section that encloses a rear window and is located between lateral main posts of the automobile body when the roof is closed. The main posts and the middle section are each rotationally connected with the automobile body and with the upper roof part by joints which form a multijoint linkage whose axis of rotation lie in a common plane in at least one movement position of the roof, so that at least one additional support of the upper roof part located in front of the rear roof part is provided for supporting the upper roof part with respect to the automobile body, wherein the additional support is active in the at least one movement position of the roof.
US07883135B2
An energy absorbing device is provided for reducing acceleration resulting from a force of a high energy impact acting on one side of the device in an impact direction. The device includes two plates transverse to the impact direction, an energy absorbing mechanism between the plates, and a stabilizing mechanism having at least one pair of a projecting element and a receiving element, the projecting element comprised on one plate and a corresponding receiving element comprised on the other plate. Each pair is adapted for enabling the projecting element thereof to be at least partially received by the corresponding the receiving element in a manner to restrict relative displacement between the two plates at least in one direction different from the impact direction and to allow substantially free relative displacement between the plates in the impact direction.
US07883130B2
A surgical magnetic retrieval tool for retrieving objects attractable by a magnet lost in a surgical cavity during a surgical procedure. The tool is a permanent magnet having a size and shape adapted to be placed in and moved through a surgical cavity to attract and hold the objects for retrieval of them from the cavity, and a flexible tether is attached to the magnet for supporting the magnet, pulling it through the cavity, and retrieving the magnet and objects attracted thereto from the cavity. In one form of the invention the magnet is a flexible magnetic sheet; in another form it is a sphere; in another form it is an oblate spheroid; and in another form it is a disc. The tool is disposable following use.
US07883106B2
A seat belt assembly for use in a seat belt system of a motor vehicle to restrain a vehicle occupant. The assembly includes a belt webbing extending from a first end to a second end and includes tubular webbing extending from the first end and configured to open at a tear seam. An airbag is disposed within the tubular webbing and configured to inflate and deploy through the tear seam. A gas generator is fluidly coupled to the airbag and configured to provide an expanding gas to inflate and deploy the airbag in response to a control signal. A first part of the airbag is configured to inflate above the tubular webbing such that the first part of the airbag is disposed between a side or door of the vehicle and the thorax of the vehicle occupant.
US07883102B1
A fixture designed to hasten and ease aligning a trailer, in particular a gooseneck trailer, to a receiver ball situated on a vehicle by using a drop rod to signal the driver when the optimum hitching point is reached.
US07883099B2
A model vehicle suspension is provided, comprising a vehicle chassis, a spring for providing a supporting suspension force, one or more dampers for providing a damping suspension force, the dampers having an elongated shape, wherein the dampers are mounted on the chassis with a longitudinal axis substantially horizontal relative to the chassis and at least a first suspension member mounted to the chassis for supporting a vehicle wheel, the first suspension member being mounted for movement upwardly and downwardly at the location for supporting a vehicle wheel. A coupling mechanism for transmitting suspension forces from one or both of the spring and the one or more dampers to the first suspension member at the location for supporting a vehicle wheel is also provided, the coupling mechanism being configured to transmit suspension forces to the first suspension member, while allowing movement of the first suspension member at the point of supporting a wheel.
US07883096B2
A tool container assembly includes a container, rollers, a handle, and a slidable closure member. The container includes an upper and a lower storage space therein, a rear wall, opposing side walls, a lower front wall and a front opening above the lower front wall. The front opening generally lies along a plane that extends away from the rear wall as it extends downwardly. The slidable closure member is slidably movable between a first position wherein it substantially covers the front opening and a second position wherein it exposes the front opening. The closure member moves to a position wherein it generally lies between the plane and the lower front wall, and at an angle with respect to the plane, when it is moved to the second position.
US07883095B2
An annular seal member for use in a spherical exhaust pipe joint is provided with, on an inner peripheral surface and an outer peripheral surface thereof, a sliding surface for slidably moving the spherical exhaust pipe joint. The annular seal member includes an annular mesh structural body having a compressed wire mesh; and a heat-resistant sheet member which is compressed to be integrally formed with the compressed wire mesh. At least a part of the compressed wire mesh which is exposed from the sliding surface has a dispersive plating layer in which at least one kind of particle selected from the group consisting of fluorine resin particles, boron nitride particles, molybdenum disulfide particles, and silicon carbide particles is dispersed.
US07883088B2
Apparatus for singling sheet material, in particular bank notes, which is inputted into an input area of the apparatus as a stack and is transported up to a singler, which transfers individual pieces of sheet material of the stack of sheet material to a sheet transport system, which transports the singled sheet material in a transport direction, a sensor disposed in transport direction upstream of the singler, which substantially extends over the width of the input area, generating signals which specify whether and in which area of the width of the input area the sheet material is present, and a control device evaluating the signals of the sensor during a transport of the stack of sheet material to the singler and comparing occurring fluctuations and changes of the signals of the sensor regarding the presence or absence of sheet material with predetermined threshold values for fluctuations and changes of the signals of the sensor, in order to derive a statement from the occurring fluctuations and changes of the signals of the sensor, whether the pieces of sheet material forming the stack of sheet material are aligned to each other with respect to their edges, and whether the stack of sheet material has an alignment which substantially is in parallel to the transport direction of the transport system.
US07883084B2
A sheet feeding device for feeding a sheet-form recording medium includes: a sheet accommodating portion for accommodating a sheet stack constituted by a plurality of sheets of the sheet-form recording medium; and a first warm air unit having a first blowing port for blowing warm air toward an upper face of the sheet stack accommodated in the sheet accommodating portion. The sheet feeding device preferably further includes a second warm air unit having a second blowing port for blowing warm air onto a side face of the sheet stack that is parallel to a sheet feeding direction.
US07883078B2
A clamp having a first member and a second member; and a mechanism to linearly displace the first member and the second member away from, and toward each other in unison.
US07883075B2
A terminal portion of a guardrail safety system includes a terminal portion of a guardrail beam having a downstream end and upstream end. The terminal portion of the guardrail beam slopes from a height appropriate for redirecting an errant vehicle to a height proximate the surface of the ground at an upstream end of the terminal portion. Support posts are installed adjacent a roadway in spaced apart relation to one another and are coupled to the terminal portion of the guardrail beam. A terminal support post is installed adjacent the roadway at the upstream end of the terminal portion of the guardrail beam. The terminal support post couples to an upstream end of the terminal portion of the guardrail beam by a resistive, tensile coupling that maintains tension in the terminal portion of the guardrail beam. The resistive, tensile coupling is maintained between the terminal support post and the guardrail beam during an end-on or re-directive impact by a vehicle. However, the resistive, tensile coupling between the terminal support post and the guardrail beam is released during a reverse-direction impact.
US07883071B2
Methods and apparatus for isolation system according to various aspects of the present invention comprise a plurality of elastic elements disposed in one or more planes between an equipment body and a mounting structure and are not symmetric about the center of gravity of the equipment body. The isolation system is configured to modally decouple vibration along one axis from other axes of vibration and provide an isoelastic mounting system in up to all six degrees of freedom.
US07883067B2
A ceiling mounting system configured to provide height and viewing angle adjustment for a flat panel display mounted thereon. An adapter plate attaches to at least one rear surface of a flat panel display. A tube, at a first end, is pivotally attached to the adapter plate, while the tube, at a second end is attached to a ceiling decoupler. The ceiling decoupler has integrated therein, a return to zero mechanism configured to withstand impact to the ceiling mounting system and/or flat panel display, and return to a default position once the impact is released. Various related media components can also be secured to the adapter plate, while the tube, in conjunction with the adapter plate allows for cable and cord routing and management. A back cover slidably engages the adapter plate to hide the rear of the flat panel display and any related media components, cables, and cords.
US07883063B2
A device comprising a monitor and a monitor support stand. The monitor support is configured to hold the monitor in a plurality of fixed locations. The monitor support includes a spring, a spring counterweight balance, and a cam. The spring is configured to support a weight of the monitor. The spring counterweight balance is coupled to the spring, and is configured reduce a force required to adjust a tension of the spring. The cam is coupled to the spring counterweight balance, and has a plurality of positions, wherein each of the plurality of positions is configured to adjust a weight range of the monitor that the spring can support.
US07883039B2
A continuous granulating and drying apparatus includes a granulator and a dryer. Measurement of product and process parameters is carried out by means of measurement units positioned at critical locations in the apparatus.
US07883035B2
A mobile drip irrigation system that includes a supply pipe connected at one end to a liquid source and extending therefrom. At least one tower supports the supply pipe above the ground, and includes a driver for moving the tower and supply pipe in a desired direction. A plurality of ports are positioned along the supply pipe. The system includes a plurality of vertically oriented drop line assemblies. Each drop line assembly has an upper end connected to one of the plurality of ports, and a lower end spaced above the ground. A horizontal liquid distribution system is fluidly connected to the plurality of drop line assemblies to allow a horizontally uniformly spaced drip of the liquid at a desired distance from the ground.
US07883031B2
A fluid atomizer is disclosed. The fluid atomizer comprises a body having a proximal end and a distal end. A removable reservoir containing a fluid disposed therein is connected to the body. A discharge plate is disposed at the distal end, wherein the discharge plate includes a plurality of openings extending therethrough. An ultrasonic oscillator is disposed in the body for transmitting the fluid from the reservoir to the discharge plate and through the plurality of openings, wherein transmission of the fluid through the plurality of openings atomizes the fluid.
US07883026B2
In accordance with certain embodiments, a system includes a spray device having a liquid pathway leading to a liquid exit, an air pathway leading to an air exit directed toward a spray region downstream of the liquid exit, and an assembly disposed in the liquid pathway adjacent the liquid exit. The assembly includes a threadless pintle generally fit into a sleeve in a concentric manner without threads. The assembly also includes a generally annular passage between the threadless pintle and the sleeve and a passage coupled with the generally annular passage. The generally annular passage also has a cross-sectional area that alternatingly increases and decreases in a lengthwise direction along the liquid pathway.
US07883022B2
An IC card formed by sandwiching a circuit board formed with an antenna pattern and an IC chip mounted on the circuit board with a plurality of card constituent sheets. Ferrite beads to absorb and remove noises (unnecessary radiation energy) input to and output from the IC chip are mounted on wiring sections interconnecting the antenna pattern and IC chip.
US07883017B1
A card in a rectangular configuration has horizontal upper and lower edges, vertical left and right side edges, front and rear faces, and horizontal and vertical mid lines. Indicia on the front face of the card is in the form of alphanumeric characters. A plurality of pinholes extend through the card. Each pinhole is adapted to refract light and magnify images to be read.
US07883014B2
An election ballot printing system includes a printer and electronic imaging device operatively coupled to a computer. The electronic imaging device images a ballot outputted by the printer in response to an indication provided by the computer. The electronic imaging device flows information corresponding to the ballot to the computer.
US07883011B2
An information processing apparatus distributes service information related to an electronic transaction to a user who performs the electronic transaction. The information processing apparatus includes a storage unit that stores a service information group including the service information, transaction information relating to the electronic transaction, and user information relating to the user; a service information selector that selects the service information to be transmitted to the user from the service information group based on the transaction information and the user information; and a destination address selector that selects, from a plurality of destination addresses associated with the user, a destination address to which the service information selected by the service information selector is to be distributed.
US07883008B1
An automated banking machine operates to cause financial transfers responsive to data read from data bearing records. The machine includes a card reader that reads card data from a card of a machine user. The card data may be linked in a data store to both a customer's financial account and a cell phone assigned to that customer. The automated banking machine user may provide inputs to the machine via one or more sensors that operate to determine where on a display of the machine at least one eye of the machine user is looking.
US07883002B2
Disclosed is a sales system for lots of items that includes business rule definition logic. The sales system also includes offering creation logic that is operative to dynamically create different offerings for items in the lots. The offering creation logic optimizes return based on one or more of the business rules by using different offering parameter values for the different offerings.
US07883001B2
The disclosure indicates that the compression strength of a corrugated shipping crate can be increased through the use of horizontal panels adhered to the inside surface of the vertically fluted outer walls of the crate. The panels can comprise a layer of horizontally fluted single layer of double wall or triple wall corrugated, and a layer of vertically oriented double or triple wall corrugated. The crates' outer walls can be vertically fluted 1100 weight corrugated or less. The double wall vertically fluted corrugated, can be corrugated board have a weight in the range from 500 to 1100 pounds.
US07882991B2
A food container particularly configured for use with food products having a refuse component, such as sunflower seeds having shells and cherries having pits. The food container comprises an inner cup having a wall that encloses a receptacle that is open at the top and a chamber that is closed at the bottom. A divider separates the chamber, which stores the food product for consumption, from the receptacle, which receives the refuse. The inner cup is rotatably received in a sleeve. The consumer rotates the sleeve to align an outer opening thereon with an inner opening on the inner cup to dispense food product from the chamber. A cover closes the outer opening and prevents rotation of the sleeve. A beverage can be served in the receptacle. An indexing mechanism and a rotation mechanism can be incorporated into the food container. The food product chamber can include a freshness seal.
US07882986B2
A liquid dispenser is mounted on a container and has a shell, a spout assembly, an injection assembly, a power pack and an activating assembly. The shell is mounted on the container and has an injection tube. The spout assembly is formed on and protrudes from the shell. The injection assembly is mounted in the shell pumps air into the injection tube to force liquid from the spout assembly. The activating assembly selectively activates the injection assembly and selectively seals or opens an air passage to the injection tube.
US07882969B2
A display system for product stored in bins includes a first track member which can be fixed to an elongate support member, and a second track member which can be fixed to the first track member in a selected one of a plurality of relative positions to form a track having a height dimension which is dependent on the relative position selected. A plurality of product holders can be secured side-by-side in the track, the relative position of the track members being selected dependent on the height dimension of the product holders. A plurality of bins can be arranged side-by-side on shelves adjacent to the track, the elongate support member preferably being fixed to the distal end of a cantilever beam.
US07882968B2
A device and method for storing a youth potty seat on an adult toilet assembly. The device includes a support bar, a hook connected to the upper portion of the support bar, and at least one peg attached to the lower portion of the support bar. The hook is effective for hanging the support frame from the upper rim of a toilet tank, and the peg is effective for suspending a child's potty seat. The method comprises hanging the hook from the upper rim of a toilet tank and hanging a youth potty seat from the peg; thereby storing the youth potty seat on the adult toilet assembly. An extension bar may be provided to extend the length of the support bar. Multiple pegs may be used.
US07882964B2
An apparatus and method for removably coupling a hanger to a latch at a first end of the hanger, removing the hanger from the latch while the latch remains coupled to a support member, threading an item of hanging stock onto the hanger via the first end, and recoupling the hanger to the latch while the latch remains coupled to the support member, wherein the hanger extends from the latch at an angle that is less than the horizontal, so that the hanging stock is urged by gravity toward a second end of the hanger.
US07882959B1
A method and apparatus for separating multiple food pieces and removing clumps from food pieces in order to process individual pieces for subsequent packaging includes a vibrating conveyor bed which receives a substantially continuous supply of a dried product, such as RTE cereal or another snack product, and delivers the dried product to a screen unit including a plurality of spaced slots through which only individual food pieces can pass for further processing. Prior to the screen unit, the bed can be provided with an upstanding deflector member which diverts the traveling food product away from a discharge chute and onto the screen unit. In any case, the screen unit includes an upwardly angling portion, extending away from the discharge chute, for retaining product which needs to be further processed, while the discharge chute also has an associated, raised lip for product retention purposes.
US07882956B2
A suspension packaging system can include a retention member having at least one pocket and a relatively more rigid member configured to be inserted into the pocket and folded into a state in which a tension in the retention member is increased. The more rigid member can be in the form of a tray and can include protrusions over which the pocket is placed. The protrusions can then be moved into engagement with apertures thereby engaging the resilient member between the protrusion and the aperture. Additionally, flaps of a box can be inserted into pockets of a resilient member and rotated so as to generate attention in the retention member so as to provide further cushioning of an article to be packaged therein.
US07882953B2
A clear package for storing a packaged product and providing an easy locking mechanism to seal and secure the product. The package of the present invention has a sleeve having foldable tabs at the top and bottom, and a top and bottom opening, and a slidable insert having indents at the top and bottom, the slidable insert being slidably inserted into the sleeve through the top or bottom opening, where the tabs align with the indents to provide a locking mechanism, and where the height of the sleeve is substantially the same as the height of the slidable insert.
US07882952B2
A method for applying a heat shrinkable film to a carton for forming a shape of the carton is provided. The carton includes a top panel, a bottom panel, at least one side panel extending between the top panel and the bottom panel, and a movable section that is movable between a first position and a second position. The method includes providing a heat-shrinkable but unshrunken film, wrapping the film in an unheated condition around at least a portion of the carton including at least a portion of the movable section of the carton, and moving the movable section from the first position to the second position to form a shape of the carton by heating the heat-shrinkable film to shrink the heat-shrinkable film into contact with at least a portion of the movable section.
US07882945B2
A rolling conveyor has a plurality of feed rollers that define a conveyor surface, in which the feed rollers are joined on their end regions rotatably to a first and a second bearing assembly, at least some of the feed rollers on the second bearing assembly each have a first drive wheel, which is in rotary drive communication each with one second drive wheel, the second drive wheels are located on a rotatable drive shaft, with which they are in rotary drive communication, wherein the drive shaft is joined rotatably to a third bearing assembly, which is embodied separately from the first and second bearing assemblies, so that a drive shaft assembly comprising the drive shaft and the associated third bearing assemblies is joined as a unit detachably to the rolling conveyor.
US07882943B1
A plow for a conveyor belt for efficiently removing debris from the return portion of the conveyor belt. The plow for a conveyor belt generally includes a frame having a pair of front plow blades, wherein the pair of front plow blades define a V-shape oriented toward an upstream direction of travel with respect to the conveyor belt. The frame also includes a pair of pivotal wings each including a rear plow blades. A support bracket extends from the frame to secure the frame to a conveyor structure of the conveyor belt. At least one roller is rotatably connected to the frame and extends beyond a lower end of the frame to contact the conveyor belt and to maintain a separation between the frame and the conveyor belt as the at least one roller travels along the conveyor belt.
US07882938B2
An elevator system (20) includes a transceiver (22) that receives at least one wirelessly transmitted signal (24). In one example, a signaling device (26) includes a plurality of switches (28) that can be activated to provide a signal indicating a desired or intended destination. The signal also provides an indication of the individual from whom the signal is received. A system controller (30) responds to the signal by assigning an elevator car (32) to travel to the intended destination. When the elevator car (32) is situated to receive the individual, in the event that another wireless signal is received, the system provides at least one access feature including delaying closing an elevator car door or generating an audible sound to guide the individual to the car. In one example, the system maintains information regarding expected locations of individuals providing such signals to facilitate providing assistance to them for exiting a building, for example.
US07882931B2
The present invention generally relates to an offset treestand stabilizing bracket and to a treestand employing same. The treestand stabilizing bracket of the invention greatly enhances the safety of the treestand by minimizing the slipping and/or shifting of same during usage, especially when attached to trees that are crooked and/or not vertical.
US07882926B2
An improved system and method for controlling and directing sound waves is provided. A fuel-oxidant mixture is supplied to at least one detonator having at least one spark initiator. The fuel-oxidant mixture flows through the at least one detonator and into the closed end of at least one detonation tube also having an open end. The timing at least one spark initiator is controlled to initiate at least one spark within the at least one detonator while the fuel-oxidant mixture is flowing through the at least one detonator thereby initiating a detonation wave at the closed end of the at least one detonation tube. The detonation wave propagates the length of the at least one detonation tube and exits the open end of the at least one detonation tube as a sound wave. When multiple detonation tubes are detonated with controlled timing, the resulting sound waves are directed to a desired location. Sound waves can be directed from groups of detonation tubes and from a sparse array of detonation tubes.
US07882923B2
In a vehicle of a type which does not bank a vehicle body at the time of turning, an inclination angle sensor is provided which receives the least influence of a centrifugal force at the time of turning. In a four-wheeled buggy that includes a vehicle body frame, four longitudinal wheels including front wheels and rear wheels are provided together with an engine, a fuel tank and a fuel pump. A steering shaft is connected to a steering handle with an inclination angle sensor arranged above a seat and being positioned in front of the steering shaft. Accordingly, the inclination angle sensor is hardly influenced by a centrifugal force at the time of turning.
US07882912B2
To provide an intake structure for a seat type vehicle which makes it possible to shorten the air intake path and to prevent the taken-in air from being heated with the heat of an engine. An intake structure for a seat type vehicle is provided in which an engine and a fuel tank are mounted side by side in the lateral direction of the vehicle under the occupant seats attached onto a frame. An air cleaner is arranged to the rear of the engine with an intake port for the air cleaner being provided under the occupant seats and above the fuel tank.
