US08012626B2
The present invention relates to a powderous electrode active material of lithium transition metal oxide LiaMbO2, wherein 0.9
US08012625B2
The present invention aims to provide a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary cell having high capacity and capable of preventing elution of cobalt and decomposition of the electrolyte. This aim can be accomplished by providing a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary cell comprising a positive electrode having a positive electrode active material, an negative electrode having an negative electrode active material, and non-aqueous electrolyte, wherein the positive electrode active material comprises lithium cobalt oxide to which at least one material selected from the group consisting of Mg, Al, Ti, and Zr was added, and the positive electrode comprises lithium phosphate.
US08012624B2
Provided are compositions useful as cathodes in lithium-ion electrochemical cells. The compositions include particles that include transition metal oxides that have at least two distinct phases with different compositions. Each of the distinct phases comprises a layered O3 crystal structure.
US08012616B2
An improved benthic microbial fuel cell for generating energy at the interface of aquatic sediment and seawater includes an anode electrode embedded within the aquatic sediment, a cathode electrode positioned within the seawater and above the aquatic sediment, a rig for maintaining the relative positions of the anode and cathode electrodes, electrical leads extending from the anode and cathode electrodes to a load, wherein the anode electrode comprises a bottlebrush electrode residing within a permeable tube. The apparatus is easier to deploy than previously-described fuel cells, while being lighter, more durable, and generating greater power density. Also disclosed are methods of generating power from such an apparatus.
US08012608B2
A polymer compound suitable for use in organic electroluminescent elements; a process for producing the compound; and an organic electroluminescent element employing the compound. The polymer is a sulfo-containing polymer characterized by having a structure formed by introducing sulfo groups into a polymer comprising repeating units represented by the general formula (1): wherein, in the formula, Ar1 and Ar2 each represents a monovalent aromatic group; Y represents a divalent group comprising an aromatic group; and W represents a divalent aromatic group having 4 to 30 carbon atoms.
US08012605B2
Provided are an organic light-emitting compound represented by Formula 1 and an organic electroluminescent (EL) device using the same: The organic light-emitting compound has thermostability and photochemical stability in addition to superior electrical features. The organic EL device using the organic light-emitting compound has low driving voltage, high efficiency, and superior color purity.
US08012604B2
The present invention relates to heteroleptic electroluminescent metal complexes and to their preparation and use in electroluminescent devices, particularly to electroluminescent compounds having the general chemical formula:
US08012602B2
Disclosed are electroluminescent devices that comprise organic layers that contain certain organic compounds containing one or more pyrimidine moieties. The organic compounds containing one or more pyrimidine moieties are suitable components of blue-emitting, durable, organo-electroluminescent layers. The electroluminescent devices may be employed for full color display panels in for example mobile phones, televisions and personal computer screens.
US08012601B2
In a cold gas spraying method, a gas jet (15) into which particles (19) are introduced is generated with the aid of a cold gas spray gun (20). The kinetic energy of the particles (19) results in a layer being formed on a substrate (13). The substrate is provided with a structured texture (24) which is transferred to the layer (20) that is formed. The method makes it advantageously possible to produce a high-temperature superconducting layer on the substrate (13) by selecting an appropriate particle (19) composition. The process can be additionally supported using a heating device (25) in a subsequent thermal treatment step.
US08012599B2
The surface-treated steel sheet has a zinc-based plated steel sheet, a surface-treatment coating being formed on the surface of the zinc-based steel sheet by applying and drying a surface treatment coating composition thereon, and a top coating being formed by applying and drying a coating composition for top coating on the surface-treatment coating. The surface treatment coating composition contains a water-epoxy resin dispersion, a silane coupling agent, and phosphoric acid and/or a hexafluorometal acid. The coating composition for top coating contains a high molecular weight epoxy group-containing resin having number average molecular weights ranging from 6000 to 20000.
US08012598B2
The invention relates to metal foam bodies having an open-porous structure as well as a method for producing thereof wherein according to the set task such metal foam bodies are to be provided which achieve an increased oxidation resistance and/or an increased corrosion resistance. With the metal foam bodies having an open-porous structure according to the invention, for such metal foam bodies within the webs of the open-porous structure there are channel shaped cavities formed as being determined by the production. At the same time, the webs and cavities will be provided with a metallic protective layer made of a material differing from the metallic starting material of the foam body or the channel shaped cavities will be filled with this material. For this, an adequate metal powder or an alloy component being included in the powder will be used which becomes liquid and forms a liquid phase respectively during thermal treatment below a temperature at which the metal of the base foam body is melting. Due to the capillary action wetting the surfaces of channel shaped cavities within the webs can be achieved such that after cooling down a metallic protective layer is forming or the channel shaped cavities are filled.
US08012596B2
A polymerization curable composition comprising a specific polyfunctional polymerizable monomer having a hard molecular structure with an L-scale Rockwell hardness of its homopolymer of 60 or more, a specific polyfunctional polymerizable monomer and a photochromic compound, a photochromic lens substrate composed of a cured product of the polymerization curable composition, and a lens comprising the photochromic lens substrate.The substrate and lens show excellent photochromic properties such as high color development density and high fading rate, and the cured product has excellent substrate properties such as hardness, heat resistance and impact resistance as well as strength (toughness) that allows for its use in rimless spectacles.
US08012595B2
An appliance is provided having a panel formed of a magnetizable material and a polyester lamination film adhered to an outer surface of the panel, wherein the polyester lamination film provides a stainless steel appearance to the panel. The polyester lamination film may be a polyester film layer with a backside brushed, a vacuum metallized aluminum layer deposited on the backside of the polyester film layer, and a tinted coating layer provided on a front side of the polyester film layer. The tinted coating layer may be colored to provide a correct color rendition of the metallized aluminum layer as stainless steel, as seen through said polyester lamination film. A strippable film layer may be applied over the polyester lamination film to protect the panel during manufacture. The magnetizable material of the panel may be rolled steel. The panel may have bends in its surface.
US08012592B2
Methods and structures for monolithically integrating monocrystalline silicon and monocrystalline non-silicon materials and devices are provided. In one structure, a semiconductor structure includes a silicon substrate and a first monocrystalline semiconductor layer disposed over the silicon substrate, wherein the first monocrystalline semiconductor layer has a lattice constant different from a lattice constant of relaxed silicon. The semiconductor structure further includes an insulating layer disposed over the first monocrystalline semiconductor layer in a first region, a monocrystalline silicon layer disposed over the insulating layer in the first region, and a second monocrystalline semiconductor layer disposed over at least a portion of the first monocrystalline semiconductor layer in a second region and absent from the first region. The second monocrystalline semiconductor layer has a lattice constant different from the lattice constant of relaxed silicon.
US08012587B2
The invention refers to coatings on different substrates, whereby a hydrophilic polymer layer is bound by means of a polymer adhesion promoter layer to a substrate. A method for the production of these layer systems is disclosed as well. The layers according to the invention can be used as immobilization matrix and for the suppression of non-specific protein adsorption in biosensors, MALDI targets and other bioanalytical devices. Furthermore they can be used for the bio-compatibilization of implants and for the coating of contact lenses. Optical elements, which are provided with such coatings, do not fog up any more. Beyond that the layers are dirt-deflecting and/or self-cleaning.
US08012584B2
A pressure vessel includes a vessel body and a fiber reinforced plastic layer formed on the surface of the vessel body, wherein the fiber reinforced plastic layer include fiber reinforced plastic in which reinforcing fibers are impregnated with plastic, a strand elastic modulus of the reinforcing fiber is 305 GPa or higher, and a tensile elongation of the reinforcing fiber is 1.45 to 1.70%. A carbon fiber for a pressure vessel has a strand elastic modulus of 305 GPa or higher and a tensile elongation of 1.45 to 1.70%.
US08012577B2
Disclosed herein is a consolidated or densified composite article comprising polymer, particularly fluoropolymer, and carbon fiber.
US08012568B2
The invention provides a laminated shape-retainable sheet which has such a sufficient shape retainability that a user can give a desired shape easily to the sheet, and requires no press working step for giving a curved shape, a core for a headwear brim using the same, a brim of a headwear, and a headwear.In the laminated shape-retainable sheet of the invention, shape-retainable sheets each comprising a thermoplastic resin and each having shape retainability in a monoaxial direction are laminated and bonded onto each other in such a manner that the monoaxial directions of adjacent sheets out of the shape-retainable sheets make a predetermined angle, in particular, 45 to 90 degrees.
US08012560B2
An optical disc (10) includes a substrate (11), which is formed from either a resin-impregnated paper produced by impregnating a paper with a resin, or a resin-coated paper produced by coating a surface of a paper with a resin, and a recording layer (13), wherein the resin contains at least one resin selected from the group consisting of polycarbonates, bisphenol A epoxy resins, copolymers of methyl methacrylate and styrene, and copolymers of acrylonitrile and styrene. Furthermore, a method of manufacturing an optical disc (20) includes: providing a recording layer sheet by forming tracks on a recording base material; and bonding the recording layer sheet to a resin-impregnated paper or a resin-coated paper, thereby providing a recording layer (13) formed from the recording layer sheet on the substrate (11).
US08012558B2
Release agent more particularly for an adhesive with an ethylene multi-block copolymer, the ethylene multi-block copolymer being composed of hard segment blocks, comprising at least 95% (w/w) ethylene and a comonomer, and of soft segment blocks, comprising ethylene and a comonomer, the fraction of comonomer in the soft segment blocks being between 10 and 20 mol %, and the fraction of the hard segment blocks in the ethylene multi-block copolymer being not more than 45% (w/w).
US08012533B2
The present invention relates to proppants which can be used to prop open subterranean formation fractions. Proppant formulations are further disclosed which use one or more proppants of the present invention. Methods to prop open subterranean formation fractions are further disclosed. In addition, other uses for the proppants of the present invention are further disclosed, as well as methods of making the proppants.
US08012521B2
Disclosed is a method for producing treated meat having a predetermined proportion of water in a container. The method includes treating meat that has lost water content through evaporation with an agent capable of killing bacteria together with an amount of water, wherein the amount of water corresponds to the amount of water that is lost through evaporation. The method provides meat being treated with a bactericidal agent as well as also providing meat with the predetermined amount of water for packaging.
US08012514B2
A chewing gum composition for oral cleansing, breath freshening, and anti-microbial benefits includes Magnolia Bark extract. In a treatment process, effective amounts of Magnolia Bark extract are delivered to the oral cavity by the chewing gum composition for convenient oral cleansing and breath freshening benefits. A method of making the chewing gum composition includes forming blend of Magnolia Bark extract and a flavoring agent.
US08012507B2
This invention provides methods and compositions to preserve bioactive materials in a matrix of powder particles. Methods provide high-pressure gas spraying and/or near supercritical spraying of formulations followed by drying in a stream of conditioned gas to form stable powder particles containing bioactive materials.
US08012505B2
The present invention provides a non-compressed fast-dispersing solid dosage form suitable for oromucosal administration of a pharmaceutically active substance comprising (a) a first matrix forming agent in the form of maltodextrin having a dextrose equivalent (DE) of between 1 and 20, (b) a second matrix forming agent in the form of sorbitol, and (c) the active substance.
US08012504B2
The invention relates to a novel pharmaceutical modified release formulation of guaifenesin and dextromethorphan. The formulation may comprise a hydrophilic polymer, preferably a hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, and a water-insoluble polymer, preferably an acrylic resin, in a ratio range of about one-to-one (1:1) to about nine-to-one (9:1), more preferably a range of about three-to-two (3:2) to about six-to-one (6:1), and most preferably in a range of about two-to-one (2:1) to about four-to-one (4:1) by weight. This formulation capable of providing therapeutically effective bioavailability of guaifenesin for at least twelve hours after dosing in a human subject. The invention also relates to a modified release product which has two portions: a first portion having an immediate release formulation of guaifenesin and a second portion having a sustained release formulation of guaifenesin, wherein one or both portions further comprises dextromethorphan. The modified release product has a maximum guaifenesin serum concentration equivalent to that of an immediate release guaifenesin tablet, and is capable of providing therapeutically effective bioavailability of guaifenesin for at least twelve hours after dosing in a human subject.
US08012499B2
Disclosed are compounds of Formula (1), including all geometric and stereoisomers, N-oxides, and salts thereof, wherein R3 is —C(═B)C(═O)L or —C(R11R12)C(═O)L; R4 is, inter alia, H, C1-C4 alkyl or C2-C6 alkoxycarbonyl; or R3 and R4 are taken together as —C(═O)C(═O)—, —C(═NR13)C(═O)— or —C(R11R12)C(═O)—. B is O, NR13, NOR13 Or NNR14 R15; L is OH or NR14 R15; and X, R1, R2, R11, R12, R13, R14, R15 and J are as defined in the disclosure. Also disclosed are compositions containing the compounds of Formula (1) and methods for controlling an invertebrate pest comprising contacting the invertebrate pest or its environment with a biologically effective amount of a compound or a composition of the invention.
US08012495B2
A paper towel includes: (a) a cellulosic towel web; and (b) a lotion emulsion disposed on the towel web. The lotion emulsion is substantially liquid at room temperature and includes a polar emollient and a non-polar emollient as well as a surfactant composition comprising a nonionic surfactant; wherein the emollients and surfactant composition are selected such that the lotion emulsion is immobilized on the towel web in a semi-solid or solid state and the lotion emulsion is capable of forming an aqueous gel upon contact with water. Preferably, the lotion emulsion is a waterless micro-emulsion which is also capable of forming an aqueous micro-emulsion with water.
US08012491B2
A single polypeptide is provided which comprises first and second domains. The first domain enables the polypeptide to cleave one or more vesicle or plasma-membrane associated proteins essential to exocytosis, and the second domain enables the polypeptide to be translocated into a target cell or increases the solubility of the polypeptide, or both. The polypeptide thus combines useful properties of a clostridial toxin, such as a botulinum or tetanus toxin, without the toxicity associated with the natural molecule. The polypeptide can also contain a third domain that targets it to a specific cell, rendering the polypeptide useful in inhibition of exocytosis in target cells. Fusion proteins comprising the polypeptide, nucleic acids encoding the polypeptide and methods of making the polypeptide are also provided. Controlled activation of the polypeptide is possible and the polypeptide can be incorporated into vaccines and toxin assays.
US08012472B2
The present invention relates to the ability of anti-FcγR antibodies to suppress fibrocytes. Methods and compositions for suppressing fibrocytes are provided. These methods are useful in a variety of applications including treatment and prevention of conditions resulting from fibrosis in the liver, kidney, lung, heart and pericardium, eye, skin, mouth, pancreas, gastrointestinal tract, brain, breast, bone marrow, bone, genitourinary system, a tumor, or a wound.
US08012467B2
The invention relates to vaccines comprising recombinant vectors, such as recombinant adenoviruses. The vectors comprise heterologous nucleic acids encoding for at least two antigens from one or more tuberculosis-causing bacilli. The invention also relates to the use of specific protease recognition sites linking antigens through which the encoded antigens are separated upon cleavage. After cleavage, the antigens contribute to the immune response in a separate manner. The recombinant vectors may comprise a nucleic acid encoding the protease cleaving the linkers and separating the antigens. The invention furthermore relates to the use of genetic adjuvants encoded by the recombinant vectors, wherein such genetic adjuvants may also be cleaved through the presence of the cleavable linkers and the specific protease.
US08012466B2
Disclosed are compositions, kits, and methods for activating, expanding, or stimulating γδ T cells that include recombinant attenuated microbes. The compositions may include pharmaceutical compositions that are used as γδ T cell stimulating immunogenic compositions.
US08012465B2
Methods for treating renal cell carcinoma using low doses of IL-2 are disclosed. In particular, the invention relates to methods of treating metastatic renal cell carcinoma in patients who are renally impaired and/or intolerant of high dose IL-2 therapy. The therapeutic regimen described herein significantly inhibits tumor growth with reduced toxicity and adverse side effects compared to high dose IL-2 therapy.
US08012463B2
A coordinate complex of diaminocyclohexane platinum (II) with a block copolymer comprising a poly(ethylene glycol) segment and a poly(carboxylic acid) segment is provided. The complex can be effectively used in treatments for tumors, in particular malignant tumors.
US08012460B2
The invention relates to cosmetic preparations in the form of gel emulsions on preparations of the O/W emulsion type having a hydrocolloid content. Said hydrocolloids are selected from the group of preparations based on (i) hydroxyethylcellulose, (ii) xanthan gum, (iii) carbomer. Said preparations further contain (iv) one or more lipids, (v) one or more non-ionic and/or anionic emulsifiers with HLB values between 8 and 16, the overall content of the emulsifiers not exceeding 1.5% by weight.
US08012459B2
The present invention relates to a pulverulent cosmetic composition, comprising, in a physiologically acceptable medium, an amount effective as binder of at least one short ester and of at least one silicone derivative, wherein: the mass content of short ester(s) is greater than the mass content of silicone derivative(s); and/or the said amount is less than 8% by weight relative to the total weight of the composition.
US08012456B2
This invention provides novel animal models for a human pathogen that is capable of exhibiting analogous secondary disease manifestation. Other animal models for a human pathogen are provided by this invention which are capable of exhibiting analogous secondary disease manifestations and are also capable of responding to therapeutic or preventive measures to such secondary disease manifestations. Other animal models for human retrovirus infections are provided including lower primates and primate excluding any members of the order Anthropoidea. Compositions, drugs, products and procedures for therapeutic and diagnostic applications derived from the animal models of this invention are also described and provided.
US08012455B2
The present invention provides an integral source material, the integral source material has at least one nuclide that is an integral source material having at least one nuclide that is activatable by exposure to radiation, the nuclide is a chemically bound constituent of a polymer of the integral source material, wherein the integral source material is configured before activation to provide a device.
US08012446B1
NO2 may be removed from a carbon dioxide feed gas comprising NOx and at least one “non-condensable” gas as contaminants by passing the feed gas at a first elevated pressure through a first adsorption system that selectively adsorbs at least NO2 to produce at least substantially NO2-free carbon dioxide gas. The adsorption system is at least partially regenerated using a carbon dioxide-rich gas recovered from the substantially NO2-free carbon dioxide gas after purification. The invention has particular application in removing NOx and water from flue gas generated by oxyfuel combustion.
US08012443B2
When spherical calcium carbonate is produced by blowing a carbon dioxide gas or a carbon dioxide-containing gas into an aqueous suspension containing calcium hydroxide to react them, after start of the reaction, an aqueous solution or suspension of a water-soluble phosphoric acid compound or a water-soluble salt thereof is added to the reaction mixture when carbonation ratio reaches 2 to 10%, and the reaction is further allowed to continue at a low gas blowing rate of 1.0 NL/minute or lower (step (a)). Subsequently, an aqueous suspension containing calcium hydroxide and an aqueous solution or suspension of a water-soluble phosphoric acid compound or a water-soluble salt thereof are added to the reaction mixture, and a carbon dioxide gas or a carbon dioxide-containing gas is introduced to allow to react and thereby produce spherical calcium carbonate having a mean particle diameter of 10 μm or larger. This production method is performed under high velocity revolution from the start of the reaction to the end of the step (a). This method provides calcite type spherical calcium carbonate showing high brightness and small friction coefficient, and having a shape comparatively close to a true sphere and a mean particle diameter of 10 μm or larger.
US08012437B2
The invention is a method of separating metals such as zinc, lead and cadmium from iron in secondary feed stocks such as EAF Dust, BOF Sludge, mill scale, iron fines, tire dust and other iron and zinc containing residues and dusts. The method includes the steps of reduction roasting the feed stocks at a volatizing temperature sufficient to volatilize the zinc and other metals into metal fumes but insufficient to volatize iron and then collecting the metal fumes as a metal dust. The metal dust is then leached with a leaching liquid to form a leach liquor and a leach residue. The leach liquor is then purified by zinc dust cementation to form a purified liquor and a zinc dust cement residue. The purified liquor is then separated from the zinc dust cement residue, and a zinc recovery step is then performed on the purified liquor.
US08012435B2
A system and method for producing natural gas is provided. a gas dynamic laser is powered by a gas, such as carbon dioxide, while the same gas is converted by a catalytic converter heated by the beam of the laser. Other gases can be formed simultaneously in other catalytic converters heated by the laser beam. The resulting converted gases can be used to produce a fuel gas. Excess heat and/or by-products of the process can be used to produce electricity.
US08012426B2
The present application is directed to a knife locker and sanitizing system consisting of a unique combination of one or more knife storage lockers that can individually be locked with a pad lock by the person using that set of knives. The incorporation of a locking bar that is attached to the knife locker by the means of a locking fixture and having a separate padlock facilitates a means where by a knife maintenance employee can open all the locker doors at one time to service the knives. Adjacent to the knife lockers will be located a sanitizing chamber where the knife blades and handles along with other food processing implements can be immersed in a sanitizing liquid. An alternate embodiment of the sanitizing chamber will incorporate ultraviolet lights on either side of the unit for the sanitizing process, enabling the ultraviolet light to not only disinfect the implement blades, but also the handles. The system will be mounted on a wall by the means of a system mounting bar with top and bottom rails attached to the lockers and the sanitizing chamber, thereby enabling the scaling up or down of the number of units as required.
US08012424B2
A container for holding items to be microbially deactivated in a reprocessor. The container is comprised of a generally cup shaped tray having a bottom wall and a continuous side wall extending to one side from the periphery of the bottom wall. The bottom wall and the side wall defining a cavity for receiving instruments and items to be microbially deactivated. A lid is attachable to the tray. The lid is dimensioned to cover the cavity. An inlet port is formed in the tray to communicate with the cavity. An outlet port is formed in the tray to communicate with the cavity. A barrier element is disposed within one of the ports. The barrier element controls flow through the one port. The barrier element is comprised of a material that is permeable to gas and water vapor but impermeable to liquid, bacteria and organisms. The barrier element is movable between a first position wherein fluid flow through the one port is restricted to flow through the barrier element a second position wherein fluid flow through the one port is unrestricted.
US08012421B2
A concentration monitor for monitoring a concentration of a plurality of use solutions, each of the plurality of use solutions being, at least, a concentrate in a diluent, each of the plurality of use solutions having a resistivity which varies as a function of both temperature and an amount of the concentrate contained in a given amount of the diluent. A resistivity probe is adapted for use with at least one of the plurality of use solutions for taking a measurement related to the resistivity of the at least one of the plurality of use solutions. A temperature sensor is adapted for use with the at least one of the plurality of use solutions for taking a measurement related to the temperature of the at least one of the plurality of use solutions. A controller calculates the concentration of the at least one of the plurality of the use solutions based upon a predetermined algorithm using the resistivity and the temperature for the particular one of the at least one of the plurality of use solutions, the algorithm being based upon knowledge of the at least one of the plurality of use solutions being measured.
US08012419B2
An automated analyzer for performing multiple diagnostic assays simultaneously includes multiple stations, or modules, in which discrete aspects of the assay are performed on fluid samples contained in reaction receptacles. The analyzer includes stations for automatically preparing a specimen sample, incubating the sample at prescribed temperatures for prescribed periods, performing an analyte isolation procedure, and ascertaining the presence of a target analyte. An automated receptacle transporting system moves the reaction receptacles from one station to the next. The analyzer further includes devices for carrying a plurality of specimen tubes and disposable pipette tips in a machine-accessible manner, a device for agitating containers of target capture reagents comprising suspensions of solid support material and for presenting the containers for machine access thereto, and a device for holding containers of reagents in a temperature controlled environment and presenting the containers for machine access thereto. A method for performing an automated diagnostic assay includes an automated process for isolating and amplifying a target analyte. The process is performed by automatically moving each of a plurality of reaction receptacles containing a solid support material and a fluid sample between stations for incubating the contents of the reaction receptacle and for separating the target analyte bound to the solid support from the fluid sample. An amplification reagent is added to the separated analyte after the analyte separation step and before a final incubation step.
US08012412B2
Described is an air and surface purifying device having a purifying cell structured for maximizing the realized photocatalytic reaction at a photocatalytic surface without using an additional ultraviolet bulb. The purifying cell positions at least three photocatalytic surfaces about a single ultraviolet bulb such that the photocatalytic surfaces substantially encompass the ultraviolet bulb and are saturated by ultraviolet light radiating from the ultraviolet bulb. Because the photocatalytic surfaces are saturated, the potential photocatalytic reaction at the photocatalytic surfaces is fully realized. Stated differently, the realized photocatalytic reaction is maximized. Because the purifying cell maximizes the realized photocatalytic reaction, the purifying cell maximizes the purifying capacity of the photocatalytic surface and, thus, the purifying cell itself.
US08012411B1
Methods and systems for knockdown and neutralization of toxic clouds of aerosolized chemical or biological warfare (CBW) agents and toxic industrial chemicals using a non-toxic, non-corrosive aqueous decontamination formulation.
US08012406B2
The present invention relates to an apparatus for cooling a hot steel plate which is processed and constrained by constraining rolls and a method of arranging and setting spray nozzles enabling uniform cooling in a direction perpendicular to processing. In the apparatus and method of the invention, the spray nozzles are arranged so that a value of n power of the impact pressure of the cooling water on the cooling surface integrated in the processing direction between pairs of constraining rolls becomes within −20% of the highest value in the direction perpendicular to processing, where 0.05≦n≦0.2.
US08012400B2
Polymeric microstructures and nanostructures can be prepared with use of a tip to pattern a surface. A tip can be used to pattern a structure which can initiate polymerization. The structure can be then exposed to monomer to induce polymerization at the structure. Alternatively, a tip can be used to pattern a surface with a monomer in which the surface is treated with polymerization catalyst so that polymerization occurs at the patterning site. Ring-opening metathesis polymerization can be carried out with use of the tip to control the polymerization. The tip can be a sharp tip as used in for example an atomic force microscope tip. Norbornene types of monomers can be used. Biological macromolecules can be also prepared.
US08012399B2
Electroprocessed phenolic nanofibers, microfibers, beads, and films and materials including these electroprocessed materials are prepared using a delivery means (10), a grounded collecting means (20) and a power supply (30) for generating an electric field.
US08012398B2
A method for forming an enclosure for enclosing internal electronic components of an electronic device is provided, which comprises: performing a first injection molding process, the first injection molding process forming at least a first wall of the enclosure; allowing the at least a first wall of the enclosure to solidify; thereafter performing a second injection molding process, the second injection molding process forming at least a second wall of the enclosure, the at least a second wall of the enclosure fusing with the at least a first wall of the enclosure during the second injection molding process, the at least second wall of the enclosure forming at least one different side of the enclosure than the at least first wall of the enclosure; and allowing the at least a second wall of the enclosure to solidify, the at least a second wall of the enclosure being integrally formed with the at least a first wall of the enclosure to thereby form a single-piece multi-walled enclosure.
US08012396B2
Apparatus and method for making a molded plastic article having a stretched and crystallized neck finish. In one embodiment, a series of platforms are carried by a conveying apparatus for transporting a series of molded plastic articles along a predetermined path of travel through one or more treatment stations. At a finish widening station, the molded article, having a relatively wide and thin-walled blow-molded body portion, and a relatively narrow and thick-walled unexpanded neck finish portion, is positioned to enable insertion of a mandrel into an open top aperture of the finish portion to widen the finish. The mandrel may include a lower heated tapered portion for expanding the finish, and an upper cooled body portion on which the expanded finish may be cooled. The article may then be sent to a finish crystallizing station having a heating device that heats the widened finish portion for a time and temperature selected to crystallize at least a portion of the widened finish. A sizing mechanism positionable in the widened finish supports the finish during crystallization.
US08012395B2
Imprint lithography substrates may include alignment marks formed of high contrast material. Exemplary methods for forming alignment marks having high contrast material are described.
US08012394B2
A sub-master template is patterned to provide at least double the density of features of a master template. The sub-master template and master template may employ the use of alignment marks during the patterning process.
US08012391B2
The invention relates to a process for the production of cellular or foamed, cast concrete bodies that are reinforced with metallic reinforcements, and to a reinforcement support frame for use in the production of cellular or foamed, cast concrete bodies that are reinforced with metallic reinforcing bars.
US08012379B2
A conductive bonding material having an improved preservation stability, and hardens when desired, preferably immediately hardens at a low temperature is provided. In one invention, the conductive bonding material comprises a conductive particle ingredient, an epoxy resin ingredient, and a hardening agent ingredient for said epoxy resin and the hardening agent ingredient for said epoxy resin further comprise a reforming agent having a thiol group. In another invention, a conductive bonding material comprising an epoxy resin hardening ingredient, wherein said epoxy resin hardening ingredient contains a sulfur-containing compound having an end group which can coordinate with a surface of the metallic particles, and the sulfur-containing compound comes to perform as a hardening agent for the epoxy resin by dissociating from the surface of the metallic particles. The conductive bonding material may contain fragrance.
US08012375B2
A temperature indicating paint comprises 4 wt % to 40 wt % sodium alumino sulpho silicate, 1 wt % to 38 wt % nickel antimony titanate and the binder comprises 25 wt % to 50 wt % silicone resin 10 wt % to 30 wt % acrylic resin each excluding solvent. This composition undergoes color changes occur, these are; Blue 520-560° C.; Light Blue 950-990° C.; Light Yellow 1000-1040° C.; Glazed Black 1160-1200° C. The color changes are particularly distinct and enable accurate analysis particularly, but not exclusively, in gas turbine engines.
US08012374B2
The present invention provides for a slow-release inhibitor that is applied to a metal surface, such as by way of a paint or primer coating, for corrosion control of the metal. An exemplary embodiment of the slow-release corrosion inhibitor includes a water-soluble particle, or pigment, and an organic polymeric film that encapsulates the particle. This water-soluble particle may be either organic or inorganic and, preferably, is non-carcinogenic and non-toxic. An additional water-soluble particle having an encapsulating, organic polymeric film further may be provided along with a water-soluble, organic compound to form the corrosion inhibitor. The polymeric film(s) are of a desired hydrophobicity and permeability to permit, upon interaction of the particle(s) with water, controlled diffusion of particle ions therethrough.
US08012371B2
The invention relates to a luminescent material comprising a luminescent particle (20) for generating light (4), wherein the luminescent particle (20) has a structured particle surface for effectively outcoupling the light (4) generated within the luminescent particle (20). Furthermore, the invention relates to a light source comprising a luminescent material according to the invention and a device for exciting the luminescent material.
US08012364B2
A method for producing an ink jet recording head having high durability and high ink resistance can enabling enable high-quality image recording by employing a material capable of reducing the internal stress and having satisfactory patterning characteristics. Such an ink jet recording head can be produced with high precision. A cationically photopolymerizable resin composition containing a condensate of a hydrolysable organosilane compound, employed as a material for forming a flow path forming member, enables a reduction of internal stress and a highly precise pattern in the flow path forming member, thereby providing an ink jet recording head having high durability and high ink resistance and capable of high-quality printing over a prolonged time.
US08012357B2
This invention relates to a continuous or batch centrifugation solid-liquid separation process comprising simultaneously subjecting the solid-liquid mixture to localized magnetic field gradients and the centrifugation and to improved centrifugation solid-liquid separation processes wherein the improvement comprises simultaneously subjecting the solid-liquid mixture to a homogeneous magnetic field, a magnetic field gradient or both prior to and/or during the centrifugation.
US08012356B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a technique for separation/collection of a lignin derivative which is useful for the separation of a lignin derivative having a 1,1-diphenylpropane unit and/or a unit derived from the 1,1-diphenylpropane unit from a mixture system containing the lignin derivative. In the Present invention, a lignin derivative having a 1,1-diphenylpropane unit and/or a unit derived from the 1,1-dipheylpropane unit is allowed to contact with a metal oxide in a liquid medium, thereby separating the lignin derivative in the form retained on the metal oxide.
US08012350B1
A dialysis device having a dialysis tube with a closed end and an open end, the open end is provided with a dialysis reservoir having a dialysis membrane.
US08012349B2
Methods and devices are provided for preparing and separating biological analytes. In one embodiment, one or more filtration devices or filter plate wells can be formed by clamping a filter sheet between first and second plates having at least one connecting cavity. First and second moveable core pins positioned on opposed sides of the sheet can be moved to remove portions of the sheet. A molten plastic can be injected to fill the volume between the cores and cavities and to form a liquid-impermeable sleeve wall or walls, each being separately sealed at the bottom to the perimeter of the sheet portion, each having liquid permeable regions of said removed and sealed sheet portion, and each remaining open at the top. Various exemplary configurations for filtration devices or filter plate wells are also disclosed.