US07882911B2
A straddle-type vehicle with enhanced heat exhaust efficiency in a transmission case housing a continuously variable transmission. The continuously variable transmission and an engine are arranged forward of a rear wheel 4. An air intake duct introduces outside air into the transmission case and an air exhaust duct exhausts air from the transmission case. The air exhaust duct is connected to and extends upward from a top portion of the transmission case. The air exhaust duct has an air exhaust port that is positioned above the transmission case.
US07882899B2
A power tool comprising a housing, a motor, an output shaft, a gear transmission mechanism and a control system. The gear transmission mechanism is connected between the motor and the output shaft to transmit the rotary power of the motor to the output shaft. The gear transmission mechanism has a high speed position and a low speed position. The control system is coupled to the gear transmission mechanism for detecting an operating characteristic of the power tool to actuate a ring gear to automatically move from the high speed position to the low speed position and to reduce the rotational speed of the ring gear when the operating characteristic exceeding a predetermined value.
US07882897B2
The device of the present invention is located in a closed containment enclosure surrounding a storage bin and comprises a closed tank (28) positioned on the storage bin containing a liquid (26) and having a fireproof shield enclosing the tank and a liquid level control system for controlling the level of liquid in the tank with the tank (28) comprising at least one opening in communication with the closed container enclosure, and at least one internal chamber in direct communication with the storage bin via a flue pipe and at least one external chamber in direct communication with the containment enclosure via said at least one opening.
US07882882B2
A tire changing machine for changing difficult to mount tires is provided. The machine utilizes various implements configured about the machine's chassis in such a way that they do not interfere with each other's operation. In this way, the machine enables an operator to effectively change various tires.
US07882879B2
Apparatus for bonding rubber O-Rings from cord stock, rubber extrusions and extruded tubing materials, consists of heated die-sets, holding fixtures, electronic module, assembly device, spring clamping and pneumatic clamping arrangement. The combined heated die-set and holding fixture are two separable heat conductive blocks having a common interface. Apertures are located across the interface having diameters or matching shapes of extrusions, these apertures are slightly less than the cord or extrusion dimensions, the rubber is axially mated in the open heated aperture, and will stay unlovable when the clamping device is closed. The electronic module controls both a heating and timing device for proper control of maintaining a constant temperature and accurate timing cycle.
US07882878B2
A radial tire for airplane comprises a pair of bead cores, a radial carcass, and a belt disposed on an outer periphery of a crown portion of the radial carcass and comprised of plural belt layers each containing organic fiber cords, in which a total strength in a circumferential direction over a full width of the belt Tbelt(N) satisfies Tbelt/WD≧1.5×106 when an outer diameter of the tire is D (m) and a width of the tire is W (m), and at least one layer of the belt layers is constituted with an organic fiber cord spirally winding at an angle of approximately 0° with respect an equatorial plane of the tire and satisfying the following equations (I) and (II): σ≧−0.01E+1.2 (I) σ≧0.02 (II) (wherein σ is a heat shrinkage stress at 177° C. (cN/dtex) and E is an elastic modulus at 25° C. under a load of 49 N (cN/dtex)).
US07882867B2
A mortise/tenon machine has a base which includes two side plates, a guiding plate installed between the side plates transversely and horizontally, numbers of openings formed on a side of the guiding plate, and a rail member installed between the side plates and in the same horizontal position of the guiding plate. A workpiece is slideably disposed on the openings. A sliding base is slideably mounted on the rail member. A working platform includes a bit installed at a first end thereof, with the bit extending from a desired opening, and with another end of the working platform longitudinally disposed on the sliding base.
US07882859B2
A system for preparing and making available a flowable medium (43) that is formed by mixing a dry substance (39) with a fluid (41), in particular a medium for therapeutic purposes includes a) a first container (1) receiving the fluid (41) and has a wall part (3) able to deform counter to a restoring force to change the container volume, b) a second container (35) receiving the dry substance (39), and c) a transfer device (21) for producing a fluid communication between the first container (1) and the second container (35).
US07882837B2
An adjustable forehead support for a nasal mask. The present invention discloses an adjustable forehead support for a nasal or full-face mask wherein the forehead support may be adjusted for the different shapes and sizes of a facial profile. The forehead support utilizes a dual-arm system which adjusts the position of the forehead support vis-à-vis the mask and/or air flow tube. The angle of the mask to the face may be adjusted with the present invention.
US07882828B2
An ignition apparatus includes a cylindrical core made from magnetically-permeable material and a C-shaped magnetic return path structure that is made from a stack of silicon steel laminations. A tightly controlled air gap is provided between one leg of the C-shaped structure and an end face of the core, forming a magnetic circuit having a high magnetic permeability, which overall reduces the number of primary winding turns needed, thereby reducing the amount of copper wire. In addition, the circular cross-section of the core reduces the mean length per turn (MLT) of the primary winding because the primary winding can be wound directly on the core, which in turn also reduces the MLT of the secondary winding. The reduced MLT also reduces the amount of copper wire. The structure may be replaced using a magnetically-permeable, U-shaped shield.
US07882826B2
A rotor assembly is provided for a compressor assembly having a housing defining an inlet port, outlet port, and a rotor cavity in communication with the inlet port and outlet port. The rotor assembly includes a rotor body having a plurality of lobes formed thereon and rotatably mountable within the rotor cavity of the housing. The rotor body has a first end, substantially adjacent to the inlet port, and a second end, substantially adjacent to the outlet port, when mounted within the housing. Each of the plurality of lobes has an outer radius that is greater at the first end than at the second end.
US07882824B2
A method for recovering vapor during an onboard refueling operation comprising the steps of: providing a flow path between a fuel tank and a purge canister; providing a valve in the flow path; providing a fuel level sensor for indicating the level of fuel in the fuel tank, and a vapor pressure sensor for indicating the pressure of the fuel vapor in the fuel tank; and actuating the valve to selectively open and close the flow path in response to signals received from the fuel level sensor and the vapor pressure sensor.
US07882821B2
An engine provided with a variable timing mechanism (B) able to control a closing timing of an intake valve (7) and a variable compression ratio mechanism (A) able to change a mechanical compression ratio and controlling the closing timing of the intake valve (7) to control the amount of intake air fed into a combustion chamber (5). To obtain an output torque in accordance with the required torque even when the atmospheric pressure changes, when the atmospheric pressure falls, the closing timing of the intake valve (7) is made to approach intake bottom dead center and the mechanical compression ratio is reduced.
US07882818B2
A cylinder liner for insert casting used in a cylinder block is provided. The cylinder liner includes an outer circumferential surface having a plurality of projections. Each projection has a constricted shape. A film of a metal material is formed on the outer circumferential surface and the surfaces of the projections. As a result, the cylinder liner ensures sufficient bond strength with the casting material of a cylinder block, and sufficient thermal conductivity with the cylinder block.
US07882815B2
A hydraulic cam follower for simultaneous actuation of several equal-acting gas-exchange valves, especially for a tappet pushrod valve train of an engine, includes an outer part, whose base forms a cam contacting surface, and from whose head hollow-cylindrical guides extend in the same number as the valves in a direction towards the base. A housing of a hydraulic play compensation element is provided in each guide and sits with its bottom side on an inside of the bottom of the outer part. A concentric pressure piston is guided in a borehole starting from a head end of each housing so it can move axially. A non-return valve is located at a bottom-side base of the piston and a high-pressure space is formed axially between the base and the bottom side of the housing. A reservoir for hydraulic medium is formed between the base and a head end of the piston.
US07882814B2
A roller finger follower assembly for variably activating a valve in an internal combustion engine includes at least one vertical recessed channel formed inside an outer arm and a shaft. The channel includes a machined upper surface closing the channel. The shaft engages with the recessed channel, the shaft reciprocates within the recessed channel, and the upper surface stops an upward movement of the shaft.
US07882799B2
A method for establishing a calibrating standard for wafer inspection includes depositing solid ionized particles of a known size range with an aerosol onto a wafer. The method also includes depositing particles onto a wafer in a deposition chamber by using an aerosol stream and the solid particles suspended in a gas; ionizing the aerosol stream with a negative or positive charge polarity or both by passing the aerosol stream through a non-radioactive ionizer to produce charged particles and supplying such aerosol stream to the deposition chamber. An apparatus for producing charged particles includes an atomizer and a non-radioactive ionizer in fluid communication with each other. The apparatus may also include an electrospray droplet generator for producing an aerosol with dry-solid particles and an ionizer that ionizes the molecules of the gas. The apparatus may also include a generator for generating an aerosol with particles suspended in the gas with a non-radioactive ionizer that ionizes the gas in the aerosol causing the aerosol particles to be charged. The apparatus may further include an electrostatic classifier for classifying the charged particles to a selected size range.
US07882798B2
A spray painting tool for painting key caps is disclosed, which comprises: a platform, having a plurality of columns formed on a top surface of the same; a panel, having a plurality of holes formed thereon at positions corresponding to the plural columns for allowing the plural columns to pass through the panel therefrom; a diaphragm, disposed on the panel while aligning a plurality of holes formed thereon with the plural columns for allowing the plural columns to pass through the diaphragm therefrom; and at least a holding unit, each being arranged on the panel at a position corresponding to one of the plural column for fixedly securing a key cap. As the diaphragm can be easily replaced, the spray painting tool can be used repetitively without worrying the stacking of residue paint on its panel. Moreover, as the spray painting tool is simple in structure and ease to use, painting key caps can be achieved with lower cost and less time.
US07882788B2
The present invention provide a rail system for transporting spherical objects comprising: a first flexible rail; a second flexible rail; a flexible spine; and a connector attached to said first flexible rail, said second flexible rail, and said flexible spine. The connector allows for the track to be easily adjusted, while providing rigidity to hold the flexible rails and spline into position during use.
US07882776B2
Armor for a vehicle comprises a grid of bars, at least the majority of the bars being formed from carbon fiber. The carbon fiber bars may be pultruded and some of the bars may be metallic.
US07882773B2
An apparatus for cutting a roll of material includes an elongated blade having a distal end, a cutting guide attached to the elongated blade and positioned to direct the distal end of the elongated blade towards the roll of material, and a support position to hold the roll of material approximate to the elongated blade. A method for cutting a roll of material having an axis and a circumference is taught. The method comprises radially cutting the roll of material from the circumference to the axis by advancing the distal end of an elongated blade, then rotating the elongated blade relative the axis to cut the roll of material. Alternately, the method teaches rotating the roll of material relative to the axis to cut the roll of material.
US07882772B2
A repetitive fence utilizes a plurality of telescoping arms driven by a metal tape of the tape measure type to position a stop member at a desired location from a saw blade. A user can position a work piece, such as board lumber against the stop member to repeatedly position the work piece at a desired cut dimension with respect to a saw blade. The repetitive fence preferably employs a plurality of telescoping arms to position the stop member at the desired location, and an electronic read-out provided to indicate to the user the position of the stop member with respect to the saw blade. The telescoping arms can be motivated by electronic devices, such as an electric motor, or by a manual crank.
US07882767B2
A power tong having a ring gear and dumbell rollers, with mating load surfaces on the ring gear and dumbell rollers which transfer horizontal and vertical loads from the ring gear to the dumbell rollers, without contact between the ring gear teeth and the dumbell rollers. The power tong further has a dumbell roller shaft configuration which permits vertical and rotational locking of the shaft, while permitting easy replacement and without binding of the rotation of the top and bottom plates on the dumbell rollers.
US07882761B2
An adjustable steering column assembly with a steering shaft extending through a jacket member. An elongate locking member extends through two opposed sidewalls and a compression member positioned between the sidewalls. One of either the sidewalls or the compression member is fixed relative to the jacket member while the other is fixed relative to the vehicle structure. Spacers are located on opposite sides of the compression member between the compression member and the two sidewalls. First and second abutment surfaces are engaged with outward facing surfaces of the sidewalls and are coupled to the elongate locking member. An actuator assembly moves the locking assembly between unlocked and locked positions. In the locked position, the abutment surfaces bias the sidewalls inwardly to firmly engage the compression member between the spacers.
US07882759B2
In a gear drive unit (10), in particular for adjusting moving parts in the motor vehicle, having a rotor shaft (18) supported in a housing (16) and braced axially on the housing (16) via at least one face end (50) and in which a separate toothed element (32) for transmitting torque to a gear component (38, 40) is secured to the rotor shaft (18), the toothed element (32) has an axial bearing face (48) that rests on one of the face ends (50) of the rotor shaft (18).
US07882755B2
This invention provides a sensor attachment device that can be easily attached and detached, a sensor and a light emitting device for a photo-electrical sensor. By downward displacement of an operation member after tip ends of a pair of locking hooks are locked to a sensor main body by inserting the sensor main body into an insertion opening with second regions of a pair of facing surfaces respectively facing toward external surfaces of central portions of the pair of locking hooks, the central portions of the pair of locking hooks can be pressed inwardly by first regions of the pair of facing surfaces, thereby fixing the sensor main body to a holding member. Accordingly, the attachment of the sensor main body is easy in comparison with the conventional configuration in which a nut is screwed onto the sensor main body, then rotated and fastened.
US07882753B2
A magnetostrictive torque sensor includes first and second magnetostrictive films mounted on a pinion shaft and having different magnetic anisotropic properties, a first detecting coil disposed in facing relation to the first magnetostrictive film, a second detecting coil disposed in facing relation to the second magnetostrictive film, a transistor, and a detector for detecting a torque applied to the pinion shaft based on a first detected signal representative of a potential at the junction between the first detecting coil and the second detecting coil.
US07882742B1
An apparatus for ultrasonic inspection of an object. A tire is mounted for rolling along the surface of the object. It contains a liquid and a transducer assembly. The transducer assembly is positioned in the tire adjacent a portion of the surface of the tire in contact with the object. The liquid and the surface of the tire in contact with the object provide an acoustic bridge between the transducer assembly and the object. An electric signal processing system is connected to the transducer assembly. It generates electric signals which are converted to acoustic signals in the transducer assembly to place acoustic signals in the object. Acoustic signals returned from the object are converted to electric signals by the transducer assembly, and are processed in the electric signal processing system to indicate flaws in the object.
US07882740B2
Static and dynamic acceleration as well as static and dynamic angular velocity are detected with a simple structure. An acceleration detecting section includes a weight body, a pedestal around the weight body, flexible plate-like bridge portions, and piezoresistive elements embedded in the upper surface of the bridge portions. An angular velocity detecting section includes a weight body, a pedestal around the weight body, flexible plate-like bridge portions, and piezoelectric elements fixed to the upper surface of the bridge portions. The pedestals are fixed to a device chassis. When the weight body is displaced by acceleration, the plate-like bridge portions are deflected, so that the acceleration is detected based on the change in the electrical resistances of the piezoresistive elements. When the weight body is displaced by a Coriolis force based on angular velocity while supplying alternating signals to the piezoelectric elements to oscillate the weight body, the plate-like bridge portions are deflected, so that the angular velocity is detected based on charge generation in the piezoelectric elements.
US07882738B2
A wheel balancer for balancing a wheel having a rim and tire. The wheel balancer comprises a chassis and a driven shaft extending away from the chassis for rotating the wheel. An A&D arm, pivotal and axially extendible with respect to the chassis, is also provided. A first laser device is operable to produce a laser spot at a desired weight placement location on an inner surface of the rim. The first laser device is manipulable by an operator to move the laser spot to the desired weight placement location. A second laser device is attached to the A&D arm and movable therewith. The second laser device produces a visible marker on the inner surface of the rim for determining when the A&D arm is in a plane of the desired weight placement location.
US07882722B2
A jaw assembly including a first jaw, a second jaw, and a pivot pin. The first jaw has two spaced first ears having pivot pin holes through the first ears. The second jaw has two spaced second ears having a pivot pin holes through the second ears. The pivot pin is located in the pivot pin holes to pivotably mount the first and second jaws to each other. The pivot sections include a guide surface configured to guide alignment of the ears relative to each other to thereby align the pivot pin holes with each other. The jaws each include a rear end with a roller contact surface configured to be moved apart by rollers of a roller assembly of a tool. The rear ends each include a concave surface configured to locate one of the rollers therein.
US07882721B2
A container bodymaker gearbox (20, 130) drives rams (60, 66) linearly by use of a hypocycloid drive that controls operation of a rotating and orbiting output shaft (40) by synchronizing the rotating and orbiting motion such that a tracking point at a predetermined radius from the shaft 40 tracks a straight line. A coaxial sleeve (124) is spaced around shaft (40) and carries an annular crank hub (140) on bearings (142). The crank hub (140) is eccentrically mounted on the sleeve (124) with the hub centerpoint positioned to track the straight line tracking point. A rotary ring (166) mounted around the periphery of the crank hub (140) supports diametrically opposed connections (176) to rams (60, 66). The ring (166) and rams (60, 66) translate on the straight-line path determined by the centerpoint, with the hub (140) rotating as required within the ring (166) to cancel rotary motion of hub (14) from the translational motion of the ring (166).
US07882720B2
An automatic bending machine produces a steel rule punching die to be used for forming predetermined notch lines or fold lines in a paper strip, a sheet, a board member, or the like in production of a paper container or a corrugated box. The automatic bending machine has a bending tool which bends a band blade into a predetermined shape. In the machine, a diamond grinder which is laterally and vertically moved by a computer control is disposed in front of the bending tool. When the bending tool is combined with the diamond grinder, bending of the band blade, linear cutting of the both ends, nicking of a blade edge, bridging (notching) of a blade bottom, and broaching (slotting) of a blade side wall are enabled.
US07882718B2
A computer controlled roll-forming apparatus is adapted to provide a repeating pattern of different longitudinal shapes to a continuous beam “on the fly” during the roll-forming process. A sweep station of the apparatus includes a primary bending roller tangentially engaging the continuous beam along the line level and an armature for biasing the continuous beam against the primary bending roller for a distance partially around a downstream side of the primary bending roller to form a sweep. Actuators adjustably move the armature partially around the downstream side of the primary bending roller between multiple positions for imparting a series of different longitudinal shapes. Internal and external mandrels control wall stability to allow even sharper sweeps. In one form, the apparatus also includes a coordinated cut-off, so that when separated into bumper beam segments, the ends of the individual beam segments have a greater sweep than their center sections.
US07882716B2
A vaporized solvent emitted from the laundry in the drum during the drying process is condensed within an air passage. From this passage a liquid mixture (solvent and water) is guided to a first liquid storage tank 50 through a liquid mixture line 51. An air relief pipe 52 is connected to an intermediate point of this line so that air coming from the air passage is released through an activated carbon filter 53 to the outside. The outlet end 51a of the liquid mixture line 51 is immersed in the solvent in the upper layer within the first liquid storage tank 50. Due to the hydraulic pressure acting on the outlet end 51a, the air tends to flow toward the air relief pipe 5. This reduces the current pressure of the air coming from the air passage and alleviates its influence within the first liquid storage tank 50, so that a vertical motion of the interface between the solvent and water due to the current pressure is suppressed. Thus, unwanted matter gathering around the interface is prevented from sticking to a filter, and the solvent is prevented from being discharged.
US07882715B2
In a method for cleaning the foreign materials filtering, foreign materials collected in a foreign materials filtering space can be easily removed under a filter unit is separated from or is mounted at a filter cover unit. As a result, can be solved the conventional problems that a net filter has to be kept inside out at the time of a cleaning process to cause a user's hands to become dirty, and there is a difficulty in removing foreign materials from the net filter due to a fibrous characteristic of the net filter. Accordingly, a cleaning operation for the foreign materials filtering apparatus can be facilitated.
US07882706B2
The present invention provides an easy and convenient way of cooling or chilling beverage containers. An ice mold is filled with water. The water is froze in the ice mold to form a block of ice having at least one beverage recess formed therein. The block of ice is removed from the ice mold and placed in the basin of the sink such that the block of ice is closely supported by the basin of the sink and beverage containers can be received in the beverage recesses in the block of ice.
US07882688B2
A unique formulation for yarn from a novel combination of fibers of polyester and silver which is made by a special manufacturing process including proprietary individual steps. The formed yarn product is durable and useful and can be used to make various fabrics and/or materials and, most particularly, to make final products that possess highly advanced characteristics, particularly fire retardant properties and antimicrobial properties.
US07882683B2
Waste-processing and transportation systems and methods are described. An exemplary waste processing and transportation system (10) comprises a receiving area (20) where loose waste (28) is delivered, a baler (22) for processing the loose waste (28) into waste bales (34), and a loading area (26) where the waste bales (34) are loaded onto a transport vehicle (e.g., a barge 36). A loader (32a) may operate in the receiving area (20) to load the loose waste (28) into the baler (22). At least one material handler (42a) may be configured to move the waste bales (34) onto the transport vehicle (36) for transport to a waste transfer facility (14). The waste bales (34) are configured such that the waste bales are unloaded from the transport vehicle (36) at the waste transfer facility (14) and loaded onto other transport vehicles (e.g., railcars 38) without further processing of the waste bales (34).
US07882681B2
Rotary screwtop container capping arrangement designed to screw screw caps onto screwtop containers having neck rings which support the containers during capping. The capping arrangement has a cam arrangement having a guide roller located in a control groove having top and bottom guide surfaces. A lifting element or rod is connected to the cam arrangement and is moved up and down in a controlled manner to control the lifting and lowering of a container.
US07882680B2
An automated pharmaceutical product packaging machine simultaneously fills a plurality of product package templates in parallel with desired pharmaceutical dosing requirements. The templates are subsequently positioned over a temporary storage template having cavities for receiving solid pharmaceutical doses. A collector member is subsequently placed beneath the temporary storage template for receiving the pharmaceuticals which in turn is positioned over a solid pharmaceutical product package having a plurality of cavities which correspond to openings on the templates and wherein each of the templates fills a pharmaceutical package.
US07882669B2
A composite concrete shear wall for heat insulation comprises a wall (1) and a link beam (2). The wall (1) is composed of a prefabricated concrete wall for heat insulation (11) and a cast-in-place concrete wall. The prefabricated concrete wall (11) is a concrete panel (5), one surface of which is covered with heat insulation layer (4), and steel members (14) are embedded in the prefabricated concrete wall (11). One end of the steel members is embedded in concrete panels, and the other is projected from the heat insulation layer. The steel members are connected and located along the prefabricated concrete wall to form a framework of steel reinforcement. The prefabricated concrete wall (11) and the cast-in-place concrete wall (12) are cast and folded to be an integral.
US07882664B2
Provided herein is a unitary U-shaped cladding component that surrounds three sides of a deck-mounted skylight frame. In one embodiment, the frame includes a pair of longitudinal members, each of which has a locking mechanism (such as a bendable tab or rotatable latch) on its exterior side near one end. The locking mechanism engages a corresponding lock-receiving slot of the side panels of the cladding component. In another embodiment, the cladding component includes a locking mechanism (such as a bendable tab) on the exterior surface of each end. The locking mechanisms engage corresponding apertures in a head flashing member. Skylight including these cladding components are also provided, as are methods of installing such cladding components.
US07882663B2
A water runoff deflector for use at a loading dock includes a seal suspended from a wall-mounted frame. A truck can back underneath the deflector so that the seal rests atop the truck's roof. The seal helps prevent water (snow, rain, ice, slush, etc.) on the truck's roof from flowing off the back end of the truck and spilling into the building. The seal helps block any water flowing along the truck's roof toward the doorway of the dock and redirects the flow off to either side of the truck. The deflector can be used in conjunction with or without a conventional dock seal or dock shelter. Unique front and rear bumper designs along with a pivotally yieldable frame make the runoff deflector particularly useful in adapting to trucks of various heights. In some cases, the front bumper includes multiple panels of different rigidity to ensure smooth truck departures.
US07882658B2
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are directed towards improved mounting structures and methods for formation of window regulator systems for vehicles. In one exemplary embodiment, a mounting structure for a window regulator system is provided. The mounting structure includes a main body defining cavity for rotatably receiving a portion of a pulley; and an engagement feature depending away from the main body, the engagement feature engaging the portion of the pulley and preventing movement of the pulley away from the main body, the engagement feature being substantially free of fasteners for preventing movement of the portion of the pulley away from the main body.
US07882656B2
An artificial seed is provided. The artificial seed includes a seed shell having a live end, a dead end and a perimeter. A nutritive media disposed within the seed shell. The artificial seed also includes a restraint disposed within the seed shell and having a cavity housing an embryo. A primary end seal is attached to the live end of the seed shell. The artificial seed further includes an end seal disposed on the dead end of the seed shell and the end seal has at least three closure axes forming a seal in a direction extending along each one of the closure axes.
US07882651B2
A slide-out card configuration is provided. A presentation section slides outwardly and laterally along the back cover of the card as it is opened. The card may be provided in a packaged form for use as a mailer to deliver advertising to specific recipients by mail. Alternatively, in card form, the present invention provides an integrated gift and greeting card.
US07882650B2
A luggage tag having a card case, a connecting part, and at least one cover is described. A first end of the cover is disposed with an engaging element, the engaging element is slightly larger than the body of the cover, two sides of the body of the cover each forms a locking corner at a position to which the engaging element is connected. The engaging element includes a groove or pressed line where the body can be lifted, which connects with the two sides thereof, and the cover is divided along the groove or pressed line into two parts, namely the engaging element and the body. The card case has at least one open face; a first end thereof corresponding to the engaging element includes an engaging cavity in a limiting unit. The engaging cavity corresponding to the locking corners is disposed with a lock, and the second end of the open face is disposed with a locking groove. When assembled, the cover will cover the open face thereby avoiding direct exposure of the information on the card.
US07882638B2
A process for manufacturing a bearing. The bearing may be used in a tool disposed within a bore hole. The process comprises providing a tubular sleeve and applying a hard facing material on the outer diameter of the tubular sleeve so that the hard facing material is fused onto the outer diameter, and thereafter applying a material layer on the outer diameter so that the material layer is fused onto the outer diameter. The method further includes machining the outer diameter so that a portion of the material layer is removed, and then machining the inner diameter so that only the hard facing material is left as an inner diameter. The method further includes machining the outer diameter and the inner diameter in order to form the bearing. In the most preferred embodiment, the method further includes placing the bearing into a housing, and inserting a mandrel into the bearing, and wherein a hard coating of the mandrel abuts the bearing. A mud motor for rotating a bit in a well bore is also disclosed.
US07882633B2
Disclosed is a method for machining the bearing seats (HL, PL) of shafts (1), especially crankshafts. According to said method, the bearing seats (HL, PL) are subjected to the following machining operations after initially shaping a shaft (1) in a forging or casting process: the bearing seats (HL, PL) are preformed by cutting the same using a specific cutting edge; they are hardened; they are passed through dressing rollers; they are subjected to a preliminary rotary milling process; and they are subjected to a final rotary milling process. The preliminary and the final rotary milling process are carried out during substantially an entire rotation of the shaft (1) without longitudinally or tangentially advancing the milling cutter (12).
US07882622B2
An apparatus and method for fabricating continuous cathode collecters for use in lithium/thionyl chloride and lithium/sulfuryl chloride cells is described. The preferred electrically conductive material is acetylene black mixed with a polytetrafluroethylene (PTFE) binder in a dry, powderized form. The collector substrate is a nickel or stainless steel foil that has been expanded into a mesh or otherwise provided with perforations. A centering adjustment of the collector substrate controls loading of the electrically conductive mixture onto each side thereof. The dry, powdered electrically conductive mixture is then continuously fed into the calender and formed into a collector structure by locking to itself through the collector substrate perforations before being cut to size.
US07882619B2
Stator coils are inclined with respect to the axial direction of annularly arranged coil holding portions and such that at least parts of the stator coils overlap one another. In setting the stator coils on the coil holder, the stator coils are sequentially set on the coil holder in a predetermined direction, which is a coil setting direction, from the starting stator coil so as to overlap one another. The second section of the ending stator coil is set at the same position as a position where the first section of the starting stator coil is set in the circumferential direction or at a position advanced from the position where the first section of the starting stator coil is set in the circumferential direction. The ending stator coil is set on the coil holder to be further inward than the starting stator coil. Therefore, stator coils are evenly arranged.
US07882618B2
Methods of fabricating magnetic read heads are provided which reduce the width of the scratch exposure region of a read head. During normal fabrication processes, a read head is formed with a first shield, a read element formed on the first shield, and hard bias layers formed on either side of the read element. The width of the read elements and the hard bias layers define an initial scratch exposure region. According to embodiments herein, a mask structure is formed to protect the read element and first portions of the hard bias layers proximate to the read element. A removal process is then performed to remove second portions of the hard bias layers that are not protected by the mask structure, which defines a final scratch exposure region that is smaller than the initial scratch exposure region.
US07882611B2
A thin film sensor, such as a glucose sensor, is provided for transcutaneous placement at a selected site within the body of a patient. The sensor includes several sensor layers that include conductive layers and includes a proximal segment defining conductive contacts adapted for electrical connection to a suitable monitor, and a distal segment with sensor electrodes for transcutaneous placement. The sensor electrode layers are disposed generally above each other, for example with the reference electrode above the working electrode and the working electrode above the counter electrode. The electrode layers are separated by dielectric layer.
US07882597B2
A clip is described for securing a strap to a housing having a slot for receiving the clip and a feature near the slot. The clip comprises a tab, a loop and a cover. The tab is shaped to fit in the slot on the housing. The loop defines an opening to receive a strap, at least a portion of the loop extending away from the housing to provide clearance for the strap. The cover is shaped to fit over the feature when the tab is inserted in the slot, the cover extending at an angle to the tab. In another embodiment, a clip is described as comprising a loop and tab. The loop defines an opening to receive a strap. The tab is shaped to fit in a slot on a housing, the tab having a first end attached to and spaced from a first edge of the loop, a second end of the tab extending in the same general direction as the loop, wherein the gap between a portion of the loop closest to the second end of the tab and the second end of the tab is less than the gap between the first edge of the loop and the first end of the tab such that when the tab is pressed into the slot, the second end of the tab is flexed away from the second end of the loop.
US07882577B2
A mobile sanitary system has a transportable platform, in particular a chassis, on which a plurality of sanitary elements are arranged. A number of technical supply devices are situated on the platform. According to one aspect of the invention, the technical supply devices are arranged in a central region of the platform, which region is surrounded all the way around by the plurality of sanitary elements.
US07882571B2
A golf glove has a number of regions formed of a leather-like material, connected with a more flexible region of spandex-like material. A thumb region has a base portion at least substantially surrounded by the flexible region. The thumb region further includes an auxiliary support structure on a portion of the thumb region providing additional support to the thumb of a user and anti-twist functionality reducing or eliminating movement of the glove relative to the thumb of a user. In addition, a grip region can extend from a wrist end of the glove substantially to finger tips of a little finger portion, a ring finger portion, and a middle finger portion of the glove.
US07886365B2
In a content-log analyzing system, content includes additional information indicating, according to a property of the content, whether or not to record communication of the content in a content-log. When transmitting content to a TV or a PC, a data-communication controlling device judges whether or not to record the communication in a content-log based upon additional information of the content, and when judging affirmatively, generates and stores content-log information. A content-log analyzing server obtains the content-log stored in the data-communication controlling device, and analyzes the obtained content-log.
US07886343B2
Authenticating a third party client system prior to providing Internet access via an Internet access point. In a distributed computing system including an Internet access point, an authentication service, and a third party client system, an authentication service receives an authorization request from a third party client system. The authorization request is initiated in response to a single action being performed by a user of the third party client system. The user is not required to manually submit any identification information. The authorization request includes a unique client identifier for identifying the third party client system. The method also includes verifying that the third party client system associated with the unique client identifier is authorized to access the Internet via the Internet access point. If the third party client system is authorized to access the Internet, Internet access is provided to the third party client system.
US07886328B2
The invention concerns a protocol for broadcasting to a terminal (T) audio-visual materials (PG) from an audio-visual server, comprising a signalling source (SS) and an audio-visual source (SAV). The protocol consists, via an IP network, in acquiring (A) a descriptive file of the source (SS), in acquiring (B) from the source (SS) based on the file SDP, a broadcast signalling channel (SC), and in receiving (C) on said terminal from the signalling channel (SC) at least a digital data flow supporting the audio-visual materials (PG). The invention is useful for broadcasting audio-visual materials on INTERNET.
US07886326B2
A web cam system has a local end computer coupled to a local end web cam, and a remote end computer coupled to a remote end web cam, with the computers coupled to a network and communicating with each other via a messaging application. A facial expression of a local end user is captured at the local end web cam. A control signal that corresponds to the captured facial expression is generated at the local end computer, and then transferred via the network to the remote end computer, which generates an indication signal to an indicator at the remote end web cam. A response is output at the indicator that is indicative of the captured facial expression.
US07886325B2
Systems and methods for dynamically allocating bandwidth in a digital broadband delivery system are disclosed. One example method includes receiving information describing subscriber requests for content delivery, receiving bandwidth allocation criteria, and processing the information describing subscriber requests and the bandwidth allocation criteria according to a statistical model. The bandwidth allocation criteria comprise at least one of subscriber pricing information, content delivery mode information, and program content information. The processing produces a bandwidth allocation schedule in which one of a plurality of content delivery modes is assigned to each of a plurality of digital transmission channels for each of a plurality of time periods.
US07886321B2
A method and apparatus for computing a schedule of channels is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of accepting a series of commands to tune a plurality of channels sequentially from an ordered schedule of channels; determining a duration of a time period between each of the series of commands; and prioritizing the schedule of channels according to the duration of the time period during which each channel is tuned. The apparatus comprises a user interface for accepting a series of commands to tune a plurality of channels sequentially from an ordered schedule of channels and a processor, communicatively coupled to a memory, the processor implementing a timer for determining a duration of a time period during which each channel is tuned and prioritizing the schedule of channels according to the duration of the time period during which each channel is tuned.
US07886319B2
The present invention provides a system for providing alternative services in a television system. In one implementation, a subscriber is provided an alternative service upon attempting to access an unauthorized service, thereby providing a framework for efficient control of conditional access and enhanced services. In addition, in one implementation, user device limitations or variations are handled conveniently through the same multi-purpose system for providing alternative services.
US07886314B2
To assuredly determine whether a shutter pinches a disk in a disk device including a shutter at a disk insertion slot. A shutter control device 10 includes a pinch determining unit 14 that determines whether the disk is pinched by the shutter based on a position of the shutter during a process of closing the shutter, and a sensitivity changing unit that sets sensitivity of determination to be high as ambient temperature of a shutter driving mechanism increases.
US07886312B2
A computer program product having code for invoking remote objects in a data processing system including generating a serialized byte stream containing the remote object and its arguments, responsive to executing a remote object call. The serialized byte stream is sent to a server containing the object. Responsive to receiving a second serialized byte stream containing a result produced by the remote object and determining the presence of a second remote object, in the second byte stream, for which no reference can be found, using information contained in second serialized byte stream to determine the class type of the second remote object. A proxy compatible with the second remote object's class type, if not already existing, is automatically generated and compiled on the client or, if the proxy does exist, is loaded at run time to call the second remote object.
US07886304B1
A method of implementing in a general purpose computer system, a remote procedure call between an application and a target application is described. The target application is one of a plurality of second applications. The first application generates a first message, the first message having a message body and a thread ID of the target application. The first application writes the first message to a shared memory. The target application to polls the shared memory, and reads the first message from the shared memory. The target application generates a second message, the second message having a message body and a thread ID of the target application. The target application writes the second message to the shared memory. The first application polls the shared memory and reads the second message from the shared memory. The first message may be sent in response to the second message, vice versa, or asynchronously.
US07886302B2
A method and system for monitoring the CPU time consumed by a software agent operating in a computer system. A resource tracking process is executed on the system. When an operating agent is detected, an agent lifetime timer is initialized. Then, CPU resources for the agent are identified and stored. Checks are made at predetermined intervals to determine if the agent is still alive. When the agent terminates, a measurement is made of the CPU time utilized by the agent. The measurement is then stored in memory.
US07886296B2
A system and method for summarizing jobs for a user group is provided. In one embodiment, a job manager is operable to invoke an alert filter. The alert filter is compatible with a plurality operating environments. One or more properties of a first job associated with a first operating environment is identified. One or more properties of a second job associated with a second operating environment is identified. The first operating environment and the second operating environment are heterogeneous. A first alert object is generated in response to a first match between the alert filter and the identified properties of the first job. A second alert object is generated in response to a second match between the alert filter and the identified properties of the second job.
US07886290B2
When a user interface of a parent software application is modified such that user interface components of an add-in application are not compatible with the parent application user interface, user interface components associated with functionalities of the add-in application are added to the modified parent application user interface. A prior user interface of the parent application to which the add-in application user interface components are added is run in a background of the parent application and is not visible to users. User interface components in the parent application user interface are linked to corresponding add-in application user interface components in the prior user interface. Selection of a user interface component from the present user interface that is associated with an add-in application functionality causes selection of a corresponding user interface component in the background user interface, and the associated add-in functionality is executed.
US07886289B2
Systems and methods that supply extensibility mechanisms for analysis services, via a plug-in component that enables additional functionalities. The plug-in component provide additional custom logic for the analysis services unified dimensional model (UDM). Accordingly, server functionalities can be extended in an agile manner, and without a requirement for a new release, for example.
US07886276B2
A method, program, and information processing apparatus for detecting an inconsistency in an application program before the application program is implemented. The described is detecting a consistency or inconsistency in the design of screen transition of an application program, by generating a control flow graph for the application program, calculating from the control flow graph the solution of dataflow problem which occurs in the application program, detecting an inconsistency in the application program on the basis of the calculated solution, and displaying information concerning a detected inconsistency.
US07886274B2
Comparison indices each for two components incorporated in a source program are used for easy and quantitative evaluation of functional redundancy in the program, effective and accurate extraction of redundant code segments from the program and also effective and accurate extraction of components to be modified simultaneously. A tree T is entered and an initial level of functional redundancy m(P) is set at 0 in a program P expressed by the tree T. The top node of the tree T is selected as a node N. A specific computation is performed for the top node selected as the node N with attribute information including the similarity and the number of children of the node N to obtain a level α. The level α is added to the functional redundancy m(P). The specific computation is performed for every node in the tree T, to obtain functional redundancy m(P) including the total of α for all nodes.
US07886266B2
The subject disclosure pertains to systems and methods for personalization of a recognizer. In general, recognizers can be used to classify input data. During personalization, a recognizer is provided with samples specific to a user, entity or format to improve performance for the specific user, entity or format. Biased regularization can be utilized during personalization to maintain recognizer performance for non-user specific input. In one aspect, regularization can be biased to the original parameters of the recognizer, such that the recognizer is not modified excessively during personalization.
US07886262B2
A system and a method of maximizing the manufacturing yield of integrated circuit (“IC”) design using IC fabrication process simulation driven layout optimization is described. An IC design layout is automatically modified through formulation of a layout optimization problem utilizing the results of layout fabrication process compliance analysis tools. The modification of layout is performed adaptively and iteratively to make an IC layout less susceptible to yield issues while maintaining design rule correctness and minimal circuit performance impact.
US07886257B2
Systems and methods for hierarchical noise analysis of digital circuits, wherein analysis of a cell is based on the configuration of the cell itself and also the upstream circuit components that are connected to the inputs of the cell. One embodiment comprises a method for noise analysis in an electronic circuit such as a digital CMOS circuit. The method includes identifying a cell and identifying the inputs of the cell. For each of the inputs of the cell, a corresponding first upstream circuit component is identified. The identified component is the first component upstream from the cell's input and is directly connected to the input. A noise analysis for the cell is performed based upon the configuration of the cell in combination with the identified upstream circuit components. The result of the analysis for the combination of the cell and the upstream circuit components can then be stored.
US07886253B2
A design structure that performs iterative synthesis of an integrated circuit design to attain power closure is described. In one embodiment, the design structure is embodied in a computer readable medium and has the capability to initially synthesized an integrated circuit design to satisfy timing and power constraints. Results from the initial synthesis are fed back into the synthesis process where specific nodes in the circuit design are targeted to satisfy the timing and power constraints. Selected nodes in the circuit design are worked on in an iterative manner until it has been determined that all of selected nodes have undergone evaluation for satisfying timing and power constraints. Once all of the selected nodes have undergone evaluation for satisfying timing and power constraints, then a final netlist representing the circuit design is generated.
US07886250B2
The purpose of the present invention is to realize reduction of power consumption of reconfigurable integrated circuits such as FPGAs by decreasing leakage current in SRAMs.A reconfigurable integrated circuit is provided which includes transistors and comprises a first switch with an input terminal, an output terminal, and a control terminal, a first memory with a memory cell connected to the control terminal of the first switch, a second switch capable of shutting down a power supply line or a ground line of the first memory, and a second memory to control the second switch, wherein a value to open the second switch is written into the second memory when the first switch is not operated, thereby shutting down the power supply line or the ground line of the first memory.
US07886248B2
The present invention is a method that a redundant via is never added afterwards for a signal wiring or a clock wiring, but layout is performed using a multi-cut via from the beginning, which is used for laying out a semiconductor integrated circuit by a step (S32) of searching a wiring route that layout is possible using a multi-cut via regarding a net in a net list, a step (S33) of laying out a wiring corresponding to the net on the wiring route with using the multi-cut via, and a step (S70) of creating layout data of the semiconductor integrated circuit by repeating the steps S32 and S33.
US07886247B2
In one embodiment, the invention is a method and apparatus for statistical path selection for at-speed testing. One embodiment of a method for selecting a path of an integrated circuit chip for at-speed testing includes computing a process coverage metric for a plurality of paths in the integrated circuit chip and selecting at least one path that maximizes the process coverage metric.
US07886246B2
Methods for identifying failing timing requirements in a digital design. The method includes identifying at least one timing test in the digital design that has a passing slack in a base process corner and a failing slack in a different process corner. The method further includes computing a sensitivity of the failing slack to each of a plurality of variables and comparing each sensitivity to a respective sensitivity threshold. If the sensitivity of at least one of the variables is greater than the respective sensitivity threshold, then the at least one timing test is considered to fail.