US08012347B2
A device for separation of fluid, in particular oil, gas and water, in connection with the extraction of such a fluid from formations under the surface of the earth or the sea bed. The fluid is transported in a supply pipe or transport pipe (4) to a separator (1) in the form of a tubular separator body, a gravitation tank or similar. The separated components, water and oil, are passed out of the separator separately via outlet pipes. The fluid upstream of the separator (1) is subjected to shear forces so that the drops in the supply flow are torn up to form drops that are so small that the interface generally becomes new and “uncontaminated” by surfactants. The shear forces are supplied by a phase inversion device (6) in the form of a valve or similar. Water can expediently be added to the fluid upstream of the phase inversion device (6) to achieve the desired phase inversion.
US08012343B2
The present invention pertains to a process for the hydroprocessing of heavy hydrocarbon feeds, preferably in an ebullating bed process, by contacting the feed with a mixture of two hydroprocessing catalysts meeting specified pore size distribution requirements. The process combines high contaminant removal with high conversion, low sediment formation, and high process flexibility.
US08012340B2
A method is provided, which includes moving a mobile floor cleaning device along a floor; electrochemically activating a liquid on the mobile floor cleaning device, and dispensing the electrochemically activated liquid from the mobile floor cleaning device.
US08012337B2
Proposed is a method for collecting valuable metal from an ITO scrap by subjecting the ITO scrap to electrolysis and collecting the result as metallic indium. Specifically, the present invention proposes a method for selectively collecting metallic indium including the steps of subjecting the ITO scrap to electrolysis in an electrolytic bath partitioned with a diaphragm or an ion-exchange membrane, subsequently extracting anolyte temporarily, eliminating tin contained in the anolyte by a neutralization method, a replacement method or other methods, placing a solution from which the tin was eliminated in a cathode side again and performing electrolysis thereto; or a method for collecting valuable metal from an ITO scrap including the steps of obtaining a solution of In or Sn in an ITO electrolytic bath, eliminating the Sn in the solution, and collecting In in the collecting bath. These methods enable the efficient collection of metallic indium from an ITO scrap of an indium-tin oxide (ITO) sputtering target or an ITO scrap such as ITO mill ends arisen during the manufacture of such ITO sputtering target.
US08012336B2
Proposed is a method for collecting valuable metal from an ITO scrap in which a mixture of indium hydroxide and tin hydroxide or metastannic acid is collected by subjecting the ITO scrap to electrolysis in pH-adjusted electrolyte, and roasting this mixture as needed to collect the result as a mixture of indium oxide and tin oxide. This method enables the efficient collection of indium hydroxide and tin hydroxide or metastannic acid, or indium oxide and tin oxide from an ITO scrap of an indium-tin oxide (ITO) sputtering target or an ITO scrap such as ITO mill ends arisen during the manufacture of such ITO sputtering target.
US08012321B2
In a biosensor system and its measuring instrument which determine that a biosensor chip has been inserted and measure biological information on a biological material supplied to the biosensor chip, the size of the biosensor chip is made small, the reliability of the measuring instrument is improved, and the product life becomes long. In addition, a measurement error of the biological information is suppressed in measuring the biological information by inserting a biosensor chip, which has a sensor electrode formed of an electrode member with an electric resistance value higher than a conductive metal, into the measuring instrument.
US08012319B2
A multi-chambered system for electroplating metal layers on a semiconductor substrate. The system comprises a fluid reservoir having at least a first chamber and a second chamber. A cathode is located in the first chamber, an anode is located in the second chamber, and a shield is located between the cathode and anode. The cathode is configured to be electrically coupled to a semiconductor substrate locatable in the first chamber. The anode is configured to oppose a first major surface of the semiconductor substrate. The shield is configured to deter electrolytic fluid communication between the first and second chamber, other than through predefined openings in the shield.
US08012315B2
A method of fabricating by co-sputtering deposition a lanthanoid aluminate film with enhanced electrical insulativity owing to suppression of deviation in composition of the film is disclosed. Firstly within a vacuum chamber, hold two separate targets, one of which is made of lanthanoid aluminate (LnAlO3) and the other of which is made of aluminum oxide (Al2O3). Then, transport and load a substrate into the vacuum chamber. Next, introduce a chosen sputtering gas into this chamber. Thereafter, perform sputtering of both the targets at a time to thereby form a lanthanoid aluminate film on the substrate surface. This film is well adaptable for use as ultra-thin high dielectric constant (high-k) gate dielectrics in highly miniaturized metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistors.
US08012310B2
Disclosed herein are embodiments of a multi-layer nonwoven fiber material, and related methods of manufacturing the material. In one exemplary embodiment, the fiber material includes a first layer of directionally aligned fibers together with a second layer of randomly dispersed fibers dispersed over the first layer. Consistent with one exemplary method for manufacturing a nonwoven fiber material, the method includes dispersing a first plurality of fibers horizontally in one or more predetermined directions, as well as dispersing a second plurality of fibers horizontally in random directions. In such an embodiment, the second plurality of fibers is dispersed over the first plurality of fibers. Moreover, an exemplary embodiment of a roofing shingle employing a nonwoven fiber material as described herein is as disclosed.
US08012308B2
The present invention relates to a manufacturing method of mechanical pulp from stalks of corn, an annual plant, by adding a digesting agent and, prior to, during or following addition of the digesting agent, completely separating fibrous material from the cornstalks by mechanical refining. The method of the present invention comprises: (1) a first digesting process of adding 0.5-5 parts by weight of a digesting agent selected from caustic soda, sodium carbonate, sodium sulfite, sodium bisulfite, sodium sulfide, sodium oxide and sodium sulfate, or a digesting agent selected from a mixture of more than one of each to 100 parts by weight of crushed cornstalks, and of separating and digesting the solid substance after impregnating of the mixture; (2) a second digesting process of adding 5-10 parts by weight of more digesting agent to the digested solid substance obtained from the first digesting process, and of separating and digesting the solid substance after impregnating of the mixture; and a refining process of separating the solid substance to be digested and refining it mechanically, which is performed prior to, during or following the second digesting process.
US08012297B2
A laminate material element (1) for a hook and loop closure, particularly a diaper closure, has a carrier film (2) and a textile material (3) laminated onto the carrier film (2), which has a surface structure that is suitable for forming a connection with the hooks of a hook and loop closure. The carrier film (2) and the textile material (3) are bonded together over their entire surface in an edge region that extends along the edges of the laminate material element and has the shape of a frame. A bond between the carrier film (2) and the textile material (3) that does not cover the entire surface is provided in the region within this frame.
US08012296B2
In a process for making disposable wearing article, a composite web running in a machine direction is formed with a pair of rectilinear slits extending in a cross direction and a notch intersecting these paired slits. A region surrounded by these slits and notch is cut away from the composite web to form a gap. In a step before the composite web is formed with the gap, second fastener means supported on a fastener base sheet strip are engaged with the associated pair of first fastener means previously bonded to the composite web opposed to each other about the gap as viewed in the machine direction and thereby the fastener base sheet strip is attached to the composite web so as to stride over the gap.
US08012290B2
An apparatus includes a heating station, a laminating and transfer-printing station, and a molding station in succession, and a transport arrangement that transports the material being processed among the stations. In the heating station, a substrate is pre-heated and consolidated. In the laminating and transfer-printing station, a decorative cover layer is laminated onto the substrate and simultaneously a surface decoration (design, pattern, image, colors, text, etc.) is transfer-printed by sublimation of inks or dyes from a transfer paper onto an outer surface of the decorative cover layer. The resulting laminated body with a transfer-printed surface decoration is then three-dimensionally deformed and molded to form a three-dimensionally contoured, molded, laminated article with the transfer-printed surface decoration. The article may be a motor vehicle interior trim component.
US08012288B2
A method of fabricating a flexible display device, the method including applying an adhesive layer including polyimide on a carrier substrate, laminating a flexible substrate on the adhesive layer, and separating the carrier substrate from the flexible substrate by irradiating a laser beam or light onto the adhesive layer.
US08012279B2
In a method for labeling, a label strip (20) is moved by means of an electric motor (80). Arranged on this label strip are labels (26) of predetermined length (EL) with uniform interstices (SB). The motor has associated with it a position controller (218), also a sensor (44) for sensing a predetermined position of a label (26) when the latter is moved on the label strip (20) relative to the sensor (44). The method has the following steps: in accordance with a stored profile, the label strip (20) is set in motion beginning from a start position (A), a first target position (Z) of the label strip being specified to the position controller (218); during the motion of the label strip (20), a predetermined position (M) of the label strip (20) is sensed; and subsequently thereto, a revised target position (Z) is specified to the position controller (218). This makes possible fast and precise labeling, since the target position can be reached very accurately. A corresponding device has a compact design.
US08012273B2
A metallic article is produced by furnishing one or more nonmetallic precursor compound comprising the metallic constituent element(s), and chemically reducing the nonmetallic precursor compound(s) to produce an initial metallic particle, preferably having a size of no greater than about 0.070 inch, without melting the initial metallic particle. The initial metallic particle is thereafter melted and solidified to produce the metallic article. By this approach, the incidence of chemical defects in the metal article is minimized. The melted-and-solidified metal may be used in the as-cast form, or it may be converted to billet and further worked to the final form.
US08012268B2
Dishwasher including a washing tub for placing dishes therein, a sump for accommodating washing water to wash the dishes in the washing tub, and a motor having a rotor and a stator, for generating pumping power to pump up the washing water from the sump to the washing tub, wherein the stator of the motor is wound in a concentrated winding type, thereby permitting effective utilization of the washing tub and the driving part room.
US08012267B2
A method of machine cleaning dishes in a dishwasher, wherein over the course of a cleaning program, having a pre-rinsing operation and a cleaning operation, two liquid cleansers A and B having the following composition: A:—10 to 75 wt % of builder(s); −0.1 to 10 wt % of enzyme(s); −24.9 to 89.9 wt % of solvent; and B: −10 to 74.9 wt % of builder(s); −25 to 89.9 wt % of solvent; are metered into the wash bath at two successive times t1 and t2. The liquid cleanser A has a pH value (20° C.) of between 6 and 9 and is metered in at time t1, while the liquid cleanser B has a pH value (20° C.) of between 9 and 14 and is metered in at time t2.
US08012265B2
A surface cleaning system having a storage container, debris collection apparatus and debris conduit is disclosed. Water discharged from spray nozzles configured in a circular arrangement forces debris into a debris collection ring and then a debris conduit. An auger, water pressure or air pressure is used to force the debris through debris conduit into the storage container for disposal. The design of the debris collection apparatus also facilitates the capture of most of the water used to force the debris into the debris collection apparatus. Accordingly, the system is able to reuse the water thereby extending the surface area that may be cleaned with a specified amount of water.
US08012263B2
A process for preparing maltitol crystals by evapocrystallization, includes preparing a maltitol solution with a maltitol richness of at least 85% based on dry matter, preferably a maltitol richness of between 89% and 99% based on dry matter, and even more preferably a maltitol richness of between 93% and 95% based on dry matter; concentrating under vacuum maltitol solution in the evapocrystallizer so as to obtain a maltitol syrup whose degree of maltitol supersaturation is within the metastable zone of maltitol; seeding the supersaturated maltitol solution with a maltitol seed crystal in dispersed form; performing the crystallization while keeping constant the degree of maltitol supersaturation within the metastable zone of maltitol by controlling the conditions of temperature, the conditions of vigorous stirring by pumping of the evaporation vapors, and the conditions of feeding in of the maltitol syrup to be crystallized; and recovering the crystals thus obtained.
US08012258B2
The liquid surface position of the melt in the crucible in the silicon single crystal growth process utilizing the Czochralski method is monitored using the melt surface position on the occasion of seeding as a reference position and an estimated melt surface position can be calculated according to every situation, so that the distance between the melt and the thermal shield or water-cooling structure can be controlled with high precision. When the estimated melt surface position passes a preset upper limit and approaches the thermal shield, an alarm goes off and, further, when the melt comes into contact with the thermal shield or approaches the water-cooling structure, an alarm goes off if desired and, at the same time, the crucible is forcedly stopped from moving, so that a serious accident such as steam-incurred explosion resulting from the melt coming into contact with the water-cooling structure can be prevented. Accordingly, the apparatus can be widely applied as a melt surface position monitoring apparatus making it possible to safely operate any silicon single crystal growth apparatus utilizing the Czochralski method.
US08012254B2
A nanoscale pigment particle composition includes an organic benzimidazolone pigment, and a sterically bulky stabilizer compound, wherein the benzimidazolone pigment associates non-covalently with the sterically bulky stabilizer compound that is a substituted pyridine derivative; and the presence of the associated stabilizer limits the extent of particle growth and aggregation, to afford nanoscale pigment particles.
US08012249B2
A range hood for a kitchen range or other similar appliance is disclosed. The range hood is adapted to be coupled to a blower to draw the contaminated effluent stream from the range into the hood. The effluent stream is drawn through a substantially horizontal perforated liquid support or impingement tray that is filled with a working liquid, and is then passed through a high-efficiency mist eliminator. The range hood offers a substantially straight airflow path from a point just inside the inlet to the outlet. The range hood also has a low profile, and offers direct access to its interior components for easy inspection and cleaning.
US08012247B2
A gas treatment unit includes an absorber, a liquid-jet ejector, a gas-liquid separator, a regenerator and a pump. A liquid outlet of the regenerator is connected to an inlet of the pump. An outlet of the pump is connected to a liquid inlet of the absorber. A liquid outlet of the absorber is connected to a liquid inlet of the jet-ejector. A regenerator gas outlet is connected to a gas inlet of the liquid-jet ejector. A liquid-gas outlet of the liquid-jet ejector is connected to an inlet of the separator. A liquid outlet of the separator is connected to a liquid inlet of the regenerator.
US08012244B2
A method for removing particulates from a gas stream includes providing a gas-permeable filter layer having subregions with a parameter of differing magnitudes in the direction of the layer thickness. This parameter relates at least to the porosity, the fiber diameter of fibers or the fiber type content of the filter layer. The gas stream is divided into partial gas streams which are each passed through different subregions of the filter layer. Fiber layers, particulate filters, exhaust systems and vehicles based on this method are also provided.
US08012243B2
An apparatus is disclosed for removing water from gases produced from a hydrocarbon reservoir penetrated by a well, the apparatus comprising: a first conduit extending through the well for producing gases; a second conduit extending through the well for producing liquid hydrocarbons; a pump connected to pump liquid hydrocarbons from the hydrocarbon reservoir through the second conduit; and a gas dehydrator located in the first conduit below a ground surface for removing water from produced gases flowing through the first conduit. A method is also disclosed for removing water from gases produced from a hydrocarbon reservoir penetrated by a well, the method comprising: flowing gases from a hydrocarbon reservoir through a first conduit extending through the well; at least partially dehydrating the gases by flowing the gases through a gas dehydrator located in the first conduit below a ground surface; and pumping liquid hydrocarbons from the hydrocarbon reservoir through a second conduit extending through the well.
US08012235B2
A process for producing a low-oxygen metal powder, comprising passing a raw metal powder coated by hot melting of a hydrocarbon organic compound through thermal plasma flame composed mainly of an inert gas so as to reduce the content of oxygen in the raw metal powder. Preferably, the obtained metal powder is subjected to heat treatment in vacuum or hydrogen atmosphere. Preferred example of the hydrocarbon organic compound is stearic acid.
US08012224B2
A polishing composition includes a copolymer and an abrasive. The copolymer has a constitutional unit expressed as the following formula (I) and at least one of constitutional units expressed as the following formulae (II) to (IV). Methoxypolyethylene glycol methacrylate etc. are used as monomers for forming the constitutional unit of the formula (I), stearyl methacrylate etc. are used as monomers for forming the constitutional unit of the formula (II), polypropylene glycol methacrylate etc. are used as monomers for forming the constitutional unit of the formula (III), and styrene etc. are used as monomers for forming the constitutional unit of the formula (IV).
US08012215B2
A nonmodular tibial prosthesis having a retainer for a modular bearing on the superior surface of a tibial base, a nonmodular primary bearing directly molded to the base, and a mechanical release member mounted on the tibial base in contact with the nonmodular primary bearing. The release member includes a wedge portion with a superiorly posteriorly inclined face, and is designed to be driven anteriorly upon actuation so as to force the primary bearing off of the tibial base, after which the primary bearing and release member are removed and replaced with a modular bearing.
US08012210B2
Intervertebral implant system for intervertebral implantation, are disclosed. An intervertebral implant system according to the present disclosure includes a frame having a peripheral wall defining a space therein, and a settable material introducible into the space of the frame. The settable material is a biocompatible load bearing material including and not limited to bone, composites, polymers of bone growth material, collagen, and insoluble collagen derivatives. The settable material is injectable into the space defined by the frame. The settable material may have an initial fluid condition wherein the fluid settable material cures to a hardened condition.
US08012209B2
Systems in accordance with embodiments of the present invention can include an implant comprising a spacer for defining a minimum space between adjacent spinous processes, a distraction guide for piercing and distracting an interspinous ligament during implantation, and a binder for limiting or preventing flexion motion of the targeted motion segment. The binder can be secured to a brace associated with the implant during implantation by a capture device. A binder aligner aligns the binder with the implant stabilizing the implant, binder and the adjacent vertebrae.
US08012200B2
The method for endovascular magnetic targeting drug delivery in a vascular wall and adjoining tissues, wherein an endovascular mesh stent with paramagnetic properties is preliminary implanted in the area of interest by a catheter, a polymeric magneto-responsive carrying agent in the form of particles, containing a drug, is injected, and a magnetic field is applied, characterized in that, at least, one temporary catheter is introduced in the right atrium, and/or in ventricles of heart, and/or in a coronary sinus and/or in a coronary vein, which distal end takes a position close to the implanted mesh stent, thereupon, a gradient permanent magnetic field is generated and adjusted by means of a permanent magnet and/or a solenoid with the core, connected to an electric power source, which magnet or solenoid are located at the distal end of each temporary catheter, where the maximal gradient of magnetic field is located in the implanted endovascular stent, principally on the stent mesh.
US08012197B2
A stent comprises a tubular member having openings therein and having a plurality of interconnected members and one or more frangible restraining members. The frangible restraining members break upon partial expansion of the stent. Thereafter, the stent self-expands.
US08012191B2
A therapeutic pack provides effective therapeutic heating or cooling to an area of a body. The therapeutic pack comprises a fabric bag and a plurality of therapeutic modules within the bag. The bag consists of taffeta or a spandex such that the bag drapes. The therapeutic modules are capable of freely moving within the bag relative to one another. The therapeutic modules may include a material that repeatedly provides a prolonged cooling or heating, such as a phase change material.
US08012186B2
A spinal stabilization system for surgical implantation in the spine having a bone fastener. The bone fastener is provided with a head portion and a shaft portion. A housing is also provided with a recess defined by sidewalls and an opening for receiving the head portion of the bone fastener. A seating element is disposed within the housing and positioned over the head portion of the bone fastener. An elongate rod is positioned on the seating element within the recess of the housing. The system also includes a cap capable of engaging with a top portion of the housing and capturing the elongate rod within the recess of the housing when the cap is rotated. The bone fastener articulates in a single plane with respect to the housing and the seat element.
US08012185B2
The pedicle screw system may be used for fixation of spinal segments and may be advantageous when minimally invasive surgery (MIS) techniques are employed. The pedicle screw system includes a tulip assembly comprising of a tulip body, a inner member, and an expansion member.Installation of the pedicle screw system into pedicles of the spine, for example, includes inserting the pedicle screw into a portion of the spine and then coupling the tulip assembly to the pedicle screw. The tulip assembly may be locked onto the pedicle screw before a rod is placed in the tulip assembly. After the rod is placed in the tulip assembly, the tulip body and the inner member can be rotated relative to one another to lock the rod into the tulip assembly. In addition, the relative rotation may also provide additional locking of the tulip assembly to the pedicle screw.
US08012175B2
A dynamic stabilization, motion preservation spinal implant system includes an anchor system, a horizontal rod system and a vertical rod system. The systems are modular so that various constructs and configurations can be created and customized to a patient.
US08012154B2
Forceps include a body, a surgical device, and a pair of handles. The surgical device is removably disposed within the body. The handles are pivotally attached to the handle body for articulating jaws on the surgical device, or grasping the forceps. The forceps accept monopolar, bipolar, or both monopolar and bipolar surgical devices. Wires are disposed within the surgical device for performing various types of electro-surgery. Additional wires are provided within the surgical device for providing the user with the ability to monitor various aspects of the surgical procedure. Spring contacts touch rings surrounding the surgical device for maintaining electrical contact with the surgical device while allowing the surgical device to rotate within the body.
US08012152B2
Straight and curved catheters for treatment or diagnoses of tissue, including cardiac tissue, using hydrogel virtual electrodes and hydrogel sensing electrodes are disclosed. Each catheter comprises at least one conductive hydrogel electrode, whether a virtual electrode or a sensing electrode. Hydrogel virtual electrodes may be used to deliver ablative energy or chemotherapeutic agents to tissue. Hydrogel sensing electrodes may be used to map various electrical activity of tissue. The ablation catheters include a variety of hydrogel delivery features to deliver the conductive hydrogel electrodes against or adjacent to tissue to be treated. Each hydrogel delivery feature comprises at least one opening in the distal portion of the catheter and may also include a permeable or semi-permeable membrane. The mapping catheters include conductive hydrogel disks (i.e., conductive hydrogel sensing electrodes) and nonconductive hydrogel disks. Methods of treating and diagnosing tissue using hydrogel virtual electrodes and hydrogel sensing electrodes are also disclosed.
US08012150B2
A method and system are disclosed enabling configuration of a control system for an electrosurgical generator system for creating new surgical applications without changing the underlying software system. The system includes an outer loop controller for generating a control signal in accordance with at least a first subset of sensor data from at least one sensor; an inner loop controller for generating a setpoint control signal which is provided to an RF stage in accordance with at least the control signal generated by the outer loop controller and a second subset of sensor data from the at least one sensor; and a configuration controller for generating configuration data and providing first and second configuration data sets of the configuration data to the inner loop and outer loop controllers, respectively, for configuration thereof to provide a type of control selectable from a variety of types of control.
US08012143B1
An introducer sheath is disclosed herein. The sheath includes a tubular body. The tubular body has a proximal zone, an intermediate zone and a distal zone. The proximal zone is generally straight. The intermediate zone extends from a distal end of the proximal zone and curves in a first direction. The distal zone extends from a distal end of the intermediate zone and curves in a second direction different from the first direction.
US08012141B2
A suction wand assembly includes a suction wand connected to a valve assembly. The valve assembly includes a pressable button or similar device for allowing a user to regulate suction force through the suction wand. The valve assembly optionally includes a locking mechanism for holding the valve in a closed position. The suction wand assembly may be stored in a holster, which optionally includes an instrument support for holding a tip of the suction wand above a base region of the holster.
US08012139B2
Described are novel methods for delivering a medical agent to a plurality of locations within a patient tissue volume such as the interior space of a spinal disc, and also for removing material therefrom during medical agent delivery to enhance the delivery. Also described are medical delivery devices such as needle assemblies configured to facilitate the regional delivery of medical agents to patient tissue.
US08012136B2
The present invention provides an ophthalmic fluid delivery device adapted to deliver an ophthalmic fluid in the form of a mist to an ocular region of a patient. The ophthalmic fluid delivery device comprises a nozzle defining an aperture through which the ophthalmic fluid can flow and at least one shutter positioned proximate to the aperture of the nozzle. The shutter is mounted for movement with respect to the aperture of the nozzle between an open position permitting flow of the ophthalmic fluid through the aperture of the nozzle and a closed position at least partially covering the aperture. A shutter actuator is positioned proximate to the shutter. The shutter actuator is mounted for movement with respect to the nozzle, and the shutter actuator is coupled to the shutter such that the movement of the shutter actuator moves the shutter between the open position and the closed position.
US08012123B2
A guidewire lumen for a catheter includes a tubular portion and a sleeve bonded over less than an entire length of the tubular portion. The tubular portion is formed of a first material and the sleeve is formed of a second material. The second material may bond better to certain materials than the first material.
US08012122B2
An elongated medical apparatus suitable for insertion into a bodily passageway of a patient for carrying out a medical procedure. The elongated apparatus includes an elongated tubular body having a proximal portion and a distal portion, wherein the distal portion terminates at a distal end. The tubular body has a plurality of lumens extending therein. An inflatable balloon member is mounted at the distal end of the tubular body and extends in a distal direction therefrom. The balloon member is inflated by receiving an inflation fluid through one of the lumens. The presence of the balloon member at the leading end of the elongated apparatus reduces the risk of puncture and trauma upon insertion of the apparatus into the bodily passageway.
US08012117B2
The present invention pertains to a miniature flexible thrombectomy catheter having one or more flexible miniature noncollapsing tubular portions including pushable and torqueable structure for introduction into the smaller vessels in neurovascular regions. A jet body having an arcuate fluid jet emanator is incorporated in order to minimize size at the distal portion of a minimally sized catheter tube.
US08012111B2
An oral hygiene device for use with a sink having hot and cold water lines includes a storage mount and a housing removably coupled thereto. The housing includes hot and cold water inputs and an outlet. The housing also includes first and second channels coupling the inputs to the outlet. The device includes piping tees and flexible tubing for connection to a sink's water lines. The device includes adjustable temperature valves in the first and second channels, respectively, for regulating amounts of hot and cold water passing through the channels. An adjustable volume valve is included for determining a volume of water exiting the outlet. The storage mount may be installed on a sink adjacent the faucet so that the oral hygiene device is a permanent fixture.
US08012097B1
A system and method (1000) for an interactive game is disclosed herein. The system (1000) preferably includes monitoring device (20) monitoring the vital signs of a user, and a computer (1420). The monitoring device (20) is preferably an article (25) having an optical sensor (30) and a circuitry assembly (35), and a pair of straps (26a and 26b). The monitoring device (20) preferably provides for the display of the following information about the user: pulse rate; blood oxygenation levels; calories expended by the user of a pre-set time period; target zones of activity; time; distance traveled; and/or dynamic blood pressure. The article (25) is preferably a band worn on a user's wrist, arm or ankle.
US08012095B2
An immersion bag system for use with an ultrasound probe to overcome near field artifact includes a flexible thin wall thickness immersion bag with an attached flexible collar having an integral internal seal. The immersion bag contains a gel or other ultrasound transmission medium and is sealingly and removably attached by a mutually formed probe/seal valve to the tip end of an ultrasound probe. The immersion bag is able to conform to a cornea, as well as to other surfaces, whether flat or irregular, thereby enabling an ultrasound probe to be used easily on such surfaces. An ultrasound probe in use with the immersion bag system is maintained at a distance above the contact surface of the immersion bag and is positionable about the vertical axis while the immersion bag maintains stationary conformal contact with the structure against which it is in contact.
US08012092B2
A combined ultrasound imaging and therapy transducer includes a linear array of imaging transducer elements. First and second linear arrays of therapy transducer elements extend longitudinally along respective first and second sides of the imaging transducer elements and are canted inwardly toward each other. The imaging and therapy transducer is used with an ultrasound imaging system to locate clots in a region of interest. After the region of interest has been perfused with a microbubble contrast agent, the therapy transducer elements are driven by an amplifier located in the transducer to dissolve the clot. The use of the imaging transducer elements and the therapy transducer elements can be interleaved so that the therapy can be conditioned on an ultrasound image showing substantial destruction of the contrast agent microbubbles, re-perfusion of microbubbles in the region of interest, or the continued presence of the clot.
US08012090B2
An ultrasound system is provided that includes a probe for successively acquiring ultrasound information from an object along at least three distinct scan planes. The scan planes intersect one another along an axis extending from the probe through the object. A memory is included for storing data slices corresponding to the at least three distinct scan planes based on the ultrasound information. Also included is a processor that accesses the memory to select and obtain the data slices and generates ultrasound images based on the data slices. A display is included for co-displaying the ultrasound images.
US08012079B2
A method and apparatus for long-term assisting the left ventricle of a heart to pump blood is disclosed which includes at least one transluminally deliverable pump and a transluminally deliverable support structure which secures the at least one pump within the aorta for long-term use.
US08012077B2
A device for separating components of a composition according to density. The device includes a rotatable chamber and a plurality of buoys. The rotatable chamber has an axis of rotation. The plurality of buoys are positioned within the rotatable chamber and about the axis of rotation. The buoys are radially movable between an expanded position in which the buoys are at a first location relative to the axis of rotation and a contracted position in which the buoys are at a second location relative to the axis of rotation. The first location is further from the axis of rotation than the second location is. The buoys are movable in response to force generated during rotation of the rotatable chamber.
US08012074B1
An exercise device includes a body having rib-like structures and an annular band. Each rib-like structure has an exterior surface defining a longitudinal extent, terminates at a radiating end, and has at least one wing formed substantially parallel to the longitudinal extent and protruding away from the exterior surface to a given distance that increases along a direction towards the radiating end. The rib-like structures overlap at a central point to comprise a central base. The annular band is connected to the radiating end of each rib-like structure such that the rib-like structures and the band together form a cup-shaped enclosure operable to seat therein a bottom portion of an exercise ball. The at least one wing of each rib-like structure is operable to provide an incremental resistance against a rolling movement of the exercise ball along a substantially flat surface when the exercise ball is seated therein.
US08012072B2
An improved abdominal bench having a simplified structure, a more comprehensive weight system, a multi-positional foot assembly and a more streamlined frame and pivoting linkages.
US08012069B2
A selectorized dumbbell has nested stacks of left and right weight plates, a handle that can be disposed between the two stacks of weight plates, and a selector that couples selected numbers of the left and right weight plates to left and right planar ends of the handle. The handle has at least one loop type hand grip located above the ends of the handle and above the weight plates to allow the dumbbell to be used as a kettlebell. This loop type hand grip can be replaced with a bar type hand grip if the dumbbell is to be used like a standard dumbbell, or the handle can be provided in kettlebell or standard versions thereof. Alternatively, the loop type hand grip can be movably disposed on the handle for movement between operative and non-operative positions.
US08012050B2
A snowmobile is disclosed having improved drive train including a continuously variable transmission (CVT) having a drive belt looped around a driving pulley and a driven pulley, and a transversely arranged jackshaft wherein the driven pulley is connected directly onto the outer surface of one end of the jackshaft. The transverse jackshaft is preferably made from a thin-walled hollow tube and the driven pulley is preferably press fitted thereon. A method of assembling a snowmobile drive train is also disclosed.
US08012044B2
Disclosed herein is a multi-layer golf ball having a soft outer cover. The golf ball has an inner cover layer with a Shore D hardness of 60 or more, and an outer cover with a Shore D hardness of 55 or less, and more preferably 50 or less. In a particularly preferred form of the invention, the outer cover comprises one or more polyurethane materials. The golf ball of the invention has exceptionally soft feel and high spin rates on short shots of 80 yards or less, and particularly, 40 yards or less, while maintaining good distance and average spin on full shots.
US08012043B2
The present invention relates to a grip tape for ball game rackets having a conical or trapezoidal base shape in the longitudinal direction or a length and a width, wherein the width varies at least along an essential portion of the length. The present invention also relates to a replacement grip tape including the features of a grip tape of the invention, and a process for producing a grip tape of the invention. Moreover, the present invention also relates to a grip for a ball game racket including a portion facing the head region of the ball game racket and having a first cross-section and a portion facing the end of the ball game racket and having a widening cross-section for holding the grip, as well as the combination of grip and grip tape.
US08012037B2
A golf club having removable components includes a club head, a shaft, and a connection assembly. The club head includes a hosel having an upper treaded portion and a lower portion with a faceted cross-section. The connection assembly includes a sleeve mounted on the tip end of the shaft and a screw-cap. The sleeve, which has an aperture for receiving the tip end of the shaft, includes a lower section that has a multi-faceted surface for engaging the lower portion of the hosel. The screw-cap is mounted over the sleeve and includes a body having an upper area and a threaded area, the latter of which is capable of engaging the upper threaded portion of the hosel to removably secure the shaft to the club head.
US08012035B2
Putters include a putter body having a ball striking face member made of a material having a first hardness characteristic. A cavity is defined in the putter body behind the ball striking face member, and plural openings are defined in the ball striking face member extending rearward with respect to the ball striking face member and into the cavity. A polymeric material at least partially fills the openings and the cavity, wherein the polymeric material has a second hardness characteristic that is softer than the first hardness characteristic. The ball striking face member and the polymeric material exposed in at least some of the openings provide a ball striking surface of the putter. The ball striking surface may include grooves or scorelines to affect the launch angle, spin, and/or roll of the ball during a putt. Methods for making such putter devices also are described.
US08012032B2
A personal driving range apparatus is provided including a platform, a ball having at least one aperture that passes through the ball, at least one line having a first end and a second end. The first end is detachably connected to the platform, and the at least one line is drawn through the at least one aperture of the ball so that the ball is slidably disposed on the at least one line extending from the platform. The apparatus also includes a strap disposed at the second end of the at least one line for detachably securing the at least one line to a stationary object.