US07886235B2
A real-time interactive document summarization system which allows the user to continuously control the amount of detail to be included in a document summary.
US07886233B2
A text input method is described for an electronic apparatus having a user interface with text input means and a display screen. Word completion functionality is provided for predicting word candidates for partial word inputs made by the user with the text input means. The method involves receiving a partial word input from the user and deriving a set of word completion candidates using the word completion functionality. Each of the word completion candidates in the set has a prefix and a suffix, wherein the prefix corresponds to the partial word input. The method also involves presenting the suffices for at least a sub set of the word completion candidates in a predetermined area on the display screen, wherein each of the presented suffices is made selectable for the user.
US07886230B2
A scale and associated methods automatically identify when a food product pricing scale is in an offline condition and changes a color condition on the scale display to alert scale operators of the offline condition.
US07886222B2
A method of developing a software prototype for and by a non-programmer user enters user-inputs into a UI in natural language including documentation requirements and user's business logic. The UI has access to a database, and optionally to text files, spreadsheets, data in xml format and user's business logic information. A parser tool is used for automatically parsing user-inputs into easily processed software components and for automatically converting said inputs into an XML (Extensible Mark up Language) document. The XML document is converted into a XSLT document to form data base tables, and, the user selectively initiates validation, data retrieval and information storage. The user-input may be partially a voice input, assisted by a voice-to-text converter. The inputs may use the help of an AI robot. A user without any programming knowledge can create a software application which may be in real time, without any intermediary professional software help.
US07886221B1
A technique for storing web site data in a plurality of storages, each for storing data to be used for defining a range of one of a plurality of web site dimensions, and storing a plurality of web site templates in a web site template storage, each of the web site templates including a set of characteristics for one or more of the plurality of web site dimensions, all of the characteristics for each of the web site dimensions at least in part defining a subset of the web site data stored in the storage corresponding to the dimension.
US07886220B2
A document can contain multiple print layers. Different layers can be combined to produce different document versions. In this manner, a document can have an English version and a Spanish version sharing graphics layers but having different text layers. A document version specification can be used for producing a certain version of the document. Some documents, however, have many layers and desired layer combinations. A set of document version specifications can be used to ensure that all the desired versions are produced without any version being forgotten or any undesired version being produced. Dividing the layers amongst a set of layer groups helps in creating the specifications. A set of rules can be submitted to a rule module to automatically generate the desired specifications.
US07886219B2
A computer system and method for generating a plurality of unique forms, such as invoices or medical claim forms, that may be populated with data to produce test forms for testing automatic document processing systems. A blank form image is selected, and a layout data file is created that includes information on the locations of data fields on the blank form image, data types, and the formatting of data in the data fields. Corresponding data fields on each form are populated with different data sets comprising pre-defined data, random data or a combination of data to create a plurality different forms for the testing of the document processing system.
US07886218B2
A method of post processing a rendered HTML web page includes receiving a rendered web page, parsing the web page to identify resources that the web page includes links to, grouping the identified resources according to a type of resource, creating a resource reference that refers to each group of resources, and inserting the resource reference into the web page to enable the identified resources in the web page to be retrieved.
US07886208B2
An apparatus is provided for decoding a Low-Density Parity Check (LDPC) code in a communication system. In the LDPC decoding apparatus, an edge memory stores a message delivered through an edge between a variable node and a check node. A node memory stores a node value. A node processor performs a node processing operation using information stored in at least one of the node memory and the edge memory, stores a check node value generated by performing the node processing operation in the node memory, and stores a message generated by performing the node processing operation in the edge memory. A switch switches outputs of the node memory and the node processor through a permutation operation. A parity check verifier parity-checks an output from the node memory. A controller provides a control signal for controlling the node processor.
US07886206B2
A semiconductor memory test device and method thereof are provided. The example semiconductor memory test device may include a fail memory configured to store at least one test result of a memory under test, a mode selecting unit configured to output a selection signal for selecting a memory address protocol of the fail memory based upon which one of a plurality of test modes is active in the memory under test and an address arranging unit configured to arrange address signals to conform with the selected memory address protocol in response to the selection signal received from the mode selecting unit.
US07886200B1
Preventing continued distribution of a software update that is causing problems in computers is a challenging problem, particularly where the update causes a catastrophic failure such that the problem cannot be reported by the computer since the computer has been completely disabled. To manage this problem, when an update is delivered for installation, it first installs a program and configures it to execute at a specified reporting time. When that time is reached, the program sends a positive operations notification to the update server indicating that the program is okay or sends a notification that the program is okay so far, but the user is now shutting down the computer. The number of notifications received is tracked by the system in comparison to the number of software updates sent. If the notifications received are smaller than expected, the update may be causing catastrophic failures in the computers, preventing the sending of the notification, and thus the system can take corrective action to manage this problem early on, before more problematic updates are sent out.
US07886192B2
A system and method for fast system recovery that bypasses diagnostic routines by disconnecting failed hardware from the system before rebooting. Failed hardware and hardware that will be affected by removal of the failed hardware of the system are disconnected from the system. The system is restarted, and because the failed hardware is disconnected, diagnostic routines may safely be eliminated from the reboot process.
US07886191B2
A method for rebooting a system having a plurality of execution units in a safe operating mode; after receiving a request signal, the signals delivered by the execution units are compared with one another as a function of a comparison operation to detect a signal deviation.
US07886189B2
To provide a mobile terminal apparatus with the lower communication cost in sending a log at the occurrence of a malfunction, abnormality or fault in the mobile terminal apparatus to a network. A diagnostic process for the malfunction is performed in accordance with a diagnostic policy acquired from the outside. An error code corresponding to the diagnostic result is generated. The generated error code is outputted. With an automatic fault diagnostic function of automatically analyzing the fault in the mobile terminal apparatus without directly sending the log collected in the mobile terminal apparatus to an analytic server, the communication cost can be reduced.
US07886187B2
The present invention provides a computer implemented method and apparatus for unmounting file systems from a plurality of file servers. The method comprises of issuing an unmount command targeting a file system of a first server among the plurality of file servers. The timeout period is then expired without receiving an unmount acknowledgement associated with the unmount command. Thus, the timeout period is associated with an allowable time for the file system to acknowledge unmounting. In response to expiring the timeout period, a ping is transmitted to the first server among the plurality of file servers. The ping timeout then expires based on a failure to receive a ping acknowledgment corresponding to the ping. This action marks the first server for a later retry of unmounting to form a marked set based on the first server.
US07886184B2
One aspect of the invention is a method for configuring an array of storage devices to reduce the probability of data loss due to clustered storage device failures in the array. An example of this method includes identifying all storage devices in a primary set of storage devices and a first mirror set of storage devices in the array of storage devices. This example also includes obtaining data regarding each identified storage device. This example further includes determining if any of the storage devices in the primary set of storage devices has a vital characteristic that is the same as a vital characteristic of any of the storage devices in the first mirror set of storage devices, and if so, indicating an array configuration error, and if not, continuing the configuration.
US07886183B2
In one embodiment, a system comprises a plurality of nodes. On each node, a storage virtualization component may receive the I/O operations generated from local applications on the node. The storage virtualization component may transmit the I/O operation, and detect any failures that occur in the I/O operations. If a failure is detected, the storage virtualization component may cooperate with other storage virtualization components on other nodes to successfully complete an I/O operation that experiences a failure. In one embodiment, if the I/O operation is successful on a remote node, the storage virtualization component may migrate the application that sourced the I/O operation to the remote node. In other embodiments, the storage virtualization component may monitor I/O operations and migrate the application after a pattern of local failures and successes on the remote node.
US07886182B1
An apparatus and a method that prevent a split-brain problem by preventing a cluster partner from accessing and serving data when the cluster partner is taken over by a storage server, while allowing early release of reservations on the cluster partner's storage devices before control is given back to the cluster partner.
US07886170B2
The conventional techniques cannot set optimal energy saving modes separately for a plurality of loads and can hardly attain further suppression of power consumption. To accomplish this, in an image forming apparatus including a main circuit board which has a master CPU and controls the operation of the entire image forming apparatus, and a plurality of sub circuit boards each have a slave CPU and control each corresponding control target, the operating condition of each slave CPU is stored in correspondence with the operation mode of the image forming apparatus, and, upon being notified of the operation modes of the image forming apparatus, the slave CPU of each of the plurality of sub circuit boards sets the operation status of the slave CPU by referring to the table of the operation modes.
US07886165B2
A system and method is described that allows a PoE-capable switch to selectively provide power to one or more remote devices in an instance where power being supplied to the switch itself is limited or failing. In one embodiment, the switch receives a notification from an uninterruptable power supply (UPS) and, in response to receiving the notification, selectively provides power to one or more devices powered by the switch. Selectively providing power to one or more of the devices may include providing power to only a subset of the devices, providing a different amount of power to different ones of the devices, or providing power for different durations to different ones of the devices. In an alternate embodiment, in response to receiving the notification, the switch communicates with a remote device and causes the remote device to activate at least one power saving feature.
US07886162B2
A method, computer program product, and data processing system for executing larger-than-physical-memory applications while protecting sensitive program code (and also data) from unauthorized access in a memory space not subject to protection fault or page fault detection are disclosed. Large applications are accommodated by providing a mechanism for secure program overlays, in which a single large application is broken into two or more smaller applications (overlays) that can be executed from the same memory space by overwriting one of the smaller applications with another of the smaller applications when the latter needs to be executed. So that the data may be shared among these smaller applications, each of the applications contains embedded cryptographic keys, which may be used to encrypt or decrypt information to be stored persistently while control is transferred from one application to the other.
US07886156B2
A secure universal transaction system includes an operations and resource component, at least one communication device for enabling user interaction with the operations and resource component, and a secure token associated with each user of the system. The operations and resource component includes a first biometric security component, a second security component, and a communication component for enabling secure communication between the operations and resource component and at least one network. Each communication device includes a wired or wireless token interface, a biometric reader for enabling a user to input a biometric reading, a wired or wireless communication component for enabling communication between the communication device and the operations and resource component, a user input device, and an output device. Each secure token includes a token security component for generating a security code and a data storage component for storing user data. User access to the operations and resource component is permitted only when the secure token is interfaced with the token interface of the communication device, the biometric reading entered by the user matches a biometric reading associated with the secure token in the biometric security component of the operations and resource component, and the security code generated by the token security component matches a corresponding security code associated with the secure token in the second security component of the operations and resource component.
US07886154B2
The present invention provides a method, apparatus, and computer instructions for warning of a presence of a person in a zone having an inadequate security clearance. Movement of the person in the zone is detected. A message is broadcast to selected data processing systems associated with the zone, wherein the data processing systems initiate actions to protect data in the selected data processing systems.
US07886152B2
For embedding watermark information into an information signal including audio and/or video information, first of all a synchronization sequence with a plurality of synchronization sequence units and a data sequence with a plurality of data sequence units are provided, wherein between the data sequence and the synchronization sequence a time shift is present and wherein a degree of shifting depends on the watermark information. A combination means generates a combination sequence having a plurality of combination sequence units from the synchronization sequence and the data sequence shifted with regard to the synchronization sequence, wherein the combination sequence units are derived from synchronization sequence units and shifted data sequence units. The combination sequence is combined with the information signal in order to embed the watermark information into the information signal. A watermark extractor receives a synchronization sequence correlation peak for every data sequence correlation peak associated with the same and therefore determines the watermark information on the basis of the time interval between the synchronization sequence correlation peak and the data sequence correlation peak in a secure and robust way. The concept is robust, provides a high data rate and is simultaneously flexible with regard to the weighting of synchronization energy and data energy and with regard to the robustness on the one hand and data rate on the other hand, respectively.
US07886151B2
A protocol for temporal synchronization of media signals with temporal components is used for digital watermarking and other applications. The synchronization protocol achieves initial synchronization by finding an initial synchronization key through analysis of a temporal media signal stream. It then uses features of the stream and a queue of one or more keys from previous frames to derive subsequent keys to maintain synchronization. If synchronization is lost due to channel errors or attacks, for example, the protocol uses the initial synchronization key to re-establish synchronization. In digital watermarking applications, the synchronization protocol is agnostic to the watermark embedding and reading functions.
US07886149B2
Techniques for assigning a network address to a host are based on authentication for a physical connection between the host and an intermediate device. One approach involves receiving first data at the intermediate device from an authentication and authorization server in response to a request for authentication for the physical connection. The first data indicates at least some of authentication and authorization information. A configuration request message from the host is also received at the intermediate device. The configuration request message is for discovering a logical network address for the host. A second message is generated based on the configuration request message and the first data. The second message is sent to a configuration server that provides the logical network address for the host. The configuration server is then able to provide the logical network address based on authorization and authentication information.
US07886139B2
A method and system that enable system firmware to efficiently boot an operating system (OS) and/or client program from a network-connected Internet Small Computer Systems Interface (iSCSI) device. The method generally comprises: (1) defining the firmware representation of the iSCSI device within the hierarchical data structure that represents the system hardware; and (2) extending the network support package to accommodate additional boot arguments that allow system firmware to acquire the information required for booting from the network-connected iSCSI device, while utilizing one of the existing discovery protocols.
US07886138B2
Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems and methods for accessing and modifying device firmware.
US07886135B1
Instructions asserted in a microprocessors instruction pipeline (3) are accompanied by control information, comprising a group of bits, asserted within a control information pipeline (5) that is synchronized to the instruction pipeline. At the execution stage, the control information is interpreted and appropriate action taken. The control information may indicate that the instruction has been reasserted (asserted again following an initial assertion) and may also indicate the number of times that the instruction has been consecutively asserted in the instruction pipeline. Applied to unaligned memory operations, in which a memory atom is asserted twice, the control information indicates which part of the unaligned data is to be fetched each time the atom is executed.
US07886124B2
Disclosed is a system and method for implementing space management for large objects stored in the computing system. According to some approaches, storage of large objects are managed by dynamically creating contiguous chunks of storage space of varying lengths. The length of each chunk may vary depending upon object size being stored, fragmentation of the storage space, available free space, and/or expected length of the object.
US07886123B2
A memory card is attached to a host device, and includes a data control circuit which transfers data with respect to the host device in synchronism with a rise edge and a fall edge of a clock signal.
US07886107B2
A data processor that erases data stored in a storage device includes an erase information storage unit that stores an erase information indicating a description of an erasing process having been performed, corresponding to an erase-specified area, after the erasing process for the erase-specified area, being an area specified to be subjected to the erasing process, is performed.
US07886101B2
An interruption control system includes two sense elements, a microprocessor, and a controller. The microprocessor includes two registers, two flip-latches, a multiplexer, and a microcontroller. Each sense element senses a device and sends a sense signal. The corresponding register receives and stores the sense signal. The microcontroller sets an identity signal for each of the registers and controls the each of the flip-latch units to record a data signal of the device. The multiplexer alternately outputs the ID signals and the corresponding data signals to the microcontroller to encode into a datagram. The microcontroller sends the datagram to the controller. The controller is interrupted for decoding the datagram.
US07886096B2
A method, system, and apparatus to hardware initiated throughput (HITM) measurement inside an OCP system using OCP side band signals are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system of an integrated circuit includes a signal line located in the integrated circuit to communicate an electrical signal, a receiver circuit located in the integrated circuit coupled to the signal line, a transmitter module located in the integrated circuit to communicate a data stream to the receiver circuit through the signal line, and a throughput monitor circuit coupled to the signal line to measure a throughput value during a communication period of the data stream from the transmitter module. The system may include a processor module located in the integrated circuit configured to interrupt an operation of the transmitter module and a receiver module if the throughput monitor circuit generates the interrupt signal.
US07886086B2
A method and an apparatus are provided for restricting input/output device peer-to-peer operations in a data processing system to improve reliability, availability, and serviceability. A peer-to-peer (P2P) control logic is provided to perform a lookup of P2P lookup table entries. Each P2P lookup table entry comprises bus, device and function number fields, optional control fields, and an accept/reject bit. Upon receiving a communication request from a requesting I/O device, P2P control logic implemented in either a logical bridge or an I/O device identifies the requester ID of the request and determines if a match exists in the P2P lookup table entries. If a match is found and the accept/reject bit is enabled, I/O operations can be received from the requester.
US07886081B2
A USB communication system, a USB device, and a method of error detection for the USB communication system; with which an error of any breaking of physical connection in USB communication can be detected no matter where the breaking happens, and furthermore an error due to logical communication disconnection can also be detected.In a USB communication system constructed by connecting a host apparatus 2 and a card reader 1 with a USB cable 3, the card reader 1 may include: means for executing a bus reset as a preprocessing for setting a logical connection line with the host apparatus 2, means for measuring a time while the card reader 1 is in a bus reset status, and means for executing an operation of interrupting communication voluntarily according to a measuring result of the means for measuring the time.
US07886080B2
In one embodiment, a method for managing topology changes in a Layer 2 network is provided. The method may comprise receiving a change notification at a provider edge bridging device and associating the change notification with a customer service. The method may further comprise identifying at least one destination provider edge bridging device associated with the customer service, encapsulating the change notification in a data frame and tunnelling the data frame over a tunnel comprising at least one core device to the at least one destination provider edge bridging device associated with the customer service, the at least one core bridging device tunnelling the data frame based on information relating to the destination provider edge bridging device.
US07886078B2
A low cost communication apparatus enables detection of an apparatus present on a different network in a router multistage network having a plurality of routers. When a communication apparatus cannot detect, on a network thereof, a desired apparatus, the communication apparatus requests a connection support server securing communication paths with all the apparatuses on a home network, to relay an apparatus detection request. The connection support server transfers the request to relay the apparatus detection request, to an arbitrary apparatus belonging to a different network from the network to which the communication apparatus belongs, and the arbitrary apparatus, by proxy, performs an apparatus detection, and transfers information about a detected apparatus to the connection support server. By obtaining the information from the connection support server, the communication apparatus detects the apparatus on the different network.
US07886076B2
Methods, systems and computer program products for load balancing using Mobile Internet Protocol (IP) Version 6 are provided. A request for a connection is received from a client at a routing stack. A Mobile IP Version 6 Binding Update message is transmitted from the routing stack to the client responsive to the received request. The Binding Update message identifies a selected target stack so as to allow the client to communicate directly with the target stack bypassing the routing stack.
US07886075B2
A mobile router and a correspondent router, each configured for routing services for nodes within their routing prefixes associated with their respective routing tables, establish a secure, bidirectional tunnel based on a messaging protocol between each other and a route server resource. A reactive (i.e., on-demand) protocol is used that enables the requesting device (e.g, the mobile router, correspondent router), to obtain routing information in a secure manner from the route server. The mobile router sends a query via its home agent to the route server resource to identify the correspondent router serving the correspondent node. The mobile router sends a binding update request, specifying a home address and care-of address for the mobile router, to the correspondent router for establishment of a bidirectional tunnel. The correspondent router establishes the bidirectional tunnel, and updates its routing tables based on information from the route server resource.
US07886073B2
In one embodiment, a method includes requesting accelerated delivery of a specified media stream. The media stream contains a plurality of video frames. The method also includes receiving a response to the accelerated delivery request and selecting, based on the response, a source media stream. The method also includes receiving the source media stream into a buffer and decoding the received media stream from the buffer, at a selected playout rate.
US07886070B2
A method includes the steps of: detecting a request from a client to restart a streamed multimedia presentation from a new starting point; determining if an update to a source file of the streamed multimedia presentation is available; if the update is available: closing the source file, opening the update, and establishing a link to the existing data channel; locating the new starting point of the streamed multimedia presentation; and streaming the multimedia presentation from the new starting point.
US07886068B1
Various methods and apparatuses for storing a streaming media data play list in a cache memory are described. A streaming media data play list comprises a plurality of streaming media data entries associated with a single data pointer and the streaming media data entries comprise header data and payload data. In particular embodiments, a method for storing a streaming media data play list in a cache memory comprises receiving the streaming media data play list from a streaming media server, and storing the media data in the cache memory.
US07886065B1
Providing security for a network is disclosed. Network traffic associated with a host is monitored. If an activity pattern associated with a reboot of the host is observed, access by the host to the network is restricted based at least in part on the observed activity pattern.
US07886060B2
Methods among nodes of a computer network for establishing a connection between the server and the client. A client node sends a session-invitation message to a server node. The session-invitation message is a message in a first protocol that establishes a channel at the level of the first protocol between the client and the server according to parameters of the session-invitation message that specify characteristics of session in a second protocol. An intermediary node of the network adding new information to the session-invitation message requesting modification of the session policies, and transmits the session-invitation message to the server node. The server receives the session-invitation message, and sends a provisional response back to the client, and holding in abeyance a success or failure response to the session-invitation, without establishing a channel at the level of the first protocol if no such channel is previously established, and without disrupting a channel at the level of the first protocol if such channel has been previously established. When the client receives the provisional response, it reconfigures the characteristics of the session of the second protocol, and sends an amended request to the server. When the server receives the amended request, the server sends a success or failure response to the client, the content of the response being based at least in part on the amended session-invitation, and being of a form defined in the protocol as being an appropriate response form for reply to the original session-invitation message.
US07886045B2
Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for generating song playlists for use in an immersive virtual environment. Generally, playlists may be generated based on stored music preference data. The music preference data may be generated by storing user interactions with specific songs. The user interactions may be associated with characteristics of the user's situational context within the virtual world. The music preference data may be indexed by song name, and/or by musical properties. Subsequently, the music preference data may be used to generate a playlist adapted to the user's current situation within the virtual world.
US07886044B2
There is disclosed a network system in which the position, attribute, and status of a desired device on a network can visually comprehensibly be grasped. A server manages location information indicating information on the device position in a hierarchical manner and attribute information from the device. Each device holds a plurality of status information (icon information) in accordance with various statuses of the device. A client holds map information corresponding to each class of the location information, and overlaps and outputs (display output) device status information obtained by communication by a polling system with the device detected by search in the server, and map information corresponding to the location information of the device.
US07886043B1
Methods and apparatus for rating Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) are disclosed. The method includes determining a request size pertaining to a length of the URL to be rated and for generating a rating request message containing the URL. The rating request message is a DNS (domain name system) message if the request size is less than or equal to a predefined size limitation, and the rating request message is a HTTP (hypertext transfer protocol) message if the request size is greater than the predefined size limitation.
US07886040B2
An Information Technology (IT) system display method and computer program product. A description is provided of a configuration of devices, network segments, and vertical connectors relating to an IT structure. The devices are initially distributed to form a distribution of the devices in a matrix representing a display screen. A defined goal value of the configuration is a function of a length and weight of each network segment, a length and weight of each vertical connector, and a penalty for each crossing of a device by a network segment. An overlay pattern of the network segments and the vertical connectors overlayed on the matrix is displayed in accordance with the description and the final distribution of the devices in the matrix. The goal value for the final distribution is lower than for the initial distribution. The final distribution is displayed on the display screen together with the overlay pattern.
US07886029B2
An online test platform facilitates the configuration, development, delivery, and management of educational tests with interactive participation by students, teachers, proctors, and administrators even when some or all of them are remotely located. The platform may include an installation protocol to configure a computing facility and prevent other applications from executing during an exam, administrator interfaces, test proctor interfaces, and test taker (e.g. student) interfaces to allow each participant to view, navigate, and interact with aspects of the online test platform that are intended to meet their needs.
US07886022B2
Contention in a distributed processor computer system with a replicated message environment is reduced. The system comprises processor consumers intercommunicating via a server interface that receives a message from a producer. The server favors one consumer, marks the message accordingly, communicates the marked message to the system, and delays the processing in another consumer beyond a predetermined time, for example the time normally taken to process a message.
US07886021B2
Systems and methods for providing a development and deployment platform for Software as a Service (SaaS) providers are disclosed. The platform may provide an application programming interface (API) through which customers may configure virtualized grids of language-level virtual machines (VMs), networks, and storage resources. A grid may be horizontally scalable and programmatically configurable by a customer and/or customer code. The platform may allow dynamic scaling of resources (up and down) to match changing demands, by allowing customers and/or customer code to programmatically alter their own system level structure at runtime, through the API. The grid may be accessed by both on-grid and off-grid processes, through internal and external connectivity resources provided by the platform. The platform may provide common utilities for end-user services, deployment operations, and development tasks (e.g., debugging), and may include frameworks and macro-components (e.g. web servers). The platform may host long-running Internet-based services and/or one-shot computational services.
US07886019B2
Computer implemented method, system, and computer usable program code for handling service requests. A service request is received at one service provider of a plurality of service providers, each service provider adapted to receive service requests from service requesters and being in communication with middleware software and with one another. The received service request is sent to one service acceptor of a plurality of service acceptors, each also being in communication with the middleware software and with one another. If the one service acceptor is able to process the request, the one service acceptor processes the request and sends a response back to the one service provider and to each other of the plurality of service acceptors. If the one service acceptor is unable to process the request, the one service acceptor determines if another service acceptor is able to process the request and notifies the middleware software. A service acceptor that is able to process the request accepts and processes the request and provides a result. Overall Service Requestors, Service Providers, Service Stations (middleware) and Service Acceptors communicate among themselves and maintain respective logs to further make it the invention as an automated process.
US07886012B2
Summarization of text in a document may be requested in dependence upon the position of the text in relation to other text within the document or the position of the document containing the text within a plurality of documents in a document structure. Summarization of text in a document may also be requested in dependence upon a user's interaction with an application in conjunction with a version of the document or with a document structure including the document. Different levels of summarization may be applied to different segments of text within a document.
US07885999B2
Systems and methods for personalizing devices using data objects in a manner that deters theft and provides a mechanism for finding lost devices are described. In one embodiment, one of the methods includes uniquely registering a device and an owner of the device with the system. The method further includes personalizing the registered device to include lost and found information, such as by creating an image data object to include the information or providing a text data object that includes the information. In another method, a lost and found tracking service is used to receive a report of a found device from a finder and to determine an associated owner of the found device in order to contact the owner and convey information regarding the finder.
US07885996B2
According to one aspect of the present invention, a system is provided for implementing notifications in a framework to support web-based applications. The system comprising a set of server-side objects managed by an object manager (OM). The system further comprises a set of browser-side objects running on a browser. The system also comprises a remote procedure call (RPC) mechanism to enable re-targeting of methods from browser-side objects to server-side objects. The system additionally comprises a data transmission mechanism to facilitate transmission of notifications from server-side objects to browser-side objects.
US07885992B2
A computer system comprises a processing unit configured to process fixed size data words comprising at least one exponent field of variable size and a mantissa of variable size; an input device configured to provide data words to the processing unit; and an output device configured to output data words processed by the processing unit.
US07885986B2
Improved browsing experience in social bookmarking by leveraging aspects of self tagging and prediction. Quality recommendations are provided for sites of interest to the user and information about what types of people like the current website. Self-tagging is used as an effective means to perform personalized searches. Machine learning and reasoning is employed to predict self-tags based on a website visited and/or website behavior, and self-tags associated with a website and/or webpage based on content of that website and/or webpage. The architecture can be embodied as a browser utility to leverage and extend social-bookmarking information. The utility facilitates the display of information related to a summary view of the users who liked/disliked the current page or website, a tag cloud associated with webpages, and a recommendation button that causes self-tag recommendations to be displayed and that recommends links based on the combination of user tags and content.
US07885981B2
System and method for generating automatic user interface for arbitrarily complex or large databases
A software system automatically and dynamically generates a fully functional user interface (UI) based upon, and connected directly to, an underlying data model (as instantiated within a relational database management system (RDBMS)). The UI derives from an automated interrogation of the RDBMS, and comprises all mode displays (e.g., browse, search, edit, add) for all tables, and a full complement of mechanisms—integrated directly into the mode displays—for representing, navigating, and managing relationships across tables, regardless of the complexity of the underlying RDBMS schema. It utilizes a hierarchical “context stack” for suspending the working state of a particular table while “drilling down” to work with related-table information and return relevant changes to the base table. The embodiment further provides methods to enhance and extend the internal representation of table structures, constraints, relationships, and-special requirements (“business rules”) for improved revelation of the schema structure through external interrogation.
US07885976B2
A device for limiting access to data in a database includes an input for receiving a request to access data in a database and a processor that is communicatively coupled to the input and allows access to the data in the database. A data counter for counting an instantaneous rate of data flow and/or a volume of data accessed and a comparator for determining if the data flow and/or the volume of data accessed in the database exceeds a previously specified value is also included, wherein the processor disallows access to the data in the database in response to the instantaneous rate and/or the volume of data exceeding the previously specified value.
US07885974B2
An online service provider (OSP) operates online data centers to store members' data objects relating to various online member services of the OSP. An aggregated catalog lists members' data objects residing in the online data centers and also those residing in member computers' local storage. An aggregator monitors contents of the online storage facilities to detect new storage of prescribed types of data objects owned by the members, and also communicates with member computers to identify prescribed types of data objects newly stored in the respective local storage. The aggregator updates the aggregated catalog to list the newly stored data objects. Responsive to a request by a member, a finder searches the aggregated catalog and utilizes results of the search to provide, for display at the requesting member's computer, a consolidated listing of online data objects and locally stored data objects owned by the requesting member.
US07885973B2
A computer method and system generates inquires. The method and system provide a plurality of templates. Each template outlines a respective inquiry and is associated with one or more semantic types or contexts. Each template has one or more parameters for defining a query instance of the respective inquiry. User input selects a template from the plurality and specifies values for the parameters of the user selected template. Using the user selected template and the user-specified parameter values, an instance of a query is produced. Each template, is associated with semantic types during template construction. The semantic types may be based on classes in an ontology. Template construction may include templatizing prior existing or other queries to create respective templates. In application or use of a template, query generation may be during modeling of a certain domain, and the produced query is for information about the certain domain. Parameter value selection may be automated or assisted by the system based on the model context where the template is instantiated.
US07885969B2
The invention pertains to a system and method for dispatching and executing the compute-intensive parts of the workflow for database queries on an attached high-performance, parallel computing platform. The performance overhead for moving the required data and results between the database platform and the high-performance computing platform where the workload is executed is amortized in several ways, for example, by exploiting the fine-grained parallelism and superior hardware performance on the parallel computing platform for speeding up compute-intensive calculations, by using in-memory data structures on the parallel computing platform to cache data sets between a sequence of time-lagged queries on the same data, so that these queries can be processed without further data transfer overheads, by replicating data within the parallel computing platform so that multiple independent queries on the same target data set can be simultaneously processed using independent parallel partitions of the high-performance computing platform. A specific embodiment of this invention was used for deploying a bio-informatics application involving gene and protein sequence matching using the Smith-Waterman algorithm on a database system connected via an Ethernet local area network to a parallel supercomputer.
US07885952B2
The subject disclosure pertains to systems and methods that facilitate detection of cloaked web pages. Commercial value of search terms and/or queries can be indicative of the likelihood that web pages associated with the keywords or queries are cloaked. Commercial value can be determined based upon popularity of terms and/or advertisement market value as established based upon advertising revenue, fees and the like. Commercial value can be utilized in conjunction with term frequency difference analysis to identify a cloaked page automatically. In addition, commercial values of terms associated with web pages can be used to order or prioritize web pages for further analysis.
US07885948B2
As incoming communications are received, a priority or significance level can be assigned to each communication. A communication determined to have a high priority can be presented to a user at substantially the same time as receiving the communication. A communication having a low priority can be placed in a low priority folder or flagged differently from a high priority communication (e.g., different color-coding). Behavior of a user as it relates to a received communication can be observed for learning purposes or to modify one or more classifications or priority levels.
US07885947B2
A solution (200) for discovering inventory information in a data processing system is proposed. For this purpose, a corresponding discovery request is submitted (A1) to an inventory tool (200); the discovery request specifies a selected query pattern for the desired inventory information (for example, all the files included in a specific directory). Multiple providers (210)—such as of the interactive, cached or monitor type—are available for executing the required discovery operation. A predictive model (220) is associated with each provider; the models are used to estimate (A2,A3a,A3b-A4) the expected performance of the different providers for discovering the inventory information (according to the selected query pattern). In this way, it is possible to select (A5-A9) the provider, among the available ones, which is best suited for this purpose. The selected provider is then invoked (A10-A12) to discover the inventory information matching the selected query pattern. At the same time, the result of the discovery is used to refine (A13-A14) the models of the providers, so as to improve their accuracy.
US07885942B2
A solution is provided for determining traffic patterns involving a web page or property of interest in a computer network. This includes receiving path data regarding the web page or property of interest. Then, the number of visits to each of the other pages or properties visited by users in a session that included a visit to the web page or property of interest is counted. Then, from the path data and the counts, an aggregated data structure is constructed including, for each of the other web pages or properties visited by users in a session that included a visit to the web page or property of interest, visit count information and information regarding which web page or property within the network users visited next, if any. Then one or more metrics directed to traffic surrounding the web page or property of interest is provided using information from the aggregated data structure.
US07885937B2
A presence management system may communicate contact information with mapped values. Contact information may be stored in a hierarchical, extensible structure (“hierarchical extensible contact structure”). Devices in a presence management system utilize a mapping scheme to map contact values (e.g., e-mail address, phone number, etc.) to the appropriate field of the hierarchical extensible contact structure. When devices in the presence management system communicate information for thousands of contacts, employing mapped values to navigate the hierarchical extensible contact structure reduces the size of the messages, thus reducing resource consumption (e.g., bandwidth), particularly on the scale of an enterprise.
US07885934B2
An improved method and apparatus for auditing database queries, wherein comments are added by a server prior to the server forwarding the queries to the database system. The comments are then used to derive audit information, which is correlated with other audit information in a different server, to produce a more complete audit record.
US07885931B2
An apparatus and method for processing a data backup service of a mobile terminal. The apparatus and method backs-up data files stored in a mobile terminal in a backup server over a wireless Internet. The backup server is capable of backing-up resource information of the mobile terminal. The apparatus and method comprise a) checking setup backup resources during a backup setup procedure, and attempting to establish a connection to the backup server; b) analyzing category information of data to be transmitted to the backup server after connecting to the backup server, determining the number of references if the data category is equal to data including iterative information, and determining a division interval on the basis of a file size and performing data synchronization if the data category is equal to data including binary data. The apparatus and method further comprise c) separately storing the synchronization data serving as the iterative information and combining the separately-stored results when the synchronization data is determined to be iterative information, or divisionally storing the synchronization data, combining the divisionally-stored results, and transmitting the combined result when the synchronization data is determined to be divisionally-designated data; and d) terminating a backup operation of the mobile terminal when the backup server generates a response signal after the data is transmitted to the backup server.
US07885927B2
A system and computer program product for transferring N table instances X1, X2, . . . , XN of a table T from a source database S to destination databases D1, D2, . . . , DN, respectively. The method is implemented by executing a computer code by a processor of a computer system. N is at least 1. For I=1, 2, . . . , N the method includes: determining whether the table T has been defined for destination database DI, and if it is determined that the table T has not been defined for the destination database DI then defining the table T for the destination database DI; and transferring the instance XI of the N table instances from the source database S into the defined table T of the destination database DI.
US07885919B2
A minimized journaling mechanism stores minimized journal data in a format that allows for display and outputting the journal data in human-readable form. When a change to a record occurs, instead of writing only the changed bytes, all of the bytes in each field that changed are written to the journal, along with all of the bytes in each field selected to be always journaled. A default object is created with default data in all of the fields. When the journal entry needs to be output in human-readable form, the default object is read, and the minimized journal entry is then overlaid on the default object. The result is an object that contains default data in all non-selected fields that were not changed, with the journal data in all fields and that did change and in all fields that were selected to always be journaled.
US07885904B2
A method of selecting and presenting content on a first system based on user preferences learned on a second system is provided. The method includes receiving a user's input for identifying items of the second content system and, in response thereto, presenting a subset of items of the second content system and receiving the user's selection actions thereof. The method includes analyzing the selected items to learn the user's content preferences for the content of the second content system and determining a relationship between the content of the first and second content systems to determine preferences relevant to items of the first content system. The method includes, in response subsequent user input for items of the first content system, selecting and ordering a collection of items of the first content system based on the user's learned content preferences determined to be relevant to the items of the first content system.
US07885901B2
A method, apparatus, and system are directed towards seeding a user's contacts for their online social network. The invention is arranged to automatically recommend to the user a set of seed contacts that the user may employ to invite to join their social network. The set of seed contacts may be harvested from the user's existing portal activities, as well as other sources. In one embodiment, the invention analyzes portal activity, such as email exchanges with the user, and the like, to determine a frequency of contact with the user. Other sources may include but not be limited to emails, names within an address book of the user, names within an address book of another person, a buddy list, an instant messaging list, an activity, a mailing list, an online discussion group, a membership in a category, chat group, and the like.
US07885896B2
The present method for authorizing a substitute software license server allows the software provider to approve the temporarily usage of the customer's substitute license server to process application file usage requests when the host license server fails. The host license server is assigned a unique host identification for authorizing simultaneous usage of a plurality of application files having the same host identification, thus preventing a substitute license server from authorizing usage of the plurality of application files without obtaining host identification. A software provider server connected to the substitute license server via a network connection downloads a temporary identification and application files having the temporary identification to the substitute license server to allow the substitute license server to process the application file usage requests that are received by the substitute license controller.
US07885890B2
A credit approval and authorization system includes a credit request device, such as a terminal, located in a sales location, such as a store. The credit request device is operable to receive customer-related information, including a credit request, and to communicate the customer-related information to a credit analysis module. If the credit request is approved by the credit analysis module, the credit analysis module generates a conditional offer and the credit request device directs the customer to a point of sale system, such as a cash register, within the sales location, for manual verification of the customer's identity by an employee of the merchant. If the conditional offer is accepted and the identity of the customer is verified at the point of sale system, an activation module operates to establish a credit account. The system also includes an authorization module operable to determine whether to authorize use of the credit account to make a purchase.
US07885887B2
The present invention is directed to a system and method for raising financing and/or revenue by artist for a project, where the project may be a creative work of the artist. The method including registering, by at least one artist, with a centralized database, at least one or more projects, offering, by the at least one artist, an entitlement related to the artist in exchange for capital for the project of the artist. The method and system may also include searching, by an interested party, the centralized database, for the least one artist, registering, by the interested party, with the centralized database and accepting the offer by the interested party for the entitlement related to the project. The capital may then be forwarded to the artist and the entitlement provided to the interested party.
US07885880B1
A user may generate a digital image of a negotiable instrument such as a check. The digital image may be transmitted to an institution in a digital image file for deposit of the check. After the user selects to submit the digital image file, the digital image file may be sent from a user computing device to the institution. The user computing device may be decoupled from the transaction once the submission of the digital image file for deposit of the check is made. The transaction is thereafter managed by the institution. Incomplete transactions are avoided by moving the transaction processing to the server side at the institution after the user submits the digital image file. This may be referred to as an atomic deposit transaction.
US07885879B1
To protect a person with a property interest in real property against a loss of market value thereof, a base market value of the real property is determined at a current time when the property interest in the real property arises or thereafter, and a number of types of events that cause the real property to lose market value as compared with the base market value are defined. A number of the defined types of events are selected, and a real estate market value policy is issued to the person at about the current time. The policy promises to compensate the person for any loss experienced by the person if the real property loses market value as compared with the base market value based on any of the selected types of events.
US07885869B2
It is an object of the present invention to enable a buyer to collectively manage information related to a variety of commercial transactions performed by the buyer as well as to the settlements for these transactions. The calendar server 25 supplies a calendar screen to a buyer system 3 that is used by the buyer 1. This calendar screen has electronic invoices addressed to the buyer 1, which are issued by the supplier system 7, and electronic deposit/withdrawal detailed statement of the buyer's deposit account, which are issued by a banking system 13, pasted in the spaces for the relevant dates. When the buyer 1 selects an arbitrary invoice on this calendar screen and inputs his or her approval of this invoice, an account transfer telegraphic message for payment of this invoice is automatically sent to the banking system 13. The calendar server 25 manages the status of each invoice (“opened”, “payment request in progress”, “paid”), and notifies the supplier system 7 and banking system 13 of this invoice status. The calendar server 25 also supplements news such as advertisements which are sent by the supplier system 7 and banking system 13, and so forth, selects news following the buyer's consumption trends, and pastes this news in the spaces on the calendar screen which pertain to dates that slightly precede dates on which buyer consumption other forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
US07885866B2
A time-phased reutilization of configured products is provided. Partially configured products are detected. Each partially configured product is analyzed to determine if the partially configured product is a valid partially configured product, suitable for being modified into other configurations. A time phased management process is applied to the valid partially configured product.
US07885861B2
Automated electronic document design systems and methods for generating matching customized product designs and preparing images of matching customized products in a montage for displaying to a user.
US07885851B2
A method for determining an optimal number of lottery retailers is disclosed. The optimal number of lottery retailers for a region can be determined based households of the same segmentations purchasing lottery products similarly, and there is a strong correlation between lottery agent density (population/retailers) and per capita lottery sales. The lottery agent density (LAD) necessary to produce high per capita sales can be identified and applied to all markets of that household segmentation.
US07885849B2
A system and method for determining and identifying demand for items based on observing behavior of trendsetters within a member population, such as an online community. The trendsetters are determined by studying historical adoption behavior of a group within the member population.
US07885845B2
A system for biasing suggested room and/or resource search results based on user behavior related to rescheduling and/or canceling existing resource reservations. The system uses historical data, statistical analysis, and heuristics to generate suggestions as to which users may be willing and/or able to give up their existing resource reservations for a particular time slot. By monitoring which users reschedule and/or cancel existing reservations, and how often they do so, the system is able to provide a user in need of a previously reserved room/resource with a prioritized list indicating which other users with existing resource reservations during the desired time slot are relatively more likely to cancel their reservations, and/or to transfer their reservations to the scheduling user.