US08012030B2
The invention relates to a connecting assembly which is used, more particularly for use in the driveline of a motor vehicle. The connecting assembly comprises a shaft journal 3 with an outer journal groove 34; a constant velocity universal joint 4 with an inner joint part 6 which, for the purpose of transmitting torque, is connected to the shaft journal 3 in a rotationally fixed way, wherein the inner joint part 6 comprises a sleeve-like portion 20 with an inner annular groove 35; a radially elastically widenable axial securing ring 30 which is provided for axially fixing the inner joint part 6 and which is positioned in the journal groove 34 of the shaft journal 3; and securing means 41 which are fixed to the sleeve-like portion 20 and prevent the axial securing ring 30 from being radially widened.
US08012017B2
A squad command interface for a squad-based shooter video game maps character selection and command selection to actuators on a game controller. Players can select squad characters and issue a single order to multiple characters with few controller actuations.
US08012014B2
A gaming system and method for operating a gaming system is provided. The gaming system includes a central server that is linked to a plurality of gaming devices. The central server monitors wager and play activity on the gaming devices during a period of time. Based at least in part on the wager and play activity, the central server determines a ranking for one or more players or for one or more gaming devices in the gaming system. The central server selects which player(s) will be provided one or more awards based on the determined ranking. The determined ranking is based, at least in part, on the speed, skill and/or wagering activity of the one or more players.
US08012013B2
A method in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is provided, the method comprising the steps of generating a first outcome of a game of chance, determining a target outcome, receiving a first wager, generating a second outcome based on the first outcome, and repeating the step of generating the second outcome until the second outcome matches the target outcome, before receiving any second wager.
US08012007B2
A video game, in which a player character operated by a player fights against an enemy character and one character wins by lowering a life parameter for the other character by means of an attack to a battle impossible value at which the other character cannot fight, is controlled. First and second courage points are respectively applied to the player character and the enemy character in accordance with battle content. When a predetermined operation is received from the player, it is determined whether or not each of accumulated values of the first and second courage points is a predetermined value or more. Special fighting between the player character and the enemy character is controlled in the case where it is determined that both the accumulated values are the predetermined value or more. The special fighting is different from a battle for lowering the life parameter.
US08012006B2
A game apparatus includes an LCD. An on-earth object existing in a virtual game space is reproduced on the LCD from a viewpoint of capturing ahead of a flying object moving in the virtual game space. A velocity parameter and a direction parameter which defines the movement parameter of the flying object are changed in response to a button operation by a player. An altitude where the flying object will reach after a lapse of a time T (T>0) is predicted on the basis of the movement parameter of the flying object. A height above the sea level of the on-earth object existing in the predicted point is detected with reference to map data. Difference information indicating a difference between the detected height above the sea level of the on-earth object and altitude of the flying object is output to the player through the LCD.
US08012002B2
Systems and methods for cleaning animals are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus for cleaning a plurality of carcasses of harvested animals includes a track system configured to convey the carcasses through a plurality of carcass disassembly stations. The apparatus also includes a spray system for directing a fluid at a portion of at least one of the carcasses. The spray includes a plurality of nozzles configured to rotate relative to the track system. The spray system directs the fluid onto each of the carcasses in a tracking manner as the carcass moves from a first carcass location to a second carcass location. In another embodiment, a method for cleaning a plurality of carcasses of harvested animals includes providing an assembly line for conveying the carcasses through a plurality of carcass processing stations. At least one of the stations comprises a spray nozzle assembly for directing a fluid in a rotating path at a portion of each of the carcasses. The method also includes directing the fluid onto each of the carcasses in a tracking manner as the carcass moves from a first location to a second location on the assembly line.
US08011991B2
A building component for facilitating a construction of a snow man/woman. A spherically-shaped body is provided that has an outer surface and an interior, the interior substantially lighter than when the interior is filled with snow. An adhesion surface is provided on the outer surface of the spherically-shaped body that substantially increases the ability of the outer surface to adhere snow to the spherically-shaped body. The spherically-shaped body and adhesion surface form a building component for facilitating the construction of the snow man/woman. The adhesion surface may be an electrically charged surface in combination with a texture or alone. The electric charge may be generated by a generator that may be disposed with the body.
US08011988B2
A width of a groove of a cathode holder and a thickness of a cathode conductor are determined so that a dimension which is obtained by subtracting the thickness from the width is equal to a gap length which has a predetermined length, and which is between a filament and a cathode. Then, the cathode holder is rearward pushed to cause a front end face of the groove 26 to butt against the cathode conductor, and the cathode conductor and filament conductors are coupled and fixed to each other via an electrically insulating material. And then, the filament is forward moved to butt against the cathode, and the filament is fixed to the filament conductors. After that, the cathode holder is forward pulled to cause a projection to butt against the cathode conductor, and the cathode holder is fixed to the cathode conductor.
US08011978B2
The present invention relates generally to a lay-in lug nut plate retainer. More particularly, the invention encompasses a nut plate retainer for a lay-in lug assembly nut plate. The present invention is also directed to a novel lay-in nut plate retainer which provides an alternative way to secure a nut plate to a lay-in lug body during shipping and/or the installation process. The inventive nut plate retainer has a cover with an open area and at least two legs to surround a portion of the lay-in lug and the nut plate.
US08011975B1
Circuits, methods, and apparatus that may provide protection from exposed wires or terminals when a power plug is damaged or destroyed. One example may provide a plug having an inner cover that shields power carrying wires or terminals when an outer shell is damaged or destroyed. The inner cover may include openings to receive conductors, where the openings may lead to terminals or wires that connect to plug prongs. The received conductors may attach directly or indirectly to an outer shell, and further to a power cord, circuitry, or other electronic components. When the outer shell is damaged or destroyed, the conductors may pull out of the openings in the inner cover, thus disconnecting from the wires or terminals. The wires or terminals may thus remain protected by the inner shell, avoiding exposure to contact by users or inadvertent conductors.
US08011974B2
An active jack, which is a powered device, is installed as the network connection at a workstation which provides the capability to determine the physical location of a destination device, such as a VOIP phone, in real time. Uninterruptible power supplies may be used to provide power to network components, for example during an emergency. Power-and-data deployments are shown for powering network components and destination devices.
US08011973B2
The invention discloses a connector that comprises an insulation body and one or more conductive terminals within the insulation body. The one or more conductive terminals comprise at least one clamping portion to clamp onto the insulation body. The invention further discloses an endoscope, which comprises a telescope, an imaging means, an image sensor that transforms optical signals from the imaging means into electrical signals and a PCB board that organizes and outputs the electrical signals, the imaging means, image sensor and PCB board being located in the telescope, wherein the endoscope further comprises the connector that electrically connects the image sensor and the PCB board to form a first assembly. The invention further discloses a method to make the connector.
US08011969B2
An electrical connector includes an insulative housing including a base portion and mating tongue plate protruding forwardly from the base portion; two contact modules being retained with each other and each including an insulative block, and a row of contacts being insert molded in the insulative housing, and a metal shell enclosing the insulative housing and the contact modules. A receiving space is formed between the shell and the tongue plate. The insulative blocks each defines a front portion inserted in the cavity of the insulative housing for the contact modules being retained with the insulative housing reliably.
US08011959B1
A high frequency micro connector has an insulating housing, multiple first terminals and multiple terminals. The insulating housing has a base, a first tongue and a second tongue. The first and second terminals are mounted through the base respectively on the first and second tongue. The second tongue includes pairs of high frequency signal transmission terminals each having a transverse extension section and a soldering section formed on the transverse extension section. The transverse extension sections of each pair protrude reversely and oppositely to increase the distance between the soldering sections therefore to prevent crosstalk between the high frequency signal transmission terminals.
US08011958B1
Disclosed is an electrical connector assembly with shielding function, includes a cable-end connector and a board-mount connector that are mateable with each other. The board-mount connector includes a metal shell, an insulation housing received in the metal shell, and conductive terminals mounted inside the insulation housing. The cable-end connector includes an upper metal shell member, a lower metal shell member, a cable clamp, an insulation housing received between the upper metal shell member and the lower metal shell member, conductive female terminals mounted inside the insulation housing, and resilient latches and a pull bar mounted to the lower metal shell member. The metal shell of the board-mount connector has top and bottom surfaces each forming shielding contact tabs, which are folded outward and each forming a protruding inside contact point and a protruding outside contact point and reliable contact is thus formed among the connectors and a device panel.
US08011957B2
An electrical connector (100) includes an insulating housing (240) and a number of plate wafers (200) vertically stacked behind the insulating housing (240). Each of the plate wafers (200) includes a frame (22) and a plurality of conductive contacts (23) secured by said frame (22). The conductive contacts (23) of each plate wafer (200) have press-fit portions (236) disposed along a first length. The frame (22) forms a rib (221) extending over the first length along said lower edge of the frame (22) so that a tooling (600) can press on a top face of the rib (221) when the electrical connector (100) is mounted onto the printed circuit board. The insulating housing (240) forms a plurality of engaging portions (244) extending a second length backwardly from the rear face (248) above said rib (221). The second length does not overlap the first length in a vertical direction, so that the tooling (600) can be downwardly inserted between adjacent wafers (200) and press on a top face of the rib (221) of the frame (22).
US08011950B2
The cable assembly may include a plug connector, a cable, and a connector. The plug connector may include a housing and a board assembly. The board assembly may include a printed circuit board. The edge of the printed circuit board may be enclosed with a material. The material may be an overmolded plastic or a coating of a material. In order to reduce the crosstalk in the areas where the cable shield is removed, a shielding assembly may be used. The shielding assembly may provide 360 degrees of shielding for the wire pair at the location where the cable shield is removed. The printed circuit board may have a trace layer, a core layer, and a ground plane layer. The ground plane layer may have a portion which is a solid layer and another portion which is a non-solid layer.
US08011940B1
A power socket device having switches is disclosed and has a housing, socket units, two conductive frames and switch units. The housing has bolt holes. Each of the socket units has a socket body and a pair of conductive terminals. The socket body is formed with a pair of terminal slots. The socket unit can be received in the housing, and slid upward and downward therein. The conductive terminals are inserted in the terminal slots, and selectively in contact with or disconnected from the conductive frames. The socket body has an engagement hole. The switch unit is inserted into the bolt hole, and selectively abutted against the socket body or engaged in the engagement hole, so that the socket unit can be positioned on a predetermined position on a vertical direction. Thus, it is unnecessary to unplug a plug of an external appliance when switching on or off the power.
US08011935B2
A cable connector assembly (100) comprises a mating member (3), a printed circuit board (2), a LED (24) attached to the printed circuit board, a cable (6), a light pipe (4) having a visible area (431), an insulative shell (1), and a ring member (5). The cable has a positive wire (61) and a negative wire (62) connected with the mating member (3), and a strain relief portion (64) molded on the wires and neighboring to said light pipe. A detective contact (631) is connecting with the cable. The insulative shell encloses the printed circuit board, the cable and the mating member. The visible area (431) is exposed out of the insulative shell. The ring member has a slick loop portion (51) located in said light pipe and a retaining portion (52) with a rugged exterior surface, and said strain relief portion is molded on the retaining portion.
US08011933B2
An electrode terminal supporting body fixed on a printed wiring board and an anisotropic conductive sheet which is positioned on the electrode terminal supporting body and on which a semiconductor device is placed are provided between first and second stiffening plates. The first and second stiffening plates are fastened by machine screws with the electrode terminal supporting body, the anisotropic conductive sheet, and the printed wiring board interposed therebetween.
US08011927B2
The invention relates to manufacturing a surgical guide to be placed in a patient's mouth. The patient's mouth is scanned to obtain surgical-region scan data at a region where an implant is to be located. The patient's mouth is also scanned in the opened position to acquire dental conditions opposite from the surgical region so as to obtain opposing-condition scan data. A virtual model is developed using the surgical-region scan data and the opposing-condition scan data. Using the virtual model, a surgical plan is developed that includes the location of the implant to be installed in the patient. A virtual surgical guide is also developed based on the surgical plan. The dimensions of instrumentation to be used with the surgical guide are checked to ensure they will fit within the mouth by use of the opposing-condition scan data. After checking, final surgical-guide manufacturing information is obtained for manufacturing the surgical guide.
US08011925B2
A method of manufacturing a rapid prototype overmold for locating a dental implant analog in a modified stone model for use in creating a tooth prosthesis is provided. An impression of a mouth having a first installation site that has a dental implant and a gingival healing abutment with at least one informational marker installed is taken. A stone model based on the impression is prepared. The model is scanned. A three-dimensional computer model of the installation site on a CAD program using data from the scan is created. The at least one informational marker is determined to gather information about the location of the dental implant. Abutment dimensional information based on the three-dimensional image and the at least one informational marker is developed. Overmold rapid prototype dimensional information based on the three-dimensional image is developed. The overmold rapid prototype adapted to fit over the modified stone model is fabricated.
US08011919B2
The invention relates to a mold base (1) for a mold that is used for the blow molding or stretch-blow molding of thermoplastic containers (2) having a petaloid-shaped base. The mold base (1) includes several cavities (11) separated by radiating ridges (13) with concave crests (14), the bases (15) of the cavities (11) being distributed along a circular contour. As seen radially on either side of the deepest point thereof, each cavity (11) is defined towards the exterior by a curved surface portion (18) having a circular arc radial cross-section and towards the interior by a broken-plane surface portion (19) with at least two slopes that intersect the curved surface portion (18) at a straight edge (20). The plane (T) which contains the aforementioned edge (2) and which is tangent to the curved surface portion (18) is perpendicular to the axis (12) of the mold base. Moreover, the portion of plane (21) adjacent to the curved surface portion (18) has a slope (a) of between 12° and 8° in relation to the tangent plane (T).
US08011906B2
A piston pump includes a pump mechanism for changing a volume of a pump chamber to move a piston in a housing, and a feed mechanism that has a feed ring attached to a circular groove portion of the piston to be slaved with a movement of the piston. The feed mechanism is located in a suction passage from a suction port to a pump chamber, and the piston has a flange portion protruding radially outwardly. An inner peripheral surface of the feed ring has an inner-diameter enlarged portion extending radially outwardly to have an enlarged passage portion between the inner peripheral surface of the feed ring and the outer peripheral surface of the piston, and a valve portion for opening and closing a suction passage is constructed of an end portion of the inner diameter enlarged portion of the feed ring and the flange portion.
US08011903B2
The present disclosure provides various pumps and compressors for energizing fluids. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, pumps are provided for compressing hydrogen gas produced by electrolysis at a first location. The pump includes a bore with a piston disposed in the bore, and a magnetic drive external to the bore. The piston is moved through the bore to compress the fluid using permanent magnets or electromagnets. Using the disclosed embodiments, hydrogen compressed at a first location can be directed to a second location, such as a power plant or a fueling station.
US08011898B2
A pump (100) includes a pump block (102) including a heater (140), a middle block member (120) and an upper block member (122). Cylinder sleeves (130) are disposed between the middle and upper block members, and a piston assembly (160) is disposed in the block with pistons (162) reciprocatingly disposed in the cylinder sleeves. A drive motor (90) drives a twin gear assembly (170) and slave gears (168) to drive the pistons. Headers (104, 105) channel fluid from an external source to the cylinder sleeves, and from the cylinder sleeves to the heater. The heater includes a plurality of heaters such as cartridge heaters (150) that heat the received fluid. In the preferred device, A-side and B-side component are simultaneously pumped. The heater includes A-side and B-side flow paths for heating the components. The pressurized fluid(s) is dispensed through outlets (108, 110).
US08011884B1
A small twin spool gas turbine engine with a forward end of the engine supported by bearings that are cooled by passing a cooling fluid such as cooling air bled off from the compressor with a liquid lubricant sprayed into the cooling air that is then passed through the bearing to prevent overheating. The cooling fluid is then discharged from the bearing cooling circuit out the front end of the engine through a number of discharge holes formed within the threaded nut that secures the fan blade assembly to the low speed rotor shaft. The threaded nut includes a plurality of slanted holes that slant outward from the rotational axis in the direction of fluid discharge.
US08011883B2
A method for controlling blade tip clearance within a gas turbine engine includes a compressor having at least one first rotor assembly, wherein the blade tips in each of at least one first rotor assembly has a mating geometry with at least one of at least one blade seal surfaces, and a clearance distance extending between the blade tips and the blade seal surfaces; a turbine having at least one second rotor assembly, wherein the blade tips in each of at least one second rotor assembly has a mating geometry with at least one of at least one blade seal surfaces, and a clearance distance extending between the blade tips and the blade seal surfaces; providing an actuator selectively operable to move at least one rotor assembly relative to the shroud; providing an electronic engine controller having a control logic for operating the actuator; and moving at least one first rotor assemblies and at least one second rotor assembly relative to the shroud using the actuator at a response rate according to the control logic to alter the clearance distance.
US08011879B2
A transition channel between a first turbine section and a second turbine section for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The channel includes a first radially external annular wall including ring sector elements housed inside an annular ring and orifices for injecting a fluid into the channel in order to re-energize the boundary layer thereof, a second radially internal annular wall, and a fluid supply device arranged between the space outside the ring and the injection orifices.
US08011877B2
Fiber composite reinforced aircraft gas turbine engine drums with radially inwardly extending blades
A gas turbine engine assembly having one or more blade rows with blades extending radially inwardly from a rotatable drum, one or more composite fiber material rings disposed circumferentially around the rotatable drum, and the composite fiber material rings including circumferentially extending high strength fibers or filaments. The rings may be axially aligned with the blade rows. Ring widths of the rings may be less wide than blade widths at blade bases of the blades at a radially inner surface of the drum. The rings may be made of a material including a plurality of circumferentially extending reinforcing structural fibers or filaments disposed in an integral matrix. The rotatable drum, rings, and blades extending radially inwardly from the drum may be incorporated in a gas turbine engine booster having one or more rotatable booster stages or in a counter rotatable low pressure turbine.
US08011873B2
The current invention is a portable wheel lift device for lifting and towing vehicles comprising a boom which pivots up and down for connecting to and raising a portion of a vehicle which is to be towed. The invention comprises a mounting frame adapted to be attached to a towing vehicle and a two-stage cylinder assembly operatively connected to the mounting frame and the boom for tilting the pivoting boom relative to the mounting frame.
US08011872B2
A loader frame assembly is provided which comprises a support member adapted to mount a loader thereto and first and second legs each having first and second ends. The first ends are connected to the support member and the second ends are adapted for connection to a vehicle. The legs are spaced apart such that they partially define an open area such that a load can extend through the loader frame assembly. The frame assembly adapted for a rear-mounted loader vehicle, in cooperation with a rotatably mounted loader, can encompass a work area that includes the vehicle bed, the area adjacent to each side of the vehicle bed, and the area behind the vehicle bed. Due to the open area, the loader frame assembly also can work in cooperation with vehicle configurations including vehicles equipped with pushing and dumping functionality, dosed compartments, and towed devices.
US08011863B2
The monoblock surface milling cutter has a milling cutter body (10) to which cutting plates (16) made of polycrystalline diamond (PCD), monocrystalline diamond (MCD) or polycrystalline boron nitrite (PCB) are fastened in a material-to-material fashion. In order to improve the surface quality of the work pieces manufactured with the milling cutter, axially adjustable finishing inserts (18) are fixed in place in at least two substantially axially extending bores (26), which are open at the front, of the milling cutter body (10). The finishing inserts (18) can also be equipped with cutting plates made of PCD, MCD or PCB. Preferably the cutting edges (24) of the cutting plates (22) of the finishing insert (18) are forward curved. Their farthest forward point is located in relation to the axis of rotation of the milling cutter body (10) on a finishing circle diameter which is maximally 4 to 8 mm less than the diameter created by the cutting edges arranged on the exterior circumference of the milling cutter body (10).
US08011862B2
A transfer system for a carrier that features a flow supply tube in fluid communication with a flow supply generator and in fluid communication with a carrier transport tube network dimensioned for transfer reception of the carrier. The carrier transport tube network has a first carrier reception chamber provided with a first carrier stop point and a second carrier reception chamber with second carrier stop point. The flow supply tube has a single point contact with the carrier transport tube network to provide a single tube based flow connection with the carrier transport. Also, with the single point connection there can be positioned a brake valve in line with a first section of the carrier transport tube network and in line with a first section of said flow supply tube just a few feet above the stop point of one or both of the reception chambers to provide for rapid travel to the brake valve and efficient braking within just a few feet of the stop point.
US08011860B2
An earth anchor of the pivoting type having an essentially cylindrical body, a blind bore extending thereinto from a trailing axial end of the cylindrical body and a leading edge projecting from a leading end of the body, the leading edge being formed as a rounded surface adapted for penetration through reinforcement paths while minimizing severing of the strands of the mat.
US08011858B2
A riser tensioner for an offshore floating platform has a frame stationarily mounted to the upper portion of the riser. Pistons and cylinders are spaced circumferentially around the riser and connected between the frame and the floating platform. A tubular guide member is mounted to the floating platform for movement in unison in response to waves and currents. The riser extends through the guide member. A guide roller support is mounted to and extends downward from the frame around the guide member. At least one set of guide rollers is mounted to the guide roller support in rolling engagement with the guide member as the guide member moves in unison with the platform.
US08011857B2
The present invention describes an extraction system (100,100a) for expediting removal of a footing (105) that is embedded in a seabed or marine floor. The extraction system provides a supply of pressurized fluid (140) to a chamber from where the pressurized fluid exudes through porous members (122,122a, etc) located on the base (114) of the footing (105). When an uplifting force is applied to the footing (105) for its removal, the pressurized fluid (140) exudes out through the porous member (122,122a, etc.) to compensate or reduce suction induced beneath the footing, without fluidizing or channeling of the seabed soil, thereby expediting removal of the footing (105).
US08011854B1
An improved fish passage apparatus is combined with hydroelectric power generation to facilitate migration of fish between water bodies of different heights with minimal injury or trauma to fish. It may also be optimized for power generation when fish are not moving through it. The fish passage apparatus comprises a connecting tube providing fluid communication between upper and lower water bodies, an upper valve in the connecting tube adapted to control flow of water to or from an upper water body, a lower valve in the connecting tube adapted to control flow of water to or from a lower water body, and a working tube opening into the connecting tube between the upper and lower valves a working portion of which extends functionally vertical to above a water level of the upper body of water and to below a water level of the lower body and is vented at its top such that water can flow freely in and out of the working portion.
US08011850B1
A device for arresting a motor vehicle which is moving on a support surface includes an enclosure with is shaped and dimensioned to receive the motor vehicle. The device is releasably connectable to a helicopter, so that the device can be (1) positioned over the motor vehicle by the helicopter, (2) disconnected from the helicopter, and (3) dropped onto the support surface wherein the enclosure encloses the motor vehicle.
US08011843B2
On the back side surface of a release paper of a double-sided adhesive tape 53, sensor marks 65 each in a rectangular shape elongated in the tape width direction when viewed from its front are printed beforehand at a predetermined pitch L along the tape transferring direction to be vertical and symmetric with each other with respect to the center line in the tape width direction. Further, on the double-sided adhesive tape 53, wireless tag circuit element 32 is provided between adjacent sensor marks 65 on the center line in the tape width direction and at a position equal to the distance l1 from each sensor mark 65 in the tape discharging direction (a direction shown by an arrow A1). An antenna 33 and a reflective sensor 35 are distanced from a cutter unit 30 by a distance l1 in the tape transfer direction. The cutter unit 30 and a thermal head 9 are distanced from each other by a distance l2 in the tape transfer direction.
US08011830B2
A method and a system for calibrating an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurement are described. The method includes using an X-ray beam to generate an XPS signal from a sample and normalizing the XPS signal with a measured or estimated flux of the X-ray beam. The system includes an X-ray source for generating an X-ray beam and a sample holder for positioning a sample in a pathway of the X-ray beam. A detector is included for collecting an XPS signal generated by bombarding the sample with the X-ray beam. Also included are a flux detector for determining a measured or estimated flux of the X-ray beam and a computing system for normalizing the XPS signal with the measured or estimated flux of the X-ray beam.
US08011829B2
An X-ray device for irradiating a beam of X-rays on an object to capture an X-ray image of the object is smaller in size and weight than conventional ones. The X-ray device includes an X-ray tube for generating the beam of X-rays and irradiating the beam of X-rays on the object, a shutter arranged around an X-ray irradiation axis for regulating an X-ray irradiation region on which the beam of X-rays is irradiated through the object, and a visual indicator unit arranged on the shutter for movement together with the shutter, the visual indicator unit being designed to visually indicate the X-ray irradiation region. In the X-ray device, the X-ray irradiation region is visually indicated by laser light without having to use a lamp otherwise provided between the X-ray tube and the shutter.
US08011826B2
This invention provides an ultrasonic phantom that can respond to different ultrasonic intensities. Such ultrasonic phantom comprises a gel comprising a low-boiling compound in the form of droplets sealed therein. The invention also provides an assay technique using such phantom. This invention enables regulation of components of droplets, droplet size, and the ultrasonic intensity at which droplets are vaporized upon mixing of droplets with different sizes. This enables visualization of whether or not ultrasound beams that exceed relevant different ultrasonic intensities have been applied.
US08011821B2
A planar illumination device includes at least one light source, a housing structure, at least one light guide plate, and at least one light exiting surface. The at least one light source is received in the housing structure. The housing structure includes at least one light emitting surface through which the light emitted from the at least one light source exits the at least one housing. The at least one light guide plate includes at least one light incidence surface through which the light enters into the at least one light guide plate, and contacts with the at least one light emitting surface. The light exits the at least one light guide plate through the at least one light exiting surface. The at least one light exiting surface includes a plurality of continuously connected bulge points formed thereon.
US08011820B2
A wireless communication device includes a plurality of light sources and a light guide including a light guiding element and a light shielding element. The light guiding element includes a plurality of guiding portions. Each guiding portion includes an expander having a first end corresponding to a respective one of the light sources and a second end opposite to the first end. The second ends of the expanders collectively form a continuous end surface. At least one cavity is defined between each two neighboring guiding portions. The light shielding element includes at least one shielding portion received in the at least one cavity to prevent light interference between the plurality of guiding portions.
US08011819B2
A light guide plate includes a light input surface, a light output surface adjoining the light input surface, and a reflecting surface opposite the light output surface. One of the light output surface and the reflecting surface defines a plurality of scattering microstructures. Each scattering microstructure includes a spherical protrusion having a substantially spherical surface, and a substantially ring-shaped groove defined around a periphery of the spherical protrusion. At least half of the spherical surface is as smooth as a mirror. A method for manufacturing the light guide plate and a backlight module using the light guide plate are also provided.
US08011817B2
The attachment for a vehicle and the method for providing the attachment to the vehicle includes mounting a housing on the outside of the vehicle. The housing includes a back attachable to the vehicle, a compartment within the housing, and a lens visible from outside the vehicle. At least one or more lights is contained within the compartment between the lens and the outside of the compartment. The lens is opaque when the lights are turned off so as to conceal the lights within the compartment and the lens is visible from outside the vehicle when the lights are turned on.
US08011812B2
A tower includes a base configured to sit upon a surface. A light source is coupled to the base and is positioned a first horizontal distance from a center of the base. The light source is configured to produce light therefrom when energized. The tower includes a cylindrical outer body that is coupled to and positioned a second distance from the center of the base, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance. The outer body is oriented to extend vertically from the surface and is configured to allow light from the light source to pass therethrough. A plurality of leaves are coupled to an outer surface of the outer body and are configured to hang therefrom. The leaves are configured to freely move with respect to the outer body when air flow is applied thereto, wherein light from the light source is viewable through the outer body when the leaves move.
US08011801B2
A digital picture display is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, the device includes a main body, a removable decorative faceplate adapted to be secured to a front portion of the main body, and an internal casing seated within the main body. An annular sidewall extends frontward from a periphery of the internal casing and a plurality of notches are disposed in the annular sidewall of the internal casing to receive a plurality of light emitting diodes. A liquid crystal display is housed within the internal casing, wherein the liquid crystal display is in electrical communication with electronic circuitry. The internal casing also includes a non-volatile memory that stores digital images to view on the liquid crystal display. In addition, the decorative faceplate includes at least one latch to removably secure the faceplate to the main body.
US08011800B2
The invention concerns a device for producing isotropic ambient light, comprising: at least one extended light source including several punctual light sources spaced apart along two orthogonal axes; a waveguide for propagating by total reflections in a propagating direction perpendicular to the plane, the light beams produced by the punctual light sources; and means for scattering the light in the waveguide output. The dimension of the waveguide along said propagating direction is further sufficient to allow the light intensity curve which is detected, for each light source, in the waveguide output along one of the two axes and in a detecting range corresponding to the waveguide output section along said axis, to have a maximum value (Imax) and a minimum value (Imin) which satisfy the following criterion of quasi-uniformity (Imax-Imoy) ≦0.3Imoy and (Imoy-Imin) ≦0.3Imoy, Imoy being the average value of the light intensity levels detected along said axis.
US08011796B2
A light source system and a display apparatus comprising the light source system are provided. The display apparatus comprises the light source system and an imaging system. The light source system is configured to provide a light for imaging. The light source system comprises a mirror wheel and at least two light source modules, configured to provide at least two light beams respectively. These light beams are lit up according to a predetermined sequence. After being reflected by or directly passing through the mirror wheel, the light beams form a continuous light, traveling into the imaging system for imaging on a screen.
US08011795B2
A direct backlight module includes a light optical plate, a plurality of point light sources, and a reflective member. The optical plate includes a light input surface and a light output surface opposite to the light output surface. The point light sources are positioned between the optical plate and the reflective member. The reflective element forms a plurality of curved reflective surfaces corresponding to the point light sources. Each curved reflective surface is a substantially spherical depression, and each point light source corresponds to a center of each spherical depression defined by one of the curved reflective surfaces.
US08011789B2
A rear projection display includes a projector for projecting light from a light source as an optical image, an exterior cabinet for enclosing the projector, a projection screen provided for the exterior cabinet on which the optical image is projected, and two or more optical sensors provided in a region where the optical image is projected from the projector other than an image display region.
US08011788B2
An illumination system adapted for a projection apparatus is provided. The illumination system comprises a cooling air guiding apparatus, a lamp, and a cooling fan. The cooling air guiding apparatus comprises an air intake device and an adjustment device, while the adjustment device comprises an air-flow adjustment element and an air-flow guiding element. The cooling fan generates a cooling air, which flows from the exterior through the air intake device into the air-flow adjustment element. The air-flow guiding element guides the cooling air in the air-flow adjustment element out of an air-flow adjustment hole towards a specific direction. Since the adjustment device may move relatively to the air intake device, the air-flow adjustment hole is adapted to move from the first position substantially aligned with the opening to the second position constituting a substantial displacement with respect to the opening. The cooling air can cool the lamp no matter what angle the projection apparatus is disposed. As a result, the projection apparatus is allowed to be installed in any desired orientation without restrictions.
US08011783B1
The hearing device connector for eyeglasses is a connector that attaches a hearing aid device or a hearing device ear hanger to eyeglasses. The hearing aid device can have a flexible elastic sound tube from the transmitter and the sound tube passes through the connector and the stem of the eyeglasses securing the hearing aid directly to the eye glasses. Other types of hearing devices like telephone or radio sound tube can also be attached to the connector and eyeglasses. Eyeglass holders or attachments that fit around a person's head can also be used to fasten the connector to hearing aids.
US08011782B2
An elongate hand-held printer device for printing on a medium when a user moves said device over the medium. The device includes an upper and a lower moulding configured to complementarily receive each other to define a housing, said housing defining an ink ejection slot along, and a printhead module housed in the housing. The module has a plurality of micro-electromechanical ejection devices for operatively ejecting ink via the ink ejection slot. The device also includes an ink supply cartridge housed in the housing, the cartridge for supplying the printhead module with ink, as well as an optical encoder wheel to facilitate regulation of a printing rate of the printhead module as the device is moved along the medium.
US08011765B2
A liquid ejection device ejects liquid droplets from a liquid ejection head. The liquid ejection device includes a liquid feeding member that feeds liquid to the liquid ejection head. The liquid feeding member is connected to a liquid ejection head to feed liquid to a common liquid chamber of the liquid ejection head, which liquid ejection head includes the common liquid chamber that supplies the liquid to plural individual liquid chambers communicating with plural nozzles that eject liquid droplets. The liquid feeding member includes a liquid circulation path through which the liquid circulates in a direction parallel to a direction in which the nozzles of the liquid ejection head are aligned.
US08011755B2
A printhead assembly includes a molded ink manifold, a plurality of printhead integrated circuits, and an adhesive film sandwiched between the ink manifold and the printhead integrated circuits. A manifold bonding surface of the molded ink manifold includes a polymer coating. The polymer coating plugs fissures resulting from a molding process used to mold the ink manifold.