US07885842B1
Embodiments of the present invention pertain to prioritizing services based on business objectives is described. According to one embodiment, a probability of a service violation occurring within a predetermined time period is determined based on a service level jeopardy threshold being exceeded. The probability of a service violation corresponds to an incident. An alignment of the service level violation with a business objective is computed based on the probability of the service level violation. The incident is prioritized based on the alignment.
US07885839B2
This invention relates to an electronic means by which people can select the exact seat or seats they want for any type of event or reserve an appointment for any activity. More specifically, a customer or a ticket re-seller or a venue operator can go, for example, to the internet and select the event or activity for which he wants a ticket or tickets or reserve a time and reserve and order the exact seat or seats or the time of his choosing directly online. The seat or seats or reserved time he selects is then removed from the inventory for that activity or event and made not available for any other buyer and such is so indicated by a graphical representation or other such indicator on the online map or picture representing availability of seating or time for that event.
US07885836B2
An integrated payment system directed to the care of a subject and method of same is described herein. This system and method includes a care planner for accurately approximating the costs for the subject during the course of care, an insurance verifier and estimator that identifies the portion of the costs for the subject that is covered by the subjects insurance, wherein the approximated costs less the covered insurance leaves a subject payment, a discount planner that evaluates the application of at least one discount to the subject payment, and a payment planner that enables a payment arrangement for the subject for the subject payment less any applied discounts. Increased functionality of the payment system is achieved using automated integration of the care planner, the insurance verifier and estimator, the discount planner and the payment planner and providing the ability communicating in and among at least two of the care planner, the insurance verifier and estimator, the discount planner and the payment planner.
US07885832B2
An insurance policy having a dormancy provision is provided in which the dormancy provision enables a policyholder to activate and deactivate benefits provided under the insurance policy. Also provided is a method for enabling a holder of an insurance policy with a dormancy provision to activate and deactivate benefits of an insurance policy, and includes purchasing an insurance policy having a dormancy provision and a set of associated benefits, paying premiums to maintain the set of benefits in an active state, deactivating the set of benefits; paying dormancy premiums to maintain the set of deactivated benefits in a deactivated state, and reactivating the set of deactivated benefits.
US07885822B2
A system for transferring electronic medical files is provided, such as for providing for patient file integrity and continuity in a telemedicine system. The system includes a record server that has a medical record data file for each patient, wherein each patient's medical record data file holds medical record data for that patient. A record client coupled to the record server receives the medical record data file. The medical record data is encapsulated to prevent modification of the medical record data, thus providing for integrity and continuity of the patient's medical record.
US07885815B2
A system for access to multimedia structures has telephone sets capable of connecting to a telephone network, a storage device capable of storing a plurality of multimedia structures representing messages and/or data and/or commands, and a network access server that can be associated with the telephone sets and is capable of selectively instantiating the multimedia structures via an interconnection network. There is also a voice-recognition and speech-synthesis system that can be associated with the network access server and that comprises modules for reading files in XML format and for processing the files so as to obtain files in a format that can be synthesized by a speech synthesizer.
US07885810B1
An acoustic signal enhancement method is disclosed. The acoustic signal enhancement method comprises the steps of applying a spectral transformation on a frame derived from an input acoustic signal to generate a spectral representation of the frame, estimating an a posteriori SNR and an a priori SNR of the frame, determining an a priori SNR limit for the frame, limiting the a priori SNR with the a priori SNR limit to generate a final a priori SNR for the frame, determining a spectral gain for the frame according to the a posteriori SNR and the final a priori SNR, and applying the spectral gain on the spectral representation of the frame so as to generate an enhanced spectral representation of the frame. One of the characteristics of the acoustic signal enhancement method is that the a priori SNR limit is a function of frequency.
US07885802B2
A method is provided for simulating a complex system including a scheduler hierarchy. The complex system includes at least one processor that executes a set of functions under the control of a hierarchical group of schedulers. The method includes a step of constructing an architectural model of the complex system comprising a hierarchical group of components, each of said components comprising an instance of an object class belonging to the group containing: a first class, known as the Processor class, which represents an abstract model of any processor included in the complex system, a second class, known as the Function class, which represents an abstract model of any function executed by the complex system; and a third class, known as the Scheduler class, which represents an abstract model of any scheduler. Each instance is initialized with at least one attribute that characterizes the behavior desired therefrom.
US07885781B2
Methods, systems, and computer program products are disclosed for acquiring test data from an electronic circuit by mounting a probe adjacent to a capture point on an electronic circuit board, capturing by the probe an electronic signal of the electronic circuit, digitizing by the probe the captured signal, and transmitting by the probe the digitized signal from the probe through a data communications connection to a remote device. Acquiring test data from an electronic circuit also includes storing by the probe the digitized signal in the probe. Acquiring test data from an electronic circuit may include processing by the probe the digitized signal. Acquiring test data from an electronic circuit also may include synchronizing acquisition of test data by the probe with acquisition of test data by one or more other probes.
US07885780B2
The invention relates to an operating device for testing torque wrenches with a data storage. A carrier is provided for fixing a torque wrench to be tested. A transducer is arranged at the carrier and coupled to the head portion of the torque wrench to be tested. A grip holder arranged on the carrier fixes the grip of the torque wrench to be tested. A deflecting mechanism generates a torque on the head portion of the torque wrench to be tested. A communication unit is coupled to the data storage of the torque wrench for data exchange.
US07885779B2
A measurement error correcting method and electronic component characteristic measuring device capable of accurately coping with an electronic component which includes nonsignal line ports and whose electrical characteristics are changed by a jig. The method includes the steps of measuring an electrical characteristic, with correcting-data-acquisition samples mounted on a test jig enabling measuring nonsignal line ports, and the samples mounted on a reference jig; measuring a through device in which a signal line port and a nonsignal line port are electrically connected to each other; determining a numerical expression for calculating, from results of measurement on the test jig, an estimated electrical characteristic value obtained on the reference jig; measuring an arbitrary electronic component, on the test jig; and calculating the estimated electrical characteristic value obtained on the reference jig.
US07885775B2
The invention proposes a method of processing a noisy digital time signal yk corresponding to an initial time signal xt after having been conditioned by a conditioning chain, the said initial signal xt representing information about radiations coming from a radiation source, these radiations having an energy distribution, characterised in that a state model is implemented, representing the conditioning imposed by the said chain to pass from the initial time signal xt to the noisy digital time signal yk in order to obtain from the noisy digital time signal yk a non-noisy digital estimate signal of the initial time signal xt.The invention furthermore proposes a system capable of implementing said method.
US07885772B2
The IT and FT values for coal and coke samples can be accurately predicted by applying equations to determine ST and HT temperatures. For reducing atmospheres, the equations are IT=C1×ST−C2×HT+C3 and FT=C4×HT−C5×ST+C6. For oxidizing atmospheres, the equations are IT=C7×ST−C8×HT+C9 and FT=C10×HT−C11×ST+C12. IT is the initial deformation temperature. ST is the softening temperature. HT is the hemispherical temperature. FT is the fluid temperature. C1-C12 are constants determined by multi-linear regression coefficient analytical techniques on a collection of data.
US07885770B2
Set up methods, analysis methods and monitoring methods for capillary gel arrays are provided which rigorously determine the number of capillaries for which standards should be used and/or the capillaries in which standards should not be considered and/or for which performance is impaired. The invention includes methods for monitoring capillary gel array performance in which the capillary gel array performs, on a plurality of occasions, a size based separation on an unknown sample in one or more capillaries, a size based separation on a second standard in those one or more capillaries, and a size based separation on a standard in one or more other capillaries, comprising comparing the results of the sample to the results of the standards in which variation in a characteristic of the results from the capillaries provided with the standard are considered with time and variation of the characteristic outside a predetermined position to determine if one or more of the capillaries of the array are providing reduced performance. The invention provides rigour to the results obtained from capillary gel array analysis and prevents analysis being carried out on arrays which have developed problems or broken down.
US07885769B2
Reference data are subtracted from corresponding actual measurement data, and unprocessed binding quantity data, each of which represents a quantity of binding of a ligand and each of analytes, are thereby acquired. Calculation is made to find a relationship between the reference data and the unprocessed binding quantity data acquired in cases where the binding does not occur. In accordance with the relationship, variation components, which are contained in the unprocessed binding quantity data, are calculated. The variation components are subtracted from the corresponding unprocessed binding quantity data, and processed binding quantity data are thereby acquired. The processed binding quantity data are utilized for extracting an analyte capable of binding with the ligand.
US07885767B2
In order to estimate the size of an initial population of nucleic acids in a sample of interest, in particular by PCR, the following steps are performed: a) providing a model of the effectiveness (En) of the PCR, the model comprising a constant stage (E0) followed by a non-constant stage, the stages being united by a changeover region having a changeover index (CEEP); b) using the model of effectiveness to express a relationship between the changeover index and a parameter representative of the initial population size; and c) determining the changeover index by comparison with the experimental measurements, and deducing therefrom the initial population size in the sample of interest.
US07885764B2
A method for constructing and revising road maps in a vehicle map database using vehicle location signals to provide traffic flow information for recognized vehicle patterns from past vehicle travel. The method includes identifying vehicle travel segments as a series of exemplar points from the location signals. Exemplar points in each travel segment are eliminated to define the travel segment by a beginning exemplar point and an ending exemplar point. A potential ending exemplar point may be redefined if an average location of the exemplar points from a line connecting the beginning point and the potential ending point is outside of a threshold distance. The travel segments are stored in a database, where each stored travel segment includes a travel time. The method compares new vehicle travel segments to the stored vehicle travel segments to identify a match, and then revise the vehicle travel time for the stored travel segments.
US07885757B2
There is provided a dither control means that performs a dither control, which compulsively changes an air-fuel ratio alternately to rich side and to lean side by increasing and decreasing fuel injection quantity of an injector (fuel injection valve) in a stepped manner. A predicted value (ideal A/F value ID), which indicates an ideal change of a detection value of an A/F sensor (oxygen concentration sensor) in a case where the A/F sensor is not degraded, is set as a standard value. Then, an integral of a difference between the detection value of the A/F sensor, which changes in accordance with the dither control, and the standard value is calculated. If a calculated value of the integral is larger than a predetermined value, it is determined that the A/F sensor is degraded.
US07885747B2
The present invention provides a system and method for automatically adjusting a continuously variable transmission (CVT) in a motorized vehicle. A microprocessor processor in the vehicle receives data about the operating status of the vehicle from a plurality. Examples of vehicle data include vehicle speed, motor speed, throttle position, current draw from a battery, and battery level. A servo motor is in mechanical communication with the CVT and provides an axial force to adjust the CVT. The microprocessor uses lookup tables of optimal set points for vehicle data to instruct the servo motor to adjust the transmission ratio of the CVT according to the vehicle data provided by the sensors.
US07885744B2
Hardware of each of controllers (11, 12, 13) for controlling a plurality of instruments to be controlled, which are provided in a reach stacker as a heavy duty industrial vehicle, for example, a vehicle body (3), a spreader (9), and a cabin (10), is rendered common. The configuration of driver software for performing basic control is also rendered common. Only the configuration of minimum required application software is constructed to be suitable for the instrument to be controlled. Because of these features, the software of the controllers (11, 12, 13) can be easily changed. Regardless of the instrument to be controlled, as a subject of control, the controllers can be easily used for any instruments to be controlled.
US07885742B2
A target turning angle calculation part 51 calculates a target turning angle δ on the basis of a steering angle θ and a vehicle speed V. A correction turning angle calculation part 52 calculates a transfer function K(s) which is a second transfer function, depending on the vehicle speed V, by using a difference between a transfer function G(s) which is a first transfer function determined on the basis of the specification of the vehicle and a stationary component G(0) of the transfer function G(s), the first transfer function having as an input a turning angle δ and as an output a yaw rate γ of the vehicle, the second transfer function having as an input a target turning rate δ*′ obtained by temporally differentiating the target turning angle δ* and as an output a correction turning angle δc. The correction turning angle calculation part 52 calculates a correction turning angle δc by multiplying the transfer function K(s) by the target turning rate δ*′. A final target turning angle calculation part 53 inputs thereto the target turning angle δ* from the target turning angle calculation part 51 and the correction turning angle δc from the correction turning angle calculation part 52 and calculates a final target turning angle δd by adding the correction turning angle δc to the target turning angle δ*.
US07885740B2
Upon searching control parameter used to adjust damping force of a damper from a map in accordance with damper speed and target damping force decided based on moving condition of the vehicle, the map sets the control parameter, which are relatively higher than the actual damping force characteristics, as map data in the area where the damper speed is less than a predetermined value, the area where the noise has the great influence on the sensor outputs. Therefore, it can be prevented that the control parameter of the damping force is varied largely or varied in a short period by the influence of noise, and the driving stability control of the vehicle can be executed exactly and the noise caused by switching the damping force of the damper can be reduced.
US07885737B2
A hybrid vehicle control system for cutting off fuel to an internal combustion engine of hybrid vehicle while providing smooth transitions from a hybrid drive mode to an electric drive mode is provided. The hybrid vehicle control system includes an integrated controller configured to receive inputs corresponding to vehicle speed and an indicated driving force, and to select an appropriate mode transition pattern from a group of mode transition patters according to the change in indicated driving force.
US07885734B2
A method for detecting an error in input of one of the takeoff parameters into a flight management system includes a step of calculating a limit value based on one or more takeoff parameters input into the flight management system. The method further includes a step of comparing the calculated limit value with characteristic takeoff values.
US07885732B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for haptics-enabled teleoperation of vehicles and other devices, including remotely-controlled air, water, and land-based vehicles, manufacturing robots, and other suitable teleoperable devices. In one embodiment, a system for teleoperation of a vehicle comprises a control component configured to provide position and orientation control with haptic force feedback of the vehicle based on a position measurement of the vehicle and configured to function in a closed-loop feedback manner. In a particular embodiment, the position measurement may include six degree-of-freedom position data provided by a motion capture system to the control and/or haptic I/O components of the application. The system may also use differences in position and/or velocity between the vehicle and a haptic I/O device for feedback control.
US07885730B2
Systems, methods and computer program products for lane change detection and handling of lane keeping torque during an un-signaled lane change. Disclosed herein is an exemplary embodiment for a method including calculating a distance between a center of a vehicle and a center of a lane, determining a discontinuity in the calculation of the distance between the center of the vehicle and the center of a lane and disabling torque corrections to compensate for the discontinuity until the vehicle is near the center (position based) of the new lane and a certain time has elapsed (time based) from the detection of the discontinuity. Hysterisis or smoothly changing torque controls are offered to work with the Time and Position based lane change handling method.
US07885729B2
A control target value calculation portion (42) calculates a control target value for an engine (32) based on a control instruction amount requested by a driver, which is calculated by a driver's instruction amount calculation portion (14), and control instruction amounts requested by control units such as a driver support amount calculation portion (16) and a wheel stability control amount calculation portion (18). A horsepower conversion portion (44) converts the control target value into a control target horsepower. Meanwhile, an allowable horsepower range calculation portion (40) calculates a target instruction horsepower and an allowable horsepower range based on the information from the driver's instruction amount calculation portion (14). Even when an integrated-control involving multiple control units is performed, a monitor portion (46) determines whether the control target derived through conversion is within the allowable horsepower range. Thus, whether the control target is within the allowable horsepower range is easily and accurately determined, and control of a drive source of a vehicle is monitored.
US07885722B2
A method for computer-aided generation of tool parameters for tools for the manufacture of sheet-metal forming parts by way of forming processes, including the following steps: determining a set of geometry features (11, 12, 13, 14, 15) of a part (10) in a geometry model of the part (10); determining an associated method standard for each of the geometry features (11, 12, 13, 14, 15), wherein a method standard comprises at least one module, and a module represents a processing unit and describes which processing unit may be executed within a forming operation; determining components for each of the modules of the method standard, wherein these components describe the parts of tools which are required for realising the module; determining component parameters from geometric parameters of the geometry features (11, 12, 13, 14, 15), wherein the component parameters comprise geometric parameters of the components or of the respective tools.
US07885721B2
According to some embodiments, a first audio stream associated with a first image stream and a second audio stream associated with a second image are determined. The first and second audio streams may each have, for example, at least two channels. The first and second audio streams may then be provided to an audio device as a single input stream, the audio device being adapted to receive a single audio input stream having at least four channels.
US07885719B2
A communication terminal using a flat panel speaker outputs a message of warning, in forms of sound or text shown on display, before outputting sound from the flat panel speaker.
US07885702B2
Diagnostic MR images of the lung are segmented to distinguish the airway tree from lung parenchyma. Diffusion weighted images of the lungs are acquired using hyperpolarized gas MRI and a segmentation image is produced from the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) image calculated from the diffusion weighted images. Voxels in the diagnostic MR images having an ADC above a selected amount are segmented as being in the airway tree.
US07885685B2
Methods of communicating between a mobile unit and a peripheral device are described. In a first embodiment, a method of wireless communication is described. In a second embodiment, an apparatus for wirelessly communicating with a peripheral device is described.
US07885684B2
A wireless handset is provided with enhanced features and capabilities. The wireless handset may be embodied as a full-featured handset that is capable of operating either within a wireless network (such as a cellular or PCS network) or in a direct handset-to-handset communication mode that is independent of the wireless network. Alternatively, the wireless handset may be embodied as a special purpose handset, that is capable of simply operating in a direct handset-to-handset communication mode. The wireless handset may additionally include features for supporting and enhancing direct communication between handsets. Such features may include a find feature that permits a user to determine which objects, including other wireless handset users, are located within a predetermined operating range of the wireless handset. A memorize feature may also be provided to permit handsets and other objects exchange information by wireless transmission.
US07885678B2
An uplink (UL) power control apparatus and method in a broadband wireless communication system are provided. The Mobile Station (MS) includes a power controller for calculating a power compensation value using a last transmit power in a previous closed loop power control when a power control mode is changed to an open loop power control, and determining a transmit power according to the open loop power control using the power compensation value; and a transmitter for adjusting and transmitting the transmit power of a UL signal under control of the power controller.
US07885676B2
A PC card terminal device operates while supplied with power from a computer in which the PC card terminal device is mounted. A transmission power controller determines a first marginal transmission power, and increases the transmission power of the PC card terminal device up to the first marginal transmission power, and further increases the transmission power increased to the first marginal transmission power at an increasing rate smaller than the increasing rate of the above-mentioned increase.
US07885666B2
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for determining the new sample points of the location determination system in a wireless environment. In the training phase, after knowing the distribution of the observed radio signal of a location for a target device, the uncertainty of the probability distribution of the received radio signal is analyzed by a location probability distribution model. The radio signal distribution differences are calculated, and the penalties between the location in question and its nearby locations are also calculated, thereby determining whether a location is the candidate of new sample points or the recalibration points. This invention has nothing to do with decision rules and will not undergo the problems of choosing inappropriate decision rules. It also provides a penalty model for generating penalty of error prediction from one location to another location, which can as well easily mitigate the problem on the sample points with the double-role attribute of the border line.
US07885661B2
Call rating systems and methods using a mobile to mobile database with operator prefixes and a rating key table in which network operators subscribed to by mobile to mobile calling and called parties are identified by database queries and a rating key is obtained according to the prefixes to rate the call according to the rating key value representing agreed discounts for calls between subscribers of mobile network operators and mobile virtual network operators.
US07885655B2
The present invention discloses a switch method ensuring communication continuity, mainly including: when a switch occurs to an Mobile Station (MS), the MSC Server controlling the MGW establishing in a context a new termination connected with a new ground circuit; after the MS switching to a new wireless channel, the MGW controlling the new termination inheriting a resource channel from an original termination connected with an original ground circuit and continuing with the communications through the resource channel. The method of the present invention solves the problem of interruption in an announcement service, a data service and a QNC service caused by a switch process and the communication continuity during a switch procedure is ensured.
US07885631B2
Disclosed is a method for receiving a signal by a receiver in a communication system, the method includes receiving a signal; estimating a first noise value by using a reference signal included in the received signal; estimating a second noise value by using at least one subcarrier which has been unused for a transmission of data and the reference signal; and when a difference between the estimated first noise value and the estimated second noise value is greater than a threshold value, demodulating the data by using an interference removal algorithm.
US07885626B2
A transceiver suitable for larger scale of integration employs direct conversion reception for reducing the number of filters. Also, the number of VCOs is reduced by utilizing dividers to supply a receiver and a transmitter with locally oscillated signals at an RF band. Dividers each having a fixed division ratio are used for generating locally oscillated signals for the receiver, while a divider having a switchable division ratio are used for generating the locally oscillated signal for the transmitter. In addition, a variable gain amplifier for baseband signal is provided with a DC offset voltage detector and a DC offset canceling circuit for supporting high speed data communications to accomplish fast cancellation of a DC offset by eliminating intervention of a filter within a feedback loop for offset cancellation.
US07885623B2
A frequency tunable arrangement (ICT) comprises a tunable oscillator circuit (TOC) that provides an oscillator signal (OS). A controllable frequency divider circuit (CDIV, DBT1, DBT2, DBT3, MUX) provides a frequency-divided signal (MO) on the basis of the oscillator signal. The frequency-divided signal has a frequency that is equal to the frequency of the oscillator signal divided by a division factor. The controllable frequency divider circuit provides any division factor among a set of division factors (4, 5, 6, 7, 8) in which for any division factor a ratio between that division factor and a lower division factor closest thereto, if existing, does not exceed 1.25.
US07885621B2
A receiver according to the present invention includes a first receiving (RCV) quality detector and a second RCV quality detector connected before a combining unit. The second RCV quality detector determines a quality of a signal output from at least one of a first receiving unit and a second receiving unit by a method different from that of the first RCV quality detector. A controller allows the receiver to operate in a single receiving mode when a determination result of the second RCV quality detector is not better than a predetermined level regardless of a determination result of a determination result of the first RCV quality detector not being a predetermined level. When the receiver passes in an area where the receiver cannot receive a broadcast signal, the determination result of the second RCV quality detector is not better than the predetermined level. In response, the controller allows the receiver to operate in the single receiving mode, thereby reducing power consumption of the receiver.
US07885609B2
A multimedia mobile communication system and method capable of updating functions of a multimedia mobile communication terminal is provided, wherein the system and method may add to or modify the functions by modifying a software program. The multimedia mobile communication system and method comprises an intermediate frequency processing unit for correcting an error of an intermediate frequency signal through a convolution coding method or a turbo coding method, downloading a software program and allocating, setting, modifying and upgrading specific functions corresponding to the downloaded software program.
US07885606B2
An apparatus and method for providing measurement assistance in a survey of a wireless communication network includes a first step (1) of defining a scope of measurement targets to complete the survey. A next step (2) includes measuring an RF parameter at a specific spatial coordinate. A next step (3) includes analyzing the measurement to determine if the measurement is valid. A next step (5) includes storing the measurement. A next step (6) includes recommending further measurement locations for survey completeness. A next step (4) includes determining whether the survey is complete. A next step (7) includes implementing the wireless communication network in accordance with the final survey.
US07885603B2
A vehicle control system communication method, including: receiving, at an in-vehicle unit (IVU), a command message from a hand-held unit (HHU), wherein the command message includes a first command frame and a second command frame; and sending, from the IVU, a response message to the HHU, wherein the response message includes a first response frame, wherein the first response frame is sent in a time period between the reception of the first command frame and the reception of the second command frame.
US07885596B2
A document feeder includes a document feed unit that feeds a document along a document feed path extending from a document loading section to a document output section via a scanning position. The document feed unit includes a first feed roller pair nipping and feeding a document opposed to the scanning position at a position downstream in a feed direction from the scanning position, and a second feed roller pair nipping and feeding the document fed by the first feed roller pair at a document feed speed higher than that of the first feed roller pair at a position downstream in the feed direction from the first feed roller pair.
US07885592B2
An apparatus is provided for clearing paper jams in a module along a print path of a printer, the module having nip baffles and a rotatable and removable core element defining a print path therethrough. The apparatus comprises at least one cam, a rotatable handle mechanism and a ramp drive mechanism to facilitate the paper jam clearing and removal of the core element from the module.
US07885587B2
An image forming apparatus includes a control unit to control a latent image support with a target rate; a first unit to detect patterns; plural parts to be detected revolving with the support; a second unit to detect passing of the part; a first generating unit to obtain an amplitude and a phase of fluctuation and a pattern for canceling out the fluctuation from the amplitude and the phase; a second generating unit to perform a process to obtain an amplitude and a phase of fluctuation while the support rotates once or more, perform the process again, calculate a change in the amplitude and phase, and generate another pattern for canceling out the change; and a correcting unit to correct the target rate by superimposing the patterns with the target rate.
US07885575B2
A method for dismounting a coupler from an electrophotographic photosensitive drum flange whose drum is usable with a cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The coupler receives a force rotating the drum from the main assembly when the cartridge is mounted and includes force receiving and spherical portions. The method includes the steps of inclining the coupler relative to a flange rotational axis, pushing a pin from one end to the other end thereof, both of which project from the spherical portion when the inclining step inclines the coupler, making part of the pin ride on a surface of a regulator inside the flange, and dismounting the coupler from the flange by applying a force to a free end of the coupler toward the part of the pin riding on the regulator surface.
US07885574B2
A developing unit and image formation device in which a developer carrier is reliably pressed towards and separated from an image carrier is described. A separation and pressing mechanism is provided for separating and pressing the developer carriers of developing cartridges installed in a drum unit onto image carriers. This separation and pressing mechanism has a pair of direct cam members. Each direct cam member has a release action portion that engages with the releasing projection of a developing cartridge when the developer carrier is to be separated from the image carrier. Each direct cam member may also have a pressing action portion that engages with the pressing projection of the developing cartridges when the developer carrier is to be pressed onto the image carrier.
US07885566B2
A toner consumption-calculating apparatus includes a printed portion area-detecting unit that detects an area of a printed portion of image data of a latent image that is formed on a latent image-bearing member; a latent image portion area-detecting unit that detects an area of a latent image portion on the latent image-bearing member; and a latent image portion toner consumption-calculating unit that calculates latent image portion toner consumption that indicates toner amount that is consumed due to adhering on the latent image portion. The latent image portion toner consumption-calculating unit uses a detection result of the latent image portion area-detecting unit and a detection result of the printed portion area-detecting unit to calculate the latent image portion toner consumption.
US07885560B2
A patch mark-forming unit forms a first patch mark at a first density on a surface. A light emitting unit emits an incident light onto the surface moving. The incident light reflected by the surface is divided into a mirror-reflected light and a diffusion-reflected light on the surface. A first detecting unit detects an amount of the diffusion-reflected light. The patch mark forming unit reforms a second patch mark at a second density weaker than the first density if the amount detected by the first detecting unit is larger than a threshold. A second detecting unit detects an amount of the mirror-reflected light reflected by the surface on which the second patch mark has been reformed. A position calculating unit calculates, based on the amount detected by the second detecting unit, a position at which an image should be formed. An image-forming unit forms an image at the position.
US07885557B2
An electrically isolated temperature sensor for use with a printer, copier, or all-in-one fuser. The fuser includes an AC driven heater to which a thermistor is mounted for sensing the temperature of the fuser heater. A resistance of the thermistor controls the period of a periodic signal generated by an astable multivibrator. An optical isolator isolates the printer fuser from down line processing circuits, and transfers the periodic signal to such processing circuits. The printer fuser employs a separate floating ground that is not connected to other DC circuits of the printer. With this arrangement, any AC power that is inadvertently coupled from the heater to the DC circuits of the fuser is isolated thereto. The AC power is isolated to the fuser and cannot be propagated through the fuser to other down line circuits of the printer.
US07885554B2
A developing device that can be mounted to and dismounted from a mounting and dismounting section provided in an image forming apparatus main unit, the developing device includes: a developing device main unit; a positioning member for positioning the developing device main unit with respect to the mounting and dismounting section by engaging the mounting and dismounting section when the developing device is mounted to the mounting and dismounting section, the positioning member being fixed on a one end side in a longitudinal direction of the developing device main unit; a coupling member that is to be coupled to the mounting and dismounting section when the developing device is mounted to the mounting and dismounting section, the coupling member being attached to the other end side in the longitudinal direction of the developing device main unit in such a manner that its relative position to the developing device main unit can be changed; and an element capable of communication in a noncontacting manner with the image forming apparatus main unit side when the developing device is mounted to the mounting and dismounting section, the element being provided at the one end side in the longitudinal direction of the developing device main unit.
US07885542B2
Systems and methods for signal conversion with smart multitap are disclosed. Embodiments of the systems can be scalable to model different signal topologies, transmission frequencies, bandwidths, and distances. An exemplary embodiment of the systems and methods includes a fiber optic to RF converter and a smart multitap. Although a fiber optic to RF converter is used in exemplary embodiments throughout the disclosure, conversion between other signal topologies is within the scope of the disclosure. The smart multitap includes a multiple tap for distributing a signal to multiple terminals and a microprocessor to select a particular terminal for a signal. Exemplary embodiments include downstream implementations in which a stream is typically sent from a service provider server to a user. Alternative embodiments include downstream implementations as well as upstream implementations in which a user typically sends a stream to a service provider server.
US07885538B2
A digital camera in which a recording portion made up of a microcomputer 110 and a card slot 153 performs predetermined processing on image data generated by a CMOS sensor 130 so that the image data takes on the aspect ratio accepted via an operation portion 140 while in live view mode, or performs predetermined processing on the image data generated by the CMOS sensor 130 so that the image data takes on the aspect ratio of an optical viewfinder while in viewfinder mode. The image data is then stored in a memory card 300. Through this configuration, it is possible to provide a digital camera in which an image of a composition that suits the user's intent can be recorded, as well as in which the image can be recorded having an aspect ratio that the user desires, selected from among a plurality of aspect ratios.
US07885526B2
A target (10, 20) is disclosed suitable for setting the exposure and white balance of a photographic digital camera. The target (10, 20) comprises a target surface (12) that has a reflectance of 18% for all wavelengths of visible light. The target surface (12) is provided with a feature (16) upon which the camera is able to focus.
US07885508B2
An input apparatus that inputs a reproduction speed of a video signal is disclosed. The input apparatus has a position detection section and a control section. The position detection section linearly detects a position that a user's finger has touched. The control section outputs reproduction speed information corresponding to the position detected by the position detection section.
US07885502B2
A disclosed waveguide film cable includes a waveguide formed on a film. The waveguide film cable includes a coating film made of a material having a Young's modulus smaller than or equal to the Young's modulus of a material that forms the film and/or the waveguide and coats partially or entirely the film and/or the waveguide.
US07885499B2
A method comprises: (i) forming a first optical waveguide on a first substrate; (ii) forming a second, structurally discrete optical waveguide on a structurally discrete second substrate; (iii) assembling the second substrate or second optical waveguide with the first substrate or first optical waveguide so that the first and second optical waveguides are positioned between the first and second substrates and are relatively positioned for transferring the optical signal therebetween via optical transverse coupling; and (iv) arranging the first or second optical waveguide for transferring the optical signal therebetween via substantially adiabatic optical transverse coupling with the first and second waveguides so positioned.
US07885481B2
An optical structure 3 having a plurality of minute optical unit areas 4 is formed on a base 2. Each of the minute optical unit areas 4 has a plurality of minute areas A and B storing depth information representing multiple-valued phase information about a Fourier transformation image obtained through the Fourier transformation of an original image. In another embodiment of the present invention, the two adjacent minute optical unit areas 4 have a plurality of minute areas A and B storing depth information representing multiple-valued phase information about Fourier transformation images obtained through the Fourier transformation of different original images, respectively.
US07885472B2
A method of processing information, includes: creating threads for respective input data streams, and switching them for processing, the threads each being for applying predetermined processing to an input data stream and storing the resulting intermediate data into a buffer; and reading multiple pieces of the intermediate data from the respective corresponding buffers to output multiple pieces of output data in parallel. The switching for processing includes: detecting the amount of intermediate data that is stored and yet to be read in the buffers when starting processing the threads; and stopping processing of the thread when the amount of the intermediate data thereof exceeds a set value, and switching processing to other threads.
US07885466B2
Category context models (64) and a universal context model (62) are generated including sums of soft co-occurrences of pairs of visual words in geometric proximity to each other in training images (50) assigned to each category and assigned to all categories, respectively. Context information (76) about an image to be classified (70) are generated including sums of soft co-occurrences of pairs of visual words in geometric proximity to each other in the image to be classified. For each category (82), a comparison is made of (i) closeness of the context information about the image to be classified with the corresponding category context model and (ii) closeness of the context information about the image to be classified with the universal context model. An image category (92) is assigned to the image to be classified being based on the comparisons.
US07885463B2
A spatial-color Gaussian mixture model (SCGMM) image segmentation technique for segmenting images. The SCGMM image segmentation technique specifies foreground objects in the first frame of an image sequence, either manually or automatically. From the initial segmentation, the SCGMM segmentation system learns two spatial-color Gaussian mixture models (SCGMM) for the foreground and background objects. These models are built into a first-order Markov random field (MRF) energy function. The minimization of the energy function leads to a binary segmentation of the images in the image sequence, which can be solved efficiently using a conventional graph cut procedure.
US07885462B2
An image processing method and system using gain-controllable clipped histogram equalization, in which the image processing method includes the steps of as obtaining a brightness histogram, computing a mean brightness of an image signal, determining a clipping rate based on the mean brightness, determining a clipping threshold based on the clipping rate, obtaining a clipped brightness histogram by clipping frequencies exceeding the clipping threshold in the brightness histogram, obtaining a corrected brightness histogram by correcting the clipped brightness as histogram using the clipping rate as a total gain, obtaining a cumulative histogram from the corrected brightness histogram, and correcting an input image using the cumulative histogram as a transformation function. Accordingly, the clipping rate is adaptively controlled so that image contrast is enhanced.
US07885460B2
A graphical user interface for performing color correction and methods for implementing the color correction are disclosed. The graphical user interface allows a user to adjust the colorspace of the pixels in the image. In one embodiment, a color adjustment pad allows the user to push the pixels from a particular luminance level a desired magnitude towards a desired hue. Pixels from other luminance levels are affected proportionally. The graphical user interface further allows a user to adjust the luminance of the pixels in the image. A luminance adjustment slider allows the user to adjust the luminance of pixels from a selected luminance level by a relative amount. Pixels from other luminance levels have their luminance are affected in a manner proportional to a difference between the selected luminance level value and the luminance value of the other pixel.
US07885454B1
A computer-implemented method for generating depth-of-field effects includes receiving information specifying an input image rendered using a pinhole camera. A first set of circles of confusion associated with portions of the input image are determined based a set of parameters associated with the pinhole camera. The first set of circles of confusion are then associated with heat conductivity of a medium. The portions of the input image are blurred according to heat diffusion in the medium to generate a first output image having a first depth-of-field effect.
US07885450B2
A method for characterizing texture of areas within an image corresponding to monetary banknotes includes dividing the image into a plurality of sections; calculating a gray level for each section; selecting potential sections from the sections, the potential sections having gray levels within a predetermined range; selecting bill sections from the potential sections, the bill sections having pixels within a predefined color range and a predefined continuous color gradient range; generating a binary edge map according to gray levels of pixels within the bill sections; and calculating a texture value for each bill section according to the binary edge map.
US07885447B2
An image acquiring apparatus for acquiring images of a sample includes a macro image acquiring unit 20 for acquiring a macro image of the sample, a dark field light source 26 to be used for acquiring a dark field macro image of the sample as a macro image, a macro image processing unit 66 which generates a reference macro image by processing image data of the macro image, and an image pickup condition setting unit 65 which sets an image acquiring range corresponding to a range including an object of image acquisition as an image pickup condition of a micro image of the sample by referring to the reference macro image. This realizes an image acquiring apparatus, an image acquiring method, and an image acquiring program by which a macro image of a sample as an object of image acquisition is preferably acquired.
US07885435B2
The invention provides a internet hosted system to find, compare, contrast and identify similar characteristics among two or more individuals or objects using a digital camera, cellular telephone camera, wireless device for the purpose of returning information regarding similar objects or faces to the user The system features classification of images from a variety of Internet accessible sources, including mobile phones, wireless camera-enabled devices, images obtained from digital cameras or scanners that are uploaded from PCs, third-party applications and databases. Once classified, the matching person's name, or the matching object, image and associated meta-data is sent back to the user. The image may be manipulated to emphasize similar characteristics between the received facial image and the matching facial image. The meta-data sent down with the image may include sponsored links and advertisements.
US07885434B2
At least one wrong template for storing features of pattern information imaged on condition unsuitable for biometric authentication is provided and the wrong template information is collated with collation template information produced by extracting features from biometric information when authentication information is registered. When similarity is low, the collation template information is stored in an authentication template. The collation template is collated with the wrong template upon authentication and when similarity is high, authentication processing is not made. Further, when similarity of the collation template information and the wrong template information is high, a guidance message for solving a problem is displayed to the user. Thus, reduction of authentication performance is prevented.
US07885432B2
A biometric information measuring apparatus has a biometric signal detecting portion that detects a biometric signal. A control section calculates biometric information based on the detected biometric signal by nullifying an amplitude of the detected biometric signal corresponding to a noise portion of the detected biometric signal when the nullified amplitude does not satisfy a predetermined threshold value.
US07885430B2
The present invention provides an automotive environment monitoring device to detect the existence of an object, a pedestrian or the like, with high accuracy even if one part of the object is overlapped with the background of an image obtained from an imaging unit mounted on the vehicle. An area where the object exists in the image obtained from an infrared camera (102) is set as a first area (A1i) and a lower portion of the first area (A1i) is set as a second area (A2i). A feature of the object is extracted with respect to the second area (A2i) and the object is identified based on the extracted feature. Thereby, even in the case where the first area (A1i) has been set but the feature of an upper part of the object can not be extracted due to the upper part of the object being overlapped with the background of the image, the object can still be identified with high accuracy by extracting the feature of a lower part of the object in the second area (A2i).
US07885419B2
A headset terminal for speech applications includes a headband assembly, an earcup assembly and a power source assembly. Processing circuitry is positioned in at least one of the earcup assembly and the power source assembly and includes speech processing circuitry for recognizing and synthesizing speech. A radio communicates with a central system to process the activity information of the headset terminal user. A rotatable microphone boom assembly includes controls mounted on opposite sides of a rotation axis to maintain a consistent orientation on the boom assembly with respect to the head of a user. The boom assembly snaps together with the earcup assembly to rotate. The headband assembly includes at least one transverse band and a sliding arm coupled to the earcup assembly for dynamically adjusting the position of the earcup assembly. A latch of the power source assembly snaps into position to secure it with the assembly and slides between latched and unlatched positions to secure a battery.
US07885418B1
Disclosed is a loudspeaker assembly incorporating innovations resulting in an enclosure of very small volume to which is integrated a large area, shallow and lightweight acoustic diaphragm assembly capable of a natural resonant frequency of a few Hertz. This is achieved by incorporating a vacuum chamber in conjunction with a chamber containing compressed gas or vapor that acts against a movable pressure boundary of changeable area being mechanically coupled with the acoustic radiating diaphragm. In an alternative operating mode, the apparatus also serves as a passive low frequency acoustic attenuator.
US07885414B2
A new method is proposed that produces stereophonic sound image out of monaural signal within a selected frequency regions. The system employs a strictly complementary (SC) linear phase FIR filter pair that separates input signal into different frequency regions. A pair of comb filters is applied to one of the filter's output. This implementation allows a certain frequency range to be relatively localized at center while the other sounds are perceived in a wider space.
US07885413B2
A computer system is disclosed that contains cryptographic keys and cryptographic key identifiers. The system has a repository cryptographic engine that communicates securely with a remote cryptographic engine, and the repository cryptographic engine is associated with a user data store. The user data store includes a hidden link including a session key identifier encrypted with a protection key. The hidden link is associated with a remote data entity. A key data store associated with the repository server includes a session key encrypted with a session-key-protection key. The session key is used to encrypt and decrypt the remote data entity. The system also includes a repository key exchange module operable to exchange the session key with a remote key exchange module.
US07885408B2
A method for masking several identical functional processes manipulating digital data, including dividing the functional processes into steps at the end of each of which the process can be interrupted with the storage of at least one intermediary result, and successively executing the steps of at least two processes and selecting, at each step end, the process of the next step according to the result of a non-deterministic drawing of a number.
US07885406B2
Computing endomorphism rings of Abelian surfaces over finite fields is described. In one aspect, an endomorphism ring of an Abelian surface over a finite field is probabilistically computed. A genus-two curve is generated based on the probabilistically determined endomorphism ring. The genus-2 curve is used for encryption and decryption operations and a cryptosystem.
US07885402B2
Methods, systems, and devices are provided for controlling the power level of voice signal streams. A gain controller embodiment includes a measurement module, a gain factor setting module, and a gain adjustment module. The measurement module includes program instructions to measure a power level of a voice signal stream. The gain factor setting module includes program instructions to set a gain value by comparing the measured power level to a threshold. The gain adjustment module includes program instructions to adjust a power level of a voice signal stream by applying the gain value to the voice signal stream.
US07885400B2
Call features for an Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) system implemented within a packet-based telephone environment are disclosed. Within a packet-based network, data messages are transferred between the ACD system and customer telephone stations while the customer waits for an attendant to become available. These data messages allow the customer to be informed of his/her current status within the priority order and further allows the customer to initiate a number of customer oriented operations. These operations include selecting music to listen to while waiting, requesting to be alerted when an attendant becomes available, and initiating a browser session for accessing data information. Overall, the status reports in combination with the initiating of one or more of the customer oriented operations can make the time spent waiting for an attendant a more productive and pleasant experience for the customer.