US08011753B2
A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head which ejects a liquid onto a liquid ejection surface of an ejection target member; a scanning unit which scans the liquid ejecting head relative to the ejection target member; and a driving force transmission mechanism which transmits driving force of a rotary driving force source to the scanning unit through a belt, wherein a liquid absorbing material which absorbs and retains mists of a liquid floating in an inner space of the liquid ejecting apparatus is disposed on the belt.
US08011752B2
An ink jet printer has a carriage equipped with a recording head. The carriage is disposed downstream in a feeding direction of a recording medium. The carriage has an optical sensor for measuring dirt on a supply roller. When the supply roller is dirty, a cleaning operation is started to rotate the supply roller as being pressed onto a separation pad. The dirt on the supply roller is measured with the optical sensor, and the cleaning operation lasts until the dirt is removed from the supply roller.
US08011747B2
A printer controller for controlling a printhead comprising at least one monolithic printhead module, the at least one printhead module having a plurality of rows of nozzles configured to extend, in use, across at least part of a printable pagewidth of the printhead, the nozzles in each row being grouped into at least first and second fire groups, the printhead module being configured to sequentially fire, for each row, the nozzles of each fire group, such that each nozzle in the sequence from each fire group is fired simultaneously with respective corresponding nozzles in the sequence in the other fire groups, wherein the nozzles are fired row by row such that the nozzles of each row are all fired before the nozzles of each subsequent row, wherein the printer controller is configured to provide one or more control signals that control the order of firing of the nozzles.
US08011745B2
An in-car entertainment (ICE) unit includes a compact disc (CD) player configured to play a CD. A first user console is provided to permit a user to control operation of the CD player and the radio receiver. A liquid crystal display (LCD) is provided which can be used to display information from the CD. A printer is configured to print the displayed information. A second user console is provided to permit a user to control operation of the printer.
US08011743B2
The invention proposes a device for influencing the movement of furniture parts (1, 2) which can be moved relative to one another, having a movement-influencing unit which comprises an installation housing, in which movement-influencing coupling means are accommodated such that they can be displaced at least in a translatory manner, and having a coupling element, to which the coupling means are connected in the operating state. In order to provide a device which is of space-saving construction and is comparatively straight-forward to install, the movement-influencing unit is designed such that, by virute of a relative movement between the coupling means and the coupling element in a displacement direction of the coupling means, the coupling means can be coupled to the coupling element to produce a connection which has a predeterminable coupling force. Also proposed are a drawer guide and a production method.
US08011739B2
A replaceable wear pad apparatus for a crawler track of a construction machine includes an elongated reinforcing element having first and second sides. The reinforcing element includes first and second holes disposed therethrough and includes first and second polygonal cross section sockets defined therein on the first side of the reinforcing element co-axial with the first and second holes, respectively, each socket including a socket floor and multiple sides. First and second polygonal cross section nuts are received in the first and second sockets, each nut having a threaded bore co-axial with one of the holes. A wear pad is molded from a wear pad material, the reinforcing element and the nuts being embedded in the molded wear pad material so that the wear pad material holds the nuts in place within the sockets.
US08011734B1
A wheel for an in-line skate or other wheeled vehicle is disclosed that may be modified to alter the rolling resistance of the wheel. The wheel may be disassembled to change a tire on the outer surface of the wheel to one made of a harder or softer material, and to insert or change a grease of a chosen viscosity into a chamber inside the wheel. The two changes may be utilized singly or collectively to help set the rolling resistance of the wheel. The wheel may be retrofit onto existing in-line roller skates.
US08011733B2
A wheel includes a metal rim, an electrically conductive hub, a thermoelectric device, and a battery. The metal rim is exposed out of a circumference surface of the wheel for contacting with the ground. The thermoelectric device is connected between the metal rim and the electrically conductive hub for generating electric energy using temperature difference between the metal rim and the electrically conductive hub. The battery has two electrodes connected to the metal rim and the electrically conductive hub, respectively. The battery is configured for collecting electric energy generated by the thermoelectric device.
US08011727B1
The thermal child seat blanket apparatus provides snug, removable fit to an exiting child seat. The choice of battery power or power via the cigar plug of an auto yields widespread user choices. After setting the initially desired temperature of the heating elements, the temperature is easily moved up or down via the touch control temperature increase and temperature decrease. The seat cover can be used with or without the blanket. While the apparatus is ideally suited for fit to a portable child seat, it may nonetheless by used in any desired application to warm and shelter a child, whether in or out of a seat. The flexible seat cover, blanket, and collapsible accordion shield provide compact portability.
US08011724B2
Lever and wheel attachment device (1) for a chair with a pair of front legs (X, Y) comprising: a) a pair of lever arms (10, 20) each having first and second ends, (10A, 10B: 20A, 20B), with the second ends (10B, 20B) being joined together, b) a foot pedal (40) at the second ends, c) a chair leg engaging member (14, 24) at each first end, d) a ground engaging wheel (15, 25) between the first and the second ends of each lever arm, each wheel (15, 25) providing a pivot point about its axis for each lever arm, in use the device (1) engages the pair of front legs and raises them off the ground, the chair is movable forward with the rear legs remaining on the ground, and the weight of the chair and a person is taken at least in part on the wheels.
US08011719B2
An inner gusset plate is connected, in each case in the region of the C pillar, to a roof frame cross-member, to a lateral roof frame member and to a rear sealing channel cheek of a motor vehicle or of a rear part of a motor vehicle. The inner gusset plate is arranged opposite a further, outer, connected gusset plate. The two gusset plates form a pillar profile and are connected to a wheel box of the body structure. The inner gusset plate is supported via adjoining inner brackets on a longitudinal member of the vehicle, which longitudinal member is adjoined by two cross-members in the vehicle floor, which cross-members are arranged in the region of the supporting base of the inner bracket on the longitudinal member.
US08011717B2
There is provided an automotive interior component including an impact absorber mounted to an interior side of a side wall panel of a vehicle, and the shape and structure of the impact absorber that can undergo buckling deformation and absorb an impact load in a side collision are improved to increase an impact absorbing function. The impact absorber 30 mounted on a back surface of an impact area IA in the automotive interior component (door trim) 10 is formed as a hollow box body having an opening 31 on one side and a bottom surface wall 32 on the other side, and improvement such as providing corner cut portions 34 at four corner portions of the bottom surface wall 32, forming a chamfered portion 333 at a corner portion of a side wall 33, or forming a cam groove portion 334, a triangular rib 36, or an inner surface rib 321 is made to adjust a reaction force in a side collision to increase an impact absorbing function.
US08011710B2
A fixture element is provided, in particular for motor vehicles, with an upwardly open casing for accommodating at least one receptacle, and the casing exhibits at least one lateral clamping element. The casing incorporates at least one hinged support, which is substantially parallel and spaced apart from the floor in a first latchable setting, as well as essentially perpendicular to the floor in a second setting. The respective clamping element is further arranged above the support relative to its first setting. In such a fixture element, it is proposed that the hinged support be able to pivot around an axis mounted in the casing, and the support exhibits two support sections interconnected so that they can pivot around an axis situated parallel to the casing axis. The two support sections are toggled and folded toward each other when the support is moved from the first setting to the second setting.
US08011671B2
A dynamic shaft seal assembly has inner and outer cases that are clamped together to secure a seal element therebetween for dynamic sealing about a rotatable shaft. The inner case is formed with integral pull tabs that are engageable by a seal removal tool to facilitate the removal of the seal assembly from a bore in which the seal assembly is installed.
US08011667B2
A mechanical seal face has a significant increase in the ability of the seal to tolerate poor lubrication conditions such as dry running. The mechanical seal employs a thin, non-corrugated flat sheet of flexible thermally conductive graphite material placed between one of the mechanical seal faces and a metal surface such as a metal surface defined by a shaft sleeve or gland serving as a seal ring holder. The graphite sheet is located axially between a back face of the more thermally conductive mechanical seal ring and the metal face holder part. The conductive seal face material preferably is a ceramic or cermet material such as silicon carbide, tungsten carbide, silicon nitride, aluminum oxide, or a metallic material such as stainless steel. Fluid pressure and spring forces are used to create a compressive load between the seal face, graphite sheet, and metal part to maximize continuous contact between the opposed faces of these parts and the opposite sides of the graphite sheet, and heat buildup at contacting seal faces flows away therefrom to the metal part through the thermally conductive sheet.
US08011664B2
A multi-player ring toss game is described. The game includes multiple arms extending from a support stand. Players toss rings or similar objects that are tethered to the arms and attempt to hook them on hooks. In specific implementations, the ring toss game is foldable and portable using a folding mechanism to convert the apparatus from a playing position to a storing position.
US08011662B2
A hand-held opaque playing board has a different maze structure on each of two faces with holes passing through the board between the two maze structures. Each maze structure is divided approximately in half by an impassable barrier. Gravity moves the playing piece when the board is tilted. When the ball passes through the board from one maze structure to the other, the board must be turned over to view the other maze structure. The ball must travel from the start position at one end on one face through the maze structures back and forth through the board until the playing pieces lands in the finish position at the other end on the other face in the shortest time. The maze can also be played on a hand-held electronic device or on a stationary screen device, such as a computer, using a controller to simulate tilting and turning the board.
US08011657B2
A sheet transport device comprises a sheet feeding path through which a sheet is transported, first and second elements which are located face to face with a particular point in the sheet feeding path and have first and second surfaces, respectively, constituting part of the sheet feeding path and arranged therealong, an interposed element disposed insertably into and withdrawably from a space formed between the first and second elements, and a discharge arrester disposed in first and second surfaces for providing protection against a discharge of static electricity from the sheet, the discharge arrester having a projecting part extending in a direction intersecting the sheet feeding path.
US08011648B1
An elongated clamping member upon a conventional pallet support table extends its clamping range by providing several screw-head receiving portions for receiving a conventional clamping screw that presses against a selected screw-head receiving portion to cause the clamping member to press against a work-piece. A first edge portion of the clamping member is positioned a first distance from a first screw-head receiving portion, and a second screw-head receiving portion is positioned a second distance from a second edge portion of the clamping member opposite the first edge portion, this difference ensuring that the clamping screw moves the clamping member in a forward direction toward the work-piece rather than away from the work-piece. A work-stop employing a conventional flat head screw has several peripheral flats, positioned at progressively increasing distances from each flat to a central portion of the work-stop member to further extend the clamping range of the moveable clamp.
US08011645B2
A lift spring assembly has a compression spring rod with a housing having a longitudinal axis and axially opposite ends, and having a rod member coaxial with the axis and having an inner end in the housing and an outer end axially outwardly of one of the opposite ends. A guide member is provided on the inner end of the rod member for supporting the rod member during movement of the rod member. A first stage spring assembly extends between one of the opposite ends of the housing and the guide member. A second stage spring assembly extends between the other of the opposite ends of the housing and the guide member. A mounting member extending from one of the opposite ends of the housing for mounting the spring rod assembly to a hood assembly. A locking member is pivotally connected to the mounting member and pivots into locking engagement with one of the ends of the housing.
US08011641B2
A carburettor includes a flow duct (4) including rich (8) and lean (10) passages in parallel, through which, in use, air flows and which are separated by a substantially planar partition (6). At least one fuel jet (12, 14, 16) communicates with the rich passage (8). The partition (6) includes a circular aperture (20). A butterfly valve (24) is mounted on a pivotal shaft (22) to be pivotable between a closed position, in which the flow duct (4) is substantially closed, and an open position, in which the flow duct is substantially open. The pivotal shaft (22) extends perpendicular to the plane of the partition (6). The pivotal shaft (22) carries a circular obturator disc (26), whose diameter is substantially equal to that of the aperture (20) and which is received in the aperture (20) and substantially closes the aperture (20) at all positions of the butterfly valve (24).
US08011639B2
A valve of the invention includes a valve body having an inlet, an outlet, and a flow passage connecting the inlet and outlet, the inlet, the outlet and the flow passage being in general axial alignment within the valve body. A valve seat surrounds the flow passage and a valve closure member is movable towards and away from the valve seat to close and open the valve respectively. The valve closure member is a poppet-type closure member axially mounted to a stem. The stem has a plurality of pistons spaced apart along the length thereof, and the valve body has a plurality of cylinders fixed relative thereto, the pistons each being slidable in a respective cylinder. The valve closure member is movable by varying the pressure in the cylinders. Preferably each of the cylinders has an outlet port through a wall thereof which is exposed when the closure member has moved towards or into a fully open position, pressure within said cylinders dissipating through those outlet ports when the outlet ports are exposed.
US08011628B1
An antenna mounting bracket is disclosed for mounting an antenna within a water meter container. The mounting bracket comprises a first plate having a top surface, a bottom surface, a front edge and a rear edge. A first elongated aperture and a first slit traverse through the first plate. A first step is secured to the rear edge of the first plate for supporting the first plate upon the lip of the water meter container. A second plate defines a top surface, a bottom surface, a front edge and a rear edge. A second elongated aperture and a second slit traverse through the second plate. A second step is secured to the rear edge of the second plate for supporting the second plate upon the lip of the water meter container. The bottom surface of the first plate slidably engages adjacent to the top surface of the second plate with the first step being a mirror image of the second step for defining an adjustable bracket length. The first elongated aperture overlays the second elongated aperture for defining an adjustable elongated aperture. The first slit overlays the second slit for defining an adjustable slit. A fastener traverses through the adjustable slit for securing the first plate to the second plate after setting the adjustable bracket length to equal the water meter container. The adjustable elongated aperture engages the antenna for positioning the antenna above the water meter.
US08011621B2
A clip for a snap-in cable hanger with a top from which at least two clip arm(s) extend and at least one of the clip arm(s) formed with a clip tab projecting proximate a distal end. The top having a length greater than a diameter of the mounting hole and a width dimensioned to fit within a spring space when the snap-in cable hanger is seated upon the mounting hole. The clip arm(s) spaced apart proximate the diameter of the mounting hole, having a length longer than a depth of the mounting hole.
US08011619B2
The design and attachment of an insulation package near the fuselage structure to protect the cabin region of an aircraft against fire acting on the insulation package from outside the aircraft environment, thus clearly facilitating evacuation of the passengers from the vehicle. The insulation package arrangement may comprise several fuselage insulation packages of an elongated form. These packages may adjoin the aircraft fuselage structure in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the aircraft. They may be completely enclosed by a burn-through-proof foil which is arranged in a space enclosed by interior paneling and by the panels of the outer skin. The longitudinal end of the fuselage insulation package continues outward with a flat insulation end section is attached which is attached to a rib-attachment region arranged below the respective longitudinal sides of a rib and near the stringer by means of burn-through-proof attachment elements arranged on the inside of the aircraft with respect to the insulation.
US08011618B2
A storage device for baggage for an aircraft cabin includes a compartment having a lower face and an upper face, an open face allowing access to the compartment for the depositing and removal of baggage inside same and a back, opposite the open face of the compartment. The lower face of the compartment is substantially plane on the side of the open face and rises up near the back. A groove, the concavity of which is positioned toward the upper face of the compartment, is implemented in the joining zone between the raised portion of the lower face and the back.
US08011611B2
In a recording medium transporting mechanism, a flange member is attached on either side of a roll paper and the flange member has a diameter smaller than a maximum outer diameter of a roll paper. Support rollers support a corresponding one of the flange members in a rotatable manner. The support rollers are moveable along the axis of rotation of the roll paper. The sum of an outer diameter of corresponding one of the flange members and the support rollers is greater than a maximum outer diameter of the roll paper. A rewinding roller of at least a length equivalent to a distance between both sets of support rollers when the sets of support rollers are farthest apart is engaged with a support roller within the set of support rollers and can rotate the flange member in a rewinding direction over a desired amount of continuous time.
US08011592B2
In an embodiment, a display module comprises a temperature sensor configured to provide temperature information; a transmission interface, coupled to an external chip of the IC card; a processing module, coupled to the temperature sensor and the transmission interface, comprising: a storage device comprising an application software program; and a processing unit, coupled to the storage device, configured to be capable of executing the application software program to access data from the external chip via the transmission interface, obtaining the temperature information from the temperature sensor, and outputting a control signal according to the temperature information and data; a display driver, coupled to the processing module, configured to be capable of receiving the control signal and generating a driving signal according to the control signal; and a display film capable of displaying images, coupled to the display driver, and configured to be capable of displaying information according to the driving signal.
US08011578B2
A system for managing voucher use includes a database, a voucher, and a processor. The database stores an account defining at least one approved item available for purchase and a financial balance. The voucher includes an identifier linking the voucher to the account. The processor is in communication with the database and is adapted to use the identifier to access the account. The processor is adapted to determine if an item selected for purchase is an approved item and to apply at least a portion of the financial balance toward the purchase of the selected item only if the selected item is an approved item. Other voucher systems and associated methods are also disclosed.
US08011575B1
A system operates to carry out financial transfers in response to data read from data bearing records. A cell phone having a camera stores in memory indicia corresponding to account data from a plurality of magnetic stripe cards. A user can operate the phone to select one of the accounts stored in the memory. The memory further includes a scanned user-identifying written signature. The user can use the phone during an item purchase to wirelessly transmit each of an item's identifier captured by the camera, selected account data, and the user signature.
US08011562B2
A tin or solder alloy film is formed by ejecting molten tin liquid or molten solder alloy liquid in a jet state onto a copper surface of an electronic component. The overflowing molten tin or molten solder alloy liquid is transported to a stirrer. Then, cuprate and the like mixed in the overflowing molten tin or molten solder alloy liquid are taken in to the organic fatty acid solution by fiercely stirring and mixing the molten tin or molten solder alloy liquid in contact with a solution at a temperature of 180 to 350° C. containing 1 to 80 weight % of organic fatty acid having 12 to 20 carbon number that circulates in the stirrer to purify the overflowing molten tin or molten solder alloy liquid. The mixed solution is introduced into a reservoir of the organic fatty acid solution, and the purified molten tin solution or molten solder alloy liquid separated according to the specific gravity difference in the reservoir of the organic fatty acid solution is returned from the bottom of the organic fatty acid solution reservoir to the reservoir of the molten tin or molten solder liquid by a pump for circulation use. By means of this, copper is prevented from accumulating in the molten tin or molten solder liquid, and thus it is possible to continuously perform a stable soldering process for a long term.
US08011553B2
A surgical device is described herein that can be used to fire different types and sizes of disposable loading units. In a preferred embodiment, the device applies parallel rows of surgical fasteners to body tissue and concomitantly forms an incision between the rows of staples during an endoscopic or laparoscopic surgical procedure. The device can be utilized with disposable loading units configured to apply linear rows of staples measuring from about 15 mm in length to about 60 mm in length and can be used to fire disposable loading units containing surgical clips and individual staples.
US08011550B2
A loading unit for use with a surgical stapling apparatus is provided and includes a tool assembly having a cartridge assembly and an anvil assembly that are movable in relation to one another; a surgical buttress releasably secured to a tissue contacting surface of the anvil assembly and/or the cartridge assembly, wherein each surgical buttress is secured to the anvil assembly and/or the cartridge assembly by at least one anchor; a release assembly associated with the anvil assembly and/or the cartridge assembly; and a drive assembly slidably translatable through the tool assembly between proximal and distal positions, wherein the drive assembly actuates the release assembly to thereby release the anchor to free the surgical buttress from the anvil assembly and/or the cartridge assembly.
US08011548B2
A nail gun having a safe firing mechanism is composed of a main body, a nail-driving member, a safety member, and a linkage. The main body includes a nail passage for receiving nails and a nail chamber for receiving a nail ready to be fired by the nail-driving member. The nails include an initial nail, a final nail, and a plurality of standby nails located between the initial and final nails. The linkage includes a contact portion and a stopping end linking up with the contact portion. The contact portion is stopped against the standby nail. The stopping end is stopped against the safety member. When the contact portion is not stopped against the standby nail, the stopping end is located at where the safety member is stopped. When the contact portion is stopped against the standby nail, the stopping end shifts to where the safety member is not stopped.
US08011544B1
A pocket for an article having oppositely facing sides, comprising a front component cooperating in a nested relationship with a back component to define a chamber having an open upper end sized to receive the article. The front and back components, when in their nested relationship, having confronting front and back walls and overlapping bottom walls closing the lower end of the chamber. The bottom walls are interconnected in a manner accommodating movement of the front component relative to the back component between a closed position at which the sides of an article received in the chamber via the open upper end are tightly confined between the front and back walls, and a release position at which the front wall is deflected away from the back wall to accommodate removal of the article from the chamber via the open upper end. A back mounting bar extends across and cooperates in spaced relationship with the exterior of the back wall to define parallel back channels. A pair of flexible mounting straps have lower ends and upper ends joined by a transverse web. The mounting straps extend downwardly through the back channels along the exterior of the back wall. The lower ends of the mounting straps are detachably connected to one of the bottom walls. The mounting straps cooperate with the exterior of the back wall to define a belt receiving slot.
US08011542B2
A piece of luggage that includes a main body portion having a front and a back and a system for mounting the piece of luggage on an object. The system includes at least first and second receivers attached to the front of the main body portion, a horizontally oriented band and first and second rods. The horizontally oriented band includes a plurality of vertically oriented passages defined therethrough. The first receiver and one of the passages cooperate to define a first path and the second receiver and one of the passages cooperate to define a second path. The first and second rods are each respectively removably received in the first and second paths. In a preferred embodiment, the band includes a middle section having a vertically oriented slot defined therein and two adjustment sections extending outwardly from the middle section. A plurality of vertically oriented passages are defined through each of the adjustment sections and the mounting system also includes a vertically oriented strap extending from the front of the main body portion that is adapted to be received in the vertically oriented slot.
US08011539B1
A bulk tank source of pressurized gas supplies gas to a consumption device, such as a beverage dispenser. A control valve is located between the bulk tank and the consumption device. A pressure monitoring system is connected to monitor the gas pressure between the bulk tank and the control valve. The pressure monitor system closes the valve when pressure drops below a first predetermined threshold, and opens the valve when the monitored pressure exceeds a second predetermined threshold greater than the first predetermined threshold.
US08011532B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a baking cup having a base section, a periphery section, and at least one tab extending beyond the periphery section. The tab(s) is configured to allow a user to lift and remove the baking cup from a baking utensil mold without having to touch the baking utensil or content of the baking cup. An exemplary method of using such a baking cup includes arranging the baking cup on a utensil, producing a baked good, and removing the baking cup from the utensil using the tab(s). The tab(s) may be formed part of or attached to the baking cup. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing tabbed baking cups includes arranging shapes such as circles on a sheet of bake-proof material, utilizing the leftover to form tabs for the circles and cutting the circles and corresponding tab(s) to form the baking cups.
US08011529B2
A mouth piece assembly includes a mouth piece unit having a pivot which is pivotably connected to a first connector so that the mouth piece unit is pivotable about an axis of the pivot relative to the first connector. The first connector is pivotably inserted into a second connector so that the first connector is pivotable about an axis of the second connector. The two respective axes are perpendicular to each other. A locking key is connected to the second connector and engaged with the first connector inserted into the second connector. The mouth piece unit can be pivoted in two different directions and the volume of liquid sucked from the container is not changed.
US08011526B2
A loosening prevention device (1) for a plug includes: a first sleeve (11) engaged with and surrounding a first plug (70) attached to a lid of a liquid tank (60); a second sleeve (21) engaged with and surrounding a second plug (80) attached to the lid; and a connection means (24) for connecting and fixing the first sleeve and the second sleeve with each other. At least one flat surface (75, 85) is formed on an outer circumferential surface (74, 84) of both or either one of the first plug and the second plug, and at least one flat surface (12, 22) in surface contact with the flat surface of both or either one of the first plug and the second plug is formed on an inner circumferential surface of both or either one of the first sleeve and the second sleeve. With this arrangement, a plug for supplying pressurized-gas and a plug for discharging liquid can be firmly held.
US08011522B2
A container closure includes an inner core having a non-cylindrical profile created by a variable longitudinal cross-sectional area. One or more outer layers concentrically surround the core and have a cross-sectional area inversely correlated to the inner core so that the overall container closure has an essentially cylindrical profile.
US08011518B2
To provide a crystalline polymer microporous film including: a laminate consisting of two or more crystalline polymer layers formed of crystalline polymers; and multiple pores penetrating through the laminate in the thickness direction thereof, wherein an average pore size of each of the crystalline polymer layer changes along the thickness thereof.
US08011516B2
An apparatus and a method for sorting objects. The apparatus has an input conveyor, an output conveyor, two loading devices, two unloading devices and a drive. Each loading device is configured to fill the input conveyor with at least one object. Each unloading device enables an object to be removed from the output conveyor. The apparatus can be switched between an input optimized mode and an output optimized mode. In the input optimized mode, both loading devices and one unloading device are activated. The apparatus guides the input conveyor past both loading devices and the output conveyor past the activated unloading device. In the output optimized mode, one loading device and both unloading devices are activated. The apparatus guides the input conveyor past the activated loading device and the output conveyor past the two unloading devices.
US08011503B2
Protective modular holders for CDs and DVDs can be assembled into a storage assembly from which each disc and its accompanying literature can be removed without opening an individual holder. Two outer elements and an inner element form a module which receives two components, such as a pair of discs, or a disc and a booklet. Each side of the inner member cooperates with the corresponding outer element to form a disc receiving opening with openings aligned or at 90° or 180° offsets. The units are connected at the corners to adjacent units with the openings in selected alignments to form a storage assembly. The assembly may be expanded by connecting additional holder units. The outer elements and inner members cooperatively form a slot and label rail for receiving a label when the elements are joined together. The inner holder member surfaces may include a disc cleaner.
US08011502B2
A reusable stackable storage container for housing, organizing and/or displaying at least one item including a top side casing, a bottom side casing, a first cup-like protrusion formed on the top side casing, a second cup-like protrusion formed on the bottom side casing, and at least one sidewall formed to the bottom side casing, where a cavity between the first cup-like protrusion and the second cup-like protrusion is adapted to receive the at least one item when the container is closed. The container further may comprise a selectively engageable fastening mechanism formed on the top side casing and bottom side casing to open and close the container. A support structure may be formed on a sidewall to provide additional support when the container is standing vertically on the at least one sidewall. Two or more containers can be nestably stacked one into the other, the first cup-like protrusion of one container fitting into the second cup-like protrusion of another container.
US08011489B2
An automatic change gear control device for a motorcycle having a manually operated clutch operation member achieves both easy clutch operation and secure freedom of drive. A clutch is connected and disconnected to change gears in a transmission capable of freely changing gears in plural stages. A clutch actuator drives the clutch. A clutch operation unit has a manually-operated clutch lever. An ECU controls the clutch actuator based on driver operation of the clutch lever.
US08011488B2
Brushes (20, 21) which come into slidable contact with slip rings (23, 24) having power feeding terminals (51, 53) electrically connected to a power feeding side include extending portions (32, 36) extending in the radial direction of a field core (3). These extending portions (32, 36) are bent in a direction away from a coil bobbin (12). The third bent portions (32c, 36c) located at the ends of the extending portions are electrically connected to the terminal portions (10d) of coil terminals. An outer diameter R1 of a mounting recess portion (3a) which stores a power feeding device (5) of the field core (3) is smaller than an inner diameter R2 of the coil bobbin (12). This makes it possible to position the mounting recess portion (3a) at a distance H from the coil bobbin (12) in the field core (3) in the arrow A direction, thereby reducing the size of the rotating coil type electromagnetic clutch (1) in the arrow A-B direction.
US08011486B2
An electromagnetically actuatable clutch for a water pump in a cooling water circuit of an internal combustion engine, having a drive wheel rotatably mounted relative to the water pump, and an armature disk, which interacts with a coil. The armature disk and a functional component of an eddy current clutch are connected to the drive wheel so that the drive wheel, armature disk and first functional component run synchronously when they rotate. The armature disk can be moved axially with the first functional component by energizing the coil. A second functional component of the eddy current clutch is provided arranged in a fixed fashion on a shaft coupled to the water pump. A friction mechanism is provided between the first and second functional components to provide a frictional locking engagement between the two functional components that is released by energizing the coil.
US08011484B2
A versatile travel trunk may be reconfigured for numerous purposes, including a men's wardrobe, women's wardrobe, a combined wardrobe, food-carrying applications, tool and utensil accommodation, or any combination thereof. The preferred embodiment includes a body portion to which there is hinged a closable door portion. The body portion has an interior with a depth and opposing inner side walls adapted to receive one or more removable and reconfigurable shelves. A plurality of fasteners are disposed on the back portion of the back wall of the door to receive one or more modular inserts, each insert having a back surface connectable to the fasteners and a front surface with compartments adapted to carry a different set of items for a particular travel application. One or more of the shelves further include lower tracks to receive drawers that slide in and out of the body portion. The body portion preferably further includes a set of integrated wheels and a retractable handle for ease in transport.
US08011483B2
A ventilation device provided which includes a valve arranged in a combined spring accumulator and operating brake cylinder. On depressurization of a pressure medium chamber in the spring accumulator brake cylinder, ventilation of a spring accumulator chamber of the spring accumulator brake cylinder, from the pressure medium chamber of the operating brake cylinder, is effected. A chambers is provided on the side of a valve piston in the valve, facing away from a control chamber, which, with an open valve, connects a first working connections to this chamber and, hence, to a second working connection, arranged axially on the front side of the valve, by means of a passage provided in the valve piston.
US08011480B2
An elevator installation and a method for arranging a load sensor in the elevator installation includes a car, a support device for supporting the car, the load sensor and a deflecting roller unit. The deflecting roller unit is arranged at the car and has at least two deflecting rollers which are rotatable about a common axle. The load sensor is arranged on the common axle between the two deflecting rollers.
US08011476B1
A ladder attachment for use on ladder tree stands, conventional ladders and otherwise to temporarily secure the top of the ladder to a tree or post. The ladder attachment includes a pair of pivotable jaws which can be closed around a tree and locked in place while standing on the ground. The ladder is temporarily secured so the user can climb the ladder and attach a more permanent, standard anchor belt. The method includes steps for affixing the ladder attachment to a ladder, positioning the ladder and ladder attachment against a tree, securing the ladder attachment to the tree and thereafter removing the ladder attachment and later the ladder for further use.
US08011472B2
A sound absorbing structure is constituted of a housing having a hollow portion and an opening and a vibration member composed of a board or diaphragm. The vibration member is a square-shaped material having elasticity composed of a synthetic resin and is bonded to the opening of the housing, thus forming an air layer closed inside the sound absorbing structure by the housing and the vibration member. In the sound absorbing structure, when the lateral/longitudinal dimensions of the air layer and characteristics of the vibration member (e.g. a Young's modulus, thickness, and Poisson's ratio) are set such that the fundamental frequency of a vibration occurring in a bending system falls within 5% and 65% of the resonance frequency of a spring-mass system, a vibration mode having a large amplitude occurs in a frequency band lower than the resonance frequency of the spring-mass system, this improving the sound absorption coefficient.
US08011471B2
The exhaust chamber for a motor vehicle exhaust line includes: a main envelope defining a main enclosure and having an exhaust gas inlet and an exhaust gas outlet; and at least one saucer-shaped shell having an opening defined by a peripheral edge of the shell, the or each shell being tightly connected to an outside surface of the main envelope along the peripheral edge, the shell, with the main envelope, defining a secondary enclosure. The main envelope has, beneath the shell, a plurality of perforations for placing the main enclosure in communication with the secondary enclosure. The main envelope has, in a first area located beneath the shell, at least one slot for increasing the elasticity of the first area, and/or the main envelope has, in a second area that is not covered by the shell, at least one rib for increasing the stiffness of the second area.
US08011468B2
A machine includes a machine body having an operator station and a seat assembly position at the operator station. The seat assembly includes a pneumatic support element that includes an air container having an air compressor positioned therein. The air container includes a deformable section, and a rigid section that includes a housing for the air compressor. Forming the air compressor housing integrally with the air container minimizes leak paths and improves packaging.
US08011465B2
An air intake plenum (100) disposed in an air induction channel (112) in a hood (116) defined by a bottom channel wall (120), a rear hood reinforcement wall (122), a cab wall (124), and an exterior skin (126), where the air induction channel extends between an air inlet (114) laying in a plane generally parallel with the direction of travel “T” of the vehicle to an air outlet (118), includes a plenum inlet (128). The plenum inlet (128) is generally co-planar with the air inlet (114) of the air induction channel (112). At least one side wall (136, 138) extends from the plenum inlet (128) to a plenum outlet (144) and is angled downwards towards the bottom channel wall (120). Air through the plenum inlet (128) impinges against the side wall (136, 138), exits the plenum outlet (144), and is directed to impinge against the bottom channel wall (120) of the air induction channel (112) where contaminants drop out of the air.
US08011462B2
A detachable and portable fuel cell power unit which may be used with a vehicle. Said power unit with a unitary housing containing: a fuel reservoir for storing fuel; at least one electrochemical fuel cell stack for delivering electrical power; a fueling port in an outer surface of the housing; and an airflow path extending between a first inlet port on an outer surface of the housing and a first outlet port on an outer surface of the housing, via cathode elements in the at least one fuel cell stack. Said unit includes a control circuit for interfacing with a power controller on the vehicle for determining allowable operating conditions.