US07885398B2
This invention provides the ability to load balance calls in a communications network using a certain criterion, such as a user-specified call priority, or the call service category. The method is applied when selecting a route for a new call or for re-balancing the calls across a network. When the user-specified call priority is used, the aggregated number of calls with the same priority or service category is calculated for all possible routes the new call may use. The aggregated number of calls is then divided by the number of hops in the respective routes; the route with the smallest ratio is selected for the new call. Re-balancing is performed by re-routing the calls in such a way as to obtain a similar number of calls of the same priority, or service category along all possible routes.
US07885392B2
Systems and methods for delivering voicemail messages to multiple recipients are disclosed. A system is provided that allows users of voicemail systems to record a voicemail or video message and select multiple recipients to receive the message. The sender may designate a delivery method though a paradigm similar to email systems where recipients may be copied or blind-copied. Recipients of the voicemail message may be made aware of other recipients of the voicemail message, and are made aware of the expectations of the sender.
US07885387B2
The present invention is made to provide an extreme ultraviolet light source target or an X-ray source target having a good operationality. An extreme ultraviolet light source target in accordance with an aspect of the present invention is obtained by including a heavy metal such as tin into a matrix made of a polymeric material such as hydroxylpropylcellulose (HPC). The target can be manufactured by mixing the heavy metal and the polymeric material with a solvent, and evaporating the solvent. Since the target uses the polymeric material as a matrix, the target can be easily deformed to have a desired shape. For this reason, the target can be easily attached to a target holder irrespective of the shape of the holder, resulting in a good operationality of the target. Furthermore, an emission efficiency can be improved by including the heavy metal at a low density.
US07885384B2
A system and method to predict a failure of an imaging system that includes a radiation source having an x-ray tube assembly is provided. The system includes a storage medium having a plurality of programmable storage instructions to instruct a processor to perform the steps of acquiring an age of the x-ray tube assembly, calculating a baseline probability of a survivability of the tube assembly for a remaining time period dependent on the age of the tube assembly, acquiring measurement of at least one operating parameter of the x-ray tube assembly, and automatically changing the baseline probability of a survivability of the imaging system for the remaining time period in response to the measurement of the at least one operating parameter of the x-ray tube assembly.
US07885382B2
Methods and apparatus are described for irradiating living tissue via a cavity or lumen, using an inflatable balloon applicator. In a preferred embodiment the applicator balloon has a balloon skin with x-ray contrast material in relatively low concentration, so that an outline of the balloon will appear sharply when imaged externally. In another preferred embodiment the balloon catheter has a drain for withdrawing liquids from the cavity, which may include channels or texture on the exterior of the balloon. Methods are described for using a switchable miniature x-ray tube, variable as to voltage and current, to achieve accuracy in an isodose profile.
US07885381B2
The pipe inspection method and apparatus can be used to implement rapid, tomographic inspection of a pipe set up at a narrow location. The pipe inspection method includes: a first step for scanning the pipe by translating a radiation source and radiation detector arranged opposedly to the pipe; a second step for the radiation detector to detect radiation that the radiation source has emitted, at given scanning distance intervals; a third step for creating a transmission image of the pipe, based on a radiation dose that the radiation detector has detected; and a fourth step for constructing a tomogram or stereoscopic image of the pipe, based on the transmission image. Thus, it is possible to provide the pipe inspection method and apparatus that can be used to implement rapid, tomographic inspection of the pipe set up at a narrow location.
US07885378B2
An imaging method and apparatus is described in which distances between a source and an object are changed and projection images are generated at each of the different distances.
US07885374B2
An X-ray computed tomography (CT) apparatus having an X-ray tube emitting an X-ray, a detector detecting X-rays transmitted through a subject to be examined, and a bed on which said subject to be examined is placed, said X-ray CT apparatus reconstructing the image of the subject to be examined from a transmission data obtained by emitting X-rays to the subject to be examined. The X-ray computed tomography (CT) apparatus further having an input part, a scan controlling part, a detecting part, a memory part, a segmentation part, a biological-signal synchronization reconstructing part, a biological-signal asynchronization reconstructing part, and a combining part.
US07885372B2
An energy-sensitive computed tomography system is provided. The energy-sensitive computed tomography system includes an X-ray source configured to emit an X-ray beam resulting from electrons impinging upon a target material. The energy-sensitive computed tomography system also includes an object positioned within the X-ray beam. The energy-sensitive computed tomography system further includes a detector configured to receive a transmitted beam of the X-rays through the object. The energy-sensitive computed tomography system also includes a filter having an alternating pattern disposed between the X-ray source and the detector, the filter configured to facilitate measuring projection data that can be used to generate low-energy and high-energy spectral information.
US07885371B2
A method and system for image reconstruction of data acquired by a device such as computed tomography is provided. The method and system use a multi-stage statistical iterative reconstruction techniques to provide a three dimensional representation of the scanned object. In one embodiment, the first stage uses a projection-based reconstruction technique, such as Ordered Subset (OS) to converge on a solution for low frequency portion of the image. A subsequent stage uses a voxel-based reconstruction technique, such as Iterative Coordinate Descent (ICD), to converge on a solution for high frequency portions of the image. Systems and methods for reconstructing images from incomplete or partial projection data is also provided.
US07885362B2
A data transmission system includes a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter mixes an original clock signal and an original data signal to generate and output a hybrid differential signal, the hybrid differential signal having multiple clock pulses and multiple data pulses. At lease one data pulse occurs between two clock pulses, and the period between two clock pulses corresponds to the frequency of the original clock signal. The clock pulses and the data pulses have different differential swings. The receiver receives the hybrid differential signal via a bus and generates a recovered clock signal and a recovered data signal based on the hybrid differential signal. The hybrid differential signal, the original clock signal and the original data signal are reduced swing differential signals.
US07885336B2
A video decoding method and apparatus receives a motion compensation shader command, such as a packet, for a programmable shader of a 3D pipeline, such as programmable vertex shaders and pixel shaders, to provide motion compensation for encoded video, and decode the encoded video using the programmable shader of the 3D pipeline. As such, the programmable shader of a 3D pipeline is used to provide motion compensated video decoding as opposed to, for example, dedicated hardware, thereby, among other advantages, eliminating the need for the dedicated hardware.
US07885328B2
A video encoding method includes selecting one combination, for each block of an input video signal, from a plurality of combinations. Each combination includes a predictive parameter and at least one reference picture number determined in advance for the reference picture. A prediction picture signal is generated in accordance with the reference picture number and predictive parameter of the selected combination. A predictive error signal is generated representing an error between the input video signal and the prediction picture signal. Encoding the predictive error signal, information of the motion vector, and index information indicating the selected combination is included.
US07885324B2
Methods and systems for reconfigurable soft-output bit demapping, reconfigurable for different modes of operation (i.e., different transmitter/receiver configurations) and for different modulation schemes are provided. In an embodiment, a reconfigurable soft-output bit demapping system includes a mode/modulation independent equalizer, a plurality of mode/modulation independent soft-slicers coupled to the outputs of the equalizer, a plurality of mode/modulation independent post-scalers coupled to the outputs of the soft-slicers, and a mode-dependent coefficient calculator. The coefficient calculator generates parameters for configuring the equalizer, the soft-slicers, and the post-scalers according to the used mode of operation and modulation scheme.
US07885302B2
An integrated tapered diode laser arrangement comprises an injector region (2) and a region (3) which is optically coupled to the injector region and expands in a cross section. At least one of said regions (2, 3) has a quantum well structure with a plurality of semiconductor materials, wherein the semiconductor materials are intermixed at least in one region (21, 31). The intermixed region (21, 31) has a larger electrical band gap than a non-intermixed region.
US07885300B1
A method and system to drive large off-chip loads, such as, for example, laser diodes, wherein the system includes an integrated circuit coupled to an external differential diode load. Alternatively, the external diode load may be driven single-ended. The integrated circuit includes a data buffer device and a clock buffer device. The integrated circuit also includes a multiplexer device coupled to the clock buffer device configured to multiplex a data input signal and a clock input signal received at respective inputs of the integrated circuit. If the external diode is single-ended, the data input signal is transmitted to the data buffer device, which is then used solely to drive the diode load. If the diode load is differential, the data buffer device receives the data input signal. At the same time, the multiplexer device receives both the data input signal and the clock input signal and selects the data signal to drive the clock buffer device. For a diode load being driven differentially, the outputs of the two buffer devices are merged together externally through the use of a power-combining network, which includes external or off-chip transmission lines, which carry a respective output signal for the data buffer device and the clock buffer device.
US07885297B2
An exemplary embodiment of a synchronization device is provided. The synchronization device includes a memory, a demultiplexer, a comparator, and a sampling rate converter. The synchronization device has a system time clock (STC) and generates an output data with a first sampling rate. The demultiplexer receives a bit stream and extracts a packetized elementary stream (PES) from the bit stream. The demultiplexer writes the PES into the memory. The comparator obtains a presentation time stamp (PTS) from the PES and compares the PTS and the STC. The sampling rate converter has a converting factor, samples the PES in the memory, and generates the output data according to the PES. The sampling rate converter changes the converting factor according to the compared result of the comparator.
US07885292B2
A method, system, and computer program product are disclosed for exchanging data among data processing systems. The method may comprise transmitting a first data structure from an originating system in the format native to such system to a management component; identifying a target system for receiving the first data structure; transmitting the first data structure from the management component to an autonomous component as a function of the target system; and comparing the first data structure to a set of data templates in order to identify a matching data template. If a matching data template is identified, the method further may comprise generating a second data structure according to the matching data template in the format native to the target system. If no matching data template is identified, the method further may comprise generating a new data template and generating the second data structure according to the new data template.
US07885288B2
In a wireless system, a method and system for channel estimation in a single channel MIMO system comprising two-transmit and multiple-receive antennas for WCDMA/HSDPA are provided. A first receive antenna and at least one additional receive antenna may receive a plurality of SC communication signals transmitted from a first and an additional transmit antennas. Estimates of the propagation channels between transmit and receive antennas may be performed concurrently and may be determined from a baseband combined channel estimate. The integration time may be based on channel estimation accuracy and wireless modem performance. The signals received in the additional receive antennas may be multiplied by a rotation waveform to achieve channel orthogonality. The rotation waveform's amplitude and phase components may be modified based on the channel estimates. Rotation of the received signals in the additional receive antennas may be continuous or periodic.
US07885280B2
A packet relaying apparatus includes queues holding packet information, and queue control units controlling dequeueing. The dequeueing means transmission of packet information from a queue of a previous stage to a queue of a next stage. The packet relaying apparatus further includes a packet information control unit that, on receiving packet information to be dequeued at the time of dequeueing, returns discard information and data volume corresponding to the received packet information, a first bandwidth adjusting unit that, on determining that the received packet has been discarded, discards the packet information, maintains a usable bandwidth, and transfers the discard information and the data volume to the previous stage, and a second bandwidth adjusting unit that, on receiving the discard information and the data volume from the next stage, adds the data volume to the usable bandwidth and transfers the discard information and the data volume to a previous stage.
US07885269B2
Networks may be analyzed using Steiner trees. In an example embodiment, a method includes acts of receiving, accepting, creating, and analyzing. Data specifying a network is received. Steiner tree parameters are accepted. A Steiner tree model is created on the data specifying the network responsive to the Steiner tree parameters. The Steiner tree model includes a local representation having a depth constraint for neighborhood vertices. The data specifying the network is analyzed to ascertain a Steiner tree solution based on the Steiner tree model, which includes the local representation, and using a locally-oriented combinatorial algorithm.
US07885263B2
A method for retransmitting packet data within a wireless communication network includes forming a plurality of subpackets for transmission along a route which was previously used to transmit a missing packet, such that the subpackets collectively include a header portion and a data portion of the missing packet to be retransmitted. The method may further include forming a first subpacket having a header portion and data portion, such that the header portion includes header data associated with a stream and route used to transmit the subpackets, and the data portion includes the header portion of the missing packet and data represented by only some of the data portion of the missing packet. An additional operation forms one or more additional subpackets which each include a header portion having header data associated with the stream and the route, and a data portion that includes only some of the data portion of the missing packet.
US07885260B2
Disclosed are, inter alia, methods, apparatus, computer-readable media, mechanisms used in one embodiment configured for, and means for, determining packet forwarding information for packets sent from a protocol offload engine in a packet switching device. The protocol offload engine performs the protocol processing for a protocol application (e.g., BGP) running on a separate control plane processing system, and generates packets to be sent to external devices. The protocol offload engine sends these packets to one of the line cards without using the routing information lookup facility of the control plane processing system, thereby, freeing the control plane processing system to use those processing cycles to perform other tasks.
US07885255B2
A synchronous read channel having a single chip integrated circuit digital portion which provides digital gain control, timing recovery, equalization, digital peak detection, sequence detection, RLL(1,7) encoding and decoding, error-tolerant synchronization and channel quality measurement is disclosed. The integrated circuit accommodates both center sampling and side sampling, and has a high degree of programmability of various pulse shaping and recovery parameters and the ability to provide decoded data using sequence detection or digital peak detection. These characteristics, together with the error-tolerant sync mark detection and the ability to recover data when the sync mark is obliterated, allow a wide variety of retry and recovery strategies to maximize the possibility of data recovery. Various embodiments, including an embodiment incorporating the analog functions as well as the primary digital functions of the read channel in a single integrated circuit, and preferred embodiments utilizing a reduced complexity, programmable modified Viterbi detector supporting a broad class of partial response channels are disclosed.
US07885242B2
A mobile customer service station operating within a wireless multi-hop communication network includes a console on a wheeled chassis. The console carries and houses a number of components which are used in merchandising operations to conclude customer purchase transactions. The items supported externally on the console are a printer for printing purchase receipts, customer credit charge agreements and records of transactions, and a magnetic card reader for reading information from a magnetic stripe of a customer's credit card. In one embodiment, the operation of the printer, credit card reader and the cash drawer is controlled by a multi-function control unit located within an enclosure of the console. The control unit is electrically powered by a self-contained power source which is preferably a deep cycle rechargeable battery. The console also houses a transceiver unit which under the control of the control unit is capable of interactive communication with a premises network. In another embodiment, the mobile service station comprises an access device which participates with a variety of peripherals at the station in a lower power communication LAN, while providing higher power communication to other network devices via a premises network with routing via a wireless spanning tree configuration.
US07885240B2
A hybrid TDMA-CSMA MAC protocol is provided for allocating time slots within a frame having a structure in which transmission time is divided into a first number of actual TDMA time slots and a second number of “virtual” CSMA time slots. Each of the nodes in a multi-hop network can transmit a Highest Slot Number (HSN) field. Each time one of the Hello messages is received from a neighbor node, a given node can calculate variables based on the HSN field. The given node can use these variables to calculate a ratio of the first number to the second number. This ratio can be dynamically adjusted depending upon the traffic conditions observed by nodes within the multi-hop ad hoc network at any particular time to thereby change the relative percentages of the frame which are allocated for a TDMA portion and a CSMA portion of the frame.
US07885229B2
A cognitive radio determines a frequency channel of a spectrum, determines from a locally stored association of individual channels to either of at least two categories (e.g., in use and backup, other is a third category) a selected category for the determined frequency channel. From the selected category is determined a time at which to sense the determined frequency channel. The determined frequency channel is then sensed at the determined time and results of the sensing may be transmitted. Timers may be associated with each of the categories and adjusted based on density of cognitive nodes. A timer for the in use category is shortest, a timer for the other category is longest, and a timer for the backup category is between shortest and longest.
US07885228B2
Techniques to select a suitable transmission mode for a data transmission in a multi-channel communication system with multiple transmission channels having varying SNRs. In one method, an SNR estimate is initially obtained for each of multiple transmission channels used to transmit a data stream. An average SNR and an unbiased variance are then computed for the SNR estimates for the multiple transmission channels. A back-off factor is determined, for example, based on the SNR variance and a scaling factor. An operating SNR for the transmission channels is next computed based on the average SNR and the back-off factor. The transmission mode is then selected for the data stream based on the operating SNR. The selected transmission mode is associated with a highest required SNR that is less than or equal to the operating SNR. The method may be used for any system with multiple transmission channels having varying SNRs.
US07885226B2
A method of managing a mobility profile of a mobile node that uses a local mobility agent for managing a local mobility domain. The method includes obtaining and recording local temporary addresses, connection link temporary addresses and binding update times of the respective mobile nodes in a cacheable memory of the local mobility agent, calculating stay times of the respective mobile nodes on the presently linked subnet using information recorded in the cacheable memory and recording the stay times of the respective mobile nodes in a storage device of the local mobility agent, calculating an average stay time of the respective mobile nodes on the presently linked subnet by accumulating the stay times recorded in the storage device and recording the average stay time in the storage device of the local mobility agent.
US07885219B2
Disclosed are methods and systems for providing multicast and/or broadcast services in a mobile communication network. In particular, the disclosed methods and systems optimize resource utilization and signaling in packet-based networks.
US07885218B2
An on-vehicle information terminal that conducts communication with a road side communication device (base station) located on a road includes a transmitter/receiver section that communicates with the road side communication device, a voice output section that outputs data from the road side communication device which is received by the transmitter/receiver section through a voice or images, and a control section having a priority table that stores information on categories representative of the type of data that is added with the data and transmitted from the road side communication device and priorities for determining orders in which the voice output section outputs the data in association with each other. The priority of the priority table is variable, and is changed on the basis of a signal from a priority setting switch due to the operation of a user or an instruction signal from the road side communication device.
US07885216B2
The invention concerns a method and a device for setting up the transfer of a multimedia content in a cell of a wireless cellular telecommunication network constituted of plural cells, the cells being neighbour of at least one other cell, each cell being managed by a base station. A first base station which manages a first cell receives from a second base station which manages a second cell which is neighbor of the first cell managed by the first base station, a message notifying that the second base station transfers the multimedia content in the second cell, the message comprising at least information identifying the multimedia content. The first base station obtains the multimedia content from the wireless cellular telecommunication network and transfers the multimedia content in the first cell.
US07885215B2
Apparatus and method for allocating communication resources in a data radio communication system, such as an MAIO (Mobile Allocation Index Offset) communication system, e.g., a communication system that provides for Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution (EDGE) data services. A multi-carrier radio resource control logic element includes an analyzer that analyzes communication resource requirements to carry out a communication service. A resource allocator allocates communication resources to be used by which to communicate the data. The communication resources are allocated across a plurality of radio carriers such that resources are allocated, during a particular time period, upon a single radio carrier of the plurality of radio carriers.
US07885214B2
A method and system for partitioning frames into sub-frames, where the frames may be defined according to a reference system standard, and transmitting one or more sub-frames during a pre-designated downlink transmission, and transmitting one or more sub-frames during a pre-designated uplink transmission. A method and system for partitioning frames into sub-frames, transmitting one or more sub-frames including a legacy preamble for communicating with a legacy terminal operating according to a reference system standard during a pre-designated legacy transmission period, and transmitting sub-frames including a supplemental preamble for communicating with a non-legacy terminal operating according to the evolved version of the reference system standard during a pre-designated non-legacy transmission period. A method and system for partitioning each of two or more frames into two or more sub-frames and transmitting the sub-frames for a non-relay transmission including transmitting a (DL:BS→MS/RS) sub-frame during a pre-designated downlink transmission and a (UL:MS/RS→BS) sub-frame during a pre-designated uplink transmission, and transmitting sub-frames for a relay transmission including transmitting a (DL:RS→MS) sub-frame during a pre-designated downlink transmission and a (UL:MS→RS) sub-frame during a pre-designated uplink transmission.
US07885213B2
The present disclosure relates generally to a system and method for asynchronous busy-tone multiple access with acknowledgement for ad hoc wireless networks. In one example, a method for use in an ad hoc network using a tone emitted by a receiving node includes receiving a first portion of a packet from a sending node, where the first portion of the packet contains a destination address of the packet. A tone is emitted by the receiving node if the receiving node determines that the received destination address matches an address of the receiving node. The receiving node receives a second portion of the packet containing a request for transmitting data from the sending node to the receiving node, and the tone is emitted for at least a predefined period of time after receiving the request.
US07885210B2
In general, in one aspect, the disclosure describes an apparatus that includes a first radio to communicate with a first wireless network and a second radio to communicate with a second wireless network. The first wireless network transmits a map defining locations within an assigned spectrum data is to be communicated therebetween. An earliest possible location defined in map is such that the map can be parsed within the time it would take to get to the earliest possible location so that the radio can be turned off after receiving the map until the location defined in the map, and the second radio is active when the first radio is not.
US07885203B2
Method and apparatus for analyzing intra-cell delay times. The delay time between cells is measured and the number of times the measured delay times equals each of a plurality of predefined values is calculated. A graph is displayed indicating the count for each of the plurality of predefined values.