US08011454B2
A method of estimating a property of interest downhole according to one aspect of the disclosure may include continuously receiving a core drilled from a formation into an open end of a chamber while removing the core distal from the open end of the chamber. The method further includes obtaining a measurement relating to property of interest of the core using at least one sensor; and estimating the property of interest of the core using the obtained measurement.
US08011449B2
The present invention is directed at a pullhead/reamer for use in digging a hole in the ground; comprising a first end (22) shaped to receive a mandrel struts, connecting the first end to the second end, the struts defining a set of open flutes (48) therewithin; and a set of slurry jets (50); wherein when the pullhead/reamer is in use, the set of slurry jets release a pressurized liquid to mix with the ground producing a slurry which enters the pullhead/reamer via the open flutes.
US08011441B2
A portable linear fastener driving tool is provided that drive staples, nails, or other linearly driven fasteners. The tool uses a gas spring principle, in which a cylinder filled with compressed gas is used to quickly force a piston through a driving stroke movement, while a driver also drives a fastener into a workpiece. The piston/driver is then moved back to its starting position by use of a rotary-to-linear lifter, and the piston again compresses the gas above the piston, thereby preparing the tool for another driving stroke. The driver has protrusions along its edges that contact the lifter, which lifts the driver during a return stroke. A pivotable latch is controlled to move into either an interfering position or a non-interfering position with respect to the driver protrusions, and acts as a safety device, by preventing the driver from making a full driving stroke at an improper time.
US08011435B2
A method for drilling a borehole in a producing subsea wellbore wherein a flexible conduit is connected at one end to a surface vessel and at the other end via a pressurized subsea wellhead to the producing wellbore such that a remotely operated electrical drilling device (RODD) can be deployed down the flexible conduit, the method comprising: directing a RODD to the location for drilling in the wellbore; and drilling a further wellbore section with the RODD; wherein the drilling comprises drilling in underbalanced conditions with respect to the formation; and using fluids produced from the formation to transport the drill cuttings away from the drilling device.
US08011425B2
Apparatus and methods for establishing electrical communication between an instrument subsection disposed below a mud motor and an electronics sonde disposed above the mud motor in a drill string conveyed borehole logging system. Electrical communication is established via at least one conductor disposed within the mud motor and connecting the instrument sub section to a link disposed between the mud motor and the electronics sonde. The link can be embodied as a current coupling link, a magnetic coupling ling, an electromagnetic telemetry ling and a direct electrical contact link. Two way data transfer is established in all link embodiments. Power transfer is also established in all but the electromagnetic telemetry link.
US08011424B2
A convective heat transfer system for use with a fluid with particles, including a fluid channel having a wall and being capable of transferring the fluid, and a field emitter operable to emit a time-varying field into the fluid channel such that, when the fluid is in the channel, the time varying field affects a portion of the particles to change the rate of heat transfer between the channel and the fluid. The fluid can be a slurry with suspended field reactive particles. The system can include a plurality of field emitters located along the walls of the fluid channel, to vary the field and manipulate the distribution of the particles within the slurry, thereby changing the heat transfer characteristics of the system. The field can be an electric field or a magnetic field. The fluid channel can be disposed in a heat transfer system.
US08011417B2
A process for continuous casting of slabs or other metal products of elongate cross section, for example made of steel, in which a molten metal is poured into a cooled mold, and the externally solidified product is continuously extracted from the mold and guided in a secondary cooling zone downstream of the mold. To obtain a cast product exhibiting predominantly equiaxed solidification, the product extracted from the mold is subjected to electromagnetic stirring in segment zero of the secondary cooling zone by at least two stirrer-rolls incorporated into the segment zero.
US08011416B2
To provide a manufacturing apparatus that is capable of manufacturing metal-ceramic composite members in various shapes with high productivity, and a mold member and a manufacturing method therefore. An apparatus for manufacturing a metal-ceramic composite member was made, the apparatus including: a plurality of process regions, namely, an atmosphere replacing/heating part 11, a molten metal push-out part 21, and a cooling part 31; and a guide 48 for allowing a mold to pass through these plural process regions, molds 60 having ceramic members 86 placed therein are successively inserted into a mold inlet 43 provided in this guide 48 to pass through the guide 48 practically in a shielded state from the atmosphere, a molten metal 53 is poured thereto in the molten-metal push-out part 21, and the molten metal 53 is cooled and solidified in the cooling part 31 to join a metal and a ceramic, thereby manufacturing the metal-ceramic composite member.
US08011415B2
A flaskless molding apparatus for an upper and a lower mold that can produce molds comprised of molding sand with a substantially uniform density. The apparatus includes a match plate having patterns held between a cope flask and a drag flask, a squeezing mechanism having a plurality of upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet, wherein the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet are insertable into openings of each of the cope flask and the drag flask respectively, which openings are opposite to the match plate, and wherein the squeezing mechanism can support and rotate the cope flask and the drag flask so that the mechanism allows the cope flask and the drag flask to be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise in a perpendicular plane about a supporting shaft and so that the cope flask and the drag flask can be positioned perpendicular or horizontal, and a device for moving the segmented-squeeze feet, wherein the device can control positions of the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet, which positions determine the condition of the molding sand in the molding spaces, according to intervals between the match plate and each of the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet opposite to the match plate.
US08011406B2
There are provided a cartridge to which a first roll around which a base tape with a plurality of RFID circuit elements arranged is wound can be detachably attached, an antenna for transmission/reception of information with the RFID circuit element, a signal processing circuit and a transmitting portion that generate access information to an IC circuit part of the RFID circuit element, transmit the information to the RFID circuit element and carry out information writing in the IC circuit part or information reading from the IC circuit part, a print head for printing on a cover film, and a control circuit provided with a determination portion that determines matching between parameter data provided at the cartridge and instruction data relating to the print input by an operation portion.
US08011396B1
An improved multipurpose funnel system for filling a container, which prevents liquid from overflowing, is self venting and is capable of filling hard to reach container locations. The system has a funnel removably coupled to a bottle cartridge which holds bottles therein. A pair of parallel rods hingedly connected to the bottle cartridge and having at least one hollow cone shaped spike extending outwardly therefrom. The funnel has a downspout having venting tubes, and a cap having an elongated threaded tip. The cap and downspout each include semi-circular plates which work in conjunction together as a check valve mechanism for controlling the flow of liquid therethrough. The check valve mechanism includes a closed first position, intermediate second position, and opened third position.
US08011391B2
A protector device for the ends of the tubular goods, such as tubes for the oil industry, OCTG, line pipes and the like is provided. The protector device may include two pieces, a generally elongate protector body and a bumper reinforcement that may be reversibly connected to the protector body. The protector body may be configured in a cylindrical geometry having a first end and a second end interconnected by lateral walls and defining a socket. The second end of the body further comprises a shoulder and an opening defining a socket in which a tubular good may be inserted. The bumper reinforcement includes an external curved or conical surface, capable of deforming in reaction to an external force in order to protect an enclosed tubular good.
US08011379B2
The present invention relates to a portable and compact umbrella capable of being folded compactly without exposing umbrella ribs and umbrella cloth thereby being easily carried and stored. A portable and compact umbrella according to the present invention includes an extendable umbrella stick extended and retracted to change its length, wherein the extendable umbrella stick has a sheltering means provided at one side thereof and a fixing protrusion provided at the other side thereof; and a handle member having both ends communicating with each other and a receiving space defined therein, wherein the receiving space is partitioned by a cylindrical winding unit, the winding unit has an inner space formed inside thereof so that the extendable umbrella stick is retracted and received in the inner space, and the winding unit has an outer space formed outside thereof so that the sheltering means is wound around the winding unit and received in the outer space.
US08011377B2
A cleaning tool to clean a surface of a component of a lithographic apparatus is disclosed. The cleaning tool includes a sonic transducer, a liquid supply device configured to provide liquid to a reservoir between the surface to be cleaned and the sonic transducer, and a liquid outlet configured to remove liquid provided by the liquid supply device, the cleaning tool constructed and arranged such that, in use, liquid flows into the outlet under the influence of gravity.
US08011362B2
A compact continuous positive airway pressure apparatus and method provide a flatter profile and more compact thickness, including a larger lateral dimension in order to be accommodated in conventional luggage designed to stow laptop computers having a smaller aspect ratio of thickness to length or thickness to width. Air tubing may be coiled within a case or coiled as about a spool-like configuration in the base unit of the device.
US08011355B2
A cartridge-based air gun that fires a BB bullet or a resin bullet inside a cartridge using compressed gas, includes an engaging structure of an extractor that enables blowback and the automatic ejection of the cartridge. An extractor, which engages with a rim that is formed at the rear end of a cartridge loaded in a chamber, is pivotally provided on a side portion of a cylinder so as to be rotatable. A claw portion formed at the tip of the extractor engages with the rim of the cartridge by the urging force of a spring provided between the extractor and the cylinder. A slide moves rearward while the cartridge is held inside the chamber. As the cylinder moves rearward with the stopping of the supply of compressed gas from a gas reservoir, the cartridge comes into contact with an ejector, is released from the engagement by the extractor, and is ejected from the chamber.
US08011338B2
Systems are provided for separating oil from blow-by gases in an internal combustion engine. In one example, a system comprises a camcover configured to be mounted on a cylinder head, and a baffle positioned between the camcover and the cylinder head. The baffle may include at least a first and a second baffle plate, the first baffle plate including a first through-hole on a first face of the first baffle plate, the second baffle plate including a second through-hole on a second face of the second baffle plate. Further, the first and second faces may be positioned opposite one another, and offset such that the first and second through-holes are not fully overlapping.
US08011336B2
In a variable valve opening property internal combustion engine, a roller link (22) is provided with a cam roller (31) at a free end thereof which engages a cam (3) of a camshaft (4) and a pressure surface (47) of a spring device (41). The roller link is pivotally supported by a bearing portion of a control link (21) which can be adjusted in position by using an actuator (14). The roller link is additionally provided with a roller shaft (31) that engages a slipper surface of a rocker arm (6). The pressure surface of the spring device may be contoured or otherwise inclined so that the direction of action of the spring device on the cam roller can be directed in an optimum direction irrespective of the adjusted position of the pivot point of the roller link.
US08011333B2
An internal combustion engine for a vehicle, such as a motorcycle, includes a crankcase, two banks of cylinders projecting from the crankcase in a 56-57 degree V-configuration, a plurality of pushrods, and a plurality of camshafts supported by the crankcase. The two banks of cylinders include a first cylinder bank that projects from the crankcase to a first cylinder head, and a second cylinder bank that projects from the crankcase to a second cylinder head. The plurality of intake and exhaust valve pushrods extend between the crankcase and the first and second cylinder heads, driven by one intake camshaft and two exhaust camshafts.
US08011323B2
A liquid bird feeder provides a liquid container having a sealable top opening and a bottleneck extension at its other end, and a liquid tray having a well adapted to receive the bottleneck extension and at least one feeding port. The sidewall of the well is provided with at least one drain hole and the sidewall of the bottleneck extension with at least one port. The container and bottleneck extension are rotatable within the well to selectively align and misalign the port with the well drain hole to respectively open and close the drain hole upon rotation of the container. In an alternate embodiment, the bottleneck extension is fitted with a collar rotatable with the container. The collar is received in the liquid tray well and includes the at least one port. A liquid flow path is formed in the liquid tray for each feeding port to reduce the volume of nectar in the tray at any given time.
US08011320B2
Rotary pressure distributor for a carousel-type hollow-body treatment machine, comprising several treatment stations, this distributor comprising two coaxial rings (2, 3) in sealed contact, one of them (3) a rotary ring comprising communication orifices (6) connected to at least one treatment station and the other (2) stationary and comprising several slots (7) connected to a pressure source of the machine, these orifices and slots being distributed over several concentric circumferences (9) of different diameters; the orifices and/or the slots positioned on the different diameters have anterior and posterior ends (11, 12) shaped in such a way that as the orifices slide past the respective slots, the rates at which the surface area of the passage (13) defined by each orifice and the associated slot increase upon opening and decrease upon closing are substantially the same over all the circumferences.
US08011317B2
An integrated processing tool is described comprising a full-wafer processing module and a combinatorial processing module. Chemicals for use in the combinatorial processing module are fed from a delivery system including a set of first manifolds. An output of each first manifold is coupled to at least one mixing vessel. An output of each mixing vessel feeds more than one of a set of second manifolds. An output of each set of second manifolds feeds one of multiple site-isolated reactors of the combinatorial processing module.
US08011308B2
A telescopic support is disclosed and has outer and inner leg parts. The outer leg part has: a tubular body defining a longitudinal axis and having an interior passage through which the axis extends centrally. The inner leg part has: a shuttle body part disposed at least partially in the tubular body; and rollers rotably mounted to the shuttle body to support the inner leg part for longitudinal reciprocating movement in the tubular body. The support can be secured to a base and topped with a work-surface defining member to form a height-adjustable table, as also disclosed.
US08011307B2
A retractable antifriction bearing device (10a) that can be housed in a standardized groove of a loading bed. Each ball (30) is mounted directly in a housing (21a) of the profile (20a) by a guide and sealing ring (50) provided with a spherical cavity (53) that complements the ball (30) to hold the ball in position with respect to the housing (21a). A bearing guide (60a) is also mounted directly in the housing (21a) and is provided with a cup (61) guiding the ball (30) in rotation via a bed of small balls (62). This bearing guide (60a) is spring-loaded by spring elements (40a) so as to urge the ball (30) into the working position in which the ball bears the load (2).
US08011289B2
In one aspect, a brake pump assembly with a hydraulic block and a pumping element including a polymer piston that is received in a piston bore. A circumference of the polymer piston defines a high-pressure seal slideably engaging adjacent structure. The polymer piston may include a peripheral sealing lip projecting primarily longitudinally from the polymer piston for sealing engagement with the piston bore. In another aspect, a brake pump assembly with a hydraulic block, a straight bore polymer piston, a peripheral sealing lip projecting from a proximal portion of the polymer piston, and a elastomeric seal mounted to a distal portion of the polymer piston, where the peripheral sealing lip selectively acts to depressurize fluid accumulating between the peripheral sealing lip and elastomeric seal.
US08011286B2
A howitzer suitable for deployment on a ground plane, the howitzer comprising a barrel for firing a projectile, the barrel defining a barrel axis and having a muzzle towards the front end of the howitzer and a breech towards the back end of the howitzer; a cradle for holding the barrel at an azimuth and an elevation; a recoil accommodating mechanism such that the barrel can move along the barrel axis relative to the cradle; a bearing for varying the azimuth of the cannon; and a linkage for varying the elevation of the bearing.
US08011267B2
A toothed mobile part (1) for play take-up in a gear, particularly in horology, having certain (7) of its teeth fixed and entirely rigid, and other (8) of its teeth each intercalated between two rigid teeth (7) and elastically deformable, is characterised in that said elastically deformable teeth (8) consist of spring blades each comprising a gear flank (9), and in that for each spring blade (8) the distance (12) measured on the pitch circle (13) of the mobile part (1), between the gear flank (9) of the spring blade (8) and the corresponding flank (10) of the one among the two adjacent rigid teeth (7) facing the gear flank (9) is smaller than the distance (14), again measured on the pitch circle (13) of mobile part (1), between the gear flank (9) and the corresponding flank (10) of the other adjacent rigid tooth (7).
US08011252B2
A pressure sensor includes: a housing having openings at both ends thereof; a pair of pressure-receiving devices configured to seal the openings respectively and transmit a pressure from the outside to the interior of the housing; a force transmission device configured to connect the pair of pressure-receiving devices and transmit a force that one of the pressure-receiving devices receives to the other pressure-receiving device; and a pressure-sensitive element having a pressure-sensitive portion and a pair of base portions to be connected to both ends of the pressure-sensitive portion, wherein a line connecting the pair of base portions and a detection axis, which is a direction of detection of the force, and the direction of displacement of the force transmission device are arranged in parallel; the one of the base portions is a first fixed portion, a pair of connecting devices extending from the other base portion so as to interpose the pressure-sensitive portion are connected respectively to a pair of second fixed portions arranged at positions in symmetry with respect to the first fixed portion, the first fixed portion is fixedly supported by the force transmission device, and the second fixed portions are supported and fixed to portions where a line connecting the first fixed portion and the pair of second fixed portions intersect the housing.
US08011251B1
The present application provides an instrumentation rake for use with a number of flow paths. The instrumentation rake may include a manifold, a first rake body connected to the manifold, and a second rake body connected to the manifold. A number of first rake body aspirators may be positioned about the first rake body and in communication with a first flow path and a number of second rake body aspirators may be positioned about the second rake body and in communication with a second flow path.
US08011246B2
A control component of an apparatus in one example is configured to signal a plurality of electrodes arranged in at least first, second, third, and fourth radial electrode groups along first, second, third, and fourth axes at approximately 0, 45, 90, and 135 degrees, respectively, around the planar resonator. During a first time period, the control component is configured to signal: the first radial electrode group to induce a drive oscillation in the planar resonator, the third radial electrode group to sense the drive oscillation, the second radial electrode group to sense a Coriolis force induced oscillation, and the fourth radial electrode group to null the Coriolis force induced oscillation. During a second time period after the first time period, the control component is configured to signal: the second radial electrode group to induce the drive oscillation in the planar resonator, the fourth radial electrode group to sense the drive oscillation, the first radial electrode group to sense the Coriolis force induced oscillation, and the third radial electrode group to null the Coriolis force induced oscillation.
US08011239B1
A system includes a plurality of chamber holders having openings therein, and an exposure chamber positioned in each chamber holder. Each exposure chamber includes a mesh portion and a top end cap. One exposure chamber contains a mesh bottom and one contains a closed bottom. Each chamber holder is positioned within an opening contained within a base portion. One exposure chamber may extend beyond the lower boundary of the base portion. A top portion may be secured to the base portion to contain the chamber holders. A pump, with connected supply hose, may be coupled to the top portion. The supply hose is routed through the chamber holders such that a supply hose opening is adjacent to each chamber holder. The system may include a water quality sensor and a passive sampling device coupled to the base portion. A deployment system may be connected to the top portion.
US08011238B2
A method of characterizing formation fluid present in a subsurface earth formation during drilling using methods for correcting the measured concentrations of gas components in drilling mud. Gas trap values for the gas components of interest, light hydrocarbons, are measured during mud logging and are corrected using relative response factors, determined from laboratory fluid analysis values and relative extraction efficiency values. The relative response factors for each gas component of interest can be used for correcting additional gas trap values measured in the same well or for correcting gas trap values measured in surrounding wells utilizing a similar drilling fluid. The corrected gas trap values for each of the gas components of interest can be utilized to calculate gas/oil ratios for characterizing the formation fluid from the volume of drilling mud.
US08011235B2
A tire testing apparatus and method for measuring the local stiffness of a tire. The apparatus includes a force producing mechanism, a force measuring device, a force transmitting member, and a measuring device. The force transmitting member applies a force to a tire surface and the measuring device measures the distance of the displacement of the tire surface caused by the force. A tire testing method comprising mounting a tire on a tire testing apparatus to measure a local stiffness of the tire. The method further comprises inflating the tire, applying a force to a local area of the tire, monitoring the force, measuring a distance corresponding to the local deflection, and calculating a local stiffness.
US08011233B2
A vehicle that is equipped with an idling stop and restarting system and method thereof for testing a function of the idling stop and restarting system may include counting the ignition number of an engine including a first ignition, accumulating the operating time period after the first ignition, and setting a charging value of a battery as a predetermined value, if the ignition number is smaller than a predetermined ignition number and/or if operating time period is shorter than a predetermined operating time period, wherein the idling stop and restarting system is operated regardless of the real charging value of the battery.
US08011225B2
An assembly for measuring both the level and specific gravity of a liquid in a container includes a first sensor arrangement for sensing the level of the liquid in the container, and a second sensor arrangement for sensing the specific gravity of the liquid. The first sensor arrangement measures and then independently outputs at least one signal relating to the liquid level in the container. The second sensor arrangement measures and then independently outputs at least one signal relating to the specific gravity of the liquid in the container, thereby providing an integrated device to measure both parameters of the liquid.
US08011220B2
A process of producing an inner profile (18)in a tube or hollow profile (11) includes inserting the tube or hollow profile (11) into a supporting sleeve (12), with a first tube end (19) being axially supported; placing a pressure-loaded annular die 16 on to the other tube end (20); pressing a forming die (15) with an outer profile into the tube or hollow profile (11) from the latter tube end (20) for producing the inner profile (18); allowing a return of the annular die (16) under a pressure load in the opposite direction of that of pressing in the forming die (15).
US08011215B2
A disengageable cylinder for a motor vehicle lock mechanism includes a fixed stator, a sleeve, a rotor, a driver, and an indexer. The sleeve is mounted in rotation about its axis in the stator, and is fixed axially with respect to the stator. The rotor is mounted in rotation in the sleeve and is fixed axially in the sleeve. Further, the rotor includes tumblers which can move radially under the action of a key intended to be inserted axially into the rotor. The driver provides a coupling between the rotor and a cam actuator, when the key is appropriate. The indexer can move axially between rest and disengagement positions and is under the effect of a rotation of the sleeve with respect to the stator subsequent to the rotor being rotated by means of an inappropriate key.
US08011214B2
A valet key storage device, includes a valet key storage portion for storing a valet key having an opening, a locking bar for locking the valet key, a driving section for driving the locking bar to be inserted into the opening of the valet key, and a control section for controlling the driving section to insert the locking bar into the opening of the valet key or remove the locking bar therefrom.
US08011207B2
Experimental data is presented which shows that laser scoring of glass sheets (112) with existing techniques produces unacceptable levels of residual stress in the separated sheets as the scoring speed is increased. Methods for solving this problem are disclosed which employ elongated and, preferably, asymmetrically-truncated laser beams (13). The methods allow glass sheets (112) to be scored at speeds of 1000 mm/s and above with low levels of residual stress, e.g., levels of residual stress which are less than or equal to 500 psi. Such low levels of residual stress translate into low levels of distortion during the manufacture of display panels (e.g., LCD panels) as well as in improved properties of the separated edges. The methods can be used with glasses of various types including glasses having low coefficients of thermal expansion.
US08011202B2
Disclosed is the auger in an ice bin mounted in a refrigerator, and the like. The auger in the ice bin is configured to rotate an auger having spiral-shaped transfer blades and to dispose ice in each space between the transfer blades of the auger for transfer. Accordingly, a certain amount of ice can always be discharged without simultaneously discharging a great amount of ice, and a user may select the number of ice, thus to diversity functions of an ice dispenser. In addition, since the auger is made of a flexible material, the ice can be prevented from being crushed during transfer, thereby enhancing the reliability of the ice dispenser.
US08011196B2
A chiller includes a main condenser that has a refrigerant condensate sump with an internal weir or standpipe that maintains at least a minimum liquid seal between the outlets of the main condenser and a heat-recovery condenser. The main condenser is used for normal cooling operation, and the heat-recovery condenser is for supplying an external process with heat that would otherwise be wasted. In addition to providing a liquid seal, the sump and weir combination provides a reliable source of liquid refrigerant to cool the chiller's compressor motor and creates a trap for collecting foreign particles that might exit either of the chiller's two condensers.
US08011193B2
A system and method for air-conditioning motor vehicles and, in particular, to an air-conditioning systems for motor vehicles having adsorption heat pumps. The apparatus includes a two adsorber chambers, each connected to a condenser and an evaporator via different connection elements; a vacuum shell for enclosing the adsorber chambers, the condenser, and the evaporator, wherein the vacuum shell is not self-supporting; and one or more adsorbers housed in the adsorber chambers, wherein the adsorbers are comprised of a carrier material coated by a sorbent. The method includes using an adsorption heat pump having one or more adsorber chambers, wherein adsorption and desorption are alternated between the adsorber chambers. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.
US08011188B2
A gas turbine engine augmentor includes an annular trapped vortex cavity pilot having a cavity forward wall, a cavity radially outer wall, and a cavity aft wall, an annular cavity therebetween, and cavity fuel injector tubes operably disposed through the outer wall into the cavity. Circumferentially spaced apart radial flameholders with integral spraybars and/or radial spraybars interdigitated with the radial flameholders radially inwardly into an exhaust flowpath of the augmentor just forward and upstream of the trapped vortex cavity pilot at a radially outer portion of a combustion zone of the exhaust flowpath. An annular trapped dual vortex cavity pilot version is operable for producing trapped dual counter-rotating inner and outer vortices of fuel and air mixtures.
US08011173B2
A method for the diagnosis of a three-way catalytic converter for an internal combustion engine using the voltage signal of a downstream binary lambda sensor proposes that with a changeover of the air/fuel ratio λ that is fed to the internal combustion engine from high to low, the voltage signal Uλ of the lambda sensor is monitored for its jump in order to establish a first oxygen storage capacity OSC1 of the catalytic converter, with a changeover of the air/fuel ratio that is fed to the internal combustion engine from low to high, the voltage signal Uλ of the lambda sensor is monitored for its jump in order to establish a second oxygen storage capacity OSC2 of the catalytic converter, and/or with a modulation of the air/fuel ratio that is fed to the internal combustion engine between high and low, the voltage signal Uλ of the lambda sensor is monitored for its jumps in order to establish a third oxygen storage capacity OSC3 of the catalytic converter, wherein the diagnosis of the catalytic converter is performed based on the ratio between two of the three oxygen storage capacities. According to the proposal, a diagnostic method differentiated with regard to reversible and irreversible damage, as well as with regard to oxidizing and reducing capabilities is provided.
US08011169B2
An ultrasonic sealing device for a top fin of a gable-topped carton includes two jaws consisting of a jaw (2) with a planar active face and constituting the outer end portion of an ultrasonic horn (A1) and a jaw (6) constituting an anvil and having an active surface (10) which is planar except for upper and lower linear ribs (12) and (14) each extending the length of the surface (10). The lower rib (14) is linear and horizontal except for an upwardly bowed middle portion (16). The two jaws (2) and (6) serve to render gas-and-liquid tight a top fin of a conventional, plastics-coated paperboard, gable-top carton. The ribs (12) and (14) produce, in the outer surface of one of the outer sealing panels of the fin, corresponding furrows which extend over the whole length of the fin at levels where the inner sealing panels are sandwiched between the outer sealing panels, so as to seal the top fin in a gas- and liquid-tight manner along its whole length.
US08011163B2
Methods and apparatus for laying marble tile flooring utilizes a form and method for using the form. The form provides for applying layers of a sealant, mud and thin set to a height determined by the form for laying the first tile in a horizontally level position. Second and subsequent tiles are laid relative to the first laid tile by gauging off the first laid tile and fixing the height of sealant, mud, and thin set such that the second and subsequently laid tiles are level with the first tile and parallel to the edges of the first laid tile. The result is a completely horizontal tiled floor with each tile level to an adjacent tile and parallel and or perpendicular relative to each other tile.
US08011156B1
A construction set for allowing a user to construct a variety of different structures comprising a plurality of Type A beams, a plurality of Type B beams, a plurality of base columns, a plurality of intermediate columns, a plurality of base plates attached to the base columns, and a plurality of deck pieces for laying atop the beams to create a floor.
US08011150B2
Modular, selectively employable building parapet roof-rim structure including (a) gravity-docking reception structure deployed along and adjacent at least a portion of the perimeter of a building roof structure which is adjacent the top of a building frame, and (b) a dockable, modular parapet unit including gravity-docking structure removably and replaceably dockable, under the influence of gravity, with the reception structure to dispose the parapet unit as at least a part of an outwardly visible parapet roof-rim structure associated with the building roof structure. The parapet structure may be associated with moisture-barriering flashing structure which becomes locked into place along the rim of a building roof between inter-engaging components in the parapet structure.
US08011149B2
A post sleeve includes a reinforced concrete body preformed around a liner that defines a cavity extending longitudinally within the body, sized to receive a post. Standoff ribs run lengthwise within the cavity and extend inward from inner walls of the cavity. A post in the cavity is supported laterally by the standoff ribs. Drain channels between the ribs permit water to flow past the post and exit the cavity via a lower aperture. A drain tube is coupled to the lower aperture, and extends downward where it is covered with gravel at the bottom of a post hole. Concrete is poured around the post sleeve in the hole. The cavity is adaptable to receive posts of varying sizes, and at various depths. A collar closes a space between the post and the top of the cavity, permitting air circulation within the cavity while shedding water and substantially preventing insects from entering the cavity.
US08011143B1
A slab is fabricated of concrete positionable adjacent to a side wall of a manufactured home. The slab has a periphery. The periphery forms a lower flange. A dome is positioned upon the slab. The dome has a flat face. The flat face is positionable in contact with the side wall. The flat face is formed with an opening in facing contact with the side wall. The dome has a peripheral flange remote from the opening. The peripheral flange of the dome is concentric with and smaller than the peripheral flange of the slab.
US08011137B2
A seal including a body with a longitudinal axis X that includes a base-piece having a first end and an opposed second end, two opposed side walls connecting the two ends, and two shoulders located on either side of each of the two side walls and at one of the ends. The body is made of a single flexible material and, in a section perpendicular to the X axis, the width of the base-piece, from one side wall to the other, in the vicinity of the end on the opposite side from the shoulders is larger than the width of the base-piece, from one side wall to the other, in the vicinity of the end near the shoulders.
US08011132B2
The present invention includes a method for producing a liquid inoculant containing a desiccant. The method can improve survival and stability of bacteria in liquid inoculants in pack and on seeds. The method includes providing a liquid inoculant of a bacteria grown to a substantially stationary phase. A desiccant treatment containing a desiccant is added to the liquid inoculant to form a partially desiccated inoculant product. The partially desiccated inoculant product can be packaged and stored. The partially desiccated inoculant product can also be applied to seeds.
US08011130B2
An apparatus generally includes a gun mount portion and a sight mount portion that are coupled together by a resilient member. The gun mount portion provides attachment to a gun and the sight mount portion provides attachment to a gun sight. The resilient member is configured to allow, when attached to the gun, a linear displacement of the sight mount portion relative to the gun mount portion along a longitudinal axis of the gun.
US08011129B2
A shooting rest supports a firearm and reduces recoil energy of the firearm. The shooting rest has a rear support and a front support for supporting the firearm and a frame connecting the rear support and the front support. The frame supports at least one weight to reduce the amount of recoil energy felt by a shooter.
US08011125B2
A business form including a wristband is provided with a print area forming a badge, the badge having a length less than and a width greater than a width of either of two straps used to attach the wristband to the wrist, the badge thus having a greater print area to improve the readability of the indicia displayed therein. A business form including a wristband has a bulged rectangularly shaped print area to allow information to be printed transversely across the print area to improve readability of the indicia displayed in the print area. Thus, the bulged rectangularly shaped print area can accommodate one or both of bar codes printed thereon in ladder as well as picket fence fashion. A security seal is disclosed which comprises a small, adhesive coated patch of laminate for sealing the joinder of the wristband ends and which has points of weakness such as X's die cut therein so that it separates or destructs upon removal to provide an indication of tampering with the wristband. Also disclosed is an embodiment of the wristband form that is imprinted with identifying indicia for collecting, tracking and administering a patient's blood collection and blood product compatibility.
US08011119B2
Personally adjustable footwear with at least one sole layer including: a toe portion, a heel portion, and an intermediate portion. The intermediate portion has openings passing vertically through the layer so that the intermediate portion is elastically flexible to allow relative longitudinal displacement of the toe portion and the heel portion to vary a length of the layer without significant variation in a thickness of the layer. A retention mechanism selectively fixes the toe and heel portions in any of a number of relative positions. Also disclosed are implementations with insertable and removable segments, and with elongated elements sliding in channels.
US08011105B2
A leveling and plumbing device that incorporates: a frame, a body pendulously mounted relative to the frame, a laser module fixed relative to the body so as to be mounted for movement with the body, a beam divider, fixed relative to the laser module as to be mounted for movement with the body, that receive the green light emitted from the crystal and divides the light into at least two beams, including a first beam and a second beam, and first and second line lens, fixed relative to the laser module so as to be mounted for movement with the body, disposed in the path of the first and second beam respectively.
US08011103B2
A pizza cutter has a body portion, a front cutting wheel rotatably coupled to the body portion, and a rear cutting wheel rotatably coupled to the body portion. The front cutting wheel and the rear cutting wheel are aligned in a cutting direction. A top of the body portion opposite the front cutting wheel and the rear cutting wheel has a graspable handle. Adjacent to the handle and positioned generally over the front cutting wheel and/or the rear cutting wheel the body portion is provided with an upswept corner. The body portion also provides a front cutting wheel well and a rear cutting wheel well with the front cutting wheel well covering a portion of one side of the front cutting wheel, the rear cutting wheel well covering a portion of one side of the rear cutting, and the opposite sides of the front cutting wheel and the rear cutting wheel remain exposed.
US08011101B2
A replacement cartridge for a razor assembly is provided that includes a shaving aid body for use with the razor assembly. The shaving aid body includes an aperture disposed within a contact surface. The aperture is sized to receive a razor cartridge. Some embodiments of the present replacement cartridge include a base. In some of those embodiments the base includes one or more features for attaching the replacement cartridge to the razor assembly.
US08011100B2
In a method for producing plastic sanitary articles having surfaces metallized by electroplating, the sanitary article has at least one electrically nonconductive component, before said article is metallized by electroplating using an external current source. This component at least partially decouples the water-bearing regions of the sanitary article from the current flow during metallization by electroplating using the external current source. The component is preferably a separate component which can be reversibly connected to the sanitary article.The invention also includes the component for decoupling the current itself, and a sanitary article which is provided with the component.
US08011098B2
A wind tower erection device and method for erecting wind turbine towers which avoid the need for using expensive cranes. The device and method employs a stacker unit for anchoring to the wind turbine foundation, a plurality of intermediate modules, and a mechanical actuator for raising the intermediate modules vertically. The stacker unit has a receptacle allowing for lateral sliding of intermediate modules inside of the stacker unit. In one embodiment, the stacker unit has a receptacle for lateral sliding of intermediate modules inside of the stacker unit. The stacker unit and the intermediate modules each have at least one open side to for positioning of tower sections within the stacker unit and stacked intermediate modules. A bridge crane section is initially placed on top of the stacked intermediate modules. The bridge crane is raised vertically as additional intermediate modules are added at the bottom, thereby allowing wind tower sections to be winched into place using the crane, each being added on top of the other as the stacked intermediate modules increase to the necessary height.
US08011090B2
Various pattern transfer and etching steps can be used to create features. Conventional photolithography steps can be used in combination with pitch-reduction techniques to form superimposed, pitch-reduced patterns of crossing elongate features that can be consolidated into a single layer. Planarizing techniques using a filler layer and a protective layer are disclosed. Portions of an integrated circuit having different heights can be etched to a common plane.
US08011082B2
A package carrier enclosing at least one microelectronic element has a pattern of electrically conductive connection pads for electric connection of the package to another device. The package carrier is manufactured by providing a sacrificial carrier; applying an electrically conductive pattern to one side of the carrier; bending the carrier to create a shape having an elevated portion and recessed portions; forming a body member on the carrier at the side where the electrically conductive pattern is present; removing the sacrificial carrier; and placing a microelectronic element in a recess created in the body member at the position where the elevated portion of the carrier has been, and connecting the microelectronic element to the electrically conductive pattern. Furthermore, a hole in the package provides access to a sensitive surface of the microelectronic element.
US08011069B1
An innovative baby appliance support makes it possible to keep baby's pacifier (and other appliances) clean while in use. The support features a strap with clasps at each end. The strap, which may or may not feature an adjustable length, features at least one clasp tab. In use, one clasp of the device is affixed to the child's clothing, while the other is looped around the pacifier handle and applied to the clasp tab. When used in such a manner, the support will frequently wholly prevent the pacifier or other appliance from falling and contacting the ground when it is dropped from the child's mouth.
US08011060B2
An upright vacuum cleaner for cleaning a surface includes an upper body with a dust collection container received therein and a base unit with a front portion with respect to the travel direction of the vacuum cleaner. At least one electrical load is disposed in the front portion of the base unit. A carriage is provided to move the base unit on the surface. The vacuum cleaner includes a tilting joint operable to provide relative tilting between the upper body and the base unit about a tilting axis that is horizontal when the vacuum cleaner is in a position of use. At least one cable is routed between the upper body and the at least one electrical load. A plurality of cable ducts are disposed in the vicinity of the tilting axis and configured to receive the at least one cable.
US08011059B2
Low-profile air duct fitting for passage of air through narrow openings and method of using the same
An air duct comprises a duct wall bounding an airflow channel that extends through the air duct along a flow path. The airflow channel has a plurality of cross-sections that are bounded by the duct wall and that are perpendicular to the flow path. A first one of the cross-sections has an aspect ratio that is less than two. A second one of the cross-sections has an aspect ratio that is greater than four and a minimum dimension that is less than three-quarters of an inch. A third one of the cross-sections has an aspect ratio that is less than two. The second cross-section is positioned between the first and third cross-sections along the flow path. The air duct channels air beneath a door, thereby allowing a vacuum or blower tool to operate in one room while the vacuum or blower device operating the tool operates in a different room.
US08011053B2
A resilient inspection brush used in electrically inspecting pipelines for abnormalities is described which employs highly conductive metals, such as nickel. Since bristles [330] made from these metals cannot be secured firmly by soldering or epoxy, they are folded over a retaining member [350], or wrapped around the retaining member [350]. The retaining member [350] is secured inside of a base housing [320]. The top [321] portion of the base housing [320] may be crimped or swedged to reduce the size of the opening, thereby physically holding the bristles [330]. This also insures that the retaining member [350] does not pass through the opening, securing the retaining member [350] inside of the base housing [320]. In another embodiment, an inner sleeve [810] is used to further secure the bristles [330] and simplify assembly.
US08011052B2
A trailing pig cleaning device is adapted to be dragged by a pig towing device. The cleaning device collects a predetermined quantity of debris. The cleaning device has a continuous outer surface portion of variable diameter urged into normal contact with the internal wall of the pipeline. The continuous outer surface portion presents a continuous upstream or leading edge portion for scraping debris from the cylindrical internal wall in advance of the outer surface portion. The device has a debris collecting surface portion extending radially inward from the outer surface portion for collecting the predetermined quantity of debris scraped from the cylindrical internal wall. The device has at least one debris and pipeline media bypass opening passing through the debris collecting surface portion permitting excess scraped debris to pass therethrough back into the pipeline and permitting media to pass thereby to propel the pig towing device.
US08011044B1
A body support is provided utilizing a cushion formed in rectangular segments in which the segments alternately pivot to change pressure points on the surface of the user's skin. The body support can be used as a wheelchair seat cushion to prevent non-ambulatory patients from developing bedsores and other ailments. Electrical circuitry provided includes a timer to adjust the length of time between activation cycles thereby changing the pressure points at desired intervals.
US08011037B1
A swaddle wrap to calm and comfort an infant has two panels. One that is both wide and long enough to wrap entirely both of the infant's arms and a second one to then wrap around the infant's torso and secured arms that then are attached between the legs. Hook and loop fasteners are used to secure the arm restraints, the swaddle and to attach both panels between the legs.
US08015614B2
An information security device is provided that, when information is circulated through a chain, permits changing of a usage rule for the information or collection (deletion) of the information after the circulation.An information security device (200) includes: a receiving unit (201) that receives a content and a collection command; a content storing unit (202) that stores a content and its usage rule; a collection command confirmation unit (203) that checks the validity of a received collection command; a content deletion unit (204) that deletes a content; a chain information storage unit (205) that stores chain information containing sending and receiving information of a content; a destination list storage unit (206); a sending unit (207) that sends a content and a collection command; and a control unit (208) that controls the processing for a collection command. When a collection command is sent after content distribution, the content can be collected (deleted) in the destination of circulation.
US08015610B2
An intrusion detection apparatus includes: a rule generator classifying intrusion detection rules into rules having content examination parts and rules without content examination parts, granting an index to each of the rules so as to output the indices to a unit for performing the matching and to simultaneously store the indices; an extractor extracting payload parts and address parts from the packets and outputting the extracted payload parts and address parts to the unit; and an examination unit examining corresponding rules based on the indices.
US08015609B2
When a program consisting of a plurality of processes is installed in a device, its processing route in the case where the processes normally advance is built as a database, based on the knowledge of a program designer or the like. When the program is executed, routing information indicating the actual process flow along each process flow is generated. Before a new process is activated, the route till then is compared with the correct route stored in the database. If the route till then is abnormal, it is determined that the device is infected with a worm, and the communication port of a device in which the program is installed is cut off and the maintenance terminal is notified of the abnormality.
US08015599B2
A method for provisioning a device such as a token. The device issues a certificate request to a Certification Authority. The request includes a public cryptographic key uniquely associated with the device. The Certification Authority generates a symmetric cryptographic key for the device, encrypts it using the public key, and creates a digital certificate that contains the encrypted symmetric key as an attribute. The Certification Authority sends the digital certificate to the device, which decrypts the symmetric key using the device's private key, and stores the decrypted symmetric key.
US08015587B2
A system and method for monitoring direct broadcast satellite signals. In a most general embodiment, the invention (10) includes a mechanism (20) for receiving direct broadcast wireless signals encoded in accordance with a DSS transport protocol. The received signals are analyzed with respect to various parameters and an output is provided in response thereto. In a specific embodiment, the wireless signals are transmitted via satellite and plural integrated receiver decoders (20) are used, one with an associated channel, to receive the wireless signals and provide audio, video, program guide and conditional access signals in response thereto. These signals are analyzed by software (100) running on a computer (56) which outputs alarm data on the detection of anomalies in the received signals.
US08015580B2
A unified discovery interface presents broadcast discovery data relating to broadcast content available via a broadcast channel and non-broadcast discovery data relating to non-broadcasting content available via a virtual channel of the unified discovery interface. In one implementation, the virtual channel is customizable via a discovery interface relationship parameter that indicates a relationship of the virtual channel within the unified discovery interface. The unified discovery interface allows a user to select between broadcast media content available via a broadcast channel and non-broadcast media content available via the virtual channel.
US08015577B2
A disk chucking apparatus and a disk drive having the same are disclosed. The disk chucking apparatus may include: a chuck base having a plurality of holding portions, a plurality of chuck pins which are inserted in the holding portions such that the chuck pins protrude out from the chuck base, and a plurality of elastic members which elastically support the chuck pins, where each of the elastic members elastically supports a pair of adjacent chuck pins concurrently. When this disk chucking apparatus is utilized, the center of the disk and the center of the chuck base can be aligned with greater ease, since forces can be transferred uniformly to the center of disk.
US08015572B2
A system and method for creating a proxy object capable of communication with an external entity, comprising specifying a proxy object definition for the proxy object wherein the proxy object definition defines a first function for communicating with the external entity, specifying at least one implementation class for the proxy object definition, wherein the at least one implementation class does not implement the first function, and wherein the at least one implementation class includes functionality to support one of: proxy object design, software compilation and software execution.
US08015558B1
A method of on-the-fly patching of executable code includes placing a block of modified instructions in memory, identifying a block of code to be changed, storing instructions to be changed from the block of code to be changed in a storage location, change the instructions to be changed to mark instructions, and adding a jump to the block of modified instructions in the block of code to be changed. Prior to the placing and the identifying steps, a write flag for a page in memory where the block of code to be changed is located is set to allow writes, and interrupts are masked. The instructions are replaced in reverse order. The mark instructions are the same length, in bytes, as the instructions to be changed. The modified instructions include a resolver to determine a number of instructions of the block of code to be changed that had already been executed. If the number is less than a number of instructions to be changed, then a “no patch installed” scenario is imitated.
US08015552B1
A method of validating a testing procedure in a computer program is disclosed. A sequence of machine code instructions performed by a processor is recorded as trace data. Further, a mapping file is accessed. In addition, a source line is translated into a plurality of machine code instructions according to a mapping found in the mapping file. Accordingly, at least a portion of the trace data is searched through to determine whether each machine instruction in the plurality of machine instructions has been executed. An indication is displayed of whether any of the machine instructions in the plurality of machine instructions has been executed.
US08015551B2
The software operation modeling device includes a function call order obtaining unit and a model generator. The function call order obtaining unit obtains or estimates an issuing order of function calls executed in each of specific events in the course of executing software. The model generator statistically grasps a co-occurrence relationship between the specific event and the issuing order of the function calls obtained or estimated by the function call order obtaining unit, and to record the grasped co-occurrence relationship as an operation model of the software.
US08015535B1
A method of limiting the routing resources of an integrated circuit (IC) that are available for use when routing multi-fanout nets can include selecting a multi-fanout net comprising a source and a plurality of loads and identifying each region of the IC which does not include at least one of the plurality of loads. Each of the regions can have a defined geometry. A type of routing resource can be selected which has a physical orientation with respect to the IC that corresponds to the geometry of the regions of the IC. Each routing resource of the selected type that is located within a region of the IC which does not include at least one of the plurality of loads can be excluded from consideration when routing the multi-fanout net.
US08015534B2
A method, apparatus, and recording medium including computer instructions for estimating the size of a core section of a semiconductor integrated circuit are provided. The method includes calculating a total net length of wires of nets and usable channel length of the core section by referring to circuit information and a layout parameter that are used to design the semiconductor integrated circuit. The method includes determining a size of the core section that satisfies conditions based on total net length and usable channel length.
US08015528B2
A method, system and computer program product are disclosed. The method includes initializing a first variable to limit a rewrite time for rewrite operations with respect to an initial design by a rewriting module, a second variable to limit a time for satisfiability solver operations with respect to said initial design by a satisfiability solver module and a third variable to limit a maximum number of rewrite iterations with respect to said initial design. A timer is called to track said rewrite time and a local logic rewriting operation is run on said initial design with said rewrite module. In response to determining that all of all targets for said initial design netlist are not solved, whether a rewrite time is expired is determined. In response to determining that said rewrite time is not expired, AND refactoring is run. In response to determining that said rewrite time is not expired, XOR refactoring is run.
US08015524B1
A method for designing a system on a target device includes identifying components and routing connections impacted by incremental design changes made to a system design. New information is computed to annotate delays for the components and routing connections identified. Delays previously computed for components and routing connections are utilized to annotate delays for components and routing connections that have not been impacted by the changes made to the system design.
US08015521B2
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that performs sequential equivalence checking between integrated circuit (IC) designs. During operation, the system receives a first IC design and a second IC design. Each of the first and second IC designs includes a top design level and a bottom design level, and the bottom design levels include one or more sub-blocks within the corresponding top design levels. The system then verifies if each of the sub-blocks in the bottom design level of the first design is conditionally equivalent to a corresponding sub-block in the second design. Note that two designs are conditionally equivalent if the two designs can become sequentially equivalent by adding registers on the input and output ports of the two designs. The system additionally verifies if the top design level of the first design is conditionally equivalent to the top design level of the second design and if the first design is temporally equivalent to the second design.
US08015517B1
A cell library is automatically designed. An emphasis of a design methodology is on automatic determination of the desired or needed cell sizes and variants. This method exploits different variants on drive strengths, P/N ratios, topology variants, internal buffering, and so forth. The method allows generating libraries that are more suitable for efficient timing closure.
US08015508B2
A method for executing a user command based on spatial movement of a user input device and an image apparatus having the same are provided. According to the method for executing a user command, a user command which is determined based on the spatial movement of the user input device is executed. Accordingly, a method for inputting a user command becomes more diverse and convenient to use, and a more compact user input device may be provided.
US08015494B1
In one embodiment, a method for combining the user interfaces of several applications is disclosed. Data generated by a first application is extracted from a display buffer. The data is associated with a user interface from the first application. From the extracted data, a layout pattern is recognized. Using the layout, an overlay is created. The overlay is used to display a second data generated by a second application. There is no direct link between the first application and the second application.
US08015493B2
A data processing method is disclosed which includes the steps of: (a) generating edit data which includes a unique material identifier for uniquely identifying material data to be edited and of edit content of the material data; (b) generating management data indicative of the unique material identifier in association with a storage location where the material data identified by the unique material identifier are stored; (c) specifying the storage location where the material data associated with the unique material identifier included in the edit data generated in step (a) are stored, on the basis of the management data generated in step (b); and (d) acquiring the material data from the storage location specified in step (c).
US08015491B2
The present invention provides a comprehensive development platform and client-side technology for intelligent and cost-effective delivery of video, audio and broadband content over a network, such as the Internet, to desktop, mobile computing, and network connected devices. In one embodiment of the present invention, a content development environment provides a single tool for developing unified online and offline content. With the content development tool, the user interface of the offline content has a substantially similar appearance and behavior to the user interface presented by the online content. As such, the user interface for the both the online and offline content may be generated from a single user interface design. The content development tool generates and publishes a set of online content files and a set of offline content files from the single design. In some embodiments, the offline content is published to a web-site of a content provider as a download package to be automatically downloaded for local use by a client using other techniques of the present invention. In some cases, the content development tool automatically creates and configures a mechanism in the online content to download the corresponding and substantially similar offline content to the client. As such, a content provider may use a single development tool to create a consistent and desired user experience, including branding and interactive content, for both online and offline content.
US08015488B2
A document edit device includes: object obtaining unit configured to obtain an object; a calculating unit configured to calculate a golden division line, the golden division line being a line that divides at the golden ratio a distance between two reference lines, each reference line being determined on the basis of a target area in which the object is displayed; and an editing unit configured to edit a size of the object so that the object contacts two lines, the two lines being selected from among the calculated golden division line and the boundary of the target area.
US08015487B2
A method generates a document by: inserting one or more placeholders in the document; binding each placeholder to a content source; and compiling the placeholders into code to generate content for the document based on the content source. The method then executes the code to generate the content and presenting the content of the document if in a presentation mode or restores the placeholder if in an edit mode.
US08015482B2
Described is the annotating of computer document content, particularly editable content, by saving annotations in a separate annotation store, and mapping the annotations back to the content. By mapping, no data are added to the original content at runtime, and only minimal data need be added to the content when persisted. An annotation is anchored to a piece of runtime content, such as upon creation of the annotation, by maintaining annotation data as well as start and end pointers mapped to the annotated piece. Upon saving the content, information (e.g., an anchor marker including an identifier) is persisted with the piece of content to allow the annotation to be re-anchored to the piece upon subsequent reload. For example, when loading content from persistent storage that includes an annotation identifier, the annotation identifier is processed to locate a start and end of the portion and an annotation in the annotation store.
US08015480B2
An indexing system and method for allowing a viewer to control the mode of delivery of program material. By mapping from time to data position, data delivery can begin at any selected time in the program material. The indexing method also provides for controlling data delivery to begin at the beginning of a frame of data. A synchronizing method is provided to minimize a time offset between audio and video data, particularly in environments using groups of pictures.
US08015473B2
Data structures of different sizes may be stored in memory using different ECC schemes. A memory device may include multiple ECC engines to support error correction operations on different sized data structures.
US08015459B2
A semiconductor memory device and method directed to performing a memory operation in a semiconductor memory device are provided. The method includes receiving a write command signal from a memory controller; receiving data from the memory controller, the data including n pieces of data, wherein the k-th piece of data comprises masking data to be masked; and receiving a data masking signal from the memory controller, the data masking signal including enable information that enables data masking, and non-enable information for not enabling data masking, wherein the enable information is used to mask the k-th piece of data. A latency between receiving the write command signal and receiving the enable information is less than a latency between receiving the write command and receiving the k-th piece of data.
US08015453B2
A system and method for correcting errors in downloading web pages provides a historic error resolving procedure and a common error resolving procedure. The historic error resolving procedure is for storing a download error and debugging solutions corresponding to the download error. The download error includes error positions and error types. The common error resolving procedure stores predefined error types and corresponding debugging solutions. If the download error of an error does not exist in the historic error resolving procedure, the common error resolving procedure is searched for the error types and corresponding debugging solutions. If the error type does not exist in the common error resolving procedure, an administrator is prompted to provide a new debugging solution to solve the error, and the new debugging solution is stored into the historic error resolving procedure.
US08015437B2
A method is disclosed for operating a data storage system having one or more network interfaces and a plurality of data storage nodes configured to provide redundant storage locations. The method includes storing a set of node partitions on a given storage node of the plurality of data storage nodes. The method also includes, following a recovery by the given storage node from a malfunction, making a determination for a node partition in the set whether the node partition is current or noncurrent, and processing the node partition according to the determination.
US08015430B1
In one embodiment, a computer accessible medium stores a plurality of instructions including instructions which, when executed: track dependencies among a plurality of assets; and responsive to an identification of an asset for potential recovery (the “selected asset”), identify an asset dependency set corresponding to the selected asset. The asset dependency set comprises at least a subset of the plurality of assets, wherein each asset in the subset has a dependency with the selected asset. In some embodiments, one or more of the following may be provided: tracking asset dependencies and presenting the asset dependency set to the user; pruning the asset dependency set to a recovery set identifying the asset dependency set; generating the recovery order (optionally optimized); initiating the recovery according to the recovery order; performing recovery steps; generating the recovery plan and/or executing recovery plans.
US08015421B2
A power saving apparatus for a portable appliance includes a sensor unit and a control unit. When the portable appliance is raised up, the sensor unit presents a first sensor mode, and then the control unit outputs a first control signal to command the portable appliance to enter into power saving mode which prevents the damages of electronic elements and of the data caused by the vibration from the raise of the portable appliance.
US08015420B2
A system and method for power management of storage enclosures are disclosed. A system may include a storage enclosure and a host communicatively coupled to the storage enclosure. The storage enclosure may include at least one storage resource and a management module. The host may be configured to: (a) communicate data to the at least one storage resource via a particular transmission protocol; (b) communicate a power down command via the particular transmission protocol to the storage enclosure, the power down command operable to transition the storage enclosure from a high-power state to a low-power state; and (c) communicate a power up command via the particular transmission protocol to the storage enclosure, the power up command operable to transition the storage enclosure from the low-power state to the high-power state.
US08015417B2
Disclosed is a secure remote access system for improving convenience of a user by utilizing a storage device including an anti-tampering device as a user authentication device in the secure remote access system for making access and execution of job while a user is making the encrypted communication to a server from an unspecified client. Usability can be improved and thereby the job executing function can be used smoothly at the internal and external sides of the working office by providing a server client system where the server can be manipulated remotely by distributing a storage device loading the authorized anti-tampering device to users, connecting the storage device to unspecified clients by users, and using the authentication information and application stored in the storage device. A remote access system having improved security and convenient during usage of client from the user can also be provided by reducing the secret information remaining in the manipulated client.
US08015411B2
Techniques for protecting the security of digital representations and of analog forms made from them, including a technique for authenticating an analog form produced from the digital representation, an active watermark that contains program code that may be executed when the watermark is read, and a watermark agent that reads watermarks and sends messages with information concerning the digital representations that contain the watermarks. A watermark agent may be a permanent resident of a node in a network or of a device or it may move from one network node to another. The watermark agent executes code which examines digital representations residing in the node or device for watermarked digital representations that are of interest to the watermark agent. The watermark agent then sends messages which report the results of its examination of the digital representations. If the watermarks are active, the agent and the active watermark may cooperate.
US08015392B2
A method of updating execution instructions of a multi-core processor comprising receiving execution instructions at a processor including multiple programmable processing cores integrated on a single die, selecting subset of at least one of the cores, and loading at least a portion of the execution instructions to the subset of cores and replacing existing execution instructions, associated with the first subset of programmable processing cores, with the received execution instructions while at least one of the other cores continues to process received packets, wherein a sequence of threads provided by the cores sequentially retrieve packets to process from at least one queue, the sequence proceeding from a subsequence of at least one thread of one core to a subsequence of at least one thread on another core and wherein the sequence of threads is specified by data identifying, at least, the next core in the sequence.
US08015391B2
A processor simultaneously issues instructions to multiple threads in a same instruction execution cycle. An instruction issuer controls issuance of an instruction for each of the multiple threads. A detector detects, for each of the multiple threads, whether a loop processing is currently being executed. A unit causes the instruction issuer to increase a number of instructions to be issued when the detector detects that the loop processing is currently being executed.
US08015386B1
A configurable memory manager is configurable with various configuration parameters. The configurable memory manager has client ports for receiving requests for accessing memories and memory ports for accessing respective memories. The client and memory ports are each independently configurable to specify the parameter of a data width of the port. The configurable memory manager includes a switch and a translator. The translator translates a virtual address in each of the requests into an identifier of one of the memories and a physical address in the memory. The switch transfers each request from the client port receiving the request to the memory port for accessing the memory identified by the identifier for the virtual address in the request.
US08015384B2
A processor-based system includes a processor coupled to a system controller through a processor bus. The system controller is used to couple at least one input device, at least one output device, and at least one data storage device to the processor. Also coupled to the processor bus is a memory hub controller coupled to a memory hub of at least one memory module having a plurality of memory devices coupled to the memory hub. The memory hub is coupled to the memory hub controller through a downstream bus and an upstream bus. The downstream bus has a width of M bits, and the upstream bus has a width of N bits. Although the sum of M and N is fixed, the individual values of M and N can be adjusted during the operation of the processor-based system to adjust the bandwidths of the downstream bus and the upstream bus.
US08015376B2
Methods and systems for rapid creation of copies of a mapped storage volume. A new copy of a mapped storage volume is created by copying the mapping table and updating meta-data associated with the new copy and any ancestral parents thereof. The physical blocks remain untouched when creating a new copy as does any meta-data associated with the physical blocks. Rather, reference meta-data associated with each physical block is updated only in response to processing of a write request to an identified block of an identified copy of the mapped storage volume. Thus copy creation is rapid as compared to prior techniques reliant on reference counters.
US08015370B2
A memory control method includes writing converted data which is produced by carrying out a code conversion on original data into a memory. An amount of 1s in the converted data is less than an amount of 1s in the original data. Further, the memory control method includes outputting reproduced data which is provided by carrying out an inverse transformation of the code conversion on the converted data which is read out from the memory, to a host system for processing the original data.
US08015362B2
A method for handling cache coherency includes allocating a tag when a cache line is not exclusive in a data cache for a store operation, and sending the tag and an exclusive fetch for the line to coherency logic. An invalidation request is sent within a minimum amount of time to an I-cache, preferably only if it has fetched to the line and has not been invalidated since, which request includes an address to be invalidated, the tag, and an indicator specifying the line is for a PSC operation. The method further includes comparing the request address against stored addresses of prefetched instructions, and in response to a match, sending a match indicator and the tag to an LSU, within a maximum amount of time. The match indicator is timed, relative to exclusive data return, such that the LSU can discard prefetched instructions following execution of the store operation that stores to a line subject to an exclusive data return, and for which the match is indicated.
US08015357B2
A tile for use in a tiled storage array provides re-organization of values within the tile array without requiring sophisticated global control. The tiles operate to move a requested value to a front-most storage element of the tile array according to a global systolic clock. The previous occupant of the front-most location is moved or swapped backward according to the systolic clock, and the new occupant is moved forward according to the systolic clock, according to the operation of the tiles, while providing for multiple in-flight access requests within the tile array. The placement heuristic that moves the values is determined according to the position of the tiles within the array and the behavior of the tiles. The movement of the values can be performed via only next-neighbor connections of adjacent tiles within the tile array.
US08015348B2
Methods and systems of managing memory addresses in a large capacity multi-level cell based flash memory device are described. According to one aspect, a flash memory device comprises a processing unit to manage logical-to-physical address correlation using an indexing scheme. The flash memory is partitioned into N sets. Each set includes a plurality of entries (i.e., blocks). N sets of partial logical entry number to physical block number and associated page usage information (hereinafter ‘PLTPPUI’) are stored in the reserved area of the MLC based flash memory. Only one the N sets is loaded to address correlation and page usage memory (ACPUM), which is a limited size random access memory (RAM). In one embodiment, static RAM (SRAM) is implemented for fast access time for the address correlation. LSA received together with the data transfer request dictates which one of the N sets of PLTPPUI is loaded into ACPUM.
US08015342B2
A method of managing and restoring an identifier of a storage device and an apparatus therefor are provided. The method includes the operations of generating a storage device identifier; recording the storage device identifier in a non-volatile memory of a host; generating an identifier file including the storage device identifier and a host identifier; and recording the identifier file in the storage device. By doing so, the method and apparatus can efficiently and securely manage the storage device.
US08015341B2
A communications port is implemented for configuration in direction and arrangement. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a communications link (110), such as a PCI Express type link, is configurable for communicating with devices having different directional and/or polarity configurations. The communications link is configured to match a communications port condition (e.g., a directional and/or polarity condition) of a device (120) coupled to the communications link. In one instance, the communications link is directionally configurable for reassigning input lanes to output lanes and output lanes to input lanes. With this approach, the communications link can be used to communicate with a variety of devices having varied communication characteristics.
US08015333B1
A method and apparatus for detecting the end of a daisy chain are described. A node receives an M-wide bit input, terminates K bits of the input, shifts and outputs the remaining M-K bits, and drives from the node K bits onto the output.
US08015329B2
Methods and a device for performing coherent access requests are disclosed. The methods include receiving a first address associated with a first write or read request. During a write operation, if the first address is associated with a coherent access register, data to be written is stored at a data latch that is connected to a plurality of coherent data access registers. A second address and second data associated with a second write request are received. If the second address matches the first address, the second data and the latched first data are written to the coherent access register. By latching the first data and simultaneously writing the latched first data and the second data, overall coherency of the written data is maintained.
US08015326B2
A plurality of system controllers 300 each comprising a memory medium 400 and an I/O device 500 under the control of the system controller 300 are connected to a CPU node 100 by way of a plurality of system buses 200. The CPU node 100 executes a memory interleave for distributing memory accesses to the system buses 200 (i.e., the system controllers 300). In performing an I/O access to the I/O device 500, the CPU node 100 firstly inquires from a representative system controller 300 (SC0) as to which system bus 200 (i.e., a system controller 300) has a target I/O device 500 and then executes an actual I/O access to the system bus 200 returned in a response from the SC0. Even when the CPU node 100 executes a memory interleave in the case of a memory-mapped I/O, the CPU node 100 is not required to manage the location information of the I/O device 500.
US08015323B2
In an interface, a host device or controller configures a peripheral or remote device to send data back to the host device. The remote device is operatively coupled to one or more sensors located throughout the vehicle and performs an analog to digital conversion on signals received from the sensors. The signal data is automatically transferred into particular locations in memory of the host device. In this manner, the host merely has to access its memory to obtain fresh data needed to control one or more operations of the vehicle.
US08015318B2
An electronic file processor includes an acquisition unit that acquires, through a communication network, a first electronic file having a first file format and a second electronic file having a second file format which differs from the first file format, by reference to a linkage relationship between the first electronic file and the second electronic file; a conversion unit that converts at least one of the first electronic file and the second electronic file so that the first electronic file and the second electronic file have a same file format; and a generation unit that combines the first electronic file and the second electronic file to generate a combined electronic file.
US08015311B2
A new P2P streaming method and apparatus disseminates video chunks to all peers with the minimum (or at least reduced) delay. After obtaining a new video chunk, a peer keeps transmitting (uploading) that video chunk to other peers until all peers receive it. The approach quickly increases the aggregate bandwidth that can be utilized to transmit a video chunk. For example, the aggregate peer bandwidth used to transmit a video chunk can double every time slot. For a homogeneous P2P streaming system with N peers, a time slot is defined as a unit of the single chunk transmission delay between two peers. Using the P2P streaming method, a video chunk can be disseminated to all peers within 1+log2 N time slots.
US08015310B2
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. The method also includes selecting, based on the response, a media stream source. The method also includes receiving a media stream from the selected media stream source into a buffer, and decoding the received media stream from the buffer, at a selected playout rate.
US08015304B2
A method and a system for distributing media processing resources. A first request formatted in accordance with a first protocol can be received from a client requesting a media processing resource. The first request can be morphed into a second request that is formatted in accordance with a second protocol. Further, a media processing resource can be selected from a plurality of available media processing resources, and the second request can be forwarded to the selected media processing resource in accordance with the second protocol.
US08015301B2
Techniques are provided for controlling access to a resource based on access policies and attributes. A principal issues a request to a service for purposes of accessing a resource. The principal is authenticated and a service contract for the principal, the service, and the resource is generated. The service contract defines resource access policies and attributes which can be permissibly performed by the service on behalf of the principal during a session. Moreover, the session between the service and the resource is controlled by the service contract.
US08015299B2
Disclosed is a server that provides session-persistent concurrent licenses for resources accessed by clients. In one embodiment, rather than requiring a license when the server is initially accessed, a license is not requested until a client seeks access to a licensed resource. In one implementation, scripts for Web pages associated with licensed resources include requests for licenses from a license management facility. Certain resources conditionally request a license based upon the origin of the access request: the license request may be bypassed for access requests from “pre-licensed” applications. Session-based licensing allows equitable assessment of compensation to a service provider for use of the services. The server includes many resources, some of which require a license for access while others do not. The services of premium value are the only ones for which customers are expected to obtain/claim a license.
US08015298B2
A load-balancing cluster includes a switch having a plurality of ports; and a plurality of servers connected to at least some of the plurality of ports of the switch. Each server is addressable by the same virtual Internet Protocol (VIP) address. Each server in the cluster has a mechanism constructed and adapted to respond to connection requests at the VIP by selecting one of the plurality of servers to handle that connection, wherein the selecting is based, at least in part, on a given function of information used to request the connection; and a firewall mechanism constructed and adapted to accept all requests for the VIP address for a particular connection only on the server that has been selected to handle that particular connection. The selected server determines whether it is responsible for the request and may hand it off to another cluster member.
US08015292B2
It is the objective of the current invention to provide a system that will allow Users to contact Service Providers in specific fields. The User will choose a Service Provider via an Internet-based icon from within any one of a broad base of Internet interfaces maintained by the system or the Service Provider. Once a Service Provider is chosen, a pop-up window will appear telling that User if the Service Provider is available. If the Service Provider is available the system will connect the User with the Service Provider. If the Service Provider is unavailable the system will prompt the User to try again later or send an e-mail to the Service Provider.
US08015289B2
A system and method for maintaining capacity of a network. Instructions are adapted to define future times at which a capacity of the network is evaluated. In addition, instructions are adapted to determine a total capacity of the network (TNC) and a total demand of users (TUD) for the network at each of the future times. As a function of the total capacity of the network (TNC) and the total demand of users (TUD), instructions are adapted to determine a predicted utilization (PU) of the network at each of the future times. By comparing the predicted utilization (PU) to a defined acceptable utilization of the network at each of the future times, instructions are adapted to determine a change in network capacity (DCNC) to be applied to the network at each of the future times in order to increase or decrease the capacity of the network.
US08015288B2
A virtual system, which realizes virtual computing environments for performing communication processing, includes a user virtual machine which is provided as a virtual machine environment to be used by users, and a service virtual machine which has a physical communication interface with a real network for communication between the real network and the user virtual machine, provides a virtual communication interface with the user virtual machine by Ethernet (registered trademark), and performs an interface conversion process for the communication between the real network and the user virtual machine if the physical communication interface is not by using Ethernet (registered trademark), in which the physical communication interface is converted to an equivalent interface using Ethernet (registered trademark).
US08015283B2
Particular embodiments include cooperative monitoring of peer-to-peer activity on a network including maintaining communication between a local monitoring process and a network monitoring process such that a process can use both network monitoring and local monitoring. The cooperative monitoring includes monitoring a local peer using local monitoring of a point in the network by monitoring packets passing through the point, monitoring the network using network monitoring by a monitoring system or agent coupled to the network, and analyzing the result of network monitoring and local monitoring to determine at least one file transfer association with the local peer.
US08015276B2
Systems and methods are described that analyze complex systems and identify potential performance bottlenecks that may affect capacity and response time. The bottlenecks are identified to resolve problems originating at a specific subsystem(s).
US08015275B2
A resource coordinator manager automatically sets a LAN and a SAN for a server to be add according to an increase in load. An ASCC satellite executes a boot script to boot up a user application on the server. The ASCC satellite executes a stop script to stop a user application executed on a server to be returned to a server pool according to a decrease in load. The resource coordinator manager automatically releases a LAN and a SAN set for the server to be returned.
US08015274B2
A system and method of automating the validation and control of peripheral director hardware in a switched fabric network. A system is provided that includes a script language processor for interpreting high-level statements and generating command functions understood by an application programming interface (API) associated with the switched fabric network, wherein the command functions include a query switch command, a query interface switch command, a write switch command, and a display result command; and a system for generating an output in response to a set of command functions submitted to the switched fabric network.
US08015273B2
An information exchange system comprising at least one network for the transmission of information, at least one system computer accessing said at least one network, at least one peripheral device for exchanging said information with said at least one system computer, said at least one peripheral device being of sensor or actuator type and having no communication interface with said at least one network, at least one data concentrator associated with at least one associated peripheral device, accessing said at least one network and enabling said associated peripheral device to exchange said information with said at least one system computer, said data concentrator comprising data processing means, network interface means for interfacing said data processing means and said at least one network and device interface means for interfacing said data processing means and said at least one associated peripheral device, said information exchange system further comprising connection means for connecting said at least one associated peripheral device to said device interface means or said at least one network to said network interface means, said connection means comprising a connector, cable or connector accessory type connection element in which said data concentrator is incorporated in such a way as to be separable from said at least one associated peripheral device by disconnection from said connection element.
US08015272B2
Disclosed here is an integrated application system for enabling a new application to be added and a user to select an optional application easily. The integrated application system includes a plurality of clients for receiving services from a plurality of application servers for supplying a plurality of services and a management apparatus for controlling services supplied by the application servers to the clients according to an integrated service starting request from any of clients. Each of the clients includes a client management unit for controlling participation of a plurality of application clients corresponding to a plurality of services in an integrated service. The client management unit selects each application used in the integrated service and a client that participates in the integrated service respectively and sends an integrated service starting request to the management apparatus while the management apparatus instructs each of the selected application servers to start a service according to the integrated service starting request from the client management unit.
US08015240B2
The invention provides method and apparatus for collaboration between a plurality of associated portlets in a portal server comprising: associating each portlet with a portlet descriptor describing context names; forming collaboration groups of portlets having corresponding context names for synchronized contents.
US08015239B2
A method and system to reduce false positives within an automated software-testing environment using a comparator module, a filter application module, and a preview generator module is provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a method within a testing system for testing web pages associated with a current version website by automatically generating filter data by comparing differences between a plurality of iterations of a test case executed on a previous version website, automatically generating error data by executing the test case on the current version website, and detecting differences between the previous version and the current version of the website by applying filtering rules within the filter data to the error data to remove false positives.
US08015238B2
A generalized approach to particle interaction can confer advantages over previously described method in terms of one or more of communications bandwidth and latency and memory access characteristics. These generalizations can involve one or more of at least spatial decomposition, import region rounding, and multiple zone communication scheduling. An architecture for computation of particle interactions makes use various forms of parallelism. In one implementation, the parallelism involves using multiple computation nodes arranged according to a geometric partitioning of a simulation volume.
US08015236B2
The updating of only some memory locations in a multiple computer environment in which at least one applications program (50) executes simultaneously on a plurality of computers M1, M2 . . . Mn each of which has a local memory, is disclosed. Objects A and B in each local memory are disclosed which each include primitive fields (11). However, the simultaneous operation of the application program (50) can result in a “non-primitive” reference field (10) in one machine which must then be replicated in all other machines. However, the reference field (10) references another object (H) in the one machine's local memory so corresponding objects (T, K) must be created in the local memory of each other machine and be referenced by the corresponding non-primitive field (10).
US08015232B2
A thin client server system including a client server configured to transfer at least one roaming keyboard file to at least one thin client terminal is described. The thin client terminal includes a touch-sensitive interface, session layout module and a client processing module. The session layout module generates a selection configuration for selecting the type of interaction with the client server system. The client processing module applies the at least one roaming keyboard file and to dynamically generate, input sub-modules for receiving communication from at least one user and an output sub-module for generating output to at least one user. The generated input sub-module including, a virtual keyboard sub-module, and a pointer-pad sub-module and the generated output sub-module including a virtual screen sub-module for generating output to at least one user, wherein the client sever allows modular collaboration while multiplexing input and output message between sub-modules.
US08015226B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for performing reduced complexity discrete Fourier transforms using interpolation An input sequence of length N is transformed by extending the input sequence to an extended input sequence of length M, where M is greater than N (a power of two greater than N); performing a discrete Fourier Transform (DFT), such as a power-of-two DFT, on the extended input sequence to obtain an interpolated sequence; and applying a conversion matrix to the interpolated sequence to obtain a DFT output for the input sequence of length N. The input sequence of length N can be extended to an extended input sequence of length M, for example, by employing a zero padding technique, a cyclic extension technique, a windowing of a cyclic extended sequence technique or a resampling-based interpolation technique to extend the input sequence. The conversion matrix is substantially a sparse matrix.
US08015225B2
A non-linear processing device (1) is presented, in which fractional-delay filtering (20)—fractional as compared with a sample rate used in the processing steps—is used between successive processing steps (10). A corresponding method is also presented. The fractional delay (20) exposes the signal in-between the original samples to the non-linear processing (30, 40). A lower sample rate or a higher signal quality can thus be achieved. The so-called fractional sample delays are preferably chosen differently for different systems depending on bandwidths, number of channels, number of non-linear processing steps (10) and other varying factors. The multi-step non-linear processing (10) concept of the invention is preferably used within a cascade of non-linear modifications and/or filtering steps (10).
US08015224B1
In a device having a data channel, in which random numbers are needed, such as a data storage device that uses random numbers to generate keys for cryptographic applications, random numbers are generated by a deterministic random bit generator seeded by bits derived from noise on the channel itself. The bits may be extracted from the least significant bits of the data signal after it is digitized, because those bits correspond to the noise in the signal. The extraction may occur immediately after digitization, or after subsequent filtering. A data signal emulator may be provided to simulate a data signal if a seed is required at a time when there is no data activity on the channel. The extracted bits may be post-processed to remove bias before the seed is provided to the deterministic random bit generator.
US08015221B1
A method for maintaining file-type information for a file is described. Data in a first position of a file is analyzed. A file-type for the file is determined based on the analyzed data in the first position. The file is monitored for input/output operations. The file-type of the file is updated if input/output operations occur within the first position of the file.
US08015219B2
Data stored in a plurality of snapshots that can be updated is efficiently updated.A computer system includes a computer that provides a plurality of storage areas and a storage device that stores data read and written in the storage areas. The storage device provides a first volume that stores data shared by the storage areas respectively and a second volume that stores data held in the storage areas respectively. The computer stores storage area management information and a storing flag that shows a storing part of updated data and sets the storing flag in accordance with a request. When the computer receives the update of the data stored in the first volume and the storing flag is set to the second volume, if a second area corresponding to a first area is not allocated to the second volume, the computer updates a second area newly allocated to the second volume to store the location information of the newly allocated second area in the storage area management information correspondingly to the first area.
US08015218B2
The invention concerns a method for compressing and decompressing a structured document, associated with at least a tree diagram structure defining a document structure and comprising nested structure elements, associated with a type of information, and representing sets of data, the method comprising steps which consists in: performing a syntactic analysis of the structure diagram and standardizing it so as to obtain a single predefined sequence of the elements of the diagram; compiling the standardized diagram to obtain finite automata, each automaton comprising states interconnected by transitions respectively representing the elements of the structure; and compressing the document, and executing at least a compression algorithm associated with a type of information, when a set of data having the type of information is encountered in the document.
US08015211B2
A peer-to-peer (P2P) networking system is disclosed that provides a large, persistent object repository with the ability to easily scale to significant size. Data security is provided using a distributed object data access mechanism to grant access to data objects to authorized users. Data objects stored within the object repository are provided a plurality of security options including plain text data, objects, encrypted data objects, and secure, secret sharing data objects. A data object query processing component permits users to locate requested information within the P2P networking system.
US08015210B2
A method and system are described that may generate and process address strings, for example, for database entities such as objects. An example method may include generating a first address string representing a first relational path associated with a first database query retrieval of a first object, and storing the first address string in association with the first object. Another example method may include receiving a query requesting information associated with an entity related to one or more objects included in a database. The method may further include retrieving a first address string based on a search of address strings to determine address strings that indicate the entity, the first address string representing a first relational path associated with a database query retrieval of a first object, and retrieving the first object based on the retrieved first address string.
US08015194B2
A method and an apparatus for performing a refining operation based on content of a log are described. In one embodiment, the method comprises analyzing one or more metadata entries in a set corresponding to a digital object that is stored separately from the set of one or more metadata entries and selecting one or more digital objects for display based on analysis of content in the metadata entries.
US08015188B2
A system and method for thematically grouping documents into clusters is provided. Concepts are extracted from a plurality of documents. The concepts include nouns or noun phrases. A number of occurrences for each concept are determined within each document. A bounded range is applied to the concepts and a subset of the concepts is selected by removing the concepts that fall outside the bounded range. The bounded range includes upper edge conditions and lower edge conditions. Themes are generated from the subset of concepts by identifying two or more concepts with common semantic meaning. Clusters of the documents are generated based on the themes.
US08015186B2
An input unit supplies a logic operation expression made up of a plurality of retrieval keys and logic operators between the retrieval keys, entered by the user, to a control unit. A similarity calculating unit calculates similarities between key contents designated by the retrieval keys and a plurality of retrievable contents, based on feature quantities of contents that are supplied from a feature quantity extraction unit and a feature quantity database. A combining unit performs logic operations using the similarities between the key contents and the retrievable contents, calculating combined scores for the respective retrievable contents. The retrievable contents which have large combined scores are presented as contents best suited to the user. The present invention is applicable to an information processing apparatus for retrieving contents, for example.
US08015179B2
Structural join mechanisms provide efficient query pattern matching. In one embodiment, tree-merge mechanisms are provided. In another embodiment, stack-tree mechanisms are provided.
US08015160B2
The present invention is a system and method for managing content across one or more storage device systems. A typical system according to the present invention includes one or more indexing systems and a set of storage device systems. Each indexing system monitors usage of content stored on the storage systems. Based upon usage of particular content, an indexing system may issue requests such as move, delete or copy to more efficiently utilize the overall storage capacity of the storage system. All indexing systems monitor the servicing of such requests and update stored data concerning the file subject to the request accordingly.
US08015157B2
In the HSM function, when supporting the file system snapshot function, a differential data volume is required for both a high-speed volume and a low-speed volume. Accordingly, when supporting the snapshot function by using a file system provided by the HSM function, a large amount of differential data volume is required. When the manager gives an instruction to acquire a snapshot, a snapshot management program executes snapshot acquisition processing to acquire a snapshot. In this processing, a snapshot reference relation building processing part copies a file storage location management table, and relates the file storage location management table to the acquired snapshot. Then, the snapshot reference relation building processing part checks a file that is migrated to a file system which does not have a differential data volume. Finally, the snapshot reference relation building processing part creates a link of the migrated file to the snapshot which is acquired previous time.
US08015156B2
In one embodiment, a user or client device is connected to a distributed file system comprised of one or more physical nodes. The data on each of the physical nodes store metadata about files and directories within the file system. Some of the embodiments permit a user to take a snapshot of data stored on the file system. The snapshot may include a single file, a single directory, a plurality of files within a directory, a plurality of directories, a path on the file system that includes nested files and subdirectories, or more than one path on the file system that each includes nested files and directories. According to one embodiment, the system stores representations of the snapshots that govern a file or directory and its descendants within metadata associated with that file or directory. In one embodiment, before modifying a file or directory, the system updates the representations of the governing snapshots by traversing the metadata of ancestors of the file or directory.
US08015150B2
In one aspect, a method for operating databases with a plurality of first data is provided. A temporary copy of at least some logically related parts of the plurality of first data is generated as second data for an editing procedure. The second data is offered by a user such that he can edit the second data. On conclusion of the editing procedure an individual comparison of the second data with the first data is performed such that when a second datum of the second data matches a first datum of the first data, a reference is created in the database to the first datum corresponding to the second datum. At least some of the second data for which no match with first data is determined is saved in the database.
US08015137B2
An entity resolution system and alert analysis system configured to process inbound identity records and to generate alerts based on relevant identities, entities, conditions, activities, or events is disclosed. One process of resolving identity records and detecting relationships between entities may be performed using a pre-determined or configurable entity resolution rules. Further, the entity resolution system may include an alert analysis system configured to allow analysts to review and analyze alerts, entities, and identities, as well as provide comments or assign a disposition to alerts generated by the entity resolution system. Furthermore, the entity resolution system may be configured to handle duplicate alerts, i.e., one or more identical or near-identical alerts generated using the same entities and/or identities as well as assign a relevance score to the particular entities and identities included in the alert.
US08015135B2
An indication of an occurrence of an event is received. A first ontology (124) is accessed and selected information associated with the occurrence of the event is obtained from the first ontology (124). A second ontology (122) is then accessed and at least one first rule associated with the occurrence of the event is obtained from the second ontology (122) by using at least in part the selected information from the first ontology (124).
US08015121B2
This invention relates to a machine for franking mail items, comprising means for printing postal indicia on a mail item and means for also printing on this mail item a unique identification number for this mail item, means for creating at least one data document or file associated with this unique identification number printed on the mail item and means for communicating, through a secure link, the or each data document or file to an information server remote from the franking machine.
US08015120B2
The disclosures herein relate to methods of managing customs data and shipment data. The methods include procedures for correlating various types of data related to a single shipment of goods, including data received from customs brokers and data received with shipments of goods. The methods extend to importing operations comprising many shipments of goods.
US08015106B2
A method for providing a financial evaluation of at least one financial instrument or of an issuer supports the provision of a dynamic credit limit. A dynamic credit limit may be associated with a counterparty or a debt security of the counterparty, for example. The method includes obtaining counterparty credit quality data associated with a transaction of the financial instrument between a party and a counterparty. Debt market data is obtained where the debt market data is associated with or relevant to the transaction. A dynamic credit limit is determined for the counterparty or a financial instrument of the counterparty based on at least one of the inputted counterparty credit quality and the obtained debt market data. The dynamic credit limit may be defined in terms of a credit exposure versus time.
US08015104B2
A method of multi-enterprise optimization at a buyer computer includes accessing a forecasted demand for at least one item and generating one or more proposed flexible trade contracts using the forecasted demand for the item. The proposed flexible trade contract is communicated to a seller computer and subsequently executed after acceptance of the proposed flexible trade contract at the seller computer to create a flexible trade contract. Each proposed flexible trade contract may be a forward contract, an option contract, or a flexible forward contract.
US08015098B2
A benchmark price reflective of trading in a financial instrument for benchmarking sell-side traders performance is provided by calculating based on received trades a buy volume weighted average price and a sell volume weighted average price for every contra-side party trading in a selected security during a period of time. Ineligible contra-parties are filter out from the determined buy and sell volume weighted average prices and the remaining contra-parties are ranked based on the determined volume weighted average prices from best price to worst to produce ranked, buy volume weighted average prices and ranked sell volume weighted average prices.
US08015089B1
This invention relates to a system and method that provides a pre-paid credit account, where the value of the account is based on the market price of an underlying commodity instrument. More specifically, this invention relates to a system and method for managing cash assets in the form of gold bullion that is maintained by a financial institution on behalf of an account holder, thereby allowing the account holder to utilize the purchasing power of the gold bullion assets in a convenient fashion.
US08015084B1
A linked account instrument is used to access funds in an existing demand deposit account held at a financial institution. Merchant or other transactions are first processed against a demand deposit account via an electronic authorization network. If the demand deposit account does not have sufficient funds, the transactions may be processed as a credit charge against a designated credit account. The demand deposit account may subsequently be swept at predetermined times in search of funds to defray the overdraft. If adequate funds are present, they will be withdrawn from the demand deposit account, and the credit account will be cleared. Otherwise, the instrument holder's daily purchasing abilities may be temporarily suspended until the credit account is settled. The processing of overdraft amounts may be on a FIFO, smallest-first or other basis.
US08015078B1
A method and apparatus for displaying quantities of inventory items in multiple units of measure includes displaying an inventory item listing, including a desired quantity of the inventory item, on a user interface and/or display screen. The inventory item listing is then activated by a user through a user interface device within the context of the present transaction. Once the inventory item listing is activated, the quantity of the inventory item desired is displayed in a multiple units of measure display in multiple units of measure associated with the inventory item and within the context of the present transaction.
US08015068B2
A system and method for allowing a user to schedule pickup of an ordered item provides a user interface having user interface elements for allowing a user to specify a frequency with which an order is it to be picked up, for informing a user as to availability of the item for pickup, and/or for allowing a user to request that an item be held in reserve for pickup within a given period of time, such as 24 hours. Frequency options provided to the user for selection when scheduling an order for pickup may include a one-time frequency, a daily frequency, a weekly frequency, a monthly frequency, and user specified dates. The information as to availability of the item for pickup is determined considering a time of order and real-time stocking information for the item.
US08015064B2
A method of advertising is disclosed and includes monitoring transmission data of one or more cellular towers located along a freeway and recording an identification and a time and date stamp for one or more cellular devices that establish communication via the one or more cellular towers as the at least one cellular device travels within a user vehicle along the freeway. Further, the method includes determining one or more types of media files that are supported by the cellular device and monitoring the movement of the one or more cellular devices along the freeway. The method also includes transmitting one or more advertisements to the at least one cellular device when the cellular device is within a predetermined range of a freeway exit. The one or more advertisement is transmitted in a format of the one or more types of media files supported by the cellular device.
US08015062B2
A method and a system for providing content on a computer having a memory, a display having at least a viewable position and networking capabilities for communicating with other computers in a networked system is provided. A storepath establishes the relationship amongst related stores having various marketing assets. Each marketing asset has its display attributes as defined by a global marketing campaign. When viewing a store profile, marketing assets are displayed in the viewable position on the display in accordance with those attributes.
US08015054B2
A method and system for generating recommendations are described. The method of generating a recommendation list of products to a customer comprises using OLAP (On-Line Analytical Processing) to analyze raw data in a multilevel and multidimensional manner. Furthermore, the method includes applying a plurality of filtering processes to the raw data to generate a plurality of preliminary recommendation lists. Moreover, the method further comprises generating the recommendation list based on the plurality of preliminary recommendation lists.
US08015034B2
A care plan management system (10) includes a server (12) including a content database (14) containing care management-related content including multiple revisions of at least some said content. Each content revision is tagged with temporal content revision information. A care plans storage (18) stores a plurality of patient care plans (21, 22, 23) associated with corresponding patients. Each patient care plan includes a selection of care management-related content to be presented to the patient, and a revision policy indicating which temporal revision of said content should be presented. User interfaces (31, 32, 33) are operatively connected with a communication interface (28) of the server (12) to receive and present the selected care management-related content.
US08015029B2
A system comprises means for authenticating an identity of a medical implant patient using at least a portion of information provided on an identification card and means for displaying an image showing a medical implant as actually implanted within the medical implant patient and an image showing an implant operation scar of the medical implant patient resulting from actual implantation of the medical implant therein thereby allowing the displayed image of the medical implant to be visually compared against a corresponding image provided on the identification card and allowing verification that the medical implant patient has a scar thereon appearing the same as the image showing the implant operation scar of the medical implant patient resulting from actual implantation of the medical implant. Displaying the images is performed in response to successfully authenticating the identity of the medical implant verification patient.
US08015028B2
Generally, the present invention is directed to marketing techniques and more particularly to direct-to-patient marketing for medical devices, pharmaceutical drugs, and biotechnology products. The approach presented here may also be applied to the recruitment of patients for clinical trials evaluation including tracking outcomes after treatment. An embodiment of the invention includes the steps of finding potential patients, qualifying potential patients, connecting potential patients to preferred physicians, and tracking the patient's progress through the appointment phase and tracking outcomes.
US08015022B2
A system for managing absenteeism in an organization includes an absenteeism module to process absenteeism data relating to absenteeism of a person. A health module processes health data relating to the use of a plurality of health related facilities and/or services by the person. A reward determining module determines a reward for the person wherein the reward is determined based on the absenteeism of the person and on the use by the person of the plurality of health related facilities and/or services and a reward allocating module to allocate the reward to the person.
US08015021B2
A method and system for enabling personalization of services for a user. A first and second computerized service system that includes a first and second server, respectively, is utilized. An information server of a computerized information system receives a different request from the first and second server for first and second personalization information of the user, respectively. The first and second personalization information enables a first and second entity that uses the first and second server to provide a service to the user in response to the user having previously requested the service from first and second entity, respectively. The information server determines that first and second criteria for the first and second entity to receive the first and second personalization information, respectively, have been satisfied, after which the information server sends the first and second personalization information to the first and second server, respectively.
US08015015B2
A voice control system includes an acoustic sensor, and a digital photo frame. The acoustic sensor is configured to receive a voice signal, and transform the voice signal to an electronic signal. The digital photo frame includes a transforming module, an instruction module, and a comparing module. The transforming module receives the electronic signal sent from the acoustic sensor and transforms the electronic signal to a transformed electronic code. The instruction module defines a plurality of predetermined electronic codes for performing predetermined functions of the digital photo frame. The comparing module compares the transformed electronic code with the predetermined electronic codes. If the transformed electronic code matches one of the predetermined electronic codes, the digital photo frame performs a function of the predetermined functions associated with the matched predetermined electronic code. A method for operating the digital photo frame is also provided.
US08015014B2
A speech recognition and control system continuously operable by two or more users. The system includes a receiver for receiving a speech input, a processor in communication with the receiver and a database in communication with the processor. The database includes user profiles. The system also includes profile management software executing on the processor for determining an active profile from the plurality of user profiles, and software executing on the processor for identifying at least one command from the speech input based on the active profile.
US08015012B2
Portions from segment boundary regions of a plurality of speech segments are extracted. Each segment boundary region is based on a corresponding initial unit boundary. Feature vectors that represent the portions in a vector space are created. For each of a plurality of potential unit boundaries within each segment boundary region, an average discontinuity based on distances between the feature vectors is determined. For each segment, the potential unit boundary associated with a minimum average discontinuity is selected as a new unit boundary.
US08015005B2
A method, system and communication device for enabling voice-to-voice searching and ordered content retrieval via audio tags assigned to individual content, which tags generate uniterms that are matched against components of a voice query. The method includes storing content and tagging at least one of the content with an audio tag. The method further includes receiving a voice query to retrieve content stored on the device. When the voice query is received, the method completes a voice-to-voice search utilizing uniterms of the audio tag, scored against the phoneme latent lattice model generated by the voice query to identify matching terms within the audio tags and corresponding stored content. The retrieved content(s) associated with the identified audio tags having uniterms that score within the phoneme lattice model are outputted in an order corresponding to an order in which the uniterms are structured within the voice query.
US08015003B2
A method and system denoises a mixed signal. A constrained non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) is applied to the mixed signal. The NMF is constrained by a denoising model, in which the denoising model includes training basis matrices of a training acoustic signal and a training noise signal, and statistics of weights of the training basis matrices. The applying produces weight of a basis matrix of the acoustic signal of the mixed signal. A product of the weights of the basis matrix of the acoustic signal and the training basis matrices of the training acoustic signal and the training noise signal is taken to reconstruct the acoustic signal. The mixed signal can be speech and noise.
US08015001B2
In a signal encoding apparatus (1) a frequency normalization unit (11) normalizes each spectrum of spectral signals by using respectively normalization factors and supplies a normalization factor index per spectrum to a quantization accuracy determining unit (13). The quantization accuracy determining unit (13) adds a weighting factor using auditory properties to the normalization factor index per spectrum of range conversion spectral signals which are subjected to normalization as well as range conversion, and the quantization accuracy is determined according to the result of addition. Then, a quantization unit (14) performs quantization with the quantization accuracy corresponding to a quantization accuracy index supplied from the quantization accuracy determining unit (13), while the encoding/code string generating unit (15) encodes the weighting factor supplied from the quantization accuracy determining unit (13), together with the normalization factor index and the quantized spectral signal.
US08014997B2
Whenever a document is going to be included into the textual database, a semantic binder is used to associate the document with one or more semantic nodes which are defined in a semantic taxonomy. When a search is performed, a search application looks through a semantic dictionary (which contains a table mapping queries to nodes on the semantic taxonomy) to see whether any corresponding semantic node can be found for the searchers query. If a match is found, the search application transforms the user's query into [“original query” OR “semantic node”] so that relevant documents, even they do not contain any user's keyword, can also be found in the database. The system binds semantic nodes arranged in a hierarchical structure of the taxonomy using a Log Analyzer which periodically looks through the system log for new queries and through textual indices for documents added to the database to generate the semantic dictionary and to bind the semantic nodes to the queries in the textual indices of the documents.
US08014994B2
Methods and apparatuses enable creating a stateful simulation process with stateless messages. A stateless message instantiates a simulation object for a system to be simulated. The simulation object is identified by an identifier. Activity request messages, which are stateless, identify the simulation object identifier and can thus be associated with the simulation object. Results of execution of requested activities are stored in the simulation object, and thus persisted in the simulation object. In one embodiment, the persisting of simulation results in the simulation object allows the simulation data to be isolated from the active system data. In one embodiment, results of the execution of the simulation are merged in whole or in part with the active backend data.
US08014980B2
A forming process of plastic parts is simulated. The position and time of plastics particles which exceed at least one defined critical limit are detected. The final positions of particles in the surface layer of the plastics part are computed. The positions of the particles in the surface layer are defined as positions with deviations in the surface appearance.
US08014977B1
A method for determining an amplitude for signal transmission over an interconnect is disclosed. The method includes transmitting a first signal to a host over a transmission medium at a first transmission frequency according to a first speed negotiation process and receiving a second signal from the host at the first transmission frequency. The method also includes measuring a first voltage amplitude of the second signal and transmitting a third signal to the host at a second transmission frequency according to a second speed negotiation process. The method further includes receiving a fourth signal from the host at the second transmission frequency, measuring a second voltage amplitude of the fourth signal, and determining an approximate voltage loss in response to the first and second voltage amplitudes.
US08014968B2
A high-definition multimedia interface circuit uses a high-definition multimedia interface encoder to produce a plurality of channels of data. An output circuit, connected to the high-definition multimedia interface encoder, produces a plurality of channels of high frequency data from the data produced by the high-definition multimedia interface encoder. A multiplexer selects a channel for sampling, and a capacitive coupler capacitively couples the multiplexer to a sampling circuit. The sampling circuit produces sampled data corresponding to the high frequency data having a clock rate less than a clock rate of the high frequency data. A test circuit compares the sampled data with the data produced by the high-definition multimedia interface encoder.
US08014953B2
Computational methods for systematically characterizing putative protein isoforms as apparent targets of nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) comprise: (a) identifying a dataset of target putative protein isoform sequences for characterization; (b) identifying from an mRNA dataset corresponding mRNA sequences representing transcripts encoding the protein isoforms; (c) determining corresponding gene intron-exon structures by mapping the mRNA sequences to corresponding genomic sequences; and (d) determining if the transcripts are apparent targets of NMD. Methods for regulating the expression of a gene encoding a protein isoform characterized as an apparent target of NMD comprise biasing expression of the isoform by modulating transcript splicing or modulating NMD activity.
US08014948B2
A navigation system for a vehicle having a receiver operable to receive a plurality of signals from a plurality of transmitters includes a processor and a memory device. The memory device has stored thereon machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, enable the processor to determine a set of error estimates corresponding to pseudo-range measurements derived from the plurality of signals, determine an error covariance matrix for a main navigation solution using ionospheric-delay data, and, using a solution separation technique, determine at least one protection level value based on the error covariance matrix.
US08014946B2
Various methods, systems, and apparatus for implementing aspects of a digital mapping system are disclosed. One such method includes sending a location request from a client-side computing device to a map tile server, receiving a set of map tiles in response to the location request, assembling said received map tiles into a tile grid, aligning the tile grid relative to a clipping shape, and displaying the result as a map image. One apparatus according to aspects of the present invention includes means for sending a location request from a client-side computing device to a map tile server, means for receiving a set of map tiles in response to the location request, means for assembling said received map tiles into a tile grid, means for aligning the tile grid relative to a clipping shape, and means for displaying the result as a map image. Such an apparatus may further include direction control or zoom control objects as interactive overlays on the displayed map image, and may also include route or location overlays on the map image.
US08014940B2
An electronic mobile device includes a display, a tilt sensor and a processor. The display is for displaying a graphical element. The tilt sensor is configured to measure a tilt angle of the mobile device. The processor is configured to store the measured tilt angle as a reference tilt angle, subsequently determine a delta tilt angle as the difference between a currently measured tilt angle and the reference tilt angle, compare the delta tilt angle to different thresholds, and alter the position of the displayed element on the display at a rate that is based on the number of the thresholds the delta tilt angle has exceeded.
US08014938B2
A module that calculates power loss for an internal combustion engine includes an air intake calculation module that determines a final air per cylinder (APC) value. A fuel mass rate calculation module that determines a fuel mass rate value based on the final APC value. A power loss calculation module that determines a power loss value for the internal combustion engine based on the fuel mass rate value.
US08014932B2
A common rail type fuel injection system of an engine includes: a common rail for accumulating and holding high-pressure fuel; a fuel pump for pressure-feeding fuel to the common rail; and an injector for injecting the high-pressure fuel accumulated and held in the common rail. A pressure sensor is disposed in a fuel suction port of the injector. An ECU sequentially detects a fuel pressure varied when the injector injects the fuel and sequentially detects a fuel pressure varied when the fuel pump pressure-feeds the fuel. When the injector injects the fuel, the ECU computes injection pressure by the detection values of these pressures and computes injection characteristics by the injector on the basis of the injection pressure.
US08014931B2
A secondary air supply system includes a CPU, a first air supply pipe, a second air supply pipe, a first shut-off valve, and a second shut-off valve. First ends of the first air supply pipe and the second air supply pipe are connected to an air cleaner box and the other ends thereof are connected to an exhaust port. The CPU controls opening/closing of the first shut-off valve and the second shut-off valve based on a state of an engine. The first shut-off valve and the second shut-off valve are selectively opened by the CPU, so that air in the air cleaner box is supplied to the exhaust port through the first air supply pipe and/or the second air supply pipe.
US08014930B2
An engine control module includes an exhaust heating module, a temperature determination module, and a resistance measuring module. The exhaust heating module operates an engine at a predetermined speed to generate an exhaust gas having a predetermined temperature. The exhaust gas heats a heating element of an oxygen sensor. The temperature determination module determines, based on the predetermined speed, when the heating element is heated to the predetermined temperature. The resistance measuring module determines a resistance of the heating element when the heating element is heated to the predetermined temperature.
US08014926B2
A vehicle control device for executing the following control are provided. When a driving mode is input, a CPU of an ECU outputs an instruction for shifting a power transfer mechanism in accordance with the input driving mode, and controls a power control mechanism in accordance with a stored driving mode. When it is determined that shifting of the power transfer mechanism has been completed, the CPU switches the characteristic of the power control mechanism in accordance with the input driving mode. On the other hand, when it is determined that a predetermined period of time has elapsed without completing the shifting from when the instruction for shifting the power transfer mechanism is issued, the CPU maintains the characteristic of the power control mechanism at a characteristic corresponding to the stored driving mode.
US08014915B2
Disclosed is a vehicle management system using a wireless network system the system comprising, a WCDMA service unit having a specified ID and obtaining access to a network wirelessly, an ECU system associated with the WCDMA service module for controlling all kinds of interfaces in a vehicle, a service provider for providing various services when the WCDMA service module is connected to the wireless network, and a user having the services through non-wireless or wireless communication inside or outside of the vehicle.
US08014914B2
Methods, including service methods, articles of manufacture, systems, articles and programmable devices are provided for vehicle route planning as a function of vehicle type. A plurality of different routes for travel by a vehicle from a trip origin to a destination is determined, and the vehicle identified as either an internal combustion engine vehicle type or a hybrid vehicle type. A programmable device is caused to recommend a route of the determined plurality of routes to an operator of the identified vehicle as a function of the identified vehicle type, wherein a route recommended to the identified internal combustion engine vehicle type is different from a route recommended to the identified hybrid vehicle type. In some examples, identifying the vehicle as configured to generate operative energy through a regenerative braking energy component results in recommending a route will cause more breaking over a faster route.
US08014912B2
A method and device for aiding the piloting of an airplane includes: (1) determining current values of flight parameters of the airplane, (2) determining, with the aid of the current values, an approach distance that corresponds to a distance in a horizontal plane between the current position of the airplane and a position of contact with the ground, and (3) presenting the approach distance on a screen.
US08014903B2
The vibration suppressing device includes vibration sensors, a FFT calculating unit, a store device, a calculating unit, and a NC device. The vibration sensors detect a time-domain vibrational acceleration of a rotary shaft during rotating. The FFT calculating unit calculates a frequency of chatter vibration and a frequency-domain vibrational acceleration in the frequency of chatter vibration on the basis of the detected time-domain vibrational acceleration. The store device stores the frequency-domain vibrational acceleration, the frequency of chatter vibration and the like as machining information. When the calculated maximum frequency-domain acceleration exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the calculating unit stores the maximum acceleration, the frequency of chatter vibration, and the like as current machining information in the store device, and calculates an optimal rotation speed of the rotary shaft, by which the chatter vibration can be suppressed, based on the current machining information and previous machining information stored in the store device. The NC device rotates the rotary shaft at the optimal rotation speed.
US08014901B2
In a mobile robot control system, it is configured such that the robot generates time-series data sequentially at a predetermined time interval and transmits them to the external terminal, and the external terminal receives the transmitted time-series data and adds them to the motion command, such that the motion of the robot is determined based on the generated time-series data and the time-series data added to the motion command. With this, it becomes possible to prevent the robot from suddenly starting to move at the time when the communication between the external terminal which is a transmitting source of the motion command and the robot has recovered from disconnection, thereby enabling to avoid making the operator feel unnatural.
US08014899B2
An article conveying robot system capable of effectively containing an article in a container conveyed by a conveyor by using a robot. A container detecting part measures the distribution of shading of an image of each containing cell based on a detection result of the container, detects the containing state of each cell, and stores the detection result of each cell. An information managing part of a controller of an upstream side robot receives information from a container detecting part of a controller of a downstream side robot, and then generates containing cell information. An information managing part checks the cell information to be processed, and then transmits the cell information to a task executing part only when an article is not located in the corresponding cell. Task executing part controls the robot so as to locate an article in the selected cell based on the cell information.
US08014891B2
An etching amount calculating method that can stably and accurately calculate the amount of etching even if a disturbance is added. Superposed interference light resulting from superposition of interference light of reflected light from a mask film and reflected light from the bottom of a concave portion on other interference light is received. A waveform in a predetermined time period is extracted from a superposed interference wave calculated from the superposed interference light. The period of an interference wave of the reflected light from the mask film and the reflected light from the bottom is detected from the distribution of frequencies of the extracted waveform. The steps described above are repeated while shifting the predetermined time period by a predetermined time, and the detected periods are integrated and averaged at each repetition. The etching amount of the concave portion is calculated based on the integrated and averaged periods.
US08014890B2
In the manufacture of a high-frequency assembly, a plurality of components, at least one (12) of which is frequency-specific, are placed with respect to each other using a placing apparatus and are interconnected. In a specimen of the frequency-specific component (12, 30) a feature (23, 24) which encodes the frequency is looked for. The specimen is built in if the feature (23, 24; 26) is found in the specimen and is judged to be correct; otherwise the specimen is rejected.
US08014889B2
The present invention is a method (10) for manufacturing a three-dimensional object. The method (10) includes receiving (14) digital information of the three-dimensional object over a communication line and building (30) the three-dimensional object based at least in part on the received digital information, where at least part of the three-dimensional object is built by rapid manufacturing, and where the three-dimensional object comprises an exterior surface. The method also includes vapor smoothing (32) at least a portion of the exterior surface of the three-dimensional object.
US08014887B2
A substrate processing apparatus includes an operating section. The operating section includes a display unit having an operation screen, a screen file that stores daily check data monitor screen data in which a row number is settable as a data number, and a data name is settable as item data of a daily check. The operating section further includes a daily check initial parameter file that stores parameter data corresponding to the item data. The operating section displays the daily check data monitor screen data by extracting the screen file and placing the daily check data monitor screen data on the operation screen as a daily check data monitor screen, and by extracting the daily check initial parameter file, searching through the daily check initial parameter file based on the data number, and placing parameter data corresponding to the item data on the operation screen as the daily check data monitor screen.
US08014884B2
An audio conversation apparatus includes an assignment section for individually assigning units of spatial information which are different from each other, either to parties-to-talk-with each belonging to one of a plurality of predetermined groups, respectively, or to the plurality of predetermined groups, respectively; and a localization section for localizing, in accordance with the units of spatial information assigned by the assignment section, audio data transmitted from outside, and one of a reproduction section connected to the audio conversation apparatus and a reproduction section included in the audio conversation apparatus outputs an audio in accordance with the audio data having been localized by the localization section.
US08014880B2
A method and system for monitoring a process in a process plant includes collecting data from a process control system within the process plant, where the data is representative of a normal operation of the process when the process is on-line and operating normally, performing a multivariate statistical analysis to represent the normal operation of the process based on a set of collected on-line process data comprising a measure of the normal operation of the process when the process is on-line and operating normally, and representing a real-time on-line operation of the process using monitored on-line process data as an input to the representation of the normal operation of the process, where the monitored on-line process data comprises a measure of a real-time operation to the process when the process is on-line.
US08014877B2
The present invention provides a treatment device for applying electrical impulses to a living body through the skin, for treating a variety of clinical conditions. The device comprises a pair of electrodes for contact with the skin, and a waveform generator for repeatedly generating an AC waveform for applying electrical impulses through the electrodes to the skin. A detector detects changes in the skin impedance and generates detector output signals representing the skin impedance. Means responsive to the detector output signals for monitor the responsivity of the skin, and indicator means activated by the monitoring means generate a first indication when a predetermined level of responsivity is reached and a second indication when a pre-determined treatment has been administered.
US08014875B2
An implantable medical device, such as a lead or lead extension, includes a body having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion configured to be at least partially received by an apparatus. The device further includes a conductive member at the distal end portion of the body and an electrical contact at the proximal end portion of the body. The electrical contact is electrically coupled to the conductive member and is positioned such that, when received by the apparatus, at least a portion of the apparatus is capable of electrically coupling to the electrical contact. The device further includes a reinforcement member integrated in the body. The reinforcement member: (i) may be located in the body at a location that receives a compressive force when the proximal end portion is received by the apparatus; (ii) may be non-conductive and may be in contact with the electrical contact, and may extend distally within the body from the electrical contact; or (iii) may be located in the body at a location receivable by the apparatus.
US08014873B2
In one embodiment, an introducer is provided for implanting an electrical stimulation lead to enable electrical stimulation of nerve tissue. The introducer includes an outer sheath and an inner penetrator. The outer sheath may accommodate insertion of the electrical stimulation lead and may be inserted into a human body near the nerve tissue. The inner penetrator is removably housed within the outer sheath and includes an inner channel configured to accommodate a guide wire, a tip end having a shape and size substantially conforming to that of the guide wire, a body region having a shape and size substantially conforming to that of the outer sheath, and one or more transition regions substantially connecting the tip end with the body region. At least a portion of the transition regions of the inner penetrator may flex to substantially follow flexures in the guide wire during advancement of the inner penetrator.
US08014872B2
An integrated activation system for an implantable medical device (IMD) sharing a power source, the activation system comprising a switching circuit having first and second inputs and having an output coupled to the acute use device, a gating element coupled to the first input and configured to gate power from the power source to the switching circuit, and a sensing element coupled to the second input of the switching circuit. The sensing element is configured to sense an activation condition, enable an operation interval of the switching circuit, and transmit a signal to the switching circuit during the activation condition. The switching circuit is configured to transmit power to the acute use device upon receipt of a pre-determined number of signals from the sensing element.
US08014871B2
A prosthetic hearing device comprising a biocompatible housing having a surface that vibrates in response to sound waves traveling through tissue; and an interferometer mounted in the housing, the interferometer is constructed and arranged to generate a light beam that impinges on a reflective interior surface of the vibrating surface, and to receive light reflected from the reflective interior surface. The device detects ambient sound by impinging a light beam on a portion of the vibrating surface; receiving light reflected from the reflective portion; measuring the movement of the vibrating surface based on an interference pattern of the impinging and reflected light; and determining at least a frequency of the incident sound wave based on the interference pattern.
US08014867B2
One embodiment of the present invention relates to an implantable medical device (“IMD”) that can be programmed from one operational mode to another operational mode when in the presence of electro-magnetic interference (“EMI”). In accordance with this particular embodiment, the IMD includes a communication interface for receiving communication signals from an external device, such as a command to switch the IMD from a first operation mode to a second operation mode. The IMD further includes a processor in electrical communication with the communication interface, which is operable to switch or reprogram the IMD from the first operation mode to the second operation mode upon receiving a command to do so. In addition, the IMD includes a timer operable to measure a time period from when the processor switches the IMD to the second operation mode. In accordance with this aspect of the invention, the processor is in electrical communication with the timer, and is further operable to switch the IMD from the second operation mode back to the first operation mode when the measured time period reaches a predetermined time period.
US08014860B2
Vector selection is automatically achieved via a thoracic or intracardiac impedance signal collected in a cardiac function management device or other implantable medical device that includes a test mode and a diagnostic mode. During a test mode, the device cycles through various electrode configurations for collecting thoracic impedance data. At least one figure of merit is calculated from the impedance data for each such electrode configuration. In one example, only non-arrhythmic beats are used for computing the figure of merit. A particular electrode configuration is automatically selected using the figure of merit. During a diagnostic mode, the device collects impedance data using the selected electrode configuration. In one example, the figure of merit includes a ratio of a cardiac stroke amplitude and a respiration amplitude. Other examples of the figure of merit are also described.
US08014841B2
A mobile terminal having a housing, a circuitry supporting substrate located in the housing, the circuitry supporting substrate having an opening formed within the circuitry supporting substrate, and a camera extending into the opening of the circuitry supporting substrate.
US08014831B2
A mobile communication device is capable of communicating with a battery authorization server. Determining an authorization status of a smart battery currently powering the mobile communication device involves an initial authorization process and a subsequent authorization process. The initial authorization process is conducted between the mobile communication device and the smart battery. If the initial authorization process is successful, it is followed by a subsequent authorization process between the mobile communication device and the battery authorization server.
US08014827B2
There are provided scheduling and a resend control system, which match simultaneous communications using a plurality of carriers. For individual carriers to be used, the simultaneous resend control of the carriers is made by notifying channel information and a data decoding result and by managing the resend numbers. Even in case the communications are performed by using the carriers simultaneously between a base station and a terminal, the scheduling can be done to contain the resend control. It is also possible to improve the communication quality and the throughput.
US08014822B1
The accessorized cellphone apparatus combines three typically separate devices into one. The cellphone device of the apparatus features a cellphone view window with accompanying keypad located proximally below. The top of the apparatus, which optionally includes an antenna, also features an activation button for operating the heating element, disposed in the combustion chamber within the top of the apparatus. The combustion chamber houses the piezoelectric igniter. The heating element maintains gas ignition within the combustion chamber such that inclement conditions do not extinguish the flame. The LED lighted flashlight is disposed within the bottom of the apparatus and features a reflector grid implanted with a plurality of LED's, offering maximal lighting with low voltage power of the cellphone battery.
US08014815B2
A radioterminal may include a transceiver, a hands-free interface, and a satellite/hands-free interlock. The transceiver may be configured for space-based communications and for terrestrial wireless communications. The satellite/hands-free interlock may be configured to prevent the transceiver from transmitting space-based communications unless the hands-free interface is activated. Related methods are also discussed.
US08014809B2
Power control for uplink channels with non-cooperative and rational mobile stations (MS) provided using game theory. As a game leader, a multi-antenna access point (AP) determines the network parameters (bandwidth and the number of receiving antennas) for the power control game played between the mobile stations (MSs) (follower), so as to maximize the network utility per system resource (bandwidth and antennas).
US08014789B2
Method for locating a cell phone or PDA, e.g., arranged in or on a movable asset, includes obtaining information at the cell phone or PDA relating to reception of signals, transmitting the information from the cell phone or PDA to a remote facility and determining the location of the cell phone or PDA from the information at the remote facility. The cell phone or PDA may obtain DGPS signals and transmit them to the remote facility. In this manner, the location of the cell phone and the asset in or on which it is arranged, or the person carrying the cell phone can be determined at the remote location.
US08014785B2
Method, and system for collecting and reporting interference source information, the method includes: each terminal receives broadcast message containing NBS identification information sent by NBS when initializing, terminals which can demodulate and check accurately contain the broadcast message and receiving time information in interfered reporting message and send the interfered reporting message to the operating base station OBS, and terminals which can't demodulate and check in error contain receiving time information in reporting message; OBS records the receiving time information reported by each terminal, and records the NBS identification information contained in the broadcast message reported by terminals which check accurately as the interference source of the terminals which report the broadcast message; then, searches and records the interference sources for the other terminals from the recorded interference sources according to the relationship between the receiving time information.
US08014784B2
A method and system for allocating a channel are provided in a communication system including a plurality of Mobile Stations (MSs) and Base Stations (BSs) for providing a communication service to the plurality of MSs. A BS transmits an average Channel Quality Information (CQI) request to MSs. The MSs measure CQI with respect to their channels in response to the request from the BS, compute average CQI from the measured CQI, and transmit the average CQI to the BS. The BS selects a predefined number of MSs according to the average CQI received from the MSs and sets an MS group. The BS transmits a CQI request to the MS group. The MSs of the MS group transmit the CQI to the BS. The BS receives the CQI from the MS group and allocates a channel according to the CQI.
US08014782B2
The present invention relates to improvements for a fast setup of physical communication channels in a CDMA-based communication system. A Node B of a telecommunication network is permitted to manage and assign a certain share of the downlink transmission resources of a radio network controller without inquiry of said radio network controller. On reception of a resource request message from a user equipment, the node B derives and specifies a certain amount of said resources that can be allocated to the user equipment. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention said resources are only assigned temporarily until the ordinary RL setup procedure, which involves the RNC, has been successfully finished.
US08014775B2
A method for implementing messaging services includes receiving a message body sent by a calling user, determining whether the calling user and a called user are in the same IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) domain according to user registration information, and sending the message body to the called user if the calling user and the called user are in the same IMS domain. An IMS messaging service system includes a Message Application Server (MAS), a Call Session Control Function (CSCF) entity, a calling User Equipment (UE) and a called UE. A MAS includes a user registration information storing unit, a receiving unit, and a determining unit adapted to determine whether the calling user and the called user are in the same IMS domain according to the user registration information stored in the user registration information storing unit when the receiving unit receives the message body from the calling user, and a sending unit. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, when the calling user and the called user are in the same IMS domain, the information interaction process and the message body transmission time may be shortened.
US08014773B2
In the mobile communication system, asynchronous and synchronous Mobile Switching Centers (MSCs) are interconnected via an Interworking Interoperability Function (IIF), and are connected to a Dual stack Home Location Register (D-HLR). The D-HLR stores and manages asynchronous subscription and synchronous subscription information of the mobile communication terminal. The IIF stores and manages the synchronous mobile communication system information, receives the synchronous subscription information of the mobile communication terminal from the D-HLR, transmits synchronous system information and the synchronous subscription information of the mobile communication terminal to the synchronous MSC and receives a response from the synchronous MSC, and requests the asynchronous MSC to release a wireless connection when the mobile communication terminal and the synchronous mobile communication system are interconnected and notification of completion of the handover is provided.
US08014771B2
A method of sharing a satellite communication system having a common equipment includes billing a first user for sending a first message using the common equipment over a first satellite link, billing a second user for sending a second message using the common equipment over a second satellite link, wherein the first satellite link is different than the second satellite link, billing a first network operator for billing the first user, and billing a second network operator for billing the second user.
US08014760B2
In one aspect of the invention, a computer-implemented method is disclosed for use in conjunction with a portable electronic device with a touch screen display. A list of items comprising missed telephone calls is displayed. Upon detecting user selection of an item in the list, contact information is displayed for a respective caller corresponding to the user selected item. The displayed contact information includes a plurality of contact objects that include a first contact object, comprising a telephone number object having a first telephone number associated with the missed telephone call, and a second contact object. Upon detecting user selection of the second contact object, a communication with the respective caller is initiated via a modality corresponding to the second contact object.
US08014755B2
A method and apparatus handling payment transactions in a system using mobile communication devices as stored value devices are disclosed. A transaction operations server receives multiple records of the transaction from the stored value device—one via a communication channel through the telecommunication provider network, and another via an independent communication channel. The records are reconciled at the transaction server for transaction verification.
US08014745B1
A compensation apparatus for an integrated communication system is disclosed. The integrated communication system can include a first communication device having a first transmitter antenna, and a second communication device having a second receiver antenna, wherein the second receiver antenna is in appreciable proximity of the first transmitter antenna such that the second receiver antenna picks up substantial electromagnetic interference from the first communication device. The compensation apparatus can include an isolation device having compensation circuitry coupling the first transmitter antenna and the second receiver antenna and configured to adaptively cancel the electromagnetic interference from the first communication device at the second receiver antenna.
US08014744B1
A wireless network device includes a plurality of antennas for transmitting and receiving data packets. An antenna diversity module measures at least one of an average signal-to-noise ratio and a packet error rate associated with the data packets and selects a given antenna of the plurality of antennas based on at least one of the average signal-to-noise ratio and the packet error rate. The antenna diversity module measures a first average signal-to-noise ratio or a first packet error rate while utilizing a first antenna of the plurality of antennas, measures a second average signal-to-noise ratio or a second packet error rate while utilizing a second antenna of the plurality of antennas, and selects the given antenna based at least in part on a comparison of the first average signal-to-noise ratio to the second average signal-to-noise ratio or a comparison of the first packet error rate to the second packet error rate.
US08014743B1
This disclosure discloses methods and apparatus for calibrating received signal strength indicators.
US08014741B2
A signal quality estimation and control system for controlling a signal having noise. The system may include a signal strength determination system having an input configured to receive the signal and an output configured to output information indicative of the strength of the signal, a noise strength determination system having an input configured to receive the signal and an output configured to output information indicative of the strength of the noise in the signal, and a signal quality evaluation system. The signal quality evaluation system may have an input configured to receive the output of the signal strength determination system, an input configured to receive the output from the noise strength determination system, and an output configured to output information indicative of the quality of the signal based on the output from the signal strength determination system and the output from the noise strength determination system. A signal control system may be include that has an input configured to receive the output from the signal quality evaluation system and to control a switching function relating to the signal based on the output from the signal quality evaluation system.
US08014739B2
A radio terminal includes a first part that has a first gain switchable between first and second levels, a second part that continuously controls a second gain, and a control part. A first range of the combined gain of the first and second gains obtained by the second part with the first gain set at the first level and a second range of the combined gain obtained by the second part with the first gain set at the second level have at least an overlap. The control part switches the first gain from one to the other of the first and second levels if the combined gain is within the overlap and a change in the combined gain exceeds a predetermined value, or if the combined gain is within the overlap and the radio terminal is in a period of no transmission or reception in intermittent transmission or reception.
US08014737B2
A wireless communication unit comprises a transmitter having an analogue feedback power control loop with an input and a power amplifier having a power amplifier output, where the analogue feedback power control loop is arranged to feedback a signal to the input to set an output power level of the transmitter. The wireless communication unit further comprises an outer digital loop operably coupled from the power amplifier output to the transmitter.In this manner, the inner analogue loop is used to linearise a response obtained from the power amplifier and an outer digital loop wherein the outer digital loop controls the inner analogue loop with regard to saturation detection and correction as well as facilitating multi-mode operation of the wireless communication unit.
US08014734B2
A method of operating a transmit diversity device, wherein upon detection of a phase instability condition a power setting, such as a ratio of transmission power between different antennas, may be modified.
US08014728B2
Transmitter calibration of a wireless device is initiated based upon an operational value of the wireless device. The calibration operations are performed over a plurality of calibration time periods, each calibration time period divided into a plurality of first interval portions interspersed with a plurality of second interval portions, for each calibration time period of the plurality of calibration time periods, respective calibration settings are applied. During the first interval portions substantially fixed first current input is applied to at least one gain adjustable element of the RF circuitry. During the second interval portions, varying current input is applied to the at least one gain adjustable element of the RF circuitry. Output levels of the RF circuitry are measured over the calibration time period. Operational calibration settings for the baseband processing circuitry and analog signal path components of the transmitter are selected based upon the calibration operations.
US08014724B2
Methods and systems for processing a signal with a corresponding noise profile are disclosed. Aspects of the method may comprise analyzing spectral content of the noise profile. At least one noise harmonic within the signal may be filtered based on said analyzed spectral content. The filtered signal may be limited. The noise profile may comprise a phase noise profile. The signal may comprise at least one of a sinusoidal signal and a noise signal. At least one filter coefficient that is used to filter said at least one noise harmonic may be determined. The filtering may comprise low pass filtering and the limiting may comprise hard-limiting the filtered signal. The signal may be modulated prior to the filtering. The signal may be downconverted prior to the modulating. At least one signal component of the signal may be downconverted.
US08014720B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, apparatuses, and programming instructions configured to enable a device to receive provisioning data over a Near Field Communication link, and utilize the provisioning data to receive services.
US08014719B2
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention described and shown in the specification and drawings is a transceiver with a receiver, a transmitter, a local oscillator (LO) generator, a controller, and a self-testing unit. All of these components can be packaged for integration into a single IC including components such as filters and inductors. The controller for adaptive programming and calibration of the receiver, transmitter and LO generator. The self-testing unit generates is used to determine the gain, frequency characteristics, selectivity, noise floor, and distortion behavior of the receiver, transmitter and LO generator. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.
US08014717B2
A method of distributing content from multiple media content providers comprises combining the content into one or more composite data streams, and conveying the composite data streams to a plurality of receiver systems, each of which has a user interface that displays content provider information and allows for the selection of one of the providers for playing of the selected provider's media content. The media content is preferably provided to a computer server system via a data communications network. One or more composite data streams can be upconverted and uplinked to a satellite system for reception by satellite radio receivers. Intermediary service providers might also be used to receive the composite data streams, either via satellite or land-based communications lines, and format the data as needed for use by one or more associated end-user devices.
US08014716B2
An information management server and information distribution system utilizes a video of the class for creating educational contents matching the learning conditions of the student, and also provides instruction using these same contents. This information server and information distribution system are composed of an accumulator section to store electronic data on the lecture contents, a holding section to hold lecture-related information, a send section to send lecture contents and lecture-related information to the terminal of the student, an analyzer section to analyze electronic data on the lecture contents, and a matcher section to link lecture-related information with lecture contents based on those analysis results, and a control section for selecting lecture contents linked to the lecture-related information based on a reply to the lecture-related information sent from the student terminal, wherein the send section and sends those selected lecture contents to the terminal of the student that sent the reply to the lecture-related information.
US08014714B2
Fusers, printing apparatuses and methods of fusing toner on media are disclosed. An embodiment of a fuser for heating media includes a fuser roll including an outer portion having a first outer surface; a voltage source connected to the outer portion and adapted to supply voltage to the outer portion to heat the first outer surface; a pressure roll having a second outer surface; and a nip between the first and second outer surfaces. The first and second outer surfaces are adapted to contact a medium at the nip.
US08014712B2
A fusing device to fuse an image to a printing medium, the fusing device including: a heating roller; a first pressing roller, which presses the printing medium against the heating roller; and a second pressing roller which attached to the first pressing roller, to detach the printing medium from the first pressing roller. The first and second pressing rollers are biased against the heating roller such that the first and second pressing rollers move according to a change in a position of the heating roller.
US08014709B2
An image forming device includes a conveyor belt, an image forming unit, and a guide unit. The conveyor belt has a conveying surface that mounts and conveys a recording medium. The image forming unit forms an image on the recording medium placed on the conveying surface. The guide unit supports and conveys the recording medium to the conveying surface in a conveying direction. The guide unit includes a first guide plate and a second guide plate. The first guide plate is flexible. The first guide plate has a first distal end portion at a downstream side thereof in the conveying direction and is disposed near the conveyor belt. The second guide plate is flexible. The second guide plate has a second distal end portion disposed in direct confrontation with the first distal end portion to nip the recording medium in cooperation with the first distal end portion.
US08014707B2
A developing device includes: a developing roller, a casing which rotatably supports the developing roller; a thickness regulation blade; and first and second holding members which fix the thickness regulation blade on the casing. The first holding member includes: a first nipping surface which contacts the thickness regulation blade; and a first fixing surface. The second holding member includes: a second nipping surface which opposes the first nipping surface; and a second fixing surface contacting the first fixing surface. The thickness regulation blade includes a positioning opening and is sandwiched between the first nipping surface and the second nipping surface. The first nipping surface includes a projection which is fitted into the positioning opening of the thickness regulation blade.
US08014706B2
A developing device is disclosed. The developing device includes a developing roller disposed to face an image carrier and a toner carrier capturing roller disposed to face the developing roller for capturing toner carriers adhered onto the image carrier. The developing roller generates a magnetic pole at a side facing the toner carrier capturing roller. A first virtual line, which connects a rotational center of the developing roller to a rotational center of the toner carrier capturing roller, passes through a region between a position where a magnetic flux density of the magnetic pole in the normal line direction is minimum on the developing roller at the upstream side in the rotational direction of the developing roller and a position where the magnetic flux density of the magnetic pole in the normal line direction is maximum on the developing roller.
US08014704B2
A developing agent storage device for storing a refill developing agent includes toner particles, carrier particles, an inner layer of the developing agent storage device. The toner particles and carrier particles compose the refill developing agent. The inner layer is provided as a wall contacting the refill developing agent. An electrostatic chargeability level of the toner particles, the carrier particles, and the inner layer is set in an order of toner, inner layer, and carrier from any one of a negative charge side and a positive charge side.
US08014702B2
A liquid developer collection apparatus and an image forming apparatus can prevent image disturbances and also disturbances of the toner particles on the image section that can be produced by squeezing. The liquid developer collection apparatus includes a first squeezing section 113aY that squeeze a liquid developer on an image carrier carrying an image developed by the liquid developer containing carrier liquid and toner particles, and a second squeezing section 113bY arranged vertically above the first squeezing section 113aY to squeeze the image carrier squeezed by the first squeezing section 113aY, and the liquid developer collected by the second squeezing section 113bY is made to fall free onto the first squeezing section 113aY and collected.
US08014700B2
An image forming apparatus which includes a plurality of image bearing members, a plurality of primary transferring devices, an intermediary transfer unit, a secondary transfer portion, a feeding path, a detecting member, an adjusting device, an openable member, a guiding mechanism, and a retracting mechanism.
US08014697B2
A cleaning device for cleaning an image forming surface of a rotating image bearing member that bears a toner image includes a cleaning member that faces and cleans the image forming surface. An operating mechanism allows the cleaning member to come in press-contact with and separate from the image forming surface. A controller controls the operating mechanism. A solid lubricant provides lubricity to the image forming surface through the cleaning member. The solid lubricant contacts of cleaning member in a state where the cleaning member is in press-contact with the image forming surface and the solid lubricant separates from the cleaning member in a state where the cleaning member separates from the image forming surface.
US08014680B2
An optical transceiver which can effectively reduce optical output jitter when an error is made during designing and manufacturing of a printed circuit board (PCB), and a method of controlling optical output jitter using the optical transceiver are provided. The optical transceiver includes a transmitter unit including an equalizing (EQ) filter which can reduce jitter of a high speed electric signal; a control circuit which controls the EQ filter; a receiver unit which receives an optical signal; and a micro-controller which controls the transmitter unit and the receiver unit. Further included in the optical transceiver is an active type or passive type EQ filter and, in the case of the active type, the control circuit is used to control the filter, in order to compensate for high-frequency component of a high speed electric signal in the transmitter unit in order to reduce reflection or loss on the PCB, and thus deterministic optical output jitter occurring due to Inter-Symbol Interference (ISI) can be reduced.
US08014679B2
An optical space transmission device includes: a first portion; and a second portion which is rotatably connected to the first portion and performs space transmission of signals using light between the first portion and the second portion. The device includes: a first light emitting and receiving module which is provided for the first portion and includes: a first light emitting element composed of a light emitting diode emitting first signal light modulated based on a signal transmitted from the first to second portion; and a first light receiving element receiving second signal light modulated based on a signal transmitted from the second to first portions; and a second light emitting and receiving module which is provided for the second portion and includes: a second light emitting element composed of a semiconductor laser emitting the second signal light; and a second light receiving element receiving the first signal light.
US08014676B2
According to one embodiment, a microwave photonic band-stop (MPBS) filter uses an electrical input signal to drive an optical Mach-Zehnder modulator. A modulated optical carrier produced by the modulator is applied to an optical filter having at least two tunable spectral attenuation bands that are located substantially symmetrically on either side of the carrier frequency. The resulting filtered optical signal is applied to an optical-to-electrical (O/E) converter to produce an electrical output signal.
US08014675B2
A passive optical network communication system transmits an optical time-division multiplexed signal from a central office through a passive optical coupler to a number of subscribers, and transmits optical encoded signals from the subscribers through the passive optical coupler to the central office. Optical encoded signals from different subscribers are separated by a decoding process performed at the central office. All operations can be synchronized with a clock signal which is generated at the central office and recovered from the optical time-division multiplexed signal by the subscribers' equipment. The communication range can be extended inexpensively by using a single high-power light source at the central office while using relatively low-power light sources at the subscribers' equipment.
US08014672B2
According to the present invention, a star-type wavelength multiplexed communication network using optical TX/RX devices capable of assigning the wavelengths can be provided without using the monitoring light. In an embodiment of the present invention, an optical TX/RX device for transmitting and receiving a wavelength-multiplexed signal light comprises an optical receiver capable of varying the RX wavelength and an optical transmitter capable of varying the TX wavelength. The optical TX/RX device detects RX wavelengths not in use via the optical receiver, and assigns the RX wavelength of the optical receiver to one of the RX wavelengths not-in-use, and assigns the TX wavelength of the optical transmitter to a TX wavelength corresponding to the RX wavelength according to a correspondence table of TX and RX wavelengths in the memory. Then, the optical TX/RX device transmits a signal light on this TX wavelength, and detects the response on the RX wavelength. If the response is detected, communication is initiated using the assigned TX wavelength and the RX wavelength. If the response is not detected, the operation is repeated from the detection of RX wavelengths not in use to the transmission of the signal light on TX wavelength again.
